The Red Thrush had taken control of every bit of his fevered body. The medicine, left for him by Iriys the barber/chirurgeon (surgeon), was still in it's glass bottle on the floor near the bed. Her orders were to take it every two hours. The Red Thrush's control stole all knowledge of time from him. His appetite and thirst were masked by the listlessness and pains radiating from swollen joints. All he could do was lie in bed and shiver.
The sound of a door opening doesn't attract his attention even though he heard it. Entering the room is Iriys, accomplished healer but unknown in the lands of Bree, she finds the lad in a severe and possibly mortal condition, this is not what she expected. Quickly donning her cloth mask she approaches the sick bed. Lifting the medicine bottle from the floor she frowns to find it more than half full; it should be completely empty. Touching his forehead the heat from his fever feels hot enough to boil water. She rushes to the water pitcher across the room and fills the glass on the same dresser. Bringing the water to Revio she lifts his head and places the glass to his lips.
"You have to drink this", she says in soft but firm words to convey an importance without frightening her patient.
He parts his white and cracked lips revealing the bright red of inflammation shining from his tongue and mouth. She slowy pours the water into his mouth in small amounts. The pain of the first swallow is excruciating, he shivers and tears flow down his cheeks but he forces himself through strength of will alone to continue drinking till the glass is empty. He sinks into the pillow thinking he's done all she wanted.
Iriys shakes her head. "Revio, you must take your medicine next." She says no more not wishing to add any more to avoid resistance to more than he may think he's capable of. Lifting his head again this time she makes him drink the correct dosage of the medicine, a concoction of her own creation. She's used honey to fool the patient long enough to get the medicine down before the unpleasant aftertaste strikes the palate. Once again Revio draws on his willpower to help him through the ordeal. The medicine burns many time fiercer than the water and the aftertaste makes him shiver and gag.
"That's it, drink it down", she says till he's taken a double dose to make up for those he's missed. She refills the glass and pours it into his mouth as before. Revio watches her with eyes glazed by fever but manages to take the second glass of water before collapsing heavily back into the bed.
"That's all for now", she says in her firm manner for patients. Revio lies still breathing heavily from the effort she got out of him. "No more water for now."
Her next objective, to reduce the fever. She returns the pitcher to the dresser and fills the basin with the remaining water. She opens the drawers of the dresser and finds some clean hand towels which she drops into the basin. She pulls the blankets down and opens the shirt, wet with sweat, to bare his chest. After wringing out the towels a bit she places them onto his chest.
Watching his face concern floods over her. 'He's reaching a crisis', she thinks as she studies his face. His mouth hangs partially open and he shivers uncontrollably. His eyes stare into space but she knows they see nothing. 'It won't be long one way or another."
She pushes the distracting thoughts from her mind to focus on his fever. She takes another towel from the basin and wipes his neck and face. She takes great care to be gentle when wiping his cracked lips. She rinses both cloths and places them onto his fevered chest again.
Looking up she notices a change in his demeanor. A peacefulness. The shivering has stopped, his eyes and mouth have closed. 'Is he breathing?"
She sighs in relief as she sees his chest rise and fall. 'The crisis has passed."
Relaxing she rinses the towels again and repositions them on his chest then works at removing the soaked shirt. 'All his clothing and bedding must be replaced, but not right now, when next he wakes.'..............................
