CHAPTER SEVEN
Losing Reality
Going to bed with the fire dying down and wet hair was probably one of the worst things Kel could have done that night. The only thing that could have
possibly been worse would have been her going outside to sleep in the cruel coldness and the freezing rain. By the time sleep to her away, Kel was already so
completely far gone that she wasn't aware of the fact that reality was slipping away. Early the next morning as Kel drifted further and further away. Raoul,
Qasim, and Uliver, captain of second company, and even Lerant, prepared to ride the rest of the way to start peace discussions with Scanara. Kel's mother went in
and tried to wake Kel without success. Ilane came out, shut the door, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, my lord. I tried, but she wouldn't stir."
Raoul shrugged his shoulders. "It's not vital she be there. Although, it would have been a very valuable learning experience. Well, she can continue on
and find us when she awakens; if she's up to it." Raoul paused for thought. "She has been very tired lately. That's understandable. So tell her not to worry about
it. We should be back tomorrow evening, then we'll have to get in touch with Jon." Raoul sighed. "And Kel's got so much on her mind lately..."
"What does she have on her mind?" Ilane interrupted.
"Because..." Raoul thought quickly. "Of the ordeal." Ilane nodded.
"I'm afraid this will take more than one day of discussion nevertheless." Raoul stated getting back on track.
"You worry too much. Just go." Ilane smiled pushing him gently towards the door. "Do you always talk and worry and change the subject so much?"
"No." Raoul admitted. "Only when war is at question."
"I don't think this will lead to war." Ilane said alarmed.
Raoul smiled half heartedly. "We can only hope."
"And pray to Minthros." Ilane interjected.
Raoul nodded. "We best be off." They left, and Kel wasn't disturbed the rest of the day. The only trouble with that was that Kel wasn't really getting
any rest, because more than sleep and exhaustion had overtaken Kel's weak body.
***
The next morning tried once again to rouse Kel without any effect. This was more than upsetting. Ilane became frantic. She ran down the hall frenziedly
searching for any form of help.
"Arete! Arete!" Ilane called loudly for the family's healer who had joined them shortly after Kel left for the palace. "Arete come quick!" A young woman
in her mid- twenties came rushing around the corner to meet Ilane, her long chocolate hair flying wildly.
"Yes M'am?" She asked flustered. "What is it?"
"Kel. Sick. Help. Fallow me." Ilane gasped out of breath from both fright and the quick rush through Midelan's vast corridors. They both blazed back to
the room where the unconscious Kel lay. Arete dashed over to the bed and gently shook Kel's still body. Realizing the problem was tremendously more serious,
Arete reached inside with her gift. What she found shocked her so totally she immediately pulled away.
"M'am, I think you should wait outside. This could take awhile." Grimly Ilane nodded and closed the door firmly behind her retreating back. Arete went
to the other side of the room, grabbed a chair and placed it beside Kel's bed. Arete took a deep breath closed her eyes and gently placed her hand on Kel's clammy
forehead. Arete was met with darkness. Kel's life light was little more than a faint glimmer. Arete was sure it was pneumonia, and the black god had arrived and
was soon to stake his claim. Arete gathered more of her strong topaz gift and went in deeper. Still Arete could find nothing. Slowly Arete began to call with
all her strength for Kel to come back to them. To come back to reality. Just as she was about to give up, Arete found a small but strong life light glowing
fiercely. Relieve Arete began to pull away before she lost herself and wasted her gift trying to help Kel. Just before she completely broke their connection,
Arete found another larger but weaker life light. Shocked, Arete pulled her hand from Kel's damp forehead, and sat back in her chair very surprised.
"Goddess," Arete sighed. "Two?" Arete dipped back in with her gift to confirm her earlier startling findings. Two life lights. She had brought back
the baby back first and then Kel there was something very odd about that.
Moments later the emotionally and physically drained Arete stumbled out the door and crashed into Ilane's worried waiting arms.
"Well?" Ilane demand delirious with unease.
Arete sighed with extreme tiredness. "She's asleep. But I guarantee she's mentally with us now. She's tired from the immense healing, so wake her
in an hour or two, and be prepared. She'll be ravenous. She should rest..." Arete became distracted. "Oh! You're..." Arete collapsed to the floor with a ghastly
thud... Arete was just about to tell Ilane she was to be a grandmother again, but the healing had completely wiped her out.
Losing Reality
Going to bed with the fire dying down and wet hair was probably one of the worst things Kel could have done that night. The only thing that could have
possibly been worse would have been her going outside to sleep in the cruel coldness and the freezing rain. By the time sleep to her away, Kel was already so
completely far gone that she wasn't aware of the fact that reality was slipping away. Early the next morning as Kel drifted further and further away. Raoul,
Qasim, and Uliver, captain of second company, and even Lerant, prepared to ride the rest of the way to start peace discussions with Scanara. Kel's mother went in
and tried to wake Kel without success. Ilane came out, shut the door, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, my lord. I tried, but she wouldn't stir."
Raoul shrugged his shoulders. "It's not vital she be there. Although, it would have been a very valuable learning experience. Well, she can continue on
and find us when she awakens; if she's up to it." Raoul paused for thought. "She has been very tired lately. That's understandable. So tell her not to worry about
it. We should be back tomorrow evening, then we'll have to get in touch with Jon." Raoul sighed. "And Kel's got so much on her mind lately..."
"What does she have on her mind?" Ilane interrupted.
"Because..." Raoul thought quickly. "Of the ordeal." Ilane nodded.
"I'm afraid this will take more than one day of discussion nevertheless." Raoul stated getting back on track.
"You worry too much. Just go." Ilane smiled pushing him gently towards the door. "Do you always talk and worry and change the subject so much?"
"No." Raoul admitted. "Only when war is at question."
"I don't think this will lead to war." Ilane said alarmed.
Raoul smiled half heartedly. "We can only hope."
"And pray to Minthros." Ilane interjected.
Raoul nodded. "We best be off." They left, and Kel wasn't disturbed the rest of the day. The only trouble with that was that Kel wasn't really getting
any rest, because more than sleep and exhaustion had overtaken Kel's weak body.
***
The next morning tried once again to rouse Kel without any effect. This was more than upsetting. Ilane became frantic. She ran down the hall frenziedly
searching for any form of help.
"Arete! Arete!" Ilane called loudly for the family's healer who had joined them shortly after Kel left for the palace. "Arete come quick!" A young woman
in her mid- twenties came rushing around the corner to meet Ilane, her long chocolate hair flying wildly.
"Yes M'am?" She asked flustered. "What is it?"
"Kel. Sick. Help. Fallow me." Ilane gasped out of breath from both fright and the quick rush through Midelan's vast corridors. They both blazed back to
the room where the unconscious Kel lay. Arete dashed over to the bed and gently shook Kel's still body. Realizing the problem was tremendously more serious,
Arete reached inside with her gift. What she found shocked her so totally she immediately pulled away.
"M'am, I think you should wait outside. This could take awhile." Grimly Ilane nodded and closed the door firmly behind her retreating back. Arete went
to the other side of the room, grabbed a chair and placed it beside Kel's bed. Arete took a deep breath closed her eyes and gently placed her hand on Kel's clammy
forehead. Arete was met with darkness. Kel's life light was little more than a faint glimmer. Arete was sure it was pneumonia, and the black god had arrived and
was soon to stake his claim. Arete gathered more of her strong topaz gift and went in deeper. Still Arete could find nothing. Slowly Arete began to call with
all her strength for Kel to come back to them. To come back to reality. Just as she was about to give up, Arete found a small but strong life light glowing
fiercely. Relieve Arete began to pull away before she lost herself and wasted her gift trying to help Kel. Just before she completely broke their connection,
Arete found another larger but weaker life light. Shocked, Arete pulled her hand from Kel's damp forehead, and sat back in her chair very surprised.
"Goddess," Arete sighed. "Two?" Arete dipped back in with her gift to confirm her earlier startling findings. Two life lights. She had brought back
the baby back first and then Kel there was something very odd about that.
Moments later the emotionally and physically drained Arete stumbled out the door and crashed into Ilane's worried waiting arms.
"Well?" Ilane demand delirious with unease.
Arete sighed with extreme tiredness. "She's asleep. But I guarantee she's mentally with us now. She's tired from the immense healing, so wake her
in an hour or two, and be prepared. She'll be ravenous. She should rest..." Arete became distracted. "Oh! You're..." Arete collapsed to the floor with a ghastly
thud... Arete was just about to tell Ilane she was to be a grandmother again, but the healing had completely wiped her out.