16 The Power to Name

As the week went on, the Castle Valiant became even more sealed to the outside world than it already was. Only a few servants were allowed to interact with those who brought goods and services from Valiant and of those, any who spoke out of turn were promptly dismissed. Aurora noticed that the attendants who had been present during the twins' birth had been replaced with new nurses. Even the wet nurses seemed unfamiliar. When she commented on it to Nanny, the woman refused to look up from her knitting. "Chief Cafer took care of everything." In a lower tone she added, "Anyone who might have spoken out has been appropriately compensated."

"What about you, Nanny? Were you compensated?"

The rotund woman lay a finger aside her nose, "No. Old Nanny knows how to keep a secret."

Aurora wondered if compensated meant paid to keep silent or something else, but was too afraid to ask. She didn't like that Cafer did these things without her knowledge. After she went against him on both her choice of emperor consort and what to do with her siblings, he had stopped asking her about important things all together. The only time he inquired her opinion was about the decorations for the upcoming coronation. As if she would be so shallow as to care! It was beyond frustrating. Something needed to change, before anyone else was "compensated."

The princess shook off the gloomy thoughts as she walked over to her siblings' cribs. The nursery was a large room for two such small beings, but they seemed happy enough. She picked up her baby sister-now-daughter. "Hello, what's your name?" She cooed. The princess had come to the nursery looking for inspiration. The naming ceremony was only three days away. There were so many choices and so little time. "What would you name her, Nanny?"

Nanny grunted. "That is not part of my job, Your Majesty. Have you asked the Council?"

"No, Cafer would probably take over that task too if I let him. Ugh, you are no help, Nanny! Is that even your real name?" In the throes of her tantrum, Aurora had stumbled on a real curiosity. Nanny was a title, not a name. Had the woman's parents known what she would become?

Nanny laughed at the little girl's pout. "Of course that's not my real name. My name is Ci'amonae."

"I've never heard a name like that." The girl said. "I'm not even sure I can pronounce it."

Nanny's eyes gazed far off. "It means 'Daughter of the Ancient Ones'. It's a name from the old tongue."

"Ancient ones? Like the Fates?" To the girl, Nanny was suddenly the most interesting person in existence. Aurora rocked the baby in her arms and sat at Nanny's feet ready for a story. It was an old habit, and Nanny allowed it one last time.

"Perhaps. My mother used to sing a song." Nanny sang a strange song where the notes lifted and dropped, and Aurora felt like she was riding the wind as she listened. The girl wished it would never end. The old woman cleared her throat, embarrassed by her own singing and looked around to see who had heard her. In a low voice, she continued, "My mother said it means 'Beyond the land of ice and snow, you'll find a land of green. There make your home in palace white above the hill and trees.' "

"It's a pretty song," the princess said. "And you've put this beloved baby girl right to sleep." Handing the child off to the nurse, Aurora sighed contentedly, "and I know just what to name her!"

"Care to enlighten me?" Nanny asked.

"Nope! You can find out just like everyone else." The girl gave a cheeky smile.

"You look just like a little imp, Your Majesty!" Nanny chuckled.

Aurora popped up from the ground and returned to the pair of cribs. "That brings me to you, little man." She lifted her little brother into her arms. He was still small, fitting neatly into the princess's delicate arms. The baby boy was awake, and he arched his back to push against her embrace. "Aren't you strong!" the princess squealed with delight. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't hear someone come up behind her.

"I thought you were supposed to be working on lowering the pitch of your voice. That sound you just made sounded like an excited mouse." Devrim was right; she was supposed to be working on making her presence more commanding, and lowering the pitch of her voice was a large part of that training.

"I'm taking a break to name our new 'son'. What's your excuse?" she teased with a less-than-condemning frown.

"My Royal tutor said I needed to work on my walk. So I walked over here." He winked at the princess as he indicated his tall shoes. Devrim was standing so naturally that she hadn't even noticed.

The girl began to pout. "I should be practicing too. Now I feel guilty."

"Don't feel too bad. Your voice is a far bigger problem than your height." Devrim's face was so playful that Aurora couldn't be mad. Everyone but Nanny and Devrim was so serious around her, that she allowed them ample liberties in exchange for the pleasure of their unbridled company.

"Stop it! You're terrible," she rolled her eyes toward the sky. "Now help me name this guy." Aurora motioned to the bundle in her arms.

Devrim became serious. "He's too handsome to be Bartholomew, and too smart to be named after me."

"What makes you think he's smart?"

"He's looking between us as we speak. I think he actually understands what's going on." The baby was watching them carefully. He arched his back again as if in confirmation. "This lad needs a strong name."

"Devrim you are a genius! Perhaps he takes after you after all," Aurora joked.

"You've picked a name then?" Devrim wanted to know.

The princess gave the baby back to a nurse. "Yes, I know the perfect name." She took great strides toward the exit. "I've got to go work on my speech! See you later, Devrim!"

"Wait! Are you going to tell me what you decided?" The boy called after her.

"Nope! You can find out just like everyone else." Aurora and Nanny said in unison, the latter wagging her head as she spoke. The princess disappeared from sight.

Devrim turned to Nanny. "How did you know she was going to say that?"

Nanny laid her finger aside her nose and winked. "I know everything."