Chapter 1

Violent coughs filled the air as the woman doubled over, clutching her stomach. She gasped for air between each cough as her body strained to keep itself off of the ground.

"Mother!" A female screamed, rushing over to her mother. She placed a hand on her mother's arm, clearly unsure about what to do.

"Kurogane!" She yelled, searching around for both her brother and her mother's medicine. "Oh mother we told you not to get out of bed! Kurogane! Mother needs help!"

The woman gasped again, her thin hand reaching out and grabbed her daughter's shoulder, nails biting into her flesh. The girl winced, and let out a startled cry when her mother's body fell limp, as she fainted, falling into her daughters' arms.

The small girl stumbled back from the extra weight, she managed to keep herself upright, but her mother was a lot taller and heavier, even in her weakened state, and she could feel her legs shaking, about to buckle under the extra weight.

"Kurogane!" She screamed, her eyes stinging as tears of worry and frustration threatened to fall down her face.

"Tomoyo!" Kurogane's voice came from behind her, and she could hear his hurried footsteps as he ran over to her. A broad hand landed on her back, stopping her from falling, and within a moment the weight of her mother was gone.

Tomoyo glanced up at her brother relieved. He shifted the body in his arms as if she weighed nothing and carried his mother over to the small pallet she had been laying on earlier. He placed her gently down on the bed and covered her up. Kurogane turned his attention to Tomoyo. "What happened?" He asked.

Tomoyo bit her lip. "I don't know…." She mumbled. "I was just walking by to check up on her; I could hear her coughing. And when I came over here she was out of bed. I called for you just a little bit before she fainted…" Tomoyo explained, looking worriedly at her mother.

Kurogane nodded slightly, and reached down into a small pouch that hung by his hip. He rummaged through it and pulled out a small bottle full of a red liquid.

"Is that from Yuuko-san?" Tomoyo asked, hesitantly.

Kurogane shook his head, black hair swaying with the movement. "No, we can't get anything from that witch for a while. We're running out of 'precious items'." He said with a roll of his eyes. He motioned for Tomoyo to come closer. "Come on, help me get her to take this."

Tomoyo nodded and knelt down beside her mother. "You're going to have to get her to help us soon…" She mumbled, reaching out and shaking her mother's shoulder gently. "Mother, it's time to get up, we need you to take some medicine."

"I know that!" Kurogane snapped back, but watched his mothers face for signs that she was waking. "But we have to wait until Father gets back. He should have something that could be of value to her."

'Will mother even last long enough for father to return?' Tomoyo thought, dismally.

Their mother moaned softly, woken up by the hand shaking her and the gruff voice coming from the right of her. Her violet eyes opened, and she gave a weak smile when she saw her children before her.

"Ah, my children," She croaked, her voice coming out in a rasp whisper that was lined with delirium.

"Mother we need you to take this," Kurogane said softly, showing her the bottle of medicine. That woman whimpered and shook her head.

Kurogane sighed, it was a very rare occasion when his mother actually agreed to take medicine of any type, even when she wasn't delirious.

"Mother take it, please! It'll make you better!" Tomoyo pleaded, but even she knew that it was useless. They would more than likely have to force her to take it.

"Either take it yourself or we'll force you." Kurogane threatened. She had been sick on and off for years now, even before Tomoyo had been born, and Kurogane knew that as much as she hated taking medicine she hated getting forced to take it more.

"F-fine…" She croaked, her tone suggesting that if she had been well enough she would have pouted.

Kurogane popped off the cork with his teeth and spat if off to the side. He motioned for Tomoyo to help her mother into an upright position. When she was up, he pressed the bottle to her lips, and tilted the bottle, letting the contents of it slip past her slightly parted lips.

She shuttered at the bitter taste, but forced herself to swallow.

When she had downed the rest of the bottle she slumped, her energy spent.

Kurogane helped Tomoyo lower her body back down. "Get some rest Mother." Kurogane said, moving the blankets back into place. "Ring the bell if you need anything." With that said he stood up and let the room.

Tomoyo looked down at her mother, who had already fallen asleep again, and smiled a sad smile. "Please get better Momma." She whispered, leaning down and giving her the best hug she could in the awkward position. She placed a kiss to her mother's cheek, and left the room so that her mother could get some much needed rest.