The Prince's Mistress

What is your woman?

"Where are we going Percy?" My anxiety grew as the busy markets turned into narrow ally ways and mortar homes. The carriage, which could fit 4, had trouble maneuvering through the dusty dilapidated homes. Percy could be taking me out here to kill me for all I knew. It wouldn't be the first time the family had done something like that. The greater good was more important than me. What if I was pregnant? Would Percy open up my throat like so many a mistress before me?

Mistress.

The thought made my stomach churn. I? A mistress? I remember the judgement I put on the former kings mistress. The woman was young and beautiful. She followed at the hem of the king and even began living  within the palace. I thought her a whore, but now I can't stop thinking if she was actually in love with that monster. I'd seen first hand the sorrow it brought the queen to know he openly shared his bed with other woman. I'd have no parts. No one at court liked the kings mistress because of how well liked the queen "was. I mean how many times had I seen her shunned by other spartan women or sat in on her being called a whore when her majesty had privet guests. Both woman suffered for a man who was empty. At least Harry loves me... I told myself that made it better but...
The anger in his eyes when I told him I kissed him. His visceral reaction scared me to my core. I didn't want to believe it but he looked like his father in those moments.

We pulled up to a ramshackle little home tucked in the ally corner. It had no windows and a sheet for a door. The front of the little building held a small girl, tending to a fire.

"W-where..." I became stunned with fear. What would greet me inside? What if this was a trick... my heart raced under my ribs and I peered up at the pale slender man who I let whisk me off to a place I didn't know ... without telling anyone.

Percy didn't seem to notice how distrusting I was becoming of him because he waved for the carriage driver to announce his arrival to whoever lived inside, as if the stomping of royal horses wasn't enough to jolt awake anyone in this small burrow. I stared nervously out of the window, at the little girl who until this point had behaved as if she didn't even see or hear us approach. Now she was staring at us with the most familiar blue eyes in the world.

"You say you have no idea where you are from." Percy's deep and gentle voice broke through my panic.

I nodded my head yes..

"For all intensive purposes, my lord, I am Greek."

"But you're not though" he chuckles a retort

His response stung me. I didn't belong here with my dark skin and everyone could see it...

"Not like that-" he reassured me by placing his large pale hands over my small brown ones. " Sparta is a wasteland. Not very welcoming of foreigners and such but here in Corinth we welcome all. You're skin is no anomaly here and there are plenty of dark skinned Greeks.- but you I must say are one of the most stunning I've come across." He said this with a smile.
"And that is why I say no. You MUST know where you really come from. Foreign born Corinthians bring the spender of their homeland- you washed up on the beach like Aphrodite! I see something in you. I also see great danger." His voice was but a whisper.

"Last night... it came to me in a dream that- I was a bird. A white dove. So white I shown like a star. I flew over you as you lye in a field of flowers- Harry was there. He felt upon you're very pregnant belly and I watched as the flowers became a swarming sea around you both. You tried to hold on but the waves were too strong and as you slipped beneath the waves...the water burned red. I FEAR for you child" he sounded very upset as he relayed this information to me. I didn't know what to make of it. The imagery scared me. I didn't even have time to process what I'd just been told before he driver was back and opening the door for us.

By the open curtain of the little house stood a very old man. He was median height and quite pale and his face had the type of flat, down turned lips that always made a person look like they were frowning.

"Do not worry. He is a doctor" Percy assured.

****
I sat on a table inside of this doctors home.

"Wide birthing hips" he commented while taking my measurements.

The table had groves on it that indicated where one might put their feet.

"Alright, undress then" The old man ordered.

"No" I said plainly. The old man sighed and walked out from the room in a huff. It was just a room. A room with a rock slab with grooves. "He's a doctor" then I'm the queen of Lesbos.

An uncommonly annoyed looking Percy swung the curtain open then- "what's this that you won't take your pregnancy test?"

"MY WHAT?"

He grabbed my arm "We have to know if Harry got you pregnant don't you understand?"

I ripped my arm from him.

"You haven't bleed since you came to Corinth! I know it. That can only mean you're with child and-"

"I haven't had my bleed yet" I admitted.

So? He pried.

"Young lady you're not pregnant. And you won't become pregnant until you have your bleed..." The doctor said as he was standing at the door watching us argue.

"im oh so sorry sir" your wife is not with child" He added

Relief washed over me. I wasn't pregnant.

"At your age you should have your bleed. Without it, you may never bear children"

My heart sank. I didn't know why I was filled with such mixed emotion. I wasn't supposed to WANT to be pregnant but a i was disappointed to find out and saddened by that news. I'd never be able to have kids?? That's the job of a Queen. Not to say I could ever be one but...I wanted kids. My numbness kicked in and I just sat stiff as a board.