The Saga Begins [Nuworld 1] Read Online Free

town, he did.” Reena gestured for Tara to come to her. “Help me get Joli into my bed, will you? I’ll get my herbs to brewing…they should stop that child from coming before his time.”
    Tara and Reena walked Joli into a large bedroom, which was no small feat, given that Joli was close to full term and quite heavy. Tara literally carried her to the bed, taking as much weight onto her shoulders as she could. She realized the old lady could not possibly handle the burden herself. Tara welcomed the distraction of making sure Joli felt comfortable, or as comfortable as possible.
    Having a fair bit of birthing knowledge through the winters with the women in the clan, Tara knew Joli had dropped; the babe already rested between the woman’s hipbones. Although Tara had never had a baby, she knew that cramping was common when the baby was positioned so low in the womb. She could also tell by the slender figure hinted at under the woman’s swollen breasts that the woman would be thin after the baby came.
    Tara remembered helping a clan member thrown into labor. Only a child at the time, Tara could still recall the memory of pounding Wild Yam root into powder to help soothe the pain.
    “Joli dear, I save this bedroom for all my special ladies who visit me,” Reena cooed as she pulled an old, but clean, blanket to the end of the bed.
    Tara half placed, half dropped Joli onto the sheet. The woman struggled in her arms, making it hard to place her gently.
    “Grab some more blankets from that shelf in the closet.” Reena pointed to a closed door and Tara turned. “I’ll put the kettle on to boil.” The older woman scurried from the room.
    “If we can get you to lie on your left side, it should stop some of the stomach discomfort, yes,” Tara said quietly, trying to match the dialect of the Gothman. She helped the woman but didn’t think she looked too comfortable when Tara finally left to find the old lady.
    Reena was digging through a drawer in one of the cupboards when Tara entered the living room. She saw the three children standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, their large brown eyes showing fear and worry for their mama.
    “Ah, not to worry, little ones.” Tara knelt in front of the three children and reached her arms out to hug them. “We’ll take care of her now, we will.”
    “I’m thinking you’ll have to give up the back room tonight, my dear,” Reena said to Tara. “Let’s give the children some of my pie, and then we can put them down in the bed back there. We have a long night ahead of us, I fear.”
    After a quick check of her herbs on the stove, Reena set out plates on the counter and began slicing pie. “Seems more nights than not, my house will fill with family members, it will. I get accustomed to having the bodies around. I daresay there’s plenty of blankets.”
    Tara sat the three children around Reena’s kitchen table and fed them each a slice of the pie she’d so recently enjoyed. The children eagerly took in the sweetness and had it gone in no time. Tara grabbed a cloth and started applying it to the fingers of the youngest before he could damage Reena’s house. The boy, who couldn’t be school-age Tara decided as she looked at his soft baby skin, immediately fought his restraints.
    “My mama always sends me out to the water buckets,” the boy complained.
    Tara kept a firm grip on the sticky hand until all remnants of pie were gone. “It’s dark outside.”
    “Being scared of the dark is for women.” The child stood in defiance and forgot to run when Tara released him.
    She ruffled his curls, bringing him back to reality, and then smiled at the older daughter who was clearing dishes.
    “Reena?” Joli called out, then groaned.
    The old lady patted Tara’s shoulder as she passed on her way to Joli.
    Joli’s grunts grew louder, and the children stared at the closed door.
    “Let’s check out the sleeping arrangement, shall we?” Tara herded the children toward the