The Forbidden Lands (Wattys 2015 Winner)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

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I woke up with an awful headache and sore muscles. I groaned. Headmistress--no, Lady Idena--walked over and put her hand on my forehead. It felt cold.

"Just as I suspected," Lady Idena said, clicking her tongue disapprovingly. "You have a fever."

"What?" I said, my voice coming out scratchy and hoarse. I sat up and my head swam. I laid back down.

"Fortunately, we have almost reached our destination. Hold on a few more hours, and then we'll find you a doctor."

I groaned again. A few more hours!

"I'll go get your breakfast."

"You'll leave me in pain? In agony?" I whimpered.

She chastised me for being a wimp.

I hated feeling so helpless. I tried to get up to get my sketch book, and fell down on the ground. I must have had an ear ache. It was messing with my balance. I laid there unmoving, groaning. It wasn't worth it to get up.

When Headmistress returned, she scolded me again. "Have you never been sick before? Get back in bed!" She made me do it myself, then handed me some porridge. I stared at it. I never noticed how lumpy it was. I pushed it aside.

"Eat!" Headmistress commanded. I gulped some down, which hurt my throat terribly. I ate two more bites, then declared I could eat no more. She shook her head disapprovingly and left me. I sat there in bed, bored out of my mind, unable to reach my sketch book.

As I miserably teetered between being asleep and awake, I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." My voice was raspy.

The door opened, and the cabin boy entered. "Here," he said. "I got you something. The cook makes real good herbal tea for us when we're sick. I asked him to make some so I could bring it to you."

He help the cup for me, much to my aggravation. But the tea was delicious, and it soothed my throat.

"Could you hand me my sketch book and colors?" I asked him. "It's right there, on the floor." He picked it up and handed it to me. I finished the tea, and he left with another speech of gratitude. I drew until I fell asleep.

Before I knew it, Lady Idena shook me awake. "We've arrived," she said. "Get up. Let's get you to a doctor." I did as she asked, although my head screamed pain at me.

I glided through the town aimlessly, with Lady Idena pulling me along. I felt dizzy, and people and colors swam before my eyes. I found myself lying in a bed in an apothecary. The man prescribed me an herb for fevers, and we went to the inn, where we'd be staying.

I didn't remember much through the next few days. I slept almost all the time. I vaguely remembered drinking the prescribed herbs in a tea and sketching with colored charcoal. When I awoke, I blinked twice and realized I was feeling much better. I sat up in bed.

"Oh, good, you are awake," said Headmistress. "Drink some of this." She put a cup of tea to my mouth and I swallowed. My throat didn't hurt.

"Thank you," I said.

"You've created a lot of problems for me on this trip," she said.

I shrugged guiltily.

"I've had to miss our supper with the royal family" she continued. My eyes widened. The royal family! I had missed meeting the royal family of Krialle?! "But we will attend a banquet with them in a couple days. Today, you will stay here and recover. I'm off to see the sights of Twein."