“She’s holding out fine. Opened her eyes hours ago and looked for her princess.
Then she closed them again.”
“What?” Danika’s heart squeezed guiltily in her chest. “She looked for me and I
wasn’t h-here?”
“Don’t go about beating yourself up. She’ll be awake again,” Baski consoled. “But
until she is, you have to eat, take your bath, and freshen up.”
Danika agreed, but she still needed to see Sally. She followed Baski inside the
room and stood at the door, looking at Sally on the bed. Sally’s sleeping position had
changed, and now she lay on her side. There was a towel on her head; her eyes were
still closed.
Danika watched her labored breathing to satisfy herself that Sally was still alive
before she took the food from the table and ate. Then she entered the bathroom. She
bathed and came out of the bathroom to see her new clean clothes folded on the bed.
Uyah brought them in.
Baski finished mixing another concoction, which she forced Sally to drink. The
concoction reminded Danika of something important. She waited until Uyah went out
on the errand Baski sent her to, then went closer to Sally’s bed. She took Sally’s hand
into hers, squeezing lightly.
Baski was stirring the small pistol vigorously, mixing her herbs. She threw her a
glance. “I’m making the potions. I also added herbs that tighten up those overused
muscles too. I’ll be done soon.”
Danika cleared her throat. “Um, Ma’am Baski, can you make me potions that will
prevent a baby? You know, the one you made me before?”
Baski’s hand paused, her face paling. For a few seconds, anger and resentment
crossed the older woman’s face as she stared at Danika. Then she looked away.
The question hung in the air, tense and uncomfortable.
Danika didn’t know what wrong thing she had said to induce such a reaction from
Baski. She did not know why Baski suddenly withdrew from her.
“Do you hate him so much that you can’t even bear the thought of having his
child?” Baski asked at last, her voice low and resentful.
Danika’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected such a question.
Baski abandoned her herbs and turned fully to face her. She crossed her arms. “Do
you hate him that much? Does the thought of having his child sicken you?”
Danika opened her mouth, then closed it. She opened it again, then snapped it shut.
The question robbed her of speech.
Baski turned and faced her herbs again, her shoulders tense, her body language
screaming with anger and resentment. She picked up the small wooden pistol and
started mixing her herbs again.
“It’s actually the other way around, Baski,” Danika whispered, at last, her voice
small.
Baski turned and watched her warily.
She lifted a shoulder and allowed it to fall. “It’s the other way around. The king
hates me too much. He hates me too much for me to bear his child.” Her eyes pinned
Baski’s own. “I am Cone’s daughter. Cone’s daughter can’t bear a child for King
Lucien. He hates me too much to ever take that well.”
Before Baski could say anything, Danika added, “Let’s not forget what happens to
any slave that allows herself to carry the child of her master. It’s not law, but most
masters find it an offense punishable by death. They kill the slave for that.”
Danika looked away then, shaking her head. “I’m barely surviving here, Baski. I
don’t want to get killed for committing such an offense.” Her words settled between
them, and the silence stretched.
Finally, Baski took a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing. “The king is not like
other men, Danika,” she said calmly. “He hates you, yes, but he’s not like other slave
masters. You should already know that by now.”
“Yes. Yes, I know,” Danika admitted.
Baski nodded and started stirring her potions again. “You don’t have to worry
about carrying his child. You can be with him as much as he wants you to, and you
don’t have to worry about bearing him a child.”
“Oh… ” Danika thought about that, trying to understand. Then her eyes cleared in
understanding. “Is it because of the herbs you gave me before? Are they still working
and effective? For how long?”
“For months to come,” Baski answered reluctantly.
“Okay.” Danika took a deep breath.
Finally done with her herbs, she offered the potion to Danika. She took the wooden
cup from the older woman and drank the bitter liquid.
“You’ll feel better in no time,” she reassured, taking the empty cup from her.
“Thank you so much, Baski.”
“You’re welcome.”
Danika bit her lips. “Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?” Baski started packing her med bag.
She didn’t know how to ask, but she pushed the words out nonetheless. “Who’s
Declan?”
Baski’s head whipped up; she whirled around so fast she was spinning as she faced
Danika. “How did you hear that name?”
Danika worried her lower lip. “When the king’s mistress tortured me, she kept
hitting my back with the whip, saying that I deserve to go through everything Declan
went through-”
“No one deserves that,” Baski inserted flatly, her lips pursed in disapproval.
“And then, last night, the king spoke his name before I entered his room. He was
having a nightmare,” she paused. “He told Declan that he was sorry. I heard him say
that.”
Baski’s eyes watered. She blinked rapidly to clear her eyes, then turned back
towards the table and continued packing her bag.
“Who’s Declan?” Danika repeated softly.