Her possessive husband preferred her to bathe alone above stairs, as opposed to in the beautiful cedar-lined bathhouse that the majority of the household made use of. After the sweet cake ceremony tonight, she would announce to her husband that she was with child. She wished to look her best. The festival of Lucia marked the second cycle she had not bled. Her breasts were increasingly tender, and she felt overly tired in the latter part of the day. She had suspected her condition for a full fortnight but delayed in telling him out of selfishness. Day and night she yearned for his touch. She knew she would long for it once he took it away. A part of her soul now became lost in him each time they came together. But by becoming pregnant, she had fulfilled her primary purpose in Tronscar. Now her husband would return to spending time with the women in Mak’s pleasure house. She swallowed down that painful truth. Her husband never spoke very much about himself, so she was grateful for Klara’s friendship.
