Last Holiday on Terra

16

Drogo must have transported directly to my side as he even beat Az to my quarters. He brought me the rest of the way out of the meditation quickly and administered a calming sedative in the form of something that tasted like hot chocolate. I was instructed to drink it quickly but really, I just wanted to sip on it. It wasn't until Cee threatened to clean my clock, as it were, that I finally downed the liquid.

"Next time Doctor, just inject the sedative," Cee offered.

"Hopefully, there won't be a next time," he grumbled under his breath as he wiped at my face with a cool compress. Drogo turned and faced my brother and chief advisor. "WHAT HAPPENED?"

"We were engaged in a four-way meditation on the astral," Az explained mournfully.

"Who was the fourth?"

"The Princess."

I could still hear them arguing but was unable to move, nor could I open my eyes and when I attempted speech, it came out as a quick grunt.

"She's not asleep," Az whispered.

Drogo sighed heavily. "I can't give her anything else; she's likely to be unconscious for days."

"She does need the rest," Az countered. "Do it."

"No—we need Rowan alert," Cee added.

Drogo called Moose over and asked him to guard me just as I entered true sleep. I heard Cee and Azreal leaving my quarters and then finally Drogo.

I woke up nine hours later feeling like I hadn't slept at all. Rolling out of bed, I fell to the floor, my body feeling like it was made of heavy, awkward gelatin. Clearing my throat, I tried to get the ship's intercom to recognize my request for assistance but my tongue felt thick and my speech was unintelligible. I was cold, and I drifted back to sleep on the floor.

I woke up back in my bed and wondered if I'd dreamed it all up?

I licked my parched lips and yawning, I turned my head then reached for the wearable communication device. "Doc..."

"Your Grace! You're awake! I'll be right there!"

Within a few minutes, Drogo was at my bedside, checking my temperature, blood pressure as well as other medical readings. "How do you feel? We found you on the floor earlier."

"So it wasn't a dream. I feel like shit, if you must know. What was in that drink anyway?"

"A mild sedative."

"Like a sleeping pill kind of thing?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"I don't do well with sleeping pills. I don't do well with pills in general—I thought you knew that. I won't take them unless it's absolutely necessary. Why do you think I had all those herbal remedies in my cupboard?"

"Ah. Well, I thought perhaps it was because you preferred to self-medicate?"

I stared at him. Hard.

"Really...it never ever occur to you that my body doesn't react well to pharmaceuticals?"

Drogo shifted uncomfortably and  breathed in deeply. "No, your Grace."

I stared at him and licked at my lips again in annoyance.

"What about pain?"

"Pain is but a symptom Doc. You know that."

"True."

"Anyway, I'm not afraid of pain. It reminds me that I'm still alive. But I'm quick to remedy it if I can. Pain sucks, Drogo."

"That it does, your Grace. Are you experiencing any pain?"