Secrets Within the Estate

17

"It's an allergic reaction." The old lady said as she quickly took a look at him.
"Boy. Look at me."
Liam looked at the old lady as he gasped for air.
"Open your mouth."
Liam opened his mouth and she looked down his throat.
"Close your mouth."
Liam closed his mouth as the old lady dug through her bag and pulled out a small glass bottle and brown box.

"What is that?" Caspian asked anxiously as the old lady pulled out a syringe.
"The epiglottis in his throat is swollen, so is one of his tonsils. This will help the swelling go down." She said as she stuck the needle into the glass bottle, filling the syringe with the liquid inside.

"The what?" Mona asked, confused.
The old lady ignored her question as she pulled up Liam's sleeve, revealing the slave brand on his bicep.
She paused.

Liam looked at her with a panicked expression as he tried to talk,  "C-can't...B-B"
"Don't try to talk." She said as she stuck the needle into his arm and injected the medicine.

"Mona, go get a cup of warm water and mix salt in it. Quickly. Get a bag of ice, too."
"Y-yes, okay!" Mona ran out of the room.

"Listen," She looked at him. "Try to take small breaths. Trying to take deep breaths will make it harder to breathe. Okay? Slow down your breathing."
Liam nodded.
"Good boy." She said as she put the needle back into the box and grabbed a small jar of salve out of her bag.

"I'm going to put this on your skin to help the bumps go away, don't itch or scratch, got it?"
Liam nodded.
The old lady opened the jar and slowly started rubbing the salve over his irritated skin.

Mona came back in several minutes later with a bag of ice and a cup.
"Here," She handed them both to the old lady.
She set down the jar and took the cup from Mona.

"Boy, drink this. It won't taste good, but it'll help." She handed the cup to Liam.
Liam took the cup and raised it to his lips with a shaking hand.
"Drink slowly so you don't choke."

Liam slowly drank the saltwater as the old lady rubbed the salve on his other arm.
When he finished, he handed it to her.
"Good. Now I want you to lay down and hold this ice over your neck, right here." She pointed on his neck where his swollen tonsil was.

Liam lay down and followed her instructions.
"Stay like this and don't move. Once you feel like you can breathe correctly, tell one of these people and I'll come check to make sure everything is fine."
Liam nodded.

"I'll be back. You keep this, and use it when you get itchy." She left the jar of the salve next to him.
Liam nodded.

She got up and walked to Mona and Caspian. "Once he's better, find me so I can check back in on him. And find out what it is that he ate to cause such a reaction."
"Thank you." Caspian said. "I wouldn't have known what to do."
"Of course you wouldn't. Not only are you not trained in medicine, you're also-"
"Thank you for helping Liam, I will come find you later." Mona cut in.

The old lady left.
"Do you still need me here?" Soren asked.
"You can go back to your post or you can stay here, I don't mind." Caspian said.
"I'll go back out, there are too many people in here." Soren left the room as well.

"Liam, are you alright?" Caspian asked.
Liam lifted up his hand and made a thumbs up.
"I'm glad..." Caspian let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Mona. I wouldn't have been able to get her that fast."
"Of course," Mona sat down next to Caspian on the sofa.

After about 20 minutes, Liam sat up again and pushed the plate to the edge of the bed.
"Are you feeling better?" Caspian asked.
Liam nodded.
"What part of the breakfast made you-"
"Th-the jam..."
"Mona, what type of Jam was on the biscuits?"
"You ate them, didn't you? How come-"
"...I wasn't paying attention...haha..."
"Ugh. Useless man. It was apricot."