A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Child

(DAYU)

"What happened? Why did he get sick?" I asked Adda as Captain Wang gently placed the unconscious AhRan on Dao's old bed. After learning that AhRan is sick, Captain Wang moved to retrieve the boy on an inn where AhRan and Adda were staying just outside of the capital.

"It has been months since his visit to me, I thought you are halfway to AnHui by now. What happened?" I looked at Adda who bit her lower lip before answering.

"Master AhRan finds it hard to sleep since his visit on you, Master Dayu. We couldn't make much progress in our travel because he gets tired easily. We detoured here and there. He tried resting on a river but when he emerged, he was more sick than ever. Then this morning, he collapsed." Adda sat at the edge of the bed to gaze down at AhRan who is sweating and gasping for air even though he is asleep. "What is wrong with him?"

I gesture her to stand up so I can take her place and check on AhRan. I started feeling different parts of his body. "His fever is high, his lips are dry and his breathing are shallow..."

"Does he has Hua's condition before she got well?" Captain Wang asked.

"No. I don't think his problem is his lungs. Might be exhaustion and dehydration."

"Dehydration?" Adda spoke, puzzlement on her face.

"Yes, dehydration. It's when a person lacks water on his body that affects his air intake. Everything in the body drops down except our temperature. But I am not sure. I'm not a physician. I just read about it on a book. I think we should call a real doctor to see him,"

"No!" Adda exclaimed loudly. "You can't call anyone. You know no one should see him." She added frantically.

"Right," AhRan's eyes are the problem. How will we explain that to a physician who will check him. Unless we will kill the physician after helping AhRan.

Just how many people will we kill for this boy? It's like death follows him.

"How about the palace physicians?" Captain Wang said. "Surely the Emperor will provide care for AhRan."

"The Emperor must no know as well," Adda said as she fidget on her feet. "That's the last thing Master AhRan would want. Why do you think I came here instead of going straight to the palace? Master AhRan doesn't want to be incapacitated and let the Emperor took custody of him in his weak state. We think his Majesty is just looking for a perfect excuse to put Master AhRan under his total control."

"Wise boy," I said when I look back at AhRan who started moaning like he is in pain.

"What should we do?" Captain Wang asked. I bit my lower lip. "I will need Mei. I remember Uncle Shu treating someone who is sick like this. There's a plant that we can boil, mixed with water on a tub where the patient could be submerged. But aside from me, Mei is the only one who knows what that plant look like. I'm not even sure we have that planted here in the capital."

"Then lets call for Mei," Captain Wang said.

I gave my lover a surprised look. "He is AhRan. ShuYin's brother. How exactly will I explain to Mei why he's in my home?"

"He is sick, Dayu. I think that is an explanation enough. We should call for Mei." Captain Wang gestured at AhRan. "Could he die in this sickness?"

"Yes. There's a possibility." I replied grimly. "If not treated severe exhaustion and dehydration could result to the patient convulsing from high fever. Hallucinations will set in. When that happened, we will be almost too late to cure him."

"Save him! Please save him! Master AhRan!" Adda started crying as she raced to be by AhRan's side. I stood from the bed, still undecided on what to do.