?????

Okay self, two-week status update?

I basically still can’t see much of anything, as I can’t seem to focus. I never really studied child development in my past life, but I assume the muscles in my eyes are still undeveloped… right along with the rest of my body.

I had nothing to do but eat, nap and crap. So not much has happened, and I am dying of boredom. My brain, as always, is moving at a hundred miles an hour, and these past two weeks have seemed like an eternity.

On the upside, I have yet to have a single panic attack, which is a whole new experience for me right there. I have, however, made two important discoveries.

The first is that I have learned the local language. Not really a challenge when it is about the only thing I had to do these last few weeks, and since people repeat the same things to babies again and again, if you smile at them, it did not prove difficult.

Thankfully, this has allowed me to identify two people around me. The first is of my mother. Her name is Rachel, and she seems to be the one with the green eyes I saw after my birth… rebirth, whatever. She also possesses major boobage from the feel of things! Given my limited senses, this is one of my new life’s few joys.

Interestingly, I discovered my name is Jarod Edwyn Tatham. A name that screams to bullies, ‘please hit me as I am such a boring tool!’ Well, whatever. I will work on a nickname. Not like I don’t have the time to work on it!

There was another voice I heard when I was born. It seemed to belong to a woman called Erin. She has light grey eyes.

Although not as chesty as Rachel, I am definitely digging the regular hugs!

The eyes of those holding me are about the only feature I can make out for now. Even though my eyesight is improving, the maximum range of my sight is still not very far. I can make out those close to me, but everyone else is a blur.

Erin seems to be my nanny, but that role is pretty redundant, as Rachel is always looking after me with Erin. I can only suspect that I have been born into a noble family, as Bob said this world was on the level of the Middle Ages.

Given that nugget of information, and assuming that social development is anything like what was in my previous life, I doubt commoners would have a nanny.

Where my family stands in this society’s pecking order, I have no clue. I gained all my limited information from listening to those around me.

Erin seems to be an old friend of my mother’s, as well as an employee. When no one else is around, she calls my mother by her first name, but around others it is “my lady”. The atmosphere is far more relaxed when they are less formal.

I am wondering if my baby body is influencing my mind. I have been rather emotional these last few weeks. Time will tell, I guess.

One important voice I heard the day I was born into this world would be my father's. He was here when I was born and seems to have stayed long enough to confirm the mother and baby's status, have a brief hold of me, and then left.

He has since not returned to see me and instead has focused on his work. Real contender we have for father of the year.

As my father was not around, they only referred to him as 'The Lord, husband, and Lord Tatham'. So, I as yet don't know my father's name.

Overall, I find myself quite content in my new life, if you don't count the perennial boredom, constant frustration, anger and the inability to stop crapping myself on a regular basis, resulting in a running commentary on my adorableness as my genitals fly in the wind… yeah now that I think about it may be content isn't quite the word, what would be more accurate… oh yes, ABSOLUTLEY LIVID!

On the bright side. If I am correct, and I always am. My family is nobility. So that is a good start and a real luck out for me. Despite my father, I also seem to be loved, as both my mother and Erin dote over me.

'Sigh' it's a shame I am a baby as in my previous life it had been years since I spent this much time around people, let alone women. Still, I seem to have rolled sixes for my situation… well, as long as we forget about a certain divine repeat fuckup!

So far, the greatest gift I have received in my new life would be my complete lack of anxiety, panic and despair that consumed my last life. I wonder why?

Back to the topic at hand. The second major development came two days before. In my previous life, being a genius, I developed my mind heavily to aid in controlling my psychological issues. Despite the lack of results in that area, I learned many mental exercises and tools.

One practice I learned in my previous life was the ancient Method of Loci. Commonly, people on Earth called the technique the mind palace. Although originally a method of mental imagery for aiding memory recollection, I am now trying to adjust it to act as a visualisation for my mind.

The original purpose of learning this technique was to identify the different psychological issues within my mind. Then compartmentalising them and store away until I am prepared to deal with them.

To sum up, it did not work. Still; I figured it would be a method to retrieve information from my old life, not unlike a certain TV detective… Okay, I admit it. I miss TV and it gave me the idea, but still the results were unexpected.

When trying to envision a building in my mind, I found myself in front of the Louvre Museum, surrounded by a white void. More surprising, I appeared as I used to in my old life before I died.

I was pretty tall, at approximately six foot four. After buying the whole of my town for my security services (turns out super genius billionaire recluse needs security, who would have seen that coming!) and any facilities I needed. As well as locating the headquarters of my conglomerate. My home itself featured varieties of laboratories to home gym. So physically, I was good. Thanks to this, I kept myself in good shape for a shut in. Gym fit rather than body builder would be the best description.

I guess this is how I still saw myself. Two weeks is obviously not enough to change that. Although, I would appreciate some damn clothes!

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

With that thought, I was wearing my favourite jeans, t-shirt and trainers… boxers and socks included. Nice!

Everything looked and felt so real. I had never been to the Louvre myself, but I always wanted to go. I had seen plenty of pictures and it is just how I imagined it. Shocked, I walked inside my mind palace.

As I entered the interior of the building. All I saw was just a long stone corridor with stairs at the end. The stairs cut off before leading beyond the ground floor. I didn’t know the layout of the Louvre, so this must be my mind creating a basic interior for me. I thought about what I imagined the interior of the Louvre would look like, but nothing changed.

The atmosphere would be great for a gothic library. The thought barely passed through my mind when I heard grinding behind me, and near the entrance, a heavy wooden door in a gothic style grew out of the wall next to me.

Walking up to the door, there was a plaque on the front in brass, with the word library engraved on it in flowing script. Using the handle, I opened the door to an incredible sight. Before me was an enormous library with large stacks of leather-bound books, well tomes would be a better description for them.

As I walked down the aisles, the names on the books I passed made me come to a realisation. All these books were ones I had read in my past life. Although this was only in my mind, it was awesome! It provided a means to deal with my boredom.

I spent what felt like hours working out the organisation of the library. I briefly wondered why I did not know the layout of this place as my mind created it, but figured that it must have been my subconscious that created the design of the mind palace based on my desires.

Eventually, I realised I must have been here for a substantial amount of time and wondered how I would leave. When the thought of leaving passed through my head, light enveloped me. I found myself as I was before I entered my mind.

I was having my diaper changed, thus spurring my attempts to escape into my mind.

Nothing like having my ass to the world and my junk for all to see and comment upon… as my mother and nanny seem to enjoy doing on end, every damn time! I get it; I am small but give me a break. I am two weeks old!

When I gain bladder control, I assure you ladies that revenge shall be mine!

As I suddenly realised what was still going on, I understood that no time seems to have passed for me within my mind palace. Or at least no time that I could perceive had passed.

Although I was to find, within my mind, it had felt like hours.

Well, at least the mind palace should help deal with the boredom, even if it is all books or information I possess. I do enjoy reading, so the act alone should hopefully help with the boredom and keep me sane.

I pondered whether I could create a cinema in my mind and re-watch all the TV shows and movies I had ever seen? The answer, yes, and given my new fantasy world, I instantly proceeded to watch Excalibur.

Ah, that’s the mind-numbing stuff!

****

RACHEL

Two weeks have passed in no time at all. With Erin by my side, looking after my son has been nothing but a dream.

As a mage of the highest order, I have trained myself to go extended periods without sleep and the mental discipline to match, so the strains that most parents undergo with a newborn are nothing to me.

Sitting in a chair with my son in my arms, having just fed him his lunch and changing him. Even for a young child, he is ravenous. A thought shared by more than just myself, all the women on the staff agreed with me.

I have never been popular among the staff, as I come from a lesser noble family. My father, being an officer in the army, gained the title of knight for his services to the kingdom. Many in the upper echelons of nobility do not see those, such as my family as nobles, as we are not born nobility. The servants who work for my husband’s family have done so for generations and are incredibly protective of their master and his position. They all seem to have taken such a viewpoint on their master’s behalf. Both myself and Erin consider their devotion also manic.

Even then, the servants have been suddenly bending over backwards to see if I need anything for a chance to see the new young lord. Their attitude towards me has also improved, and this has only made my last few weeks more comfortable in my home than it has been in years.

Erin had just finished tidying up after changing Jarod’s nappy and handed him over to me. Erin then took a seat in the chair facing me in the nursery.

I sat with Jarod in my arms, his head on my shoulder as I lightly tapped his back to ensure he had no trapped wind. If I am honest. I just enjoy holding him like this, my boy’s head brushing my cheek.

Erin looks at me with a smile on her face.

“You look so happy, Rachel. Happiest I have seen you in a long time!”

I can’t help but agree with her. Erin and I grew up together and since my marriage to Keefe, I had not seen her until I found out I was pregnant.

I insisted to my husband that I wanted Erin to be my son’s nanny. For reasons beyond my understanding, the staff had been rather cold to me. I can’t say that I had so much problems interacting with people in my life… actually quite the opposite. I had been part of the king’s court for many years and had a good rapport with most there, which in such a political environment is practically unheard of. I knew I did not want that kind of cold, oppressive environment around my son. I have never insisted on anything in our marriage until now, but this was one thing I needed.

Although Keefe had argued, he had fine maids on staff. Many with experience raising a child. I still insisted. Eventually, Keefe acquiesced to my demands.

Shortly after that, Erin moved into the staff quarters to prepare her for her task of looking after my son and help me through my pregnancy.

"Is the king still sending you missives for your advice?" Erin asked curiously.

Erin had the most adorable lilt to her voice when she asked about gossip, but she would never admit to being a gossip herself. Even if, to be honest, my friend fed on gossip like everyone else needs air.

The normally cold staff quickly warmed to her. Not a surprise, really. Her father is an intelligence officer who works alongside my own. He always intended for his daughter to follow in his footsteps.

Unfortunately, Erin’s magic talents did not meet the prerequisites for military officer training and women could not be foot soldiers in the regular army. Erin, however, applied her talents in an… unexpected, though effective, new direction.

Erin’s father trained her from a young age in information gathering and infiltration techniques. This was years before her first skill check highlighted her limited magic skills. Erin redirected her intelligence gathering talents to gossip, and her infiltration skills to infiltrating all levels of society to gain said gossip.

“Yes, he is! Nothing overly taxing, but as a court mage, he values my council on certain matters.” Although I requested a year after this little one’s birth to focus on bonding with him, I agreed to continue my work through missives, and I would return immediately in emergencies.

“In truth, there are increasingly more letters being sent to me from the court, so although it has been some weeks since I was last at the palace, I feel like I know all that is still going on!”

“Ah, the pitfalls of being popular!” Erin said while giggling away.

Suddenly Erin’s giggling stopped, and she looked to the doorway. I knew that look. The atmosphere within the room suddenly changed. Not long after, a young maid entered to check if I needed anything. I couldn’t help but smile at that, although as the maid was looking at me, she was constantly throwing glances at my now sleeping son.

Only a few weeks old and quite the lady killer. I could not help but joke to myself.

Erin and I agreed that in the company of others, we would have a professional relationship, but when alone, we quickly became as we were before I married. It is times like these with my son and fiend I feel complete.

Erin stood up and came towards me, requesting if she should put the young master down for a nap. She also recommended I have lunch made for me now that Jarod has had his and was asleep.

Agreeing with her, I handed Jarod over reluctantly.

As she stood up, I couldn’t help but notice the way Erin held my son. Sneakily, she provided the maid a clear look at the baby. A knowing grin spread across Erin’s face and a grateful smile upon the maids. Erin really is a master at making people owe her favours.

Of course, thanks to that, I now have a constant stream of gossip coming in to keep me entertained these days.