Disclaimer: The Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon is not mine. I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. The story is mine and I hope you enjoy it.

Summary: Sheila becomes ill and lies at Death's door. There are subtleties here if you can see them. Think about the tea.

The Sheila Diaries

By

D.B. Cooper

Chapter 7

Illness

As the year became fall

and the fall started to become winter

The air suddenly became cold

and snow appeared on the mountains

-

My maidens brought out blankets for me to sleep in at night

I still had to wear what he wanted

and there was no warmth to them at all

-

Lord Venger comes

and does as he desires

Always he tells me that I am his now

-

I find myself looking forward to his visits

He pleasures me greatly

and warms me with his body

-

When My Lord is not here

I sit all day in front of the fireplace

Wrapped in blankets

Even so I am cold

-

My breath rose before me

and I shivered

and I ached all over

Not just from the cold but from where he had beat me

-

Soon I became ill

I lay there coughing

and shaking in fever

-

I ate hot soup

and drank hot tea

Teeeaaaa

-

Denora came to me and spoke

'You are sick Sheila

Soon you will get worse

I have warm clothes

and sweaters for you to wear'

-

My first reaction to her was that she was mad

What would My Master say if he came

and I wasn't wearing what he wanted?

Moreover what would he do to me?

-

When I said this to her she did not get angry but merely replied

'I am in charge of these rooms

Just as I am in charge of you

If you get worse and die because I did nothing

Then it is my fault

If he is angry then he can be angry at me'

-

Her logic was simple

I was still wearing what I was supposed to

Underneath the warm clothes

-

I thought that I would never get better

I laid there in front of the fire for a long time

My chest hurt from coughing

My body shook from fever

Nothing solid that I ate would stay down

-

All around me the other maidens scurried

and changed the room

In preparations for even more cold that was to come

-

I just lay there and watched them

With my servant girl Michelle

She lay beside me on the couch

and held me

and kept me warm

-

My mind wandered

and I began to hallucinate

I called out for my friends

-

'Dungeon Master, Hank, Bobby, anyone help me

Help me...I don't wish to die here

Not like this

Not with him'

Where Oh where were they?

-

After a time Master came and saw me

He stood before me

and paid no notice to the cold

-

I was so sick

The world seemed to fade in and out

I tried to rise and kneel to him

but I was too weak

-

He set his hand on my shoulder

and gently made me lie back

He was not displeased about the clothes

Or because I did not make my obedience to him

Merely concerned because I was so sick

-

He gave me something

A crystal to wear around my neck

It was on a thin gold chain

-

He told me it would make me better

-

I lay there for the next three days

I could feel the crystal sucking the moisture out of my chest

and the fever leaving my body

The crystal changed from white to pink to red

-

After a time my rooms begin to warm

and I arose and was well

For the first time in over a week I could eat real food

-

Lord Venger appeared before me

He took me in his arms

and asked if I was feeling better

-

'Yes, thank you Master I am well now

The crystal you gave me was magical

Wasn't it?

It felt it healing me'

-

'You are very welcome little one

While you were ill you called out to your friends

To Dungeon Master

To my Enemy

Is this not true?'

-

My breath froze in my chest

I could not speak

There was nothing I could say

That would spare me from his anger

That was not a lie

and I could not lie to him

-

I looked at him apprehensively

Waiting for my punishment

I already knew

That it would be harsh

-

Instead he led me to the table

and gestured to me to sit

-

'I have something for you Thief

A small gift to be sure

But it may ease your mind'

-

My Lord gave me an ornate jewelery box

Inside was a large orb

It was clear and made of the the finest crystal

-

'After I leave you may look into it

It will show you what has happened

I think it will make you happy'

-

For once he did not vanish in energy

But turned and strode out of my rooms

-

After he departed

I set the crystal in my hands

and gazed it to it's depths

-

What the crystal showed me was wonderful

The others had returned home

Via some portal or another

-

I saw Eric hugging Diana

and Presto rejoicing

Hank just stood there and smiled

With tears of joy running down his face

and I saw my brother Bobby

and he looked so happy

-

Afterwards I just sat there

and smiled

I smiled for the first time

In a very very long time

-

I was so happy

My friends were home

My brother was safe

-

But then I realized something

They were gone

and I was left here

-

I would never go home

I would never see Bobby again

I would never see Hank or Eric or Diana or Presto

I would never see Mom or Dad or Gramma

-

No one would ever rescue me

and there was no way to escape

I was here with him

-

I did not weep or cry

I just accepted it

It was like My Master said

'I was his now'

For the first time ever

I actually believed that

-

I called my servants together

and thanked them for taking care of me when I was sick

I told them how much I appreciated them serving me

and I hugged each one of them

Especially Denora

-

Then I made a request of her

I asked for Lord Venger to come

and sup with me that very night

-

I dressed well for him

and when we were done

I went to him of my own will

and we were together