You know this is how rumours start...right? I mean I guess this ship HAS sailed

[Eteri]

The next few days were a blur. My body hated me. I hated me. Constant vomiting and shaking...fevers...gross medicenes that Nevin insisted would make me feel better but all they did was make me empty the contents of my stomach once more. I wasn't hungry and he had to force me to eat. Even some of my favourite foods. I just felt too tired. It was frustrating because I'd feel so lethargic and tired but I could never actualy sleep. It was like - whenever I closed my eyes and willed myself to take the train to sleepy-time junction my body went 'Oh Eteri you can't sleep now!' But Eteri wanted sleep. Eteri wanted all the sleep.

And when I DID manage some sort of semblance of sleep... I had nightmares and I'd get restless. I'd wake up in cold sweats...heckers, I even started sleep walking.

One time I was apparently sleep walking and Nevin had to stop me from stripping in the middle of the street. He was really flustered about that one. Said something about rumours being bad already. I didn't quite understand the concept of rumours... But..I barely understood anything right now. Sometimes.... I couldn't understand it was my own two hands that I had been staring at in front of my face....

But...

I was finally feeling better. As I tumbled out of bed I couldn't help but notice a red mark on my upper abdomen. "Eh?" I poked it and winced. It both stung and tickled. It wasn't there before. I know I had been in and out of consciousness a lot, and there were a series of events I didn't entirely remember. Strange... I should ask Nevin about it. I probably hurt myself somehow.

I was well enough to patter across the hall, judging from the light it was the early hours of the morning. Nevin wasn't in bed so he must be in his lab. He was spending lots of time in there lately... Also giving me lots of gross tasting things too. Him being in there meant another not so delicious drink for me. I grimaced and wished he would stop giving me medicine.

I knocked on the door as I approached.

"Eteri? Come in." his muffled voice came through. Good I was allowed in this time. (If he was super serious it became a no-Eteri-zone)

I opened the door to see him hunched over his desk, frowning. He sat up and glanced over at my less-than-healthy appearance. "You should be on bed rest. You fainted yesterday..."

Oh I forgot I did that. Pshaw...I needed to know what this mark was first. Nevin eyes widened as I lifted up my top. Higher, and higher till I could point out the mark to him. "what red thing?" I asked.

His face changed colour. Turning from a tired pale to a soft red.