Hunted Queen

Chapter Seven • Leaving for War

*LONG CHAPTER*

-Jade- 

Jade sat in front of the mirror while Elizabeth braided her hair. Neither of them said a word and usually this was just fine, but now Jade felt like she was drowning. She had been suspecting that she might be with child for a while, but she had not discussed it with a single soul. Not yet at least. 

I have to tell someone...  She thought while she studied Elizabeth's skillful fingers as they quickly braided her hair. 

"Liz." Jade apprehensively said her governess' name. Like a child afraid of a scolding. 

"Jade." Elizabeth replied with her name, urging her to say whatever was on her chest. 

"I... think I might be with child..." Jade struggled to get the words out but somehow made it through the strangest words she had ever uttered in her life. Even though it was not strange for a girl her age to be carrying a child, it felt strange to her. It was however very unusual for someone of her age to be carrying her first child. A third or a fourth would not have been noteworthy at all but a first?

Jade kept her eyes fixed on Elizabeth's in the mirror. She just kept braiding. Her pace did not change, and it did not even look like she had heard her. Jade was almost about to repeat herself when one of Elizabeth's eyebrows slowly rose, signaling that Jade's so-called news, were no news. She shot Jade a quick glance and a wry but pleased smirk flew over her lips.

"Yes, dear. I know." Was Elizabeth's only response as she continued braiding.

"W-what?" Jade stuttered. "You know?"

"Well. I did not know it. Not for sure..." Elizabeth chuckled and finished Jade's braid. She then walked over to the bed and started making it. Jade could not believe how calm her governess was. "I have had my suspicions for a while now."

"Oh?" Jade wondered and could not help but to wrinkle her whole face in confusion. She got up, cocked her head while she studied Elizabeth, who deliberately kept from looking in her direction. How could she have noticed before I started... Why not just ask her? Jade thought and rolled her eyes. "How-"

"You have not bled." Elizabeth interrupted Jade, almost sounding like it was a thought that had slipped her mind. She turned quiet, as if she fell into her own thoughts for a moment. Until she returned from whatever had kept her distracted and continued: "That was the first clue. Soon you will be about a fortnight late. So, if you are with child, it is still very early. 

"What was the second clue?" Jade wondered. 

"Your appetite..."

"What about it?" Jade played a fool. Elizabeth gave her a look that was meant to tell Jade that she was not born yesterday. 

"It has increased remarkably." She answered dryly but with her lips formed into a smirk. "It was the cooks who noticed it first really. Although, it was the servants, who kept serving you more and more food that started mentioning that there was not enough to sate your hunger." Elizabeth laughed in the end. "I do not think I ate this much when I was expecting Loren, and I ate more than my husband." 

"I told you about my increased appetite." Jade remarked and pouted her lips at Elizabeth as she walked past Jade to make the other side of the bed.

"Jade, dear." She chuckled. "I cannot go around and say that you are with child just because you started eating more." Elizabeth said. "However, after the servants started noticing this and the cooks prepared larger meals, I started to pay more attention to you and if you were bleeding regularly or not."