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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jun 29, 2008 2:27:29 GMT -5
I lay there, mind blank except one stray thought. "Bed," I whispered, illness making me even more stubborn, if that was possible. I coughed a few more times, but was able to ease my breathing before it could become an attack like last time.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jun 29, 2008 14:08:35 GMT -5
“You’re in bed, love,” I whispered, wiping his brow again. His coughing scared me, it sounded so harsh and painful. “Can you drink something? Water or tea? It will help your throat.”
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jun 30, 2008 18:31:14 GMT -5
I nodded and let her help me with the tea. Stubborn as I was, I couldn't order her to rest, I could only shout orders in my mind. It was so frustrating.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jun 30, 2008 20:47:55 GMT -5
I helped him with the tea and then set the cup aside. As I was turning back to him, a stabbing pain in my stomach made me gasp. I gripped the edge of the nightstand to keep from doubling over.
Henrietta came rushing back, looking scared and anxious to help. She drew closer and I shot her a look that stopped her midstep and then sent her scurrying back towards the door.
Taking a slow breath, I sat up and looked at Christophe again. “Will you try to eat?” I asked softly.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 2, 2008 14:04:47 GMT -5
The tea soothed my throat enough that I could whisper a few more words. "Only if you lie down," I croaked, the fear lancing through me at her gasp making my head spin again.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 2, 2008 14:50:28 GMT -5
“Alright,” I said, giving in to keep him calm. “After you’ve eaten some, I will lay down, I promise.”
I picked up a bit of the very soft bread and dipped the edge in a bit of honey. “Here, love.”
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 2, 2008 16:00:44 GMT -5
Usually when she fed me it was wonderful. But right now, when I was too weak and dizzy to do it myself, it was frustrating. Especially knowing that she was getting sick, and I was the cause. But I did my best to swallow the food, though it scratched my throat as it went down. It felt good once it hit my belly, the nausea quiet for now, thank the gods.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 2, 2008 17:00:09 GMT -5
“How was that?” I asked, tearing off another piece, making sure to keep the bits small. “More honey?”
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 3, 2008 0:40:56 GMT -5
I nodded, thinking the honey would help it go down. I didn't try to talk, not wanting to have another coughing fit.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 3, 2008 12:00:16 GMT -5
I covered this bit liberally in honey, enough so that it ought to just slide down on its own, and offered it to him.
Pain shot through my stomach again, but I managed to do no more than wince slightly, not wanting to get him any more worked up.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 3, 2008 13:28:54 GMT -5
"More tea please," I whispered. Even with the extra honey, my throat felt like a desert after eating those two little pieces of bread. I prayed that the churigeon came soon, I hated to see Mala like this.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 3, 2008 18:02:35 GMT -5
“Of course, my love.” I refilled his cup and held it up for him to drink from. He seemed so much worse, it terrified me and made my heart pound even faster.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 4, 2008 0:39:55 GMT -5
I drank my tea and had a little more bread before I relaxed back against the pillow, afraid if I had any more that it wouldn't stay down. "Come lie down my love," I whispered, weakly patting the empty spot beside me.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 4, 2008 13:11:15 GMT -5
I opened my mouth to protest that he hadn’t eaten enough, but I stopped. It probably was best not to push and just make him worked up again. If what he’d eaten stayed down that would be the best. Nodding slightly, I stood and walked around the bed so I could lie beside him.
I’d just made it around the foot on my side of the bed when my stomach cramped with such sudden intensity the pain dropped me to my knees as I cried out. I clutched my stomach as fear followed quickly on the heels of the pain. Nononononono if I was sick I couldn’t take care of Christophe oh gods oh gods.
I felt a hand on my arm and realized Henrietta must have rushed over the instant I started to go down she was there so quickly. I let her help me sit up on the side of the bed as I tried to recover enough to tell her what I wanted done.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 4, 2008 23:42:32 GMT -5
"Mala?" I asked, panic shooting through me. I struggled to sit up, my head spinning as I reached for her.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 5, 2008 0:10:12 GMT -5
I reached out and gripped Christophe’s leg, the part of him closest to me.
“Lay down,” I told him, trying to sound more steady and commanding than I felt.
I turned my attention to Henrietta. “Go find out how long until the chirrugeon is here. Get Benjamin to come up here to help Christophe into the bath, he’s strong enough. Go, now.”
Henrietta ran off and I looked at Christophe again.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 6, 2008 1:25:31 GMT -5
I almost continued to panic, but forced the emotional switch off between my will and perchance to obey. I sagged back against the pillows, the momentary struggle having drained me, and simply concentrated on my breathing. I forced the fear aside. Now was not the time.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 6, 2008 1:35:32 GMT -5
Seeing that he had obeyed, I slowly moved to lay beside him, resting my head against him arm. I wanted to lay it on his chest but I thought that might be too hard for him.
“I love you,” I whispered.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 11, 2008 10:34:37 GMT -5
"I love you too." I replied in a whisper as well, not trusting my throat beyond that. Her cheek rested against my arm, the heat of our combined skin scorching. But it was worth it to have her here touching me, so I didn't say anything. But it was hard to keep the fear at bay.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 11, 2008 11:55:40 GMT -5
There was the sound of something large approaching quickly and Benjamin entered, looking as if he’d run all the way from his usual place in the kitchens or stables. He looked at me, wide eyed and questioning.
“I want you to help Christophe,” I said, moving to where I was sitting leaning back against the headboard, an action that made me dizzy. “He needs to take a cool bath to try and break his fever. The bath is ready, I just want you to make sure he doesn’t fall or get hurt.”
I turned my attention to Christophe. “Please my love, go do as the healer said and I will be here when you get back.”
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 12, 2008 11:49:13 GMT -5
I knew I had to. I knew no matter how much my body protested, I needed the bath. "Right," I said, before forcing my legs to swing to the ground.
It wasn't that bad as long as I moved slowly. My head spun, but in a way that I could keep my bearings. I got up slowly, clutching the head board, and Benjamin rushed over to take my other arm. I could feel him hesitate for a moment, eyeing the rash on my chest, but to his credit he helped me to the bathroom, my arm around his shoulders after I let go of my death grip on the bed.
It took a little maneuvering, but I finally got in the tub, hissing as the ice cold water assaulted my feverish skin.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 12, 2008 11:56:05 GMT -5
As soon as Christophe was out of sight and earshot, I curled up around myself and the pain in my stomach. My head was pounding and my throat was even rawer than before. I closed my eyes for a moment, sending out prayers to the gods.
Then there was a knock on the door and the Henrietta led the chirrugeon in. She examined me, confirming my fears that I too had the plague. She gave me some medicine, including a willow bark tea she instructed Henrietta to prepare immediately for the fever.
“Please, Christophe’s in the bath, will you look at him before you leave. He’s even got the rash,” I asked her in a voice raw with pain and fear. Nodding, she gathered her things and went to check on Christophe.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 14, 2008 0:44:26 GMT -5
When the chirrugeon came in, I was in the tub of cold water. I knew, I knew the water was cold. But I was still boiling up, and it didn't feel cool in the least.
"How's Mala?" I croaked, needing to know before she examined any part of me.
"She's ill," she replied without preamble. I was grateful for her bluntness, even as I sank against the porcelain. My love is sick. And I gave it to her. Oh Kushiel, not this...
I followed her every instruction, my mind dazed with the knowledge that I had done something so horrific. I should have begged her to stay away, to save herself. Oh gods...
Finally, the chirrugeon's voice interrupted my guilt-ridden thoughts. "I'll come back in the morning. If the gods are smiling, the fever should break soon. Keep taking your medicine."
I managed to nod, then motioned Benjamin over as she took her leave. He helped me up and to a bench nearby as I dripped all over the floor. A quick toweling and I moved with a slow and heavy step back to the bedroom. Benjamin helped me into bed and I curled around Mala. "I'm so sorry my love," I whispered with a broken voice.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 14, 2008 11:17:14 GMT -5
While the chirrugeon was off examining Christophe, Henrietta returned with my tea which I drank quickly just to get it over with. I was laying on my side, my body raging a battle between wanting to sleep and wanting to purge itself of the tea in my stomach, when Christophe returned. His words undid me and I began to cry again as I pressed against him. There was a wretched, pitiful note to my crying that I detested but couldn’t stop, I just felt so horrible and was so scared for both of us.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 18, 2008 23:31:22 GMT -5
I wrapped my arms around her with what little strength I had. She was so scared she was sobbing, and it was all my fault. We might die and it was my fault. Ohgodsohgodsohgods... I lay there shivering, and I didn't know if it was from the illness or my own fears.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 18, 2008 23:43:41 GMT -5
Eventually I stopped crying and was left hollow and exhausted.
“I love you,” I whispered. Even that made my throat ache but it seemed so very important to say it.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 19, 2008 0:07:19 GMT -5
"I'm so sorry," I whispered back, voice breaking. I buried my face in her hair, not wanting her to see my face. She was scared enough, I didn't want to compound the problem.
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 20, 2008 10:53:41 GMT -5
I brought my hand up and my fingers found his cheek, touching it softly. “tell me you love me,” I whispered, needing to hear him say it.
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Post by Christophe Legard nó Shahrizai on Jul 20, 2008 22:02:49 GMT -5
"I love you," I whispered as a single tear leaked from my eye and into her hair. "I love you, I love you, I love you."
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Malabelle Shahrizai
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Post by Malabelle Shahrizai on Jul 21, 2008 1:13:49 GMT -5
A portion of my fear drifted away with his words. I pressed myself closer to him. Not only did I want to feel him, but he felt so nicely cool against my burning skin.
“I need to sleep,” I murmured, feeling myself slipping off already.
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