Kiana was shocked at Dagonet's condition when she stepped into his room. He was burning with fever and completely incoherent. She had to ask Bors to help her as she made him drink the first of the medicated herbal teas she made to try to bring his fever down. When Dagonet choked and spit out most of the tea she realized he was well beyond her limited skills and told Bors to send for a healer.

When Bors left to get the healer Kiana picked up a cloth and used it to wipe the spilled tea and sweat off his broad chest. After the tea was cleaned away she rinsed out the cloth and used it to wipe the sweat off his face and neck. The heat coming off his skin alarmed her and she knew he was dangerously sick with the fever. She silently urged Bors to get the healer to back to them faster.

It seemed like an eternity to her when the old healer finally arrived. Kiana had busied herself in removing Dagonet's boots and washing as much of his head, neck and chest she could reach under his shirt. She was going to need help to get the sweat soaked shirt off to bathe the rest of him.

The healer didn't have to spend much time examining Dagonet before she looked to Kiana and said, "He is very sick and may not recover unless his fever can be brought down." She gave Kiana more herbs and instructed her to steep them into a stronger tea to give to him. She also told Kiana to bathe him with cool water to help cool his body. She told Kiana there would be nothing more she could hope to do. Kiana watched the old woman leave with the feeling that there should have been more she could have done or said.

Kiana felt desperate as the old woman left. She couldn't believe how little hope she had offered other than packets of dried herbs. She looked to Bors who was staring down at his brother, "Help me get his shirt off so I can keep him bathed with the cool water."

Bors helped her get Dagonet's shirt off and he helped her to arrange him on the bed so she could best reach him for bathing and giving him the medicine. While Kiana began to brew the first dose of tea from the herbs the healer left, Bors left to get her buckets of water.

Kiana stared at the tea she had made for Dagonet. She hadn't been able to get him to swallow much of the last dose and knew he probably wouldn't be able to swallow much of this dose either. She was lost in thought when Vanora startled her by saying, "When my children were sick I had to boil off most of the water and mix it with honey to get them to take it."

Kiana looked at her hopefully, "Can you bring some honey while I boil this down?"

Vanora showed Kiana the pot of honey she had brought with her, "Bors said you weren't able to get him to take the first tea so I thought I better bring this."

Kiana sighed in relief as she continued to boil off more of the water from the tea. She glanced back at Dagonet, "The healer just gave me the herbs and left. She said all I could do was to get the tea into him and bathe him to get the fever down."

Vanora saw the anxiety and worry on Kiana's face and tried to reassure her, "Dagonet is strong. Maybe even stronger than my own Bors. He'll pull through."

Kiana silently hoped she was right. She felt she owed this man much and was determined to see him recover.

Bors returned with the water as Kiana was mixing the herb mix with the honey. He watched as Kiana spooned small amounts of tea into Dagonet's mouth and was relieved when he was able to swallow the medicine. He watched as Kiana took the cloth and bathed Dagonet's face neck and chest again with the cool water. Seeing that his brother was going to get good care he turned and left.

Kiana looked up from bathing Dagonet and realized that Bors had left without a word. She rang out the cloth and brought the cool rag back up to his face. Feeling the heat coming off his skin she pulled the bucket of water closer and sat at the edge of the bed knowing she was going to have a long night and was determined that he would receive the best care she could provide.

The herbal mixture helped bring the fever down somewhat but by dawn Dagonet's fever had returned. Kiana looked at the second herb packed the healer had left for her and decided she needed all the medicinal potential from the herbs. She steeped the herbs in very little water and tore open the packet. She made sure all the herbs were soaked completely and mixed the entire contents in the honey. Her own mother had done this before when her sister fell ill when they were younger and she hoped this mixture would work as well as her mother's cure.

Dagonet weakly struggled against her when she spooned the herbal mixture into his mouth and she was dismayed at the loss of his great strength. He should have been easily able to toss her off him and yet she was able to hold his head still to spoon the undoubtedly foul tasting mixture into his mouth.

Bors and the other knights stopped by throughout the following days to check on Dagonet and she was only able to report the same thing over and over. The fever had to break soon or he would be lost to them.

Sometime during the long days one of the knights would bring her a plate of food and insisted she eat. Another brought her a chair to sit in so she wouldn't have to continue to sit on the edge of the bed. Kiana was relieved to be able to sit down during the brief times when Dagonet's fever seemed to go down.

Vanora brought her dinners and a blanket to wrap herself in when she sat in the chair to tend him during the long nights. Kiana was running out of the remaining supply of the honey and herb mixture and finally asked Vanora to go back to the old healer to get some more. She also asked her to see if she had anything stronger.

When Vanora looked at her doubtfully, Kiana told her that the healer had spent more time aiding Sinich when he was less sick than Dagonet was now and how she suspected the woman had left the bare minimum of medication to get by while still claiming she had provided care.

Kiana watched Vanora's face darken with anger and knew the healer was about to get a visit from a very angry woman. While Kiana strove to avoid confrontation, she was silently glad Vanora was going instead of her. She doubted her own ability to deal with the old woman with any sort of diplomacy at this point.

Vanora returned a short time later with new medicines already prepared in a sweet mixture, "That nasty old witch! She had this all along and didn't want to give it to him. She said she didn't want to waste it on a Sarmation when a Roman may just as well be saved by it."

Kiana handed her the old mixture she had made and took the new medication to give to Dagonet. She was able to get two spoonfuls into him before he started thrashing back and forth again, "I only hope this is medication and not poison." She said grimly.

"If it is, then I'll cut her throat myself." Vanora promised.

When it seemed that Dagonet's fever was going down again Kiana breathed a sigh of relief. She gave Vanora the empty plate from her dinner and told her she would watch over Dagonet through the night. After Vanora left Kiana bathed Dagonet's face and neck again and noted he felt even cooler than before. She sat down in the chair ready to tend him throughout another night.

The next morning Kiana was bleary eyed and tired when Vanora returned. She had kept a close watch on Dagonet and had given him small doses of the medication when his fever had started to rise during the night. She hadn't slept at all and felt utterly exhausted. Just before dawn she noted his skin felt cooler and it seemed that he was resting easier. She thought his fever may have finally broken. She breathed a sigh of relief hoping for the first time in days that he may actually recover.

Vanora could readily see the improvement in Dagonet's color and knew Kiana's tireless care had been the cause. She saw the dark circles forming under the younger woman's eyes and knew it was time to give her a much needed break, "Go get something to eat and rest before I end up having to take care of you both." She said kindly while pushing Kiana towards the door. When Kiana protested Vanora told her, "Bors is going to help me get him cleaned up and change out this smelly bed. You don't need to be seeing all the man and I don't think he'd want to share that with you unless he was awake to enjoy it."

Kiana blushed to the roots of her hair and rushed out of the room. When she passed Bors in the hallway she blushed more.

Bors would have laughed at her reaction if he wasn't so worried about his brother's recovery and went into the room. He wrinkled his nose at the sick smell in the room. Vanora was right, Dagonet needed more than his face being washed off. He met Vanora's worry filled eyes, "He's doing much better than before. I think the fever has finally broken and he's able to rest now."

Vanora sighed, "She hasn't left his side in all these days."

"Then she's earning back all he gave her." Was Bors short reply as he stepped forward to help lift Dagonet off the bed.

Kiana hadn't realized how hungry she was until she was able to sit down to eat a full meal in the tavern kitchen. After she ate she stood up to go back to Dagonet's room when Sameal stopped her, ""Just where do you think you are going?"

"Back to his room. Vanora can't stay there all day and I promised I would stay with him until he recovered."

Sameal put his hands on his hips and shook his head, "Vanora went there to give you some time out of there and help get him cleaned up." He took a sniff at her and said, "You could stand some time in a wash tub and a change of clothes too."

Kiana gaped at her old friend for a moment in indignation and surprise. For the first time in her adult life she had been told she stunk and she suddenly realized how little care she had taken of herself while tending Dagonet. She gave Sameal a small smile, "You're right." She left the kitchen and hurried off to her hut to bathe and change.

When she got to her hut she pulled her wash tub out and began the process of hauling in and heating water for a much needed bath. As much as she would have loved to sit and soak in the tub, she limited herself to vigorously scrubbing clean and washing away the days of sitting in the same dress tending to the sick knight."

When she was done she looked at the dress she had been wearing with a critical eye. It had spilled medication on it and smelled awful from being worn for so many days. She doubted it would come clean but put it in the tub for a thorough cleaning. When it was as clean as she hoped to get it she hung it up to dry.

She paused a moment to pet the cat who had been rubbing along her legs and purring with delight over her return home. She could see that the cat had been well fed while she had been gone and she wondered which knight had braved going into the hut without her to feed the notoriously overprotective animal.

Kiana returned to Dagonet's room later in the afternoon to see Vanora closing the windows she had left partially open throughout the day to freshen the air. She saw that Dagonet's bed linens had been changed and he had been washed. She silently thanked Vanora for sparing her the embarrassment of doing such an intimate task on a man she barely knew.

Kiana lightly touched his forehead and was relieved to feel his skin was much cooler and that he was actually sleeping and not thrashing with the fever. She looked at the medication jars and asked Vanora, "Have you needed to give him any more today?"

"No. The fever's broken. Now he will awaken in his own time."

Kiana nodded and sat down in the chair near the bed. Vanora handed her a clean blanket and told her, "I'll be back later with some dinner." She was almost out the door when she turned back and said, "You did right by him and we all thank you."

Kiana smiled briefly and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders to ward off the chill from the coming night. She would start a fire in the hearth soon but wanted the cooler air in the room believing the cooler air might prevent the fever from returning. She dosed lightly in the chair while occasionally getting up to check on the sleeping knight. She was encouraged when she realized his fever was not returning.

By nightfall she started a fire in the hearth to warm the room. Vanora returned a short time later to bring her dinner and offer her a chance to get out of the room for a bit to stretch her legs from sitting in the chair so long. Kiana was glad of the opportunity to take a short walk within the wing of the knights quarters. When she returned to Dagonet's room she heard Vanora humming a soft tune as she sat in the chair. She listened for a moment before stepping in.

Vanora got up and told her, "He's always liked it when I sang of home." She then left for the night.

Kiana sat in the chair and arranged the blanket around her to keep watch over him. It wasn't long before exhaustion from the sleepless days and nights claimed her and she fell asleep.

Dagonet woke during the early morning hours to find himself in his own bed with vague memories of how he got there. He remembered the seemingly endless ride back to the fort with his chest burning and a chill so deep he thought he would never be warm again. After that he had fragmented memories of someone putting a horribly sweet and bitter tasting something in his mouth that he had been too weak to spit out. He also remembered a soft voice talking soothingly to him and a gentle hand washing off his face and neck.

Turning his head to look around he saw Kiana slumped back into a chair with a blanket wrapped around her. She was soundly asleep and he wondered if it had been her staying with him during his illness. He had no idea how long he had been out and felt sore from laying down so long. He sat up with some difficulty and was dismayed at how weak he felt.

"You've been out for four days with the fever." Kiana's soft voice startled him and he looked over to see her staring at him with a worried expression. She got up stiffly from the chair and approached his bedside, "Do you think you can eat something?" she asked.

Dagonet nodded and felt his eyes wanting to drift closed again. He moved to get out of the bed and was surprised when Kiana put her hand on his shoulder firmly, "Oh no you don't. You stay there and get some real rest now. I'll not have you getting up so soon just to fall sick again." He gave a moment's thought to getting up anyway but felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. He nodded at her and moved to settle back onto the bed. He was pleasantly surprised when Kiana fussed over him and arranged his pillows to help him sit up a bit to relieve the pressure from being flat on his back so long.

Kiana gave Dagonet an appraising look before she headed towards the door of his room. She could already tell he would try to get up and out on his feet before he was fully recovered and knew she would need help keeping him quiet until he fully recovered. Right now though he needed food to regain his strength, "I'll be back in just a bit with something to eat." She told him before she left. Once she was outside his room she walked quickly towards the tavern. Sameal would be there already and she knew he would be able to prepare a meal without delay.

When Kiana returned to Dagonet's room she found that he had fallen asleep again. She sat the tray of food she had brought down and went to his bedside. She lightly touched his brow to make sure his fever had not returned and sighed in relief when his skin felt cool. She turned to go back to her chair when she heard him speak, "It was you here all this time?"

Kiana turned back to see his blue eyes starting at her, "Yes. It was the least I could do for all that you did for me." She picked up the tray and brought it to his bed. She helped him arrange it so he could eat and sat back down to eat some of the bread Sameal had sent for her.

Dagonet found that he didn't have all of his normal appetite but did feel better after eating. He didn't like it when Kiana fussed over him and was frustrated when he could barely lift himself up to change positions on the bed. The brief meal left him feeling exhausted and he reluctantly fell back into a restful sleep.

Kiana took the meal tray back to the tavern and told Vanora that Dagonet had woken up and been able to eat.

Vanora was happy to hear he had woken up and asked, "How is he."

Kiana shook her head, "He's going to be hard to keep down long enough to get truly better. I just hope he doesn't get grumpy."

Vanora thought of the few times Bors had ever been sick and laughed, "If he's anything at all like Bors he'll be the worst to keep quiet. I'll send Bors up in a bit to see to him."

Kiana gratefully agreed and went off to her hut to clean up. She looked forward to sleeping in her own bed and not the hard wooden chair.

When Kiana returned to Bors room that afternoon she heard Bors telling Dagonet, "Don't you give that girl any trouble. She hasn't left this room during the four days you burned with fever. Let her tend to you for a bit more before you go trying to get up."

Kiana paused before she went into the room. She didn't want to walk in on their conversation and she didn't want to eavesdrop either. She decided to be a bit noisier as she approached the door to let the two men know she was there. When she stepped in the room she saw Dagonet sitting up in his bed and Bors standing over him with his arms crossed over his burly chest. She immediately rushed between them, "He's not going to get any better with you standing over him." She used both hands to try to push Bors back.

Bors smirked at her and moved back. He knew his brother had gained a protective keeper while he was down sick and decided to leave him to her care. He shot Dagonet a meaningful look as he left the room.

Kiana glowered at Bors as he left and turned back to Dagonet, "And don't you get any ideas about getting out of that bed for at least another day." She told him firmly. She put her hands on her hips and met his eyes stare for stare.

Dagonet felt both amusement and impatience with Bors and Kiana. He was a grown man and didn't need his brother and a little bit of a woman telling him what he could and could not do. He finally decided he could do with another day's rest and relaxed back onto his bed. "Do you mean to stand guard over me all day?"

Kiana bristled at his grumbling tone and decided she wasn't going to let him push her around, "I'll stand on you yourself if it means you'll stay down in that bed long enough to get better."

Dagonet pictured the thought of Kiana trying to hold him down by standing on him and laughed. She was nearly half his size and had a fraction of his strength. Still, the determination in her voice to see him recover warmed his soul. It was nice having another person other than Arthur and his fellow knights to care about him.

For once he drifted off to sleep feeling content in another's company.