Chapter 200 - The Witch Opal

"Opal," Delaney gasped, a hand flying to her chest to cover her racing heart, "You scared me to death."

"You aren't dead," the little witch wheezed, "You couldn't talk if you were dead."

"Yes, of course," Delaney sighed, getting to her feet, "Thank you for meeting me."

"It was Lord Adair's rule. I have to come when I see the light in the window. You put the light in the window."

"Yes," Delaney nodded, "I have something I'd like you to do for me."

The little woman covered in furs looked intrigued. She held fast to her staff and Delaney could hear her wheezing breaths.

"The Queen gets a potion from a witch at the castle that's supposed to help her become pregnant. She had the witch there make a bottle for me as well but now I'm nearly out. Do you think you could make me more of it?"

"Of course," the witch's head bobbed up and down, "Are you and Lord Adair not able to get pregnant?"

"We're not so far," Delaney answered uncomfortably as she held out the little bottle, "But I'm hoping this potion will help fix that."

"How long have you been taking it?"

"I'm not sure exactly. Maybe two months?"

"Well it should have worked by now then," the little woman said and popped the cork from the bottle. She stuck a grubby finger in and took it out again, licking the contents away to taste it. Delaney watched her anxiously.

"Well there's no magic in here so it's not a potion but it could just be a medicine," the witch commented, "I can't place the taste but I'll figure it out."

"It's not... It's not a potion?"

"Nope. A potion has magic in it and you would have been pregnant by now if there was any way at all. Medicines aren't as foolproof. They can take more tries. I'll take it home and discover what she's made you."

"Thank you," Delaney said quietly, feeling sad that it wasn't magic but hopeful since it was only medicine that there was a chance it could still work.

"I will look into potions for you as well but you know magic has a price. Of course with the poison in your husband, a potion may very well be the only chance you have of having children at all."

Delaney swallowed, "You think my husband may not be able to have children?"

"It's quite possible," the woman commented as she turned the bottle of potion to look at it in the lantern light, "And if there is a magic that will give you a baby, a new life, that means the price will be to take away a life."

"I... I don't think I could take away a life," Delaney whispered, feeling a chill pass over her.

"Your husband was a soldier was he not? I'm sure he's taken a life before. The life of that dragon that marked him in fact. Although I don't know that you could exchange a dragon life for the life of a child or it might be more common."

Delaney frowned. She couldn't imagine killing a dragon so you could have a baby would ever be something that could be considered "common". The little witch was odd though so she didn't say anything.

"I noticed something else when I watched you and Lord Adair arrive home," the witch continued, "He seemed to be in terrible pain. Was that from his time in the carriage? Riding in carriages makes me terribly sore as well but not quite that bad."

"Riding in carriages does put him in terrible pain," Delaney answered, distracted for a moment as she tried to imagine this stout, fur-covered, little witch riding in anywhere in a carriage, "You were watching us when we arrived? Do you watch us a lot?"

"I thought so," Opal said with a wheezing chuckle that led to loud coughing, "I made this up for him and brought it just in case. It's medicine, not a potion, so it won't work like magic but it will help him. It will make his pain more manageable. It relaxes his muscles and things though so you can't expect him to be able to fight in a duel too soon after taking it."

Delaney reached out and took a brown bottle with a stopper in it, "Thank you Opal this will be wonderful."

She noticed the woman hadn't answered her questions about watching them but she supposed she didn't want to know anyway. She tucked the medicine into the pocket of her skirts and looked back at the odd little woman who was still studying the bottle Delaney had given her.

"You can meet me here again in two nights time," Opal said, not turning to meet her eyes, "I will have your medicine copied by then. You can tell me if there is anything else you need as well."

"Thank you very much," Delaney smiled and was about to say goodbye when she paused and studied the witch, "Opal... do you have enough food? And warm clothes and blankets?"

"I have my furs and the food comes and goes," she answered without pause, "I'm very happy to have my little home now and I plan to have a garden in the spring. That will keep me well fed after."

Delaney nodded as she considered this, "Well, I'm glad you like it here. I know I'm grateful to have you."

Opal's light blue eyes snapped up to Delaney then and the duchess was surprised to see tears reflected in the candlelight.

"Are you really?"

Delaney couldn't help but giggle at the odd woman's surprise, "Well yes of course. You're already very helpful."

The little witch dashed tears away from her dirty cheeks, causing muddy streaks.

"Helena was right," she wheezed, "You are good people."

Delaney felt a fondness for Opal now and smiled down at her.

"Well, get home before it gets too cold," Delaney advised, turning to leave, "I will meet you here in two nights' time."

"Yes, my Lady I will," the witch bobbed her head up and down in agreement, "And I will see if there is anything else I can do to help you and Lord Adair have a baby. After all, it would be good for you to have something to remind you of him when he's gone."

Delaney froze at those words and spun around but when she looked, Opal had vanished. She held the lantern higher and squinted into the darkness trying to see where the witch might be but she was gone and there weren't even footprints left in the mud to show which direction she'd gone.

Swallowing hard, Delaney stood for a moment as the snow picked up around her. What had Opal meant by that? It would be good for her to have something to remind her of Vincent when he's gone. Did she mean gone like on a trip as he was now? Or did she mean gone as in dead? 

The witch Helena could see the future. Could Opal as well? Had she seen that something was going to happen that would cause Delaney and Vincent to be separated? She couldn't have meant if their marriage contract was broken because that would only happen if she hadn't been able to have a baby. But there was someone killing heirs to the throne. Was something going to happen to Vincent because of that? Would he be murdered?

Delaney lifted her skirts and scrambled up the slope and back along the lake to her horse. The guards saw her coming and looked worried when they saw her expression.

"Is everything alright my Lady?"

"I don't know," was all she could manage before she spurred her horse onward and it took off up the path, leaving her guards behind.

-

Delaney left her horse with the stableboy who looked incredibly relieved that she had returned at all. She left, hearing him call good night to her as she walked away but not bothering to reply. Not worrying about being quiet or sneaking about in her own home, she threw the main doors open and swept inside. A servant that stood watch at the doors overnight jumped, startled awake from where he'd dozed off, and hurried to close the doors behind her.

Heading for the stairs she unclasped her cloak and let it simply fall to the ground behind her. She didn't pause in her climbing of the stairs but lifted her skirts and untied first one boot and then the other. By the time she'd reached the top, they were loose enough for her to be able to kick them aside.

Pulling pins from her hair she dropped them as she walked as well, leaving a trail down the hall behind her until her hair fell free around her shoulders. She continued removing clothing and things until she reached her destination in only her underdress and stockings. For once, she didn't care what her servants thought. She was the duchess and mistress of this house.

Delaney entered the room where her little sugar gliders were now kept and felt her heart fill when she saw they were awake. Ian and Vincent were both gone so they were all she had for comfort for now. She eased them out of their cage and took them with her to sit at a writing desk. 

Petting the soft little balls of fur, she stared at the blank page in front of her. She wanted to send word to Vincent and Ian about what the witch had said but what would she say?

Opal had said she should have a baby so she could have something to remember Vincent by when he was gone. That in itself wasn't a threat or really anything unusual. Lots of parents said they were happy they had their children to remember their spouses by once the other was gone. Her own father had said that of her.

After a long time, she sighed and gave up, putting her little pets back. With everything happening now the words did make her worry but there was no way to explain that in a message and have it make sense to her husband. Vincent also knew she hadn't wanted him to leave at all so he might think her message was just an attempt to get him to give up his work and come back to her.

Delaney left and headed back for her bedroom, surprised to see her things had already been picked up. She climbed into their bed and felt tears sting her eyes. She missed her husband terribly and was so worried something would happen to him. There was nothing she could do for now though.

She would wait until Miles came and tell him what had happened. Her husband's brother would know what to do.