More Secrets and the Horse Race - Book 8 - The Frencolian Chronicles

Chapter 9

Jobyna's senses fought against returning to reality as she felt herself being sat up and swung around on the chaise where she'd fallen into a lovely dreamland with colors in the sky that she couldn't comprehend. She longed to stay there, not to be so rudely brought back to this all too real place.

Held firmly on both sides, she felt the spout of some kind of large jug pushed at her lips, pressing in until her lips and teeth were forced open and the spout was inside her mouth. She struggled, but the grips on her arms and around her body were too strong. Her head was tilted back.

"Swallow, Princess," a female voice implored. "I'm Amelia, as you know and these are other friends who are here to help you. The master drugged you and this will help bring you back to some kind of reality. We, we are working with David, but this is a secret you must keep." 

Wanting only to sleep and to feeling that dream-filled inanity, Jobyna swallowed as the liquid entered her mouth, filling it. It tasted like ordinary water, only a little sour and salty. 

"Good, that's good," Amelia said, encouraging her and adding, "keep on. That's good."

Jobyna worked at drinking it all as she had been told.

"Great, it's all gone. You did very well, princess." 

Jobyna opened her eyes when the jug was taken away and replaced by a bowl. Still they held her.

"Don't hold me so hard; I won't struggle. Let me go!"

Their hands loosened and when Jobyna didn't resist or try to stand up, they released her. She frowned, saying, "I don't feel sick."

"You will," Amelia said, as if it was a promise.

"How long did I sleep? —I'm still tired... I feel so —blank... I felt much better, amazing, I just want... to sleep..."

"It wasn't very long, Princess," David said as he moved to replace Amelia by holding the bowl at the ready.

"You're David... who are you... really?" Jobyna asked, unaware that her speech was slurred.

"I'll tell you all about me when we have more time, but for now, I'll just tell you that my life has been a very long journey, I have come from dread darkness and into God's light, all due to the power of His Word. I do so want to share it with you, Princess, but at another time. I will say, I know your mother is in Frencolia and is, right now, traveling towards Chanoine, to your home there. You'll be wanting to be there to greet her..."

Jobyna smiled and would have asked more questions only a cramp hit her stomach as though someone punched her.

"The bowl," she gasped, reaching for it, knocking it from David's hands as she pushed herself forward. Like a gush, the fluid spurted out onto the floor. Retching, she lost more of it, as well as other fluid and the food she had eaten. The broth that the master had provided did not taste much different from when she had swallowed it. She gagged and choked as more rose into her throat. She kept vomiting until her stomach emptied. None of it had gone in the bowl and the blue gown she wore was ruined.

Feeling spent, she would have fallen forward and onto the floor, but firm hands grasped her again, pushing her backwards. Amelia wiped her mouth, chin and lower neck with a soft towel, turning away, covering her mouth and nose with her free hand.

Jobyna retched again and brought up some bile. "Uggh, it tastes horrid." She gagged and grabbed hold of the towel, spitting bile into it, retching again and again. 

"Get the flask!" David commanded, and when he was obeyed, he took the stopper out and pushed it up to Jobyna's mouth, saying, "Drink this and you'll recover almost right away. It should stop the retching and the sick feeling. You'll feel very tired and will need to rest. In an hour's time, we will need to repeat it, but with a sustaining broth. You might be able to keep that down, hopefully. "

Extreme fatigue swept her; she just wanted to close her eyes and have everything fade away. She obediently drank from the flask until David said, "That's enough. You can drink the rest when we get you to a safe place.

"Here, help get her on her feet," David ordered, "and one of you fetch a fresh gown, any gown." It took all three women to do this. With one on either side, Jobyna was walked out of the chamber and into the corridor. She closed her eyes, wanting only to sleep.

The sound of boots on stone steps sounded out from out in the corridor, running boots...

"Quick! —through the portal now."

Dragged sideways behind an upwards spiral step way, Jobyna opened her eyes. A sliding sound ended with a faint 'thud'. There was only darkness.

"Not a word!" David warned. When all was still and quiet, he said, "So far, so good."

Jobyna closed her eyes and everything went blank.

~~~~~

It was morning before Jobyna woke again. She found herself in darkness and did not discern it to be daytime. Overwhelming thirst was all she could feel.

"Princess, drink this."

Obediently, she drank the contents of the flask, sinking again into a deep sleep.

She did not hear David's voice repeating, "So far, so good. We must keep praying that she will suffer no ongoing problems from the length of time she has been on those mind-controlling drugs. We are hoping and praying that it wasn't given to her before she arrived in Frencolia here. Even so, she will suffer some psychosis yet. "