Disclaimer: I own only the plot, Marash islands, and Napaz
The rest belongs to Tamora Pierce, who was wise enough to publish tortall books before I was born
Sewing Needle.
Chapter 3: Kel
Sleep was a foreign possibility to Kel. She didn't feel tired, she didn't feel wakeful. She just felt…detached.
She sat outside her tent doing nothing at all.
Napaz was watching her.
She felt his eyes, confused, timid, kind.
There was something about him, something that said he was as detached as she felt.
Something had happened to him; something that made him nervous, sad.
He was missing something, someone, that he needed desperately.
He looked away. Grabbing a blanket, he leaned against a tree.
Gradually, he drifted of to sleep, his head sagging. Kel watched him, hypnotized. He was different when he slept. She could see how insecure he was, how lost.
After a while, watching Napaz the whole time, Kel drifted into a light doze.
Then the cough came, heart wrenching, torturing.
Kel jerked awake, looking for the source of the sickening sound.
Her eyes came to Napaz. When had he gotten sick? He had been perfectly fine the whole trip.
His eyes fluttered for a millisecond. The cough eventually subsided, but he was struggling to breath.
Kel wondered if she should wake Neal.
The convulsions started, violent jerking motions racked his frame. All the color drained from his face, making him look half dead.
In her mind Kel couldn't decide whether to get Neal, Duke Baird, or both.
The convulsions stopped, Napaz gasping for air.
Kel was decided: both and Alanna.
"No!" The shout was softer than a whisper, but Kel still heard it. Turning in mid-stride, Kel looked at Napaz. He needed a healer, Kel knew it, he knew it. But he didn't want Kel to get one when there where three in their camp. He had lost his mind.
Seeing Kel's raised eyebrow, Napaz spoke again. "No, Please!" He sounded desperate.
Sighing softly, Kel went and stopped in front of his prostrate form.
Gently, she put her hand against his forehead (he flinched at her touch) and quickly pulled away.
It felt as If his skin was on fire.
Kel rose to get someone, but Napaz grasped her hand, his grip pathetically weak.
He was begging her not to go, hi voice getting weaker as he went on.
Sitting down, Kel put a finger to his lips. He stopped talking.
Easily breaking his grip, Kel got some of the spare blankets Neal had brought and tucked him into them, tightly, cocooning him in as many blankets as she could carry, minus one for herself.
Napaz had drifted into a fretful sleep after Kel forced him to drink some water. His breath was swift and shallow, and he was shaking.
Looking around for the first time, Kel noticed how much darker it was compared to when she had gone to sleep. Checking his breathing one last time, Kel settled down by Napaz to watch him.
Watching them from the safety of her tent was Alanna, speech spell open between her and King Jonathan.
i hoped you enjoyed that chapter. it was probably a litle short but hey, i'm working on the other chapters right now.
mwa! luv ya (friend like, yaknow).
ps.: thank you two the people who reviewed.