A/N: This chapter (and to be honest, probably the whole story) likely has many historical inaccuracies, so I apologise for that, but I didn't want to do the research so… hope you don't mind. ;)

"Hi, I'm here to pick up an order for a cake?"

Douxie looked up to see a tired woman looking at him expectantly. He turned behind him to check the fridge for a cake and found exactly one box.

"You're Alyssa?" He asked, seeing the name on the box.

The woman smiled. "No, Alyssa is my daughter's name, but it is the name I ordered the cake under. Can I see what it looks like?

"Yeah, no problem, ma'am."

Douxie placed the box on the counter so he could open it where both of him and the customer could see. The cake had white frosting, neat red lettering saying 'Happy 13th Birthday Alyssa!' in the middle. Flowers and other decorations covered the rest of the top.

Alyssa's mom smiled happily at it, though there was some sadness in the smile. "Just yesterday she was still 12." She laughed softly. "Oh, they grow up so fast."

Sadness broke through the secondhand happiness in Douxie too, stemming from the fact that he never had a mother to be sad over how fast he grew up. Not that he grew up much; he'd been the same physical age for almost a millennium now. But still, he'd give anything to have a mother.

The longing for one was not new, but the more he thought about it, he realised that hadn't been feeling it as much recently. He thought a bit more and smiled as he figured out why. It was because after so long, he'd finally found a mother figure, in Dr. Lake. She cared for him as if he was her own, worried for him like she worried for Jim. Archie cared and worried about him too, but Archie was different. A mother's love was something that could never be replaced.

He was brought back from his musings by his customer sniffing and gathering herself, seeming to also realise that she was, in fact, in a café at the moment. "Well, I suppose I should pay for the cake and be on my way. I've still got a lot to do."

While she fiddled with the credit card machine, Douxie closed the cake box.

"You know, 13th birthday is a big one. Your daughter's officially a teenager now."

"Oh, tell me about it. Haven't heard the last of it since the day after she turned 12."

"At least she gets to celebrate it with a nice cake and her friends and family by her side. Tell her happy birthday from me." He added as the lady put her credit card away and picked up the cake box, heading out.

"I will. Thanks!"

"No problem." Douxie said to the air, the lady already putting the cake into her car and driving away.

Remembering his own 13th birthday, one not as good to even be celebrated with cake and friends, he wondered what it might have been like if things had been different then.

Pre-Camelot, sometime in the late 12th century:

"Oi, git back here!"

Douxie looked to Archie, dragon (well cat, currently) and 12 year old boy reaching the same conclusion at the same time of what to do. Both looking back at the angry apple seller one more time, they didn't need to say anything to know when it was time to…

"Run!" Douxie shouted, unnecessarily, weaving in between surprised people crowding the path. Archie followed, hopping onto barrels and carts parked on the side as opposed to risking being trampled.

"Gimme back tha' apple! Someone git 'em!" Douxie looked back at the large, red faced man, and looked at Arch, seemingly not realising the danger he was in.

"He looks like an apple himself, Arch, see!" Douxie laughed, pointing to the man's face and comparing it to the red apple in his other hand. Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Archie swatted Douxie's finger and meowed angrily. How was the boy so clueless sometimes?

If they weren't in public, Archie would have shouted at Douxie, but for now, he bottled it up for later. If there was a later. Because right now, his idiot was still laughing, and coughing in between because of it, as the man advanced, almost to the young wizard.

Archie hissed at Douxie, who only then seemed to remember what was going on. Looking up at the furious man towering over him, his laughs petered of. "Heh, heh. Best be off then." He squeaked, pocketing the apple, grabbing Arch and darting off once again.

"Oh, no ye don't." The man reached out for Douxie, but Archie managed to fend him off by swiping at the man's hand with his claws. Seeing that his strategy had worked, Archie smiled smugly, impressed with himself.

That's when he noticed that the man was still grinning despite holding a bloody hand. And that the man didn't seem to be retreating into the distance like he should be.

"Uhh, Arch?" Douxie's voice peeped, while he backed up slowly. He loosened his grip on the cat so Archie could climb onto the boy's head and see the threat for himself. "Guards." Douxie whispered, once again unnecessary.

Archie meowed. Two guards had been alerted by the man's shouting and were walking towards Douxie. "What's this noise, then, eh?" One called out to the apple seller, while the other closed in on Douxie.

The black cat looked around frantically for a way out while Douxie stood frozen, only moving with a few coughs.

"Arch?" Douxie asked, his voice raw and scratchy though Archie put it down to worry and fear.

Spotting an alley, Archie meowed again, gesturing towards it. Douxie understood. Still wrapped around the boy's shoulder, Archie felt Douxie tense up, preparing to run. A drizzle had started sometime during this exchange, a cool breeze causing Archie to shiver. He felt Douxie shiver too.

Holding on tight, that was the signal Archie gave Douxie to run. And he did.

Darting past the unsuspecting and surprised guards, Douxie ran to the alley, hoping that it wasn't a dead end.

It was. Unfortunate for him because the guards had who had been momentarily frozen had started to give chase. Panicking, Douxie started coughing again, and while Archie noticed, he didn't think much of it now as they were possibly about to die.

The rain picked up, and everyone else in the streets ran for cover if they could.

Douxie leaned against something as he groaned, his head hurting after the coughing fit. Archie looked down, curious as to what Douxie was leaning against in an alleyway, to see a barrel.

As soon as he realised it, Douxie seemed to as well, and quickly climbed in. "Wait, won't they look in the barrel?" Douxie paused halfway inside the barrel already.

Archie sighed, knowing that there was truth behind the statement since it had happened in the past. But there was no alternative. And no time.

The guards had seen the kid and his cat go into the alley, but they sure weren't there now. There was no way they could've climbed up and there were no houses to go into on any of the three sides.

"Conners, look. There's a barrel."

"Ha, thought you was being smart was ya?" Conners walked over to the barrel, then opened it dramatically, only to see nothing inside. Kicking it over, he groaned in disappointment, then turned to his partner. "Nothin'. Come on then, lets get out of this blasted rain."

The guards left, leaving an overturned barrel and nothing else.

If they had stayed for another two seconds, they would have heard coughing, then seen a 12 year old wizard and his cat appear from seemingly nowhere.

Archie looked disdainfully at his familiar. "You really should get that coughing under control."

Douxie cleared his throat and just nodded. "That was scary. Where to now Arch?"

"Somewhere away from this rain and cold. Come on." He led the boy out of the alley and to another one, this time, somewhere covered.

Douxie sneezed, and Archie looked at the wizard in concern. Now that they were out of trouble and Archie was fully paying attention, he realised the coughing and sneezing were probably not good, especially paired with the rain and cold and the fact that Douxie was only wearing a thin layer of clothes that were already soaked. Douxie, for his part, was oblivious.

"Wait, is this that fancy store where the rich people get their clothes?"

Archie looked up at the building in front of them, seeing that it was, in fact, the 'fancy store where the rich people get their clothes.'

"Ooh, maybe they have some clothes out back. Whaddya think Arch? New clothes for my birthday?"

The news wasn't new; he had known that it was Douxie's… birthday. He'd just let it slip his mind in light of the recent events. "I think that sounds like a great idea. But I thought your birthday was tomorrow?"

"Fine, I'll wait for tomorrow." Douxie sighed, before he coughed again, only further concerning Archie.

"Maybe you should sleep early today, Douxie? I'm sure you could find some comfy bedding in there too."

The fact that Douxie agreed and listened to Archie concerned the cat. They went through the pile of cloth to be thrown out and managed to scrounge together some semi-comfortable bedding. Douxie was asleep, albeit fitfully, the second his head touched the makeshift pillow.

Tucked away around the alley corner, Archie was tempted to transform into his dragon form, but resisted the urge in favour of caution. Instead, he wrapped around his wizard, offering body heat in the cold night, only to find that the boy was already warm.

Hot even.

Even more concerned, Archie cuddled closer, hoping to somehow ward off sickness during the night so that Douxie could enjoy his birthday, carefree. Around them, the rain turned to a downpour, slightly unusual for August, but Archie's only concern was the boy next to him for now.

And all he could do for the boy right now was to take care of and comfort him. So that's what he'd do.

Before he himself fell asleep, he gathered some more scrap cloth and made them into a pile nearby. Making sure no one else was nearby, he temporarily turned back to his dragon form and lit the cloth on fire to work as a makeshift campfire. Heat filled the small alleyway, and though Archie knew it wouldn't last for long, it was the best he could do right now.

He just hoped it was enough.

Archie was woken up by Douxie tossing and turning.

The first thing he noticed was that it was early, the sky tinged pink with the sunrise, but the other half of the sky was still dark.

The second thing he noticed was that Douxie's forehead was covered in delicate beads of sweat, though the boy was still in a fitful sleep. Nuzzling his cheek, Archie was startled at how hot he felt. Getting out of the small cloth they were using as a blanket, he used his paw to check the young wizard for a fever.

As he suspected, Douxie was burning up. Unsure of what to do, Archie decided to wake Douxie up. He didn't want to, knowing that rest was probably best, but if Archie needed to leave to find medicine or something else, he would rather Douxie be awake to fend for himself even if he was weak.

"Douxie, wake up." He nuzzled the boy's cheek again, alternating between that and talking to Douxie, trying to ease him into waking up just in case he threw up if he got startled. Archie could deal with a fever, and maybe coughing and sneezing, but he did not want to deal with vomiting.

Bit by bit, Douxie seemed to wake up, groaning and trying to find a comfier position, but soon he was rubbing his eyes, still laying down.

Slightly relieved that Douxie was up, Archie smiled. "Happy birthday Douxie!" He whispered, earning a tired smile in return. Until a coughing fit took over. Archie flinched every time Douxie coughed, wishing he had water to offer the child, but there was none. He'd have to go and find some.

Douxie moaned, curling up into a tight ball, the coughs gone. "I don't feel too good Arch." He complained.

"I know, Douxie. Which is why I need you to stay awake so I can go and find some water for you and maybe some medicine, okay? You can still rest though, just don't fall asleep in case something happens."

"'kay." The poor boy's eyes were already half-closed, but Archie had no other choice. He quickly thought of something.

"If you stay awake, we can take a look at those clothes when I get back? And I might even be able to find a tart for you."

His strategy worked, and Douxie's eyes brightened at the mention of tarts. The boy had a sweet tooth, that was for sure, but Archie didn't mind because for now, that was what would likely keep Douxie awake for at least a short while. That was all the time Archie needed.

Reassuring the new 13 year old that he'd be back soon, Archie headed out to find some water first. The rain from the night before had let up, only a mere drizzle now. Cats generally didn't like water, and neither did dragons, since water and fire didn't go well together, so even though only a few drops fell on Archie's head, it greatly annoyed him. But it did give him an idea. Maybe finding water wouldn't be so hard.

Many of the stalls lining the streets had poorly constructed covering on top, if any at all. These makeshift roofs usually had holes that the owners couldn't be bothered to fix unless the water coming through was more than could be dealt with using a few bowls. Bowls, that were probably full of rainwater at this point.

Archie discreetly hopped up onto the nearest stall with a broken roof he saw, and just as he'd expected, there was a small bowl underneath, full to the brim with fresh rainwater. He knew it wasn't exactly the most sanitary, but it'd have to do. Now how to get it back to Douxie…?

Douxie sat in the alley, watching for Archie and trying to stay awake. His familiar had been gone for what felt like forever, but was probably only about 10 minutes.

He sniffed, trying to clear his blocked nose, but it only served to bring on another coughing fit. Groaning in frustration, his head felt like it was full of cotton, and he leaned it against the wall.

This was not how he expected his birthday to be like.

Wrapping his blanket closer around him, he made himself cozy, his eyes starting to close as he drifted off…

No.

He sat back up, remembering what Archie had said about staying awake until his familiar came back. But now he was getting bored. He thought he'd feel different being a 13 year old now, but right now, he felt terrible. At least this year was better than last year though. Him and Archie had only just started getting close then, despite having met almost a year before that and… oh! It'd been two years already since he'd met his familiar? Douxie smiled, remembering how different they each were now.

As if Archie knew Douxie was thinking about him, he appeared, dragging along a bowl of water. Douxie instantly felt safer with his familiar around, breathing easier despite his stuffy nose.

Douxie was about to call out to Arch, to tell his familiar that he was happy he was back, but another coughing fit interrupted him before he could open his mouth.

"Drink." Archie pushed the bowl towards him as his coughs subsided. Throat parched, he gratefully picked up the bowl, forcing himself to sake sips instead of gulps though he wasn't exactly sure why. A voice inside him just told him not to unless he wanted to throw up. Not wanting to risk throwing up, Douxie listened.

"Good." Archie said, after Douxie was done, the only reaction from the boy being a tired smile because talking wasn't working. The dragon - cat - climbed onto Douxie's lap, nuzzling his cheek though Douxie couldn't tell if it was to comfort him or to check his fever.

Maybe both, he decided, because he certainly felt comforted and his familiar seemed a little satisfied yet still went back to the market to find some herbs, telling Douxie to rest this time and not worry about falling asleep or not.

Before Douxie could do anything, his familiar was gone, and he yawned, eyes closing as darkness overtook his vision.

He was woken up by Archie some time later.

The sky was now blue, slowly returning to the usual August weather though some clouds still remained. His familiar had brought another bowl of water but had heated it up this time, quickly turning into a dragon to do so before turning back. He'd added some herbs he'd managed to steal from the apothecary, making tea that tasted terrible, but helped a bit.

Archie had also managed to steal a cream tart, much to Douxie's delight, and he'd nibbled at that too, offering the black cat half which he reluctantly took, but thoroughly enjoyed.

They'd talked for a bit, snuggled and discussed where they would go after, what they'd do. After that, Douxie had gone back to sleep, Archie hopeful that the sickness would pass soon and they could move somewhere else.

The next time Douxie woke up wasn't as pleasant.

"Oi! What's this?!" A woman's angry shouts broke through Douxie's hazy mind, not exactly registering what was going on so his eyes remained closed, slowly opening as he heard a cat's hiss and faint panic but not his panic. Archie's?

He sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Something was wrong.

He saw a large woman carrying scrap fabrics at the end of the alley, likely someone who worked at the clothing shop. She didn't seem happy to see that her fabrics were of use to others even after they were deemed trash.

"This ain't no orphanage. Go on, off you go."

Douxie got up to run, Archie ready beside him, but his legs were unsteady. He held onto the wall as support as black dots clouded his vision. Oh, wonderful, he could feel another coughing fit.

Still leaning against the wall, it felt like he was hacking up a lung, his head pounding. He could faintly feel Archie's urgency through their familiar's bond but he could also feel his cat wrapped around his legs.

When the coughing subsided, he was able to open his eyes to see the woman watching him, slightly concerned though she was trying hard not to show it. "You alright there lad?" She called out, cautious.

Archie went on the defensive, but he too, just watched as the woman stood there, cloth in her arms as she looked around to where the empty bowls of water sat, one still with some herbs in them. The cat could see her face soften, and she walked over slowly to where Douxie stayed frozen, Archie still on the defensive but curious now. She walked past them to where the rest of the discarded cloths were and returned to the wizard and his cat.

"Caught somethin' nasty there, haven't you, lad? No family?" Douxie nodded in response, still frozen in fear until another cough racked his scrawny frame. The woman sighed, and walked past them to the alley's opening . "Alright, come on then, what ya waitin for?" She called back.

Douxie looked to Arch, who just meowed in uncertainty, leaving the choice up to Douxie.

"I'm not gonna turn ya in, don't worry." The woman peeked back into the alley, a disdainful look on her face. That seemed to make up Douxie's mind and with a sneeze, he started to follow her, Archie right behind them. They caught up with the woman who led them to a side entrance to a back room of the store.

"How old are you, lad? Come on, cat 'ere got ya tongue?" She added when Douxie stayed silent.

Archie hissed, but relaxed when Douxie answered. "I'm 12 - 13 - ma'am." He corrected himself. The woman looked at him funny but said nothing of it.

"You know how to sweep? Clean?"

"Uhh…" Douxie just blinked. Archie, however, was curious as to the sudden change in topic, wondering where this was going.

The woman just sighed again. "Fine, I'll teach ya. It'll help ya later on anyway. From now on, ya work fer me, yeah? You help me with cleanin', an' ya get a roof over ya head an' two meals a day. Ya don't want to, then leave right now, and find a way to deal with that nasty little illness ya got there on ya own. Ya wanna stay an' work then ya get rest o' today and tonight to rest up, take care of that cough there, then ya stay here as long as ya want." She waited for Douxie to make his choice as she went to deal with some other business in an adjoining room.

Douxie looked to Archie. Archie looked to Douxie. And they both reached the same conclusion at the same time.

"I'll do it ma'am." He coughed, but it was over quickly. "I'll work for ya."

"Smart choice, lad. Now, first things first, you call me Mrs. Browne, or keep on callin' me ma'am. Second," she grabbed something from the room she was in and thrust it at Douxie. "Put this on. Can't have my new worker get sick again."

Douxie looked at the brown leather vest in his hands and put it on. Archie eyed it, noting that it looked okay, good actually, except… "It's a bit too big for me. Mrs. Browne."

Mrs. Browne looked him up and down. "Well, tha's 'cause you ain't got no skin on ya bones, lad. Yer'll grow into it. One way or another."

Douxie looked down at the vest again and shrugged. He coughed again, making Mrs. Browne purse her lips. "Now go get ya rest, lad. Ya start work tomorrow, remember? Yer room'll be this one righ' 'ere." She led him up some cramped stairs and into a small room, barely big enough for a bed.

Archie looked at it, then at Douxie who was looking at it too. But he was looking at it in wonder, as if the small, cramped room were the best thing to ever happen.

"Thank you, Mrs. Browne, ma'am."

The woman's face softened again. "I'm not lettin' another child die by illness. But don't ya forget that ya not just here from the good o' my heart. Ya got a job to do. Righ' now, that job is to rest. You need anythin' then I'm downstairs. Otherwise dinner's outside ya door at sun down. And I expect ya ready for work at sun up tomorrow. Now sleep."

The softness was gone, replaced by a tough exterior, but Douxie didn't seem to notice. He just grinned and sat on the bed as Mrs. Browne left. Picking Archie up onto his lap, they looked at each other.

"I guess this birthday isn't so bad, Arch. What do you think?"

Archie looked up at his idiot 13 year old wizard. "I think you're right. And that vest really does look too big on you."

Douxie laughed, and even if it turned to a cough, he still smiled. "Well, I think, Arch, that I'll grow into it. One way or another."

A/N: Yes, I made it rain in August. Yes, I said that it was unusual. Yes, it also happened to rain this morning, in August, in the northern hemisphere, mid-summer in real life.

Okay, I feel the need to explain Mrs. Browne. Originally, in my notes, I had a kind woman find Douxie and take him in until he got better, but then with the clothing store part of it, I though that maybe that's where he got his vest (or whatever it is, i call it a vest), then somehow, Mrs. Browne came in and became Douxie's first employer and taught him how to sweep (which we all know he does a lot, so he must have learnt it from somewhere).

Writing really has a mind of its own. Anyway, stay safe and see ya soon.

-CrowofArcadiaOaks