Red Sky at Night – Chapter Two

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Several weeks passed and Medilia grew slowly into her new role. When she had first discovered her pregnancy she had imagined a very different life, one with a husband by her side and the support of friends and neighbours. Never once had she imagined losing Arn before their wedding day and having the village turn their backs on her. Yet she knew wallowing in her sorrow would do no good and did her best to ignore the village and dedicate herself to the raising of her son.

She had little experience with babies though as weeks became months, she couldn't shake the feeling that Link was just too quiet. He barely cried, even after the bruise around his neck had faded. Yet in all other ways he seemed perfectly healthy. He was alert and content and had a voracious appetite. She found herself laughing as he hungrily took her breast, no matter how recently he'd last fed.

In that way he grew, loved and nourished by his mother, too young to know about the isolation they faced. She in turn took him to town only when she absolutely had to, keeping him safe from the people who would call him a bastard and unwanted. Although she knew she couldn't protect him forever, she was determined to preserve his innocence while she could. In time, she worried less about his quietness and, soon after he reached his first year, he began to make some small, babbling sounds and she had hope.

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The next blood moon rose unexpectedly when he was halfway through his second year. She kept him close all night, afraid of what it was might mean for them, for him. She didn't even dare pull the drapes, needing to see when it was over.

It was with deep relief that she watched the red moon fade and the sun rise, burning away the demons that she'd feared all night.

The cough began the next day.

At first it was nothing much, a mild cold she attributed to the changing of the seasons. But rather than improving, it got progressively worse. She watched with concern as the coughing fits became increasingly frequent and his small body trembled with the force of them as he gasped for breath between each uncontrollable cough.

Even now, the village healer refused to see them. In desperation she tried to soothe him with cooled herbal teas, poultices and elixirs made from items scavenged from nearby. Nothing she did seemed to make any difference and she grew afraid that if she even blinked he'd stop breathing.

Two weeks slipped by, with little sleep and great worry. She rubbed his back as he struggled to catch his breath, trying not to see the sunken eyes and pale face that her once bright boy now had. Day and night she prayed to the Goddess for help as none was forthcoming in the village. It was beyond her comprehension that they would refuse an innocent child help, but she refused to succumb to the anger that she simply had no time for.

It was some three weeks after Link fell ill that she found herself low on supplies. Although reluctant to take him out, they needed to eat. And just maybe a little fresh air would help.

She strapped him with a cloth to her chest, as she had done when he was a newborn, enabling her to keep him close. Certainly he wasn't in any condition to walk, the long illness had left him desperately weak. "We'll be as quick as we can," she promised him, stopping when he responded with another violent coughing fit, his small hands grabbing her dress to steady himself. She bit back tears. "We'll be home soon."

They'd not gone far when she heard someone else walking nearby. Instinctively she pulled him closer to her chest, her hands ready to shield his ears from the hurtful words she now knew he understood.

"Good morning, excuse me!" A man appeared with a smile and a wave, his dark hair pulled back from a weather-beaten face.

She blinked, being so unused to a friendly face that she hardly knew how to respond. "Yes?" She asked, glancing around to see if it was cruel joke.

He approached a little more. "I'm sorry to trouble you. Do you know if armoranth grows near here? I do not know the area and I've been looking for days."

Learning that he was not local certainly explained his friendliness. It was refreshing after so long. "In the Woods to the north there's several patches. Though if you're looking to make wine you'll have to hope the locals have left you enough."

He chuckled and was about to respond, but was interrupted by Link's coughing, the loud, whooping sound drowning out anything else.

The man frowned. "Goddess! The little one does not sound well at all."

Medilia nodded. "He's been ill for weeks. We're only out because we need supplies... if you'll excuse me, we need to get back home as soon as we can." She took a step to the side, making to leave.

"Wait!" He called out, following. "The armoranth, it's not for wine, it's for elixirs. I'm a healer, maybe I can help."

She stopped, staring at him. Was this the answer to her prayers? A healer... one who didn't know their sordid history, one who could maybe help. "Would you?" She whispered, raising her head to meet his gaze. "I'm so scared for him." She remembered something and stepped forward. "I don't have much money, but I've a box of dried armoranth in my pantry. I'll let you have it all." It crossed her mind that she didn't know him and that he could be lying, but one look at Link's tired, sunken eyes told her she had nothing to lose.

"No need for that," he smiled. "My name is Oric, by the way, from Laurilin originally."

Medilia managed a weak smile. "I'm Medilia. My son is Link." She took a breath. "Our home is this way." She was more than a little anxious about letting a strange man into their home, but she was desperate and besides, he felt safe.

"It's good to meet you. Please, don't be worried. I just want to help." He followed her, keeping a respectful distance. "I'm travelling around, with no real destination. My village has another healer already and I've always wanted to explore Hyrule."

"I see..." she supposed it explained why a healer was wandering round the outskirts of Kakariko village. She let him in and carefully undid the cloth holding Link close. Despite her caution, the movement set him coughing again, has face going blue as he gasped for air.

Oric winced and waited for the attack to subside. "Sit him down, let me have a look. Has he seen a healer at all?"

"They... they can't help us," she replied. It was at least mostly the truth. She set Link down, hating how lethargic he was.

"I see."

When Link was settled in a soft chair, he approached with a gentle smile. "Hello there. I'm going to have a look at that cough, is that okay?" He paused, waiting for a response, which came in the form of a short nod.

"I'm sorry he... he doesn't speak... yet..." Medilia explained, clutching her hands. "But he understands everything."

Oric nodded. "Well then Link, let's see what's the matter, hmm?" He had a good idea in all honesty, but he wanted to be sure. He took a few minutes to examine the boy, listening to his cough and his breathing, before sitting back. "You say he's been like this for weeks?"

Medilia nodded. "Nearly three."

"Remarkable." He smiled gently at her. "He must be quite a fighter. Most children who get this either recover quickly or... Well." He cleared his throat, his implication obvious. "I'll make a batch of medicines for you. It will take a few days to work, but he will start to feel better. Might I use your kitchen?"

"Oh... of course!" She could barely believe it. "He'll... be okay?"

Oric nodded, pulling various ingredients out of his bag. "I'm going to need some of that armoranth. And yes, though I must be honest, the recovery will be long. Months at least." He took the herb as she brought the box out, glancing round at the small home. "Look... I don't know much about you. But if it is possible, once he is at least somewhat recovered, I would consider moving to somewhere a bit warmer. There is always a chill in the air here it seems, it's not helping."

It had never occurred to her that the cool weather might be making things worse, but she saw no reason to doubt his words. "I don't know where we'd go," she said, but even as she said it, she saw no reason to stay. A fresh start in a warmer place... where no one knew them or their history. Where she could be simply a widow with a young child. Where Link might have a chance at a normal childhood. "I'll do it." It was the quickest decision she'd ever made.

He'd rather suspected she had nothing much here, but it confirmed his suspicions. "I do not think you will regret it." He smiled, bottling the potion he'd mixed up. "Give him this four times a day. I'll write the recipe down in case you need more. Once it eases the cough you can change to twice a day."

Medilia was lost for words. "I can't thank you enough. He... he was such a happy, active child before this and I had started to fear I would never see that again." She pressed the box of armoranth into his hands. "I wish I had more. Will you at least stay for dinner?"

"Thank you, but I must be on my way. I wish to make the next safe camping ground before nightfall." He tucked the box of herbs into his bag. "Thank you for this... and good luck. I think your son will be fine, just give him some time."

"She nodded. "I... I can never repay what you've done, but I wish you every happiness."

Oric smiled, heading to the door. "And I you. Take care of that little warrior!" He waved and she watched as he disappeared down the path, exiting their lives as quickly as he'd entered it.

Trembling with emotion she went back in, administering the first dose to Link. He blinked and made a face, but smiled after and she knew it had to be soothing. She sighed, sitting down and pulling him into her lap. "As soon as you're better, we're moving away from here. You and I...we're starting over." She had to admit, she was excited. For the first time in a long time, the future looked bright and as Link snuggled against her, she dared to allow herself to dream.

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