Pieces

Summary: Bits of adventure, pieces of life.

Chapter 2: Sick (Set not long after book 4. Around autumn.)

Rowan buttoned up his pants and began his short walk back to bukshaa, very glad that Jonn was too sick to work in his orchard where Rowan went to relieve himself if it was urgent.

Pink dawn light shone through the browning leaves and bits of grass. Bird song sang in the trees. The morning was so tranquil he almost didn't notice the creepy feeling that something was watching him. The hairs on the back of Rowan's neck prickled unpleasantly.

...

'Ah-!?'

Before he could even see anything moving an iron-strong arm wrapped around around his body, crushing him into a solid chest and a hand slapped over his mouth.

What the blazes!?

'Mmff!' Rowan shrieked through the gag. He jerked his legs and a long gray-clad leg budged them away. The hand over his mouth held a handkerchief reeking of something sweet.

And suddenly all his strength was leaving him. His eyelids were unbelievably heavy...

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Thump! Thump! Thump! Thud!

The sound of Jonn retching into a bowl reached Rowan as he walked past his and Jiller's bedroom.

Poor Jonn.

Rowan rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned, wondering if he should check on the adults yet.

'Urrghhhh!'

Splash!

Not yet.

His head throbbed under tentative fingers. Orrin, what a headache.

'Jonn?'

'I'm alright, Jiller.'

Knock. Knock.

'Mother, Jonn, may I come in?'

'Yes, Rowan.'

Rowan tried not to wrinkle his nose at the smell of vomit as he entered. He found Jonn leaning over a bowl on a small table. The bedroom was less sparse than it used to be; the wooden floor and walls were mostly bare, but a set of pretty curtains made by Shaaran hung over the window and a matching rug spread out over the floor by the cupboard. Of course, Jonn and Jiller relunctantly admited how much they liked the warmth under their feet when they got dressed during winter.

'How are you feeling this morning?'

'Better than yesterday,' Jiller said.

Jonn wobbled back to the bed and tucked himself back inder the covers.

'I will bring you another jug of water with breakfast,' Rowan promised.

'Thank you, skinny rabbit.' Days ago Jonn would have been struggling to hold his breakfast and go to work. A good deal of throwing up and scolding from the rest of the house taught him better.

Though it pains me to see him so unwell, Rowan thought, he is more obedient and sensible now. I do not need to worry about him and Mother so much now.

'Is there anything you want you me to get while I am out today?'

'No, thank you,' Jiller said.

Rowan trudged downstairs to replace his parents' water jug and mix porridge for everyone. Today's routine would be to make breakfast, make lunch for Annad (thankfully she was a morning person like Rowan and did not mind the earlier start too much), take Annad with him to the bukshaa field, send her to the Teaching Tree, look after his bukshaa, go to help Sara at the bakery and have lunch there, bring lunch to Jonn and Jiller, back to the field, get dinner from Sara, go home.

Where was this headache coming from? Was he getting sick again? I had that strange dream too. Perhaps I am coming down with a fever?

XXX xxx XXX

'ACHOO! Cough! Cough! Cough!'

Rowan winced at the sounds of Norris coming through his bedroom door.

Knock. Knock.

'Norris, I have soup. I am coming in.'

'Ugh, thank you, Rowan,' Norris groaned. He sat up in his bed, surrounded by blankets. 'Oh, is that vegetable soup?'

'It is. Sara knows all your favourites.'

Norris gave him a watery grin and began to slurp his soup enthusiastically.

'I see you still have your appetite.'

Slurp. 'Of course -' gulp - 'I do. You know Sara's food. Ah - you should not stand so close, Rowan. You will catch my illness.'

Rowan smiled.

'I have already been sick, Norris. That is why Sara asked me to bring you your lunch.'

'Eh? For real? When?' Slurp.

'A few days ago.'

Gulp.

'How did you recover so fast? A cold keeps you at home for a few days. Shouldn't a stomach bug this bad still have you bedridden?'

'It usually does,' he said. 'But sometimes the opposite happens and I get well quickly. I think it is because my body is so used to getting sick.'

Slurp. '... I guess that makes sense.' Gulp.

'Mmm, this is really good. I wish I could taste it properly. Say, could the opposite happen to the rest of us?'

'Oh yes. At this moment Mother and Jonn are very miserable in bed. Their throwing up woke me this morning.' He frowned. 'It sounded painful. They have been ill all week.'

'Hn. They will be alright, Rowan.' Slurp. Gulp.

'Mmm. Are you cooking at your house?'

'Yes. Sara does send me home with plates though. I wonder how she has the time.'

'She is strong.'

'She is.'

Sara brought up a bowl of soup for Rowan which he ate while he and Norris talked.

'What is that book that is always taken at the House of Books?' Norris asked. 'It is something from overseas, right?'

Rowan nodded eagerly.

'Tales of Deltora,' he said. 'It is a history book from Deltora, but it is like an adventure tale and the pictures are amazing.'

XXX xxx XXX

Rowan and Annad arrived home at the same time late in the afternoon. Annad sniffed at the pot and paper-wrapped package in her brother's arm and said eagerly,

'Is that tomato soup and herb bread?'

'Yes,' said Rowan, opening the door.

'Yes!'

The food was quickly sorted into bowls and plates and brought to Jonn and Jiller's room.

'Oh, thank you,' Jiller rasped, taking her tray on her lap. 'This smells so good.' She and John were in their bed, bundled up all their winter blankets.

'ACHOO! I cannot smell anything now, but I agree,' Jonn sniffled.

Annad quickly settled herself on top of the covers and began eating.

'Dora is growing peaches' - munch - 'in her garden, they are' - munch - 'very juicy and sweet...' - munch - she chattered away. Rowan joined her on the bed, secretly very pleased for the excuse. How long had it been since he got to do this with his family?

'How are Sara, Norris and Shaaran, Rowan?' Jiller asked when Annad finished talking about peaches.

'Norris is sick. Shaaran and Sara have not been sick yet. Allun has been ill already and gotten better and Marlie is still recovering.'

'I hope she is not too uncomfortable, being ill and pregnant,' Jiller murmured sympathetically.

'Did you get ill and pregnant, Mother?' asked Annad.

'No. I only threw up a little in the beginning. I had two very normal pregnancies.'

Rowan was very quiet and calm inside me. Annad was squirmy and came out early, impatient already.

'Rowan?'

'Yes, Annad?'

'Dora's mother is pregnant now. How did she become pregnant?'

Rowan choked on his soup. Then he turned red.

'Ah, I told you this years ago, Annad. A baby grows inside it's mother's body, attached to her by-'

'I remember that part, Rowan. I mean, how does it start growing?'

Jonn spit his soup out.

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Extra 1

'Hmmm...'

The bukshaa Star bellowed peacefully as she chewed grass, undisturbed by Rowan cuddling into her side.

Sefton grinned at the big smile on his son's face.

'He is taking very well to this work,' Jonn said.

'Even better, he is having fun,' Allun nodded approvingly. 'I always say one should enjoy one's work.'

'Star and Dawn are sisters, their mama is Wave. Their papa is Sandy. Am I right, Star?'

'Hmm.'

'Leaf and Snow are brothers. Their mama is Berry. Their papa is Barking.'

'He is learning fast.'

'Who decided the name Barking?' Jonn asked. 'Was it you, Allun?'

'No. I would have called him Cupcake.'

'Papa?'

Rowan tugged on Sefton's trousers.

'Papa?'

'Yes?' He kneeled down.

'What are Clover and Patch doing?'

'Clover and Patch? Which bukshaa are they - Ah.'

Jonn made a choking sound.

'This is unexpected,' Allun snickered.

Sefton calmly turned Rowan around.

'When two adults love each other very much,' he began, 'they may decide to have a baby...'

Jonn turned red and hastily walked away. Allun laughed at him and followed.

When they came back, it was on time to hear Rowan saying,

'But Papa, Clover and Patch are both boys.'

XXX xxx XXX

Extra 2

Dawn's furry belly was very swollen now. She groaned as Rowan rubbed it gently.

'Not long now, Dawn,' he whispered. 'Soon your calf will be born and the pain will go away.'

It was a cloudy day, but the grey mass above them would pass Rin before they released their rain.

Even if it rained, Rowan thought anxiously, it would not help us. even rainwater is not sweet enough.

'Rowan?' Annad asked from Dawn's other side. She peeked at her brother from under the bukshaa's belly.

'When is Dawn going to lay her egg?'

'Huh? Egg?'

'That's were babies come from, isn't it?'

'Er, not baby bukshaa.'

'Where do they come from, then?'

Oh no. Why does she have to ask me this question?

'Tell me, Rowan!'