Golden Crown: The Fey Lands Saga book 2

Prince Lian's Illness;Court of Light

    I entered Lian bed chamber through an open window, feeling the rain lash my wings so that my feathers were damp and dripping. My linen gown soaked through. Only those that could enter his chamber would. There were spells against intruders in the palace. There he lay in a deep but troubled sleep. His once pale skin with its touch of gold was gone. His hair lay lank and dull, his wings seemed to be losing feathers. Kneeling by his bedside I felt his forehead. Hot to the touch. No sweat on him. The fever seemed to have dehydrated him for his lips cracked and bled as he breathed hoarsely through slightly parted lips. His hands lay at his sides clenched in some agony on the velvet counterpane.
    "Lian my love." I said softly as I dipped water up from a pitcher soaking a sleeve and ringing it out to bathe his face and upper chest which were uncovered. He flinched but continued to breathe. His eyes flickered behind the closed lids.
    I rang my other sleeve out, dripping water into his parched mouth. He swallowed reflexively. Again and again I bathed and made him drink until he seemed less dehydrated.
    I yelled for cloths hot tea, ice water and a basin before continuing to dip my now drenched sleeves in the pitcher sucking out all the water to pour over him. He was so hot he steamed with it. His head turned and he moaned. Servants came in to fill a basin with ice cold water and brought in kettles of tea. Karthena my lady in waiting insisted that I get into dry clothes but I was back at his side once I'd bathed and dressed. I poured tea into him. I bathed his body continually having them change his sheets constantly. Karthena took turns as I sank into weary exhaustion. Lian got no worse, but he did not get bette.
    I must have drifted into sleep because when I awakened i heard my name called, "Phaydra." "Phaydra." I bolted up to see Lian awake but very much fevered still. I made him drink tea and water and had the servants get him into a cool bath. He drank tea and broth and ice water before he lapsed back into sleep.
    Nulock arrived on the third day after I arrived home and together we sent healing energy through him, calling on the magics we had. Together we were able to drop the fever down enough that Lian slept peacefully for three days before it climbed again.
    Then the next night his fever spiked and he lapsed into heavy sleep that was very difficult for I could not make him drink or take nourishment. I could only bathe him. Three days passed and I sat by his bed and watched as the fever broke.
    Servants reported that King Faerdian and Queen Delonna were awake and well again. "The magic must be tied between them." I thought to myself. Lian was too weak to rise from bed for a while but slowly he recovered.
    A moon passed before he was able to resume his duties as King regent, though his vigour wasn't what it was. He could fly and ride dance and keep up with the court but he would have to retire earlier than the rest, and he didn't wake until well after everyone else was awake. He was stable though, and that is all I cared about.
    King Faerdian and queen Delonna also improved though they were still too weak to peruse all the functions of the court. They would bestir themselves for a banquet here, a fete, a ball, or a blessing for the poor. but they would retire to their suite for days after tended by their servants.
    Lian was worried about them and could feel something pulling from himself to sustain them. We went to the grove to pray about it and returned without an answer from the gods. "Its as if the Gods lock themselves away from me." He said, "Perhaps it is something I have or you have at your disposal, and that it must be figured out." I said, "How can they do that?" He asked, "They are Gods, may they not do anything?" I asked. "Go to your dispensary and see if the Gods grant you answers." Said Lian mind to mind, "It is so good to hear your mind voice my love." I said softly, "A good thing to speak to you this way." "I feel as if our bond grows stronger also." "Do you?" I nodded before going down to the dispensary with Lian in toe.
    i knelt before the small altar and prayed, Lian's hand in mine.

    Guide me oh Gods. that i might find what ails my kingdom, my home, my family. Let my hands be guided by you, my mouth utter what must be uttered. I am your vessel to command. Let Lian and I be as your instruments. I humbly pray.

    Standing I went to the center of the room feeling as if I needed to be there. Lifting my hands I called to the bookshelves. A heavy thick book floated from the shelf and landed on the lectern I kept for such things. I opened the book.
    Suddenly the pages began to turn quickly. Lian gasped as the pages turned, there must be a thousand pages in this book. Suddenly the pages stopped turning fluttering slowly to a stop.
    Lian turned back the pages and flipped to the cover. "Of Potions great and Powerful." It read. The potion it had landed on was called, "Healing and Purifying draft of the spirit."
    I read down the list of ingredients. Seven roots, seven flowers, seven oils, seven crystals, seven feathers, seven waters, and seven hairs. All of these from different places. Not to mention seven drops of blood from each of the persons needing the draft and three times that amount from the potion maker.
    Lian whistled. "What a complicated potion." "I know." I said, "But I must give it to all three of you." "It says here." I cleared my throat and read aloud.

The healing draft of Purifying spirit is used in a case when a Fey with enough magic to heal a soul is bound to them. Keeping them alive through their own power and will. This is is usually done so that a High Fey for that is the only kind who can do this magic may say goodbye or delay the leaving of the personages they are trying to heal. this causes the Fey to become ill as their vital magic drains from them daily. The potion will heal the personages of their illness and purify their spirits. The draft of spirit will only cure the spirit of the person the High Fey bound themselves too. The person without the bonds will suffer great backlash and another potion must be concocted. Healing can bring the person back, however they will continue to weaken until their spirit is trapped within the void from which they saved those they bonded too. Until then the purification will only stop the draining, but the weakness will continue as if the spirit they bonded too was still bound.

    "Another quest my love?" Asked Lian, "I fear so." I said reading down the ingredients list. "I must gather seven waters from seven places and that takes time." Lian sighed, "Why is it that you must go?" "I have to dearest because if I don't I can't make the potion." "Then let someone else do it." "Ever since you were made High Fey, and High Princess you haven't stopped to enjoy yourself."
    "There were villages to save and an evil Fey to destroy." "Not to mention that you've been ill." Lian sighed, "I know love but it pains me that I cannot enjoy our time together." "I must make sure you can dear one." I said softly, "Because after this potion is made I must perform a rite and give you a potion to unbind yourself from your parents." He frowned, "When will you leave?" "Soon I fear." I said, "Unless you want to fall ill again so soon." He shook his head.