Chapter 23: Estate Visitor
Notes: Sic fic chapter. Was actually sick when I wrote this. XD
The appearance of the twins' mother saved him from answering, though he hoped his deflation at her question was answer enough. No, he wouldn't. He couldn't. It wasn't in his nature no matter how much he threatened it. There was no way he would abandon the city to its fate if there was something to be done to stop it.
Krile patted his hand and offered him an encouraging smile as they turned their attention to the conversation at hand. He massaged his throat, half listening. The twins getting a chance to visit home would be good for them. Despite the brave faces they had been managing through everything, the disownment had been dragging hard on the pair of them and the acknowledgement of not being able to return home had to have been devastating.
"I'm not sure we─" Alisaie started before she turned to him. "Echo'a, what do you think?"
"Echo'a? The Echo'a Velundaleht?" He straightened at the glee in her voice, ears and tail tensing as uncertainty rushed his system. She clapped her hands together and seemed positively gleeful at the news. "What a splendid day this has turned out to be! Champion of Eorzea, I insist that you join us!" His eyes widened at that and he shot the twins a desperate look. All he got were shrugs. Their mother kept talking. "Ah, but we must be quick about it. Not for my own benefit, but should my husband return and find you enjoying our hospitality, the servants will be made to suffer the consequences. Echo'a!" He jumped, nearly snapping to attention. "If you would be so kind as to escort my children to the estate?"
And with a quick pivot, she was gone.
Alisaie sighed, shaking her head. "And then she was gone—and with her any opportunity to protest."
Krile was only too happy to say, "Indeed—the matter is settled. Enjoy yourselves, you three!"
With a shrug to the twins as they were effectively abandoned to their fate, the three of them started off.
The walk was certainly pleasant and the twins never seemed short of things to share about their childhood but he found it hard to truly enjoy any of it. The sunlight was encouraging a headache to grow behind one eye while the heat of it felt like it was burning his ears and neck. The walking was reminding him of how exhausted his body was and somehow, in among all the displeasure, his throat was being obnoxiously loud about the fact that it hurt and he needed something to drink. But everytime he found the words to ask after either twin's water, something would always cut him off and he would lose them. It was fine. It would be a short trip and then they would return to the annex. He could get something cold to drink as they passed the aetheryte plaza, even.
Ameliance was waiting outside for them when they arrived. "And here you are at last! Please, do come in!"
House Leveilleur was an impressive estate, though a touch cooler than he would have liked. Still, it did little to detract from the architecture and the two lines of staff members.
"Welcome home, my lady," spoke one of the staff members as he stared at the ornate ceiling.
"What?" Alisaie asked, leaning close. "What are you gawping at?"
He blinked at her, surprised at her jumpiness. Had he two brain cells left to rub together, he probably would have understood why but apparently he was lacking even that at the moment. Defensively, he shrugged and offered genuinely, "Just admiring the craftsmanship."
Surprise flickered across her face and what tension had been there eased. "Oh, I...I suppose I never gave the décor much thought. I'm glad that you approve. I think."
He raised an eyebrow at that but was left to ponder Alisaie's commenting at another time as Ameliance spoke to the staff members. "Lord Fourchenault is not to hear of this visit. And I should also like the children to have their gifts ere my husband makes his return.
"As you wish, my lady," one staff member said before the majority scattered. One lingered and asked, "Master Alphinaud, Mistress Alisaie, if you would accompany me upstairs?"
"We shan't be long," Alphinaud told him before the twins followed the staff member up the stairs.
In their absence, Ameliance turned to him with a soft smile. "The twins have been sending letters home from time to time, recounting their latest adventures. I am sure they withhold certain details, of course. If only to keep me from worrying...Yet a mother worries all the same. In the early days especially, I tried to support them as best I could, sending the Scions coin and other such donations." Even after having just met her, he wasn't overly surprised to hear such things. He was quite glad, though, that at least one of their parents cared deeply for them enough to ignore the rigidity of Sharlayan culture. "Fortunately, they have found the strength to overcome adversity time and time again. Their words grow more confident with every letter, their depictions more vivid. The triumphs and defeats. The joys and sorrows. 'Tis clear that they have come to find value in every experience. But of those they treasure most, it would seem that meeting you might be the most impactful. Why, since that fateful day, I do believe there has not been a single missive in which you were not mentioned by name!" He feigned an itchy ear in order to drop her gaze without making it apparent it was out of embarrassment. He really shouldn't have been surprised but to hear her say it- "'Tis plain they care for you." Ok, that actually made his cheeks burn a bit, touched as he was. "And I am glad they have such a steadfast companion watching over them."
"They are strong souls who have needed little guidance as of late," he said, not wanting to be left with that admiration. "I am sure the world will be a better place because of them, in the end."
Ameliance beamed at him. "Under normal circumstances I would offer you tea, but alas, these are anything but. In any event, why don't you keep me company whilst we await my children's return? Perhaps you might regale me with a tale or two of your exploits?"
"I would be glad to," if for nothing more than to make the time pass faster, even if her company was enjoyable, "though I may be hard press to come up with one that neither Alphinaud nor Alisaie hasn't shared already."
He pulled in a breath and choked on it.
Had he a tale in mind, it was immediately gone from his mind as he was suddenly coughing too hard to even stay standing straight. The only thing keeping him from taking a knee was the firm grip around his upper arm. Blessedly, the fit was short lived and he sucked in a greedy breath of air even as the sound of hurried footfall announced the arrival of another staff member. Ameliance thanked them before pressing a cool glass of water into his hands. "Here. Drink this."
It was her hand around his upper arm.
"Thank you," he croaked, wincing as the words seemed to only agitate the rawness in his throat. He had wanted to savor the water but the moment it touched his tongue, it was down his throat. He drained the glass probably far quicker than he ought to have but the relief that came with it was worth it. It would do nothing for the ache in his lungs but he expected time was the only thing to ease that; that coughing fit had been bad. He at least had the wherewithal to pass the empty glass to the staff member. "Thank you," he said again, this time to the staff member.
The back of his throat felt like it was on fire.
"Are you alright?" Ameliance asked as the staff member left. "Would you like for me to call for someone or…"
He offered her a smile. "I'm quite alright now, thank you though. I simply managed to choke on my own breath."
Ameliance's concern didn't ebb enough for him but she was cut off from commenting any more by Alisaie coming down the stairs, happily proclaiming, "When you mentioned gifts, I wasn't sure what to expect. Mother, I…"
Ameliance clasped her hands in delight. "Oh, look how well it fits you! And the style is to your liking?"
"It's perfect─exactly what I would have chosen! But please, tell me you had something different made for Alphinaud…"
Echo'a chuckled at that, the idea of Alphinaud in the same exact outfit and his reaction to such a thing being an amusing thought.
"Naturally! You are hardly little children anymore. And while I shall miss dressing you in those precious matching outfits, I must respect the individuals you have grown to become." She must have caught the movement at the top of the stairs because Ameliance looked at the stairs and simply offered, "See for yourself!"
Alphinaud descended the stairs in an outfit that was very different but very much Alphinaud. Their mother truly did know the two of them very well, both outfits showcasing the twins' personalities very well.
"Thank you for the splendid clothes, Mother," Alphinaud said as he joined the conversation. "Stylish, comfortable, and eminently practical!"
"I am so glad you like them. They are, however, missing one final touch."
One of the staff members stepped forward with a box. "If you would allow me, Master Alphinaud."
He recognized the devices but didn't know their specific name. However, he did know that Sage would suit Alphinaud well and he wondered if Alphinaud would think the same once he got used to the new gear.
"Wait, are these...!?"
He frowned. Was there something significant about receiving the gear?
"A sage's tools of the trade. They belonged to your father." Oh. That kind of significance. "Though he may as well be chained to his desk these days, as a student, he was often called upon to venture into the field. He wielded those armaments, both to heal and to harm, in no few battles. None so fierce as those you two have braved, perhaps, but battles nonetheless. Thus did I pull them out of storage─to show you that he was not always the man who stands in vehement opposition to you now. And also because it would be a terrible waste of ridiculously expensive, House Leveilleur-commissioned artistry."
He snorted at that, suffering through the spike of pain in both his throat and head. He very much appreciated this woman.
She placed something in Alphinaud's hand. "I am told these devices are quite difficult to master, but someone of your extensive experience should soon have them darting about with grace and aplomb. May the wisdom in that crystal serve you well." Ah, soul crystal, then. "And please, try to find common ground with your father, that you might come and go without need for this awful subterfuge."
"We will, Mother, I promise!" Alphinaud readily assured her.
"My final gifts to you, before you run off, are an observation and a suggestion. Firstly, Fourchenault has ever been a serious man, but it was only after you were born that he truly lost himself in his work. I may not know the Forum's inner workings, but I know your father's. The timing of that change in him holds some significance. Secondly, do not seek to best your father with words. Far better that you simply show him─let him discover the merit of your actions after they cannot be undone!"
For a moment, the twins simply stared at their mother before they both giggled.
"Oh, Mother…" Alisaie said, fondness thick in her words.
When she had nothing more to offer, Alphinaud spoke in her stead, "We shall take your wisdom to heart. Thank you again for these gifts, and farewell for now!"
"Safe travels, my children. Eat well, stay warm, and keep your friends close."
He was surprised when mother and children did not embrace. After the number of hugs he had shared with the twins, he had expected them to do so with their mother, especially after her show of kindness and caring. But as they walked passed him towards the door, he couldn't help but wonder if she had refrained from doing just that for a reason. Still, he offered her a smile before following the twins out the door.
When they returned to the annex, it was to find that they were still waiting on Thancred, Urianger, and Estinien to return from Thavnair. He had thought going ahead would have given them plenty of time but according to some missive Krile had, the three of them - to some capacity that he didn't care to retain - were delayed. That was fine. His lungs still ached from the coughing fit and he was in a massive need of some sleep so he bid the others farewell and disappeared into his room.
Sleep came blessedly quick once he was under the covers but it didn't linger nearly long enough. Something cold pressed to the back of his neck dragging him from sleep. He groaned, pressing his face more into his pillow. Except groaning brought full awareness to the burning in his throat and he swallowed thickly against the sensation. He tried to get his head off his pillow to see if he had water nearby but only managed to roll it to the other side so he was looking at the rest of the room rather than the wall. Pushing himself up onto his elbows to look was out of the question.
The lighting was too bright and the room swam in it. His breathing hitched at the displeasure and he buried half his face to escape it.
He realized the cold thing against the back of his neck was gone only when a different - same? - cold thing pressed against his cheek and then his forehead. Sounds filled the air but they were too muddled for him to try and make any sense of them. They were stagnant sounds, brief things that changed pitch and tone irregularly. That cold thing against his forehead ran over his hair including an ear.
Pins and needles followed the touch across his scalp and seemed even worse on his ear. He shied away from it, hating that even more. The pins and needles seemed to cascade down his back, filling it until he was certain he would go mad from it. Rolling over onto his back only made it worse and it was all he could do to not sob in frustration. He could try to roll back over but he was exhausted and only wanted to go back to sleep.
His throat was killing him.
Something slipped between the mattress and his back, lifting and moving him until he was relatively upright and leaning sideways against something that wasn't a wall.
"...Echo'a. Drink."
Words. He knew words. He knew those words, even. But drink what? It wasn't like he had anything to-
A cool liquid passed between dry lips and he wasn't certain if it was some sort of mana from the gods or simply water but it didn't matter. His entire being craved whatever it was and he swallowed all of it as quickly as he could. The pain in his throat only flared but he ignored it.
Or, well, tried to. When the last of the liquid was gone, he tried to swallow the mouth full of saliva around the pain. It only half worked.
"Echo'a."
His name again. Possibly from the same source, not that he could really remember the first. Other sounds bracketed his name but they held no meaning.
The liquid this time was absolutely rancid.
He gagged, immediately rejecting the liquid as quickly as he could, spitting out as much of what lingered but it clung to his tongue and if it stayed for much longer, he would be sick from it. Something wiped across his face and he flinched from it, shuddering when it traced down his neck and came back up, catching what little he was managing to dribble out still.
The voice was back. "You have to swallow it, Echo'a." He shook his head only to find it pinned against whatever he was leaning against; the cold thing was on his forehead again as it seemed to hold his head in place. "It's safe; it's medicine. A quick swallow and it will be done. I promise."
He wasn't sure if it was the broken way those words were said or if the words themselves truly meant anything, but when the rancid liquid washed over his tongue again, he swallowed.
He gagged, fully expecting it to come right back up. Something pressed against his lips and for the split second before the taste of orange washed over his tongue, he thought the voice had lied to him and he was having to swallow more of the rancid liquid.
He had been wrong about the first liquid. This was mana from the gods. It burned against the back of his throat but it was a familiar burn, one that seemed to ground him more than anything else. He greedily drank whatever he was given, the orange juice cutting through the rancid taste so thoroughly, he nearly forgot about it.
The churning of his stomach was a good reminder.
As the last of the orange juice was drained from the cup, he managed to get his eyes open. It wasn't much more than a squint against the painful light but the room wasn't spinning around him anymore and he could actually see more than blotches of colors. G'raha's worried face was the first thing he saw, though the man wasn't looking at him. Whatever G'raha was saying was nothing more than muddled sounds in his head. A disappointment after having heard a voice earlier. He followed G'raha's gaze to find Alisaie - somehow taller than G'raha - nodding in understanding to whatever G'raha was saying. Letting his squinted gaze fall, he found Alphinaud staring at him. The concern he found there didn't ebb even when he met Alphinaud's gaze. He saw Alphinaud's lips move but, again, the words were only muddled sounds in his head. Alphinaud's expression fell for a split second before focusing on someone else. G'raha, maybe. Or Y'shtola, if she was also in the room.
He pressed his face more into G'raha's shoulder. Gods he hoped not. The fact that three of them were fretting over him was bad enough, he didn't need anyone else to do so.
Something cold brushed against his cheek and he opened his eyes again to find someone had dimmed the light. He let out a sigh of relief, which turned into a brief round of coughing. The cold thing returned and he realized it was the back of someone's hand.
No, not someone's. G'raha's.
"Do you want more orange juice?" G'raha asked, the words a rumble of sound in one ear.
He nodded, his throat too raw to risk verbalizing that desire. Anything to soothe his throat. Not that the orange juice would soothe anything with how it burned but he knew it would help and that was all that mattered.
He wasn't sure if he finished that glass or if he had simply stopped drinking halfway through as exhaustion washed over him. G'raha shifted around him until something pressed against his pins and needling back. It was the pillow his head was carefully placed upon that made the press against his back make sense. Was he that out of it to forget he had been on a bed?
He must have been because he didn't even remember passing out as he was awoken by Y'shtola. It was very dark in the room save for the single lamp somewhere out of sight so he assumed it was well into the night. She offered him a soft smile. "I have some more medicine."
He made a face, remembering all too clearly his first reaction to it. Shame burned his cheeks but he ignored it. Her arm slipped under his shoulders and helped him sit up but he took the vial from her and downed it like a shot. He gagged, hard, but managed to keep the nasty stuff down. Blessedly, a glass of orange juice quickly replaced the vial and he drank greedily from it. It did little to quell the nausea that settled in his gut. He sighed in relief as he lowered the half drank glass to his lap only for the sigh to get him coughing. Despite having probably emptied the glass enough to not spill, Y'shtola took it from him for the brief coughing fit. "Thanks," he croaked as she placed it in his expectant hands.
"How are you feeling?" she asked as he finished the glass off.
Like absolute shit. "Horrible," he said instead
She hummed an acknowledgment as she took the empty glass from him. "Well, thankfully what you have is nothing serious. With the aid of the medicine, you should be better after tomorrow."
He made a face as she tucked him back in. "Got anything that won't make me want to puke every time I take it?"
She brushed a hand across his forehead and he was thankful for how cool it was. Not that the rest of him would be. Even that brief time up out of the covers had chilled him. She offered him an understanding smile. "Not anything that will take care of this quite as quickly and I doubt you want to deal with this for longer than a few days."
He groaned at the thought and then promptly started coughing. The short fit agitated his throat but not as bad as previous coughing had. "Not with what we have to deal with in Thavnair."
Y'shtola's hand carded through his hair and he had to fight to open his eyes again. The exhaustion was back with a vengeance. "Thancred told us some of it but said nothing was dire so we ought to wait until you were better."
"They're back then?" he asked but it sounded breathy; wispy, even, if that was possible.
"Yes but enough talking." Her hand brushed over his eyes and he couldn't get them open again when her hand left. "Get some rest."
He was out before he could hear her stand from his bedside.
It wasn't hands that woke him but muttered voices. Waking brought a raw throat and the insufferable aching in his lungs but he felt better. Or thought he felt better. He was sweaty, that was for sure. To his pleasant surprise, it was Alphinaud and Alisaie arguing at the table that had woken him and he smiled, suppressing the chuckle in order to not start coughing.
Simply breathing made him cough instead.
The coughing was by far worse than it had been the last times he had woken. It sounded awful and felt equally so, choking him with phlegm when it was done. Thankfully one of them had enough foresight to bring him something he could spit the phlegm into.
"Morning," he croaked as Alisaie handed him a glass of water. Alphinaud had him leaning against his chest and Echo'a was quite content to stay there for a moment. That fit had hurt.
"Morning," they echoed back.
"Up for some breakfast?" Alisaie asked. "We weren't certain what you would feel up to so we brought a bit of everything."
He passed her the empty cup. "Sure. Breakfast sounds good."
It didn't but it wouldn't be the first time he lied about his appetite existing.
Despite the sweat that clung to him, getting out from under the blankets was a bad idea. By the time he was seated at the table, he was starting to shiver. Alphinaud quickly tucked a blanket around him and a second across his lap. "Are you sure you would rather not eat in bed? Alisaie brought a tray."
He smiled at the pair. "I'm sure. I expect I won't be long from it once I'm done eating and you already have me well wrapped as it is."
The pair shared a look but that was the last of the argument. They kept him company as he ate, eating most of what they had brought. Despite the lack of any real appetite, he ate quite a bit between the occasional rough coughing fit. The pain in the back of his throat was almost nonexistent.
A soft knocking sounded on his door before it opened. Urianger stepped through first, followed by Thancred and Estinien, though the latter lingered by the door.
"I have brought thee medicine at Y'shtola's request," Urianger said, offering him a vial. "Best take it now for greatest efficacy."
He gave the vial a flat look even as he took it, asking, "Alisaie, can you get me another glass of orange juice?"
"Coming right up!" she said, leaping to her feet.
"This stuff is rancid," he muttered, though he hadn't exactly intended for the others to hear.
Thancred snorted from his spot near the door as Alphinaud touched his shoulder and offered a sympathetic, "It will be over quickly."
He looked from Urianger to Thancred and Estinien as he commented, "Three of you to deliver medicine seems a bit excessive." The fresh glass of orange juice replaced his plate.
Thancred shrugged. "Good enough excuse to set eyes on you and make sure you're not actually dying on us."
Alisaie glared in his stead but he took no offense to the comment. He found it rather funny, actually, but the short burst of chuckling turned into a long half minute of coughing. Someone had taken the vial from him but he wasn't able to tell who until the fit subsided. And he had thought the first one upon waking had hurt. He wasn't sure where Alphinaud had gotten the glass of water from - he was fairly certain he had finished the one that had been next to his breakfast plate - but he welcomed it nonetheless, taking a long drink from it to ease some of the ache down his throat. He took the vial back from Urianger, though he couldn't manage the smile he would have normally afforded the man.
"That sounded horrible," Thancred commented and Echo'a brought his gaze about to find both Thancred and Estinien's expressions pinched in varied degrees of pain.
"Felt horrible," he confirmed before chucking the medicine back.
He gagged on it again but the quick pull of orange juice did little to quell the massive roll of nausea in his gut. A cold sweat prickled his forehead and the back of his neck as he pressed his forehead into the edge of the table, willing for it all to stay down. Both Alphinaud and Urianger knelt at either side, each with a hand on his back.
"Echo'a, what is wrong," Urianger all but demanded.
"Nauseous," he managed between controlled breaths. The need to cough was building.
"Alphinaud, there is a waste basket behind thee. Alisaie, make haste for Y'shtola. We may yet need another dose should this not stay down."
"I'll go." Thancred, which was probably the stronger choice. Something bumped against his knees and he managed to open his eyes enough to see the waste basket Alphinaud had fetched. It reminded him more of a bucket than a basket but that was probably why Urianger had asked for it.
"Then can I have thee fetch a damp cloth."
"Of course." Alisaie's footfall never quite left the room.
Another long fit of coughing drowned out anything else Urianger said, tearing at his throat and his chest but thankfully not making him actually sick even though it threatened to. Exhaustion sank its teeth into him at the end of it, though, and he found he couldn't keep himself upright anymore.
"Echo'a!" Alphinaud squawked, the panic thick in his voice.
"It's ok; it's just the medicine taking effect," Y'shtola's voice soothed, though she sounded oddly far away. "Do you have him?"
"Yes," Estinien responded, his voice sounding as if it was inches from his ear yet it rumbled in the other. "Hold him in place while I get my arms under him."
If anyone else said anything, Echo'a didn't hear it, unconscious before Estinien was stood proper with him in his arms.
When he woke, it was to fingers carding through his hair that quickly left. G'raha offered him a soft smile as he blinked blearily up at him. "Lunchtime and next dose." He pushed himself slowly into a sitting position as G'raha explained, "We are hopeful that breakfast was a one time occurrence."
He fell into a coughing fit pulling in air to speak. Thankfully it only agitated his lungs and not his throat now, though there was still plenty of phlegm to kick up. G'raha's hand stilled on his back as he was offered some water and something to spit the phlegm into. As he took the items, G'raha stepped away from the bed. "On the off chance that breakfast wasn't a one time thing, we went with milder lunch options."
"That's fine," he said, crossing his legs so that he could sit up straighter and give G'raha a flat place to put the tray he was bringing over. "I'm not overly hungry anyway."
G'raha sat down in the chair at the bedside. "Eat what you can, then. Something will be better than nothing, especially with this particular medicine."
To his credit, G'raha kept him engaged in conversation until it was very obvious he wasn't going to touch another bite. He managed half of what he was given, which was probably far less than any of them wanted him to consume. G'raha made no comment and simply offered him the vial of medicine while taking the tray away. He threw it back as he had the others and once more gagged on the taste. Bile burned his throat but he managed to swallow against it.
Unfortunately, the incident with breakfast was not an isolated event.
"It's alright," G'raha was quick to assure him, coaxing him to drink some water to clear his mouth. "Just a few minutes and the medicine should kick in."
Drinking something never did help with the need to cough but he at least hoped it would this time. He didn't want to find out if he would be lucky a second time.
He fought the coughing fit for as long as he could and suffered for it. It tore at him, threatening to make him sick, yet he couldn't remember it ending when he woke again. Had he passed out mid fit? That would be a first.
The open window woke him this time. The shadows were long beyond it, hinting that night would be falling soon, as an assortment of voices and sounds drifted through. Beyond the outside sounds, he was alone in the room.
Sitting up wasn't a chore but it still brought something of a coughing fit, one that was milder than previous ones and could almost pass as a normal cough. He was still tired but he figured that would be the norm for another day yet.
The door opened and Y'shtola stepped in with a tray in hand. "Good. You're awake."
G'raha was a step behind her and closed the door. Y'shtola crossed to the bed and set the tray across his crossed legs. He was mildly surprised to see a single bowl and two glasses on the tray. "With your reaction to the last two doses, we thought you might appreciate something that would more rightly agree with the medicine, negating any nausea from that aspect."
He picked up the spoon and stirred what he assumed was a stew. "It is. Thank you."
"Are you feeling alright?" G'raha asked, his frown evident in his words.
He shrugged even as G'raha's hand settled against the back of his neck. It was cold. It sent a massive shiver down his spine. "Just tired."
The stew tasted good, even if he didn't want any of it. He just wanted to sleep.
"He has a fever again," G'raha muttered.
He did? Pity. That meant at least another day of feeling like crap.
"It should break overnight," Y'shtola stated, sitting in the chair. Belatedly, Echo'a realized G'raha was sitting on the edge of the bed behind him. "If it doesn't, we might have to deal with Thavnair without him. It may be too much of a risk to push back our action another day."
"As long as I'm not keeling over from exhaustion, I'll be fine to deal with it tomorrow," he said. Yep, nope. Definitely not hungry. He pushed the contents of the stew around.
G'raha's hand started rubbing up and down his back again as Y'shtola stood. "We will decide after the night has passed." She took the spoon from his hand. "Are you sure you are unable to eat more?"
His recoil at the thought of doing so must have been answer enough because the tray disappeared from view. G'raha scooted closer and offered him the vial. "Only one more after this." He raised an eyebrow at G'raha, not believing it even as he took the vial. G'raha offered him a small smile. "It should be enough. It was never created to be taken long term."
He couldn't imagine taking it again, let alone for another dose after, as he threw the vial back. He gagged on it but the nausea that curled in his stomach was manageable, even if he wished it didn't exist at all. He must have looked just as bad as the previous times because both G'raha and Y'shtola were around him, their cold hands against his hair and neck and shoulders and he passed out against someone's chest. G'raha's probably. It had certainly been his scent that had dominated between the two.
The room was dark save for a single lit lamp when Urianger woke him. Exhaustion clung thick to him and he quite nearly rolled over and went back to sleep. "One last dose," Urianger gently urged, getting him upright, "then thy rest may resume."
He hummed his displeasure and coughed for a brief moment for his efforts. The coughing didn't hurt, which was appreciated. He shivered violently. Why was it so cold?
Something warm wrapped around him and blearily he realized it was Urianger's arm as Urianger leaned him against the man's chest. That too was blessedly warm and he huddled against the heat, shivering. "Drink, Echo'a," Urianger softly coaxed, pressing the vial into his hands.
He made a face but still threw it back. He appreciated the small kindness of not letting him suffer through someone else feeding him the rancid liquid again. He still gagged on it, though. Vial was quickly replaced with a cup of water but even as he brought it to his lips, his shivering had gotten too bad for him to keep from spilling it. Urianger took hold of the cup to assist.
Nausea washed over him thicker than it had when he had been consuming food. He could wait this one out like he had the others. It would be easy. Urianger was nice and warm and he was starting to warm up again because of it. Even without the induced exhaustion from the medicine, he was tired enough to just pass out as he was.
Fingers running through his hair woke him. The second thing he became aware of was how absolutely disgusting he was. His fever had obviously broken overnight for he was tacky with old and new sweat. The fingers in his hair stopped and pulled away as he pulled in a breath and opened his eyes. G'raha was seated in the chair at his bedside, a soft smile on his face. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"
"A bit tired but nothing like last night," he said as he sat up. "Coughing seems to have died down as well."
He hadn't realized there had been any tension in G'raha's posture until it was slipping away. The man had hid it well or he was still partially asleep. "Good; I'm glad to hear. Y'shtola should be arriving with breakfast soon. Alphinaud and Alisaie wanted to be present but Y'shtola and I thought it best if it was just the two of us on the off chance six doses hadn't actually been enough."
"Does that happen? You seemed pretty certain about the dosage last night."
The door opened as G'raha explained, "Not often but if the illness is severe enough, it can take a few extra doses." Y'shtola entered with a tray and kicked the door shut. "Thankfully yours seemed pretty standard. Well, aside from the second fever."
"As unsettling as that development was and the elevated nausea side effect, none of it was unusual," Y'shtola reassured him. And probably G'raha. "Now. Breakfast. Unfortunately, I do not think it wise to leave the situation in Thavnair to progress any further until you are properly better. If you are truly well enough, we will have a brief discussion of the details and what plan we may want to implement before making our way to Thavnair."
"You guys didn't already have that discussion?" he asked, finding himself ravenous as he started in on the toast. His appetite being back was definitely a good sign.
"We had some of it," Y'shtola said, "but Thancred was rather adamant about waiting for you to join us for a more complete discussion."
He wasn't sure what more he could contribute but what was done was done. At least he wouldn't be hacking up a lung throughout it. Besides, he hadn't been lying. If he was truly able to stand without passing out, he wanted to go help Thavnair as soon as possible.