Collaterals

Winds in his Favor

The sound of her heel was rhythmic, as steady as a racing heart as she struggled to reign herself back. 

"You knew. You knew there was a child and—"

"And what?" Haitham  spoke harshly, voice tight as it trickled through grit teeth. He grabbed her arm, veering out of the hallway and into a secluded room. "What would you have had me do?!" He asked as the door clicked shut behind them.

Leila straightened, pulling her arm free from his hold, "I would have had you warn me! I would have had you— I would have— ugh!" Leila's hands flew up in exasperation, turning away from her brother. The Hand stole a glance at the windows, shut despite the building heat of the room. She made her way to the nearest couch, slumping onto it as she pulled onto her all too tight collar.

She should have asked. She should have asked, and visited, and not been satisfied with one read after another of that cursed pamphlet—

"I said to beckon as soon as there was news," Leila snapped at one of her ladies, now approaching her small entourage as she turned a corner.

"Yes, your Highness, but the doctor's said his situation was relatively unchanging until recently and—"

"And now all the sudden he's— what— he's convulsing?"

Another lady moved forward, trying desperately to keep up with Leila's long strides. "Your highness, I personally saw to it that I visit him in the night, repeatedly, and each time it was only that— well, that he was not entirely in control, it would seam of his, of his bowels and— well the doctor said she couldn't be sure but that it could be some type of—"

"The cause is not of importance— only the remedy," Leila was quick to interrupt as they moved in front of his door. She did not wait for the guards to announce her, pushing through the open double doors.

She stopped dead in her tracks. The— the smell— Leila grit her teeth as she heard one of her ladies give a moan. 

"Honestly, Leila, what were you thinking?!" Haitham stepped closer.

"I was thinking that I would not burn a child to death, Haitham," Leila hadn't noticed that she'd set her forehead onto her palms till she'd peeled her hand off it. But even then, her head proved to heavy, and it was once more pressed firmly onto her open palms, elbows digging into her knees.

"His body, Leila, you would have burned his body—he'd have been dead by the time to fire got to him, or need I remind you that we'd put together a perfectly sane plan!"

"Need I remind you that the plan was not at all perfect and that the child was still breathing when they moved him, long after the flames had eaten his comrades!" Leila stood, suddenly, looking to him as she panted against some invisible effort. The Princess cringed, pulling at her collar till agin until was entirely loosened before she stumbled back onto the chair. Her head was heavy as it rested on its cushioned back, mouth agape  as she forced more breath in against the viscous heat.

He watched her for several moments, eyes searching her demeanor before he finally began to take several steps towards her, calmer in volume if not tone, "Still, do you not think it would have been better for you to exert the Law instead of—"

He stopped when he was a mere three steps away, whatever he wished to say gone as he straightened. Leila was only scarcely aware of his movement, fanning herself  against the heat. Distantly, she felt the door click open and shut. She rolled her head to the side, brows creased against the hooded figure now by the door. Her gaze returned to her brother.

Haitham only glanced behind his shoulder. And when the Diviner inched closer, her brother put a hand out and the movement ceased. Perhaps...Leila put a hand to her skin. She was warm, yes, but was she feverish?