A White as Red as Blood (PG 13) (Completed)

Chapter 10: No Going Back

Just as Harry had promised, three days into our adventure, we found the village. We saw the lanterns from the distance as we neared it. It smelled of baking and chit chats. Most of all though, it smelled like freedom and love, if that even had a smell. Meadhbh had been sick for the last few days, but I couldn’t understand why, we were all eating the same things. Fish, berries and apples. My stomach was in knots, yearning for a proper meal. It had been making sounds I have never heard it shout before. It was then I realised I’ve never been hungry.

We found the hostel Harry mentioned, paying the tariff and finding our room. It was basic, empty. !I was home for the next three days though, and it was ours. June would sleep on the smallest bed and Meadhbh and I would share the other one.  Meadhbh had gotten violently sick gain and I decided enough was enough and I was going to bring her to the doctor right now. I went down to the house Lady and asked her if there was a doctor open at this time.

“Sorry Lady, it’s against the law to have a doctor working on a Sunday, if you’ve got a problem, bring it up with the king.”

I couldn’t bring it up with the king. It would mean that everything I’ve worked for so far would be ruined. My father would kill me if I had the audacity to run away and come back to tell him to reform his system. I would just have to go in the morning.

“Could you get me one for the morning then?”

The lady looked at me, a wrinkled and raised eyebrow perked towards me.

“I’ve enough to be doing with this place, ain’t nothing wrong with your own legs!”

I frowned, going back up to our room. I wasn’t going to give her any of my precious money again. It was late, but I needed to get some food. No where would be open at this hour though, so I decided to just have another apple. They were bruised and broken now, but they tasted the same on the inside.

The bed was uncomfortable but I slept like someone who has never slept before. I slept until the sun was high into the sky. We all did. Meadhbh woke up and got sick immediately. She didn’t make it to the communal bathroom this time, vomiting in the corridor on the way. I cleaned it up before that vile woman would come up and charge us for the cleanup costs. When Meadhbh had started to feel better, I dragged her out to the doctor’s office. The man inside frowned when he saw the three of us walking in, presumably unimpressed that we were alone without male company. He felt Meadhbh’s bare stomach and then decided he needed to check her down under, to be sure of his prognosis. He smiled up at Meadhbh, allowing her to get dressed again.

“Well, your husband will be delighted to know that you’re pregnant. Either two or three months along too”

My eyes bulged out of my head, glancing from Meadhbh’s awe stricken face to her belly. It didn’t look bulging or fat, like a pregnant belly usually did, it just seemed normal and flat.

“I suggest you eat properly and eat lots of fruit.”

I looked at the doctor who was smiling and writing on a note.

“Give this to your husband in case he does not believe you”

I took the note for her; it was after all, my husband, not hers. It wasn’t as if I was jealous though, I pitied her. She was still going through his torture three months ago. And now, she’d have to look at his face through her child for the rest of her life.

“Good day sir, thank you”

We left the doctor’s room after I handed him two shillings. We walked, none of us saying a thing. The aroma’s of a bakery nearby lured me towards it, but caused Meadhbh to throw up all that was left in her stomach, Bile. I bought a loaf of French bread. The baker inside was a friendly bubbly old woman and she thanked me for buying her bread, giving me a free slice of the dark chocolate cake she had on display. I gave it to June who smiled up at me, shoving it all into her mouth in one go. I broke off a bit of bread and handed it to Meadhbh. She took it, smiling weakly at me.

“It seems silly now”, she said, taking a bite from the bread.

I sat down next to her on the wall outside the bakery.

“What’s that?” I asked, giving bread to June too.

“Running away”

I looked at her, wondering why she regretted her freedom.

“Why?”

“My child could have had anything he or she wanted back with Lord Bolo’s. Now what does he have? Nothing”

“Meadhbh, Lord Bolo’s was married. If he found out you were pregnant he’d ship you off in a box and tell you never to come near his family again. He’d hand you some money as a parting agreement. This child is better off this way. He has a mother now who has experienced freedom and happiness, a mother who will try her best for him no matter what. Don’t throw this away Meadhbh. It’s rather poetically beautiful”

Meadhbh sobbed, loosening her dress slightly around her stomach.

“I just hope I can eventually give him everything he needs.”

I embraced the crying girl, rubbing her back and rocking her.

“Everything will be fine, I promise.”

Maybe Harry knew this would happen and he knew she’d regret coming. This must be why she had little time. She only had a few hours to love her freedom before finding out that this baby is going to come into the world she never wanted to bring a baby into.