Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,14
the female company and was fascinated by all their advice about pregnancy and childbirth. The women all agreed that the sanctuary cave on the high plain had powerful spirits, who looked after pregnant women and helped to guide babies into the world.
“Of course, it was easy for me” said Elena, “that’s why I have three children so close in age. We live close to the caves, so I was able to visit often. The spirits of the cave are strong, you can see that in their pillars. It is too far to travel when you are pregnant, but I can bring an offering there for you.”
So Alessia begged a piece of clay from a nearby potter and made a small baby out of it, to be left at the foot of one of the cave pillars. The potter agreed to fire it in his kiln; it would be ready for Elena to take with her after the festival. But five days before the midwinter festival they were all to be present at the palace with their cups. It was a strange morning for Alessia as she woke beside Danthys, both of them excited, but belonging to different teams. She decided to go and have her breakfast with Mikolos and Rasifi.
“But you should be with me, you are my woman. You live here,” Danthys protested.
“No, Alessia is right,” Bullneck rumbled, “she belongs to Mikolos this morning. She has helped with his cup. Off you go, Alessia, we’ll see you at the palace.”
At the palace, there was more ceremony than usual. The guards barred their way, crossing their crystal-pommelled swords until Rasifi declared her business within, whereupon the swords were removed and the guards bent one knee. Alessia found it amusing since they all greeted these guards every day, but she hid her smile as they passed. They gathered in the workroom, where Mikolos got out their cup and they all admired it again. Mikolos opened a jar of wine and poured a little into the cup and a little for luck onto the feet of the statue of Mother Diktynna, who stood at one side of the workshop. They handed the cup around, each taking a sip of the wine. Alessia marvelled again at the handles of the cup, that Rasifi had fashioned from Alessia’s excited description. Three large flowers sat on the rim of the cup, some of their petals falling along its rim and one larger petal of each swooping up and out, then curving back in to meet the outside of the cup, forming three handles. At the base of each handle where the petal joined to the cup, Mikolos had placed a gold bee, the symbol of his family’s workshop. It had taken hours of work and was truly beautiful, the flowers and the bees so real you could nearly believe you would be stung.
“Now the cup has been used it is launched on its journey,” Mikolos intoned, “we ask the Mother to bless it and help the Queen look on it with favour.” He dried the cup on a piece of rag and wrapped it again. At that moment there was a knock on the door and a palace page was outside, reciting in a reedy treble that they were commanded into the queen’s presence. They left the workroom in line, with Rasifi at the front and in the courtyard found Danthys’ family similarly lined up. They all grinned self-consciously at each other as they walked after the page towards the ceremonial arena. The sides of the arena were thronged with the palace staff and other tradespeople. The priestesses were beside the queen at one end. The king stood behind his wife on a higher step, his advisors jostling on either side of him. The two goldsmiths were led forward to stand in front of the queen. Then the queen started on what turned out to be half an hour of incantations and prayers and Alessia found herself getting quite dizzy and weak. She was glad it was winter; that she was not standing in burning sun. Eventually the moment came: Rasifi and Bullneck were beckoned forward to unwrap their cups and put them on a small table which had been placed in front of the queen. Alessia’s eyes were on Rasifi’s hands, she was pleased to see the cup catch a beam of sun as Rasifi set it on the table, so it was not for a tiny moment that she heard the gasp that