Up and Down

Shadow and Light

A hand runs through Anna's hair and she opens her bleary eyes. The lamps are still on, but the day has been a dark one, so it's hard to tell if it's day or night.

"Anna?..."

She jerks up straight, having fallen asleep sitting on the floor, half-lying on Anne's bed. The girl has turned her head toward her, her chestnut hair scattered on the pillow.

"Anne! How are you feeling?!"

The girl clears her throat and winces.

"Sore."

"There was some laudanum you can take for the pain..." Anna picks up a small green vial from the bedside table.

"More importantly..." her dark eyes open wider, "I'm... hungry?"

Anna didn't know that such simple words can bring her so much joy her eyes mist over and sting with unshed tears.

"O-of course, yes, Mrs Chase has made some soup for when you wake up..." She gets up off the floor and runs to the door. Throwing it wide open, she screams, "Mrs Chase!!"

The housekeeper bustles out of the kitchen, eyes wide.

"What's wrong, Ms Anna?"

"Ms Sallow is awake, please bring her some soup!"

"Oh, what wonderful news!" Mrs Chase hurries back into the kitchen and Anna runs back into the room.

Her shouting clearly had let the others know something is going on. Sebastian bursts into the room, eyes bewildered and hair tousled. Perhaps he also was catching up on some sleep after what was clearly been a restless night.

Ominis walks in shortly after, the end of his cane hovering just over the floor as he walks, handily warning him of such things as rugs and door frames.

Anne smiles at the two. Anna checks the note from Gilroy and carefully measures out ten drops of the tincture and has Anne swallow the bitter medicine.

Shortly, Mrs Chase walks in with a tray, a steaming bowl on top of it. Anne eagerly takes the spoon and begins to eat the light rhubarb soup.

"Careful, Gilroy said to eat small portions but often."

Anne nods and continues to sip the soup. Sebastian slumps down into an armchair, face covered with his hands.

After Mrs Chase leaves and closes the door, Anna turns to her friend.

"Gilroy said he found the connection between your gallbladder and intestines healed over but scarred in such a way that it left no way for the bile to drain... It seems to have been a very unlucky trauma. And... the potions must have healed the misaligned tissues together in a bad way."

"I see..." Anne puts a hand over her bandaged torso, "I'd like to let it heal naturally this time. I know we can speed it up but..."

"I was going to suggest the same," Anna nods, smiling, "given the removal of a whole organ and the sutures they put into your body... I wouldn't know how that would interact with sped-up healing times. You'll have to bear with it."

"I understand," Anne puts down the spoon, about half of the bowl of soup already gone, "I already feel... better. It hurts, of course, but... I feel... right."

"Rest, Anne," she moves the tray over to a nearby table, "ring the bell if you need anything."

"Very well..."

Anna looks over at Sebastian. His shoulders are shaking ever so slightly, though he stays silent.

"Would you mind staying with her, Sebastian?"