Poem: "Fed from So Many Sources"
Jul. 23rd, 2025 10:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the July 15, 2025 Bonus Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from janetmiles, chanter1944, and discussions with dialecticdreamer. It has been sponsored by janetmiles. This poem also fills the "Immigrant" square in my 7-1-25 card for the Western Bingo fest. It belongs to the series Frankenstein's Family and follows (several months later) the poems "Signs of Their Trespass" and "Incompetence, Sloppy Thinking, and Laziness" so read those first or this won't make much sense. It is the third in the triptych after "Strong, Competent, Capable" and "The Future by Consequence, the Past by Redemption."
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes unplanned and unmarried pregnancy, domestic abuse, partner loss, awkwardness, poor support back home, reference to other illegitimate children, severe personality changes, past family tragedies, complicated grief, scrapes and bruises, messy medical details, confusion, uncertainty, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Fed from So Many Sources"
Igor led the way toward
infirmary in the castle
as Mircea and Amalia
followed along behind.
Over time, Victor and
Igor had developed
an apothecary kitchen
with a small exam room
and larger ward space.
The exam room held
a little cot for humans
and a couple of straw ticks
on the floor for werewolves.
Other furnishings included
a storage chest, side tables,
wooden chairs, a broom, and
a box of cleaning supplies.
Mircea gave a wistful look
at the straw ticks, but she
settled for a chair instead.
Igor claimed a chair for
himself, then patted
the bed. "Sit here,"
he invited Amalia.
She sat down and
wrapped her arms
around her body.
"Now, I'll try not to be
too nosy," said Igor. "I
just want to make sure
that you're not hurt. You
can see the midwife for
more pregnancy concerns."
"All right," said Amalia.
"The midwife in my village
didn't really approve of me."
"Oh?" said Igor. "That
sounds like poor care."
"She's tired of Ghenadie
fathering bastards, even
though when it happened
to village girls, Lord Grosu
paid them to go away. It
was quite the windfall, and
I was hoping for the same."
"But it didn't turn out like
you expected?" said Igor.
"He tried to kill her,"
said Mircea. "He
smelled so angry."
"Ghenadie wasn't
always like that,"
said Amalia. "He
used to be a lot nicer,
even after a couple
of family tragedies."
"Recent problems?"
said Igor. "I haven't
heard of anything."
"No, earlier than that,"
said Amalia. "I think
his mother passed when
he was about ten, and
then his older brother
died several years later."
"Before we arrived here,
it sounds like," said Igor.
"Lord Grosu doesn't like
to talk about it," said Amalia.
"He got really sad both times."
"That's natural," said Igor.
"Grief can make it difficult
to get by, especially when
you have a lot to do or
multiple deaths occur."
"I think it's why Ghenadie
grew up so wild," said Amalia.
"His father was sad and busy,
so he ran about with friends
and took comfort in women."
"That appealed to you?"
said Igor. "He didn't
try to ... force you?"
"He was persistent,
but he gave nice gifts,
and he's very ... manly
in bed," said Amalia,
then grimaced. "But
when he came home,
he was just so scary."
Igor sighed. "We tried
to offer him opportunities
here, but he hated that."
"It was his own choice,"
said Mircea. "You tried."
"Amalia, did Ghenadie
ever strike you?" said Igor.
"No, never," she said. "I
know some men do that,
but he wasn't so rough."
"I just wanted to check,"
said Igor. "The girls here
weren't impressed with him."
"The local men mimic you
and Victor," said Mircea.
"That is much to live up to."
"Amalia, tell me more
about Ghenadie scaring
you," Igor coaxed her.
"When I told him about
our baby, he started roaring,"
said Amalia. "So I ran away
and hid in the village over
the night, then got up early
and went over the ridge."
"Did you get hurt in
escaping?" said Igor.
Amalia looked down
at her hands. "I fell
a few times," she said.
"Not far, but I scraped
my hands and knees."
Igor opened the trunk
and pulled out a box
of first aid supplies.
"Let me see," he said.
"I can take care of those."
Amalia hesitated, looking
at Mircea for reassurance.
"Igor is safe," said Mircea.
"He will be gentle and not
touch where he shouldn't."
Amalia showed her hands,
the palms crusted with
dried blood, dirt, and
what looked like resin.
"Oh dear," said Igor.
"That looks dreadful.
Hold still for me, and I'll
clean this quick as I can."
It was still miserable, and
he didn't want to offer Amalia
a painkiller because of the baby.
After Igor covered her hands
with salve and bandages,
he said. "Knees too?"
She shuffled her skirt,
but her hands were stiff.
"Here, just stuff your skirt
up between your legs,"
Mircea said briskly, and
made it almost a loincloth.
Amalia was blushing, but
it covered her thighs and
left her lower legs bare.
Not only her knees but
also her shins were bloody.
Igor cleaned those too,
picking out bits of grit
before wrapping them.
"When you fell, did you
ever hit your head or
your belly?" he said.
"No, I caught myself
with my hands, I'm just
scraped," said Amalia.
"Aside from scuffs or
bruises, do you have
any pain at all between
your shoulders and
knees?" said Igor.
"Not really," she said.
"My feet hurt, but they
always hurt when I
have been walking."
"That's common during
a pregnancy," said Igor.
"Many woman experience
sore feet or swollen ankles.
It helps to prop them up."
Then he looked at
her muddy dress.
"Would you like
some clean clothes?"
he offered. "We have
spare things for people
who need fresh ones,
or something warmer."
"Yes, please," she said.
"I didn't have time to change
into my outdoor clothes."
Igor opened the chest
again and started sorting
through the spare garments.
The ones hanging on pegs
around the room were mostly
sweaters, vests, or shawls.
Mircea shooed him away
and chose a woolen dress.
"This should fit," she said,
holding it up to Amalia. "Take
a shawl too -- you won't outgrow
that like you would a sweater."
Igor stepped into the kitchen
and searched his supplies of tea,
then chose a soothing blend
helpful during pregnancy.
When Mircea called out
that Amalia was done
changing clothes, Igor
went back into the room.
"Here, this settles tummies
and nerves alike," he said.
Amalia clutched the little jar.
"Why are you being so kind?"
she said. "I'm just a runaway."
"So was I, when I came here,"
said Mircea. "My people were
driven from our homes, but
the mazil took us in and
gave us a new home."
"I've done my share
of running in the past,"
Igor added. "I know what
it's like, so I try to be gentle
with other people in need."
"And now you all live here?"
said Amalia. "This valley
just takes in everyone?"
"Everyone who lives
by the laws," said Mircea.
"The land flourishes because
it is fed from so many sources
and nourished by so many cultures
and traditions and peoples," said Igor.
"Ah, that's true," said Amalia. "Villagers
rarely leave home, but travelers come
through from other places, Hungary and
Russia and such. Some of them stay."
"Our villagers speak several languages,"
said Igor. "It keeps life interesting."
"I liked listening to the guests in
Lord Grosu's castle," said Amalia.
"They sounded like that too."
"You will get a chance to hear
ours, when you go down to
the midwife," Igor replied.
"Ask around the village,
and people will help you
find work that you can do
while pregnant," said Mircea.
"The midwife is quite stern
about what is safe or not."
"That's true," said Igor.
"There is always spinning
or mending. We'll find you
a place to stay as well."
"Thank you," said Amalia.
"I guess I need ... everything."
"It will work out somehow,"
said Igor. "I'll go let Victor
know that we are ready
to go down to the village
whenever he finishes
talking with those men."
For all the day's upheavals,
it now looked as if they would
get at least one new resident.
Something good had come of it.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its notes appear separately.
janetmiles, chanter1944, and discussions with dialecticdreamer. It has been sponsored by janetmiles. This poem also fills the "Immigrant" square in my 7-1-25 card for the Western Bingo fest. It belongs to the series Frankenstein's Family and follows (several months later) the poems "Signs of Their Trespass" and "Incompetence, Sloppy Thinking, and Laziness" so read those first or this won't make much sense. It is the third in the triptych after "Strong, Competent, Capable" and "The Future by Consequence, the Past by Redemption."Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes unplanned and unmarried pregnancy, domestic abuse, partner loss, awkwardness, poor support back home, reference to other illegitimate children, severe personality changes, past family tragedies, complicated grief, scrapes and bruises, messy medical details, confusion, uncertainty, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Fed from So Many Sources"
Igor led the way toward
infirmary in the castle
as Mircea and Amalia
followed along behind.
Over time, Victor and
Igor had developed
an apothecary kitchen
with a small exam room
and larger ward space.
The exam room held
a little cot for humans
and a couple of straw ticks
on the floor for werewolves.
Other furnishings included
a storage chest, side tables,
wooden chairs, a broom, and
a box of cleaning supplies.
Mircea gave a wistful look
at the straw ticks, but she
settled for a chair instead.
Igor claimed a chair for
himself, then patted
the bed. "Sit here,"
he invited Amalia.
She sat down and
wrapped her arms
around her body.
"Now, I'll try not to be
too nosy," said Igor. "I
just want to make sure
that you're not hurt. You
can see the midwife for
more pregnancy concerns."
"All right," said Amalia.
"The midwife in my village
didn't really approve of me."
"Oh?" said Igor. "That
sounds like poor care."
"She's tired of Ghenadie
fathering bastards, even
though when it happened
to village girls, Lord Grosu
paid them to go away. It
was quite the windfall, and
I was hoping for the same."
"But it didn't turn out like
you expected?" said Igor.
"He tried to kill her,"
said Mircea. "He
smelled so angry."
"Ghenadie wasn't
always like that,"
said Amalia. "He
used to be a lot nicer,
even after a couple
of family tragedies."
"Recent problems?"
said Igor. "I haven't
heard of anything."
"No, earlier than that,"
said Amalia. "I think
his mother passed when
he was about ten, and
then his older brother
died several years later."
"Before we arrived here,
it sounds like," said Igor.
"Lord Grosu doesn't like
to talk about it," said Amalia.
"He got really sad both times."
"That's natural," said Igor.
"Grief can make it difficult
to get by, especially when
you have a lot to do or
multiple deaths occur."
"I think it's why Ghenadie
grew up so wild," said Amalia.
"His father was sad and busy,
so he ran about with friends
and took comfort in women."
"That appealed to you?"
said Igor. "He didn't
try to ... force you?"
"He was persistent,
but he gave nice gifts,
and he's very ... manly
in bed," said Amalia,
then grimaced. "But
when he came home,
he was just so scary."
Igor sighed. "We tried
to offer him opportunities
here, but he hated that."
"It was his own choice,"
said Mircea. "You tried."
"Amalia, did Ghenadie
ever strike you?" said Igor.
"No, never," she said. "I
know some men do that,
but he wasn't so rough."
"I just wanted to check,"
said Igor. "The girls here
weren't impressed with him."
"The local men mimic you
and Victor," said Mircea.
"That is much to live up to."
"Amalia, tell me more
about Ghenadie scaring
you," Igor coaxed her.
"When I told him about
our baby, he started roaring,"
said Amalia. "So I ran away
and hid in the village over
the night, then got up early
and went over the ridge."
"Did you get hurt in
escaping?" said Igor.
Amalia looked down
at her hands. "I fell
a few times," she said.
"Not far, but I scraped
my hands and knees."
Igor opened the trunk
and pulled out a box
of first aid supplies.
"Let me see," he said.
"I can take care of those."
Amalia hesitated, looking
at Mircea for reassurance.
"Igor is safe," said Mircea.
"He will be gentle and not
touch where he shouldn't."
Amalia showed her hands,
the palms crusted with
dried blood, dirt, and
what looked like resin.
"Oh dear," said Igor.
"That looks dreadful.
Hold still for me, and I'll
clean this quick as I can."
It was still miserable, and
he didn't want to offer Amalia
a painkiller because of the baby.
After Igor covered her hands
with salve and bandages,
he said. "Knees too?"
She shuffled her skirt,
but her hands were stiff.
"Here, just stuff your skirt
up between your legs,"
Mircea said briskly, and
made it almost a loincloth.
Amalia was blushing, but
it covered her thighs and
left her lower legs bare.
Not only her knees but
also her shins were bloody.
Igor cleaned those too,
picking out bits of grit
before wrapping them.
"When you fell, did you
ever hit your head or
your belly?" he said.
"No, I caught myself
with my hands, I'm just
scraped," said Amalia.
"Aside from scuffs or
bruises, do you have
any pain at all between
your shoulders and
knees?" said Igor.
"Not really," she said.
"My feet hurt, but they
always hurt when I
have been walking."
"That's common during
a pregnancy," said Igor.
"Many woman experience
sore feet or swollen ankles.
It helps to prop them up."
Then he looked at
her muddy dress.
"Would you like
some clean clothes?"
he offered. "We have
spare things for people
who need fresh ones,
or something warmer."
"Yes, please," she said.
"I didn't have time to change
into my outdoor clothes."
Igor opened the chest
again and started sorting
through the spare garments.
The ones hanging on pegs
around the room were mostly
sweaters, vests, or shawls.
Mircea shooed him away
and chose a woolen dress.
"This should fit," she said,
holding it up to Amalia. "Take
a shawl too -- you won't outgrow
that like you would a sweater."
Igor stepped into the kitchen
and searched his supplies of tea,
then chose a soothing blend
helpful during pregnancy.
When Mircea called out
that Amalia was done
changing clothes, Igor
went back into the room.
"Here, this settles tummies
and nerves alike," he said.
Amalia clutched the little jar.
"Why are you being so kind?"
she said. "I'm just a runaway."
"So was I, when I came here,"
said Mircea. "My people were
driven from our homes, but
the mazil took us in and
gave us a new home."
"I've done my share
of running in the past,"
Igor added. "I know what
it's like, so I try to be gentle
with other people in need."
"And now you all live here?"
said Amalia. "This valley
just takes in everyone?"
"Everyone who lives
by the laws," said Mircea.
"The land flourishes because
it is fed from so many sources
and nourished by so many cultures
and traditions and peoples," said Igor.
"Ah, that's true," said Amalia. "Villagers
rarely leave home, but travelers come
through from other places, Hungary and
Russia and such. Some of them stay."
"Our villagers speak several languages,"
said Igor. "It keeps life interesting."
"I liked listening to the guests in
Lord Grosu's castle," said Amalia.
"They sounded like that too."
"You will get a chance to hear
ours, when you go down to
the midwife," Igor replied.
"Ask around the village,
and people will help you
find work that you can do
while pregnant," said Mircea.
"The midwife is quite stern
about what is safe or not."
"That's true," said Igor.
"There is always spinning
or mending. We'll find you
a place to stay as well."
"Thank you," said Amalia.
"I guess I need ... everything."
"It will work out somehow,"
said Igor. "I'll go let Victor
know that we are ready
to go down to the village
whenever he finishes
talking with those men."
For all the day's upheavals,
it now looked as if they would
get at least one new resident.
Something good had come of it.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its notes appear separately.
Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-24 12:28 pm (UTC)I can't wait to find out!
Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-24 09:58 pm (UTC)Agreed.
>> Does her own village have a midwife? <<
It does, but said midwife disapproves of both Amalia and Ghenadie. Admittedly she's sick of his habit of fathering bastards, but that's no excuse for taking it out on pregnant girls. Think of the stuck-up cunts who work at community clinics and look down their nose at anyone requesting condoms.
>> Will Ghenadie's father want her safe with access to good medical care, or will he insist on her presence in his household immediately, to cement the idea that she's carrying the heir? <<
I think Lord Grosu will want her safe, but the poor man is already a wreck and this is going to be the last straw. You nailed it with predicting that he just wishes he could retire and fob off the valley on someone else. Anyone else. He might waffle or quibble over details, but I suspect that he'll take solutions offered to him by other people just because he is out of spoons to deal with things on his own.
>> I can't wait to find out! <<
The August 5 fishbowl will be on "Books and Learning" which reasonably fits this storyline.
Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-24 11:39 pm (UTC)She'd end up on the wrong side of the social ladder, and deserves every minute of the comeuppance.
Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-25 06:32 pm (UTC)She's probably done it to most if not all of Ghenadie's girls, and possibly anyone else who got pregnant before getting married.
>> the midwife deserves to be hired away to Vladimir's former hometown. Looks lovely, full of stuck up snobs. *G*<<
The challenge would be finding a trained replacement.
>>She'd end up on the wrong side of the social ladder, and deserves every minute of the comeuppance.<<
LOL yes.
Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-25 07:29 pm (UTC)Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-26 12:51 am (UTC)Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-26 01:11 am (UTC)Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-26 10:04 am (UTC)That's a good idea. I don't think the midwife has an apprentice, but there could well be a girl in that valley who would like to learn from a better teacher.
>> It's best for the first few hours of labor, when things are progressing slowly. A midwife can handle most minor complications, including common breech presentations. <<
True.
>> A doctor... at the time, a doctor's interference would be a Hail Mary to keep from losing both mother and baby. <<
Few male doctors back then would have anything to do with "female problems" and there were almost no female doctors. It really was up to the midwives.
Of course, Victor and Igor are flukes; they had a lot to do with pregnant women and serious complications while trying to build a baby from spare parts.
>>They were still at "healing pus" surgical knowledge, which is VERY dangerous for both mother and newborn.<<
Hell, local-America is the same with psychological injuries. They almost never do anything to help until a problem is already quite serious. 0_o
Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-26 11:35 am (UTC)Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-27 09:53 am (UTC)In fact, Josefa's apprentice is married (to another woman) but they don't want to move. You'd have to find someone in the other valley to train, and it's harder for a married woman to find time.
>> I do wonder what Grosu would think of the whole situation, though. How much of his son's attitude comes from him, or is it more from his father's preoccupation with other things? <<
Lord Grosu certainly is not progressive, but he's ready to retire and that makes him less inclined to argue. I think the period-typical noble sense of entitlement got out of hand when Ghenadie was running wild -- a common problem at that time.
Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-27 02:05 pm (UTC)LOL. This could be a very interesting plot thread.
Re: Oh, I can't wait
Date: 2025-07-28 02:25 am (UTC)That sounds possible. The place has been a grease trap for what, 15 years or so.
>> So, a progressive person would want to slip in a few changes that they like, while less progressive people would want things to stay the same EXCEPT they "get more respect."<<
Also true.
>> LOL. This could be a very interesting plot thread.<<
That's good to hear.