The weeks had gone by and Marion had found herself starting to get used to the nunnery. The Nuns taught her how to sow and and how to cook, things she never did at the castle. They also taught her humility and gratefulness. She no longer cried about loosing her lover but smiled that she actually had him for one night. Then the sickness came….
It had started in the morning just before the cock sounded, she awoke to a sudden erg to hurl. she ran to a bucket and let it go. she felt ill but not sickness she just felt like she had to throw up again and again. she knelt before the bucket and when the cock finally crowed Sister Loise came in “oh- are you sick my dear?” ” i don’t know i don’t feel sick just nauseousness.” “we have a cure for everything my dear let me get you some of that juice we made yesterday.” “thank you Marion cried as she hurled again into the bucket.” Sister Margarette went into Marion’s room to help her and Sister Loise finally came back with the juice. “here you are my dear…” she said setting down a second bucket and holding out a hand for the juice. Sister Guenevere came with a tray of the juice and a large loaf of the sour bread. Marion sat back as sister Margarette dampened her head with a wet cloth. “dont worry my dear this will all come to pass.” Marion drank the juice and ate the bread and was fine, she could dance and sing and laugh and everything was fine. But she was much more tired than she had been before. the Next morning it was the same sickness and then by the afternoon it had gone. For weeks it was like this, Marion went to Sister Loise in her room to talk to her about it privately. “excuse me, Sister Loise.” Marion said coming in through the door. “Yes my child.” Sister Loise said closing her book. ” i must talk to you about this sickness…” “oh-” “do you know why i would be sick?” “well- you get sick in the morning but by the afternoon you are fine?” Marion shook her head yes. “and when was the last time you had your womanly gift?” Marion blushed, “well- well, a while ago,” she said biting her lip. “about 2 weeks before i found my lover.” then Marion’s eyes got huge…”im pregnant!” she whispered. “yes my dear you are!” Marion started to cry, “im pregnant! i cant be pregnant, ill be drawn and quartered and killed and set ablaze!! im pregnant by a human!”Sister Loise sat quietly across from Marion and said, “that’s enough!” Marion looked at her and gasped. “you are not a child my dear! you are going to be a mother!” Marion get it go and instantly stopped crying. “i knew from the day you came into this place that you had a special gift and i gave you the things you needed since then.” “but why didn’t you tell me!?” “because my dear you had to learn about your gift, i honestly don’t think you would have believed me if i had told you that day.” “yes you right i would have thought you off your rocker.” “now we must talk of this baby and what it needs.” “you can only have special food, no horse back riding and or course you must be careful doing work around the nunnery.” “yes Sister Loise.” Marion said exhaling quickly. Marion got up and said…so how far along do you think i am?”“about 10 weeks now…” Marion hung her head…”how much longer?” Sister Loise smiled 28 more to go!” Marion smiled a little and touched her necklace that Sir Richard had left her …and then went to her room.
Once a month Marion and many of the sisters would walk for 5 miles to the town of Rottingham just to give the poor the blankets they had made. They would also help them in various ways. Marion loved to play with the children and teach them how to read. While many of the nuns taught them of the prophacy and what was to come. At night many of the families would come to a large bond fire were the nuns would serve them food and talk of the prophecy. Marion sat with a little girl on her lap and said, “listen child this is important.” they both watched Sister Loise as she talked of the prophacy that had been told of the day of days. “Soon when the harvest moon rises it will come forth with such a readness that will bring hatred to this world and many people will suffer and die but there will be one who will save us! A red heared half elvan who is not know by name…This elvan will destroy the hatred in peoples hearts and show them the path to life, love and happyness. This red haired half blood will walk amoung us as one of us and show us the way with kindness and when they come to power they will bare the mother star Lima and say…”to her name be true…come love her…for she is the path to richousnes.” chears of the people came and the nuns walked back to their home.
Marion and the nuns went back and forth to the nunnery for 4 months and by the 5th month Marion was a lovely, she was plum and the winter clothes made it easier for her to hide her belly but someone noticed. she was touching the dark horses with their winter coats and smiling at them. Then he came up to her. “Princess?” a voice sounded to her. she turned and saw the Duke of Nottingham, a familiar face with her family and she at first was shocked and then smiled. “Why Duke how nice to see you!” she said curtsying to the best of her ability. “Yes and you look well fed don’t you!?” “yes its all those nun meals, cant possible help what they feed me up there can i?” the duke raised an eyebrow and smiled…”well you’ll be happy to know ill tell the king of our visit.” “oh yes please do!” she said a little too happy. “would you come to supper with me tonight?” the duke offered “oh- im sorry duke but a nun is not allowed to have herself doted on men such as yourself.” “your training to be a nun!” “yes didn’t the king tell you?” “no, no he didn’t!” “oh im sorry duke but the queen had forbidden me to marry and the king had sent me to be a nun and to share the wisdom of the elders with everyone.” he looked at her shocked. “yes but thank you for the offer kind duke.” a little child came up to her and said “princess when is the baby coming?” Marion laughed and looked at the duke who now had a questioning face. “baby! what baby?” “your baby silly!” Marion laughed at the child and looked at the duke, just a little game we play! and laughed again taking the child’s hand and going to the fire were the other nuns sat. the duke bowed to her as she walked away. Marion knew the cat was out of the bag, she didn’t have much time…she hoped the baby would come sooner, she was scared for what was going to happen to her. The story’s ended and they went back up to the church…Blizzards bashed the church night after night and all the nuns had to sleep in the main room just to keep warm…in the middle lay Marion cradling her stomach as the fire roared. Sister Loise looked out the window and prayed, “Thank you everyone for stopping the men from coming to us…keep the blizzards coming for as long as you can…we need them to help that gift survive. but we will be ready when news comes of unhappiness. please be merciful to this child of god…she is great and beautiful and willing to come to us, please give her a fighting chance.”
As the weeks passed her belly grew and the Sisters made baby clothes of all types for her little bundle of joy. “Marion!” called Sister Margarette…a letter had come for you!” Sister Margarette ran up the stairs to the princesses bed room and jumped on the bed handing the letter to her. the two girls giggled as Marion opened the letter, she read aloud sitting on her bed. “dear Marion…life at the castle is not what it seams….terrible things are a foot and you must be warned. i risk my own life now by telling you this. The king was killed last night! i saw who did it! The Queen killed him with poison! she made love to him and then blew white dust into his face and he was dead! she got dressed and then called for the guards, she had said “she was tending to her royal duties as queen when he just stopped breathing!” Now it has been a week since his death and the queen has chosen a new king, Prince John! Plus an Heir has relieved him self, His Name is Sir Lucic. He killed the human king as orders to his mother the queen! apparently when our queen was just 12 she had a son by Prince John and they hid the child in secret…they sent him to a human school and taught him human ways but when he was 18 the king took him in…Sir Lucic is the devil!! he has raped my dozens of times and im afraid my time is almost up…plus im carrying his child. when you read this ill be dead but please Marion run! The Duke of Nottingham has also told them of your pregnancy…save that baby for they are trying to cast you out as Maid Marion!” ill pray for you My princess…
-always your lady in waiting Liza
Marion was shocked at this letter and she looked at Sister Margarette…we don’t have much time, this letter came by bird..we must make plans with Sister Loise!”
They jumped out of bed and ran to Sister Loise’s room knocking frantically and when she let them in they gave her the letter. she read it and they fetched a plan to save that baby
