Work Text:
It started not long into his shift on watch. At first, it was just a sniffle here and there, quiet and easily ignored. The kind of noise anyone experienced enough in getting their sleep lying on the ground could dismiss. As time passed it graduated into loud, powerful sneezes. The type that punctured the peace of the night like iron striking steel. If the noise disturbed anyone’s slumber, it was only momentary. After a few grumbled complaints they were back asleep within seconds.
Except for Adira.
Even before becoming a Watcher, before the vivid dreams and incessant whispering that resulted in so many sleepless nights, she’d been a light sleeper. The slightest of noises could wake her and it took far too long to fall back asleep, particularly if she was sleeping alone. It was handy during the years she’d spent hunting on her own, but less so now that there was a group to watch her back.
Outside the tent, a similarly easily woken lion thwacked his tail against the side of canvas at her head. A low, irritated growl was followed by a heavy sigh. “Yes, yes, Elith, I know,” she said in a low voice.
Thwack.
“What do you me to do? He’s sick. He can’t help it.”
Thwack.
“You’re being unreasonable.”
Thwack.
“Stop doing that.”
The next thwack of the tail was overshadowed by the sound of a racking cough. Things were progressing rapidly out there.
“Oh, alright. You win.” It wasn’t like she was getting back to sleep anytime soon. Besides that, it was next to impossible to win an argument with the lion. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Adira wasn’t a healer by any stretch of the imagination. She could stitch up a wound or apply a bandage, but she wasn’t experienced with any kind of medicines beyond the simplest regeneration potions. Her expertise was with shooting arrows and making poisons, not curatives.
Did she need anything that complex, though? In all likelihood, he was simply getting a cold. As yet there was no cure for such a thing. There were, however, a number of herbal concoctions she knew of to relieve some of the worst symptoms. Most of them were similar to what she used to mix with her tea in an effort to curb her sleeplessness.
As quietly as possible she left her tent and set about getting some water to boil. She added the tea and a selection of what she called her ‘sleepytime’ herbs and let it steep. When it was done she carried it over to where he’d taken up watch.
His eyes flickered over to her as she approached, trying to surreptitiously wipe his nose. “Already know what you’re gonna say,” he said in a hoarse voice. “It’s hay fever is all. Allergies. I’m not sick.” The statement might have been slightly more believable had it not been punctuated with a loud cough.
“Of course not, Edér. You’re not sick. You sound perfectly healthy.” She sat cross-legged on the ground beside him and handed him the cup. “Drink this.”
He eyed the drink suspiciously. “What is it?”
“Tea,” she said, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “You must be delirious if you think I’m going to give you something harmful.” She pressed an affectionate hand against his warm cheek. “Trust me. It’ll help you sleep.”
“Can’t sleep. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m on watch. And I feel fine.” The look on his face clearly said he’d rather be curled up in their tent, but he could be stubborn as a pack mule when he set his mind to it. “I’m not sick,” he repeated as if saying it again would make it true. “I’m fine. Never been better.”
“You’re not fine, you’re feverish.” His skin beneath her hand was growing hotter by the minute. “You’re burning up.”
“It’s a warm night,” he said by way of explanation. He followed that up with a wink as he reached for her hand. “With you sitting so close maybe I’m just burning with passion.”
Adira didn’t bother trying to stifle the laugh that brought. “Just ‘maybe’? I must be losing my touch,” she joked but remained determined to stay the course. “You can’t flirt your way out of this, sweetie.” She tapped the cup in his hand. “Drink up and then go get some sleep. I’ll take over the rest of your watch.”
“Suppose you ain’t gonna let this go?” At the shake of her head, he sighed exaggeratedly. “Alright, Mother Helfeirch, I’ll drink your damn tea.” Edér took a tentative sip of the tea and grimaced, earning a halfhearted swat to his shoulder in response.
“Oh come on! It’s not that bad.” She frowned at the nickname that was becoming far too familiar. “I’m going to kill Hiravias for starting that.”
“You come by it honestly.” He gestured with the cup in his hand. “I’ll drink this and let you take the rest of my watch, but I’m only doing this for you. Because I feel fine.”
“Goodnight Edér.”
“Just want to be clear about this. I’m not sick.”
“Goodnight Edér.”