The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 54: Recovery

When I woke up, I found myself utterly confused by my surroundings. I was looking up at the Hospital Wing's ceiling; masked by candle light and the night's shadow.

It took me a solid few minutes before I even remembered what had happened prior that caused me to slip unconscious. The moment those memories came crashing back, a wave of mortification followed by panic erupted in my stomach and had me on the move.

My entire body ached, as if a weight had compressed itself on my muscles, and they in turn were straining under the pressure. My temperature was fluctuating, with my clothes- a hospital provided gown, damp with sweat. Or, it could have been my body's reaction to the numerous blankets wrapped tightly around me, including my head, which was wrapped around my ears to my scalp like a stretched headband. Slowly, I reached a shaking hand to my face and then pushed the blanket away from my head stubbornly. The sounds of the hospital sharpened into focus. The sounds of Madam Pomphrey's skirts rustled on by to a bed not too far away and the sheets to the bed next to me moved. I tried to sit up but couldn't, and so I flopped back on the mattress, feeling easily defeated and in surprising pain.

"Well that was sad to watch."

I started at both the familiarity of the voice and by how close it was to my bed. I tried again to push myself up on my elbows just enough to turn my head, and this time, before tumbling back down on the mattress, I saw the dark eyes of Sam staring back at me in the next bed over.

"What-" I said in a rasped voice, that made me painfully aware of how dry my mouth was.

"Madam Pomphry..." Sam called out to the healer from her bed in a voice loud enough to break from my cozy moment.

"Have you ever heard of a peaceful night's sleep? Or do you always shout when you chatter on?" another voice, unfamiliar in tone, erupted from a bed a few spaces down. It sounded like one from a young boy. First or second year I would guess.

"Oh I'm sorry duchess. Why don't you go back and get some beauty sleep," Sam retorted in such a personal fashion that it almost made me grin at the familiarity.

"Miss Spencer, Mr. Buchanan! How many times must I tell you to keep your voices down? Patients are sleeping! As should the both of you. Immediately," Pomphry dictated, as the sounds of her clipped heels and the rustle of her skirts drew near. I strained to glance but only caught sight of her cap in the shadows.

"She woke me up! I'm the innocent one!" the boy's voice complained.

"That is quite enough Mr. Buchanan. I suggest you pop off to sleep now," Pomphry critiqued.

"Yeah, Pop off, duchess-"

"Miss Spencer"

"Ava's awake," was all Madam Pomphry needed to hear before rushing to my bed. Her face appeared above me as she peered over me.

"You barely slept a wink, Miss Fountaine. I must adjust your sleeping potion immediately!"

"May I have a glass of water first, please?"