>>5199812>>5199816>>5199858>>5199918You look to the midwife. “Let me think for a moment, see to the child's comfort.” The woman nods as you walk towards the doorway and the bloody woman leaning against it with a pensive expression. Your hand reaches Alys' shoulder as you leave the room. “Walk with me, Alys, let's get you washed up.” She follows at your side as you move down the infirmary halls to the water basins. You arrive, and she begins to wash her hands.
“You don't know what to do, do you Will?” She says softly, her voice barely carrying over the sounds of the water basin.
You shake your head. “I had a few ideas, but I don't know anything about children. I was never around while my sisters grew up.” Father had you training with his men and himself, travelling throughout your lands and beyond, learning your trade against Ard Negh incursions. You love your sisters but you were only an intermittent presence as they grew.
She looks over as the basin turns pink and then red. “We have a few options. I don't think we should leave him with brother, he'll see the assassin in him as he grows and it will only take one bad day and boy's fate is sealed. We could find somewhere obscure, but I worry about what Vera said about the tales of the Better World spreading throughout the populace. Especially with more like that boy coming. If they find the child he could be a rallying cry. Not to mention brother would have our heads if we snuck him out to hide him.”
You scratch your beard idly. “A ward then, somewhere more secure? Maybe someone we trust?”
She shakes her head. “Runs the same risk, if they find him it will be no end of trouble. I think I know what we can do, though. We need to obscure his identity. We can swear the midwives to silence, claim the child stillborn. No one will question it considering the fate of the mother. We send the child to a hold was ward, announce them as ward later when enough time has passed to not raise suspicion.” She grimaces.
“What is it, Alys? We'll have to tell the Emperor, won't we?”
She nods. “We will, but that's not it. I'm sure he will see the wisdom in it. To keep the child safe, he can't just be some nobody or someone might put it together. We can't trust anyone but us for this either. So my solution is simple. We send him to your hold, and you claim him as your bastard.”
