The Shaman King and the Maid
Chapter 4
S-I-C-K
***S is for staying calm whenever you see a girl collapsing in front of you***
Yoh was quick enough to catch Anna before she hit the floor. He panicked when he saw her unconscious. He laid her on the couch. Honestly, he didn't know what to do. His instincts told him to get a basin of water and a towel. He placed his hand on her forehead and realized that she was burning with fever. Yoh started wiping Anna's face. Anna soon gained consciousness. She blinked when she saw Yoh staring at her with concern in his eyes.
"Feeling better?" Yoh quietly asked.
Anna forced a smile. "I'm fine, I think." She forced her self to stand, but failed.
Yoh helped her back to the couch. "Watch it."
"I can manage, thank you."
Yoh shrugged. 'You're burning with a very high fever and you're telling me you can manage? Where's your room? I'll carry you."
"The last room in the left wing upstairs." Anna paused, understanding what he just said. "What did you say?"
Yoh lifted her into his arms. "Okay, here we go."
"Put me down." Anna demanded.
Yoh grinned. "Do you want me to do that now?" They were climbing the stairs. Anna had no choice. She continued on glaring at him. "Fine." They reached the room. Yoh carefully laid Anna on the soft bed.
"You made me worry back there, collapsing like that." Yoh said. "I thought you suffered from a brain hemorrhage or something when I bumped into you."
"Scared of being responsible for the death of an innocent girl like me?" Anna said crisply.
Yoh nodded. "Yup. My parents would skin me alive." He then frowned at her. "What came into your mind anyway? You were burning with fever and you still had the guts to go out and have fun..."
"I was not having fun," snapped Anna. "I admit I'm not feeling well this morning but I rested a bit and woke up refreshed. I decided to go to town for lunch and that was when my head started arching again. I was about to go home when I bumped into someone which delayed me."
Yoh smiled. "I guess it's better that way. You could have fainted here and I seemed to notice you're alone..."
Anna stared at him. "My family is gone for a week or more. Taking advantage of the situation?"
Yoh smiled. "As I was saying, you're alone and you could have fainted here, and there's no one to care for you..."
"So you're trying to point out that you'll take care of me."
"Why not?"
"Yeah right. Look, we're not that rich, and my family would kill me if something bad happens to this house. Take my money but don't dare touch the furniture, the silk drapes, the carpets, the..."
Yoh laughed. "You still don't trust me. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not a thief?" Anna said nothing. "Look, you better get some sleep. You look tired," he advised. Anna still didn't move. "Don't worry, I won't use the time you're sleeping to steal your things here. I have enough of this back at home."
"For your information, I still have other things to do." Anna retorted.
"I'll do them for you."
Anna laughed. "Come on, I know that you're not the type who do the things I'm supposed to be doing."
"Try me."
***I is for the inability to do things and yet intense to learn them***
Yoh rolled his eyes. "She's right. I don't know how to do these things." He gasped when he saw the list of things he was supposed to do that day. Clean the whole place, (the word whole was emphasized), do the laundry, the ironing, fold the clothes, cook something fit for human consumption. "Oh well, it's not yet late to learn." He began to search for the broom and the mop.
Anna watched him from afar. She smiled to herself, seeing Yoh trying his best to clean the whole place and do it as quietly as possible so as not to disturb her. "Let's see how far you can go." She then returned to her room and drifted back to sleep.
Anna was in a dark corridor. She knew this place. It was familiar. The walls, the windows, the cold atmosphere... No, it can't be. She was home. Anna walked what it seemed to be an endless corridor. She stopped when she heard a cry of pain, a cry that sent chills to her spine. She turned back. A blur vision appeared before her very eyes. A girl was being hit several times by an unknown woman. The girl was crying. "How many times do I have to tell you not to cry? Endure the pain." Anna winced at the sound of the woman's voice. The girl's whimpers continued, so as the reckless beating. The vision began to clear. Anna reached out to help the girl. She froze. It can't be. She recognized the girl... Anna heard herself cry in pain...
"Anna, wake up." Yoh nudged. He was preparing dinner when he heard a shout from Anna's room. He immediately went up.
Anna woke up, cringing in pain. It had been years ever since she was hunted by the memory of her childhood. "Yoh... She's beating the girl... The girl..."
Yoh at once held her into his arms, to dispel her fears. "Anna, it's only a dream. Everything will be alright now." Anna moaned softly in his arms, then, went back to sleep. Yoh carefully laid her on the bed. He then went back to what he's doing.
*** C is for concern or care, whatever***
Yoh was frantic. It was midnight. First, the nightmare, and now this. Anna's temperature didn't go down yet. The thermometer still read 40. 2 ºC. She was burning with a very high fever. Yoh looked at her sleeping figure. She was breathing uneasily and sweating profusely. Yoh even considered bringing her to a hospital. Anna disagreed, saying that it was only a fever. Yoh doubt that. He didn't leave her side throughout the night except when he had to change the ice pack on Ana's forehead. He patiently wiped Anna's face with the wet towel and constantly adjusted it. He didn't sleep either. Yoh watched Anna intently lest something bad happen. It was near dawn when Yoh breathed a sign of relief. Anna's fever had subsided and her temperature read 38 ºC, far better than last night. Yoh went down and happily prepared some breakfast. When he came back, Anna was already awake sitting on her bed.
"Good morning." Yoh greeted cheerfully. Anna nodded weakly. "Time for some breakfast. Chicken noodle soup." He sat on her bed and placed the tray on her lap. He then took the spoon, scooped some soup, and gave her some. "Be careful, it's hot."
"I don't believe you stayed the whole night here. I suppose you'd taken almost all of our furniture. But please..." Anna said. She then frowned after tasting the soup. "It doesn't taste like anything."
Yoh laughed. "Don't worry, your house is still the same as it was when you last saw it. As for the soup, you're sick, and I reckon it's just normal for sick people not to taste anything. Anyway, finish this and then have some more rest so that you'll feel perfectly well by tomorrow."
"Yoh, wouldn't your folks be worried where you were last night?" Anna mentioned.
Yoh froze. Yeah, he forgot that part.
***K is for keeping your self in check and knowing when you have to act before everything turns to a mess...."
Back at the palace....
"Have you found him yet?" Manta cried in anguish.
Horo, Ren, Chocolove, Lyserg, Pirika, and Tamao all shook their heads.
"Manta, I'm pretty sure that Yoh didn't spent the night here." Horo said.
"Nothing could have happened to him. He was the prince." Ren added.
"Let's give up." Chocolove cried. "We've been searching the palace ever since yesterday."
"Knowing Yoh, he would be back soon enough." Lyserg said.
" What I'm worried about is what we would say when they found out that Yoh was missing since yesterday!" exclaimed Manta.
"Make up some excuse." Pirika suggested.
Tamao yawned. "Besides, I think they already know. They could sense it. They didn't mind it at all."
Hao appeared, humming a tune to himself.
"What? You're not worried that your brother is missing." Manta asked, irritably.
Hao took a while before answering. He then laughed. "If I were you, I'll stop looking for him. I just happened to know that he's in perfect condition. He's enjoying himself." He then left, still laughing.
Everyone exchanged confused looks. "He's crazy." They all chorused.
Yoh smiled. "Don't worry about them. I'm sure they're not that worried...."
**END of chapter
please read and review!!
***S is for staying calm whenever you see a girl collapsing in front of you***
Yoh was quick enough to catch Anna before she hit the floor. He panicked when he saw her unconscious. He laid her on the couch. Honestly, he didn't know what to do. His instincts told him to get a basin of water and a towel. He placed his hand on her forehead and realized that she was burning with fever. Yoh started wiping Anna's face. Anna soon gained consciousness. She blinked when she saw Yoh staring at her with concern in his eyes.
"Feeling better?" Yoh quietly asked.
Anna forced a smile. "I'm fine, I think." She forced her self to stand, but failed.
Yoh helped her back to the couch. "Watch it."
"I can manage, thank you."
Yoh shrugged. 'You're burning with a very high fever and you're telling me you can manage? Where's your room? I'll carry you."
"The last room in the left wing upstairs." Anna paused, understanding what he just said. "What did you say?"
Yoh lifted her into his arms. "Okay, here we go."
"Put me down." Anna demanded.
Yoh grinned. "Do you want me to do that now?" They were climbing the stairs. Anna had no choice. She continued on glaring at him. "Fine." They reached the room. Yoh carefully laid Anna on the soft bed.
"You made me worry back there, collapsing like that." Yoh said. "I thought you suffered from a brain hemorrhage or something when I bumped into you."
"Scared of being responsible for the death of an innocent girl like me?" Anna said crisply.
Yoh nodded. "Yup. My parents would skin me alive." He then frowned at her. "What came into your mind anyway? You were burning with fever and you still had the guts to go out and have fun..."
"I was not having fun," snapped Anna. "I admit I'm not feeling well this morning but I rested a bit and woke up refreshed. I decided to go to town for lunch and that was when my head started arching again. I was about to go home when I bumped into someone which delayed me."
Yoh smiled. "I guess it's better that way. You could have fainted here and I seemed to notice you're alone..."
Anna stared at him. "My family is gone for a week or more. Taking advantage of the situation?"
Yoh smiled. "As I was saying, you're alone and you could have fainted here, and there's no one to care for you..."
"So you're trying to point out that you'll take care of me."
"Why not?"
"Yeah right. Look, we're not that rich, and my family would kill me if something bad happens to this house. Take my money but don't dare touch the furniture, the silk drapes, the carpets, the..."
Yoh laughed. "You still don't trust me. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not a thief?" Anna said nothing. "Look, you better get some sleep. You look tired," he advised. Anna still didn't move. "Don't worry, I won't use the time you're sleeping to steal your things here. I have enough of this back at home."
"For your information, I still have other things to do." Anna retorted.
"I'll do them for you."
Anna laughed. "Come on, I know that you're not the type who do the things I'm supposed to be doing."
"Try me."
***I is for the inability to do things and yet intense to learn them***
Yoh rolled his eyes. "She's right. I don't know how to do these things." He gasped when he saw the list of things he was supposed to do that day. Clean the whole place, (the word whole was emphasized), do the laundry, the ironing, fold the clothes, cook something fit for human consumption. "Oh well, it's not yet late to learn." He began to search for the broom and the mop.
Anna watched him from afar. She smiled to herself, seeing Yoh trying his best to clean the whole place and do it as quietly as possible so as not to disturb her. "Let's see how far you can go." She then returned to her room and drifted back to sleep.
Anna was in a dark corridor. She knew this place. It was familiar. The walls, the windows, the cold atmosphere... No, it can't be. She was home. Anna walked what it seemed to be an endless corridor. She stopped when she heard a cry of pain, a cry that sent chills to her spine. She turned back. A blur vision appeared before her very eyes. A girl was being hit several times by an unknown woman. The girl was crying. "How many times do I have to tell you not to cry? Endure the pain." Anna winced at the sound of the woman's voice. The girl's whimpers continued, so as the reckless beating. The vision began to clear. Anna reached out to help the girl. She froze. It can't be. She recognized the girl... Anna heard herself cry in pain...
"Anna, wake up." Yoh nudged. He was preparing dinner when he heard a shout from Anna's room. He immediately went up.
Anna woke up, cringing in pain. It had been years ever since she was hunted by the memory of her childhood. "Yoh... She's beating the girl... The girl..."
Yoh at once held her into his arms, to dispel her fears. "Anna, it's only a dream. Everything will be alright now." Anna moaned softly in his arms, then, went back to sleep. Yoh carefully laid her on the bed. He then went back to what he's doing.
*** C is for concern or care, whatever***
Yoh was frantic. It was midnight. First, the nightmare, and now this. Anna's temperature didn't go down yet. The thermometer still read 40. 2 ºC. She was burning with a very high fever. Yoh looked at her sleeping figure. She was breathing uneasily and sweating profusely. Yoh even considered bringing her to a hospital. Anna disagreed, saying that it was only a fever. Yoh doubt that. He didn't leave her side throughout the night except when he had to change the ice pack on Ana's forehead. He patiently wiped Anna's face with the wet towel and constantly adjusted it. He didn't sleep either. Yoh watched Anna intently lest something bad happen. It was near dawn when Yoh breathed a sign of relief. Anna's fever had subsided and her temperature read 38 ºC, far better than last night. Yoh went down and happily prepared some breakfast. When he came back, Anna was already awake sitting on her bed.
"Good morning." Yoh greeted cheerfully. Anna nodded weakly. "Time for some breakfast. Chicken noodle soup." He sat on her bed and placed the tray on her lap. He then took the spoon, scooped some soup, and gave her some. "Be careful, it's hot."
"I don't believe you stayed the whole night here. I suppose you'd taken almost all of our furniture. But please..." Anna said. She then frowned after tasting the soup. "It doesn't taste like anything."
Yoh laughed. "Don't worry, your house is still the same as it was when you last saw it. As for the soup, you're sick, and I reckon it's just normal for sick people not to taste anything. Anyway, finish this and then have some more rest so that you'll feel perfectly well by tomorrow."
"Yoh, wouldn't your folks be worried where you were last night?" Anna mentioned.
Yoh froze. Yeah, he forgot that part.
***K is for keeping your self in check and knowing when you have to act before everything turns to a mess...."
Back at the palace....
"Have you found him yet?" Manta cried in anguish.
Horo, Ren, Chocolove, Lyserg, Pirika, and Tamao all shook their heads.
"Manta, I'm pretty sure that Yoh didn't spent the night here." Horo said.
"Nothing could have happened to him. He was the prince." Ren added.
"Let's give up." Chocolove cried. "We've been searching the palace ever since yesterday."
"Knowing Yoh, he would be back soon enough." Lyserg said.
" What I'm worried about is what we would say when they found out that Yoh was missing since yesterday!" exclaimed Manta.
"Make up some excuse." Pirika suggested.
Tamao yawned. "Besides, I think they already know. They could sense it. They didn't mind it at all."
Hao appeared, humming a tune to himself.
"What? You're not worried that your brother is missing." Manta asked, irritably.
Hao took a while before answering. He then laughed. "If I were you, I'll stop looking for him. I just happened to know that he's in perfect condition. He's enjoying himself." He then left, still laughing.
Everyone exchanged confused looks. "He's crazy." They all chorused.
Yoh smiled. "Don't worry about them. I'm sure they're not that worried...."
**END of chapter
please read and review!!