The voiceless scream Ethan had wanted to make before his untimely demise was swiftly given new life. It rang out loud and clear, which confused the presumably dead boy to no end. As it faded he was doused by strangers’ merry claps and cheers. Not only was this applause foreign to Ethan, but his voice also sounded extraordinarily high-pitched. In fact, it sounded as if he was a-, “Baby! Give me my baby!” A woman suddenly demanded out of breath. Ethan jolted, shocked to his very core for being described as such. Currently in his mind things weren’t making any sense. Was he a baby now? But why?
A man, the reincarnation of a gentle cloud, breezed over from the doorsill to the woman’s side and chuckled, “Now, now, sweetie. You’ve already given birth to two wonderful children, and yet you still can’t get enough of them? How about you calm down and let the midwife do her job, hm?”
The rather drained woman still had the energy to sneer back at him, “Oh, shush! Why don’t you try giving birth to a boulder?” before she growled some more, “And weren’t you supposed to remain outside my dear husband? Or did you forget our agreement?” Her husband pursed his lips, feeling the sting of her words. He couldn’t deny the fault of his entrance, but the birth was over now and so too should be their worries.
Ethan tried to make out the pair of husband and wife, but had to make due with the blurry outlines of their figures. They, along with the servants appeared as beige blobs in a room predominantly the shade of green. One that was, compared to the wallpapers inside of the City Cottage, a thick and dark variant of green. Ethan closed his eyes. He found that in the blackness he could pretend that none of this existed. Alas, this wish of his didn’t come true.
The already half-cracked clay on the woman’s cheeks flaked some more, then she rushed their midwife. “Quit your dilly-dallying Prinstine, you can goggle at its genitals later! I demand you hand it over to me and that’s now!” The midwife blushed at the accusation and swiftly did as told. In a jiffy, Ethan was placed on the other creature’s hot and sweaty chest. Long waves of dark red hair hung around him and he could now smell the scent of clay, pine, and sweet azaleas.
The instant their bare skin touched it brought tears to the woman’s pair of pale-green orbs, Ethan figured belonged to his supposedly new mother. The foreign woman took in the sensation of being a mother with pride. She sniffled, “What a darling... It couldn’t have turned out more perfect.”
To this, the lone male in the room had to agree with relief, “Why, yes indeed. As expected.” Like before, the man remained and watched over the two with both of his hands locked behind a disciplined back. Even though he didn’t say much in the moment, the mother fully understood what her darling wanted.
She teased him, “Why? Don’t hold back my dear. If you want to, you may hold it as well.”
“REALLY!?” the father burst out with passion. In the act he totally forgot to keep his image serene and under control.
The females giggled at the father’s clumsy reaction, but not his wife. She managed to keep her cool and say, “Of course you may… Now, here! Hold it properly.” Being a baby and all that, Ethan didn’t have a say in the matter. He was promptly shifted around to be nestled in his new father’s embrace. A figure he hadn’t known much of in his previous life. The proud face that continuously hovered above him, made him feel smothered to death. He wished that he could hide, but the giant holding him felt differently. They wanted to adjust the towel wrapped around Ethan’s chubby face.
With the cautious tuck of a finger, the towel got slightly tipped beneath Ethan's chin, making it possible for his new father to witness his creation in its entirety. At the mere sight of his baby’s fat cheeks and tiny button nose, the father changed his features into those of happy bliss. It was as his wife had said, the baby turned out to be perfect.
Being stared at so affectionately Ethan finally broke under his father’s gaze. And shortly after he curled up into a meatball. It didn’t help either that his father kept showering his newborn with vulnerable glances and soft hearted coos. It was just awkward. Very awkward!
Even though Ethan was in control of the infant’s body, he couldn’t comprehend why this was the case. Like any other sane person, he kept questioning himself. Was he really dead? Had he been reincarnated? Who were these people? Where was he? And what exactly happened to him!?
He tried to recount the events that had led up to his death. By doing so, all he could conclude was that a certain someone must have cursed him!... Yes, if anything there was definitely a connection between his and the book’s destruction. He found it hard to fathom that his friend might have been a sorcerer, but what other explanations could there be? The culprit behind his murder and rebirth must have been no other than Maya!
At first, Ethan felt reluctant, but soon he cried out in his mind. Maya! If you’re the one responsible for this madness? Then please believe me when I say that I’m sorry for dissing your work. I didn’t mean to hurt you! Just, please!... Turn me back! I beg of you! My mother needs me! You know that!
Ethan might as well have pleaded to a ghost the way his attempt at redemption went unheard. The disoriented human kept begging for forgiveness over and over again, until the midwife observing him could conclude aloud, “This little one’s a girl.”
All of the adults circling the baby were pleasantly surprised by this news. Ethan, however, had a major change of heart in that very instance. For no longer did he, or rather she, seek to satisfy and appease the suspected culprit. No, she instead fervently promised Maya that the day they returned would be the day that that half-witted bitch died!
Ethan’s new father seemed to have had his fill adoring their outcome and now he wished to settle their baby back with her mother. A choice the mother wasn’t so accepting of. She shook her head and hoisted her thin eyebrows, “Hmm, that was nice. No longer do I feel weighed down by worry. She turned out just fine...”
The mother raised her ochre duvet and crawled slowly out of their posh double bed like a freak. Being witness to this reckless behavior, the father gaped and lectured her in a huff, “My dear… You should get some rest and focus on our child’s well-being first. Your duty towards her is of the highest order. You said it yourself? You don’t want a wet nurse!”
At the end of his last syllable, the mother grew receptive to their child. She held out both of her arms and took it, then ventured close to a desk carved from pine in the center of their glamorous bedroom. “Oh, you poor fool,” she tsked. “I only declined the idea of a wet nurse due to the expenses. It’s money spent poorly, but I guess an alternative would be in order.”
Her cold answer disappointed the father immensely. He felt foolish for having thought this time would be any different. “Then?” he asked, dropping the question halfway in a suggestive manner.
His dear wife smiled in a reassuring way. “No need to worry, dear. I’m sure Alis won’t mind guarding over her while I’m busy with work. Right, Alis?” The whole room’s gaze locked onto the small figure of a 12-year-old girl. She was exhibiting a shy demeanor behind locks of straight ash-brown hair and pearled-stringed ornaments.
With pity, the father looked at the girl behind him and prodded, “Erh? Of course… You wouldn’t mind helping us out, would you Alis?”
The mother scowled at his attitude and bluntly said, “Why are you implying that she has the choice to decline? Unless she’s an ungrateful wench, she’ll accept our task with gratitude and honor.”
The pair of husband and wife eyed each other with heat. Clearly at opposite sides of the fence. Their battle between minds stifled the chamber, but fortunately for the rest of them, it soon abated to a short exasperated sigh. When their play at intimidation was over, the father clapped the young girl’s head and parted his bearded lips to say, “Don’t mind her… She may not view you as family, but I do. And I swear that you’ll be treated with the proper respect.”
Alis, who was getting bombarded by her saviors, wouldn't dare act spoiled. She shied away from the man’s affectionate touch and muttered in haste, “I’ll look after her! I like looking after children so helping Lady Dray doesn’t bother me at all. It is an honor! Truly!”
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Lady Dray gleamed in triumph, promising the girl that, “Since you'll be sparing me the trouble of keeping a wet nurse, I’ll reward you with a new pair of shoes. That much is to be expected, no?” The girl’s cheeks blossomed with excitement. She was more than happy to be rewarded for the seemingly obligatory task.
At this point the father loosened up and admitted defeat, for as long as his child was looked after properly, all was well. He could compromise on the details. Although, the workings of his wife’s mind sometimes still bothered him.
****
The day after Ethan’s rebirth, he got introduced to the rest of the household.
The first ones to inspect the new addition to their family were the two older siblings. 6-year-old Peres, who was the pair's eldest son. And their slightly younger daughter, Janet. Both siblings went ahead and shook the baby’s hand while they introduced themselves as told by their mother.
Ethan ogled in marvel at the kids as it dawned on her that she’d been born into a family of redheads. She also noticed through a bouncy fall of burgundy hair that Peres had been staring back at her, not with awe but with challenge flaring in his eyes, for a long time. Ethan quickly cut their connection short. Not knowing what the kid’s deal was.
Besides the siblings, Lady Dray also showed the little one to their staff, which consisted of quite the following. There was a female cook and her two assistants. A Chamberlain, who had four boys working under him. And then the lone Marshal, who had the job of protecting their mansion from thieves and other scum.
When the round of acquaintances had been made, whispers started to roam the hall about the lack of a certain someone. These whispers didn’t amuse the Varoness one bit, and she felt compelled to tell the staff that, “There’s no need to bring the old Varon here… I believe that he’s perfectly fine with how things are. If anything, his poor mind wouldn’t be able to handle the strain of adding another to his already crumbling list of names.” The Marshal scoffed at Lady Dray’s description of her husband’s father, but besides his overt objection, there was an overall consensus that the old man was to remain excluded.
After this scant meeting, Ethan felt beyond overwhelmed and she took to sleep whenever her puny body needed it. She had a hard time accepting the change, but no matter how much she cried or screamed in defiance it was always for nought. All it ever amounted to was making herself into an extra burden for Alis to carry. Which was why she eventually gave up most of her struggling. In the end she was only left with a smidgen of hope that she would someday be given the chance to revert the situation and return unscathed to her former existence as Ethan, the boy who barely got to live.
****
Suddenly, 6 months had passed by in a haze.
Ethan was lazing around on a white-and-orange woven carpet, watching the handicrafts club do their thing, when Alis politely decided to ask his mother, “Should we be worried about your child, my lady? It’s just… She seems to lack the interest in exploring things. And I’ve never seen her taste any toys or babble a single goo. In the beginning she cried a lot and had a somewhat interest in things, but now? She just sleeps all day… Is that normal?”
Realizing that Alis was getting suspicious of her, Ethan froze and blinked. She debated whether she should act less apathetic and more immature to avoid trouble or merely hope to get fully ignored with time.
Lady Dray, who was supposed to be the receiver of Alis’ question, kept her gaze focused on the fine stitches in her hand. Once her looping thread had become taut she responded somewhat insulted, “Normal? My baby girl is perfect, dare I say.'' The Lady’s eyes went up and she continued to deduce that, “My baby girl can sit up straight, crawl, and she is very attentive. Look at how she stares at me right now? As if she knows that I’m talking about her? Hehe... No, there is nothing to worry about there, Alis. She’s perfectly fine as is. You’ll just have to talk to her more and I’m sure she’ll respond splendidly in due time. Now get back to work. Unlike some of us, you won’t get popular unless you practice the art of mending clothes as well as stitching new ones.”
Ethan sank back, relieved, while Alis confirmed the lady’s observations with a solid nod. To get a better hold of her project, Alis shifted slightly on the double bed they all sat on, changing its shape enough for Janet to obey its laws of gravity. Soon the unawares girl bumped into Alis and inadvertently joined her in the new mattress-dent.
Annoyed at their collision, Janet tore herself away from the other and jumped off the spongy bed. It had given her the kick-start to quit and complain over her given chore. “Mommy! I don’t wanna string beads anymore! I wanna play with it!”
Alis sprung her eyes open, “It?” she echoed, as if Janet had spouted some kind of blasphemy.
The little girl sang an affirmative tune as she went over and pointed at Ethan, “It!”
Lady Dray heaved a long silvery thread through her piece whilst correcting Janet. “It’s Cassandra, sweetie. Not: It.”
Alis settled her frame, bewildered by Ethan’s new name. “My lady!? Isn’t the baby’s name supposed to be kept a secret for the naming ceremony? Then why did you-?”
Lady Dray halted her work. On her heart-shaped face a fleeting expression of hurt came and went before she finally smiled and told the girls, “Cassandra won’t get any. If she was a boy, I might have reconsidered, but… Hammond won’t be home until next autumn and it would be a disgrace to celebrate it without him. That’s why we’ll skip Cassandra’s naming ceremony altogether. Besides, she’s so young I bet she won’t care whether we hold one or not.”
Realizing that a potential party had gotten cancelled Janet started to sniffle, not caring for her sister’s ritual, but rather for the many confections she would be missing the chance to eat. “No! I don’t want that!” Janet hollered as she stomped her foot right next to the baby’s head.
The now newly appointed Cassandra, looked up at the giant's melting facial features. Their light red hair, brownish eyes framed by indistinguishable lashes, and well fed cheeks that swelled for every minute they grew more upset.
Lady Dray was quick in sending the girl a strict glare. She lectured, “Janet! What have I told you about acting spoiled in front of mommy? If you don’t make it cute, you better scoot!” The young girl didn’t understand her mother’s advice. Not getting things her way, she soon went from petite sniffles into a full on wail.
With the intention of clinging onto her mother’s skirt for a full on pity-show, Janet approached Lady Dray, step after tinsy-winsy step, but then the door abruptly flew open. Behind its sturdy build a concerned servant was revealed. He appeared hurried and fresh. His skin gleamed with oily sweat and his furrowed brows told of trouble. The servant quickly locked eyes with Lady Dray, but he withheld from sharing any information so long as the juvenile flock were still around. Lady Dray immediately figured out that she needed to attend to her other, more important duties. Therefore she went and evaded her crying daughter with practiced elegance, before she stepped over her baby to get to the exit faster. The folds from her dress ruffled as she left her kids behind, one by one.
Despite having been so blatantly ignored, Janet kept waddling after her mother. She reached out a needy hand to grab hold of her, but was soon met with the harsh reality of a slamming door. The booming clap disappeared along with Janet’s strength. She broke down into a howling heap in front of it. Her hands pinched her reddened nose and her shoulders quivered terribly. Everything was wrong with the world, for not only had a party been cancelled, but now, Janet had also just been thoroughly rejected by her mother. Two things that broke her heart equally.
Without mercy, the girl’s high-pitched screams of sorrow tore at the other’s eardrums. Alis sat uncomfortably and wondered what to do in this situation, whereas Cassandra contemplated how Janet would lash out this time. It was a sad reality, but this kind of scene wasn’t rare to any of them.
Alis watched attentively, then went over to the frustrated child. The second she could find an opening, she went and said, “Hey… You’re not alone, you know? I wanted to hold the naming ceremony too.” Her hand kept stroking the other’s back in a rhythmic trance when she added in a playful whisper, “So, how about we hold it in secret, hm?”
Janet curbed her weeping long enough to listen, but wasn’t impressed by Alis’ offer. As long as the magic word wasn’t mentioned, Janet would have no part in any secrets! Alis continuously tried to win the child over, but ultimately failed. Instead, her soothing words grew into irritation for Janet, who decided to push the faker away whilst screaming in defiance, “I want my mommy!”
Alis fell back on her tailbone and watched as the other tore at the door handle. With great effort Janet managed to force it down and escape the room in a fierce fit of rage. Alis could have stopped her, but decided to watch the youngling flee; well-knowing of Janet’s plan to flee to the kitchen.
Stomping feet could be heard trailing down the hallway. Alis closed the gaping door shut. The drama was over. Her numb eyes stared at the wood, then slowly, they shifted their gaze over to the silent baby. The vulnerable creature had a bouncing heart too, from all the screaming. She wouldn’t mind a nap at the moment, but Alis wasn’t willing to overlook the lack of a ceremony. She really wanted Cassandra to experience it too. Thus, with newfound calm, Alis went over to the wide-eyed being and said, “They might not wish to celebrate it for you, Cassandra. But I certainly will! No child should go without one.”
Shortly after her declaration, Alis picked up Cassandra with a heave and got a hold of an orb of clay that represented their goddess: Triata. A red embroidery thread, and one of the few plain shifts the baby owned. Stitch by stitch, Cassandra's newly attained name was embedded into the cloth as she nested in Alis’ lap. She was mesmerized with how fast Alis could be with the needle. It left her mighty impressed whilst simultaneously amused enough not to fade into a slumber, like she usually would.
Half-an-hour passed and the named shift was completed. Alis snipped the remaining loose threads from the piece, then assisted Cassandra in putting it on before she assessed the finished handicraft in silence. Alis’ head cocked from left to right. Her eyes squinted at a detail and finally, she revealed a proud set of teeth. Now that the shift was finished, she took forth the clay orb and directed it at the embroidered cursives that went straight across Cassandra’s chest. Alis’ eyes closed like curtains and finally the stage was set for the obligatory musical number that one would sing at a naming ceremony. the Naming Song:
Divines shall see and praise this plum.
The spitting image of its mum.
Oh-ho my guests, please taste your wine.
For this little treasure of mine.
Cassandra is my baby’s name.
We pray that life for her’s a game.
Her hands are small and so are her feet.
But not for long and not for cheap.
Oh-ho, Oh-no, it won’t be for cheap.
That’s why we hope that they’ll be sweet.
The name might fit and so we’ll see.
Can they ascend and thus be free?
Oh-ho, Oh-no, it won’t be for cheeeeeap!
That’s why we hope that they’ll be so sweeeeeet~.
Alis rocked from side to side and rang out like a sailor. She was thoroughly boozed up on the chemicals known as happiness, with not a care in the world.
Although it was quite nice to be celebrated like this, it was also somehow scary for Cassandra as the new name was akin to a seal to her. One that kept her from denouncing the odd reality she had been so ruthlessly thrown into. The name, whether she liked it or not, made it more real than ever. More permanent. Nevertheless, it also allowed her to cover up a past that could now only serve as misery-fuel...
During her singing, Alis noticed how eerily quiet the baby went. She couldn’t possibly know what it was thinking, but she knew of a neat little trick that was sure to cheer the baby up. Thus she swooped in and planted a ticklish kiss on Cassandra’s cheek. And as expected, Cassandra perked up at the smooch in a heartbeat. Her eyes regained focus and her tiny lips parted with a rare laughter, Alis seldom heard. Alis felt washed over with a strange tingling of warmth, and so too did Cassandra.
For a while they lingered in the warmth. Then the young teenager sighed. “I’m a horrible singer. But still. I hope you liked it, Cassandra.” Alis blankly stared at the baby, which surprisingly seemed to acknowledge her attempt. Her lips went soft and wide with love. “I see… I’m happy that you did.”