The door to Mayla's rooms was open, and the heat rolled out of it into the corridor. Somebody had built the fire up until the whole room was baking. There were four women working in there, two he knew and two he didn't, and a healer from the troops with his sleeves rolled past the elbow. Basins on every surface, cloth everywhere, and the air heavy with hot water and herbs and something underneath both that he didn't want to name.
Mayla was propped up on the bed with her hair stuck to her forehead, and when she saw him in the doorway her whole face broke.
"You came."
"Of course I came." He crossed the room and took her hand in both of his, and she gripped it hard enough to hurt. "I'm right here, Mayla. I'm staying with you."
"It's too soon." Her eyes were wet and huge. "Trafalgar, it's two months too soon. He's supposed to have two more months. He's not ready yet, and I... I couldn't stop it. I stood up and then it just started, and I couldn't do anything."
