Counting Down the Days (Brynn)

[Caitrin de Archer]

It was only mid morning, and Caitrin still felt like she hadn’t had any sleep. It had been like this since she had arrived in Camelot. She was just exhausted and there was no other way of putting it. Her bump was swelling by the day, and she wondered how much larger it could possibly grow before her day arrived, the day she would actually deliver this life into the world. She wanted the day to come quickly, surely looking after the child wouldn’t be this exhausting. The midwife had just told her to rest; Caitrin’s frame was quite petite anyway, so the extra weight was really starting to show on her. Right now she was curled up on the bed in a loosely fitted dress and a shrug which draped lazily around her arms. She just needed to rest, she was sure everything would seem brighter then.

It felt like she had been pregnant for as long as she could remember. She just wanted to hold her baby in her arms now, it almost still didn’t feel real in a way. She shifted so she could see the small crib which now was positioned at the foot of the bed. It was quite a sizable wooden crib, and it already had blankets in it to prepare for the little ones arrival. The midwife had warned her the due day was just a guide, and that she should be preparing now just in case. She found herself now living for the moments she felt like she was going into labour, she just wanted her family. She’d waited all this time, and now the last few weeks were the hardest.

Caitrin was on her own in the room, Griff had gone to fetch some more fabrics for her from the market, and Idris, the servant who had been tending her and the room, had not been yet this morning. She usually just came in for a chat and to change the sheets. Caitrin liked it in a way, it made the day run quicker, which was what she liked. For the moment she hated being cooped up in this room, it was just insufferable. She wanted to be outside, enjoying the fresh air, perhaps she could convince Griff to take her on a short walk later. The midwife had told her she wasn’t to leave the room on her own if she went into labour. The physician was just down the corridor if she went into labour in the room, Jesu knows where he would be if she took to wandering off.

Shifting her weight, Caitrin finally decided to stand up and start to move about. She didn’t want to move too much, as the baby was quite still, and she sometimes like it like that. Usually they were at their most active when she was trying to sleep. She stood by the fire, smoothing a hand over her belly and began to wonder how long she had left.

Luckily her thoughts were quickly diverted with a loud knock at the door. Caitrin smiled to herself, Griff wouldn’t knock, so it had to be Idris here to change the sheets. It was that time of day after all, “Come in Idris, the door is unlocked.” She called out, still facing the fire, waiting for the woman to come in. Caitrin was glad she was here, after all she needed some company, Jesu knows where Griff had got to, but she was sure he would be back soon enough.

Tags: Brynn
Timeline: 3 months after the s4 finale
Time of Day: Mid Morning[/color]

[Brynn Reade]

Brynn was not the overly nervous type, but she could get unsure at times, especially when she had to do things she was not familiar with. She knew everything about geese, and could help out in the kitchen without any problem at all, but what she now had been asked to do was nothing she usually could be found doing, even though it sounded pretty harmless: changing sheets.
Every young girl knew how that was done of course, but she usually didn’t handle the fine linen the nobles were used to sleep in. Wouldn’t they be overly finicky about it all? What if she made a mistake?
But when Idris had asked her to take a few sheets to a lady’s bedchambers this morning before she took out her geese to the meadows for the day, because she herself was busy, Brynn couldn’t have very well said no, now could she?!

This lady hadn’t been in the court long, at least her name didn’t sound familiar to Brynn’s ears and she wasn’t very well interested in gossip. If she was lucky, the lady would be out and about anyway, so she wouldn’t even take notice of a different maid doing the work today. Well, maybe she would be surprised of the slight untidiness and awkwardness of the draping of the new sheets, but hopefully Idris wouldn’t get in trouble because of Brynn’s inaptitude… oh well, things would work out somehow, Brynn was sure of that!
Even though she hoped the lady was not inside, Brynn balanced the heap of fresh sheet on one arm and raised the other to curtly knock on the door. She couldn’t just bask in somewhere without permission, that would probably give her more than just slight reprimands.

But of course her hopes were thwarted. “Come in Idris, the door is unlocked.”
The voice sounded friendly enough, and yet Brynn’s stomach tightened into a knot at the muffled sound and she took a deep breath before pushing the door open with her elbow. What she was greeted with, surprised her not just a little. A figure stood by the fireplace and even though she showed Brynn only her back, her state was obvious: the lady was pregnant and by the size of her bump it could come any day! Involuntarily, a sweet smile spread over Brynn’s face. Children were so wonderful! She vividly remembered the time when her two younger siblings had been nothing but little critters in her arms. Hopefully the lady would feel the same love for her child, Brynn had seen many examples where the high and mighty seemed to think their bond with their offspring ended as soon as it left the womb. But that was not her business anyway.

Too late she realized she had been standing there without saying a word far too long, looking at the pregnant lady, lost in thoughts, and so she hastily lowered herself into a curtsy.“Forgive me Mylady, Idris is occupied and asked me to fulfill this task for her. I hope you don’t mind?”

[Caitrin de Archer]

The warmth of the fire was comforting, and Caitrin was enjoying the feel of the warmth upon her skin. It wasn’t often anymore that she felt incredibly comfortable, even when she was lying down. It just felt like the baby was squashing her insides, and Caitrin had almost forgotten what it felt like to not be carrying another life inside her. It had just become the norm in her life now, but she wasn’t really complaining. She was enjoying the sensation as best she could. After all, it had taken her long enough to become pregnant in the first place, and she was blessed to have this gift given to her and Griff. The thought of motherhood was a daunting one, but she was excited all the same. And of course she really wanted a daughter more than anything. Caitrin wouldn’t be bothered if she had a son, as she would love either just as much, but she did really want a daughter. She had no idea of names yet, perhaps she would broach that topic with Griff later.

Caitrin turned around as the door opened, and an unfamiliar voice spoke back to her. At first she was slightly confused to why a different woman was standing in her chambers. But she quickly saw the sheets in her hands, and registered what she was saying and nodded, it wasn’t that much of an inconvenience after all. The young woman seemed nice enough anyway. It was a little disappointing however, as Caitrin had been looking forwards to speaking with Idris. She loved her husband dearly, but sometimes it was nice to have a variety of company as well. The young woman had at least left the right first impression with addressing her in the correct way anyway.

Shaking her head, Caitrin smiled at the woman in question and turned around fully. It was done with some effort, as she had been stood in the same place for a while and had got quite comfortable in doing so. “I don’t mind at all.” She replied softly, “Is Idris alright?” Idris always seemed like the kind of servant who was always active and she always seemed to have many tasks to complete. Caitrin didn’t envy her at all, she knew how lucky she was to be in the position she was in. That didn’t mean she was about to do anything radical like do her own housework for herself, but it gave her an appreciation of the work the servants did do.

A hand came to rest on her bump, as she hoped the child would not become too active in her womb this early in the day. She felt exhausted enough without being beaten black and blue from the inside. “My name is Lady Caitrin Aubert by the way, what can I call you?” She couldn’t just keep referring to her as ‘the woman’ because it was incredibly rude and Caitrin had better manners than that. It was only then that Caitirn had realised just how long she had been on her feet for, and she was already feeling slightly tired. She didn’t want to ruin her energy this early in the day, and though it was rude she was going to have to take a seat. She did so not too far from the bed and looked up at the woman with a soft smile, “Forgive me, but this one gives me no rest.” She excused her condition softly, as she didn’t want the woman to think she was just going to sit here and examine her work, no, she was merely sitting as she couldn’t bear the thought of standing any longer.

[Brynn Reade]

The nod was enough of an encouragement for Brynn to go ahead with her task. She lowered herself into a quick curtsy, carefully clutching the sheets to not drop them while she was slightly out of balance, and then scurried towards the bed. Being out of the castle the most part of the day, Brynn didn’t have such a good insight into the work of a maid like she probably should have. She didn’t know how often the sheets for the nobles were changed, though these still looked very fresh, just a little crinkled maybe. Judging from the lady’s state, she must spend much time in bed now, and probably couldn’t wait for her baby to be finally born. Servants couldn’t allow themselves such luxary. The three times Brynn consciously remembered her mother’s pregnancies, she had been working in the kitchen up to the very moment the contractions had become unbearable. Maybe that was a reason she had lost so many children. Four had been miscarried or born dead, only Brynn and her two little siblings had made it through.

But that was the way of the world, and no one questioned it. If women didn’t miscarry, they might have too many mouths to feet anyway. It was a perfectly normal regulation of humanity and the women had learned to carry on and not break each time they lost a child.
Slapping herself inwardly, Brynn forced her thoughts quickly into a different direction. It was unlucky to think of miscarriages in the presence of a pregnant woman, everyone knew that! Brynn prayed with all her might the bad luck had not already taken its toll, that would be unforgivable!
She hadn’t imagined the lady to ask about Idris, hadn’t imagined her to care even who did her work as long as it was done, but apparently she had misjudged the woman.
”Yes, Mylady, Idris is perfectly fine. Just… busy.” Idris had been very vague in her explanation as well, so Brynn couldn’t really tell more about her friend’s whereabouts.

As well as she could possibly manage, Brynn worked to remove the old sheets and replace them with new ones. Her hands might not be as steady as that of a trained maid who did nothing else but cleaning and changing sheets all day, but the goosemaiden thought that all things considered, she was doing a fairly good job. Even talking did not distract her as much as she had feared.
Bowing her head slightly between two motions, Brynn acknowledged the name. Lady Caitrin Aubert… not that she had heard that before, but somehow it still sounded slightly familiar.
”I am Brynn, Lady Caitrin, Brynn Reade”, she replied, smiling. “Usually I am the goosemaiden of Camelot, so you must forgive me, if the work of my hands is not as smooth as you would wish.”
Then her smile grew brighter as Lady Caitrin talked of her unborn baby, and the fond gleaming returned into the girl’s eyes.

”My young brother was the same to my mother, I remember it vividly. And he’s still a rascal”, she remarked, but then bit her lips. Surely the lady was by no means interested in a servant’s family. Hastily she added: “So maybe this will turn out to be the desired son and heir, Mylady.” That was what they all wanted, right? Brynn had heard stories of men cursing their wives for not bearing a son as the first child. An heir was more important than anything else. Gladly, amongst commoners the rules were less strict. Her parents had been delighted to have a daughter as their eldest.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin was quite glad that Brynn began to get on with the task quickly. Personally, although she enjoyed having the sheets changed daily, she could not see the point in it. At home they were only changed every other day or so on like that. She did enjoy the fact there were always fresh sheets to lie on though, as she often spent quite a lot of time in bed nowadays, resting for the most part. The child was certainly getting to a large size within her, and half of Caitrin wanted the baby to come as soon as possible before it had a chance to stretch her anymore than it had done. It just ached for the most part. There was the part of her as well that just wanted to hold her baby in her arms, and become a full mother. She had been dabbling with the thought for some time, but as the days drew on it became a more real prospect. For now she was just an expectant mother, and that didn’t really count for anything did it? However, soon she would be a real mother, and Griff would be a father. Really, throughout all they had been through, the stability a baby offered them would be welcomed with open arms. She had miscarried a baby once before, but she had nearly carried this one to full term, and she felt proud of herself for the fact. She would be able to give her husband the child that would complete their little family.

Caitrin nodded at Brynn as she explained that Idris was just busy. “She always seems quite rushed off her feet.” Caitrin observed softly and shifted her position slightly so she could look at Brynn and remain comfortable. Idris was always so busy, but every day she spared the time to talk to Caitrin for a while before resuming her duties. She was always quite happy as well, which Caitrin admired.

It struck Caitrin how dutiful this woman was being, she even bowed her head as Caitrin introduced herself which was quite admirable. “It is nice to meet you Brynn.” She said softly, rather glad now that they were properly introduced. After all, it wouldn’t do for Caitrin to just go on calling this girl a servant. Even though she supposed that was what she was. Caitrin wasn’t that concerned with status, if the person was nice enough then there was nothing wrong with them. “A goosemaiden?” She repeated curiously, “What does that involve?” Caitrin was rather ignorant in the topic of geese, she had never really come across a goosemaiden before, and she hoped Brynn wasn’t too insulted by her lack of knowledge.

Running a hand over her bump, Caitirn could feel the child stir within her. It was still such a new and strange sensation to have on a regular basis. It took her breath away still and her eyes dropped in a rather loving way to her bump. It was odd to think that the baby was awake within her. “I think we have woken the little one up.” She said rather fondly, and looked back to Brynn. Oh, she had young siblings too? Caitrin loved hearing of families who were close, as that was what she aspired in her own little family. Her family back in Mercia had been distant and isolated, but she could make her own family a tightly knit unit. “How old is your brother?” She asked brightly, “Is he your only sibling?” She probably shouldn’t be so nosy about such things, but Brynn introduced the topic so she assumed she felt quite comfortable about speaking about her family in company.

The baby kicked her gently and Caitrin let out a soft sigh. It didn’t hurt, it just felt uncomfortable. Running a hand over the spot the baby had kicked her in, she couldn’t help but smile. In truth she didn’t mind what gender the baby was; she would be glad of a son or a daughter. However, she did really want a daughter. Griff wanted a son, but it wasn’t because he wanted an heir, no, he just wanted to call the child mini Griff in jest. “We’re not too concerned about an heir.” She said in an almost defensive way. Griff wasn’t one of these men who wanted a son from the word go because that was what was expected to happen. “I think my husband would just want a healthy child, though he probably leans towards a son.” She shrugged with a wide smile, “I think I would want a daughter, though as long as the child is healthy I am not too concerned.” That was the most important thing to Caitrin really, because after the child she had lost the biggest worry to her was that the child was healthy. Most women would probably be worried about the gender of the child, or other things concerning the birth, but all that mattered to Caitrin was that the baby was strong and healthy; everything else could wait.

[Brynn Reade]

A slightly fond smile appeared on Brynn’s face as Lady Caitrin commented on Idris always being out and about. It was surely true. Sometimes Brynn considered herself very lazy in comparison to her friend. She was not quite sure what exactly was Idris’ job description, but it seemed like she was some kind of gofer, always there wherever and whenever she was needed. It might not be the worst job on earth, as you surely couldn’t complain about boredom, but then it also must keep you quite busy. Else Idris wouldn’t have had to ask Brynn to take over one of her jobs for this day, she must have gotten conflicted somehow, with another task demanding her full attention. Well, it was not like Brynn wasn’t ready to do her friend this little favor, the geese wouldn’t kill her if she took them out a little later today, the weather wasn’t at its best anyway.
”Oh yes, that she is”, Brynn replied, shaking her head slightly. “It’s a miracle for me how she can still keep that wonderful personality of hers in such a stress. But she does it… somehow.”

Lady Caitrin’s question surprised her not just a little. Not so much her ignorance about what being a goosemaiden entailed, that was to be expected from someone who had probably never wasted a thought on this matter, no… it was more the interest in general. By now, Lady Caitrin had already contradicted everything Brynn had ever learned about nobles. Given, there were not many ladies in the castle, and even less now that the Lady Morgana had turned evil, but still… this was extraordinary. But in a good way!
It almost reminded Brynn a little of Gwaine. He was unconventional as well, though their relationship of course went deeper. For all her interest and friendliness, Brynn doubted that she really would be able to call Lady Caitrin a friend one day. But that wasn’t so bad. Status differences were made for a reason, and as long as they weren’t exploited, it was quite a succesful concept.
”It sounds easier than it is.” Brynn’s voice had a tint of pride as she began to talk about one of her favourite subjects. “Basically I am responsible for the geese of the castle. I take them out to the meadows in the morning, so they can eat and get the excercize they need, and then at sundown I return them to their stall. But geese are very picky in choosing their company. They are the moodiest creatures you can come across and can turn out to be very aggressive.”

The way the noble lady reacted to her unborn child rid Brynn of all doubts she might have had still about this woman’s pregnancy. Oh, she surely would be a loving mother! Not that it was a rarity, but she had seen enough examples already of noble ladies forgetting about their children the minute they had left their womb. But not with Lady Caitrin! Brynn was sure she would deeply care for her child and those who were still to come. It made her all the more sympathetic, and it didn’t even need the consistent interest in Brynn’s family to get her even more in the goosemaiden’s good graces. This turned out to be more than just a quick task done!
”Gyrth is ten!” she replied brightly. “And I also have a younger sister, Elinor. She’s eight and the darling of Camelot’s servanthood.” Another fond smile crossed her face as she thought of her angel of a sister. “She wants to become a goosemaiden too one day, and I think she’s got a hand for them already. Well… both of my siblings often visit me in the meadows, so the geese know them.”

Another rule in the book was contradicted, though it didn’t surprise Brynn as much anymore. Not concerned about an heir? That was something and very fortunate for them! Either they didn’t have so much dynastic thoughts to worry about, or they simply didn’t care. It was amazing in either way, but very amiable. Also the way Lady Caitrin spoke about her husband, depicted them both so refreshingly… normal!
”Having a daughter makes things both easier and more difficult, I guess”, Brynn hazarded, though she didn’t know much about these things. “A daughter demands a dowry while a son brings one in. Then again a son will probably become a soldier or a knight… and that makes it so much more dangerous.”
Even the thought that for example Gyrth would one day have to fight as well, probably serving as a guard of Camelot with the right training, did squeeze Brynn’s heart together. Then there would be two men in the family she and her mother would have to worry about whenever Camelot was under attack – and it happened so often! It was sheer luck her father had survived every one of those until now. Other families hadn’t been so lucky.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin had to agree with Brynn, it really was a wonder that Idris was always in such good spirits. She had once told Caitrin that she hoped to one day work in a noble household, though she had quickly added that it wasn’t meant in a begging sense, and that she wasn’t after a job at present. Caitrin had just laughed, and told the young woman that she was sure any household would be glad to have such a diligent worker amongst its ranks. From the sounds of it, Idris seemed to do a little bit of everything that she could think of to pass the day. Caitrin was glad that she featured in Idris’s little schedule at the moment. It was nice to have a friendly face around, however Brynn seemed to be filling the position in a refreshing sort of way. It was nice to come across different people now and again, and Brynn seemed to have quite a sensible head on her shoulders, and a pleasant one at that.

Never once had Caitrin paid real attention to the ways of the castle, and what the servants really did. She had never really been in the castle long enough to pay attention before now. Even though she had been lodging in the castle for over two weeks, she felt like she was starting to understand how the castle worked in a way. She was only here of course because Arthur had offered the rooms for her to deliver her child safely in. Really, she felt like she was in safer hands here than she would have been back at the estate. “I’ve never really come across geese before.” Caitrin said rather thoughtfully. From the way Brynn was speaking, she could almost hear the excitement and enthusiasm in the young woman’s voice as she explained about her job and what it entailed. “They can be moody?” She asked, almost amused at the thought, “Have you had any moody geese in your keeping?”If she had, then she was sure there was a story to be told. That was a rather selfish thought on Caitrin’s part, she supposed Brynn had better things to be getting on with than to sit here and talk with a woman she had only just met for a while longer.

It always made Caitrin smile when she felt the baby stir within her, as it reminded her that it was still alive, and that he or she would soon be in her arms. Her hand once again came to rest on her swollen belly, and she sighed out softly. Throughout all the aches, stretches and weariness which came with pregnancy, it all felt worth it. Well, she was saying that, but she still had the pains of childbirth to suffer before the pregnancy was complete. As she listened to Brynn’s enthusiasm about her family, she became quite firm in the opinion that Brynn cared an incredible amount for her family. “She sounds delightful.” Caitrin expressed with a wide smile, “Will she come and help you look after the geese when she is old enough?” Caitrin asked curiously, it sounded as if Brynn had a lovely family unit at the tip of her fingers, and she admired that in a way.

The baby kicked again, but this time it was a harder kick and Caitrin let out a soft groan. She truly was being beaten black and blue from the inside by this baby. But at least it showed her that the baby that grew within her was strong. Caitrin ran a hand over her belly thoughtfully at Brynn’s words. “I think we’ll face that problem when we come to it.” She finally settled on an answer, though Caitrin wasn’t that concerned about dowry’s and suchlike. She wanted her children, as she had, to be able to marry for love and for no other reason than that. “But I think I am a little unconventional with my thinking, after all, I married for love and I would want the same for my children when the time came.” Caitrin knew she and Griff didn’t comply with the norms about noble couples. After all, they weren’t that wealthy, and they had married for love. Griff wasn’t even that bothered about having an heir, or at least she assumed he hadn’t. He had never said anything about it really. “But I think it’s a bit early to be worrying about marriage anyway.” She pointed out with a soft chuckle and managed to push herself out of her seat. “For now I think I am more bothered about names, and when the child will actually come.” Walking around sometimes helped Caitrin feel more comfortable and she rested herself by the fire once more, but so that she was still facing Brynn as she was truly enjoying the young woman’s company.

[Brynn Reade]

It might come as a little surprise that Brynn was so devoted to her work, there were many clichés connected with the task of a goosemaiden after all, starting from that the fair maiden over the years became like her geese to the ridiculous insult a goosemaide only had straw in her head anyway. Brynn knew she was no philosopher or great mind in general, but she knew she was by no means a simpleton, and she wore the nickname ‘Goosey’ – which especially her father often used – with pride. She knew there was much more to herding geese than just sitting around all day. It DID involve a lot of sitting of course, but she always had to keep an eye on her fosterlings, because they had much sense for trouble cooped up for some with such little heads.
So, Brynn was not in the least averse to talking a bit more about her work, as the Lady Caitrin seems genuinely interested. Brynn had to admit, she already began to enjoy this encounter far more than she would have guessed in the first place. She would have to talk to Idris later… maybe she could help her friend more often if the event turned out so pleasant.

Brynn couldn’t help a slight smile creeping across her face as the lady confessed she never had had anything to do with geese before, even though it surely was no wonder.
”That explains it”, she mused softly. “Because if you had, I’m sure you would have noticed their moodiness.” A picture came forth from the back of Brynn’s mind, a very amusing scene she could still laugh about today, though it must be more than a year back. With glittering eyes, she began to explain:
”I have a friend in the castle, perhaps you know him, Merlin, Arthur’s manservant. He once visited me on the meadows and Martin, the gander of my little pack, attacked him and chased him across the lawn. He’s… I think another friend of mine once called it ‘territorial’. Maybe a reason why geese usually make good guard dogs. They don’t like strangers very much.”
Slowly, their geese had at least accepted Alex amongst them, but there had been very funny chases before that already. Her siblings though, perhaps because they were children, had never been any problem.

Speaking of them… apart from her geese, her family was probably Brynn’s next favourite subject. She had always been the big sister watching over them, and though it could get straining at times, there was nothing in the world she would not do for them. She had even risked her life for them once, when the Knights of Medhir had taken over the sleeping castle to find and kill King Uther… and it still made a warm feeling of gratitude rise up inside her to think of Prince Arthur helping her getting Gyrth and Elinor to safety, not to mention her mother!
”Elinor tries”, Brynn agreed with a fond chuckle. “She’s already formed a bond to most of them, and I am sure in a few years she will be gold, though until now I won’t leave her alone with them yet… they can get dangerous when they start bickering amongst each other. Quite human sometimes, I tell you!”

When the lady groaned, Brynn’s brows furrowed in concern for a quick moment, and she started to work a little faster. Probably Lady Caitrin would want to lie down again soon, that weight must be nearly unbearable. Already Brynn thought that the bump she was seeing was a little bigger than what she was used to from her mother’s pregnancies, but then, the last one was now almost six years back… she could be mistaken in the size, and no woman was the same anyway. It just didn’t look very pleasant, having to carry around such an additional weight.
Her facial expression though lighted up considerably, when she heard the unexpected revellation: Marrying for love! From what Brynn knew that was quite unconventional for nobles indeed, but it explained many things. Lady Caitrin’s enthusiasm for one, when she truly loved her husband, then this child was conceived in love as well, and not out of a sense of duty! “My congratulations then, Mylady!” After they had talked so casually for this amount of time, Brynn though such a comment might not be too bold. “I am happy for you! And yes… names. I think the only time my parents ever truly argued was when it came to the choosing of names. It’s a big decision after all, every name brings its own heritage.”

[Caitrin de Archer]

It was safe to say that before this point, Caitrin had never given much thought to geese. Then again, she had never had any reason to. The only animals she was really interested in were horses, and Caitrin had always been a keen believer in the fact that horses had their own individual personalities, so she supposed that geese must be the same. For example, Caitrin had always that observed her own mare, Lily, had quite a gentle nature, but she was still always adventurous and energetic, unlike some of the horses she had used over the years. That was one of the things she really missed now that she was pregnant, as she hadn’t been able to ride out in her condition. She didn’t want to do anything to harm the baby, so she had taken every precaution, and one of those had been to start using her Uncle’s carriage rather than riding everywhere as she would have done.

Turning back to Brynn, Caitrin smiled, “Sounds like the differences with horses. Not many appreciate their different personalities.” She observed lightly, “Do your geese have different personalities as well? I assume they aren’t just all grumpy?” It would be completely ridiculous if the geese were grumpy all the time, but she doubted Brynn would be in such good spirits if that were the case. She was sure that geese would all have their own little personalities too.

Merlin? She had heard that name before, but where had she heard it before. Pressing her lips together she tried to remember, and then found her lips break out into a wide smile. “Does he wear a red, neck thing?” She gestured to her neck and gave a short laugh and nodded, “Yes I know him, or more I met him briefly.” The image of the man being chased by one of Brynn’s geese was more than a little amusing. Oh, if she could have witnessed that then it would have brightened up her whole year. Then again, she had her own little tale to tell about the man, “He once came to give me some medicine when I stayed in the castle, oh, a few years ago.” That had been before the dragon had attacked, and it seemed like such a long time ago, “You will never guess what I caught him doing in my chambers.” The image of Merlin trying on her circlet was still a source of amusement to Caitrin, and perhaps Brynn would appreciate the humour in it as well.

Caitrin smiled as Brynn continued to speak of her sister. It was quite nice to think that Brynn seemed quite close to her family, and Caitrin appreciated that. She had never really been very close with many of her immediate family in her childhood, but it was always nice to hear of families who were close. That was what Caitrin aspired to in her own family, she wanted to have a caring and loving family. The child within her was already so loved by her and Griff, and they were both going to do everything they could to show the child just how much they were loved. “I trust then you haven’t left her with the geese while you are in the castle?” She knew she hadn’t, but she was quite interested in Brynn’s family. “Do you still live with your parents?” She hadn’t seen a wedding ring on the girls finger, so she assumed she was.

The fact Brynn furrowed her brows did not go unnoticed by Caitrin and she smiled softly at the woman, running a hand over her belly, “The child is beating me black and blue from the inside.” She laughed softly, and flinched as she was rewarded with yet another kick. The child was certainly strong, that much she was certain of. Brynn’s congratulations was met with a wide smile, Caitrin knew how unconventional it was for nobles to marry for love, and so her words were certainly appreciated. “We have been married around a year now.” Caitrin explained, it didn’t feel like a year at all, it felt like only yesterday that she had said yes to him at the alter. “I think me and Griff, my husband, will probably argue over names.” They already had done, Griff was intent on calling teir son after himself, if the baby was a son. However, Caitrin wanted a more traditional name for her children. If it was a daughter she didn’t want to name her after herself. “But I think I would be wiser to have the argument with him before I go through labour, and not after.” She joked softly.

[Brynn Reade]

Horses? Now there was a species Brynn hadn’t given much thought to either, even though as a younger girl, she had loved to sneak into the stables, admiring the fine horses of the knights and the royal family. She still loved the smell of the stables, it gave her a feeling of security, for whatever reason, Gyrth seemed to have inherited that from his sister, as he could always be found near the large stable area and the two sons of the equerry were his closest companions in everything his rascal brain thought up. Nowadays, Brynn only saw horses when they had someone sitting on them, demanding the way they went, and as she couldn’t ride herself, she hadn’t had much opportunity to really study them in their very own behavior.
”Well, now that is something I will have to trust YOUR expertize with”, she replied with a shrug and a smile. “But I don’t doubt it for a second. Many animals do have personalities, even if some come through stronger than others.”
Cocking her head for a second, Brynn thought about her fosterlings for a little, deciding who might be the best example.

”No, of course they’re not all grumpy, that’d be a tough job! It’s mainly my gander Martin and his main mate, Queenie, they bicker like an old married couple sometimes.” A grin crossed Bryn’s face. “But there are others, far more gentle. Bluedown for example, she’s very clinging, and the youngest of the flock. Not much of a fighter in her, and then there’s Bessy, she’s always looking out for Bluedown, like they are best friends. In whole, they’re quite the adorable bunch.”
It was a trying job to keep them all in line, but Brynn didn’t love it less because of the difficulties sometimes. She even liked it more that way. They might not follow her whip and her every word on some days, but there was scarcely any true harm done. If anything, he geese might have protected her even, as it was by no means so easy to spend the whole day out on her own. She vividly remembered how she had been able to resist that sleeping spell that had made Camelot helpless against the Knights of Medhir.

Oh, now she had Brynn’s attention without a doubt! What could have Merlin done in Caitrin’s chambers? It must be something very funny when the ladies eyes started to gleam in amusement even so long after it had happened.
”Yes, that’s him, he always wears this red scarf thing for whatever reason”, she quickly confirmed, and then leaned forward in anticipation, her hands momentarily resting idly. Merlin often did things others would classify as slightly crazy, and he didn’t even have very good explanations for it.Sometimes he acted so out of character it was hard to decide whether he was just childish or truly mentally inflicted like some in Camelot thought.
”What did he do? There’s only so many things one can do in a lady’s chamber and… none of them sound very… appropriate?”

Shaking her head with a little laugh, Brynn denied Lady Caitrin’s question firmly. “By no means! No, the geese haven’t even seen the meadows today, but that’s not too bad. If the weather is not nice, I don’t let them out too long anyway. It’s the benefit of a task like this one that I am pretty much my own master. It’s of my deciding whether and how long I take them out everyday, though of course it is not MY benefit that gets the first say, but theirs.”
That must have been one of the longest monologues Brynn had held in a long while and possibly her whole life. What was happening here?! Had Alex finally infected her with the talking gene? Or was it because she suddenly felt so comfortable, talking to Lady Caitrina and about her favourite subject at that? Whatever it was… it was well-nigh disturbing!

She nodded understandingly as Caitrin told her about her marriage and the child. The last days of a pregnancy surely were the hardest. Brynn’s mother had told her once that you got tired of everything, the weight, the kicks, the people around you. You just wanted it over and done with, even if it hurt beyond compare.
”That might be wiser indeed”, she agreed and nodded again. “Because after you might be too much of a pushover, weak from the labour and too happy to cause any conflict. That’s how Gyrth ended up with his name… my mother initially waned to call him Hal.”

[Caitrin de Archer]

To Caitrin, her mare was quite an important aspect of her life. She had been a gift from her Uncle when Caitrin had first arrived in Camelot, and she had been a method of freedom ever since. With her mare, Caitrin could go for a horse ride by herself, and forget about the world for a few hours. She knew her mare was incredibly loyal towards her, and sometimes she even thought that Lily understood her own personality. She always seemed to know where Caitrin wanted to go, and at what speed. Caitrin had never had he own horse when she had lived in Mercia. Her father couldn’t see the point in his daughters owning their own horses, as they would never need them for anything but pleasure. To Caitrin that had been reason enough, but of course he had never thought so. Caitrin had not had much to do with her father since leaving Mercia. She had sent a small note saying that she was soon to go into confinement before the birth of her child a few weeks ago. Apparently the only thing he had sent to her Uncle was to alert him if she had a son, and nothing more. That almost made her want a daughter even more, she always liked to break conventions after all. “I think they most certainly have their own personalities. And I shall suppose that geese do as well, though I confess I haven’t had any experience with them.” She would have to make a point of visiting Brynn in her fields in the future, well that was providing she wasn’t too busy with the child. She had heard from other mothers how time consuming motherhood could be, which is why most of them had opted for nurse maids. Caitrin wasn’t have any of that, she wanted to raise her and Griff to raise their children themselves.

As Brynn spoke about the geese, it did sound as if she was speaking about people for a while. How curious that was. Caitrin supposed Brynn must feel as if she was looking after a little family through her work, as that was what the personalities of the geese would lead her to believe. Her enthusiasm about her work was, in a way, inspiring. Caitrin was sometimes ashamed to admit she had not done a days work in her life, but she was too vain to ever speak that. However, it was refreshing to meet someone who enjoyed working so much. “They sound like the perfect little family.” Caitrin commented brightly.

Ah, so they were talking about the same person then? Caitrin had never come across Merlin until the day she had discovered him trying on her circlets in her room. At the time she had thought that he was a robber who had just been sidetracked, but his behaviour and words were just bizarre. She couldn’t seriously believe that he was Arthur’s servant. She was yet to discover what Arthur truly saw in the boy, but she would chase him up about it someday she was sure. She gave a short laugh again, hoping that Merlin wasn’t sneaking past her chambers while she spoke. She supposed he wouldn’t be too happy about her bringing up something which had happened quite a while back now. “Well I was staying in the castle some time ago, just before the dragon attacked Camelot.” Now there was an event Caitrin didn’t want to return to, anyway moving on, “And I came back to my chambers and discovered Merlin trying on my circlets and headdresses.” Caitrin gestured to the slim silver circlet she was currently wearing as an example, “I just found his behaviour to be quite... odd.” That was the most polite way of putting it.

Again Brynn’s enthusiasm was quite infectious and she listened with a gentle, and open mind, to all that she was saying. “I suppose you get to know the needs of your own geese after a while?” She asked politely, even though she knew nothing about geese she could still hazard a guess at such things. “And you help out in the castle occasionally of course?” She asked, gesturing to the task which Brynn was completing.

Caitrin didn’t like the sound of being weak after childbirth. She knew it was inevitable, and she would probably be exhausted, but she was a woman who liked to be up and doing things. That was the only irritating thing about her pregnancy, that it had limited quite a lot of her day to day routine. “I think I will be quite exhausted, given the size this child has already grown to.” Honestly, if her belly swelled up any more, Caitrin doubted she would be able to walk. “Your mother must have been quite worn out by the birth then to agree to such a thing.” She smiled softly, she didn’t mean that in a malicious way at all, it was more just an observation.

[Brynn Reade]

Brynn thought that probably very little people could say for themselves they had ‘experience’ with geese. Many people liked to eat them, fewer knew they were good guards for a house or a manor, because they cackled and charged at every soul they did not know, be they human or not. Geese were probably the least trusting of all animals. But even fewer knew that not all geese were nasty little beasts who could cause serious injury with their sharp beaks should you come too close, and those who didn’t know probably also weren’t interested. Why think about the personality of a goose which you were to eat someday anyway. But that was were they were wrong. Brynn knew that a herd of geese had a very difficult dynamic in itself and that it depended entirely on the personalities of each goose. Every time the cook wanted one or two for a feast, Brynn did not only have to consider which ones would make a good roast, but also which ones she could afford to take out of the herd without damaging the balance too bad. Martin and Queenie were sacred of course, without one or the other, immediate chaos would ensue.
”Maybe it’s good you didn’t have much experience with them yet”, she joked and smiled. “Because usually strangers make only bad experiences with geese. But then, you’re a woman, so you might get spared the worst.”

Another fond smile crossed Brynn’s face as Lady Caitrin called her herd a ‘family’. They surely were to her, and also amongst each other, as many geese were not taken in from the outside – as natural taxes maybe – but hatched and grew up in the castle area. To an outsider they might look all the same, but Brynn knew the age of every one of them.
”Oh, believe me, they are a family”, she confirmed. “Drama and all. But as long as Queenie stays Martin’s favourite mate, we will all live to see another day.” It was quite amusing to attach the wellbeing of Camelot to the happiness of geese, but the joke was only half-hearted on Brynn’s side. Too vividly she remembered what she had joked once: that if Morgana ever returned she would be more victorious in taking over Camelot with an army of geese. And Morgana had returned. Just the geese thing she had never learnt, and that’swhy she hadn’t won. Still, what had happened was too fresh in everyone’s mind to lightly joke it off.

For a moment Brynn fought hard against just standing there, mouth wide open. Merlin, trying on CIRCLETS?! Where in all the world had that idea sprouted from in his sometimes twisted mind? Merlin usually did some peculiar things, things only he might know the reason to, if there ever was one, but that went far even for his standards. He surely had not tried to steal them… but why would he be wearing them in the first place?
Suddenly she couldn’t help but breaking out into uncontrollable chuckles, finding the image of Merlin with a circlet or another woman’s headdress just too hilarious.
”He… he didn’t!” she protested between two ragged gasps and held her aching stomach. But the pictures wouldn’t go away so the chuckles were ever renewed until she finally took a deep, determined breath.
”I couldn’t give any explanation for that … other than he might have tried to play some prank on Arthur – I mean, the King!”
Nervously she bit her lip.That had been an inexcuseable slip! Just because between Alex and her they were using his first name,it didn’t mean she could do that before a noblewoman! Hopefully that would not destory everything…

Lady Caitrin had summed up her duties quite well, Brynn found. She gave a simple nod. “Exactly, Mylady. Whenever I have time to spare, I try to make myself useful. Usually it is the kitchen, where my mother works, but if a friend asks me a favor, I am of course happy to help out as best as I can.”

Brynn had only vague memories of the imminent moment of the births she had been witnessing, staying by her mother’s side as an earnest, silent shadow, holding her hand. But she always remembered these moments of bliss,when she had been allowed to see her new sibling for the first time, and see her father and her mother almost touching heads over the little worm, making the final decision of a name. But she thought she truly remembered that her mother almost had lost consciousness after Gyrth’s birth, the weak pressure of her hands had been enough of a memorizer.
”She was indeed”, she agreed earnestly. “But most women make a quick recovery. It’s like they use up all their strength for this one final moment and are just so happy when it is over that they care for nothing else. But we’re all happy with the name, so it’s nothing bad.” Now she did smile after all, even though it was just the hint of one. “Just sometimes when my mother wants to tease my father, she ‘accidently’ calls Gyrth Hal. Not when he’s present though, he wouldn’t understand that yet.”

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin was glad that if she was devoid of Idris’s company for today, that it had been replaced with Brynn’s careful attentions. She would make a point of seeking the young goose maiden out at some point in the future, perhaps after the birth of her child, just to check up on her. Perhaps she could even convince her to introduce her to her geese, though that would be done without her child, if geese really did have personalities like the ones that Brynn was suggesting. The first meeting would probably be safer without a new born child in her arms. “Perhaps you could introduce me to your geese at some point.” She suggested lightly, “Although after the birth obviously.” She quickly added with a smile.

Brynn’s laugh was infectious, and she found herself chuckling along with the young woman. At the time, she had been quite shocked at Merlin’s actions, but it was clear from Brynn’s words that this sort of behaviour wasn’t particularly out of character for him. It really wasn’t normal for a man to be trying on a woman’s circlet, even if he was curious. She waved away the slip of Brynn’s tongue, after all, she knew it wasn’t meant in disrespect, “Don’t worry, Arthur is a dear friend, I know he wouldn’t be offended by the slip of the tongue.” She winked at Brynn, just to show nothing had changed in the conversation because of this. “And I’m not sure what possessed Merlin to try on one of my circlets, but his behaviour certainly wasn’t normal.” And that was putting it politely.

Caitrin was glad to hear, in Brynn’s opinion, that most women made a quick recovery. She wasn’t really one for being ill, or bed bound, so to hear that the recovery from labour wouldn’t take that long was excellent news. She ran a hand over her belly, once again wondering what that moment would be like. Anyone else that she had asked had just said that it was ‘indescribable’ which was terribly romantic, but not incredibly useful. Caitrin still felt like she was getting used to the prospect of motherhood. It still didn’t feel quite real, even though she was here, preparing for the birth of her child. To her, it wouldn’t feel real until she actually had her child in her arms, because then she would truly be a mother.

She smiled back at Brynn as the girls family did just have a warm feel about it. “Your father takes the teases in good jest, I assume?” She joked slightly, because it didn’t sound like there was any part of Brynn’s family which could be horrible to one another. “But I am glad to hear that the women make a quick recovery.” She smiled softly and finally got up out of the chair. “And as much as I want it to be over, I hope the child waits a few more days.” Her eyes lazily drew to a letter by Caitrin’s bedside, it was from her employed midwife, and she had only received it this morning. In it, the midwife had explained that she had come down with a fever, and would be unable to attend the birth for a few days, “My midwife is ill you see, and unless she recovers soon I think I will be going through the experience alone.” Now that would be a terrible thought; Caitrin had no knowledge of childbirth really. She didn’t know what was normal, and what was could be counted as giving cause for concern. Therefore she hoped the child held on until the midwife was recovered, after all, what other option was there? It was doubtful another midwife could be got so quickly.

[Brynn Reade]

The thought that Lady Caitrin really wanted to meet her geese ‘in person’ so to say couldn’t have surprised Brynn more, but then it had already been evident in her growing interest towards the animals. Once again the goosemaiden had to admit that the lady she was dealing with here now was quite unconventional. Off the top of her head Brynn couldn’t think of many who would want to go down to the meadows to… watch a few geese feeding and going about their usual business only they could fathom. Brynn often enough was nothing but spectator and sometimes mediator in their conflicts and whatever they were up to. And now Lady Caitrin wanted to see that too? It was quite remarkable! With a little smile she thought about what the geese would probably think of that. By now they had entertained quite the cross-section of Camelot as their guests without probably really making much of it. They had seen a Knight of Camelot in Gwaine, servants like Alex and Merlin, and once even the king himself.
”Of course, Mylady, after the birth probably would be better”, she agreed, inclining her head with a soft smile. “And I am sure my geese will feel very honored to entertain such a noble and interested guest amongst them. I for myself surely do!”It was quite reassuring to hear the calming words out of Lady Caitrin’s mouth and Brynn found she could breathe a little easier after she had been told Arthur would probably not mind. It didn’t surprise her though that the lady spoke of him as a dear friend: surely if they hadn’t been friends he would not have offered Caitrin the shelter of the guest quarters for the time of her pregnancy and imminent birth. Btynn might not know much about politics, but she knew it was quite a privilege to be housed in the castle over a longer period of time. King Arthur may be changing a few customs around Camelot, but surely that would remain the same.
”Well, it is surely not my place to judge any of our king’s actions, so if he puts up with Merlin’s peculiarities, I think we should do. He’s got a heart of gold hidden beneath it all anyway.”

Brynn herself didn’t feel like she was much of an expert on babytalk, as she had never been through it herself. It might be all well and good, trying to rid a pregnant woman of her unstandable fear, but then she had to be careful not promising something she could not keep. Every birth was different after all, and she lacked the experience to really tell what was usual and what not. Surely, the women down in the kitchen often talked about these things, but Brynn didn’t help them down there on a daily occurrence, and as the topic of pregnancy and childbirth had never been of any personal interest, she most of the time had stopped listening after a while. Her mother would be able to say all those things which so much more confidence and wisdom.

”Yes, my father takes it with good graces”, she replied honestly, but then thought it might be better to voice her own concerns. “Mylady, of all I am telling you right now about children and birth, I am not quite to be called an expert, as I am not married myself. My mother for example could tell it all so much better, as she has been through it herself. All I can rely on is hearsay.”
She was quite shocked to hear about these bad news. If Lady Caitrin’s baby could really come any day now it would be truly the worst time for her midwife to be ill! No woman should be without the help of a knowing and calming presence in that special time!
”Alone?! No, you shouldn’t do this, Mylady, under no circumstances!” For someone usually calm, Brynn now sounded very urgent. “Isn’t there any woman in your family who could help you? Or couldn’t the midwife appoint someone else?”

[Caitrin de Archer]

As Caitrin had figured, going to see Brynn’s geese would be a task best done after she had given birth, and of course after she was fully recovered from the birth. It would give her something else to occupy her thoughts with. After all, it would be interesting to see the different personalities which Brynn was so passionately describing. The landscape around Camelot was simply captivating anyway, so a walk out to see the geese would be a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. All she would have to do would be to convince Griff that he was able to look after the baby for an afternoon by himself. “Then I shall take you up on that after the birth.” She said softly, “And believe me, the company is well worth it.” As she was really enjoying her conversation with Brynn. The woman really was a breath of fresh air.

Brynn was right of course, though Caitrin would never quite understand why Arthur put up with Merlin. Even she couldn’t deny that there was a charm about him which was refreshing about the castle. Even from their short conversation, and Caitrin had been laughing at him for most of it, she could tell that he was quite close to Arthur. “Arthur certainly is a true friend.” Caitrin agreed brightly, as she often believed that there were no lengths that Arthur would fail to stretch to, to help anyone in his Kingdom. She had always believed that he would make a good King, and he made her quite proud to call him her friend.

As the days drew on, Caitrin could feel her fears about labour becoming more prominent in her thoughts. After all, she would soon slip into labour, as it was inevitable. She knew of so many horror stories surrounding it, that sometimes it was hard to keep clam about the whole thing. She knew she had to be calm though, for the babies sake as much as her own. Caitrin knew that in a few weeks she would look back at weak moments like these, when she had her baby in her arms, and she would probably be amused at how worried she had been. However, before she could hold her baby in her arms, there was still everything to lose, and everything to gain. “You are more of an expert than I am.” Caitrin assured her kindly, “After all, I was the youngest in my family, so my first experience of pregnancy at all.” She gestured to her swollen belly. Of course she had seen pregnant women before, but she had never really been spoken to about the experience of pregnancy, so everything was new to her.

Caitrin was a bit taken aback by Brynn’s sudden, urgent concern. She knew that it was possible for women to go through childbirth on their own, but usually it was nice to have someone there to oversee things, especially as it was Caitrin’s first child. She looked across at the young woman and pressed her lips together into a smile. It was quite sweet of her to be so concerned, after all, they had only really just met. Caitrin hadn’t really managed to give the matter such thought, “I have sent word to the midwife to ask them if anyone else is available, but she has not got back to me yet.” She pressed her lips together again. It wasn’t terribly useful, because she was full term now and the baby could come any day, and at present there was no one to help her through it. “And I don’t have any female family in Camelot; just me, my husband and my Uncle.” She shrugged softly. Her male orientated world had never been a problem until now, “I must confess, I’m not quite sure what to do.” She finally said quietly, and in a more unsure tone than her previous words had been in. It wasn’t a problem that was just going to go away, and it was becoming more urgent to get it sorted by the hour.

[Brynn Reade]

Whatever Brynn had thought to get out of this conversation, surely not such a completely surprising compliment! She, worthwile company? That truly must be a while since anyone who’s eyes were not blinded by love had said something similar. Maybe it had something to do with her usual lack of company? Hm… in any way, Brynn was positively surprised, and couldn’t quite fight down a blush either.
”Why thank you Mylady”, she said with a little curtsy and smoothened out the sheets in an attempt to occupy her hands after that. “I shall look forward to that day then!” Hopefully Martin and Queenie wouldn’t have one of their bad-feather-days, like Brynn was used to call them. On these days, they kept on bickering from dawn till dusk, and made everyone join in their fight. Or they ganged up on others, Flowfeather for example, the weakest of the herd. She really hoped for her fosterlings to be halfway presentable on the day Caitrin arrived.
”You should find me in the meadows just below the outermost city gate.” She added for good measure.

Oh… well Lady Caitrin being the youngest explained a little of the unease she was undoubtedly feeling. Someone who hadn’t even been present on any birth at all really could only rely on hearsay and sometimes very scary stories about the actual moment of birth. Brynn would never figure out why some elder women liked the scare the younger ones and surpass each other with the most gruesome incidents they could think of. So many things apparently were bad luck on a birth, and to avoid them all was well-nigh impossible. Brynn would beware of mentioning anything like that towards the Lady Caitrin of course. The least thing the expecting mother now needed was more sorrow than she already had.
”I am sure everything will be fine though”, she assured her confidently, feeling odd in this role. Was this really one of those rare occasions when a maiden could be called more versed than a married woman, just because she had been present at a few births?

It was quite shocking to hear as well that Lady Caitrin didn’t seem to have any female relatives in close proximity, even though she had just said to be the youngest child. That either meant her whole family was dead, or she was not from around here. Either way it was very unfortunate. Without even wanting it, Brynn felt reminded of the first birth she could even remember, as she had been nothing but a scared child of seven. Her mother had born a baby that was already dead and she had been losing a lot of blood. If not for the calming and knowledgeable presence of the midwife, Brynn was sure Meaghan Reade would have died.
”I wish I could help you, Mylady”, Brynn confessed with a sigh.”But sadly the midwife that helped me and my siblings to come into this world died three years ago. But then… any woman who has been through labour before could be of help.”
Surely, Lady Caitrin must know someone?! For a moment, Brynn had the crazy idea of suggesting her own mother as help, but then that would hardly be appropriate. Meaghan Reade might have three succesful births behind her, but surely a noblewoman would not want a lowly kitchen maid to help her in this precarious hour.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin would defiantly be chasing Brynn up on her offer, once she was well recovered and settled from the birth that was of course. It felt odd in a way, that it had only just struck her how much her freedom would be restricted after the birth of her child. However, that probably wasn’t an altogether bad thing, because it gave her something else to focus on. She wasn’t sure what sort of mother she would make yet, because she had hardly had a loving upbringing herself. Her father had been more one to beat children into line rather than raise them to toe the line. Caitrin knew already that she would never raise a hand to any of her children, the thought would never even enter her thoughts, of that she was certain. Brynn’s voice pulled her out of her internal rant, and she nodded sweetly at the young woman, just to let her know that she was paying attention. “Then I will remember that, and call upon you sometime in the near future.” Well that was settled and organised in the best way it could be Caitrin supposed. After all, she didn’t know what her life was going to be like after the birth of hers and Griff’s child, so she would have to see when life left her an afternoon to herself, and then she would call upon Brynn.

It wasn’t just the birth really that worried Caitrin, because she was sure that she could handle whatever pain was thrown at her. She wasn’t ever one to shy away from pain, or even to admit defeat. She had heard that childbirth was one of the worst pains one could experience, but then it became worth it once you had your baby in your arms. Caitrin would have to wait to see if that was true, but she certainly hoped that it was true. The child within her was already so loved, by both her and Griff. Caitrin knew that her husband was just as nervous as she was, as neither of them had any parenting experience, and they had both had difficult childhoods. Really, this would just be an interesting experience from the off wouldn’t it? Caitrin was determined to at least try and get everything right. She smiled at Brynn’s reassurance, and nodded softly. “I’m sure it will all go smoothly.” Caitrin voiced softly, “After all Gaius is only next door if anything does happen.” That was always something, as Arthur had selected these rooms for her birth for them specifically because of that fact.

It was times like this that Caitrin wished that she was closer to some of her female family. However, she wouldn’t call upon any of her sisters to come and oversee her birth, they were too far away, and Caitrin hadn’t seen any of them in years anyway, so that thought was just ridiculous anyway. Caitrin stood up, as she was getting slightly irritated with herself for sitting down in such friendly company. Instead she switched so that she was standing by the fire, leant up against the stone, so she could look on at Brynn. She felt like she just had to keep switching round to keep comfortable what with her swollen belly. It was a rather large obstacle to comfort most of the time. “There is only one friend I can think of who would oversee the birth, if only to keep me calm. But she’s quite far away now.” Caitrin shrugged softly and looked into the fire for a few moments before raising her eyes back to Brynn, “Do you not know of any women in the town, or perhaps even in the castle, who would oversee the birth for me? It may not even come to that if the midwife recovers, but I suppose I had best come up with a back up plan.”

[Brynn Reade]

Brynn merely nodded at Lady Caitrin’s final decision that the meeting between them was settled. It was the lady’s call now, and Brynn would wait when or if even it happened. Not that she doubted Lady Caitrin would stay true to her word, but Brynn could imagine that a lot would happen after the baby’s birth that would make the world seem like an entirely new place. Even if she appointed a nurse for her child, Lady Caitrin soon would find her time would be circling around it and around little else. It had been like that with Brynn’s little siblings, even though she had watched over them often to make it easier for her mother from day one. Having a child and working at the same time, with a father that was on guard duty every day at the oddest hours – it had not been easy. At least Lady Caitrin would be spared that.Then again, why was she thinking so much about her anyway? Brynn had to smile inwardly at herself. Once again she simply thought too much and her worrying now included people she shouldn’t even worry about, like Lady Caitrin. As a noble, she probably could look after herself quite well, or at least had the means to get looked after.

Oh, dear goodness, she was right! Brynn had noted that fact only subconsciously when coming here, but now there really seemed to be some higher meaning behind Lady Caitrin residing inside these chambers of all.
”So that was intended then, I see”, she mused with a smile. “Yes, Gaius presence and knowledge can be very calming indeed.” Though, he probably only would be called as a last ditch attempt to turn the tide, should anything go wrong. It might be a stupid superstition or simply practicability, but it was frowned upon to have men even near where a mother gave birth to her child. Superstitious probably because someone thought it bad luck, but the more practal reason was simply that men often couldn’t deal with the hustle and bustle that just seemed to be the norm around births. Especially the fathers-to-be often couldn’t bear to see their wives in so much pain and fathers weren’t any better. Only women, who had been through this themselves or would one day go through it were thought suitable to witness the imminent birth.

The question of the lacking midwife was still looming in the air, and Brynn could understand it made Lady Caitrin nervous. She hadn’t intended to cause the mother-to-be any discomfort or fuel her panic, but the goosemaiden simply believed that something as severe as a birth should truly not be done without the professional help of a midwife or mother.
For a moment Brynn’s thoughts wandered as Lady Caitrin told her about a friend that now was far away, and she wondered who that might be, but then it was not of her business in any way, and so she focussed again on matters at hand. Did she know someone? Caitrin sounded desperate now, and it might be that mild desperation and the soft bond that had been forming between the two women earlier that made Brynn voice the otherwise unthinkable.
”I would know… maybe of one”, she began hesitantly. “I told you my mother has been through many births… and she is a strong, yet calm woman. Please don’t think I want to praise her, Mylady, but this is a simple fact.” Indeed it was. Meaghan Reade had a big heart and she was the typical mother hen. If anything, she could make anyone feel safe. “I could ask her, if you wouldn’t mind…”

[Caitrin de Archer]

As Caitrin had no intention of hiring a nurse for her child, she was sure that her time would be taken up solely by the child. Though she had been mostly brought up by a nurse, she didn’t want her child to go through the same upbringing, She wouldn’t have traded her time with Helgund for the world, but she wanted her children to love her, because she already knew that she loved them. She didn’t want them to grow up, as she had, thinking that her parents didn’t care for her. It had been a cruel thing for any child to grow up thinking, and she was determined it wasn’t going to be repeated. She smiled across at Brynn, as she wasn’t sure exactly when she would be able to have an afternoon to herself. She was sure motherhood would be busy, but perhaps she was naive in thinking how much of her time would be taken up by the baby. Perhaps Griff would be able to lighten that burden somewhat, but she knew that Rouland had his eye on Griff to start training him up to inherit the estate. If Caitrin had a boy, then the line of succession in their family would already be set.

Caitrin had only met Gaius a few times, the most recent of those meeting had been when he had told her that she was pregnant. Although she had suspected it herself for some time after that, just hearing the words for the first time had meant so much to her. Her hand came to rest once more on her belly, and she looked back to Brynn with a soft smile. “Yes, Arthur suggested it himself.” Caitrin chirped back, rather proud in a way. It was nice really that Arthur had taken so much care and attention in her pregnancy. They were close friends, but she never expected that to mean anything in a gains sort of way. He never expected the fact she was such good friends with the King to mean anything beyond the bounds of regular friendship. However, sometimes being so close did come with its advantages.

Although Caitrin had only meant not having a woman present at the birth as an offhand comment, because she couldn’t see an alternative, she was now slightly panicked. It was her first child after all, and she wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen, well, she knew what was going to happen, just not the way in which it was going to happen. She hadn’t been through labour before. She ran a hand over her belly, and winced as the baby kicked her once more. Sometimes it really did feel like she was being beaten black and blue from the inside. She shifted again from where she was stood next to the fire, both her hands were on her swollen belly. She listened carefully as Brynn began to speak once more, offering her mother as a solution. From what she had already heard from Brynn, the whole family seemed rather nice. Plus, she just needed someone to oversee the birth to ensure everything was going normally as Gaius would be on hand to help if anything more serious happened. Thinking quickly, she nodded at Brynn, “Only if it was convenient for your mother, I do not wish to bother her if she is too busy.” Caitrin knew that the servants in the castle were always incredibly busy, and she didn’t want to bother her if she had a lot of things to do with her time. “But if she would come and oversee the birth I would be incredibly grateful, and of course she would be compensated for her time.” She had a purse of gold that was meant for the original midwife anyway, but she wasn’t paying the woman if she wasn’t going to be present. However, she would pay Brynn’s mother for her time of course.

[Brynn Reade]

From what Brynn had already guessed,it didn’t come as much a surprise when Lady Caitrin told her King Arthur himself had arranged these particular settings. There was much consideration behind every guest that resided in the castle, Brynn knew that, and many of these decisions had to be felled by none other than the king himself. Also the tone in which the lady talked about Arthur and her former remark about him suggested indeed that they seemed to be close. Not as close as Arthur and Gwen of course, but there must be some mutual interests and happenings behind their friendship. It was not her place to ask further, however, so she merely inclined her head and said: “A very wise decision indeed. King Arthur is a good man, and I am glad you do benefit from it in such a way.”Brynn could only imagine how she would feel being with her first child and shortly before the actual birth. Anything to rest her mind would be welcome then indeed, though she doubted Lady Caitrin was as much of a worrier and a thinker than Brynn was. Alex often said she must be unique in that, because if everyone thought so much of the ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’ the world would be full of people who never spoke and acted, just stood somewhere, thinking.

The baby seemed very active indeed, and Brynn mused with an inward smile if it maybe took after its mother there a bit. She couldn’t remember any pregnant women really being kicked so often in a row, but then her experiences with pregnant women was far and few between anyway. Once again she had to admit that taking up Idris’ job for one day hadn’t been such a bad idea at all. She was not only having a nice conversation, she was also getting insights she otherwise would be lacking. Who knew for what it could prove useful one day. Not only to have a lady like Caitrin as an well-meaning acquaintance, but also if she ever should need knowledge about pregnancies. Who knew when it would be her time? Of course, Alex would have to marry her first, but in Brynn’s eyes that had long ceased to be a matter of ‘if’, it was only the question of ‘when’.

Brynn felt relieved that Lady Caitrin didn’t dismiss the suggestion right away, she really seemed to be different. Of course Brynn could not speak for her mother, but then she knew Meghan Reade’s big heart, and knew if she put it the right way, her mother would not refuse. If it was a noble woman’s wish she should help her, who was she to refuse anyway? She would do what she had been asked to do, and she would do it gladly. It was all a matter of how best to break it to her. Brynn’s mother was a kitchen maid, not a midwife, that would be her first objection. Being busy was another thing, and Lady Caitrin had rightfully pointed that out. Every servant in Camelot was always busy, apart from those with such a day-filling task as herself. But then, if Brynn and her mother explained the situation to the cook, he was sure to understand. If not… then maybe Brynn would offer to take her mother’s place while she was occupied. That was only just.
”I will ask her tonight, Mylady!” she promised her with a smile that bordered on relieved. “My mother will probably decline the payment, though, just that I have warned you beforehand.” It was true, Meghan Reade hated nothing more than being given something she didn’t feel she deserved. Just like her husband, in so many aspects.