Unfit for Duty

Chapter Two

After that Pompadour was left to his room to recuperate. He was given plenty of herbal tea and soup along with his medicine and mostly stayed in bed under the covers or seated on top in robe and slippers. The coughing subsided and the shaking grew less. The fatigue that had kept him from doing anything too straining vanished nearly completely along with the fever. At this time he put himself to work with a little writing— they were only rough drafts— so that his mind would not go stir-crazy after the second day. Even still by the fourth day he was so anxious to hear the results from the Doctor that he had begun pacing about in his room.

At last the tests were in and the conclusion was not very conclusive, which bubbled up irritation all the more when Troubadour gave the paper to Pompadour.

"Why! Nothing's conclusive!" Pompadour complained. "It says here that I may be in danger of damage to my nervous system as the plant is apparently related to another plant known in the Jungle for giving its victims complete paralysis along with a great number of other problems from various other bodily systems! The Doctor will be here later today. I do hope he has more to say than this!"

Troubadour made a face and nodded as to say that he was sure he would.

But by the time the Doctor came, it was clear that no one knew anything for certain.

After the checkup, the Doctor said, "You seem normal enough for now, but don't push yourself. And if you feel anything out of the ordinary— anything at all— you are to stop work immediately and send word to me."

Pompadour gave the Doctor a defiant sort of look.

"If, nothing's happened so far, I trust it will continue to be so unless I'm supposed to announce every little shiver and clearing of my throat."

The Doctor ignored him but to Troubadour who was the only other one around for this checkup he said quietly, "Make sure everyone knows he's supposed to take it easy."

Pompadour gave sniff for he had heard him easily enough, but after a moment he smiled and said, "Forgive me, Doctor, but if there is something wrong with me, I will be sure to tell you. There's no need to alarm anyone, but I'm sure this is all just formality."

"Hopefully," said the Doctor with a nod, and then taking up his hat he left.

"Well," said Pompadour, who was well on his feet now and looking quite pleased. "If you don't mind, Troubadour, I would like some privacy to finally get out of my robe."

Slumping his shoulders, Troubadour nodded with understanding. He withdrew from the room and went straight to the office, but he did not wait for Pompadour to set himself to taking up a pen. Quickly he wrote the Doctor's orders on a piece of paper. Moving quickly, so as to be back in the office before Pompadour arrived, he scurried to find Cornelius who then went with him to the king on the balcony.

I was happily enjoying the company of Zephir there in between studies when Troubadour and Cornelius arrived.

Zephir tried not to wince thinking that it was some palace business that would give him a headache, but as Troubadour gave me the message I smiled not all too concerned.

"We'll make sure to follow the instructions," I said, "but if Pompadour thinks he's well enough to work, I'm sure he is. He'll go back to bed if he feels he can't do something, right, Cornelius?"

"Of course!" said Cornelius with a chuckle. "He follows the rules by the book more than anyone I know."

"Yeah, maybe too much," said Zephir with a grin.

Then Troubadour hurried back to the office just before Pompadour arrived looking more pompous than usual but still quite happy despite his unsmiling official expression.