## THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL) - Chapter 136
Talia looked with eyes full of suspicion at the stern face of the head maid and the maids standing behind her.
—They say that in front of me, but they will betray me behind my back, right?
—That will never happen. Do not worry, Your Highness the Duchess, we will not open our mouths until you communicate it yourself.
The head maid promised with a dignified face, keeping her back firmly straight.
Talia stared at her with narrowed eyes and then nodded coldly.
—All right. Now all of you leave.
—Did you perhaps forget what the priestess just said? You must enjoy absolute rest at this moment. From now on, the designated maids will remain by your side to attend to you.
The head maid said firmly, and called the maids waiting behind her.
—Brisa, Yvonne.
The two young women referred to stepped forward calmly toward the bed. Talia observed their youthful faces; they were two young maids who sometimes helped her arrange her clothes or brought her food.
—They are the most perceptive and skilled young women among the maids. Keep them by your side and let them attend to you with comfort.
The two girls bowed at the same time. Talia looked at them with dissatisfaction and threw a warning at them in a solemn tone:
—If you cause the slightest trouble, I will throw you out.
—We will do our best to serve Your Highness without causing any inconvenience.
The maid named Brisa replied with a clear voice.
Talia let out a slight laugh and turned around to sleep. Given her silent expulsion, everyone began to leave the room one after another, except for the two maids.
However, the tranquility did not last long. Shortly after, the healer arrived.
—I congratulate you, Your Highness the Duchess.
The woman approached with her usual serene face and greeted her cautiously. Talia looked at her with suspicion.
—Did you not notice at all that I was pregnant until now?
—I suspected it to a certain extent. But I preferred to tell you once the matter was certain.
The woman replied in a calm tone. Talia let out a laugh full of contempt.
—You suspected? Do you think you have the right to judge the state of my body?
—…I was only worried that you would get upset, Your Highness the Duchess —the healer apologized, lowering her gaze—. You already feel pressured by the topic of pregnancy. Furthermore, there is the possibility of a misdiagnosis in the early stages and, given that the condition of your body was not good, I planned to tell you after observing you for a few more days.
Talia's features changed.
—Is my condition that bad?
For an instant, signs of hesitation appeared on the healer's face. She looked at the two maids standing by the bed and explained in the language of the elves:
—Your Highness the Duchess, by nature it is difficult for your body to conceive. Your energy is too weak and the pelvis was slightly deviated due to the accident; therefore, you must take extreme care even if you manage to get pregnant.
The message included some words she had never heard before, but it was not difficult to understand the meaning. Talia pressed her lips together with a pale face. Once the healer made sure she had understood her words, she continued with her explanation:
—I have kept silent until now because I did not want the Duke's family to find out about this reality. If something bad were to happen to the baby, Your Highness could be the subject of reproaches.
Talia swallowed hard and spoke in a rough and broken elven:
—The priestess from the Kalmor cathedral examined my body. Everyone will know the truth by now.
—I have just arrived after meeting with the priestess under the pretext of asking for her opinion. Fortunately, it seems she did not notice anything about the nature of Your Highness's body.
The healer sighed in relief, took her hand, and advised her:
—Nonetheless, please avoid being examined by others as much as possible in the future. If you manage to give birth to a boy safely from this pregnancy, there will be no greater problem… but there is always the possibility of the worst.
Talia closed her mouth stubbornly. The optimistic feelings that intoxicated her like alcohol dissipated immediately. She bit her lower lip and nodded slightly.
—I understand what you are saying.
—Do not worry too much. I will take care of your health with even greater dedication.
The healer gave a few comforting pats on the back of her cold hand and spoke again in the common language of the Empire:
—Well, now I will examine your leg.
She opened the leather case she carried with her and took out an ointment to apply over the scars and a painkiller that she took periodically. Talia looked at the maids with unease. Perhaps because they knew she disliked exposing her body, the girls immediately placed a curtain around the bed.
Feeling an internal relief from the clever reaction of the maids, she carefully lowered her leg from the bed. Upon lifting the edge of the wide skirt, the stained and reddish scar appeared between the loosely wrapped bandages. It was necessary to bandage it slowly because the skin was irritated.
The healer removed the bandages with caution, applied the ointment thoroughly over the scar, and then wrapped it with a new, clean, and loose bandage. Afterward, she prepared a cup of herbal tea that helped relax the body and soul, and left the bedroom in silence.
As soon as she could rest without anyone disturbing her, Talia curled up inside the duvet and lay down. Now that she was pregnant, she had achieved her goal. But why did she feel this anguish?
If the baby in her womb turned out to be a girl, she would have to start all over again. And what would happen if her second pregnancy was not successful? This time luck had been on her side, but she could not guarantee the next occasion. And to make matters worse, if word got out that by nature it was difficult for her to conceive, the people of the East would seek to dismiss her from her position as Duchess. In the worst-case scenario, she could be sent to a place like a convent. And it would not be easy to expect a peaceful life there either. Varis would try to kill her by any means, and her mother would certainly not protect her because she would have become a useless daughter…
Talia immediately stopped her extreme conjectures. It was not the time to assume the worst. After all, she had succeeded in getting pregnant according to her plan. If she gave birth to the heir of the ducal house safely, her safety would also be guaranteed.
Talia calmed her anguish with great difficulty, finished a bowl of oatmeal that the maids brought her, and prepared to take a nap. When she opened her eyes again, the sun had already set considerably. She stared at the darkened sky through the window and sat up upon hearing the sound of heavy footsteps.
Varkas entered the bedroom earlier than usual.
—How is your body feeling?
Varkas took off his coat and hung it indifferently on a chair, then walked over to the bed with large strides. He gave off a strong scent of soap and a smell of mint, as if he had bathed in the public sauna that the knights used that day as well.
—Just… as usual.
Talia stared at his brown hair, which had not yet dried completely, and then lowered her gaze timidly. The man sat on the edge of the bed and frowned while placing the back of his hand on her forehead.
—You still have a slight fever.
—It is from sitting near the fireplace for a long time.
Talia coughed timidly and quickly changed the subject.
—But why did you come so early today? The butler said you would be delayed due to the meeting…
—I hurried back after buying what you asked of me.
Varkas reached his hand into the inner part of his luxurious embroidered jacket and pulled out a small package. Talia looked at him astonished. His long, beautiful fingers with pronounced knuckles deftly untied the carefully wrapped leather cover, revealing five or six red fruits wrapped in a piece of crumpled paper.
—The pulp is hard and the sweetness is a bit low, that is the drawback, but I was told it is difficult to find a better variety than this right now. In any case, I have already ordered the merchants of Lacasime to look for a superior variety, and we will get a better product within a month. Tolerate this until then.
Astonishment was reflected on Talia's face. She had asked him to bring them, but the season had already entered the beginnings of winter. She knew very well that getting strawberries in this cold region was not an easy task, not even for the emperor of the Empire himself.
—Do you want to try one?
Varkas took one of the strawberries he had taken out and offered it to her. Talia contemplated the young, shiny red fruit, and then opened her mouth slowly. Next, the small fruit entered her mouth.
She moved it over the tip of her tongue and then bit it with her teeth. A sweet aroma spread along with an acidity so intense that it almost brought tears to her eyes.
—How is it?
Varkas asked while wiping her lips moistened by the juice with his thumb.
She felt her throat close up for some reason, so she lowered her eyes to avoid his gaze. It was so delicious that it almost made her cry. More exquisite than anything she had ever tasted in her life.
—…It is not bad.