Romanowski and Rosemary

25. Frail childhood

She hated gossiping.

Singing a little song to her son because even he was getting irritated by how loudly the women spoke, she was startled when one of them called her.

"Isn't it, Armonia?" One of the royal women grinned mischievously at her.

"Y- Yes, mistress?" The young woman stuttered, gulping softly. She didn't know what they were talking about.

"Oh, don't act like you didn't hear us?" The others laughed. "We don't like lying women, Armonia dear."

Her heart was beating out of her chest as she contemplated what to say, because talking back was a shameful deed not to be expected from a young woman like her.

"I- I... my sincere apologies mistress," she lowered her head, her hands shaking.

The older women passed a look at each other, sighing at how innocent the newest member of their family was. Instantly, they developed a liking for her.

They loved innocent, stupid women who accepted their faults even if they did nothing.

"We asked, were you involved with a previous lover, Armonia?" They smirked. "Because you are too old to be a mother at this age." They tched.

Her head lowered in humiliation. She knew having a baby at seventeen years of age was too old for her and one day or the other, people would definitely talk about it and ridicule her.

"I had my first child at thirteen." Another royal woman flipped back her hair, proud. "And do you see Rhea there?" Armonia meekly looked at a woman, way younger than her, on the other side of the nobleman's throne, holding her child. "She's fourteen and has given a beautiful son to her husband. How proud must the warrior general be of her?" They gushed and laughed. Armonia listened without a word.

"Armonia, didn't your mother teach you that a girl becomes a woman only after attaining motherhood?" One of them snorted. "It won't be a surprise if you turn out to be immature at your age."

Tears clouded her vision, but she didn't let them fall. She was married at thirteen years of age, but it was her husband's wish to have a child only after she crossed fifteen. Unlike other warrior generals or ministers of the court, her husband had been incredibly respectful of her very subtle wishes. But she didn't know how to convey it to the judging women.

Young Greek girls were married so early and were expected to give a child that they often fell extremely sick before their wedding. She knew the girl Rhea; so weak and pale when her marriage was fixed with the warrior general of Philip's court. She'd heard from her mother how the young girl would cry and pray every day to cancel her marriage. And now she was a mother at fourteen. Holding her child as she stared ahead with lifeless eyes.

"Apologies mistress, b- but I didn't have any previous lover," she mumbled. "I've sworn to be loyal to my husband for life."

Life was unfair to these young women and only a lucky few like her were spared from giving birth too young.

Sometimes Armonia wished she had been a Spartan woman. They married in their twenties and were also trained in fighting, so they could protect their homes when their husbands were away at war. They were also given education, which was considered a taboo to girls in her state. But all of it was wishful thinking.

With his little feet, her son stood on her lap as he held onto her shoulders. Forgetting her sorrows, she giggled, kissing him gently.

"What will I do without you?" she sighed, caressing at his little head as he babbled something in his babyish voice.