"So, where to first?" Dad asked

"Uh, a store with scented oils." I flipped through a book about pregnancy I found in the castle's library.

Back pain can happen as the baby gets bigger, makes sense. Some foods may trigger sickness or nausea, same with smells.

...Wait, they can get sick from certain smells?! What am I gonna do if she gets nausea from one of the oils?!

"We're here." Already?! What am I supposed to do now? Do I buy a few oils that can be used as substitutes or try out a completely different mixture? But what if she's completely fine with the ones I planned to buy and gets sick with the other oils?!

"What's wrong?"

"I was gonna make mom a scented oil thing to help with her nausea, but it says random smells can trigger nausea during pregnancy." I frowned. "I don't know if I should buy what I planned or get different ones that have a more subtle scent."

"Excuse me," dad called to the shopkeeper, "I'd like one of each scented oil in the biggest size."

"U-Uh, yes! I'll get it prepared right away!" I gaped at dad.

"What happened to blending in?"

"It's fine! What else do you need?"

"Um, I need quite a bit," I admitted sheepishly, "it'll cost a lot altogether."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Dad raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Okay then. For steam distillation I need a Still, a Condenser, and a separator. For solvent extraction I need a distillation flask, siphon tube, another condenser, vapor tube, extraction thimble, two absorbers, and a decanter."

"Er, we have ready-made sets if you'd like to see." The shopkeeper spoke up hesitantly, wide-eyed.

"Oh, really? That'd be great." I closely inspected the sets. Even a tiny fault would ruin or degrade the quality of the product.

"I'll have this, this, this, this, this, this, this and... this one." I pointed to eight different sets. They were for the 7 different types of essential oil extraction; solvent extraction, maceration, cold-press extraction, water distillation, steam distillation, enfleurage, CO2 extraction and an extra steam distillation set.

"We'll pack those up for you." The shopkeeper hurried off.

"How do you know all of this stuff?" Dad's voice filled with surprise and awe.

"I read a lot," I lied. I felt guilty lying but there wasn't much else I could do.

"That's a very smart kid you have there." A man in a long white coat remarked. He looked like a doctor.

"N-Not really. I'm just starting out."

"What plant is known best for its relaxing properties?"

"Lavender."

"What plant contains a lot of vitamin C and what illness can it cure?"

"Rosehip. Vitamin C can cure scurvy."

"When does scurvy usually occur?"

"On long sails. Sailors can get it because fruits and veggies do not last long and so they become vitamin c defficient."

"What is the most popular scent?"

"Rose."

"You know quite a lot for someone who's just starting." Amusement danced in the man's eyes.

"Well... I remembered them from some books I read." I blushed a bright red, embarrassed.

"Your stuff is ready and packed!" The shopkeeper interrupted.

"Here, keep the change." Dad handed him a bag of coins. I sighed, dad had no idea how to blend in with commoners.

"Er, uh, thank you very much!" The shopkeeper looked overjoyed as we exited the building.

"Where to next?"

"The apothecary."

"We have one at the castle."

"Might as well help out businesses." I pointed out.

"That's my boy!" Dad ruffled my hair affectionately. I can see how everyone loves him.

We stopped by the town's only apothecary. They had a wide range of herbs and stuff, minus the rare stuff only the castle's apothecary had access to.

"Can I get a small bag of everything?" I asked dad.

"Sure," dad walked up to the owner, "one big bag of everything here. Make it the biggest size."

"Dad! I said small!"

"Big is better." Dad handed the owner another bag full of coins. I facepalmed. Good grief.

Thanks to that, I had a surplus of stuff and we had to get another carriage and even that was barely enough space for everything. At least I won't have to go again anytime soon.

"Anywhere else?"

"Nope!" I smiled. "That's all I needed, thank you!"

"Alright then."

~

I sat in the room attached to my bedroom that was now my "secret lab". I mixed up lavender, rosemary, and jasmine scented oils into some melted beeswax and poured it into a small glass jar and put a wick in the middle. Leaving that in a cool place, I began to make some incense.

I gathered a bit of dried sage, lavender, rose petals, and sweetgrass. I crushed them into a powder. Then I took some makko powder- ground up bark of various trees in the genus Persea, like Persea Thunbergii.

I mixed the powders together and put in some water. I put them in some cone molds I had one of the castle craftsman make. I put them up on one of the many shelves.

"Alright, now for the peppermint halo!" I mixed some peppermint, lavender, and rosemary oil together. I put it in a small thin glass tube and put the cap on.

I ran out of the room, making sure to lock it behind me. I didn't need anyone going in there. The key to the door was on a chain I wore around my neck.

As I made my way back to mom's bedroom, I got a bowl of hot water and a rag.

"I'm back!" I saw mom laying in her bed all alone. Dad had king business whether he liked it or not.

"Oh? What's that you have there?"

"I got some water and I made some stuff to help you relax and it'll help you feel cool. It also helps with nausea and congestion."

"My little doctor," mom cooed affectionately. I dipped the rag in the water and helped mom sit up.

"Can I wipe your back?"

"Sure," mom let her loose nightgown slip down from the top of her abdomen. I stayed focused on my task and wiped down her sweaty back, neck, and around her ears. For those with thoughts of how I could sneak a peek at her front, don't. I'm not like that and I have no interest in seeing stuff like that.

"There," I helped put mom's nightgown on from the back, but I kept the sleeves off her shoulders. "I need you to smell this." I took off the cap and held it half a foot from her nose.

"Smells very nice."

"It doesn't make you feel sick?"

"Not at all." I did a mental victory dress as I poured a small bit of oil into my hand. I massaged it into her neck, shoulders, and the area around her collarbone. I dabbed a bit around her hairline and behind the ears for good measure.

"Wow, what's in this?"

"Peppermint, lavender, and rosemary oil."

"Thank you, Alcott." Mom smiled. "You really know how to make your mom feel loved."

"So, when you find someone important, make sure to show them how important they are to you. You'll never know what moment with them will be your last."

I held back my tears and smiled. "Well, you are very special to me!"

"You make me so proud." Mom kissed my forehead. "You'd make for such a great king." All of a sudden, mom's smile disappeared.

"What's wrong?"

"..." Mom put a hand on her stomach with a sad look. It didn't click until a few moments later. Oh!

"Mom," I placed my hand on her stomach, "it's okay. People will want this child to be king or queen instead of the bastard child of King Walton."

"Alcott, no. You're not a bastard child-"

"Mom. You may not see me as one, but many people of Fascus and Efluya do. They expect me to be like him, so they don't trust me and I don't blame them. Just because this child will be preferred over me doesn't mean I'll have a bad life."

"Alcott..." mom looked teary-eyed.

"Even if I'm not a king, I can still do great things! I mean, I could be a doctor or a writer or a teacher! If anything, this gives me more choices of what I want to do and what I can do. So please, don't feel bad about having another child. You and dad have always wanted a child together. Don't let me get in the way of that."

"You'll never be in the way," Mom whispered.

"Then take care of ourself and don't have any negative thoughts about what will happen to me. I'd love to have a little sister or brother! It's something I've always wanted."

"...Alright. I'll think of only good things." Mom smiled again. Whew!

"Good. Are yoou hungry?"

"A bit, yes."

"Okay! I'll get something for you."

"Just let a mai-"

"No! When you're pregnant you have to watch what you eat. No heavy foods or with potent smells like fish."

"How do you know all of this?"

"I read a book on pregnancy and the effects it can have." I ran out of the room and went to the kitchen.

"Oh? What are you here for?" One of the cooks asked.

"I need food for mom and I."

"Let me get some-"

"I want to pick it out myself." I clambered up on a stool. I pointed out various fruits like apples, pears, bananas, and oranges. Then I had them make a light salad of spinach, kale and lettuce. Then I had a big sweet potato steamed and mashed up. And two pieces of toast, one with avocado and the other with peanut butter. It was a strange mash-up of foods, but it's what she needed.

I had two plates of the same stuff brought to the room, a maid helped me.

"What's all this?"

"Healthy food that shouldn't trigger any nausea and is light on the stomach. It's also good for the baby."

"Why do you have the same stuff?"

"I wanted to ea with you and I'm not going to eat some slab of steak while you're here eating veggies. Besides, some food may trigger nausea by smell and I want to avoid that."

"I see. Thank you, Alcott."

"There's fruit is for dessert too!"

Mom chuckled. We ate our salads, mashed sweet potatoes, and toast. I cut the apples and peeled the oranges for mom and hand fed the slices to her.

"I can eat by myself you know."

"I know. Let me spoil you." I fed her another apple slice.

"Alright, if you say so." Mom grinned.

And so I got to show mom how much I loved her.