The Jewel of the Five Kingdoms

James Raymond Elliot

When I woke up the next morning I immediately knew something was wrong.

My stomach leapt before I could decide what the cause of the problem is, and with a whirl of dizziness I leaned over the side of the bed and threw up into the waste basket Nella had left. Falling back into the bed with an exhausted sigh, I reach up to feel my own forehead with a trembling hand but it fell back into the bed useless and heavy.

"Finally decided to wake up, didn't you sleeping bea-" Nella's voice came from the door but she stopped when she saw me.

I squeezed my eyes tightly against a wave of pain, but it eventually won out and I moaned as I leaned over to retch, my head spinning at the effort.

Nella had her hand on my back while I continued to dispose of my food, and when I was finally done I rolled over back onto the bed lifelessly, my forehead dotted with a feverish sweat, and my chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.

Nella's beautiful purple eyes were large with worry, and she cupped my face with her warm hand. I squirmed in discomfort at her touch. "Skies, what in the world did you do? Did you fall? I swear to the gods if you fell and this happened I'm going to-"

"I... I didn't fall," I croak, my eyes didn't seem to want to stay fully open, and I fought to remain conscious despite my bodies best effort to slip into darkness.

Nella raised a slender eyebrow, her mouth pressed tight in concern. "Then what did you do?" She asks, she tried to keep her voice calm, but her hands were shaking as she lightly stroked my face.

I shake my head, my whole leg aches something nasty. "Noth...Nothing," I sputter.

I yell out as a sudden strike of pain hits me like a lighting bolt, and I clench my teeth against it. "My... my foot," I close my eyes, almost passing out from the pain.

Nella gasps, jumping up from the bed. "Skies, your foot!" She grabs her wooden basket and sits beside the stump that is left from of foot.

I try not to look down at it to prevent my stomach from revolting against me in painful waves of nausea, but I don't have anything left to throw up.

My throat burned as if I had sandpaper rubbing against my sides, and my stomach twisted. I groan as nausea swept over me once again, pulling me under like a title wave.

Just then, Marygold opens the door. "Nella is Jame- oh skies! What happened?" She steps back, her eyes fearful when she spots me lying pathetically in the bed.

"Marygold! Something happened with his stitches. Skies I'm so stupid! I should have known you weren't well enough to walk!" She curses herself, and I don't have the time to try and comfort her.

Throwing my head back and moaning, Nella pulls at the bandages and makes my vision swim. Why was everything muffled as if my ears were clogged? Black spots danced in my vision when I open my eyes again, refusing to leave despite my desperate blinking.

Marygold was on her knees beside my bed so she could be on my eye level. She grabbed my hands, her limber fingers smooth and delicate. I squeeze them so hard my knuckles turn white. Marygold doesn't complain, and instead squeezes my hands back just as fiercely. She looked quite terrified, her face had turned a similar green to my own.

"Just listen to my voice," Marygold whispers as Nella began to unwrap my bandages, causing me to yell out in pain. I nod, closing my eyes, and breathing hard.

"O... okay. I-ah!" I yell out again as Nella sits the bloodied bandage down. A painful tear slips from the corner of my eye that I can't stop.

"I'm sorry!" Nella calls, her eyes never leaving the wound. "My gods, I think it's infected! I need some natural herbs and some more medical instruments!" She jumps up her eyes scanning my face with desperate glances. She turns to Marygold.