Guardians of Time by Sarah Woodbury

Author:Sarah Woodbury
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: wales, middle ages, time travel, king, historical fantasy, medieval, prince of wales, time travel romance, caernarfon, aber
Publisher: Sarah Woodbury

When Bronwen pushed open the door and entered the royal bedchamber, Lili was sitting up in bed with pillows stacked behind her, reading a book to Arthur. Bronwen had made it a personal campaign to have children’s books, a few of which Bronwen herself had written in her spare time, be a large part of what was being produced by David’s new printing presses. If they were to change the world, the best avenue to do so was through the education of children. Growing up in far flung places, she’d seen with her own eyes how villagers often viewed their school as their greatest asset.

At Bronwen’s approach, Lili glanced up and smiled but continued reading. Bronwen waited until Lili finished the book, at which point she tipped her head to Arthur’s nanny, asking her silently if she could take the boy away. The nanny obliged, though not before Bronwen got a kiss from Arthur on his way out the door. She didn’t, in principle, like relying on nannies and servants as much as they all had learned to. By any definition, parenting standards in the Middle Ages were low. Children were alternately spoiled and neglected, and then thrown into the adult world—often from the age of seven—and expected to make their own way. Under the current circumstances, however, the more adults Arthur knew he could rely on, the better.

Bronwen sat on the edge of Lili’s bed. “What’s going on? Are you having contractions?”

Lili let out a puff of air. “Yes.”

“This is way too early.”

Lili didn’t answer, just stared down at the blankets covering her legs.

This was like pulling teeth—and unlike Lili. “What does Branwen say?” Hired right after her marriage to David, Branwen was Lili’s maid and much loved and trusted by Lili.

“She worries too. And nags.”

“As she should.” Bronwen leaned forward. “You and I both know that there’s no way out of this birth. Only through it. The baby is going to come, whether you want it to or not. We’re here for you, for whatever you need. You have to believe that everything’s going to be okay.”

“Rachel’s gone,” Lili said. “We will have to do this without her.”

“Why would we have to? Everyone gets contractions every now and then. Do you think the baby is really coming?”

Lili rubbed the end of her nose. “It may be that my dates are wrong.”

Ice settled in the pit of Bronwen’s stomach.

Then Lili added, “There’s no may be. My dates are wrong.”

Bronwen closed her eyes, willing herself to remain calm. “Last I heard, you were seven-ish months pregnant. Are you telling me that isn’t right?”

Lili bent her knees so they made a mountain in the middle of the bed and tucked the covers around herself, all without looking directly at Bronwen. “Yes.”

Bronwen tried to think of what to say that wouldn’t mean leaping the distance between them and shaking Lili for keeping the truth from her—and from David. “We’ve all thought you’ve been looking big, and you’re already waddling.”

Lili smirked. “Thanks.”

“You know what I mean.

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