Crown was resting, though buried under half a dozen blankets. Blade sighed a little, happy she’d finally managed to get to sleep. For now at least, she was resting comfortably.
Getting enough rest would be at least half of a long battle. The diagnosis was grim.
Mana sickness.
Trapped in a well of magic for almost three hours, Crown had been hit with so much raw magic her body was rejecting it. For someone who didn’t have any magic of their own, that would have been fine. A temporary ailment, gone in a few weeks.
For someone with budding magic of their own, it was a chance to permanently cripple any magic they had.
A sniffle from his eldest daughter’s room made Blade pause and turn. He’d thought Snow would have been in bed and asleep hours ago. At least, she should have been.
He heard the shuddering breath as she tried to hide a hiccup. She was laying perfectly still, faced away from the door and curled tight into herself.
Blade inhaled slowly as he came to the bed. “I know you are not asleep, ehla meh,” he said as he settled on the edge.
This time Snow hiccupped. “I’m trying to,” she muttered.
“Mhmm, and not succeeding, are you?” His hand was gentle as it landed on her shoulder. “What bothers your dreams tonight? More ice snakes?”
She shook her head and curled tighter, pressing her face almost into her knees.
“I cannot fix what you don’t tell me about,” Blade said. “What is it?”
“Crown’s not going to have magic.”
It startled him the way she said it. “What?”
“Crown. She’s sick and it’s my fault and she’s not going to have magic because of it.”
Snow had been there. She’d tried to get her sister out of the well first. They weren’t supposed to have been playing in that area anyways, but neither could resist exploring just once.
No one had known about the well, just about the decaying ruins over it. Snow and Crown had been the ones to find the well when part of their game had dumped the younger sister into it.
“Sit up,” Blade said gently and Snow grumpily complied. “What is this about it being your fault?”
“It’s my fault. You told us not to be over there and she hates playing chase. I’m the one who chased her over there and I tried to get her out and I should have gotten help sooner. Now she’s sick and she’s not going to have magic and it’s my fault. I’m supposed to help look after her.”
“Ehla meh,” Blade said gently. “This is in no way your fault. True, you were not supposed to be playing there in the first place, but I know the two of you and Crown has already admitted to being the one to suggest that as your game area. No one knew about the well of magic.”
“But—”
“Enough,” he cut her off. “You did what you could to help your sister. You recognized the well and you knew enough to know it could do some harm if she wasn’t retrieved quickly. We were lucky you weren’t hit with it as well.”
She sniffed and he reached over for one of the small cloths from her nightstand drawer. “Crown’s sick.”
“She will get better,” Blaze replied. “It will take time, but she will recover. Snow, there’s nothing crying will do to fix it and it isn’t your fault. No one knew there was a well of magic.”
“Then what will fix it?”
Her love for her sister made him smile as he smoothed her hair back behind one pointed ear.
“She’ll need lots of care,” Blaze said gently. “She’ll need rest and she’ll need to be kept warm. Lots of tea and for a while she won’t leave the house much. She’ll need someone to keep her company and tell her stories. Do you think you can do that?”
Snow nodded, eyes still bright with tears and Blaze smiled. “She likes animal stories best,” Snow murmured.
“That she does. I also happen to know she loves her sister a great deal and wouldn’t want you crying like this.”
“I just want her to feel better.”
“She will get there. Come here.”
Snow was almost too big for him to carry properly, but he managed to scoop her up anyways, letting her wrap around him while he carried her down the hall.
Crown was asleep, true, but Blaze settled Snow down next to her. “See?” he said gently as Snow automatically nestled in with her sister. “She’s sleeping now.”
Snow shook her head. “She’s not asleep,” she said.
“Oh?” Blaze couldn’t keep the amusement out of her voice.
“It just hurts too much to move,” Snow said and kissed Crown’s cheek. “I think she needs some water.”
“Is that so?”
Crown opened one eye, surprising Blaze. He could tell she tried to speak, but no words formed, only a gentle pursing of her lips.
“Let me get a glass for you then.” Blaze murmured. Perhaps he’d add something to help with the pain.
By the time he got a glass and a spoon of the pain reliever his wife kept on hand, Snow looked to have settled comfortably in with her sister. “You’ll have to sit up,” he said gently, and Crown squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.
And yet, Snow shifted and shimmied under her sister, using her own body to help lift Crown and her mountain of blankets upright. Crown smiled, leaning her head back on Snow’s shoulder while Blaze smiled.
“This first,” he said. “Open.”
Crown complied, and Blaze popped the spoon in, letting her take the potion first. He knew it tasted bitter, but Crown never reacted. Once she’d swallowed that, he helped her hold the glass to her lips, taking little sips until she’d had enough to satisfy her.
By then her eyes were drooping closed and Snow had taken to petting Crown’s hair gently as she finally fell asleep.
Blaze smiled and watched while Snow helped lower her sister again, tucking blankets and pillows back in around her. “You see?” he murmured. “You can do a lot to help her.”
“Can I stay with her tonight?” Snow asked. “In case she needs anything?”
He nodded. “As long as you get some sleep too,” he said and leaned forward to kiss her temple. She flinched back a little. “Are you alright?”
“My head hurts.”
He chuckled and pulled another blanket over, draping it over both his daughters. “That’s what happens when you miss out on dreams in favor of worrying yourself into tears. Sleep, ehla meh.”
She smiled a little and settled down, head tucked under a pillow the way she liked to sleep. Blaze slunk out again.
Strange how Snow had known what Crown wanted, even before she’d managed to ask. Then, he decided, Snow had been ecstatic when she’d learned she would have a little sister. Even more so when she’d learned it meant she would need to help look after and care for her sister. Growing up out here in the Frozen Wastes around ruins of what had once been the frost elf capital had sometimes been lonely for Snow.
It was no surprise she knew what her sister needed or wanted. She loved her sister.
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