In Which Ellona Is Given a Plausible Tidbit

August 11, 1181

"Well, everything seems to be progressing as expected," Nanalie declared as she finally withdrew her hand from Ellona's stomach. This was probably the number one reason Ellona was grateful for her lifelong good health; a few key exceptions aside, she could frankly do without people touching her all day. "Though if you don't mind my saying, you're lucky that you can still fit into that dress."

"And I feel as though I'm about to burst out of it. I won't make the mistake of wearing it tomorrow." Or even later in the afternoon, if the cook happened to produce a heavy lunch. But she was still thin enough to get out of it without risking a tear, and even if she wasn't... well, it wasn't as if she couldn't replace it. Casimiro may not have been a prince, but he was certainly no pauper. Some of the merchants at the market place had noticed the same thing. "Can I ask you something?"

"I'm here on your dime, aren't I?"

Of course. The money. "Are people saying that my marriage is a sham? That I only married Casimiro for his money? I mean, after Ietrin, they probably--"

"Yes, I see what you mean." Nanalie shrugged. Her lack of concern was borderline vexing. "But I wouldn't worry too much about public opinion. From what you told me last time I checked up on you, you did what you had to do, and to hell with anyone who thinks you shouldn't have."

Ellona tried to suck in the bulge of the baby, little good it did. On a logical level, of course, Nanalie was right. It was silly to worry about what strangers thought. It was silly to worry about what people she didn't even like thought. But it was easier said than done, especially when she had her kids in mind. At least they had some friends, just like she'd gained a few through Raia and Casimiro both. "My apologies if that was a stupid question. But since we've been married a year and I'm still not quite showing, they must have figured that it wasn't a love match."

"Perhaps, but there are reasons for marrying other than love and money, and sometimes even the randiest of couples take years to get pregnant if they ever conceive at all. With the sheer number of people in the world and the vastness of any one gossip's social circle, people ought to have figured such things out by now."

Ellona sniffed. "Those gossips do tend to know more people than any reasonable person would care to keep track of."

"And perhaps that's precisely why they don't know these things--they're not reasonable." Nanalie rolled her eyes with the half-patronizing, half-mourning dismissal of one who saw the world as a lost cause. Perhaps it would have been worth spending time with her outside of her duties as a midwife. "But for all most gossip is of little valid use to anyone, I did hear one plausible tidbit that may interest you."

She doubted it. But if it was plausible, perhaps it was worth giving a chance. "Oh?"

"Yes, I heard it from my brother. It seems that word got out that you and Casimiro--"

"What?" Shit! Casimiro's secret hadn't gotten out, had it? Who would have told? How could they do that to such a sweet man? She'd tear them apart! "Nanalie--"

"Relax, it's not really about either of you. It's just..." Just what? Why the pause? "Well, I'd already had my suspicions as a professional. But somehow it got out that you and Casimiro only started trying for a baby shortly before you succeeded, and given the gap between your other two, plus the gap between the young princesses..."

Huh. Perhaps not all of the gossips were the drooling morons as she'd pegged them for, at least not all of the time. She wondered if Princess Jeda knew that people were finally starting to make that connection. It had taken the world long enough.

"I think I know what you're going to say," she asserted as Nanalie trailed off with a smirk. "But even so, it would satisfy me greatly to hear the words outside of my own head."

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