Stories in the Ink

Protector in Illness

Solona groaned, a mere lump under a twisted and chaotic mass of comforters, pillows strewn about onto the floor. The young mage slowly opened her eyes, lids heavy and skin plastered in sweat. Her vision blurred, and the woman attempted to clear her sight by rubbing a knuckle against her closed eyes.

Slowly she had sat up, kicking the furred covers off of her person, nightgown drenched in sweat as goosebumps immediately began to form upon her skin. It was a constant, endless cycle. Fist she was hot, then she was cold, then hot, then cold. She felt ill, sick and disgusting as she wiped the excess drool from her jaw left agape during a deep slumber, saliva staining the pillow and even her bare shoulder.

Licking her chapped lips, Solona got out of bed and stood, legs wobbling and body swaying. However, the vertigo from her fever held a strong hold over her, and she had ungracefully sat down upon her bed, the room spinning as if she were shrouded in mist.

"Hhhgggn...thirsty." She rasped, throat dry and sore, head pounding as she didn't have the strength to rise again. All her body wanted was to fall back into a deep sleep until the fever broke.

'Maybe...this is what it feels like to die...I feel terrible enough...' Solona thought, mind reeling to make sense of the matter, 'I bet...thing...the...the Qunari...never eat cake. Or...get sick.'

Heaving ill breath from her lungs, the mage fell back upon her bed in an exhausted heap, staring unfocused at the ceiling. Her tongue had swirled around within it's dark home, tissue dry and pained as Solona had attempted to clear her throat of clumping mucus. The mage had then coughed, rough and jagged heaves that stung her chest as she swallowed the phlegm, stomach quivering.

Feeling as if poison were in her belly, Solona moaned in discomfort, closing her tired eyes, though was afraid if she had surcumbed to sleep she would never wake. Resting her heavy lids, though trying to fight off sleep, she had then felt a hand caress her forehead-cool and gentle.

At first, Solona did not bother to open her eyes, for sweat would surely render her sight poor if she did. Through the haze of fatigue and illness, she had thought that she had raised her own hand to wipe the film of perspiration from her brow. Struggling her mind to awaken, it was then she had noticed that the hand was not of her own, for both arms were heavy and felt laden with weights.

Solona opened her bloodshot eyes, blurry gaze slowly focusing upon the blonde before her. At first, she did not register who the odd man in leathers was, or how he had even managed to slip into her chambers, but here he was. Touching her heated body with a chilled hand.

The young woman had opened her mouth to speak, to try and say something, though found her throat too parched, cool hand leaving her brow, "Shhhhh."

The blood mage was perplexed and dumbfounded as Cole had briefly leaned over her to snake an arm around the small of her back, the man helping her into a sitting position. It was then she realized that in his free hand he had carried a cup of water, "Here."

She had stared upon the offering for several seconds, a feminine hand rising to grasp the wooden cup before placing her dry lips upon the brim, sips slow before gaining in greed. Stray droplets had run down chin and neck, and even after the cup had run dry, her thirst was not quenched, and only seemed to grow.

"Thank...you." Solona had smiled, breathing deeply as she set the object upon a nearby table, stomach rumbling in disturbance.

"It's okay. You don't have to worry." Cole murmured, taking a damp cloth and gingerly wiping her brow of vile sweat, the girl confused upon his actions.

"You will not fall. Not like the hawk." The boy spoke, allowing the cloth to glide along her temples and the ridge of her nose.

"Not by your own hand..." Solona had sat idle as the man had dabbed the fabric gently upon her eyes, holding them shut to avoid harm

"Not by Corypheus..." She had felt the damp material slide over her cheeks and chin, Cole carefully propping her chin up to clean her neck, touch gentle over burning skin.

"Not by illness." He had finished, setting the cloth down, the girl confused by his being in her chambers. He was not in the mode to speak, but rather...seemed interested in looking after her well being. She was not sure if that was his true intention, but she did not want him here. There were more important things he could be doing. She was not that important in the grand scheme of things. Unless...she was important to him? She did not want to dwell upon the topic for too long-it made her head hurt.

"I...thank you." She had smiled weakly, sniffing as the male youth stiffly smiled-if ever so faintly.

"You are welcome."

"I don't want to-to sound mean, but...I don't think you should be here. I don't want you to get sick, too." Solona muttered, laying down upon her side.

"But I can help...I like helping you." Her comment had caused the boy to frown, Cole rising and gingerly draping the comforters over her form.

The girl had smiled at his efforts, the blonde taking a seat beside her bed, looking upon the ground in thought for several seconds, head cocking in thought.

"...I don't know if I can get sick. I never tried."

Solona chuckled, eyes closing as she fell into slumber, no longer afraid of never being able to wake.

Cole had sat there, watching her chest slowly rise and fall with tired breathes. Slowly, his calloused fingers had caressed her face, brushing several stray strands out of her closed eyes.

"A broken body, bloody, banged on the stone cell, guts gripping in the dark dank, a captured apostate...I couldn't...I couldn't save him. But maybe, if I try...I can save you. I think...Cole would have liked you." The boy spoke, remembering and recalling before falling silent.

"I like you."