“Vadde? Her name’s Vadde? What a strange name.”

Voices closed in.

“No stranger than Shaza.”

The young woman’s mouth snapped shut. After a moment, she muttered, “You speak truth. Still, when did Wyrn have time to meet anyone much less someone like this?”

“Shhh, keep your voice down. We don’t want to startle her And do you remember what I’ve said?”

“Don’t let her run off. I know, I know,” Shaza complained. “I’m not one to defy my mother-in-law.”

Two women stood over a basin, dunking cloths which they eventually wrung out. The older of the two paused at being called a mother-in-law.

Rihetha, awakened by their hushed chatter, expected the woman to correct Shaza out of saying ‘mother-in-law’ but the woman hesitated then went back to her task.

“Don’t ask her about where she’s from. We don’t need her getting homesick and running into the forest to be eaten by wolves.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It’ll be hard for her at first, missing her family, but she’ll get used to it if we don’t remind her.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

For a long minute, the chatter paused.

Shaza finally asked, “Are you having doubts, ma’am?”

Perhaps they both were.

“No,” the woman muttered, “this will work if we don’t make any mistakes.” After brushing off her apron, she drew herself up to her full height and declared, “You finish wiping her down, I’ll fetch the food.”

Wiping?

Rihetha closed her eyes to feign sleep but allowed her hands to roam her bare body below the sheets.

That was startling. Still, other than hunger, she felt fine. She didn’t smell and she was comfortable. More importantly, she wasn’t sleeping on the streets.

Shaza ignored her instructions and picked up the metal basin and took it out. The sound of water hitting the ground followed shortly after.

Rihetha puzzled over that action but kept quiet.

Soon enough, the older woman returned. “Are you all finished?” she asked, surprised.

“Yes, ma’am. Wiped her from head to toe,” Shaza lied. “Even got her backside.”

Rihetha took insult, unsure of what should cause her more outrage, the lie or the idea that someone knew her that intimately.

“Very good,” Mother-in-law said. “You’re so good at waking her. Feed her what you can, and I’ll be back with some water.”

In seconds, the woman was gone yet again. Rihetha waited, debating when to let her conscious state be known. No one approached and nothing happened. In fact, all was silent save for the sound of someone munching.

Rihetha’s stomach growled. It was an act of self-hate that caused her to open her eyes to witness what she feared to be true.

Shaza, a tall, slender brunette, sitting comfortably at the little table, sampled every dish then ate with a smile.

The sound of footsteps had her wiping her mouth. She stood at attention when her mother-in-law returned with a bowl.

“All of it?” the woman marveled. “Well, that’s good.” She focused on Rihetha for the first time.

Rihetha, in turn, shut her eyes and feigned sleep.

“You don’t have to do that,” the woman called. “We mean you no harm.”

“Oh, there’s no sense in yelling, ma’am,” Shaza warned, “she’s far too afraid to confront you. When I spoke to her, she was awfully angry.”

The gasp was brief but sincere. “Oh, dear. May—maybe I should reconsider this medicine then. It is rather bitter.”

“Oh, you can try it,” Shaza suggested. “One spoonful might just make her sit up and take notice. It’ll certainly be entertaining.”

A pit formed in Rihetha’s stomach. From the older woman’s protest, she understood that Shaza grabbed the bowl and closed in.

Eyes opened in record time, Rihetha stared the bitch down.

Shaza was rather beautiful despite the look of fear plastered on her face.

“Ah—ah, well look at that.” She glanced back to her mother-in-law and said, “Your good food’s done wonders, ma’am.”

But Shaza wasn’t the only one hesitant to approach. The first thing Rihetha took note of was the wee cloth wrapping the older woman’s hair. Strands of white and black hung freely here and there but mostly, it was neat.

Her dress was that of a poor person, right down to the off-white apron. She was heavyset, much heavier than Rihetha’s mother but not as big as Rihetha’s former nurse. All in all, she looked rather friendly.

On her right, Shaza stood, resembling a younger version of her. only, instead of a dull blue color to her dress like her mother-in-law, Shaza’s was green.

Both dresses laced up under the women’s bosom, which was covered by white, but Shaza’s cleavage was lowcut.

Their clothes were so similar that they resembled uniforms, rather than proper fashion.

“G—good morning,” the mother-in-law breathed out. “My name’s Aggu. I—I’m very sorry for not getting you a warmer welcome. And if you’re still hungry, I can get more food.”

Rihetha’s hesitation was her biggest mistake because it gave Shaza ample time to say, “No need, ma’am. You’ve just given her food. She shouldn’t eat too much on an already delicate stomach. No?”

Aggu considered those words then nodded. “Right.”

This time when Rihetha’s stomach growled, she feared she’d split in two. She was so hungry.

Shaza regarded her with a slight smile. “And your name is…?”

The joy in her eyes was why Rihetha said, “Vadde.”

Aggu blinked in surprise but Shaza’s smile fell. “Oh.” She looked between her mother-in-law then Rihetha, confused. “Ma’am, didn’t you say she wouldn’t want to be here?”

“Never you mind,” Aggu replied, shushing her.

Rihetha’s eyes fell to the bowl in the older woman’s hand.

Two gray-blue eyes focused on the bowl then Rihetha before the woman asked, “Would you like to try it? It’s an old family recipe. It’ll give you so much energy.”

In all honesty, Rihetha did not know where she was or what was happening. She did know a few truths, though. The first being that she was receiving a welcome. She’d received care, and food that never reached her but that didn’t matter.

Whatever the woman had, it may have given her trouble to make or get it, so Rihetha held the sheets as she sat up.

Aggu hurried to her and once the woman helped tuck it around Rihetha’s upper body snugly, she pulled up a chair and handed the bowl over.

Bitter wasn’t a word for the taste but Rihetha didn’t care. It was food. Each bite was worse than the last, but she soldiered on for so long that she could no longer taste it by the time she took the final bite.

Aggu’s smile held no satisfaction, but rather, sympathy. “You poor thing. How long were you in that wagon?” She turned and called to Shaza, “Run and fetch the midwife.”

Midwife? Rihetha’s eyes widened.

“Oh. It’s nothing to worry about,” Aggu assured her. She waited for Shaza to be gone before turning her attention to Rihetha again. Her voice softened when she said, “I trust my son. I know my son—I thought I did. But we want to be absolutely certain you…you’re safe and unbothered.”

Though alarmed at first, Rihetha leaned back and nodded.

“What is your name?” Aggu asked.

Rihetha hesitated then told her.

“That’s a lovely name. And…what of your family, do you have family?”

The woman was breaking her own rule. Something in the pained irises of her eyes said she might never have the nerve to ask again.

With that, Rihetha told her the only thing she knew to be true. “My parents are alive, and I have a brother. But I was running away when I met your son.”

Aggu leaned back.

Her expression shifted from relief to worry all over again. In the end, it settled on something unexpected. Pensive.

“You will see them again, I promise you. We’re not allowed to dispute your marriage just yet, not before the grace period ends.”

Dispute wasn’t a word Rihetha wanted to hear. Everything in her said to assure this woman that she’d sought out the hunchback and was a willing participant but the man himself could more than contradict that. And then what? Keep formulating lies?

In this instance, Rihetha no longer saw the midwife coming as something for only her own peace of mind.

An hour later, after the old woman lowered the sheets and pronounced Rihetha pure and well, Aggu closed her eyes and hunched over.

Rihetha hadn’t expected that. Because while Aggu wore a look of relief, this was the only time Shaza stopped smiling. Their contrasting responses were a wonder.

“By The Living Goddess, all is well,” the midwife said and dragged herself to her feet. She did the strangest thing next, she pulled Rihetha forward and checked her back. “No scarring. Pure and fit. But time is of the essence.”

Her meaning escaped Rihetha but the other two women nodded as if they understood.

Rihetha—Vadde was to stay with them for an unspecified time. Shaza, her new guide, was also the newest wife in their midst. Rihetha had her misgivings about such guidance but at least she was safe and fed.

“I will fetch you some more of the bitters,” Aggu said, standing. “It takes some time to make it so please forgive the delay.”

Once she was gone, Shaza watched the closed door for a moment then sat down and propped her elbows on her knees.

She studied Vadde keenly and said, “Someone with such a pretty face as yours being with a hunchback is unlikely. So what’s wrong with you?”

Vadde flinched. She was too stunned to even answer.

“Come now,” Shaza said, sitting back. She folded her arms and squinted. “Thought perhaps you got into some trouble with a man and had to run off with a hunchback. But the midwife knocked out that theory. In fact,” she whispered, leaning in, “I have a cousin whose work involves…pleasing men. I figured maybe that’s where the hunchback met you, too. But there’s no way you’d pass the midwife’s assessment, front or back.”

The words took time to make sense and Vadde’s eyes opened so wide they nearly fell out of her head when she deciphered them.

“Do—is that possible?” Vadde asked.

Shaza opened her mouth to answer but stopped short and looked reserved for the first time. She struggled with something then scoffed, “None of this makes any sense. You look normal. Eyes work, ears work, and…your body shape is fine.” Despite the normal assessment, each word came from her mouth tinged in disgust. “So why?” For a long minute, she squinted and asked, “Maybe you’re just saving face? Is he doing something for you?”

Pulse racing, Vadde tried to sound discrete when she asked, “Who?”

“Him, the hunchback.”

In this moment, Vadde noticed that the woman didn’t say a name. But what was the hunchback’s name? The woman had said Wyrn but what if that was someone else? Vadde swallowed hard and took a chance.

“You mean Wyrn?”

Shaza’s disapproval solidified into a frown. Relief rushed through Vadde.

“You’re hiding something; I know it.”

Despite the threat, Shaza’s demeanor turned jovial in time.

“Well, it’ll be nice to not be the newest foreigner here. Welcome,” Shaza cheered, slapping Vadde in the arm so hard she nearly fell over. “You and me’ll be the best of friends.” Her smile softened. “I just know it….”