Coruscare loosened his embrace once he felt Caeli's body begin to convulse.
Stunned he stared down at her.
Her body shook, her eyelids fluttered showing glimpses of her sclera.
"Help!", Coruscare roared hopping the grovelings were near by.
He heard a movement of fast wind and a splash.
The next thing he knew, Caeli was being gently pried from his grasp.
"She's having something called a "seizure". We need to cool her quickly.", said a gravelly voice, deep and vibrating.
Coruscare turned to watch as the creature that pulled the small woman away stabilized her head and neck, cradling the rest of her shaking body with the other arm.
"Lucius?", Coruscare whispered to himself, stunned and frozen.
——————————————————————————
Raven had arrived at the Ausia mountains to find that he was directed to the infirmary, the subjects sure that he would be there.
"He's been spending a lot of time there, if I do say so, m'lord.", one fern fairy had replied when questioned about the kings whereabouts. Her leaf like hair bobbing as she nodded.
Raven stood stone still in the opening of what was called the healing pool by the grovelings.
His body had went fire-hot and ice-cold at the same time. The sensation causing his head to pound and his knees to feel weak.
He watched as Coruscare, King of Fire and Light, held Caeli in his arms. Her body pressed against his, her linen dress and white hair floating around her.
He instantly spotted the red circle of fresh blood on her chest from afar.
He had meant to move forward and demand answers when Coruscare cried out.
"Eli.", the red dragons shoulders hunched over the woman as he squeezed her body gently.
Ravens' steps stopped almost mid-stride.
His heart felt as though it had gave out. Given up and gone home for the day.
It caused his lungs to become stone.
Just an instant later he watched as Caeli's eyes began to roll into the back of her head, and her body began to tremor spastically.
Coruscare shouted for help.
In an instant, Raven was in the water beside Coruscare and gently working her out of the other dragons grip.
"She's having something called a "seizure". We need to cool her quickly.", he said, his voice gruff with emotion.
Raven cradled Caeli against himself doing his best to stabilize her critical organs. He had witnessed such convulsions before and seen those unfortunate enough to experience it, hurt themselves unconsciously.
He brought her to one of the beds and a low pitched whistle came from the skull.
A groveling appeared, huffing from the haste it had made.
It came to stand beside Raven, still panting.
"Ice from your storage, and bowls of chilled water if you have it. And a stack of blankets.", he said brushing the wet hair from Caeli's face, his brow furrowed.
He had many questions, but Caeli's safety came first. It would have to wait.
While Raven waited for the grovelings to return with his requested items, he took a deep breath and blew across Caeli's body.
Cool air, smelling of pine and moonlight, whisked over the small woman.
Her convulsions persisted. He noted that they had not intensified any further but had yet to show any sign of stopping.
He busied himself with the task at hand while Coruscare stood silently on the other side of the bed.
Coruscares heart raced as he watched Lucius with Caeli. The look the black dragon gave her was all too familiar, for he imagined that was what he looked like when he was with the small woman himself.
"Lucius, we need to talk.", he ground out between clenched teeth.
Raven nodded in agreement.
"Once she is stable.", he said simply. His gaze remained on Caeli.
Coruscares claws flexed and clenched at his side. He took a deep breath and blew out hot air through his nostrils. He was frustrated, hurt, and confused but making sure Caeli would be alright was without a doubt the first priority. He knew that Lucius was right but he felt a hot churning of his stomach that refused to subside.
A few moments later a trail of grovelings appeared, some pushing small wagons with chunks of ice, other grovelings precariously hefting a sloshing bucket, another carrying linens and heavy flannel blankets.
Raven immediately began breaking large pieces of ice into smaller ones, placing small handfuls around the outline of Caeli's body. He placed more ice into the bucket of water that was brought. Grabbing a small towel he soaked it in the ice water, wrung it out with both hands, and placed it carefully on Caelis forehead.
"Why?", Coruscare whispered, watching as the small woman's body began to slow its sporadic movements.
"The fever. Sometimes the heat of it can cause this. She's been sick for quite sometime, her body is weak.", Raven responded quietly, checking the temperature of her body every few minutes. He needed to cool her quickly but he didn't want to be battling hypothermia either.
After she began to settle and rest comfortably, Raven instructed the grovelings to monitor her temperature and to warm her if necessary.
They nodded in understanding and went straight to work.
Raven stood and walked into the hallway without looking at Coruscare.
The red dragon followed rapidly.
"Do you know this woman?", Coruscare demanded as soon as they had turned the corner.
Raven stood with his back to the red dragon.
"Yes.", he replied plainly. "We met before she came to your mountains.", he said more softly recalling their time together.
"You got my letter.", Coruscare did not ask but instead stated.
Raven gave a curt nod.
"She cannot stay here Coruscare. My people will have a better understanding of how best to care for her. She must come with me in order to survive. I see that you understand. Good. We will be leaving directly.", Raven said quickly.
He turned and stepped forward to retrieve Caeli.
Coruscares large clawed hand stilled him.
"We will see what she says. Once she's awake.", Coruscare said roughly.
Raven was silent for a moment before nodding and freeing himself from Coruscare to return to Caeli's bedside.
Coruscare began to do the same but thought better of it. He needed some time to think and Caeli's friends deserved to know that she was waking more often.
He threw a glance at the opening to the infirmary before stomping down the hall and towards the cavernous castles living quarters made to accommodate workers of the castle.
It wasn't long before he found the companions.
Although he did not necessarily distrust them, he had instructed his workers to watch them closely and report on their actions and whereabouts. Simply put, they were easy to find.
He retrieved them from their room, updating them on Caeli's condition as they hastily made their way to the hospital wing.
The companions hardly noticed the large figure that sat opposite them, too focused on Caeli in the center lying still in her bed.
The grovelings were working diligently to cool her using iced water and rags.
"Her temperature is lowering, but slowly.", Raven said softly, fighting the urge to reach out and touch her face to check again.
"And you are?", Syll asked, turning her gaze away from Caeli lazily. She had suddenly appeared in the opening of the infirmary, a couple of small grovelings huddled behind her in fear. Her arms full of various materials she had intended to use to ease some of Caeli's pain. Amethyst that soothed pain through the vibrations that the stone possessed for all of it's life, an echo of its making. Soda stone, to help remove impurities in the body when put into a warm bath, the porous surface anxious to be filled, doing wonders for the body. Quartz that had been set in the sun to radiate heat and keep the girl warm through the night.
Days had gone by and Syll still had not found any answers.
*Not that it matters much anymore.*, she thought sardonically and not without a little anger.
She had decided to take a break and attempt some new medicinal techniques she had read about in an attempt to at least comfort Caeli, if not to cure her.
She handed the grovelings her cache without turning her stare away from the "stranger". A bustle of movement ensued as they prepared a work table for the druid.
Aurum slowly pulled his stare from Caeli to the massive dragon who sat at her bedside. Even larger than the King of Fire and Light.
He saw the look on his face.
"Raven?", Aurum asked, shocked.
Both Raven and Coruscare's eyes turned, startled by what the snake had said.
"How do you know me by that name?", "You are Raven?", Lucius and Coruscare said simultaneously.
It was Raven and the companions turn to look at Coruscare in surprise.
"Caeli spoke of the events that transpired after she disappeared. She returned and spoke of a Raven. And how you had taken her away as we all slept.", Aurum said with some anger.
Coruscares body began to radiate heat.
Syll's gaze glanced at the source of the sudden change in temperature. She was sure Greedy was making an appearance, or at the very least would do so very soon.
Raven could feel the change in the King of Fire and Light.
"We should all speak elsewhere. In the study. She needs her rest.", Syll said firmly, hoping to hide her fear. If two of the Five decided to duke it out here, the entirety of the island would be flattened.
Aurum and Brego were the first to leave her bedside. Coruscare followed after only a moment.
Raven sat and observed Caeli for a few minutes more, observing that she was now frail and thin, her hair pure white. It broke his heart to see her in such a state. She had shun like the sun with youth and beauty and strength before. Although still just as beautiful, it was changed, into something wraith-like. A ghostly goddess.
He nodded to the grovelings, rising to meet the others.
Before he passed through the exit he turned back to see her once more. Remembering that only days ago, he was unsure that he'd ever see her again.
For the first time in his life he sent a silent prayer to the Goddesses that she make it. That she survive.
*You owe me this.*, he thought to himself before leaving to join the others.