A Knick In Time

Winter's Woe

One month later

Winter has come. Snow is covering the ground, making our village look incredibly beautiful and dreamy. However, the cold is by far not as pleasant to handle as it is in the 21st century. Life isn't easy. Fire and furs keep the cold away to a certain extent. I try my best to keep myself as well as Haakon, warm while Tatia and Niklaus do the same with each other.

One day, Rebekah comes to me and informs me about something that has my heart clench with worry. Iduna has come down with a fever. It doesn't surprise me. The young mother has been having a hard time shaking the after effects of her horrendous birth. She survived it barely and has been weak ever since. Her lack of appetite and the poor medical equipment of her time didn't make things better. And now this!

When I get to their hut, I find Iduna's husband sitting next to his sick wife holding her hand. He looks at me when he hears me enter. "Elena. Can you help her?"

"I will try, but I can't promise anything." I sympathetically tell him.

He nods in understanding.

With my limited resources and knowledge of medicine, I examine Iduna. My diagnosis: she has a fever and is really weak in general. If I had a hospital anywhere nearby, I would run some test now and check if she caught anything beside the seemingly obvious, but alas, my current diagnosis will have to suffice.

I try my best to treat the fever and get her to eat something. It is not working as well as I want it to. Despite my efforts, Iduna barely eats anything. Her fever reaches a point that makes her hallucinate. I spend a lot of time wiping away her sweat, trying to cool her down with cold water or snow and praying silently for her life.

It's almost night when Tatia enters the hut. She brings food. Beside her, another person comes inside. A woman whom I identify as Ayana Bennett, the town witch.

"How is she?" my sister asks.

I exhale, my face heavy with concern. "Not good."

The viking doppelgänger looks at me for a minute, then comes closer and lays a hand on my shoulder.

"Elena," Ayana begins, her expression that of an old, wise woman with the knowledge of an experienced healer. "I want you to understand that this might be inevitable. I foresaw her death months ago. You may have bought her more time, but in the end, nature always finds a way."

"What, are you saying saying I should give up?! No way! That's what everyone said the last time! I said it back then and I'll say it now, I am not giving up on her! I don't care if it is inevitable, I will continue to fight for her life till her death!" I shout at her, desperation in my voice.

As I speak, the witch's face turns cold and stony. When she starts speaking again, her voice is authoritative and more freezing than the snow outside. "You have no business speaking to me in that manner. I know not what sort of disrespect you've been taught where you came from, but in these times, you are to respect your elders."

I gulp at her expression. "Okay, I'm sorry. But please understand. She's dying." This is the first time I say it out loud and it brings new tears to my eyes. "Iduna is dying."

Ayana and Tatia exchange a look. The witch's gaze softens.
"Try your best to save her if you wish. But do not burden yourself with hope when there is none. And, also, don't use that word. 'Okay', whatever that means, hasn't been invented yet."

I sigh, not caring about correct use of words. Tatia persuades me to eat something. I don't care about eating. It tastes like nothing. Iduna is heating more up. The water, the snow and the tea are not helping. She doesn't move anymore. I keep trying. My desperation grows by the minute as I can physically feel my patient die.