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Ornstein was ready for the day and on the way to his first task, the roll call for the silver knights, when he heard the sneeze.
He turned around and scrutinized the drapery he had heard the sound from. There was another sound, a very faint cough.
Ciaran was following him again. Normally she did a better job though. Maybe she had accidentally breathed in some dust. Ornstein knew that she was just practicing, he wasn’t in danger. If he was in danger, she wouldn’t have made a mistake like that. Ornstein decided to ignore her for now, she probably already beat herself up over the mistake. He had to start his duties.
Alright, so the silver knight roll call, then he would patrol through the cathedral, after that through Anor Londo. The dragons were quiet lately, so there wasn’t much chance that he would be sent out. For lunch he could meet up with Artorias and try the newest tavern, then they could patrol back together and… another sneeze. Now, it was unlike Ciaran to make the same mistake twice.
Ornstein turned around and addressed her: “Ciaran? Are you feeling alright?”
Her reply came in an instant, though her voice sounded hoarse and Ornstein cringed, it sounded rather painful to speak like this: “I am fine.”
“Are you sure?”, Ornstein asked. “It’s unlike you to make the same mistake twice. Are you sure you don’t want to go back to your room and lie down?”
“I am not sick.”, Ciaran snapped, making Ornstein back away a little.
“Well, alright then.”, he said. If Ciaran wanted to be stubborn, there was no way that he could convince her otherwise. Ornstein decided just to carry on with his day.
“Alright, so now that everyone is on their post for the day, any questions?”, Ornstein asked, letting his gaze wander over his silver knights. One hand was raised into the air.
“Yes, Henry?”
“Is someone not feeling well? I have the feeling I hear a faint coughing…”
Ornstein sighed while the silver knights started a heated discussion, trying to find the one among them that was too sick to work, but had decided to come anyway.
“It’s Ciaran.”, Ornstein said. “She’s apparently not feeling her best today. I heard her sneeze twice already on the way to the roll call.”
“I am NOT sick!”, Ciaran shouted from her hiding place, somewhere at the ceiling. Well, she tried to shout, but it turned into another coughing fit.
The silver knights stopped their discussions and Avery was shouting at the ceiling: “Lady Ciaran, Captain Ornstein always tells us to rest when we don’t feel well. I assume that involves you as well.”
“Shut up, I told you I am not sick.”, Ciaran replied and Ornstein shrugged at his silver knights. She had to come to the conclusion herself. He would keep an eye (or ear) on her in the meantime.
“You all go to your posts, I handle Ciaran.”, he said.
“I don’t need to be handled.”, Ciaran grumbled, but finally came down from the ceiling. Her landing was as graceful as always, but shortly after she slumped and it was obvious that her breathing was strained.
“Ciaran, you are clearly not well.”, Ornstein said, taking a step closer to her. “Please remove your mask.”
“I told you I am not-”, Ciaran got interrupted by another coughing fit, this one sounded bad, making Ornstein cringe. He could basically feel the pain in his own throat while watching how she doubled over.
“Alright, maybe I feel a little unwell.”, Ciaran finally admitted.
“A little.”, Ornstein put his left hand that wasn’t holding his spear at his hip. “Ciaran, do you remember when both me and Artorias got sick after we had the snowball fight a few winters ago? And we both wanted to get up and take care of our duties? Well, I wanted to take care of my duties, Artorias wanted to go feed some cats.”
“How could I forget that?”, Ciaran rasped. “Both of you idiots had such a high fever.”
“And now you yourself joined the squad of sick idiots.”, Ornstein concluded for her, shutting Ciaran right up.
“Alright alright.”, Ciaran sighed and removed her mask, her face was sweaty and red and she clearly had a fever. “I might be a little sick.”
“It’s time for you to lay down and rest, hmmm?”, Ornstein said, laying a hand on Ciaran’s shoulder and guiding her back to her room. “I will watch over you, it’s the least I can do for all the times you have stayed with me when I was feeling unwell or was injured.”
“You don’t have to…”, Ciaran said, leaning at Ornstein’s frame, her exhaustion clearly breaking through now. “And you have your duties….”
“Artorias can handle them for me.”, Ornstein said. “For now, I have a much more important duty to attend to. I have to make sure that my precious knight of Gwyn and cherished friend is feeling well soon again.”
It took a while for Ciaran to respond, but once she did, she looked up at Ornstein and gave him the ghost of a smile. “...Thank you…”