The Seahorse and the Spice 🪼🎩✔

26: Before the Dawn

The night has finally come. I didn't think I'd make it but with Father's constant affirmation to stay in bed and Bastion helping me in any way he could, I was able to make it to this night. Although I made it, that didn't mean I was going to actually make the ball. Try as I may to keep as low key as I could so I wouldn't cause myself any mishaps, the excitement and nervousness of everything just made everything worse. I had a horrible coughing fit earlier that left me hardly able to stand and even harder to breathe. If today was going to be my last day to live, then I guess it wouldn't be too bad.
"Salem?"
I turned from the balcony ledge as Father walked out, looking at me sadly.
"Oh, Salem..." he said softly.
"Am I that bad?" I asked, smiling a little.
"You look like Death is holding your hand, ready to take you away at any minute."
I turned away and looked back at the roundabout, where carriages were coming one after the other, unloading their passengers in ones and twos. I was feeling alright as long as I laid the way I was on the banister of the balcony, looking more like a ghost (I'm sure) than a host.
"You must get ready, my son."
"Must I? I feel like I belong here, watching over everything rather than being a part of it."
"You called for this engagement ball and asked most of London about to it, I think it would be rude of you to skip out on your own party."
"Blast the party..." I mumbled.
"Don't be difficult." He said as he walked over and lifted me up. "Come on, let me help you."
I leaned heavily on him and then began to cough harshly, my body wracking and shaving. Father put his arm around my shoulders for extra support as I leaned on his shoulder.
"I don't think I'll make it."
"You have to."
"I can't."
"Salem, you just have to-"
"PAPA, LOOK AT ME!" I screamed, which really wasn't a scream but the loudest I could go.
I knew it would cost me to yell like that but he wasn't listening. I hadn't called my father Papa since I was young but he had to understand... there wasn't enough time... I coughed more harshly as he sat me on the bed and knelt down to look at me.
"Papa, I can't... My clothes barely fit me, I can hardly walk, I can't breathe, I can't eat... Papa, I'm dying..." I swallowed hard as Father stood up and touched my face softly. "I'm dying..."
"I won't let you die, Salem. You can't die now. We've gotten you so close to your goal."
"Then what am I supposed to do?!" I asked hysterically.
He looked at me for a second, looking so lost and sad and finally he swallowed a little. He breathed in for a moment.
"May I make a wish?"
"I don't have that ability."
"When the Bastion boy comes, may I make a wish?"
"It won't do anything... but I guess."
He leaned down and kissed my forehead.
"Lay down then. Gather a little bit of strength. You can't die like this, not the way I left your mother. You deserve so much more than what I gave her and yourself. You deserve a life, not this."
He helped me under the covers and touched my face again.
"I will make this work."
He left and I felt my body grow tired. I hadn't done anything at all and I was already tired. There was no way this would work...

************************************

Thomas Barma
I made my way downstairs to the guests, greeting them and conversing slightly with them. I didn't have much time. I had to find that boy and make one last wish, for Salem's sake. Leave it to him to get into a bind like this...
"Lord Barma," I turned as I saw Andrew with a very lovely lady on his arm. "I am surprised to not see Salem about. After all this is his party. Is he planning some entry?"
"He's a bit under the weather, as you know, so I'm coming to get him something..."
"Ah, yes, I forget sometimes that he's not as healthy as he used to be. Have you met my fiancée, Minerva Cavensold?"
"Yes, I met her some weeks ago when her son was taken from her." I said, giving a small nod.
The young lady made a face and I couldn't make out whether she was bemused or was confused. As I was about to ask where her son was, the boy walked up and Lady Cavensold smiled, touching his shoulder.
"May I present said son, Bastion Thrathum." She said with a small smile.
He bowed a little and I bowed to him as well.
"Ironically, I was just looking for you. The duke wanted to speak with you."
"With me?" he asked and I gave him a look. His eyes widened a bit and he nodded. "Of course. It's an honor. Mother?"
"Of course."
He followed me to the courtyard and I closed the doors. I turned to Bastion and he looked at me expectantly.
"He's dying. As we speak."
"I have no doubts of that. Is there something I can do?"
"I wanted to ask that myself. I don't want to do anything that will cause him more harm. What if... if he had more strength? Could I wish for that?"
"That's of your choosing, sir. I can grant anything you like as long as you wish for it properly." He looked at me and then worried his lip. "There... is a way that he would be able to go through with everything without a lot of backlash..."
"What is it?"
"It would be a transfer... In all honesty the best thing would be to transfer the backlash to someone else but Salem won't do that. He took it from me because of what was happening but putting it on someone else..."
"What if I took it on?"
"Oh no sir!" he said, looking at me horrified. "No offense but you're too old to have the amount of backlash he already has on him transferred to you. He was only able to withstand the backlash I had because I was only bending one reality. He has three realities bent at once and just giving that to someone would immediately kill them."
"Give it to me then." I growled, grabbing his shirt. "I would gladly take it from him than to watch him suffer like this. He needs your mother and your family; I'm not longer a concern to him."
Bastion only smiled and moved my hands from his shirt.
"Your family is brave and full of self-sacrificing spirit, even if you are aristocratic. It's quite rare, milord... but I can't just do that. Because if I did, it would kill you and that's not fair. Other than giving the backlash to someone else, a little wish can go a long way if you think hard enough."
I sighed, crossing my arms and pacing. What could I wish for that could help Salem? I snapped my fingers.
"What about a time limited wish? Would that bend anything?"
"It depends... what were you thinking of?"
"Giving him the strength and health to get through this night."
Bastion thought for a moment and then looked at me.
"It would bend a small part of reality and time. You would be reversing the effects on him for a limited amount of time and that would cause a bend."
"But the backlash wouldn't be until after, right?"
"Sir, if we do this, Salem will die. At first light, he. Will. Die.."
"Then we have until first light to get your mother to love him again. Will you help me?"
"Is this the only thing you can think of?"
"It's the only thing that will work. He can't get down here because he's too weak. He needs strength and he needs health."
Bastion sighed and nodded. "Just say the words."
"I wish Salem would have the strength and health to get through this night."
The boy shivered and I looked at my pocket watch.
"We have until sunrise to get this done. We will have to work quickly."
"I will follow your lead."