Thirty-six
Tatiana The world is hard, and nobles will never understand. If there is anything I have learned from being on the run, it was that very advisable lesson. When nobles are pregnant and they are told to be on bed rest, they are confined to their beds and waited on hand and foot. When peasants are pregnant, they are told not to do much work and work only as hard as to put food in their stomachs and a roof over their heads.
I was in the first category, complete with one of the best physicians and a doting husband who upon hearing I was pregnant would not have allowed me to leave the bed; either way, he would have showered me with love, gifts, and attention. Now I am in the second category because I chose to believe and follow a father who treats me like I am the worse of the worst criminal by placing a bounty on my head.
I am made to do menial jobs just to assist while Garnet suffers more for me, the last of our coin went to treating my fever and I had almost lost my child, rankless, pregnant, and penniless. My life which I thought was poor is nothing but a fairytale which I wish I could go back to.
That life was for princesses, not traitors who stepped on their husband's very pregnant mistress one too many times.
“Have you heard the news? The king is back, and he is looking for his wife. I cannot believe that two kingdoms are tearing their selves apart just looking for a slip of a girl who seems to escape capture.” A merchant said loudly, waving his hands about, gesturing to the other man who appeared to be his friend.
“You seem like you are still behind on the news. Word on the street is that they have included other kingdoms to join in the search, as from tomorrow there will be guards sent out by other kingdoms to check their cities looking for the lost princess.”
“Princess? I thought she is a queen.”
“She is both but since her father started looking for her first, the lost princess name got stuck. Now almost everybody knows her description: big brown eyes, a shapely small face, pointed nose, and long thick black hair that happens to be the pride of noblewomen.”
“Would she not cut the hair?” The other guess just like the first shrugged. “She might since nobody knows what is going through her mind for running away, did she get tired of eating good food and decided to see how the other side was living.”
“I am sure she will soon return home and the world would calm down again until the next royal does something that will cause gossips and talks once more and seeing the fact that she was married to the god-king, the gossip will never be too far from her.”
I stood and listen to people who do not know me try and dissect my life while thinking if I could stand still enough to get the right information, it was through small talks like this that I got my information and then know how to proceed.
I felt a sharp pain in my stomach as I was elbowed away for the position I was standing.
“The road is for public use and not private.” Someone yelled at me as I moved to the side trying to breathe through the pain I was feeling, the sharpness was increasing, and I did not know what to do.
Garnet was not close to me as she was on the other side of the capital working hard to earn a few pennies.
I tried to take a few steps in her direction only for my legs to collapse underneath me.
A gasp sounded before someone yelled, “She is bleeding.”
I tried to keep awake, I tried to make my mouth work and tell them that I was okay, that I was just a little stressed and I would bounce back in no time, I tried to tell them these things but everywhere went black.
******************
I opened my eyes to see myself in a cot with some other people in the same large room I was in too, I was looking better than them as some had bandages around their body or somewhere unconscious, I look to my left to see a warrior staring down at me.
“I am not here to hurt you; I was the one who lifted you from the crowd and brought you to the only hospital in the capital.
“Thank you, good sir, I will be on my way now if you do not mind.” I bowed my head in greeting, keeping my face tucked into my chest as I tried to stand up and I was already looking for the door so I could leave and then find Garnet.
“Not so soon, my lady.” The man replied.
I paused and then realized that I needed to pay for the bills. I emptied my pockets on the bed, gathering the few pennies I had been able to make that day. “I am sorry that I do not have much, but this is all I have…”
“I do not want your money, my lady, where is your maid?” He asked and my jaw dropped open. No! I could not be found out.
“I am sorry sir.” I gave a confused laugh. “I am not a lady and neither do I have a maid. Please let me go.” I begged as I shifted away from the man and the damn cot, cursing my stars why I fainted on the road today.
“What are you trying to hide from Princess? Your hair might be shorter, and you may look thinner now, but you are Queen Tatiana, wife to the god-king.”
“You have me mistaken for someone else, my lord. I am nothing but a peasant. Thank you for giving me the honor of thinking that I could be a queen, but I know the truth. I am not that pretty.”
“Queen Tatiana, I was present for your wedding, I am not a warrior, I am the king of this kingdom, you would think that I would recognize one of my closest friends’ bride would you not?” The man stated, standing up and that was when I realized that he did look familiar, He looked like Thann. A lot like him.
“Thann is my younger brother.” He stated as if he read my mind. “I grew up with Chandler your husband but then again, this history can be shared later in my home and not a place full of sick people. Now, Queen Tatiana, I ask you, where is your maid Garnet? I was informed that you took her with you.”