Title: My Turn
Author: LadyAzelas- Just call me Phisk.
Rating: T
Pairing: Marcus/Esca
Summary: When Esca becomes deathly ill, it's up to Marcus to travel back North to find the place Esca calls "The Heart of the Forest" in order to obtain the cure. It becomes a race against time as Esca fights for his life that is slowly ebbing away. Can Marcus make it? Maybe maybe not, I'll let you the readers decide what happens to Esca.
A/N: 1. Yes this is a slash, if you don't like it don't read it.
2. I will let you the readers decide what happens to Esca, I feel as if the readers aren't really involved with the work and I would like to give you the option, but you MUST review in order to make that happen.
3. Popular vote is what decides it, and please people, no arguing or your votes will NOT count, I will delete the reviews and ban you from placing another vote. Please respect other peoples opinions. Thank you.
HAVE FUN! Oh and keep some tissues at your side.
Marcus stood in the doorway of his bedroom watching as the Doctor treated Esca on the Briton male was breathing fast shallow breaths, coughing harshly, and a light sweat on his forehead and chest. Marcus felt a pang of worry in his heart as he saw his lover struggle to stay awake to take the medicine. His eyes traveled from the doctor to Marcus and gave a weak smile. Marcus knew that Esca was trying to stay strong for him, was trying to prove he wasn't weak, he was stubborn like that, but Marcus could see the pain and uncertainty in the Brigantes son's eyes.
The Doctor looked up from Esca and got up, he smiled at the younger man and walked to the door where Marcus stood. He motioned for the former centurion to follow him, Marcus looked at Esca motioning that he would return shortly and followed the other man until they were well out of range.
"How is he?" Marcus asked. The Doctor sighed and rubbed his face gently, he looked at the larger man almost sadly, Marcus' heart turned colder than ice and dropped into his stomach. "Bad?" he asked.
"I'm going to be honest, I don't know what it is, I've never seen anything like this before, not in and Romans, which I know he's not." There was a pause, Marcus looked back into his Uncle's house, he could clearly see Esca being fussed over by his Uncle, who has grown to love the Briton as his own son, and Stephanos, who has grown to love Esca as a brother.
"Marcus," the doctor said after a moment, shaking Marcus from his thoughts. Marcus looked at him with hard eyes. "Esca's dying, slowly but surely, he will die," Marcus felt tears burn his eyes but didn't let them fall. It couldn't be happening, Esca was the strongest man he knew, there was no way he was going to let a simple illness drag him down. He looked at the doctor clearing his throat.
"And there's nothing you can do?" he asked. The doctor shook his head looking at the ground, Marcus bit the inside of his cheek to keep the sob from escaping his lips. "Thank you for coming, you can go," he said. The doctor nodded and bowed his head walking away. Marcus stood there silently with his thoughts taking a few deep breaths.
Once he was calm enough he walked back into the bedroom and looked at Esca lying weakly on the bed, hand on his stomach that was ever so slightly moving with every precious breath he took. Marcus closed the door to the room with a soft click and walked to the bed sitting down on the chair next to their bed, just staring down at his lover.
Marcus reached out to Esca stroking his hair gently, it was soaked with sweat from his fever that was still burning. Marcus reached over to the basin of cool water and took the cloth ringing it out before he gently dabbed at Esca's forehead with it. The young man winced and groaned softly, turning his head toward Marcus. He opened his eyes slowly and smiled weakly at him.
"Marcus," he croaked gently. Marcus hushed him gently and grabbed Esca's hand gently, it was clammy and cold in the former commander's grasp despite the fever. Marcus squeezed it gently and pressed his lips to it.
"Don't talk, Esca, save your strength," he murmured lovingly. Esca smiled, but it faltered as another coughing fit of many started. Marcus gently sat him up and rubbed his back gently. When it passed Marcus laid him down again keeping his head propped up as he put water to his lips. Esca drank slowly and sighed gratefully when he finished.
Marcus sighed and held Esca's hand tightly in both of his the cloth resting on Esca's forehead."The doctor said..there was nothing he could do," he started Esca looked at him with tired eyes. "He said that you were going to die," Marcus picked his head up and looked at his love with sad eyes. "I don't want to believe him Esca, you're going to be all right, I know you are," he said gently. Esca smiled and gave a quiet cough before shaking his head.
"Marcus...this illness I have, there is only one cure, but it lies deep in the center of the glens, the Heart of the Forest, even if you could find it the journey is too long, I would be long dead and gone before you got back," he said. Marcus looked down at him desperation and fear in his eyes.
"No," he said firmly. "I won't let that happen, I'll go tonight, and I'll keep riding until I find it," he said putting his hand to Esca's forehead stroking his hair back. Esca leaned into the touch his eyes closing again, it wasn't a minute later that he his hand fell limp in Marcus' grasp. The former centurion kissed his forehead gently holding Esca's hand tightly.
"Sleep now Esca, I'll be back in a few days with the cure, I promise," he said gently against his lovers skin. "I love you Esca," he muttered and reluctantly left their bedroom.
Marcus had finished packing as he set up his horse, his uncle was looking at him sadly from the entrance of the stables, Marcus looked at him from the corner of his eyes before he went back to brushing his horse.
"I have to do it Uncle," he said simply. The elder nodded and crossed his arms across his chest looking at his nephew. He saw the same determined look in his eyes as he has seen with his brother many times.
"Marcus...you shouldn't leave, I know you want to save Esca, but it just doesn't look like he's going to last any more than two weeks, and who knows how long it will take you to find this place, you don't even know where to start!" he said looking at his nephew pleadingly. Marcus sighed and lead his horse out petting him lightly.
"Yes I do, I'll start by going North, the tribes have to know where this place is, they have to know how to save Esca, he said it wasn't uncommon for them to get so sick, some where there's some tribe that knows how to help him," he said and got on his horse.
"You don't even know how to speak the language!" Uncle Aquila argued. Marcus smiled softly and looked at him.
"Yes, I do Uncle," he let a wider grin spread to his eyes. "Esca taught me, I'll be back soon, I need you and Stephanos to look after him, and keep him alive for as long as possible. Do anything in your power to make sure tha the doesn't give up on me," he said and kicked his horse to a gallop as he headed North, towards Hadrian's wall.