Their next stop was a tavern in a small village. They had entered the Duchy of Vignere, held as far as Jasper knew by by Duke Gareth, who was a loyal follower of Jasper's father. Gareth was married to one of the King's sisters, Jasper's aunt. Jasper hoped she might confide to Princess Meghan and seek her help to head East.
Simon and the boy removed a cask of wine from the back of the wagon, with the help of a local. They remained inside the tavern, Jasper assumed they were receiving payment. A maid delivered Jasper two boiled eggs, a stale loaf and a pint of weak ale.
'Thank you miss' she said to the teenage girl who had delivered the food 'Can you tell me if there is a privy I might use?'
'What's a privy?'
'A latrine. A toilet'
'I have no idea what you are talking about'
'Where should I go to relieve myself? I also need to replace the babies diaper'
'Oh you mean you need to have a shit? Behind that hedge over there. There is a stream on the far side of that paddock. You can rinse your things there'
Jasper took the baby with her. All she found behind the hedge was a faeces filled ditch. Unlike royalty, peasant woman did not possess underwear. This had been an advantage last night when Jasper first had to urinate. She had just spread her legs and let the urine trickle to the ground. However she was aware that the urine dribbled down her legs and later discovered her petticoats were wet. She very much wished she access to a privy such the concubines had in the palace. She recalled the concubines also wore silken shorts under their skirts and items of clothing that boosted their breasts to enhance their cleavage. When Jasper had changed she found herself without such undergarments.
Jasper was more careful this time making sure the long skirt of her dress did not fall into the ditch. She only had the one dress and could not afford to have it further ruined. She squatted over the ditch voiding her bladder and bowels. She had to use a thatch of grass to wipe herself under her petticoats. This was the first time she had touched her new anatomy. It did not feel erotic at all while squatting over a reeking ditch.
That task completed she removed the babies now soiled diaper and emptied what shit she could into the ditch before trudging down to the small stream. There she rinsed both the diaper and her inner petticoat. She had found two linen petticoats under her skirt. Once satisfied that the clothes were as clean as possible she wrung as much water as she could from them and returned to the wagon. She spread the petticoat to dry and put the damp diaper back on Bry.
While waiting for Simon and boy to return, she attempted to repair the bodice of her dress. It had been torn last night by the soldiers. She at least was able to fix it so her breasts were properly covered.
They reached the next town an hour later. They were stopped by a rebel force at the gates and the wagon searched once more. With her now black hair Jasper was no longer questioned although the soldiers stared at her lecherously. This time they were allowed to enter. It seemed Marcus had given Simon a document that allowed him to pass.
Jasper was shocked by what she saw in the town. Corpses were lying in the street, many in royalist uniforms, others appeared to be civilians. There were even dead women, clearly the victims of rape. Jasper had to avert her gaze.
The wagon stopped at a tavern in town. This time 3 casks were delivered. The tavern was very busy filled with drunken rebel soldiers. This time Simon asked the boy, Damon to 'Stay with "Jasmine" and her child' Jasper hid amongst the casks and suckled Bry.
When Simon returned he seemed glum. 'We must go quickly. The rebel army has marched on Vingery. I fear for Patricia'