Chapter 20. A Sudden Fever

It would be another rough morning for Yuliah. Sometime during the night the drink Ryas forced her to consume, served its purpose. Although it didn't taste great, it could mask the pain and held back the fever, but by morning, the effects disappeared.

Surrounded by a light mist, Yuliah could not tell if the sky were clear and daylight out. It felt not too long ago she had just gone to sleep, but a dull ache woke her, and the pain on her face began to contract then throb, to the point it hurt to the touch. Yuliah got scared. "Ryas," she shook his shoulder. He slept too soundly she could tell from how relaxed his body felt.

"Hmmm?" He answered with his eyes still closed.

"I'm cold, and my head hurts more than before."

He sat up and brought his face closed to Yuliah's. Holding the sides of her head, he turned it from side to side.

Seeing his usual patronizing stare change to that of shock, "What's wrong?" Yuliah asked.

Ryas didn't answer but stood up and walked over to where he tied his horse.

Her head became a beating drum as she tried to go after him but stumbled. By the time she reached him, he was skimming through the pages of a book and then stopped.

"What are you reading?" She tilted sideways to see but grabbed onto his shirt when her head spun and only caught a glimpse. Blood Binding? What does that mean? Yuliah stretched her neck out and tried to take another look.

Ryas slammed the book shut and tucked it back into his pack. "You wouldn't be able to understand. Man can not read these words," he placed both hands onto her shoulders and backed Yuliah away.

That was odd because she read the title. Didn't it say Blood... Never mind Yuliah figured, she didn't have the energy to be pushy with him right now.

"Here sit down," Ryas lifted Yuliah into his arms.

Everything began to spin, Yuliah rested against his chest. He always gave off a nice warm heat one she found comfort in. She didn't want to a burden by having him carry her; this would be the second time. "It's fine I can walk," Yuliah insisted.

"No, you can't," he held onto Yuliah's body tightly and walked over to the bedroll. "I'm going to give you more of that drink from before. It should help now."

He went back over to his horse, but acted strange this time around and would peer over his shoulder, back at Yuliah, as though to make sure she did not try to sneak up on him.

"How's the sky looking?" Ryas called.

Asking about the weather was not something he'd do. He was up to something, but Yuliah tilted back and looked up into the sky.

It became a spinning white and blue, and Yuliah closed her eyes. "I saw a little blue. The fog's lifting."

"That's good because we need to find fresh water," he walked over and handed Yuliah a cup full of the medicinal drink.

She took a sniff and made a face.

"Drink it," Ryas poured it into Yuliah's mouth.

Thick, bitter, and grainy that's what she tasted as it flowed down. Yuliah half gagged and choked trying to swallow it down.

Like liquid ash mixed with a mint flavor and a slight hint of iron. She gagged again as the liquid dripped out down the sides of her chin then mouth.

"What is this stuff?" Yuliah coughed and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, smearing the dark liquid across her cheek into a streak. She had forgotten about her face, and her touch sent throbbing pains down her neck as she flinched.

He gave her a disgusted look, "It's a medicine from the Ethereal Forest, that will help you heal. How do you feel?"

She saw the way he looked at her, as though she was some ugly thing, "I'm fine but am I that unsightly to you?"

"I wouldn't say unsightly. Just shocking. It would be best if you washed up. I see you're festering in stink and that's going to cause more of an infection."

He was terrible with words. Yuliah wondered if he had any empathy sometimes. "Infection?" She yelled. There were too many stories of people dying from infected wounds out in the wild. If they didn't die, the scars left grotesque marks. She clutched her chest and took a deep breath.

"Yes, your face it's infected. The fever will hit soon, so we need to clean you up," as Ryas rolled up the bed and tied it to the horse. "Come on, let's go while you can still move. We need to find water fast," Ryas climbed onto the horse and reached for Yuliah's hand.

Wrapped around his hand, seeped with a slight red, he had a fresh bandage. "What happened to your hand?" Yuliah questioned.

"Nothing. I cut myself by mistake," Ryas pulled Yuliah up into the front of the saddle.

It was odd that he'd accidentally cut himself for a Man who acted so sure of himself, but she decided not to press the issue further.

Yuliah sat in her usual spot, and they traveled in silence again. She slumped back onto Ryas and used his body to keep warm. Cold jittery chills began to rack her body in waves. Each time she shivered and slipped further into a state of unconsciousness.

It was midday already when Yuliah regained a little consciousness. The sun beat down hot on her face. This must be death, Yuliah tried to stay awake.

Ryas broke the silence between them as he always did. "There should be water up ahead soon."

"Ummm.." Yuliah could only manage to say. Her mind grew foggy and exhausted and then fell unconscious again.

After what felt like several hours while she slipped in and out of consciousness, they finally came upon a fresh spring, hidden by large trees and shrubs. Overhead sat a sizeable jagged rock that connected to the side of a stone cliff. From this rock, a curtain of freshwater poured down into the spring. The water pooled in the spring sat crystal clear, and a few shades lighter than his eyes.

By this time, the fever completely took Yuliah. She had them before, but this one felt different. Her body convulsed and jerked slightly. "Ryasss... Something's wrong..."

Ryas stopped the horse and hoped down while Yuliah slumped over, unable to sit up. He reached up, pulled her down, cradled in his arms like a babe.

"There's not much left of your wedding dress." His eyes surveyed her body.

Yuliah brought both arms up to shield his eyes from seeing too much, but with chattering teeth, and barely any energy left to speak. Yuliah pushed him away so she could stand on her own feet. Before both feet could firmly touch the ground, she fell right into Ryas arms.

"Trust in me Yuliah," he looked down. "I'm going to have to remove your dress and carry you into the spring. You can't even stand at this point."

Yuliah groggily lifted her head, "No. You can't."

Untying the sash that held the torn and ragged wedding dress together, "I have to. Now is not the time to be modest." Ryas drop the sash onto the ground, and the entire front came undone.

He tore it off and tossed the ragged garment aside. With the dress gone, Yuliah's silk undergarments and ivory skin lay bare to him.

Between the convulsions, Yuliah could hardly stay conscious, but managed to ball her hand into a fist ready to fight Ryas, and struck him on his chest, "Noooo."

Taking hold of her hand, "There's no other way," he removed the top she wore releasing two soft ample breasts from their grasp. He pulled at the last piece, her underwear and slid it down passed thick thighs and slender calves, exposing the dark hair shielding Yuliah's womanhood.

She now laid naked and burning hot and utterly vulnerable in his embrace. Yuliah sat up and tried to throw an arm at Ryas but only managed to say, "Stop..." before both eyes closed and her body went limp.