A.L. Jambor by The Tower in the Mist Read Free Book Online

terrible things when they know war is coming. He’s afraid they will hurt me.
    I finished Matt’s book about the monarchs. War and peace, over and over. So much death.
    Geezer said Neela didn’t come with Mace. He said she’s still at the northern castle. I know I should hate her, but I feel sorry for her. No one should be married to someone they don’t love.
    May 1
    When I lie on my back, my stomach has a bump. It’s a tiny bump, but it’s there. I rub my hand over it and wonder what she’ll look like. I think of her as a girl because of what Geezer said. Since Mace and I have dark hair, she’ll have dark hair. At least that’s what the books say. She’ll have brown eyes, too.
    Geezer is creating tiny gowns for her. They are piling up all over the tower. I told him she would grow, but he said they would grow, too, so it’s okay. She’ll have a different gown for every day in the year and then some.
    Mace cut off Justin’s head.
    June 5
    I felt her kick today. The book says four months and she’s right on time. It felt like a flutter in my stomach. The bump is larger. I keep thinking this is some kind of miracle. My mother would have given anything to experience this. All the women on Pryll would have.
    Geezer holds me sometimes. He can’t get over Justin’s death. We sit on the divan and he starts a fire in the fireplace. It doesn’t make the room too warm. It must be a magical fire.
    He puts his arm around my shoulder. He is sad. People are dying and he can’t help them. It weighs on him. I can’t think of anything to say that will help. I sit close to him. It’s comfortable. We have someone.
    July 17
    Mace announced that his wife is expecting an heir.
    July 29
    Geezer said Neela is sick. Mace sent for Geezer.
    August 5
    Neela lost the baby.
    August 18
    I feel so clumsy. When I walk through the tunnel to take my bath, I waddle. Geezer says it’s charming. If he wasn’t so cute, I’d smack him.
    He asked me if I’d like to move into the tower. He created another room under his loft. It’s halfway up on the other side of the stairs. It has a window that looks out on the woods. I can watch the birds teaching their babies to fly in the rocking chair he wove for me. I said yes.
    August 29
    The gowns have been stowed in a basket next to the cradle. Geezer created a bathroom for me next to my room. I can take a bath here now.
    The baby keeps me awake at night. She moves around and kicks all the time. I can’t walk as far as I did before.
    I eat all the time, too. Geezer is a wonderful cook. He went to Earth to find out how to make pancakes. I was craving them. Now I have pancakes three times a day. I never get tired of them. Especially with horseradish.
    September 15
    Geezer is reading to me now. All I want to do is lie in bed. He sits in the rocker and reads me stories he wrote about Sunge and Earth in his ridiculous book. That’s what Mace called it.
    Geezer said London is a mess. The people are angry over Justin’s death even though it’s months after the fact. Geezer isn’t worried, though. He says this happens after a king is deposed. Mace is strong. He’ll get them organized.
    I try to remember his face. I can see his brown eyes and his lips. I have trouble when it comes to his nose. I keep mixing it up with Geezer’s. I do remember the way his body felt against mine, though. His chest against my chest. I’ve been longing for his body lately.
    October 30
    I’m sorry I haven’t written in you much, Journal. I’ve been so lazy. My stomach is huge and I don’t get much sleep. Geezer keeps giving me chamomile tea.
    Things have settled down in London. The army has gained control over the people and Mace is feeding them. That seems to have made them happy. He’s offering land to those who want to farm. He’s also giving money to shopkeepers. Geezer didn’t like the way things were going at first, but now he thinks Mace is doing a good job.
    Geezer has a nice face. I look at him while he’s