Molly listens for the sound of the outer door clicking before sliding out of bed to retrieve his worn shirt. Her tears remain suppressed until she's back in the bed with it. She buries her face in the thick cream cotton and sobs into it with all the fear and pain the dream bought. Her hot tears soak the fabric, and taste salty against her mouth as she presses it against her face to stay quiet. Even now she can still feel in her chest the agony of losing him. She cries for that loss, and for knowing that she could not take his time from them. If it wasn't dawn, she would have made him stay. But that is his time with Dietlinde, and hard as that is, it would be despicable to take that. 

Eventually, the crying subsides, spent. Empty of all but the fear that it could happen. The fear that Alarice will be allowed to live. That cannot happen. One way or another, Alarice has to die. Even if that means magic. 

She flips the shirt, inhaling the bit that smells most like him, pulling up pleasantly memories of their lovemaking. The way he dragged up her shift. Being able to feel his hand move as he pleased her. His body over and within hers, and their mutual climaxes. She smiles a little, torment pushed away. Getting out of bed, she puts his shirt in the washing basket, and wraps a gown around her. She creeps to the bathroom, taking the single candle with her. After doing what is necessary, she wipes, feeling the remainder of his pleasure spent within her, grinning briefly at the remembrance of the noise he had made. She glances at the tissue. Red. Damn. "Ugh!" She says softly to noone. Three days early. She knows it's likely the stress of the situation,  but it is bloody impractical. She doesn't have enough rags for it, having anticipated being back on the Rose before Sunday. Now no-one seems to know when they will get there. 

I'll ask Clau- no, no-one is guarding. Alright, find some servants. And tea. Definitely tea. "Fuck" she murmurs in Avalon, balling up tissue to catch the blood before washing and seeing to her hair and make up, taking the time to make it light and feminine as Morgan likes. She feels the leaky trickle on her inner thigh with surprise. Early and heavy? That is annoying. Her hair will have to do. She cleans up, quickly going back to the trunk. With the familiar, well-worn rags between her thighs, she puts her black skirt on over her shift, her corset a little looser so as not to increase the minor discomfort.  

She needs to see Adalbrecht at church,  but if she bleeds through the rags the skirt will help conceal it. Nuisance. She's too busy and has far too much to do for this. She checks the mantle clock. Quarter after six. Still a little time before meeting Adalbrecht.

She takes her bag, and sword belt, putting them on. Staying safe isn't pretty, she sighs. Still, it is important. The house is quiet, though she spots Ana quickly, recognising her as one of the maids Morgan has befriended. She gets her attention, polite, respectful. Molly knows how it is to have work interrupted. 

"I am so sorry, my courses started unexpectedly,  do you have any suitable rags of linen or clouts?" She is grateful to her mother in law for telling her the Eisen version of that word. Ana goes to find some whilst Molly waits in the hall.

I need to find myself one of those fancy sponges like the girls on the Coral use. But how? She ponders on this, and wonders about asking Claudia to take a note to last night's brothel. Ana returns with several cloths and pins. Molly looks at her gratefully, thanking her. She ducks into the nearest water closet to replace what she has, noting the heavier flow. Dammit!

A few minutes later and the used cloth given for washing, Ana returns with tea, and Molly goes looking for Claudia, finding her in her room.

M: I am sorry, I need another favour. Could you take a note to the brothel you went to?
C: *She frowns* why?
M: *She looks awkward* I uhh… I hear they use sponges during their courses to stem the flow, and I really need to get one 
C: *She smiles, looking at the young Veisgrafin whose embarrassment makes her look much younger than her 20 years* I have a couple you can have
M: *She looks surprised* You have? Oh I would be so grateful!
C: *She nods* They're an essential when at War. Funny how men can handle blood from severed limbs but get faint over the regulars.
M: *She laughs as Claudia finds two small sponges in a fabric bag* Thank you so much 
C: You're welcome. Do you want the nursery guarded?
M: *She looks thoughtful* please. We probably don't need it, but it would be reassuring
C:*She nods. A minute later the noble wife is gone, and Claudia smiles to herself, the naivety of Morgan's new wife amusing*

Molly finds another water closet, inserting the sponge as deep as she can before cleaning up. Then she rushes to meet Adalbrecht at the stable, and they get saddled up, nothing but morning greetings whilst they ride to the church. The morning is warm, the sky blue, and the city is already getting busier. The discomfort gets worse, as her pains usually are. It's surprising to her that the pains hadn't woken her from the nightmare. She bows her head as they tie up the horses and enter the church.

It's empty and pretty. Molly looks around as she walks to the altar where she kneels, her father in law beside her. 

"Would you like me to start as the Grafin does?". Adalbrecht nods, and Molly recites the Avalon prayer she did with Edward. After that, they lapse into silence, both making their own prayers

"Heavenly father, hear your daughter's call. Please bless and protect us and keep us safe. Please allow us to live very long, very healthy, very happy lives together. Please take care of my husband and his healing so that he is happy and at peace. Hold him close that he may find and trust you again. Guide him and love him. Let me be a good wife and help meet so he is always pleased with me. Help those around us come to peace with what must happen as we deliver Alarice to your mercy. Protect Varick from what is to come. Amen"

Molly turns to Adalbrecht, and they move to sit in the pews.

A: You did well last night
M: Thank you my Lord
A: Morgan and Edward seem to be getting along well
M: *She nods thoughtfully* I think they are doing better than expected. It is still difficult though. Morgan… he had such a hard time with his grief. To forgive Edward has taken so much strength. 
A: *he nods* If only I could turn back time, prevent it
M: *She bows her head* Then I would not be here. He would have lived happily ever after, quietly in Sudlachenburg. *her voice starts to waver* I would have lived out my life without that man that I love above life itself. *tears run down her cheeks, and only a tiny fraction of that is the escalating pain*
A: *he watches her sadly, putting his arm around her shoulders* I am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. We love you, and you are a fine Veisgrafin, Molly. I am glad he found you and you brought him home 
M: *She nods, but tears still flow* I never wanted to take Dietlinde's place. It isn't always easily that he has been married and madly in love before, but I hope that I am good enough for him, and for Sudlachenburg 
A: You are. It is plain to see he adores you.
M: *She smiles a little* And I him. Enough to do whatever it takes. And because of that, I am going to beg you.
A: *he moves to look at her* Molly…
M: Father, please. What I ask is that you agree to tell His Grace that you personally oppose it, because you made a vow on your honour to do so, but that Sudlachenburg will stand with its Eisenfurst
A: *he watches her* And why would I do that?
M: Because, to tell thee plain, you risk too much to drag Sudlachenberg into this
A: *he frowns* I _am_ Sudlachenburg.
M: *She shakes her head* _We_ are Sudlachenburg. You, Verity, Edward, Morgan, and I. *She lies her hand over the place on her stomach now causing deep, unpleasant pain, and her voice is quiet* _They_ will one day be Sudlachenberg, when we have children. Sudlachenberg is bigger than just you. It is our future, our destiny. It is our duty to have a prosperous Grafdom to pass on to our descendants, just as it was your ancestor's duty. 
A: *he nods slowly* But Alarice…?
M: Alarice will destroy me if she survives. No matter what, she will not let this enmity go. *She looks up at him, Eisen determination in her eyes* And nor will I.
A: *he looks surprised* What are you suggesting?
M: *the look doesn't change even as a tight twist of pain assaults her uterus* Alarice will die. Whether that is at the will of an Eisenfurst, by Morgan to protect me, or by my hand to protect him, the outcome is the same. The only difference is in how much damage you will allow to happen to Sudlachenburg and Morgan in the mean time.
A: I couldn't let you do that.
M: *She allows him to see the rawness of her fear and hatred in her eyes* To protect Morgan,  there's is nothing on Theah I wouldn't do. I would tear apart anything in my path to save him a moment's pain. I would use every tool at my disposal, because until she is dead, Morgan will be unable to live without the fear of her succeeding. *he looks shocked. She watches him firmly* Tell me you would not do it for Verity.
A: *he sighs* Of course I would.
M: My love for my husband is not weaker than your love for your wife. 
A: *he nods* I can see
M: The options are that you stand alone but let Sudlachenberg prosper, or you let Alarice's destruction take down five hundred years of Koertig successes just to save a woman who will die for definite no matter what. But she must not burn. Morgan doesn't need to relive Dietlinde and Jana's screams and pain. Nor does he need to do that near Edward. Let us move forward, father. Do not trap us in the past with those awful sad memories. Let Sudlachenburg prosper.
A: *he bows his head* I have a duty to my ancestors and my descendants.
M: Yes you do. And Theus knows that. He knows the difficulty you face. "Unto his spirit, I entrust the path of righteousness. Though he may walk through the fire and the trials of his life before him, his compass of honour and duty lead him forever back to my feet"
A: *he nods, thinking*
M: *She closes her eyes, trying to control the pain. It is worse than normal. She needs to get back to the estate and the privacy of her own room*
A: *he watches her* You look pale, are you unwell?
M: *Damn, she thinks* I had an awful night's sleep. Might we return to His Grace's?
A: *he nods, offering his arm. She tries to conceal the pain. She manages admirably, leaving Adalbrecht in the hall with an instruction for Morgan that she is tired and going to rest. He watches in her wake, feeling thoroughly brow-beaten. He lights up a cigar, watching from a window*

Alone in the corridors she is hit with a pain that rips the breath from her, a sharp tight stabbing that is not like her usual cramping. It scares her. Is this an after-effect of the pennyroyal? And if it is, how bad is the bleeding now? Once the wave passes, she feels sick. Thankfully the nausea passes and she manages to evade questioning from Claudia, entering the nursery. Marta looks up from the table, watching her. "Bathroom, now." Molly nods, dashing in just in time to be violently sick in the toilet bowl. Once her stomach is empty, Marta comes in. 

Marta: Are you bleeding? *Molly nods* And tired? *nod* and in a lot of pain? *She nods* Okay. We need to get Varick out of the way. Can Claudia take him for a picnic and sword training? *Molly nods. Marta strides out, giving instructions like a general. Molly vomits again as the pain squeezes her abdomen. Tears flow*

Am I going to die? What is happening?! How will Morgan feel?

*She flushes the chain, rinsing her mouth with water. She sits on the toilet, and can already see blood all over her inner thighs. She shakes with fear, gingerly removing the sponge. There's so much blood. She's seen injuries, and she's seen her courses,  but this is terrifying. The sponge is sodden, and blood covers her hands. Cramps push more blood from her. She wads more paper, and strips. When Marta returns, Molly is naked but not bloodied. Lying on the tiled floor, Molly has the same sort of examination she endured in Carleon. She cries at the pain and embarasment. She sends her for her navy trousers and the yellow pyjama top. Once she has multiple layers of cotton and linen between her thighs, Marta explains

Marta: The pain and bleeding will worsen. You're going to shed the full lining of your uterus, likely in one big piece. It is going to be very similar to birthing. There's nothing we can do but keep mobile and wait. I am sorry.
M: *She looks solemn and scared* Will I survive?
Marta: Very very likely yes.
M: *She nods, knowing that is not a certainty. She begins to pray, broken by the frequent, tight pains. Marta cleans up the bathroom, encouraging Molly to relax and breathe through it, to see the pain as her body trying to fix it, not something to fight. She makes Molly keep moving. The pain is bad, and comes in waves, just like Marta predicted. It overtakes her thoughts, her senses, all she can do is ride out the pain*