The Kelpie's Treasure

Chapter 5 (1st Draft) 3236

"I will sit with him for a while haltija," Aunt Jaana whispered into my ear as we stood near the end of the stranger's bed quietly watching him sleep. "You go and rest until I come for you," she directed me gently.

I smiled gratefully at my sweet aunt and kissed her weathered cheek before slipping out of the room. I was so very unsettled now that I really wanted nothing more than to go to sleep myself at that moment. However, it wouldn't do to go to sleep on the aunts when they had asked me to stay up all night with our sickly guest.  I had come, just for that purpose after all.

Scolding myself for such selfish thoughts, I took a quilt from the cupboard, wrapped myself in it and sat in the rocking chair near the hearth. I would sit here dutifully with Emmi until Jaana's watch was over. Aunt Emmi sat in her usual comfy chair and took up her knitting. We passed several hours this way – I dozing in and out of sleep while aunt Emmi's needles went click, click, click together.

Shortly after the clock in the hall struck midnight I heard my aunt stir from her bedroom, which lead me to stretch and get up from the rocker with a big yawn. I threw the quilt around my shoulders and padded over to the table where Aunt Emmi and I both waited on Jaana.

She gave us a tired smile and it was obvious that the late hour was wearing on her. My aunts were not the least bit use to staying up this late. They were early to bed and early to rise. I imagined there might not be any early rising tomorrow for these two dear souls given this late night.

"How is he?" I asked softly.

Sighing heavily and looking pensively over at Emmi, she confessed, "The poor young man still has a fever. You'll have to watch him very carefully tonight haltija."

Aunt Emmi grabbed my hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze when she saw my countenance fall.

"A fever is normal under the circumstances," she offered. "He's young and strong. He'll be just fine. You mark my words haltija."

I gave her a nod and a grateful smile.

"Better head in there now," Jaana told me.

I kissed both my aunts goodnight, and walked into Janna's room. Jaana had left a candle burning by the bedside, which gave me plenty of light to see my way around the still room. Closing the door quietly behind me, I sat in the chair she had pulled up beside the bed. I watched his sleeping face as I listened to the aunts talk quietly and then retire up the stairs to Emmi's room.

I could still hear muffled voices and the creak of floorboards for a little while longer before the house fell into absolute silence. I had never been alone at night in the house before - not like this. Though I had slept here more times than I could recollect, the aunts and I were always awake together or all sleeping soundly. It felt peculiar being awake while they slept. The house moaned and creaked in eerie ways while everyone but me was swept away in dreams.