Trigger warning: The following chapter covers the topic of miscarriage. If you are struggling with the experiences of miscarriage or the loss of a child, the following chapter could be a trigger for you, and you would want to skip the next two chapters. ❤
Eadith looked at her startled: "What?"
The pain that had just rippled through Shaylee's stomach had subsided, and she took a deep breath: "The child is coming."
Eadith still didn't seem to know exactly what to do with this information. It took her a moment until she then she turned to Æthelstan and said to him: "Run to Uhtred and tell him that Shaylee and I are with Abbess Hild. And tell him that Shaylee is in labour."
The boy looked at her with big eyes, but then he nodded and ran away. Shaylee looked at Eadith with a wrinkled forehead, "To Abbess Hild?
„Do you want to give birth to your child in the Inn?" Eadith asked her dryly.
No, Shaylee did not want that. She found the idea of giving birth to a bastard child in a Christian monastery a bit unusual, though. But she followed Eadith through the street to the entrance of the nunnery anyway.
Eadith was going at a fairly brisk pace until Shaylee finally took her by the arm and said, "We don't need to hurry. It will be hours before the baby is born".
Eadith looked at her and laughed, somewhat embarrassed: "You're right. Please forgive me. I've never been involved in childbirth before."
They walked a little slower through Winchester until they finally reached the convent. Eadith stopped one of the young novices and asked her: "Excuse me, can you tell us where we can find Abbess Hild?
The young woman in the nun's robe frowned and hesitated briefly, then said, "She left the nunnery some time ago. She wanted to meet Father Pyrlig and some other men in the Inn."
Obviously, the nun could not quite understand why her abbess should meet with men in an Inn. But she did not bring up this incomprehension, which led Shaylee to conclude that the nun respected Hild. The nun looked back and forth between Shaylee and Eadith and finally said: "But surely Abbess Hild wouldn't mind if they wait in her rooms. I will send an errand boy to inform her of her visit".
Shaylee smiled gratefully at the young woman: "Thank you very much. I think we'll take a walk in the garden in the meantime. Abbess Hild will find us there."
Eadith followed Shaylee hesitantly towards the garden of the monastery: "Are you sure that walking is a good idea?"
"Sure. I can't just do nothing."
They had hardly arrived in the monastery garden when Hild stepped through a passage in the wall on the opposite side and came hurrying towards them. She hugged Shaylee tightly and said, "I just spoke to Father Pyrlig. We will find a solution so that this bastard will not be allowed to take you with him! And in the meantime, you stay here; this is certainly not the first place they'll look for you."
Shaylee gave the abbess a short hug, then she separated herself from the lady and said: "Thank you, but that's not why we're here." She stroked her pregnant belly with a light smile, "The baby is in a hurry."
"The contractions have already started?" Hild asked in surprise.
Nodding, Shaylee replied, "Yes, it will surely take a while longer. Please excuse us for intruding, but..."
Hild cut off her word: "Nothing but, you are more than welcome here. I will have a room prepared. Your uncle knows about this?"
Eadith nodded and said: "I have sent Æthelstan to him. He should inform him."
ŞİMDİ OKUDUĞUN
New Shores ➳ The Last Kingdom | Finan the Agile (The Northman's Daughter 1)
Hayran KurguShaylee had nothing more to lose when she sneaked into a boat and left her homeland Ireland for good. She had burned all the bridges behind her, and her future was more than uncertain. All she had was a name. A name her grandmother told her and migh...
