Part IX

The Illness of Change

Mid morning found Hitomi in the training grounds she'd had breakfast, Kotori had been drinking last night in secret and claimed this morning she wasn't feeling to well and was staying in bed, but she'd come out later to train. She'd not been at breakfast and Hitomi had quickly become bored and headed off to the training grounds. Upon entering she'd pulled out a dagger and taken a seat on the bench while toying with her dagger. Twirling the dagger between her fingers, Hitomi watched the knight's train. She didn't fancy training just yet, and was more content on playing with her dagger. She turned to watch a squire train against Sir Gumlittle, and noticed that he didn't seem quite as good in training today, maybe he was tired and preferred not to show it.

Morning and dinner came and went and they were back in the training grounds, Kotori had also now decided to race them with her presence.

Hitomi then unsheathed her sword and Sir Plucki motioned towards the beams where they were to train. Climbing on Hitomi dropped into fighting stance, her sword held in front of her she kept her eyes trained on the opponent before her.

Sir Plucki stood only a meter away from Hitomi, his staff in hand and held it defensively, awaiting an attack from Hitomi.

The spinning things were activated, and Hitomi took a step forward sword in hand, a mischievous glint in her eyes, briefly noticing everything seemed a lot bigger as she raised her sword then pretending to attack to the left she went to the right, and he blocked it.

The two trained for a while on the beams neither of the two really gaining the upper hand, though Hitomi was lacking and getting slower, and starting to give way much to her dismay.

Metal upon metal clashing, Hitomi pushed with all her might and was able to throw him off, so he stumbled back a bit, and she twirled round putting some distance between them. Hitomi swung her sword blocking one of Sir Plucki's attacks when she noticed something on her arm.  Pausing for a moment she drew back the fabric of her sleeve and ran her hand over her now slightly furry white arm. Deciding it not to important and that she really had to do something about that later she continued training. For an hour training continued until the knights called a break. Hitomi while not outwardly showing was starting to feel quite ill. Her body felt heavy and her vision was becoming hazy and pain shot through her, but it wasn't unbearable, yet. Glancing over from her place on a bench she saw her friends talking and laughing then glanced round looking for Kotori. Seeing her nowhere near her she glanced further round and spotted her heading for the doors.

"Hey, Kotori where you going" She shouted.

"I don't feel so good. I think I'll give a rest for today" came the reply over Kotori's shoulder.

Leaning forward and squinting a bit Hitomi saw Kotori looked pale and in all honestly she looked like she was gonna be sick. Hmm, she thought perhaps Kotori's feeling the same thing.

The knights resumed their training without Hitomi for a while as she claimed to be a bit tired. They trained for about two hours before Hitomi stiffly got off the bench and walked over to them.  She smiled weakly at them and picked up a training staff then climbed on the bench and fell into her fighting stance. She was against Sir Plucki and the training between them was usually something to behold. 

A clock chimed somewhere notifying them it was four in the afternoon and that they only had about an hours training left. It also meant that squires would come for the last remaining hour to train because at this time they'd finished their other duties and schooling. Sir Gumlittle and Sir Blastus bid farewell and went to the other side of the training grounds to attend to their squires.

While Sir Plucki who at this present time had a squire but they came in the evening so he carried on training with Hitomi.  Once the two were alone he was able to fully concentrate on her movements and noticed almost immediately how slow she was and that she seemed to be panting for breath but their training had barely begun.  He made a simple attack on her, which she barely blocked but it seemed to be her undoing. Her sword fell from her hand and clattered on the ground followed shortly by Hitomi who seemingly had just collapsed.

The knights were around her in a second with some of the squires watching in awe at Hitomi's collapse. Hitomi was somewhat of a role model as well as the high knights that the squires looked up to and for Hitomi to have fallen it greatly worried them. Sir Blastus was the first to act clearing the grounds and sending one of the squires to have a medic waiting.  Hitomi meanwhile lay on the floor curled up in a fetal position withering in pain, she felt as though her body weighed a ton and that fire was spreading through her blood. Her eyes were screwed shut and she wouldn't allow anyone to move her hands from their fixed place round her stomach.  Sweat was pouring off her that she could feel and she felt incredibly cold despite that her friends said she felt hot.  She shivered as she felt one of them pick her up and hurriedly carry her out of the grounds. Eyes opening a sliver she saw she lay in the arms of Sir Plucki quickly pursued by his friends. This pain was intolerable; she didn't think she could take much more when her head began to pound.  The rush of cool air hitting her face and the constant turning round sharp corners to get to the tower she resided in made her dizzy and so quite willingly she slipt into blissful unconsciousness.

TBC...

Sorry this is a short chapter, but I promise to write a much longer chapter for the next.

Please R&R!