My Dearest Lady Cotton

Sickly Generosity

   "Stay still! You need to be warm."

   "Achoo!"

   Cotton pressed her lips in a thin line, twisting and draining a drenched cold cloth in her perturbed hands. Tucking her sick Mama bear into bed, she wiped the older woman's sweaty forehead with a distressed sigh.

   When news of her Mother's illness reached the young wife's ears, Cotton hastily abandoned all her plans and swept back to her former village, which dwells in the warmer parts of the Nordlands.

   But as of now, it was an absolute challenge just keeping the lady in bed.

   The lavender haired woman blew an annoying stray lock from her cheek as her mother struggled to free herself from the confines of the warm blankets. It was so perplexing. How could she have gotten so ill? Was that overly large quilt sitting upon the kitchen floor the only reason for her troubles?

   "Oh for Stars above Mother! Lay still so you can heal!" She exhales, her ocean-blue hues swirling into concerned stormy grey waves as she gently set her patient back into the plush hay bed. "You will never be able to finish the quilt if you continue on like this."

   "Shut your trap young'n, I ain't got a broken bone just a dizzy head. I'll be fine!" Orphia Hunter angrily protests and continues to push against her daughter's arms, slapping the once cold cloth into the blue-eyed female's embittered face.

   "Mother--" She exasperates, sliding the warm wet cloth from her features in discomfort.

   She coughed and sputtered, wobbling out of bed with a cranky declaration much to her daughter's chagrin. "I may be old, but I am not weak!" 

  "I know you are not weak, but that does not give you an excuse to exhaust yourself even more!" Cotton groans, flicking her messy lavender hair out of the way.

    The angered side of her sneered, gnashing its teeth together in aggravation. Oh for crying out loud! Why must she be so stubborn? Can she not just lay in peace??

    The young woman had to agree, she knew it wouldn't be easy trying to keep her still, but she hadn't imagined it would be this hard! Just as her own stress and anger began to boil in her veins, the angelic side of Cotton pushed in, standing up for her Mother and shining a new light upon the older woman.

   It is because she does not wish to be seen as weak, especially towards us, her daughter.

   She pursed her lips in thought, her worried gaze zoning towards her Mother's sickly pale face, the miffed waves crashing against her bones stilled in peace. Perhaps that was true, but honestly she just wanted to help her Mother be well again. Seeing her bed ridden was not like her at all. Orphia is a strong woman, even at the frail old age she's in, there seemed to be nothing in existence that could hold her down.

  While her arguing consciousness melted into the darkness of her mind, something clicked in their place. That was it! Surely the contents within that vile would ease her Mother's illness! The young wife eagerly turned to the nightstand and opened her satchel, briskly digging her yearning fingers into its pockets.

   Scrunching her brows, the lavender haired woman paused for a split moment, her heart pounding sporadically against her chest upon the emptiness she grasped. Licking her dry lips, her ocean colored hues frantically searched through each and every pocket in desperation. But it was no use. It was gone.

   The medicine was missing.

   How could this have happened?! Cotton internally shrieks, cringing in a dumbfounded manner upon the hollow space revealed before her aghast face. Now Mother is never going to heal fast enough! Letting out a shaky nervous whimper, the lavender haired maiden tightened her fists in a panic as she peeked over her shoulder, stunned hands clamming over her satchel.