Oh goodness, dear reader, it finally happened! Lettie, she had her baby, and Lorenz helped! Not with the baby, goodness no, he helped me; Lettie had forgotten the… well goodness, let me calm down and start from the beginning.
We were all sitting upstairs at the inn —that’s where my family had been staying. We were chatting about, goodness, I can’t remember what now, when suddenly Lettie sat down and groaned. For one silly moment I thought perhaps her breakfast hadn’t agreed with her, then I understood. Auntie Ember rushed to her side and asked if it was happening again. “Yes!” she answered, “And oh, much worse, oh!” Peter helped Lettie stand, and Auntie Ember pulled back the covers of the bed so she could lie down. “But wait!” Lettie cried, “Where is it? The gown! I finished it last night!” It might seem a silly thing to worry about, but we all knew how Lettie had poured her heart into it. “We were in the cottage with you last night,” Peter said, nervously looking at me. “I left it in the cottage!” wailed Lettie, who was beginning to cry with the pain and stress. “Try to calm yourself, my dear,” Auntie Ember soothed. I knew what I had to do. “I’ll go! I’ll go get it!” I jabbered foolishly, and rushed out of the room.
“What is it!?” Mary and Elise asked when they saw me rushing down the stairs, but I doubt they understood my babbling, and then I was out the door. I was in such a hurry that I nearly ran into someone. “I beg your pardon!” I began, but it was Lorenz! He took hold of my shoulders seeing the worry on my face. I somehow managed to explain what I was trying to do, and he nodded, took hold of my hand, and led me away. But goodness, we were going the wrong direction! Then I saw we were at the stables, and he was calling for his horse, and before I knew it, he was helping me up, and we were riding at a flying speed! We reached the cottage in good time, and once I was inside I found the little gown, lying finished on the old chest. Quickly but carefully, I tucked it under my arm and ran back out to Lorenz who helped me up once again.
When we made it back into town, Mrs. Hume was just walking up to the inn. “We’re not too late, are we?” I asked breathlessly. “Not at all,” answered Mrs. Hume with a calm smile. “This will likely take some time… Hours is my guess.” Then I felt foolish for having worried and rushed so, but Lorenz squeezed my hand. He reassured me as I got down from the horse, “Now your sister will not worry, and can focus on her task.” He needed to return to the manor house, so I thanked him for all his help and watched as he rode up the lane.
Then I hurried inside once again and went upstairs. I could hear my sister’s groans even through the door, and my stomach squeezed at the thought of her pain. Peter answered the door and gratefully took the little gown. “She’s been asking about it since you left.” I said I was glad I could help, sighed as the door closed, and went back downstairs where I could be ready to bring hot water or sheets if needed.
It was hours, as Mrs. Hume had said, and I must have gone up and down the stairs a dozen times. Finally Auntie Ember came down and declared with a weary smile: “Her name is Ella.” Everyone who was gathered gave a cheer, while Mary brought out drinks to celebrate. Auntie Ember said Lettie wanted to see me, and I followed her up to the room.
Peter sat close to the bed, his arm wrapped around his wife. Lettie looked utterly exhausted. Her face was pale and her hair was wet with sweat… but she gazed down with such a look of love, there, at the tiny infant now sleeping in her arms… I tiptoed over to stand beside them, and my sister took my hand. I held hers gently in my own. I could feel how weak she was and took the moment to practice a bit of the Healing magic I’d learned in the fall. Her cheeks grew rosy again, and she sighed. “Meet your niece,” she whispered to me, and I looked down. The baby was wearing the little gown Lettie had worked so hard to finish. It was beautiful, and as I gazed at the sleeping child, I found myself astounded. Here was… a new person, just arrived to the world… How strange and incredible it all seemed! I watched as Peter kissed his baby’s head and Lettie tenderly stroked her tiny hand. I watched and could feel the tears of joy and awe rolling down my cheeks.
The next day while Lettie and Peter were resting, and Auntie Ember was looking after little Ella, I took a walk along the riverbank. It was there I saw the swans again, gliding along side by side. At first I thought they looked rather strange, their feathers seemed ruffled. But then as they came closer, one adjusted its wing and I realized that what I thought were odd feathers were babies! Each parent was carrying a few little cygnets on their back, like sail boats. One accidently slid off into the water, and for a while they all took turns splashing in and flapping about. Once the little babes had grown tired, they paddled close to their parents again, and one by one, with such gentleness, the parents helped their young on to their backs.
I sat down on a stone for some time and began to draw Impressions. They shimmered gently, in shades of soft rose and sky blue. The Impressions were of many things: these sweet days spent with my family, of the swans and their cygnets… of seeing my sister and her husband cradle their new born babe.
Dear reader, it all felt so… loving, so gentle, and with these Impressions I made a remedy. Today, I gave it to Lettie and Peter as they were preparing to leave. Lorenz joined me to bid them farewell, and as they were all getting onto the cart, I pulled out the bottle. “It’s a gift.” I told Lettie “For you, and Ella, and your little family. It’s called—” But Lettie held up her hand with a smile. She was still recovering her strength, but she had not lost her spirit. “I want to guess,” she said and tasted just a drop. She smiled sweetly at Peter and the baby, and then, looking at me, she correctly guessed the name: Tenderness. We embraced, and as they rode away I cried, sad to see them go, but oh, so happy to think of the new little person that was in the world. Lorenz put his arm around me.
Dear reader, I know that they already hold it in abundance, but… if I could offer my sister’s family anything, if I could give my little niece anything… I wanted it to be tenderness. As she grows and learns, as her parents care for and teach her, I hope that my simple, little remedy brings them many moments of sweetness, gentleness, and care.