Disclaimer: I don't own any Septimus Heap characters :(
Authors Note: Hi, this is my first fanfic so if you either like it or don't, please tell me in the comments.
Septimus had found his way back to his Time. He had stolen the Keye from Marcellus and was about to Pass Through the True Glass of Time when the panicked ghost of Alther Mella appeared in the Time Looking Glass hanging on the wall beside him. Alther spoke to Septimus from what appeared to be the Infirmary 500 years in the future "Septimus, it's Marcia, she's been bitten by the Aie-Aie!"
For the past six months, Septimus had been extremely worried about the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. He knew it was dangerous for anyone to try to contact him, so, Alther would only try to contact him in an emergency. "Alther, I'll be right there, I've stolen the Keye from Marcellus. I'm on my way." Septimus whispered to the ghost for fear of being heard. With that, Alther disappeared, Septimus opened the doors to the True Glass of Time and bounded through.
Septimus wound up in the Royal Robing Room, the place where Marcellus Pye had first pulled him into the glass. He sprinted through the palace corridors, across the lawns and through the streets until he reached the Infirmary. He dashed inside without greeting Sarah Heap, his mother. Lying in the middle of the floor, on a thin, moth eaten mattress, was Marcia. Septimus raced over and knelt beside her along with Jenna, Nicko, Snorri and Alther. Instead of her usual purple ExtraOrdinary Wizards tunic, she wore a white nightdress and was drenched in a cold sweat. Her Magykal green eyes were dull and lifeless, she was deathly pale and thinner than usual. The only splash of color on her was the gold and blue Akhu Amulet that still hung forlornly around her neck.
Seeing Marcia like this, no matter how bossy, disapproving or even self-centered she could be, was enough to make Septimus feel the sting of tear bite at the back of his eyes. He grabbed her hand "Marcia, Marcia can you hear me?"
Marcia's dull green eyes lit up at the sound of his voice and her cheeks regained a bit of color. "Septimus, S-Septimus it.." she stopped and squeezed her eyes shut as though she was in unbearable pain. Septimus could only watch uselessly as two tears slid down her pale face. "It hurts all over," she continued, "even if I am ExtraOrdinary Wizard I can't do anything now." At this point Marcia had lost all of her will to retain any dignity and started crying. Septimus helped her sit up and wrapped his arms around her as she cried silently into his shirt.
Even if Septimus was ExtraOrdinary Apprentice, he could do nothing. He knew no Magyk that was of any use to the problem at hand; so, he sat with Marcia until she had fallen asleep. Septimus beckoned to his mother and asked, "So, what's the story here?" "Well, Alther was out walking.. um, floating and he found Marcia unconscious on the Queens Way. He came and told me right away. Gringe caught the Aie-Aie and drowned it; then he and your father Sealed the ghosts of Queen Etheldredda and the Aie-Aie back in the attic." Sarah answered. "Good, it's gone, now it can't bite anyone else, but, what about those who have already been bitten?" he said gesturing towards the few people lying around the floor. Sarah sighed, "I don't know Sep." She stood up and left to go speak with Alther.
After thinking for 3 solid minutes, Septimus turned to face Jenna, Nicko, and Snorri. "Ideas, anyone?" he asked. "Nope." Nicko answered as he stood up to leave. "My break ends in 5 minutes and Jannit will kill me if I'm late." Nicko said as he strode out the door. After a few minutes, Snorri looked as though she had forgotten something and dashed out the door muttering something in her own language. Septimus and Jenna thought they heard her say "Ullr". "Sep, I've got to tell you something…" Jenna began, "Alther only told me, but, I think you should know. Alther thinks Marcia was unconscious on Queens Way for a long time before anyone found her." Jenna finished solemnly. "What? That's insane Jen!" Septimus exclaimed. " No, not really, people were terrified of Queens Way because of the Aie-Aie. No one would go near it. Ghosts were the only ones who were safe so it makes sense that Alther found her." Jenna finished. Jenna lowered her voice, "Another thing Sep, when Alther found Marcia, she was almost dead." Jenna whispered.
Septimus quickly formed a plan. "Jen, hurry, go and get blankets, cushions and pillows from the palace." Septimus instructed. "What on earth for?" Jenna asked, dumbfounded. "We're going to stay the night. I won't leave Marcia." He said firmly. "Alright Sep, we'll stay, but, we're only 13, what can we do to help an adult? Especially the ExtraOrdinary Wizard." She said glumly
Jenna raced up the palace steps and into the nearest storage room she could find. She quickly grabbed as many cushions, blankets and pillows as she could carry, turned on her heels and dashed through the palace. She leapt out of the palace and bounded through the streets and alleys that lead to the Infirmary.
Exactly 15 minutes later, Jenna returned, hidden behind a cushiony, red mass. She dumped them on the floor in front of Septimus and the two set to work making two beds, Septimus next to Marcia and Jenna next to him.
Septimus sat awake, staring at the seemingly dead form of Marcia. Her breathing was shallow and uneven. Tears slid down Septimus' face and he sniffed loudly. "Meh…wazzat?" Jenna muttered, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "I just feel so…. useless!" Septimus spat, "even if I am ExtraOrdinary Apprentice and I was an Alchemie and Physik Apprentice, I can't do anything now." He sighed. "Sep, it'll be okay." Jenna comforted. "How? How? Marcia is dying!" Septimus yelled, slamming his hand down, landing his fist on Marcia's pillow, and narrowly missing her head. On contact, he yelped in pain, leaving Jenna sniggering "Oh, come on Sep, it's a pillow" she teased. "Yeah, well, there's something hard in it." Septimus retorted. Jenna slid her hand under Marcia's pillowcase and pulled out a small black book. "Sep, I think it's Marcia's diary." Whispered a shocked Jenna. "Read the last entry." Septimus instructed. "What? Why?" Jenna asked, alarmed. "Maybe it says something about what happens to me if she dies." Septimus said. Reluctantly, Jenna flipped through the pages until she found the last entry and began reading.
There was an expectant pause as Jenna read. "She loves you." Jenna gasped. "Yuk, she's way older than me!" Septimus said, taken aback. Jenna rolled here eyes, "No you dillop, it says I love Septimus like a son, and now I'll never see him again." Septimus snatched the book from Jenna's grasp and read it once, twice, three times over. When Septimus looked up Jenna again saw tears sliding down his face. Septimus leaned over Marcia and attempted to hug her, (this didn't really work seeing as Marcia was asleep) "I love you too." He whispered.
Septimus rolled over and looked at Marcia, had he heard her crying or was it just a dream? "Marcia, are you alright?" he asked. Much to his surprise, she nodded. "Yeah, I'm just scared." She took a shaky breath "I know I'm going to die, so I've just been waiting to." "You're not going to die, I promise." Marcia smiled for the first time in days "Thank you" she breathed. Septimus pulled on his boots and dragged Jenna out of bed. Without saying anything, he led her towards the door. As they traveled through street after street, Septimus explained to Jenna his latest idea "While I was Marcellus' Apprentice, I told him about the Sicknesse and he said that he said he might be able to do something. Now, he's our only hope." He said turning to face Marcellus' house
Septimus pushed open the door and ran inside, closely followed by Jenna. "Marcellus!" he shouted. The alchemist crashed directly into them. Septimus quickly explained everything to Marcellus who left and returned with a phial of blue liquid and a small slip of paper. "On that paper is the instructions for duplicating the contents of that phial, now go! Quickly!" Marcellus instructed.
"Marcia, Marcia, wake up!" Septimus called, shaking her shoulder. She did not stir. "Marcia, please!" he called again. Oh, please don't let her be dead he thought. To his great relief, she slowly opened her eyes. In the early morning light, Septimus noticed that her eyes were now almost completely colorless. "Her eyes, what's happened to them?" "It's the Sicknesse." Septimus answered grimly. Septimus helped her sit up and handed her the phial. "Drink this," he told her. She drank it and her eyes shone beautiful emerald green again. She started coughing violently and then she finally spoke " Oh, do I have a headache." Septimus laughed. All was well.