Chapter 21 – The Mother And Daughter (I)
Six months later...
Autumn hit the kingdom of Adula early. By the month of Seya the leaves were starting to fall off, the men in the fields were retreating for their distant homes, and the few that remained in the city prepared to gather firewood and get ready for the autumn feast.
"A lot of people are leaving the city," Aisha turned eighteen yesterday, and her mother, still looking young in her early forties had been quick to usher her into a carriage and move to meet her secret friend. "I thought the insides of the city were much safer."
"Some people want to stay away from the crowd," her mother, Lady Montrea was looking at her face from her hand mirror. "Even your father wanted to visit that old mansion in Balin Village."
"You loved that place."
"Yes, but now there are more things to love…" she cleared her throat. "I mean, matters of more importance."
"Where are we going, mother?"
"To meet the most powerful man in the kingdom."
It was a cue to stop talking. When her mother spoke mysteriously, it meant she didn't want to reveal the surprise. But Aisha still kept looking at her mother's posture. She adjusted her blouse, which showed too much cleavage that her father would have frowned upon. And she occasionally scratched her crotch, almost nervously. And then she would look at the mirror again.
Is she meeting him?
A few weeks before Montrea had met someone, and Aisha knew her mother enough when she started acting strange or sending letters via private errand boys. There were even brief talks with her father in hushed tones after dinner, and her mother would leave late at night for god knows where.
How does my father approve of this?
Her mother was acting like a public whore, and if her friends knew about it she'd never be able to step into a noble circle.
The carriage stopped right in front of late Lord Julius's mansion. Despite the owner dying six months ago, and her wife being a lonely widow the place looked more luxurious than ever. The gardens were cleaned and trimmed, the little stone path to the door was polished, and the left wing of the house was undergoing renovations.
"Oh Mother, you should have said we are going to meet Lady Andria," Aisha groaned. "I don't want to listen to the talk between you adult noble ladies."
"Shut up and come with me," Montrea waited till their carriage driver opened the door, then stepped out and handed the man a coin pouch. "Come in another three hours, there's two extra pieces of silver for your silence."
"Thank you my lady," the man bowed till his head touched the ground, and then he was off.
"What are we up to?" Aisha asked, genuinely curious.
"Come with me," Montrea opened the gate and beckoned her. "By the way, what happened between you and that boy Keron?"
Aisha was surprised her mother was asking about her love life. But there wasn't much. She was sure Keron was seeing other girls, and whatever sparkled in their relationship one year ago was slowly fading into obscurity.
"Not much," she grunted. "Why do you ask?"
She smirked, then knocked on the door twice.
A short while later a brown-haired maid opened the door. The first thing Aisha's eyes went to was her big round belly. It wasn't big enough to restrict her movement, but still noticeable with the moderate bulge appearing through her clothes.
"Oh, Montrea!" she smiled. "Please come in. He is just in his bath. He'll meet you shortly."
"How dare you speak to my mother by name you bitch?" Aisha snapped. "She is-"
"Aisha!" Montrea glared at her. "One word and you'll beg on your knees."
"B-but-"
"I'm really sorry Lyla," Montrea gave a short bow. "She is dumber than she looks."
"That's fine," the maid lady gave a nervous chuckle. "I get that a lot from newcomers. Please come in!"
Montrea nudged Aisha inside. She was too surprised. Even when she looked at the maid for a second time she noticed nothing noble about her. Plain face, plain hair, no jewelry, plain clothes, and a plain bulging belly. What did her mother see in this woman?
"Should I prepare something?" Lyla asked. "Or I can take you to his room."
"His?" Aisha looked around the place. There was no sign of Lady Andria. And the place looked more refurbished than ever. "Who is he?"
"The man who will take your virginity," Montrea said. "So come with me."
Virginity?
Aisha shuddered as Lyla closed the door. When she looked back, their eyes locked, and the maid gave a thin smile. Almost deadly. Almost like she enjoyed this.
No, no…
"I think I'll take a walk-"
"No," her mother grabbed her by the hand and dragged her up the stairs. "Come on, we shouldn't keep him waiting."
"He should be out of the bath shortly," Lyla said from downstairs. "Please wait in the guest room."
"Of course, thank you Lyla."
When the maid was out of view, her mother glared at Aisha, eyes almost glittering in anger. "Next time talk to that woman with respect. One wrong word with that woman and you'll be raped rather than impregnated."
"Im-impreg-" Aisha was still trying to follow her words as the woman dragged her to the last room in the corridor. "Mother, please tell me you are playing some joke. Is this some sort of late birthday party?"
"No, you idiot!" She opened the room, and they stepped into a room with quite a large bed, a writing desk, and a window that gave a nice view of the distant mountains. "I need a son, and I'm still in the age to bear a child. You, can bear plenty. You are still young, and you can put out babies every two years! Heck, every one year if you are up for it. Imagine how well the Crowail family will grow!"
"What are you even talking about?"
There were footsteps in the corridor.
"Today, you'll meet the most powerful man in this kingdom," Montrea's eyes glinted. "Someone who can finally bring back our family glory. So strip!"
"What?"
Her mother pulled down her blouse, then tugged at Aisha's own. "Be quick girl!"
Aisha had only seen her mother so excited when her father finally owned back her family farms. But when her mother was excited or angry, it was best to follow orders. So she stood in silence as her mother pulled and tugged every cloth out of her body. She was completely naked. Exposed like never before.
Then her mother started stripping. She pulled down her frock and untangled her chemise. She had a much-grown body than hers, but still had nicer curves and breasts that were at least twice the size as hers.
The footsteps got close and the door handle creaked.
"Can I hold your hand?" Aisha asked.
"Oh, you suddenly become a little child," Montrea muttered.
But she still gripped her hand, and the mother and daughter together waited for their mysterious member.