The Jewel of the Five Kingdoms

James Raymond Elliot

For the next three days I passed in and out of consciousness.I couldn't seem to keep anything down so even when Nella tried to get me to eat, I refused.

On the second day my temperature slowly started to decrease. I prayed I would be well enough to at least get on horseback to my kingdom.

I need to see my family. My homesickness was almost making me as ill as the infection. My tired body urns for my family and the familiar setting of home. Surly I can become well enough to ride on horseback to return home, and then I can rest further there.

On my third day after the infection spiked, I could stay awake long enough to talk to Nella.

When I woke up she was busying herself with apply my medicine and changing my bandages.

I watched her work with tired eyes. She moved with the grace of a dancer as she worked. Marygold may have claimed that talent, but Nella surely inherited the same grace.

When I first woke up my leg had felt blissfully numb feeling to it. I realize now that because she gave me so much medicine and painkillers I barely felt the full affect of what happened. I remind myself to thank her of this when I get the chance.

Nella brushes a strand of her loose hair out of her face as she finished rewrapping my bandages.

  She hummed a soft song slightly out of tune, but it was quite endearing to listen to and sounded more beautiful then the angles voices to my ears, and then she glances up towards me.

"James!" She gasps, jumping back. "You scared the skies out of me!" She says, hitting my arm lightly.

I smile weakly, shifting on the pillows. "I'm sorry..." I say softly, blinking my eyes groggily, and a smile tugs at the corners of my lips.

She placed her hands on her hips, looking me up and down. "Well, you're looking much better, but you need to eat," she says, putting a hand on my forehead.

Her eyebrows scrunched together in dissatisfaction. "You still feel warm," She says as she takes out the thermometer from her basket.

I pull the blankets up to my chin. "But I'm... I'm freezing," I respond, and Nella rolls her eyes and smirks. "Well, let me take your temperature and I will get you some more blankets you big baby." Her teasing tone is light, but her eyes showed her wariness at my comment.

She placed the thermometer in my mouth, then went over and grabbed a blanket from under the dresser and put it onto the bed.

She sat down in a chair by my bedside as we waited for the thermometer. Occasionally she would tuck in a corner of the blankets, and I smile weakly up at her.

"I got you some crutches that could help while you learn to use your new foot," she says, dabbing my forehead with a cool cloth.

She takes the thermometer out and shakes her head. "One hundred. Better but still not good." She glances down at me with her lips pressed in a thin line. I reach up and carefully tuck her hair behind her ear so it's out of her eyes. She frowns, and I grin wider than I have in weeks.

  "Don't... don't look so worried. I'm going to be fine," I say hoarsely, and smiling stupidly at the fact that she was worried about me.

  Nella rolls her eyes and sits down on the end of the bed. "I'm not worried," she says quietly.

I slowly push myself up until I am in a sitting position, the effort made my stiff body groan. "Then why are-" I begin coughing, and Nella was with me in an instant, her hand on my shoulder to support me.