Chapter Thirty: A Sickness Strikes!

 Sunny continued to eat. She sat in the pub listening to the buzz of conversations, the clinking of glasses, the crack of the billiards balls in the back room. She looked around the room and as she did, she slipped off one of her shoes and placed it on the cool brick floor. The tingling sensation was like the pins and needles feeling of the circulation returning to her legs. It crept up her body and she felt warm and safe.

 The chimes on the door rang and Hugh O'Donnell walked in. He looked around and grinned as he spotted Sunny. He waved to Piper and hugged Cassie as she came up to greet him. 

 Sunny waved him over. He was leaning heavily on his cane, but as he got nearer, the pain throbbing in the scar tissue of his leg eased away. "Just the lady I wanted to see!" Hugh cheered. He came and stopped as he noticed the faint greenish bruising on her arms and the pink cut on her lip. "What the hell happened to you?"

 Sunny gestured to him to take a seat and popped another bite of bread into her mouth. He eased into the chair and stretched his leg out to the side. "Tell me!" 

 She swallowed a sip of ale before she began. "I take it you already know what brought me here; I mean, Aunt Fiona told you, didn't she?"

 Hugh raked a hand through his brown hair and angled a guilty look over at her. "Well, she told me a little ---,"

 "Jason, my fiancé, and my best friend, Maya, I found out were involved," Sunny replied. "I left and came here to try to recover from that whole awful affair!" She scoffed as she realized her pun. 

 Hugh had to chuckle too but sobered up suddenly. "He did that to you. Was he here?"

 "I thought I saw him the first night of the festival, then yesterday afternoon he found me on the way back to Laurel Cottage," Sunny told him. "Shannon Doyle was with me and before I knew it, he had tried to drag me away!"

 "Bloody Hell!" Hugh swore angrily.

 "Well, not before Shannon gave him 'what for'!" Sunny declared.

 "Where is the bastard now?" Hugh demanded to know.

 "The clans sent him out of town," Sunny replied. 

 Hugh smiled wickedly, looking almost like Bracken when he was up to mischief. "What did they do? They drug him and sew him up in a gunny sack or something, eh?"

 "Something like that," Sunny admitted. "Got him out of town and the police picked him up far away from here."

 Hugh waved away anything else she was going to elaborate on, "Nae, don't tell me – wait! Any remuneration required?"

 Sunny grinned at him. "Five sheep."

 Hugh looked stunned. "Only five?" He laughed shamelessly as he imagined the man being arrested, "Damn!"

 "So, what were you going to ask me?" She asked him. 

 Hugh shook his head as if to clear it then nodded as he remembered. "I'd like to see if Orion would be interested in a few mares."

 Piper brought over two glasses of dark beer and set them down between Hugh and Sunny. "To help the negotiations along,"

 Sunny picked up her new glass and sipped the chilled beer. She reached out to Orion to ask if he was ready to visit Thornefield. Orion disdainfully agreed to look over the offerings. It was getting easier to communicate now that she was bonded to Nicodemus. 

 "When did you want him to visit?" Sunny asked.

 "Today!" Hugh cheered. "Then you and I could catch up. I haven't seen you since the first night of the festival."

 "All right," Sunny replied. "I'll just get my tack and meet you out by the Trickle Bridge."

 "I saw the bareback saddle," Hugh said, "How's that working?"

 "Works just fine," Sunny replied. "Everyone is happy with the arrangement. Orion I'd guess is the least happy with it, but it's the least confining for him."

 Hugh shook his head, "I suppose so." He finished his beer and looked at Sunny's half glass. "You gonna finish that?"

 Sunny slid the glass over to Hugh and he quaffed it down. "Come on, we're burnin' daylight!"

 He pushed back away from the table and stood up. He waved over at Piper where he was behind the bar, "On me tab!"

 Piper waved back and winked at Sunny. "Tell Fiona I said hello!"

 "I will," Sunny called back and followed Hugh outside where Domino waited tethered to an iron ring near the water fountain that gurgled at the center of the cobblestone road. Sunny picked up her tack from the bench and was preparing to begin her trek to the bridge when she heard the hollow clop-clop-clop of hooves coming toward them. Orion appeared on the road, tossing his head, sending his luxuriant mane flying around his neck. Hugh grinned at the sight of the big white stallion. 

 Orion snorted haughtily at Hugh as he passed him and Domino and lowered his head to press it into Sunny's chest. Sunny slid her leather bridle over his head and adjusted the band over the forelock of white hair, then unrolled the bareback saddle and flipped it over Orion's back. She quickly secured the cinch strap and made sure it didn't pinch anywhere. Sunny used the stone sides of the fountain as a mounting block to prevent Orion from having to crouch so she could mount. 

 Hugh watched the whole process then he gathered up the reins of his mount and climbed easily into the saddle. Orion marched around the fountain, head high and proud. He had drawn an audience, and he was providing a spectacle. Then he strode past Hugh and Domino. Sunny glanced over her shoulder to make sure Hugh was following. 

 Hugh urged Domino up beside Orion and Sunny silently urged Orion to not create a scene. The Pookah tolerated Domino and Hugh had a tough time holding a conversation and keeping the black and white Vanner stallion in check. Finally, Hugh dropped back, and Orion moved ahead into a smooth-gaited trot. 

 When they arrived once again at the top of the hill that looked down on the Thornefield encampment, Orion stopped to paw the ground and allowed Hugh and Domino to catch up. Hugh was grinning when he arrived. "He is magnificent! I hope he likes my mares – with his power and spirit the bloodlines will be legendary!"

 Sunny laughed. "He pretty much has a mind of his own, or I should say ego – he's beautiful and he knows it too!" She leaned forward to stroke Orion's neck.

 Orion grunted and angled a dark eye at Sunny as he looked over his shoulder at her. ["I am a prince in my tribe! You will do well to remember that!"] She sighed inwardly and rolled her eyes heavenward.

 They rode on toward Thornfield Manor with Orion always leading. They arrived at the pasture gate and Chris Poole was waiting for them. The young man ogled Orion. "For real?" he called, watching Sunny and Orion pass through the gate entrance. Hugh laughed, "For real, Mr. Poole!"

 When Poole came up to get a closer look, Orion growled and lunged at the young man with teeth bared. Poole jumped back and looked disbelievingly at Hugh. "Blimey he's a brute! You sure you want to turn him loose with those mares?"

 "All the stallions are well out of the way, right?" Hugh asked.

 "All except for Domino there," Poole replied rubbing the back of his neck in consternation. "How will we round him up?"

 "We'll leave that to Sunny," Hugh replied. "She seems to have a way with him that no one else can understand."

 "Aye," Poole murmured. 

 Orion raised his head and turned to look in the distance. Five horses were grazing in the pasture they had entered. Sunny turned, brought her leg over, and slid off. She pulled the cinch from the bareback saddle and Orion lowered his head so she could slide the bridle off. 

 He pressed his head into her chest, and she stroked his cheek. Then he stepped back, turned, and trotted off toward the grazing mares. Poole watched in fascination then went and gathered up the bridle and bareback saddle. "I'll take these up to the barn."

 "Thanks, Mr. Poole," Sunny said looking up at Hugh. "Hugh, will you give me a lift?"

 Hugh urged Domino closer, and Sunny took his offered hand and was hauled up behind. She shifted a bit then slid her arms around Hugh's waist. He smiled and patted her hands. "On we go!"

 Domino trotted along toward the manor and Sunny glanced over her shoulder to see Orion moving closer to the now-alerted mares. She grinned and looked ahead over Hugh's right shoulder toward the manor. "I wish I'd thought to bring my drawing materials, but I guess I can't lug them around with me all the time."

 "Well, you could keep drawing supplies at Thornefield, and then when you visit you could sketch all you like," Hugh replied and grinned over his shoulder at Sunny.

 They rode into the stable yard and one of the groomsmen came out to assist Sunny down and then led Domino into the stable. Hugh linked arms with Sunny, and they walked toward the gardens at the back of the manor house.

 Sunny stopped in the doorway to look out over the ornamental gardens. It was well tended with fragrant herbs and beautiful flowers. It was nothing like Aunt Fiona's garden. It had many of the same herbs growing, but Laurel Cottage had a massive garden filled with dozens of herbs, wildflowers, and vegetables of all kinds. Sunny was impressed with the Thornefield gardens, but nothing compared to the simplicity of a working garden!

 Lady Margaret was just pouring tea when Sunny and Hugh walked into the parlor. Sunny greeted Hugh's mother warmly and she sat down on the sofa next to her. "I'm so happy you've come to visit!"

 "Mother, Sunny's brought Orion over to visit my mares," Hugh murmured.

 Lady Margaret smiled pertly at her son, "I'm glad you brought Sunny up to the house, Hugh, I'm sure Sunny did not want to linger in the pasture any longer than necessary."

 "No, Lady Margaret, Orion doesn't need an audience." Sunny frowned at Hugh who smothered a grin. "Besides, I did want to visit with you. Aunt Fiona tells me that you've improved greatly."

 Lady Margaret nodded as she sipped her tea. When Katie appeared with another teapot and cups she winked over at Hugh. "I've baked your favorite, Hugh."

 " Ah, blueberry muffins?" Hugh asked.

 "Aye" Katie replied, "Just out of the oven too!"

 Hugh got to his feet and bowed courtly toward his mother and Sunny, "If you'll pardon me ladies; those muffins are calling me name!"

 Katie chuckled and looked to Lady Margaret and Sunny, "I will be right back with those muffins."

 As Katie bustled out of the parlor, Lady Margaret took Sunny's hand gently. "Fiona's told me you're staying in Ballencoo."

 "I am," Sunny replied. "But I'll be away for a few months until I can settle everything and then return to help Aunt Fiona."

 Lady Margaret nodded sagely. "I understand. Katie was away for a season too, visiting family. I hope you have a wonderful time."

 Sunny chuckled, "Well, I don't know how much fun I'll be having. By all accounts, this will be more for education than pleasure."

 Lady Margaret nodded and looked up as Hugh returned with a basket of muffins. Katie brought in a pot of whipped butter, plates, and small spreading knives. "For when himself arrives."

 Hugh picked up a plate and set a muffin on it plopped a dollop of butter from the pot and handed it to his mother. She took it and settled back in her spot on the sofa with a smile. He did the same for Sunny. He pulled an overstuffed hassock over, fixed himself several muffins, and proceeded to eat with relish. 

 Sunny laughed as he rolled his eyes appreciatively. They were chatting when the side door opened and Alister announced himself, "Katie's been baking!"

 He came in and greeted everyone and took Sunny's hand warmly. "I guessed you might be here. I came in from the other side of the property and spotted that white terror out marching around in the fields."

 "You are careful aren't you dear?" Lady Margaret said. "I heard about all the trouble Hugh had trying to transport the brute."

 "I'm very careful," Sunny replied. "We have an understanding, Orion and I, and so far, he's been very gentle."

 "He's a lamb around Sunny," Hugh said. "And an absolute devil with everyone else. Even Nicodemus was at a loss the other day."

 "Sounds like you have a gift," Alister replied. He bent and plucked another muffin from the basket. He daubed a little butter on one half and bit into it, smiling appreciatively. "Like Katie has the gift of baking."

 Sunny chuckled and they fell silent while they ate. Then there was a sudden clattering of hooves and excited shouts. Alister frowned and craned his neck to try to see out the door. "What the devil is going on!"

 Hugh got up and hurried out into the courtyard. "Sunny!"

 She jumped up and went out and stepped past Hugh. In the courtyard were five mounted soldiers from the Wolfe clan. "The Dannan has fallen ill!" 

 "Where is she?" Sunny asked. "What happened?"

 "Griffin Doyle contacted Tully. He transported her back to Laurel Cottage," the man told her. "You are needed."

 "Of course!" Sunny silently reached out to Orion and called him to her. It was within seconds that the white blur of the pookah appeared and scattered the other horses and men as far away as they could get. He snarled and reared up, putting the other animals into a panic. Chris Poole appeared with Sunny's tack, and she took them and walked out toward Orion. 

 It was an immediate calm that fell over him, and he dipped his head low, pressing his massive head into her chest. ["I am here."]

 "Bloody hell!" Alister whispered from behind his son. "I see what you mean. Are you sure you want that introduced into your mares?"

 Hugh grinned at Orion, "I sure do!"

 Sunny quickly cinched the bareback saddle and Orion stretched out low to allow Sunny to mount. Then he pivoted on his back haunches and flew out of the courtyard. Sunny had to cling low in the saddle to keep from falling off. Orion was flying across the fields. If he jumped any fences along the way, Sunny was not aware of it, he moved so fast and effortlessly. The scenery was a blur! Then they were standing in the small courtyard of Laurel Cottage. Tully stepped out the front door and helped Sunny dismount.

 "How is she?" Sunny asked.

 "I've never seen Fiona fall sick before – ever!" Tully replied as Sunny walked toward the door.

 "It's because of me," Sunny said sadly, "I'm draining her!"

 "No, it isn't you, Siobhan," Nicodemus told her as she entered the front hall. "There's a strange sickness in the camps. I don't know where it came from, but it is different from anything I've seen in a very long time."

 "Is it from Nu'Ada?" Sunny asked.

 "No," Nicodemus told her. 

 Sunny looked back at Orion, Tully was removing the saddle and bridle. ["Thank you for bringing me home so fast."]

 Orion tossed his head. ["It was time to go. My duty was done!"]

 Sunny smiled and turned and went upstairs to Fiona's room. She knocked softly and heard Fiona's call. She opened the door and peered in. Fiona was sitting up in bed with Bracken perched at the foot. 

 "Did they come and take you away from the festival?" Fiona asked.

 Sunny came and sat on the edge of the bed she pressed her hand to Fiona's moist forehead. "You've got a fever."

 "I mixed up a draught to help draw it out," Fiona replied. "It came on suddenly while I was treating one of the young women. She's the only one in that family that's infected. Luckily as soon as she started to feel sick, her mother isolated her away from her siblings."

 "How many have you seen?" Sunny asked.

 "Since yesterday, I've seen eight maybe nine isolated cases. All the same, some with a fever, chills, body aches, runny nose, and sometimes a dry cough though I saw a few that had more of a wet cough."

 "Sounds like the flu," Sunny said. On impulse, Sunny took Fiona's hands and turned each palm up to examine them closely. Then in between the web of each finger. She saw nothing.

 "I checked for ticks," Fiona said, "No one had bites or signs of deer ticks."

 "I don't know exactly what I'm looking for." Sunny sighed and looked out Fiona's window. It was open and there was a light breeze. "I haven't noticed any sick ravens, so it may not be something coming from them."

 "Not from doer Nemed," Bracken said coming to lean against Sunny's arm to peer over at Fiona.

 "I'll be set to rights by the morning," Fiona replied. "I think I scared Griffin because I got woozy in the heat of the caravan and felt so suddenly fatigued that I just had to sit down."

 Bracken looked up at Sunny, "I watch."

 Sunny nodded. "I think we'll have plenty of help in that regard." She nodded toward the door. "Nicodemus and Tully are both downstairs."

 Fiona's flushed cheeks colored a deeper shade of pink. "It was Tully who carried me upstairs."

 Sunny smiled and pressed her hand to Fiona's brow. "You should try to rest. I'll bring up some clear broth in a bit."

 Fiona nodded and allowed Sunny to settle her under the light covers. "I believe I could sleep a while. The draught is taking effect."

 Sunny nodded and glanced at Bracken, "Keep watch, Bracken."

 The Watcher nodded and went back down to the foot of the bed and rolled up in his tee shirt.

 Sunny went out and back downstairs to the kitchen. Nicodemus and Tully were sitting at the kitchen table with a coffee pot sitting in the center. They had each poured coffee into mugs along with a generous helping of whisky. "How is she?" Tully asked.

 "She has a fever," Sunny said going to the pantry and looking for the main ingredients for soup. She knew that there was half of a chicken in the icebox along with the other vegetables she would need. She began stirring around the kitchen assembling what she needed. "Aunt Fiona said there were about eight or nine cases with all the symptoms she has, I was wondering if there were more, and we just haven't heard about them, or they were outsiders and have gone home?"

 "It is impossible to know," Nicodemus said shaking his head thoughtfully, "It is probably just as impossible to know if any of the outsiders have come down with this illness."

 "With the number of people that passed through town, I'm surprised there aren't more people out there feeling sick," Sunny said. She chopped vegetables with an expert hand. Both men watched with fascination as she wielded the knife so smoothly. She grinned at them. "What, you didn't think I couldn't cook?"

 Tully chuckled. "We have not seen anyone so skilled with a knife. You'd make a fine swordsman."

 Sunny laughed and began to cut up the cooked chicken that had been the main course and was now the base for her soup. She sautéed her vegetables and soon had her soup underway. She looked around in the pantry again and found a few lemons, and oranges and then frowned in thought. "What do you need?" Tully asked casting a glance over at Nicodemus.

 "I think I need some ginger root and some mint," Sunny murmured nodding to herself. "I'll need some purple coneflower too."

 "Siobhan?" Nicodemus called to her, and she looked up at him and smiled faintly at him.

 Tully got slowly to his feet and came over. "I'll keep an eye on the pot, everything you need will be in the apothecary."

 "I'll go with you," Nicodemus said and followed Sunny from the kitchen and into the apothecary. He watched closely as she went about the shelves, pulled jars and bottles down, and set them on the worktable. When she had everything, she took a small wooden bowl from under the table and began to measure out what she needed. She closed the jars and Nicodemus silently placed them back on the shelf. 

 "No, I'm not channeling anyone," Sunny replied as she broke a knob from the ginger root and dropped it into the bowl. "I just know what I need."

 "What are you making?" Nicodemus asked pointing to the bowl.

 "It's part of a drink that will help keep Aunt Fiona hydrated," Sunny replied. "A fever pulls a lot of fluids from the body, this will help soothe her throat, and help her body begin to fight off the infection. It's something that my mother mixed up when I got sick – which wasn't very often."

 "And the soup?" he asked with a slight smile.

 "Chicken soup is universal," She replied taking the jar of ginger and putting it back in its place on the shelf. "I don't know what healing properties it has but when folks get sick, clear chicken soup always helps."

 They returned to the kitchen where Tully was stirring the soup slowly over the low fire. "It's coming along, and it smells good!"

 Sunny placed a kettle of water on to boil then found a large piece of cheesecloth and a colander. She wet the cheesecloth and laid it in the colander. Then she put two scoops of tea in the colander with the roughly chopped purple coneflower. She took two large oranges and four lemons and juiced them, pouring the mixture into a large water pitcher. 

 She sliced the knob of ginger into paper-thin slices and dropped them into the cheesecloth. Sunny sliced the other oranges and lemons and put them into the water pitcher. As the kettle began to sing, she took it off the fire, placed the colander over the mouth of the pitcher, and slowly poured the hot water over the tea and the other ingredients. When then she took the edges of the cheesecloth and tied them in a loose knot and dropped it into the pitcher to steep. Tully sniffed the air. "Then what goes in?"

 "Nothing except more water and a little honey to sweeten it," Sunny replied. "I hope the fever breaks and after that, we'll make sure she stays warm and comfortable until the worst of it passes."

 "She'll fret over the others that are sick," Tully replied.

 "Aye," Nicodemus said, nodding in agreement, "How do we convince her to rest if she knows there are people out there sick."

 "Short of drugging her to sleep until she's run the course of her sickness, I'll run her errands," Sunny replied. "I can go out in her place."

 "I agree," Nicodemus said and looked over at Tully, "One of us will stay here to make sure Fiona rests."

 "How do the two of you feel?" Sunny asked. "No headaches, dizziness?"

 "Fiona asked us the very same thing!" Tully declared with a wink at Nicodemus. "And no; neither of us feels ill."

 "Do we know if any of those selected have fallen ill?" Sunny wanted to know. "We can't have any of them going to Nu'Ada."

 "None so far," Nicodemus replied. 

 "Perhaps it would be best not to send anyone to Nu'Ada this season?" Sunny suggested. 

 "There's no way of isolating everyone that came in contact with a sick person," Tully said. "When it comes time to go, those selected will be going to Nu'Ada."

 "If anyone becomes ill here or there, then Fiona can deliver the needed medicines," Nicodemus said. "Or she can give you instructions on how to prepare whatever is needed."

 Sunny felt something tugging at her memory. Something that she needed to remember. When she tried to remember, it fled from her as quickly as it came. She eyed the cheesecloth bag and then began to pour cool water on top until she had a full pitcher of her hydrating drink. She placed the entire pitcher into the icebox and turned to her soup. It was simmering nicely. 

 "I'm going up to check on Aunt Fiona." Sunny said, "I see how her fever's coming – maybe if she's up to it, a nice sponge bath will help with the aches."

 Nicodemus and Tully watched her leave then looked at one another. "Is she coming up with these treatments on her own?" Tully asked.

 "Aye," Fury murmured. "But nothing arcane, it's simply what her mother did when she was ill."

 "Never thought I would welcome mundane!" Tully quipped.