Betrothed To Death

Chapter 11

I sighed in annoyance as I attempted climbed into the carriage for the Tour. It had been every month so far and I found it no less daunting of a task then I did when it first began. If anything it got harder with each passing month. At seven months pregnant I looked like a beached whale and it was getting more and more difficult to do even the simplest things, like going up and down stairs, picking something up off the floor or making it to the bathroom without soiling myself! I was very tired of that one!

I groaned in frustration as my attempts to heave myself into the carriage were all for not. Orcus bent down and swept my legs out from under me, lifting me up and onto the ebony thrown. I smiled at him gratefully and asked the driver to try and not hit too many rocks or holes. The twins were ill enough being crammed inside the tiny space they had without also being bounced around. The last excursion had ended with me heaving over the side of the coach. The driver nodded and moved the horses into a gentle pace.

I wore the same red and black gown I had worn the first Tour and all the subsequent Tour's after that. The traditional garb looked ridiculous on me, I thought, though Orcus, Umona and Aesar assured me that I was radiant. The gown didn't seem to fit right anymore. The sides of the gown were taut with the massive swell of my stomach, the bodice barely covered anything anymore since my breast had swelled and if my hips got any bigger I was sure that the seams of the dress would burst. I looked fat and far from resplendent as many tried to assure me. I had taken to wearing the gown Aesar had gifted me on my first Tour most of the time since it seemed to be the only thing that hid how big I really was. The bodice seemed to stretch to fit my breast even as they expanded so I didn't appear ready to pop out at any given moment and the extra panels of fabric in the skirt always fit my stomach loosely.

We arrived on Market Street and saw the usual bustle of people that anxiously awaited the Tour. There were the usual cheers and gifts thrown before and into the carriage. From just the tours I had more jewelry and trinkets than I really knew what to do with, never mind the things people had sent more or just given me. I smiled and waved, thanking them for their gifts. I began to feel a bit dizzy as the ride went on but shook it off. At Orcus' curious gaze I just smiled and told him I was fine. He seemed less than assure, especially when I almost fell off the thrown, but I insisted that I was fine and he shouldn't worry.

We stopped around the peasant farm lands and allowed them to, well for lack of a better word, worship me. I hugged the few children there were as well as the men and women. I allowed them to caress my stomach and kiss my hand. One of the children climbed into my lap and told me he thought I was pretty. I smiled and kissed his cheek, then ushered him off my lap. His mother smiled at me gratefully and kissed my hand. The driver started to put the carriage in motion and I stood to wave goodbye to the people. When I did my vision swam and the world suddenly tilted at a strange angle. My knee's buckled under the weight of my stomach and I banged my hip against the side of the carriage. There was a horrified shriek and someone grabbed my arm, pulling so hard they almost wrenched it out of its socket. More hands were on me, pushing and grasping. I groaned in pain at the sensation. Someone grabbed me, cradling me bridal style in their arms and passed me to Orcus who laid me gently on the floor of the coach and barked orders at the driver to turn back home. The carriage raced across the roads and I cried out in pain when it jarred my sore body.

Orcus lifted me up as if I weighed nothing and dashed inside the house, barking orders at the servants I couldn't understand. I forced open my eyes to see what was going on. He took the stairs two at a time and darted into the bedroom. He laid me on the bed and tore my clothes of, ripping the delicate fabric of the ancient gown. He was looking my body over, running his finger along my skin, looking for any wounds.

I saw my hip sporting a growing bruise and looking over notice finger shaped bruises on my arm. I couldn't move the arm that had been pulled and the babies were moving a lot.