(no subject)

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta didn't know what date she was supposed to have her period. But she knew it had come and gone.

Her feelings had turned from terror and emotion to a deep, almost numb terror. She had been starting to feel like she was walking through a bad nightmare, day after day, unable to tell anyone in case that made it all officially true.

And one night, she just couldn't cope any more. She took the bottle of whiskey from Will's caravan - bought before rationing kicked in - snuck it into her pocket and headed for the bar. She'd be back and sober before anyone would miss her.

When she gets to the bar, she goes straight up to her room, and has a couple of drinks. Slowly, her world starts to calm down.

She lies on the sofa for a long while. Then as she gets up to go to the bathroom, her world begins to spin. She feels something hit her head, hard, then everything goes black.

Comments

[ostro_goth]

"You smell of strong spirits!" Teja says, disapproving, as he picks her up.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta groans and hides her head in her hands.

"If you thought you were pregn'nt you'd be stressed too."

[wheatencrown]

"Teja, it doesn't matter now,"

Demeter moves to open the door and gives Teja a look.

[ostro_goth]

"If I were pregnant," Teja says, "I would be very 'stressed', as I am a man, and cannot be, so if I were, some entity in this place would have played a truly cruel trick on me. You, on the other hand, are a married woman, and live with your mother-in-law, who has had children of her own, and can help with all your worries, as could Demeter."

But he does pick her up and carry her out.

[fiery_ring]

"My mum and grandmother died in childbirth!" Carlotta sobs. "They were younger than me! Nobody could stop that hap'nin!"

[wheatencrown]

Demeter hits Teja on the shoulder, "That's not helpful."

Then she kisses Carlotta's forehead,

"Shh, you have me and Will's mother to help you."

[ostro_goth]

"You are here," Teja says, continuing to be unhelpful, "where both science and magic will be at hand to make sure you survive, once you get pregnant."

Which of course she will, sooner or later.

He carries her down the corridor, towards the stairs.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta turns her head away, not looking at him.

She doesn't want a baby. Not now. Right now she's not sure she ever wants one.

And it gnaws at her insides, accusing her of being a useless woman.

[wheatencrown]

Demeter's frown deepens, she hates seeing Carlotta so unhappy and isn't sure what to say to help.

She keeps thinking of her daughter and how something's they never speak of, children and marriage.

[ostro_goth]

"Not like the women of my people," Teja says, "who must face death for every babe they bear, and sometimes suffer it, as a man dies in battle. No, Carlotta, you are safe in this place."

Unlike poor Gotho, who escaped by the skin of her teeth. Who still might not have escaped, the next time a dream would take Teja there.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta doesn't say anything, just buries her head in her arms and silently sobs.

How does he know she'll be safe? Even in the future, a woman may die in childbirth, if it bleeds badly or the baby gets stuck.

[wheatencrown]

"Teja, Carlotta is worried enough as it is and she knows that her family isn't the strongest in childbirth. Also she will decide when she wishes to have a child. For now, we are taking care of her and not comparing her to other women. She is strong and beautiful and when the time comes will be a kind mother."

[ostro_goth]

"Of course she will!" Teja says. "I would never doubt her on that."

They reach the stairs, and Teja starts going down them very slowly and carefully, as not to shake her.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta still keeps quiet.

She just feels like a failure right now, on top of being exhausted and full of hormones she didn't need.

[wheatencrown]

Demeter follows close behind, her hand almost resting on Carlotta's hair.

[ostro_goth]

"She has mastered all challenges before, that life threw at her," Teja says, carefully manoeuvring Carlotta around the landing.

[fiery_ring]

"Yes, but it only has to kill me once." Carlotta says, not looking up at him.

[guppy_sandhu]

"Do you guys need a hand?" Guppy asks, seeing them as he comes up the stairs. "I mean, fetching as the toilet paper is, it's probably not going to last long."

[ostro_goth]

"We were seeking you," Teja says. "There was no other thing to cover her wound."

[wheatencrown]

"Yes, thank you. She's had a scare and hurt her head. Please reassure her that she's not pregnant or hurt."

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta is glad when she gets put on the bed. Everything is still very fuzzy.

[guppy_sandhu]

"How much have you had to drink, Carlotta?" Guppy asks, checking her over.

"Enough." Carlotta moans, wincing as he shines a torch in her eyes. She isn't easy to keep still when he scans her either.

"Keep still for me." Guppy says, gently putting his hand on her head.

[ostro_goth]

"Cannot you measure how much she had?" Teja asks. "The police in Italy can."

[wheatencrown]

Demeter moves to hold her hand,

"If it hurts just squeeze my hand. You were worried."

[guppy_sandhu]

"I'm going to take bloods in a minute." Guppy says. "I think she's both drunk and a bit concussed. Was she knocked out?"

He scans her abdomen, and then takes some bloods. He checks the results carefully.

"Okay, we might need to repeat this explanation when you're sober, but I can assure you that you're not pregnant, and never have been. There's absolutely nothing in your womb that shouldn't be. You do however have high levels of pregnancy hormones in your blood."

As Carlotta nods vaguely, Guppy looks to Demeter and Teja for more information.

"Do you happen to know; is Carlotta very obscessed or very frightened about getting pregnant at all?"