Free Open by Ashley Fox Page B

her mother ’ s
favourite. She was going to make a fortifying wine. Most women were
gifted one from a female of their family, usually bought from the
healers. This was a wine to be drunk during the birthing, usually
containing herbs to aid the passage and dumb the pain. She had
brought one for her mother, as they were the only women left of
their line. It had been this purchase that had led Cerid to teach
her of the suitable herbs.
    Mera scowled, remembering the near disaster.
She had gone to the market before meeting Cerid, being due in the
early afternoon, her lesson with Tomas finishing with the morning.
When she had met they followed their usual pattern of things, until
Cerid asked of her purchases. Once Meredith told her of its purpose
a had frown deepened the creases on her face.
    “ Give
it ’ ere,
child! ”
    She held the
bottle to the light, gently swirling its contents, with an irate
thumb she popped open the cork and gave it a sniff, long and
snuffling. Meredith had been bemused by her actions, even more so
when she took a swig. She hadn ’ t bothered to protest, the crone always had a reason for
everything she did.
    “ Pah! Poppy,
an ’ a piss poor excuse for a
vintage. Oh aye it ’ ll ease
the pains! An ’ leave the
mother too sodden to push out the babe! Poppy, listen carefully
child, is a potent tool. Prized for its ability to numb pain, even
great pain. But it comes at a price. The user goes into a stupor,
numb to the world, too big a dose and they never awaken, too often
a dose and they develop a craving. Tis always to be used with
caution, never for a birth! Perhaps a grave injury or such.
Birthing with poppy! Is this what my lore have come too? Have they
forgotten all the subtleties of the art? To only use brute force.
Pah. Throw this swill out child, I ’ ll show you how it ’ s
done. ”
    Meredith
still felt a creeping cold at what she had nearly done, and an
increasing horror at the thought of the women who used these
fortified wines. Is this why so many noble births were complicated?
She knew the poorer folk could not afford to buy from the healers,
they often went to the wise women for simples. Or made their own,
under he healers instruction. She had sat by
Cerid ’ s knee, listening
carefully to each word. Now, in the comfort and solitude of her own
thoughts it seemed odd that Cerid should say what she did. What did
she mean by what had become of her lore? Had she once been a
healer? She put the thought aside for now, concentrating on her
task at hand. She had a feeling she would end up running
late.
    She plucked
up an empty bottle and to it added some of the dried snakeweed.
Adding to this the dried flowers, like fluffy brown buttons, of
Mugwort. “ To help will a
speedy delivery. ” She then
measured out syrup of Arrach. She had been surprised by this, it
grew in dung and stunk, like really stunk. But it was a herb which
once was almost only used to treat the womb. Added also was a
conserve of Betony. “ for a
swift and easy delivery, and also to ease the
pains. ”
    To all this she decanted the wine, the rich
aromas contrasting with the sharpness of the herbs, and fishy smell
of the Arrach. It should be served warm with honey. She carefully
stoppered it, admiring her handiwork. Meredith began to clear away,
gently humming the strange melody she had heard the first time she
met Cerid Wren.
    Once
everything was placed away neatly she took up a basket, placing the
things she would need for her lesson with Tomas inside. Onto these
she placed the honey, wine and tea. She should have enough just
time to deliver them to her mother before her afternoon lesson. She
heard the door open and Tansy appeared in the parlour. Her new
attire suited her well. Much the same as the old but of finer cloth
with the addition of a scarlet apron, the rose sigils embroidered
on her breast and curving along each hem. It marked her as a body
servant of the royal family. Behind the rose lay a twisted wreath
of