The Queen watched fascinated as the slight woman at her bedside rested gentle hands atop her rising belly, a strange warm glow appearing over her unborn. The witch who was mother to the Royal Cook, was known as Katelyn Ashowan, a mutated healing witch.

As she continued staring at the Queen’s womb, her eyes had sparks of gold in them as she continued staring in silence.

The King was less calm than his wife as he stood off to the side torn between inactivity and wanting to demand what kind of magic Miss Kate Ashowan was using on his wife, and why?

Ainsley must’ve sensed her husband was debating interrupting the process, because she shot him a warning look that kept him glued to his spot.

After another tense moment, Fin’s mother straightened with a beautiful smile on her face.

“You’ve done well your majesty. The babe is happy and healthy, though…” Kate glanced nervously at the King, a small knot of worry appearing between her thin eyebrows.

“What is it?” Ainsley asked gently, though she had already paled in fright.

“I worry you will deliver early. It was wise of your physician to place you on bed rest. Your body is unable to continue its balanced growth for much longer past another…” The witch pursed her mouth in deep thought as she tried to calculate when they would expect the delivery to be.

“Shortly after the second moon from now if I help you along.” Kate concluded, though she sounded hesitant to say so.

“The babe isn’t supposed to come for another three months!” The King exclaimed as his voice wavered against his will.

“I know your majesty and I am sorry. If it is any consolation, I have delivered a babe a fortnight even earlier than what I see for your own, and he lived on to be a strapping young man! He was a little smaller than the rest of his peers, but took over his father’s farm well enough.” The story did bolster the Queen’s spirits for a moment, until she reluctantly asked;

“Is that the only tale of success you have?”

“I’ve had other babes around your time, some survived, some didn’t. I am sorry that I cannot promise you more than that, your highness.” Kate curtsied with her head bowed solemnly.

Ainsley and Norman shared a look of such pain and grief in that time before Kate straightened, that even when she did rise and look at the couple, she could feel their agonizing despair.

“Do not give up all hope just yet. Sometimes that is what makes all the difference in the outcome, you know!” She cheered, trying to sound as stern with the monarchs as she did her other patients.

Ainsley smiled sadly while she continued gazing into her husband’s eyes.

“Your son said that very same thing to me.” Ainsley continued rubbing her stomach, and tried to ignore her aching throat and tears that wanted to fall.

“He learned it from me of course, but I taught it because it is true. Now would you two like to know the gender of your little warrior?” Kate kept her tone light and pleasant in hopes of drawing the distraught couple out of their dismal thoughts.

Both the King and Queen’s heads snapped to the witch, their eyes rounded in wonder.

“Y-You’re magic can tell us that?!” Ainsley was breathless when she asked.

“It can indeed. Not all parents wish to know- though that is because they think it a bad omen to know. I can promise you that that is not the case.” Kate hurried to add on the last reassurance as she could see that there was a sliver of hopefulness in both their eyes that they both desperately needed.

Ainsley looked at Norman while trying to maintain her composure.

“I-I would like to know.”

Norman smiled lovingly down at his wife, the faintest sheen of tears in his eyes.

“Anything for you, love.”

Kate blushed at such open affection between the most powerful people on the continent, but couldn’t help but smile. She could tell their marriage was something incredibly special.

“Well you’re majesties, you are going to have your hands full with a little princess soon.”

Ainsley burst out in a joyous nervous laugh, as the tears escaped her eyes without any further fight.

Norman looked dazed for a moment, then a dreamy smile spread across his face.

“Eric is going to have a sister.” The King suddenly lunged for his wife, kissing and embracing her as she laughed and cried simultaneously.

Kate, feeling like an unnecessary witness to the emotional moment, excused herself quietly and left the couple alone.

She stepped outside of the chamber and closed the door softly behind herself. As soon as her hand released the handle, she let out a long sigh before smiling so widely that her cheeks ached.

Kate knew she would do anything and everything possible to see that babe into the world safe and sound, and she would do everything possible to see that the lass would grow into a woman as wonderful as her parents.

“Is everything alright with her majesty?”

Kate jumped. She hadn’t heard the dark haired beauty on her right approach as she had been too absorbed in her own thoughts.

“The Queen’s health is a matter of confidentiality. If she chooses to share that information, that is up to her.” Kate gave a small apologetic smile before she turned and leaned back against the wall beside the door, her hands folded tidily in front of herself.

The witch had anticipated the dark haired woman to continue on her way and leave her be, only the Lady seemed to be studying her closely instead.

“Can I help you dear?” Kate asked, tilting her head quizzically to the side as she studied the woman in turn.

“You just don’t look much like Fin.”

Kate’s eyes widened and blinked several times as she studied the stranger in front of her with renewed interest.

She was clearly a member of nobility, given the rich purple gown she wore with simple yet expensive jewelry. A long silver necklace with a glittering black diamond pendant hung around her neck that was nestled in a circle of diamonds. The necklace matched her bejeweled earrings and hair ornaments that had her hair partially swept back. Yes. She was obviously a wealthy woman.

Kate looked at the woman’s hands and noted that there wasn’t a wedding ring.

“Fin looks a lot like his father, the only thing he got from me unfortunately was my heart. He did get the gold flecks in his eyes from me and the bright blue from my father, though that is harder to notice at first glance.” Kate shook her head while smiling to herself fondly. “He also inherited my bumpy feet sadly.”

A corner of the noble woman’s mouth twitched, and Kate immediately grew suspicious.

It was strange how so many members of nobility seemed familiar on an intimate level with her son.

“Given your first name basis with my son, I take it you two have met?” Kate asked politely, not anticipating the sheer volume of emotions that would play through the strange woman’s eyes before they resumed a pleasant blankness.

‘Fin my love what have you gotten yourself into?’ Kate suddenly felt overwhelming fear about what was wearing lines into the corners of her son’s eyes.

“We have met on a couple of occasions Ms. Ashowan. He is somewhat of an enigma in the castle- he has been apart of a number of odd occurrences.”

Kate sighed, and in a gesture of surprisingly easy familiarity, she stepped forward and hooked her arm through the noblewoman’s arm and gently tugged her into a stroll.

“Fin likes his privacy, there’s no doubt about that, though you must understand my worry as his mother about why in the world so many powerful people seem to have a close relationship with him.” Kate shook her head while her gaze was cast at the ground ahead in deep thought.

“He is a brilliant cook who has been incredibly vocal about his beliefs regardless of who is challenging him.” The Lady ventured carefully.

“Oh Gods.” Kate’s free hand went to her mouth as she shook her head and terror swelled in her eyes.

“He’ll get himself killed here.” She whispered fearfully.

“On the contrary, he seems to somehow make friends as he does these things. The King and his closest advisors are good people.” Annika soothed with a caring glance. “Fin explains his points well and so they listen- if anything you should be worried that your son isn’t assertive enough.” She admitted before realizing she had just said indicated, in no uncertain terms, the exact level of knowledge she had about the cook.

If Kate thought this odd or peculiar, she did nothing to show it.

“Oh he’s plenty assertive if it’s for someone else, but for himself? To Fin, feeling safe, warm, and able to cook good food is enough. It doesn’t take him much to carve out a niche for himself- even if for others it’d be a little lonely.” Kate looked slightly downcast as she voiced this while clearly lost in her own thoughts on the matter.

“You don’t think he’s lonely?”

“I think he prefers loneliness to the potential pain of hurting someone he cares about, or losing them. Ah, why am I filling your head with thoughts about my son? He’s the cook here, and I’m not going to lie and say he isn’t the best there is, but you are a Lady! You’re very kind for indulging my thoughtless rambling. You must have your own exciting life!”

Kate stopped and smiled warmly up at the noblewoman, though she didn’t understand the sudden stricken look on the woman’s face.

‘He has your smile too.’ Annika felt her stomach clench painfully.

“I actually am leaving to attend my waterfront estate this morning, and shall stay for a few days. I have some household matters to attend to.” Annika explained vaguely once she regained her composure.

The duo rounded the South West corner of the castle and began heading back up towards the North East corner which was closer to Annika’s chamber.

“I’m surprised you live in the castle with an estate here in Austice.”

“Yes well, court is so thrilling I’d hate to miss a minute of it.” Annika’s distant tone earned an interested glance from Kate.

“You sound tired dear.”

The Lady Jenoure cast an amused glance at Kate, who even though was only a couple of inches shorter than herself, felt somehow significantly smaller. Which probably made the witch seem non-threatening and easy to share the very private information of Annika’s schedule.

“I have two more courting times before I can go check on my estate.”

“Oh how wonderful! Are the men handsome?” Kate queried, her excitement oddly intoxicating.

“They are.” Annika admitted, but despite her efforts, she failed at blocking the glumness from her tone.

“If you’ll forgive my saying, I know political marriages aren’t always joyous unions. Are you doing alright?” The gentleness with which the question was asked evaporated the heavy air around Annika quicker than she knew to be possible.

She tried to smile and feign her way through her answer, and yet when she stared into the earnest eyes of Katelyn Ashowan, she somehow didn’t have the energy to pretend. The woman was so obviously kind, honest, and good, it was hard to tarnish the interaction with a lie.

“I’ll be fine.”

The short reply was all the Lady Jenoure could manage, and she smiled as serenely as possible, even though she could feel the pain she exuded in the corner of her lips.

“I see.” Kate frowned, her face full of sorrow as she paused right at the corner of the North West junction of the castle. They were a mere few feet from Lady Jenoure’s chamber door- not that she was aware of the fact.

Grasping the Lady’s hand in her own, she stepped in front of the dark haired beauty.

“Do not settle, but do not let the idea of passion stop you from making a wise decision either. I did so once, and not only did I pay for it dearly, but so did my boy.”

Annika flinched unconsciously, and once again Kate failed to see the exact emotional reaction her words caused.

“Sometimes the pain of bearing through no decision is better than a wrong one.” The witch concluded with a firm nod.

Annika did manage to smile more genuinely then, when Kate suddenly frowned.

“Why is there a wound in your side?”

Annika’s jaw dropped.

***

Fin stood at his table wiping down the remnants of the dinner dishes, when he heard a soft knock at the garden door.

He peered up to see Jiho Ryu step over the threshold wearing a deep blue tunic rolled up to his elbows at the sleeves, brown trousers, lustrous tall brown boots, and a long black vest.

“I thought it’d be a good time for a chat.” Jiho grinned at Fin as easily as he had during the two years he had spent living with the redhead. Though something had changed in the Zinferan’s eyes. Something about him was more reserved. Fin recognized the shift from his time interacting with the nobility he had met since joining the castle staff. There was a moment when a wall of social divide erected itself in their mind and it showed in their gazes, whether they knew it or not. There inevitably always came the moment where Fin was looked upon as the lower end of ‘those to be commanded’.

The witch sighed while dropping his gaze, when he looked back up at his friend however, there was only a look of pure mischief. Jiho’s refined expression immediately faltered. As soon as the noble mask had disappeared, the Zinferan once again resembled the troublemaking dockworker from years prior.

“Oh Jiho… you aren’t going to know what hit you.”

The Zinferan began to open his mouth, when Katelyn Ashowan launched herself on the man from her hidden position behind the garden door- she had been grabbing a tankard of ale when her former patient had appeared.

Her arms were wrapped around him and she was laughing musically.

Fin delighted in watching Ryu’s stricken expression at being embraced so suddenly, but just like Fin, he recognized the familiar scent of lavender mixed with sage, and an astonished smile lit his face. He then wasted no time in wrapping his arms around the small woman that was clinging to him.

“Kate Ashowan! What in the world are you doing here?!” Jiho managed after the shock had worn off.

The healer released him and gazed happily up into his face.

“I might ask you the same thing! Look at you all decked out in finery. How is your ailment? You’re eating right?”

“Yes of course.” Jiho was holding the soothing familiar hands of Fin’s mother in his own and looking every bit like the chastened youth he had once been while under her watchful eye.

“I’m glad to hear it. Shall we all have a drink? I must hear about what happened to you once you went back to Zinfera! Your letters were always so vague, and while I do enjoy hearing about the spectacular trees in your country, I’d much rather hear about you. Tell me, are you married? Do you have any children?”

At the mention of matrimony Jiho’s levity dimmed greatly, and he flicked a sharp glance to Fin, who appeared expressionless aside from his piercing stare.

The cook gave a look filled with a heavy-handed warning.

Jiho looked back at Kate who was watching puzzled at the two men’s exchange while waiting for a reply.

“How about we all have a drink?” Jiho invited, masking his face once again and gesturing towards Fin’s table with a sweeping arm.

The redhead gave a tight smile and retrieved two more tankards to be filled.

His gut was double knotted in apprehension, the first knot of course being the haunting image of Annika Jenoure’s face as she left his cottage the night before.

He got the sense that the night ahead of him was going to be another difficult one. Even though it had all the ingredients of a wonderful time with his friend and mother seated at his table with ale, there was the weighted burden of dread over whatever Jiho had actually come to say that evening.