26 November, 1369. St Ivan's Palace, Havietten.
The fireplace in the library crackled with the comforting sound of burning logs. The two of them had chosen to sit at a table close to the fire, so they could bask in its warm glow.
Celia stared unseeing at the flickering flames, her insides twisting into a ball of anxiety. Her worries grew just a little with each passing day, like an ugly weed.
She could feel the baby hiccuping inside her, which she usually found funny. She rubbed her belly and cooed softly, trying to soothe her precious child. She didn't want her dark thoughts harming them.
In Havietten, a woman's confinement started forty days before her expected due date. This meant Celia would be starting her confinement early the following month, based on what she had told everyone - that her baby was due in the middle of January.