Wicked Stepmother

"She will not lose the child"

It was dark when I awoke to pain and confusion. Angry voices, worried voices a face swam at me...

"Kiora" I said happily but it was not she

"You're awake" Pan said and felt my forehead and my wrist, "By Goddesses I think you will live."

"You foolish, foolish girl! How could you..."Marsha's voice but Bill interrupted her (a rare thing to happen).

"Don't be mean to our Clovis" he said, "Be gentle to our beautiful fairy. She might lose her baby." at that I felt a surge of hope. I felt between my legs gently. Raw and sticky. Good. Perhaps the "thing" was gone! But the pain felt like I had been disembowled or something.

"No she will not lose the child" Pan said calmly, "we interrupted the witch just in time and made her flee.

"Is she OK?" I asked

"Who? Your stepmother? Why should you care?" Pan asked me, "But yes she got away on that horrid horse of hers."

"Oh thank the goddesses" I wept.

"How can you care what happens to her?" Pan asked, "she tried to destroy the babe in your flesh!"

"I don't want to give birth" I wept, "I am too young. I am....I am not made for this. What a horrendous thing, why would anyone want it?"

"Don't be silly, Child" said Marsha sharply, "It's a woman's lot in life. We accept it gracefully."

"But YOU never did" I accused."

"Noone would have me" she said sadly, "except Stumpy here, and he has no seed."

"I wish you could have a child and I not!" I said sincerely

"Yes. Well be grateful for what you have" she said, but her voice was slightly softer and she moved away. Pan tended me but refused to let me talk or argue. I was annoyed that they all assumed Kiora had done something wrong. She was the only person who truly understood- for all that my parents had loved me, I knew and my father would again if only I could rid myself of the child and go home. She was more to me than the beautiful, singing mother I had lost...more than my horse: HER horse now. I wanted her here holding my body, not Pan who seemed more concerned with the parasite in my flesh than with me.

I heard the others continue to argue. Who would do the housework if I was ill? Bill claimed that they had always got along fine taking turns before I came. Marsha snapped that that was all very well but now there was an extra mouth to feed. Bill claimed I didn't eat much and Lara agreed,

"Except when the witch was here" she said, "There was some food missing then, perhaps she took it."

"She said your pie was delicious" I said knowing Lara loved to be flattered about her cooking, "she said the palace chefs cannot make pastry with such lightness, or get the balance so subtly in the apples between tart and sweet."

"I added a touch of cloves" said Lara

"The queen would have had a second serve had I offered!" I told her. 

"Wipe that silly grin off your face Lara" Marsha snapped, "we have serious business to discuss."

"My pie was fit for a queen" Lara said dreamily

"An evil queen"

"Yes but they are the fussiest ones"

I tuned out their squabbling. I would do whatever they asked if I could though this life in the forest bored and frustrated me. Bill was sweet, how unexpected that he would actually stand up to Marsha to take my side! Flattery aside, Lara was actually more talented than I thought any of the others realised. She could have had a place in any kitchen in any land if they looked past her small stature and constant sneezing and let her damn well COOK something. I wondered if I could put in a good word to my father and...Kiora.

But I was so far away from them and still pregnant. Depression warred with exhaustion and pain overlaid everything. Pan asked me if I wanted to chew some herbs that were "safe for the baby" for the pain. I swallowed a curse and accepted them. Anything was better than pain. It didn;t feel like the herbs achieved much but somehow I managed to drift into sleep.