1.2
Jewel ate her breakfast porridge.
Last year she’d finally had to ask for a whole pot to be made for just herself.
The normal serving bowl was simply no longer a satisfying meal to start the day with.
Mother had been feeling better since winter. Tsulogothulan had provided a bitter smelling tea that they swore was healthful for women with child.
Jewel had declined the bog wizard’s offer of a taste. But it seemed to help Mother with the dawn sickness that had been afflicting her.
Seeing mother’s belly grow and tasting the way her scent changed was somehow different from when Jewel passed the villagers or beasts so burdened with children.
In specific it was much the same as any other woman or animal getting heavy with a child this time of year.
Especially those that had newly wed in Grain Turn the year before.
But seeing it in her own Mother’s body?
Tasting new life quicken and grow in the woman that raised her?
It was different, somehow.
“How goes the construction of your manor house in Valasect, my daughter?”
Jewel did not startle out of her musing over the state of her mother’s pregnancy. She’d been taught better than that, but despite her gaze being smooth, her smile cordial and her tone utterly undistracted the wyrm could feel she’d been caught staring anyway.
“It is going very well indeed Mother, the headman-er adul- uh ado?”
Father admonished her, sliding into a lecturing tone.
“Headman Adorján, it’s important for you to learn the names of your people Jewel. Especially the headmen.”
Jewel huffed.
“I had just finished learning Borthin’s name before he perished.”
It was so unfair to have her first headmen die two years after she was starting to actually manage her own demesne.
“Jewel this is important, he is your voice in matters of common law and through him the village are your hands for the labors you require.”
The wyrm sighed and only just restrained her wings from flaring, although she knew her parents could see the muscles twitching in the shoulders and read the ruffling of her wing fingers and the membrane between them for what it was.
The way that even as she dipped her head in acceptance, her neck was tense and curling tighter than need be.
That her shame was so easy for them to read made it worse.
Jewel continued.
“You’re right father, Adorján reports fine progress. He is managing it all quite well and the extra laborers from Rochford and Dewgrove have been helping since spring broke. He says that the foundations and well will be finished come winter and that we should have the main house done next year, stars and seasons willing.”
Jewel paused in consideration of that, this was going to be her home. She would be expected to move there once it was fully laid out. With some staff from Rochford itself, yes, but she would be living on her own.
And then barely a year after her husband would be joining her.
Speaking of Rochford.
“Father? Mother? You're sure that the peasants of Rochford Village and Dewgrove can afford to spare the labor in the midst of Harrow Season?”
Mother nodded amiably to that. Jewel noted her hands settling on the round swell of her belly before forcing her attention up to her mother’s face. Which was smiling with a very knowing glint in her eyes.
“With you doing the spinning of a hundred women in as much time there is plenty of labor to spare. It costs us in cloth we otherwise would not have even had by this time. And it is the much vaunted wyrmspun cloth at that.”
Jewel’s wings wanted to flare in embarrassment there, it turned out that the thread she spun was enchanted somewhat.
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Not terribly much, it was harder to cut, dirt and filth clung poorly to it and it took up dye and sun bleaching a bit better.
But such was enough to make Proper Wyrmspun Rochford Wool Cloth go for a few more coins than normal to the peddlers.
Jewel had no idea why some acts of hers would end up as the enchanting workings of sorcery while others did not, she feared that one day they would find something happened to her bathwater and the peddlers would start buying it.
At least Tsulogothulan found it interesting, although the Weird had little input on why some of Jewel’s acts altered the world more than others.
Mother released a wistful breath.
“Ah I’m going to miss having you on hand in the demesne when you're finally settled in, daughter.”
Jewel did bristle visibly at that. Assurance already past her lips.
“I can always come visit for spinning circles! It takes only a few hours to fly here from Valasect!”
Which got a chuckle from both her parents and a huff’d grunt of boredom from Alexander. He never did settle well for the more domestic aspects of Stewardship.
Father put on a firm face but his eyes were shining with jest.
“You will have your own people and concerns to see to in Valasect daughter, best to only make a visit every three or four days.”
Jewel nodded to acknowledge her father but decided to rescue her brother from further discussions of women’s work.
“Brother, are you excited for your presenting to the gryphon clutch? You’ve not slacked in your bow craft or exercises have you?”
Alexander nodded hard, now almost as tall as father, although still lanky and youthful where his exercise and work had yet to put on muscle. Eyes going bright with interest and his voice rushing from his lips with such vigor that he spread some porridge onto the table from his lips.
“I’m running up to the foothills and then up the mountain trail every other day with a full pack of lodestone! And I’ve not missed a mark with a longbow more than twice in ten this season!”
Father shared a glance with Jewel too fast for Alexander to spot but easily notable for her.
A few hand gestures in that aborted secret cant used by the more experienced Gryphon riders spoke silently in circumspect flexing in his hands and shoulders.
A whelp soaring open but high.
Jewel gave a nod for Alexander and her father. Her brother was enthusiastic and ambitious but that brought risk. This would be the first clutch he could be presented at and not every prospective was even given the chance before the eggs hatched. Father had been fortunate to have a clutch available when he was twelve.
Alexander was already fifteen, a few years older than that ideal time.
He’d have to prove he had the mettle for a Gryphon rider even harder to the rest of the fraternity.
Father still holding his position of first amongst them or not.
“Speaking of the presenting, We will be making for the Eyrie in four days' time. Have you settled all that is needed of you in Valasect my daughter?”
Jewel nodded.
“The village has managed well under only their headmen and common law and there has been no concerns in the harvest for years before you granted it to me Father. Really besides overseeing the setting up of the manor house at proper proportions for me there is hardly anything that needs my stewardship.”
Father frowned a bit at that.
“I expect you to take on your responsibility as a lady of your demesne seriously Jewel. That it was well tended before you does not mean you can be lax in this. You are certain all will be well in your absence?”
Jewel firmed up her wings and held her head higher. Not yet higher than Father, as she was not his countess (yet).
But more proper her station as a landed Lady with a manor in her care.
“Yes Father, a-Adorján is skilled, trusted and well liked among the people of Valasect. He was a mason before he became head man and his sons are the ones laying in the foundation and guiding the quarrying of the well. I trust my headman’s wisdom in this.”
Father held the stern look for a moment longer before it broke into a delighted grin and a laugh.
“Good! Then we just need to make sure everything is prepared for our journey to the Eyrie.”
Jewel nodded to that, looking forward to seeing Count Fiebron again.
Her future sibling was not due till well after they would be back. Well in the midst of this year’s Hungry summer.
Much as Alexander and the other villagers' births often were.
Yet still Jewel felt a trembling worry pass across her scales.
For her Mother and future sibling both.