Princess Electra Book 4 School of Medicine

by Dory Lee Maske

  Chapter 3

  Fernland

  As Electra left the family dining room she recounted other births she had witnessed. Twice she had assisted a midwife of Taz at births to Taz women. One baby who had come too quickly for the midwife to arrive, Electra had attended on her own. And at one difficult birth, she had assisted as Physician Rabar unwrapped the cord from around the newborn's neck in time to save its life. She doubted that Angelica knew about any of these births. That was not why she summoned Electra. Angelica was new to Fernland, but she knew Electra. Although they had not been close friends, they had grown up not far from one another, Electra with Serafina at their little cabin in the swamp, and Angelica with her drunken father, Shandor, in the nearby gypsy camp. Angelica was indebted to Serafina for helping her escape her father. And she trusted Electra. Electra had kept the secret of Shandor's drinking problem from Muller at Angelica's request.

  As Electra followed Muller out of the castle and into his little cottage by the horse stables, she was already thinking about what she might need to assist with the birthing. She stopped short on seeing a flushed Shandor lounging near the fireplace. He had obviously been drinking. Seated across from him was a woman Electra did not recognize. The woman smiled a little too brightly as she rose unsteadily from her chair by the fireplace.

  "I'm Sadie the midwife," she said with a little bow and a wink at Shandor. "Come ta see this one's grandbaby into the world. I don't know why Angelica's botherin' you to come here, Princess. I've delivered lotsa babes by meself and I expect this one'll pop out a babe like all the rest."

  The woman chuckled at her joke. Electra could see that Sadie had been drinking as well. She glanced at Shandor and noticed he was hiding something on the far side of his chair. She knew it was his wine flask. Shandor was quite drunk. Angelica ran away from home with Serafina's help because her father became belligerent and unpredictable when he drank. She fell in love with Muller the Spy and came to live in Fernland about the same time that Electra arrived to meet her real parents. After Shandor stopped drinking due to his incarceration in Henge's dungeon, Angelica dared to hope he had stopped for good and allowed him to move in with her and Muller. Now it appeared he was back to his old habits.

  Electra stared at Shandor. "You have been drinking."

  "Why would you say that?" Shandor tried to look offended. "But it is a celebration, isn't it? I'm about to be a grandfather." He grinned at Sadie the Midwife. "This fine lady is a proper midwife and I daresay she's delivered a good many more babies than yourself. No offence."

  Electra narrowed her eyes at Shandor. "None taken. But since you have both been drinking, I'll have to ask you both to leave."

  "I'll not be leaving my own daughter's house on your say so, nor will Sadie. She's the midwife here about and you are not."

  Electra looked at Muller to see what he intended to do.

  Muller seemed undecided as he looked from Electra, to Shandor, to Sadie and back to Electra. "Let us go and ask Angelica what would make her most comfortable," he decided.

  Electra followed Muller into the bedroom where Angelica lay under a blanket on a bed. She looked up at Electra with a pained expression.

  "Did you hear our conversation from the other room?" Electra asked.

  Angelica nodded. "I feared he was drinking again. I could hear the jokes and the laughter."

  Angelica sought her husband's eyes. "Tell my father he is to leave and take his flask with him. If Sadie is not too full of drink yet, she may be of some help to Electra. I don't know." She glanced back at Electra.

  Electra nodded her approval. "Tell Sadie I will call her if I need her."

  Muller left the two women and they could hear him as he told Shandor to leave. Shandor was angry and he made sure everyone heard his parting comments.

  "It's that witch's brat making trouble again. You'd best watch she doesn't put some kind of hex on your baby." He slammed the door as he left the cottage.

  Electra took a deep breath and smiled at Angelica. "Pay no attention to what he says while drinking. He will likely not even remember what he said when the effects of the wine have worn off. If he does he will probably ask your forgiveness for his rude behavior."

  Angelica shook her head slowly. "He can not seem to help himself." She winced as another labor pain swept over her.

  Muller opened the door to the bedroom and stopped half in and half out. "He is gone. Do you need anything?"

  Electra nodded. "My medical bag is in the royal carriage. I will also need some clean linens and a bowl of water."

  Muller left on his errands and Electra ran her hand over Angelica's belly. "The baby's head is down. How close together are the pains?"

  "Closer now. A few minutes." Angelica looked up at Electra with an anxious expression. "Is it all right that I called you? I suppose Sadie could have handled the birth. It is just that I do not know her well, and I heard you had arrived at the castle..."

  Electra patted her arm. "I am happy that you called me. I would not trust a midwife who would sit by the fire drinking while her patient is close to delivering."

  Angelica smiled through another pain. "I do feel better, now you are here."

  Electra chatted as she massaged Angelica's back. "Are you hoping for a son or a daughter?"

  "For Muller's sake I would be glad of a son. I believe a son would make him very proud."

  "And have you names in either case?"

  "No. It is the Traveler custom to wait a few days before choosing a name. But I do have a few favorites."

  Muller returned with the medical bag, then left the room to gather linens and a bowl for water. He lingered at the door after handing over the linens as though waiting for another assignment. "Does everything seem..." Muller did not finish his sentence and Electra realized that he was afraid to ask a question for fear of the answer.

  Electra decided the best course was to allow him to feel useful. "All is progressing normally. A broth stewed in herbs would be beneficial if you would not mind asking for it at the castle kitchen. It might take a while to cook. You could wait for it at the kitchen and bring it back while it is still warm."

  Muller left at once for the castle.

  By the time Muller returned with the warm broth, Angelica had a new son, wrapped in a blanket, lying in her arms. Electra took the baby from his sleeping mother and placed him in Muller's arms.

  "Angelica is fine, but she is very tired. It would be good to let her sleep. When she wakes you may give her the warm broth. Tell her I will check on her again before I leave Fernland tomorrow morning."

  Muller stared at his tiny son's face and rocked him in his arms. He looked at Electra with grateful eyes. "You are moving back to Helsop now?"

  "Yes. My school building is finished. I will be accepting students soon."

  "I will recommend your school to everyone I know. Thank you, Physician Electra." He hugged his son to his chest. "Shall I tell Sadie she may leave?"

  "Stay with Angelica. You should place the baby in his crib while she sleeps. After she wakes and drinks her broth you may give him to her to nurse. I will speak to Sadie."

  Electra left quietly and closed the door to the bedroom behind her. Sadie snored open-mouthed as she slept in her chair by the fireplace. It had been an easy birth and no doubt Sadie could have handled it, even in her tipsy state. But Sadie should not have indulged herself and would likely regret her behavior once she thought about it.

  "Wake up," Electra said, shaking Sadie's shoulder gently.

  Sadie sat up with a jerk. "Is it time?"

  "It is time for you to go home. Angelica and Muller have a healthy son."

  Sadie looked a little ashamed to have fallen asleep during the child's birth.

  "I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me, sharing wine with that fellow. I'm not one what goes in fer that sorta thing."

  "Shandor has a drinking problem. He look
s for reasons to indulge himself. I've no doubt he talked you into it."

  "Yer bein' kind ta say so. But it's no excuse." Sadie looked at Electra as she shook her head to clear it. "The birthing went well then? No problems?"

  "No. Had there been, I would have wakened you."

  Sadie and Electra left the cottage together. As they passed the door to the stables, Shandor staggered out. "Are you finally done then? " he stammered.

  "Yes," Electra replied. "You have a fine grandson."

  "I'll bet no thanks to you. Admit it. It was Sadie did the dirty work while you stood by and gave orders, I'm betting."

  Sadie glared at Shandor. "Thanks to you an yer wine, I was sound asleep when it come to the 'dirty work' as you say."

  Shandor lunged forward. "You all stick together against a man that just wants to celebrate. Stand aside and let me get back to my house."

  Electra blocked his path. "You will not go back into that house tonight."

  "I'll do as I want and I warn you not to get in my way," Shandor growled.

  Electra took a step toward Shandor. "Do not imagine having drunk too much will protect you from the consequences of your actions. I protected you once from being thrown into King Geoffrey's dungeon for Angelica's sake. I will not do so tonight. You have just made a threat against a member of the royal family and Sadie is here to witness it. I advise you to return to the stables at once."

  Shandor's mouth fell open. He was no doubt remembering his stay in Henge's dungeon. His eyes retained their angry lines but he turned around and walked through the stable door without another word.

  Electra said goodnight to Sadie and returned to the castle to sleep the few remaining hours before dawn.