Mist on the Moon

They want him

Feeling more tired than he could ever remember, Trent made it to Daniel's suite and knocked on the door.

"Coming," Daniel answered.

He saw Daniel open the door. "Daniel, I need a place to stay. I've come down with it too and I don't want to pass it on to Cara and the children. Mind if I stay with you?"

"Trent, you know you're always welcome here. I even have an extra bed. Come in."

"Thanks, Daniel. I just need to lay down, my head hurts and I'm so tired."

"Oh, I know what that's like. Right this way," he said, leading him to a spare bedroom.

After Daniel removed the blankets, Trent got in the bed, not even removing his clothing, he was so exhausted. For a moment, a question arose in his mind that he wanted to ask Daniel, but soon after his head hit the pillow he was asleep.

Later in the day, Cara came to Daniel's door, knocking gently on it.

"Who is it?" he asked. Then Daniel saw that it was Cara. "My lady," he said. I hardly recognized you."

"Yes, it's me." Cara was wearing a garment with a hood covering her hair and much of her face as a way to try to protect herself from the disease. "Trent told me he was going to stay with you. Is he OK, Daniel?"

"He's sleeping. Has been since he got here. But that's really the best thing for him, Cara."

"Yes, yes, so I've heard. But Daniel, you contracted it too, and now you're up and talking to me. How do you feel?"

"I'm much better already, my lady. Tired still, with a sore throat, but far better than I was three days ago. I think I'm getting over it."

"That's wonderful," she answered, momentarily letting down the scarf she was holding to cover her mouth. "I hope that Trent will soon feel much better as well."

"As do I. Really, Cara, I feel well enough to leave my apartment and be about the castle in the company of friends, I feel that good. I have been staying close to my suite only because I don't know how long I'm contagious to others."

"That's really good news, Daniel. I'm hoping that Trent recovers as quickly as you seem to have."

"It's not easy going, Cara. Especially the first two or three days. Then you have no energy to do anything. All you want to do is lie in bed."

* * *

On leaving him, Cara was so heartened to know that Daniel was apparently already recovering from what they called "sleeping sickness." Since she already had the babysitter staying with the children, she decided to look in on her sister Evie to see how she was doing with the hope that she also was recovering. Cara went to the suite Evie and Richard had been given during her illness and tapped on the door. Richard answered and opened the door part way.

"Hi. I just stopped by to see how Evie is doing, Richard."

"Much better I'm glad to say, your highness."

"Oh, Richard, we're family now. Just call me Cara."

From inside the house Cara heard Evie's voice. "Is that my sister?" she asked Richard.

Still standing there with the door only partially opened, Richard turned back to answer her. "Yes it is, Evie."

Before she knew it Evie appeared at the door. Standing partially behind it Evie gushed, "My dear sister, it's so good to see you! I've been trapped here with only Richard for far too long." She quickly stepped forward to embrace Cara.

Cara stood there, not knowing what to say or do. She took a good look at her sister. She seemed flushed and looked tired, but on the whole seemed far better than she expected. Still, the fact that she may have been exposed to the disease by her own sister left her disorientated. She managed to say, "Evie, you seem to be getting better already. I'm pleased."

"Still tired, but yes, far better than I was two days ago," she answered.

Cara left quickly, almost without further comment. As she made her way back to her and Trent's royal suite she saw nothing. In her head was only confusion and fear. What could she do? Why had her sister acted so irrationally? She could only attribute her carelessness to the fact that Richard was somehow unaffected by the sleeping sickness. Maybe many people had that natural immunity. But that was only her speculation.

She thought of Kirah and Brendan. What could she do? If Trent were there she would stay away and let him care for them. But Trent was himself sick with it. For a time Cara wandered the halls, fortunately it was late and few were around. Then she went to near the door of her home, but did not enter. The guard asked her, "My lady, shall I open the door for you?"

She stood there, near the entrance, not knowing if she dared to go in or not. Still she felt like her head was spinning and she scarcely took in anything other than the conflicted workings of her own mind.

"My queen," asked the guard gently. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," she answered him, still walking without purpose near the entrance to her suite. Cara saw him watching her. She knew him to be a kind man, an older knight no longer strong enough to engage in the rigors of battle. "I'm OK, Gustav. I'm just a little confused right now about what I should do."

"I understand, my lady," he offered good naturedly, though she knew there was no way he could know what was going on in her mind.

Should she get baby sitters to stay with her children full time, even at night? But Cara realized that no one could know their needs, their little ways nearly as well as she. Had she truly contracted the disease? She could not know that at least until tomorrow. She remembered that Daniel on his return thought that he had not, and he was definitely healthy when he reported back to them what they had learned of it while in Augsburg.

Gradually she eased toward the door, and Gustav opened it for her. She saw the babysitter. "How were they? They didn't wake up?"

"No, your highness. They are still sound asleep."

"Oh, oh. I think I hear Kirah now. I hope she didn't hear my voice."

"Yes, my queen. I think it is Kirah."

"Thank you, Emma," Cara said, discharging her babysitter.

Cara went to the children's bedroom and found Kirah standing up in her crib, arms reaching out to her. She picked up the little girl and taking her in her arms she sat down on the divan, in the room lit by only one candle. "Do you miss Daddy?" she asked her.

"Kirah bowed down her head, snuggling closer to her mother. Though she didn't say anything, the child's reaction to the question left no doubt in Cara's mind.

"I do too," she whispered in her ear. "Daddy is getting better and soon he will be back."

Kirah lifted her head and smiled at her mother.

"Yes, I want Daddy back too, dear girl," Cara said, drawing her daughter close.