It was late afternoon when William hurried home. His heart pounded with worry, for news had reached him at the market that his youngest sister, Penelope, had taken ill.
He found the family home in a state of quiet alarm. The normally cheerful air was subdued, his father Parrish feeling helpless moved up and down the house. He made his way swiftly to Penelope's room, where his sister, Anna, sat by the bedside, her face lined with worry.
"William," she greeted him softly, her voice weary.
"Anna," he replied, glancing at Penelope's pale face. "How is she?"
"The physician was here this morning. It's the measles," Anna said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He fears it might be severe."
William knelt beside the bed, taking Penelope's small hand in his. She lay motionless, her breath coming in shallow, labored gasps.
"We must do all we can," he said resolutely. "There must be something more we can do."
Anna nodded. "The doctor has left some medicine, but he warned us that the next few days will be critical."
As the days passed, William family rallied around Penelope. The doctor visited regularly, his grvae look on his face a constant reminder of the seriousness of the illness. The treatments were arduous, involving a careful regimen of herbal useage, bed rest, and cool compresses to ease her fever. Anna seldom left her side, while William and his father, Parrish, took turns assisting with the household duties and caring for their sister. They are all they've got.
The illness was indeed a severe challenge for young Penelope. Her fever rose and fell unpredictably, and she drifted in and out of consciousness. The family took turns sitting by her bedside, whispering words of encouragement and praying for her recovery.
"How is she fairing?" James asked. Himself and Thomas came to see how they are coping and also to drop an ointment his mother prepared for Penelope.
"We are all doing the best we can, the fever is high on some hour and later she goes Cold." Anna replied him as she offered them water to drink.
"It's all going to be fine, Penelope is as strong as her sharp tongue, she will fight this and get better in no time." Thomas said.
"Thanks for the ointment James." Anna spoke in a low tone.
"It's from my Mother actually, she said you can rob it on her body as well.".
"Thank you, we're open to whatever helps her get better on time."
Anna had first hand experience of a severe illness when their mother was sick. Penelope illness struck a nerve in her, fear she never knew she still had in her. Even with the doctor's optimism, she still feared for her sister's life.
One evening, as the moon began to appear, William sat by Penelope's bed, reading aloud from her favorite book of fairy tales. His voice was steady, though his heart ached with worry.
"Do you remember the story of the brave knight, Penelope?" he asked softly, though she seemed scarcely able to hear him. "He never gave up, no matter how difficult the journey. Just like you, my brave sister."
As the days wore on, there were moments of despair, but also glimmers of hope. The doctor, though cautious, noted signs of improvement. "Her fever is breaking," he observed one afternoon. "The worst may be behind us."
"That's good news." Parrish said.
Slowly, Penelope's strength began to return. Her fever subsided, and the color returned to her cheeks. The household, which had been steeped in an atmosphere of tension and fear, began to breathe more easily.
One morning, William entered the room to find Penelope sitting up in bed, a faint smile playing on her lips. "William," she whispered, her voice still weak but filled with a new vitality. "I dreamed of the brave knight."
He smiled, tears of relief and joy welling in his eyes. "And what did he do in your dream, Penelope?"
"He saved the day," she replied, a sparkle returning to her blue eyes.
William leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Just like you, my brave sister. You have saved our day."
The doctor continued his visits until he was confident that Penelope had fully recovered. He commended the family for their vigilance and care, noting that it had undoubtedly made a significant difference in her recovery.
For years, they don't really talk about their mother's sickness that caused her sudden death. The illness with Penelope opened old wounds.
"The last time I was this afraid was mothers sickness." Anna uttered.
"You were scared to your bones." William said.
Parrish spoke softly, "Were we not all. It was a hard time for all of us truly."
"We never talk about mothers death." Penelope said.
"Yes dear, we know. It was not an easy experience for us. You were still very little when it happened and most of the terror we faced day and night we tried to surpress." William said as he cleaned his eyes.
"It was harder on Anna the most." Parrish said.
"What about you dad, you never spoke of it again." Anna replied.
"It's obvious some old wounds haven't healed up completely..I believe we can talk about it anytime we want to." He responded with a heavy heart.
The experience had strengthened their bonds and deepened their appreciation for each other.
Penelope would often recount her battle with the measles, not as a tale of suffering, but as a testament to the strength and love that had surrounded her. And in every retelling, the brave knight of her childhood dreams stood as a symbol of hope and resilience—a reflection of the very family who had nursed her back to health.
The annual festival was approaching, and William was planning to attend with his friends, James and Thomas. He decided to visit them to see if they were interested in going. William needed a break from his recent setbacks—the raiding on his farm and his youngest sister Penelope's illness weighed heavily on his mind.
William invited them both for a drink at one of their favorite pub.
"Hey, William! What's up?" James greeted him.
"Hey, mate."
"How's Penelope feeling now?" James asked.
"It's been almost a week now, she is as strong as ever." He replied.
Thomas walked into the pub, "hey, guys.. drinking without me I see."
"That's all William, I voted we waited for you." James pushed a chair out with his leg.
" I was wondering if you were interested in going to the festival this year," William said. "I could really use a break."
James frowned sympathetically. " The festival could be a good distraction. I'd be up for it."
Thomas's smile faded into concern. "The festival sounds like a great idea."
William felt a weight lift off his shoulders. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it. It'll be good to have some fun and forget about things for a while."
James nodded. "Absolutely. We'll make it a great time."
Thomas who is going on his second round of drink.."Just us, will Anna be tagging along?"
"I guess so, although I would be taking Penelope with us, she needs the fun also."
With plans made, the friends felt a sense of anticipation for the festival, hoping it would bring the relief William needed.