Chapter
Seven: Beyond Her Limit
Gritty
opened the door to Buddi's room. He was looking for Ursa and guessed that he'd
find her here. She'd been with the boy nonstop for the past two days. In fact,
Gritty doubted if she'd slept at all. But his beliefs were fulfilled as sure
enough, Ursa was there.
She was lying beside Buddi, one arm
draped over his body, protecting him. Gritty walked over to her and saw that
she'd fallen asleep although her breathing wasn't that of a heavy dreamer. He
looked at her. Her eyes had circles under them and her whole face looked tired.
Her normally smooth blond hair had a ragged look to it and was spilling around
her shoulders.
Gritty knelt to shake her shoulder.
Ursa's hand shot up and grabbed his
and her eyes flew open, blazing protectively. Then, she recognized him.
"Oh, Gritty."
The Barbic laughed. "Tense?"
Ursa nodded. She looked at Buddi. He
was still flushed and bit sweaty. Hot. His fever was still high. Ursa felt someone
tap her shoulder. Gritty handed the strip to her. She nodded and put it on her
sleeping child's forehead. After a minute she took it away and shook her head.
"Still one hundred and four."
Gritty sighed, wrung out the
compress, and laid it back on Buddi's forehead. He let out a low moan of pain
and rolled over, scrunching his knees up to his belly. Ursa stroked his hair.
Then, she turned as someone touched and smoothed her own. Gritty gave her a
smile and let her hair fall through his fingers.
"You're tired Ursa."
She shook her head. "I'm okay,
Gritty. Just as long as Buddi makes it."
Gritty gave her a smile. "He's a
Barbic, Ursa. He'll be all right. He's as stubborn as you are."
Ursa glared at him.
Gritty went on, "I worry about him now but I also
worry about you. You look like you haven't slept in days."
"I haven't."
Gritty sighed. "You need to sleep,
Ursa. I'll stay with Buddi."
Ursa shook her head. "No, I want to
stay with my Buddi."
"But Ursa-"
"I'm FINE!"
"Ursa…"
"Gritty," her voice was pinched,
tight. But softer. She didn't want to wake Buddi. "I said that I'm alright.
Believe me, okay?"
Gritty sighed and growled under his
breath. By the Great Gummies, she was so stubborn! If she kept going
like this, she'd hurt herself. In fact, Gritty was sure she'd already
hurt herself. She was peevish, tense. As a leader, she was usually tense, but
now she was especially irritable. Gritty looked at her.
She was stroking Buddi's hair again.
Gritty got up and left. He headed
for Grubbi's room. His decision was made.
Ursa would sleep, even if it wasn't
voluntarily, she would sleep.
* * *
"Grubbi?"
The older Barbic walked to his door
and stepped aside to let Gritty in. The normally tough and confident warrior
now looked worn and worried, an unusual look to see on his face. He stood
against the wall and crossed his arms. He looked directly at Grubbi, his eyes
locked on a task.
"Yes, what's up, gritty?'
"It's Ursa."
Grubbi sighed. He'd been concerned
about her. She was staying with Buddi day in and day out but in doing so, she
rarely ate anything and he could already see the effects it was having on her
physical well-being. The girl always looked tired now and she was worn,
worried.
"What about her?"
"I…I need you to give me some
sleeping herbs."
Grubbi's head shot up. "Gritty, you
aren't thinking of-"
"If it's the only way I can get her
to sleep, yes. I will drug her."
Grubbi winced. "I pity you if she
catches you."
Gritty shrugged. "Will you help me
or not?"
Grubbi sighed but reached up into
the cabinet, removing small cut up herbs.
"I was going to give Buddi some in
his drink tonight, to help him sleep. I'll drug both drinks."
Gritty nodded. He hated doing this
to Ursa, she was his best friend. But he also knew when the time came to put his
foot down. If she didn't sleep, she'd be of no use to Buddi and couldn't help
him at all.
Gritty watched as the oldest Barbic
mixed the herbs together in some water. He handed the two to gritty.
"I already prepared their trays.
They're in the kitchen. Just go ahead and take them up."
Gritty nodded. "Thanks Grubbi."
Grubbi sighed. "Thank me if we
survive Ursa's anger when she wakes up."
Gritty winced himself. Of all the
things in the world, Ursa's temper was something that truly worried him. He'd
never feared death or anything of that sort. He feared for the others, their
safety he worried about but Ursa's anger was another thing that worried him.
She had the Barbic temper.
But Gritty took the trays up.
* * *
"Ursa?"
Ursa fought the terrible weakness
prying at her eyes and looked at Buddi. He was still hot, feverish. But his
temper remained steady at one hundred and four. He looked at her with glassy
eyes. She pulled the compress from his forehead and drenched it, before
wringing it out and returning it to the child's forehead.
"What, baby?"
"My stomach, my head…everything
hurts."
Ursa smiled at him, faintly.
"Grubbi's going to give you some herbs to help it, Baby."
"But it hurts now!"
Ursa thought a minute and then slid
her hand under the blankets and up until it was on Buddi's stomach. She started
to rub it, as if he was a little child that had eaten too much sugar. Buddi
felt a bit embarrassed but he didn't care as the motions did soothe the pain a
bit.
"Hungry, you two?"
Ursa turned. Gritty walked in and
set two trays down. One he set by Ursa on the top of the nightstand and the
other he propped over Buddi's knees. Buddi thanked him, although his answer
lacked the burst of energy it usually had, when he was well.
"Thanks Gritty."
Gritty gave Ursa a smile, hoping
that he didn't give anything away. Apparently, he didn't as she started to eat.
Grubbi had made a sandwich for her and some thick broth for Buddi. They didn't
know why but broth always helped when they were sick.
Buddi ate slowly, and took occasionally
sips of his water. Then, Ursa grabbed his hands and said,
"Drink it all, Buddi. Fluids help."
"You aren't."
Ursa gave him a smile and downed her
glass in one gulp.
"Now you have no excuse."
Buddi scowled and took another bite
of soup before downing the glass, slowly. But then as he set it down, he noted
crystals in it…herbs. He looked at Ursa. "Are those those herbs we have for
sleep?"
She nodded. "Here," she took the
tray away and laid him down. As she did, she felt sluggish and tired. She
fought it and laid the compress on Buddi's forehead again. As she got up,
watching him drift to sleep she picked up her own glass. She felt so tired!
Then, she saw why.
In the bottom of the glass were
crystals…herbs…sleeping herbs.
Her anger flared and she exited
quietly, leaving Buddi to sleep. She was angry and as long as they'd drugged
her she guessed someone would be near Buddi. And she didn't want to wake him.
But the minute she was out of his room, her anger took her. She raced down the
hall until she reached Grubbi's room. She flung it open, chest heaving with
fury, and Grubbi and Gritty turned to look at her.
Ursa swayed a bit. Grubbi managed a fragile
smile. The meds were starting to kick in. She stumbled forward and grabbed
Gritty's shirt.
"Gritty Barbic! How could you?"
"You're tired and hurting yourself.
You're blaming me for caring?"
"I told you I was fine."
Grubbi held her shoulder. "You aren't
Ursa. You need sleep."
Ursa pushed him away but her force
wasn't there. His hands moved an inch. He noted and nodded at her. She cursed
in Barbic, under her breath. The medicines were kicking in. She felt sluggish
and weak.
"Guys, I wanted to stay with Buddi.
He needs me,"
"We'll watch him, Ursa." Grubbi
reassured her. She stumbled. Gritty caught her.
"No…I…"
The last of the medicines conquered
her weakened will power and strength.
Her eyes slid shut and her body went
slack. Gritty scooped her up in his arms. Her legs dangled over his arm and his
other arm supported her neck. She was light to him. Her breathing was heavy.
Gritty sighed.
"I hate that it came to this Ursa."
The two males walked down the hall,
to Ursa's room. Grubbi opened the door for Gritty. The male Barbic loosened her
helmet and pulled it off, letting her blond hair flow free. Grubbi pulled her sandals
off and the two gently laid her down in her bed. Gritty grabbed her quilt and
flung it over her body.
"You brought it on yourself, Ursa."
Gritty said as he watched her, "You were going beyond your limit."
Grubbi pulled him back. "If I were you, I'd go to Buddi. Ursa may look peaceful now." He gestured to the sleeping form. "But she won't be when she wakes up."