Herb-Wife (Lord Alchemist Duology) (63 page)

"What
names have you picked?" Laita asked, after the admiring,
fussing, and marveling over the early birth and alchemy-saved lives.

"I'm
not sure. Iathor's been poking through alchemy books, but I've told
him he may
not
name either of them Vinkest, Lesant, Balyn, or
Hele. Or Brado."

Nicia
giggled at the listing. "Half of those are last names, anyway!"
she exclaimed, loudly enough to startle the smaller boy she held, who
started crying.

Kessa
took him back, putting him to her breast. He didn't suckle as
strongly as his younger brother, but didn't seem to be ailing,
according to both Didil and Loria. "I know. I was thinking,
perhaps for the older here . . ." She eyed Laita
sidelong through her hair. "Iontho?"

Laita
blinked, then grinned at the early-form of her born-brother Jontho's
name. "That'd be a good name. Help him grow up strong and quick.
And admired by the ladies, no doubt."

"He
could probably use the help," Kessa said, wryly. "Good
thing he was born first, though. His brother's so dark."

"Master
Kymus should like the name, too," Nicia said, probably missing
the context.

"I
did suggest it last night," Kessa admitted. "Said I'd have
to get second opinions. He seemed pleased enough, though. At least he
put away the alchemy book he was flipping through. I think he was
about to start on metal-salt names."

Little
Iontho sleepily let Kessa's nipple slip from his mouth. She handed
him to Bynae and took the younger baby from Laita, to give him a
snack as well. The potion'd brought her milk in more than either boy
seemed able to drink, and she hadn't balanced supply to their demand
yet. "That leaves the little darkling."

Nicia
said, "They
are
so different. Hardly any hair at all on
the little one, and what there is seems paler. Perhaps a deep brown.
Even his skin's not so dark."

"Don't
ask me why. I'm not even sure why I had two. The potion's recipe
didn't warn of twins." Kessa shrugged carefully, lest she
dislodge the boy. "At least their eyes are blue, thus far."

Laita
said, "Mayhap you'd have conceived anyway. So one for alchemy
and one for earth."

"They're
both alchemy's children now, what with the breathing and the brew.
Perhaps I
should
let Iathor pick some metal-salt name."

The
bell above the door jingled; Kessa glanced up, freezing as she saw
the man coming in. Blond hair going to silver, medium-blue eyes . . .
Thin as before, frown-lines still marking his face.
Darul Reus,
the moneylender.
She barely noticed when his sister, Saydra
Glasswife, followed.

Laita
patted Kessa on the shoulder. "Gave me the shock too, first
time," she whispered. "Don't fret."

It
was hard not to worry, though, when Darul turned his head. His eyes
went wider, then . . . he grinned, and said, "Babies!"
It was a child's tone, despite his adult's voice. He trotted over, as
any curious urchin might, to lean over Kessa and her child. "Oh,
what dark hair!"

She
glanced up, and he flinched back at the sight of her eyes. Quickly,
she twitched her head so a sweep of hair shielded them. "Sorry."

Darul
frowned at her. "You . . . were in the white
room, weren't you," he said, in not-quite-question.

"Yes,"
Kessa replied. "I saw you in the hospice. How are you doing?"

"I've
not been back for years!" he boasted. "Because I take my
medicine, you see, and it helps me grow up again."

Saydra
came up behind him. Her voice was neutral. "Months, Darul, not
years. It only
seems
like years. Miss Laita, have you the
preparation?"

While
Laita crouhed for something under the counter, the former moneylender
shrugged. "This is my sister, Saydra," he said. "I'm
Darul. Did I know your name?"

"Once.
I'm Kessa Kymus." Still an odd combination in her mouth. Too
many
kay
sounds; a good reason not to name the second boy
Kellisan
, at that.

Darul
frowned in concentration, then shook his head. "I don't
remember." He went to look at little Iontho, in Bynae's arms.
"Is this your baby?" he asked her. "It's
so
tiny!"

Bynae
smiled. "No, this one's m'lady's son, too. She had them very
early, so they're very small. They'd have died without their father's
alchemy."

An
easy thing to say, for someone else. Kessa tried not to think about
it, nor the mingled emotions that night, hazed with exhaustion that
blunted the edges of fear and relief both. She was still a bit
bewildered to be alive, with all life's little choices and
responsibilities.

Quietly,
Saydra said, "Lady Kymus . . . Could we talk?
Perhaps outside?"

"Of
course, Mistress Glasswife." She stood, still holding her second
son, and followed the older woman.

It
was hot outside, but a breeze blew between the buildings for a
change. Carriages and buggies passed on the road, but Herbmaster
Keli's shop and home wasn't where there was overmuch foot traffic,
such as Kessa'd lived in before. Saydra looked around the street, and
nodded. Then she turned, standing straight and stiff next to the
shop's outer wall. "You lived."

"I'd
not expected to. We thought it just one boy, and I was so big . . ."
She took a breath. "I'd intended to visit you soon, though."

"Oh?"
The tone suggested an arched eyebrow.

Kessa
made a little gesture with one arm. "My husband . . .
found a way to cheat the rain, I suppose. I thought I might lose the
baby, even if I didn't lose my own life." Shameful hope and
terror intermingled. "But even the weaker one's doing well now.
There's enough brew left, to bring anyone's milk in. The river's deep
enough, and I don't swim well in skirts."

"Are
you suggesting I'd push you in?"

"No.
But if it's rain's own justice . . . Water flows
around. Finds a way." Kessa hugged the baby close. "Better
to keep them above it, if the spirits still hate me."

"I've
heard your husband offered gold flowers for people who attacked you,
and repudiated his own brother for not accepting you."

"Iasen
tried to have me raped and field-blighted once, and killed a second
time." Kessa didn't even try to keep the grimness from her
words. "He ordered his dramsmen to crimes, and one of them . . .
tried to save his lover by giving her the dramsman's draught, lest
she betray her part in a trap. Iasen lives only by the Princeps'
whim, put out to stud so there'll be collateral lines of immunities,
un-tainted with barbarian blood, should the mastery of the
Alchemists' Guild be in question."

"Well."
Saydra seemed taken aback, or thoughtful. "And it was that man's
student who gave Darul the tea?"

"Yes.
Neither of us knowing anything . . . bad would
happen." Her baby was a warm bundle, well swaddled even in the
heat, for he and his brother fussed if too lightly wrapped. Little,
helpless, put in danger by an accident and a moment's cowardice that
kept Kessa from striking Darul's cup from his lips. Rain's justice
was subtle and flowing.
I have to protect them.

"Well,"
the other woman said, again. "I think there's been floods
enough, then."

Kessa
tried to make sense of that. "Mistress Glasswife . . . ?"

"I've
my brother, and mayhap he'll never be what he was – and mayhap
that's well enough. He's not dead. He grows in his mind, still, and
your husband's letter gives me credit for brews to aid that. I'll not
put
myself
in the way of rain's justice, encouraging you to
jump off a dock. Too likely it'd come back to me wearing the Lord
Alchemist's face, and then who'd take care of Darul and my husband?"
Saydra sniffed disdainfully. "Live, Kessa Kymus. Fret and worry
over your children like any mother does. That'll be justice enough
for me."

Saydra
swept past, their light summer-skirts brushing, and went back inside.
Kessa followed, slowly, and watched the woman collect both jar and
brother, who still cooed over little Iontho. Darul had to detach his
finger from the baby's sleeping grasp, and waved, like a boy himself,
as he and his sister left.

Kessa
suddenly darted after them, before the door finished closing.
"Mistress Glasswife," she gasped, urgently.

The
woman paused, and Kessa walked to them. "Mistress
Glasswife . . . My second boy, he's not named yet. My
husband's got a cousin named Daleus. I think . . . I
think Iathor'd not wonder, if I suggested
Dareus
, for our
boy."

Saydra
was silent a moment, and Kessa worried she'd been too . . .
too much something. Too hopeful, perhaps. Then the older woman said,
"He's not the best to inspire, now. Mayhap not for some time.
And the name won't go well with
Kymus
 . . .
But . . ."

Darul
broke in. "Oh! That's made of
my
name!" He beamed
down, grinning as any young boy might to find a namesake.

"Yes,"
Kessa said, "it is. In a way, you were responsible for him being
born."

"I
wish I remembered that . . ."

"It's
a good name," Saydra said firmly. "Now, we've more errands
to run, Darul. Say good day to Lady Kymus and . . .
Dareus."

"Good
day, Lady Kymus," Darul said, obediently. "Good day, little
Dareus!"

"Good
day to you both." Kessa felt breathless as they turned away,
Darul chattering excitedly to his sister.

Kessa
headed back to where Laita hovered at the door. The day was hot, but
the breeze blew away the wet of it, and it felt as if the sun shone
through her bones like dyed-glass windows. She looked forwards to
going home later, and lying beside her husband at night, with their
children in the side-cradle or tucked beside her. An odd thought,
that she'd
home
again, and
family
she'd not known till
recently.

As
she got to the doorstep, Laita said, "Are you all right? You
look . . . dizzy."

Kessa
laughed. "I feel dizzy. Like I might float away on the wind."

"Lack
of sleep, I'd say. Shall we think up more names for that one?"

"Dareus,"
Kessa said. To her sister's startled glance, she added, "It'll
be shortened to
Dar
soon enough. But should keep the spirits
from trying to pinch him, don't you think?"

"Going
to explain that to your husband?" Laita asked.

Kessa
grinned down at the baby, now asleep at her breast. "Only if he
asks the right questions."

###

Cast
and Glossary

In
alphabetical order. Characters are listed by first names when known.

Here
Abide Spoilers

Big
Spoilers.

Acheril
:
a clerk in Aeston. Part of his job includes being hired as a reliable
witness to matters nobles are interested in.

Aeston
:
the city in Cymelia where
Herb-wife
starts.

alchemist's
immunity
: the complete resistance to nearly all poisons and
mind-affecting alchemical preparations. Specifically, immunity to the
dramsman's draught. The term is misleading; most alchemists are
not
immune, though they are often tolerant, requiring stronger doses to
be affected.

alchemy
:
pedantically, any preparation, or the process of making a
preparation, that includes metal-salts. In general usage, any potion,
elixir, ointment, etc., that has a magical effect,
including
those made with herb-witchery.

Aldra
:
an herb-witch apprentice of Herbmaster Keli's.

alembic
:
a special container used in alchemy, looking something like a
distorted teapot, that forms a small distilling apparatus.
(Technically, the word refers to the lid alone, with its funnel-like
tube, while the flask-part is a
cucurbit
, but only the most
pedantic alchemists insist on this usage.)

Aleran
Kimath
: a master alchemist and guild officer in Aeston. Master
Regeth's cousin.

Assus
Kymus
: Iathor and Iasen's great-grandfather, and the first Kymus
to become Lord Alchemist. Long deceased.

Balyn
:
a long dead alchemist whose name is attached to a general
anti-disease potion, Balyn's Curative.

Bertauleon's
elixir
: an Imperial recipe used to make women barren.

bloodroot
:
a term for the placenta.

Brado's
elixir
: a healing potion that speeds the body's healing in
general, or internal wounds; has limited abilities to speed healing
of surface wounds.

Braenen
:
a watch commander in Cym.

Brague
:
Iathor's dramsman bodyguard and valet.

Burk
:
one of Kessa's foster brothers; a part-time bodyguard and dock-worker
who is not above helping smugglers or engaging in minor pilferage.