"Go and get Vanora, Bors!" Shouted Dag as the writhing Day was placed on the infirmary bed.
Bors agreed gruffly and ran out of the room in search of his fiery red-headed lover.
All attention was turned back to the girl as another pained moan reached their ears and she struggled from beneath their restraints.
"Day, don't struggle." Warned Tristan, his fingers brushing lightly over her forehead in a soothing fashion.
Day's frown deepened and her eyes flitted beneath her closed eyelids as she continued to move restlessly on the bed.
"Tristan." She moaned lowly in a pained voice.
"Shh, I'm here." He replied softly, brushing her waves from her face and trying to keep her still.
The door flying open signalled Vanora's entrance and she ran to the bedside; her face slightly flushed and hair windswept meaning she must have ran all the way from the tavern.
"Poor child, what's happened?" She asked breathlessly as she moved around the giant form of Dag and up the side of the bed till she was opposite Tristan.
"She's complaining of stabbing, burning pains in her stomach." He stated quietly, leaving the words 'the baby' to hang in the air unsaid.
Vanora paled slightly before nodding her head and both she and Tristan looked down upon the grey face of Day.
"Ok I only want Dag and Tristan in here. Everyone else out." Vanora called, setting herself into motion and ignoring the protests of Bors, Arthur and Lancelot. "Go and make yourselves useful somewhere else."
Eventually they left and Vanora set about fetching bowls of fresh water and towels while Dagonet gathered a few herbs from a nearby cabinet. He looked helplessly towards Vanora as he arranged a small pile of herbs; knowing not what was wrong with Day and thus being unable to do anything with the herbs yet. Vanora gave him a reassuring smile as she poured some boiling water into one of the ceramic bowls and set it down on the small table with the towels and herbs next to the bedside.
Tristan was too lost in his own thoughts to be concerned with what the others were doing, gripping the still agitated Day's hand and stroking her face to try and soothe her.
"Tristan I want you to stay exactly as you are; you're doing a fine job. Don't be alarmed if her grip on your hand suddenly tightens though and she starts struggling more so." Vanora told him softly, once again standing opposite to him over Day and smiling gently as he looked up and confirmed he'd been listening. "Dag I want you to hold her legs in case she starts kicking out, don't want her to do more harm."
Dag inclined his head slightly and stonily went work, but his eyes were filled with concern and concentration.
Vanora looked down anxiously at the pained girl lying on the bed, and took a deep breath and prayed to whoever was listening that the baby was unharmed.
"I'm sorry if I hurt you Day but we need to see what's the matter with you." She whispered aloud, gently pressing her hands onto the stomach of the young woman.
A scream rent through the air and both Arthur and Lancelot started. They looked somewhat fearfully towards one another before carrying on their way to the stables; which they were using as the training area due to the practice field being out of use due to the cold weather.
"Vanora'll know what to do." Lancelot announced; his voice not even convincing himself.
"Yes. I'm sure she'll be fine." Agreed Arthur in a vain attempt to be persuasive.
Both men sighed as they entered the dim lighting of the stables, finding Gawain and Galahad already there training.
"Morning Arthur," Called Galahad, then had to duck to avoid a nasty blow to the head with the blunt end of Gawain's axe. "Lancelot."
The two men returned the greetings dully and Gawain paused a moment in confusion as to the state of their mood. The momentary distraction was enough to land him on his back with Galahad's sword at his throat and Gawain grumbled at the smirk on the younger Knight's face. He accepted the hand that was presented to him though, and cuffed Galahad over the back of the head once he was on his feet again.
"Bad news?" Asked Gawain quietly as the pair approached their commander and Lancelot who were now sat on the benches.
Arthur raised his head from his hands and eyed the two youngest Knights wearily.
"Day." Was all he said, his voice tired and sorrowful.
Galahad instantly started and his expression changed from one of smugness after his triumph over Gawain to one of concern ridiculously fast.
"What's happened? Is she all right?" He urged insistently and Lancelot growled at his childish pestering.
"They fear it's the baby. She's in the infirmary." He commented grimly; leaning back on the wooden bench behind him with a sullen expression.
Galahad gasped and Gawain hung his head in sorrow at the news, both staying silent for a moment in their thoughts until Galahad raised his head with a look of sheer dread on his face.
"What do I tell Jocosta?"
The surrounding three men jerked their heads up instantaneously.
"Don't tell her anything!" They exclaimed in unison, making Galahad take a step back in surprise.
"Shh Day, Vanora's only trying to help. Calm down." Soothed Tristan quietly, now sat behind Day on the bed so that she was leant against him. This way, he could try to restrain her from wriggling so much, and she could perhaps take comfort in his closeness.
Vanora sighed in frustration, her eyes hard with concentration and her forehead set in a deep frown. She dodged another of Day's agitated squirms and kept her hands on her stomach; pressing lightly to try and make sure the baby was ok.
Dag was still at the other end of the bed, holding onto the girl's feet although she seemed to be using her knees now to leverage herself to jolt and squirm so he was gradually moving farther up the bed in an effort to stop her.
Another yelp erupted from Day's mouth and Vanora winced again but continued in her examination.
"I'm sorry Tristan," She sighed as she stood back away from the bed. "But I can't find anything wrong with the baby."
Tristan didn't know whether to be relieved or worried as now at least they knew the baby was ok, but they still didn't know what was the cause of her pain.
"Thank you for your troubles Vanora." He said gratefully, nodding towards the relieved Dagonet as well before turning his head back to rest on Day's.
"You hear that Day?" He whispered into her dark waves. "The baby's going to be fine, everything's going to be ok."
Vanora smiled sadly at the scout's worry and quickly asked Dagonet to gather some Meadowsweet to help try and alleviate some of Day's pain. The gentle giant went straight to work in distinguishing the herbs from the small pile and creating the concoction.
"Tristan I wish to make a drink for Day that will hopefully make her sleepy. Is that alright with you?" Vanora enquired softly, not wanting to push the Knight as this was causing as much pain to him as it was to Day.
Tristan tilted his head to look at Vanora from behind his unkempt braids and nodded; warmth and understanding in his eyes, as well as a certain amount of pleading and hope.
"Thank you Vanora. I trust you enough to do well by Day so you need not ask me permission." He mumbled quietly and Vanora patted him on the shoulder before collecting the Valerian and Chamomile and placing the dried rhizome and roots in the boiling water to infuse.
After a few minutes of guarded silence which was only disturbed by Day's feeble moaning, both of the concoctions had been made and brought over to the bedside. Tristan shifted so that Day was sitting up and Dag brought the small mug of steaming tea to Day's lips; making sure she drank it all but didn't choke her.
They waited a few minutes to see if Day would react at all to the infusion, and once they were satisfied that she wouldn't Vanora stepped forward with the Chamomile and Valerian brew. At first Day spluttered on the strong tea, but after being calmed by Tristan whispering in her ear she was able to slowly sip the strange infusion until there was none left.
They waited patiently, watching Day intently until her protests weakened and she let sleep claim her. Tristan still sat with her in his arms and Vanora moved from her seat next to Dag at the foot of the bed to come and check on her.
"The herbs are working but I still want to know what's wrong with her. I'm sure it's nothing to do with the baby." She muttered looking downcast, her hand checking Day's forehead for any sign of fever.
Dagonet rose and gave Tristan a look that asked for his permission to examine the now sleeping Day. Tristan understood and inclined his head slightly in agreement; Vanora watching the silent conversation with interest.
"Well?" The red-head huffed impatiently and Dag gave her a soft smile.
"Just going to check her over more thoroughly." He explained, placing his hands over Day's stomach and exerting gentle force. His face was deep in concentration and he only looked up when Day moaned softly in her sleep.
He worked around the womb as they had ascertained that the pain was unrelated to the baby but that the pain was still situated around the midriff. He worked with intense attentiveness, noting carefully where she moaned the most; even in her state of sleep.
"Her right side," He mused aloud with a confused frown. "It causes her much pain, and just here," He said pausing and pressing gently just above her hip. "It's swollen slightly."
Vanora tutted under her breath and came around the other side of the bed to see what Dagonet was twittering on about for herself. He nodded to her and moved his hands aside so she could feel the swelling.
"Gods Dag, you're right!" She gasped and saw Tristan start suddenly from the corner of her eye.
"What is it Dagonet?" He requested tersely, his worry for the girl in his arms surfacing.
The giant of a man rubbed at his chin for a long moment in thoughtful silence before raising his eyes to look at the anxious scout on the bed.
"I know only a little of the condition." He warned, but the pleading look in Tristan's eyes forced him to continue. "Some call it appendicitis. It's inflammation of the appendix, but if not removed shortly after inflamed…it can be fatal."
Tristan's face turned considerably stonier and he pressed a kiss into Day's hair, murmuring to her. Vanora's hand flew up to her mouth to stifle the gasp that escaped it and she paled, grabbing hold of Dag's arm for reassurance. The fearsome Knight placed his arm around her shoulder and gathered her into a friendly embrace; consoling the fiery red-head.
"Can you do anything?" Tristan asked suddenly, his voice thick with emotion.
Dag looked up from his embrace with Vanora and considered his request carefully.
"Perhaps…but it will be painful, and we shall have to work fast." He insisted evenly, taking another look at the listless form of Day. "The sooner the better."
A/N: Sorry its such a short one but I wanted to get it posted quickly! Yet another cliff-hanger lol. You must all really hate me hehehe. -slaps wrist- Sorry, power going to me head...should really do something about that...Anyway yes! Tis not the baby, hurrah! Tis appendicis apparently...damn lol. I don't make an easy life for my poor characters do I? Day's first appearance is in a fight, then she's accousted by Galahad,then she's ravaged by Tristan in her tent sniggers, after that she nearly dies in another battle, later she finds out she's pregnant and is proposed to BEFORE watching her brother nearly die! And now this! The mean author I am lol. I can't quite remember what I've done with Gryfn now either lol. He could be on a hiking trip around Outer Mongolia for all I know lol. Should better read back methinks... Thanks everyone xx
KnightMaiden: Writers block stinks, huh? But the baby card is always a good one to play - makes for pleading reviewers and a pleading reviewer is always nice to have lol. Glad you liked the last chapter!
LANCELOTTRISTANBABY: Thanks for the encouragement, I need as much as I can get! lol
Elfvamp1-13-97: Nooooo! You can't die! I mean I know I'm mean to my reviewers with all my power tripping and all but give me a break! lol No, we make a deal yeah? You don't die and carry onreviewing and I write, deal? shakes hands Good reviewer! lol. Nice way of thinking about Tristan there! Yup he's one protective man, but thats what makes him so cute! Ok cute isn't quite the word for a killing machine...hmm...devilishly hot? lol Pleased you're enjoying it!