Mistress Yaga was starting to worry. Rose had been in the spirit world for almost half an hour now while Olga had been secluded in her dreams for nearly three and a half hours. And for most of that time her body was not being nourished properly. Perhaps it was too late for her spirit to even return. The sturdy healer put that thought out of her head as she reached for more ointment.
Suddenly a movement on the bed drew her attention. It was Olga! The girl was awake and was touching her face. Her petit fingers were exploring the scratches and bruises there. Then she sat up and shook her head. Mistress Yaga rushed to her with a glass.
"Here before you do anything drink this, and don't try and get up yet," she ordered. Then she went to the door to fetch a servant.
"Go and get the Princess and Prince! Their daughter is awake," she told Thomas who was standing outside the door.
"Strange Mademoiselle where am I?" Mistress Yaga heard the little girl say. Then with more urgency and a hint of annoyance,
"Strange Mademoiselle? Strange Mademoiselle! Why will you not wake up and answer me?!" This pulled Mistress Yaga immediately back to the bed. She did not say anything but instead took Rose's hand to measure her pulse. Then she did the same thing but at Rose's neck. It was too fast. Something was not right. Her pulse had not been this fast when she was searching for, and apparently finding, Olga. Why should it be so fast now? What or who was causing this? Something in the spirit world was exciting Rose and keeping her there.
"I should have warned her more thoroughly," Mistress Yaga thought, scolding herself. The spirit world could be full of temptations, impossibilities in the physical world. She knew that to an extent Rose was a sheltered and sometimes lonely girl. Perhaps some fantasy had come to sweep her away. She didn't know how long Rose's body could survive without her spirit. She also didn't know how to retrieve Rose, for only Rose had the Empath gift. Her thoughts were interrupted when the door burst open. Princess Laetitia and Prince Adrien were rushing into the room.
"Oh my petite fille cherie! You are awake now! How happy we are to have you back with us!" the princess cried. Relieved tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Our little sugar doll is back!" laughed Prince Adrien. For a royal, his laugh was rather jolly. Momentarily Olga was persuaded to forget about her friend back in the spirit world. While this heartwarming family reunion was going on Mistress Yaga was thinking. But soon little Olga asked for her attention.
"I almost forgot about Strange Mademoiselle," she said ashamedly, "Where is she?". Her parents looked at her and then at the girl beside her. Princess Laetitia gasped.
"If she is dead, I want my daughter moved immediately," the princess commanded.
"She can not be dead Mama!" Olga screeched, "I was just speaking to her,". The poor girl was sincerely afraid for Rose.
"She is not dead," Mistress Yaga declared, "yet," she thought.
"But she may be soon," Princess Laetitia concluded. Mistress Yaga could not deny this. The Princess nodded as if making up her mind.
"We must move Olga," she finally said aloud.
"But Mama!" Olga objected, "Strange Mademoiselle might need me with her as I needed her with me,". Mistress Yaga moved to the door as the two quarreled over Olga's sleeping arrangements. Faintly she heard them both apply to Prince Adrien for support. By this time Mistress Yaga was at the door looking for a servant. The King would have to be notified, if only for the fact that Rose would have to stay in the palace longer than planned. She saw Thomas coming towards her. She assumed that he had just finished informing the King of Olga's recovery.
"Thomas I must send you to the King once more. My apprentice has not regained consciousness, and she should have by now," she told him. Thomas did not need any further explanation. He simply bowed, turned and calmly sprinted down the hall.