We managed to make it to Rohze before sundown, but it was dark out by the time we reached the manor itself.
“Welcome home!” our entire staff of servants greeted us, as per usual. Though I was pretty accustomed to the warm welcome by now, today it came as a huge relief. It made me think, Oh man! We really are home!
Stellaria and Drosera had arrived one step ahead of us, having ridden home as our decoys.
“Thanks. We made it.”
“Maaan, is it good to be back!”
Mr. Fisalis gave the servants a debonair greeting, while I wore my weariness on my sleeve. He dismounted first, then offered a hand to help me down next. Grateful for the assist, I held on tight as I got down from the saddle, but I soon found myself overcome by a sudden dizzy spell and nearly collapsed to the ground.
“Vi?! Are you all right?!”
Mr. Fisalis caught me in his arms, and the servants rushed over to my side.
Hmm... Has a combination of the fatigue and the motion sickness worn me down?
“Yeah. I think it’s just the exhaustion catching up to me.”
“In fairness, we have been through quite a lot. Dahlia, ready our room for us!”
“Yes, sir.”
I watched Dahlia and a handful of other maids disappear back into the manor at Mr. Fisalis’s command. Boy, had I ever missed that ultra-comfy bed of ours!
After I’d been gently tucked away in the sheets, I had to contend with overwhelming dizziness and nausea; bedridden and groggy as I was, I ended up skipping out on dinner. I wasn’t about to go anywhere—nor did I feel up to eating, for that matter—so I told Mr. Fisalis to go ahead and have supper all on his lonesome.
“You don’t look so good, Madam. How are you feeling?” Mimosa asked, concerned. Somehow even Daisy managed to look ill at ease in her mother’s arms. Oh dear. Are you worried for me too, Daisy?
“I’m not used to riding horses, so I think spending hours bouncing up and down like that made me queasy... Not to mention I’ve been under a lot of stress, what with everything that happened back at the villa. I figure it’s all catching up to me now.”
Looking back on it, I hadn’t been doing too hot back at the villa either.
“You did just spend seven days staying in somebody else’s home. No wonder you’re tired.”
“That full-blown socializing marathon was nothing to sneeze at... And if all the partying wasn’t enough, we had to deal with a burglary on top of that. That’s just adding insult to injury!”
“Everything’s been worked out now, at least. You’re free to take as much time as you need to recover.”
“I will, thanks. It’s time to hole up in the mansion for the next long while.”
Even looking at my emotional support Daisy isn’t helping to stave off the nausea and wooziness, so I’m starting to worry I’ve come down with something serious... Ugh, just the thought of it is making me break out into a cold sweat.
“Would you care to eat at least a little something, Madam?”
Just as my poor health was sending me into a negative spiral, Stellaria came in with some food on a tray. Based on the steam rising from the white bowl, I took a guess that it was oatmeal.
“Cartham was worried you’d never recover if you don’t eat anything at all, so he made a bowl of oatmeal for—”
The closer Stellaria came, the stronger the fragrance of the milk grew...which was bad news! Normally the sweet aroma would have brought a smile to my face, but now wasn’t the time!
“Bleeeeh!”
Just a whiff of that milk had pushed my nausea levels to max capacity! I threw my hands over my mouth on reflex and buried my head under the blanket. I feel so gross! I think I’m gonna puke! I very much didn’t want to spill my guts all over the bed, however, so I did everything in my power to hold it down.
“Madam?!”
“What’s wrong?!”
“Someone call for a doctor!”
“Go get Master Fisalis! Rohtas and Dahlia too!”
My sudden turn for the worse threw the maids into a panic.
I somehow managed to squeeze out: “Sorry... I just feel...suuuper sick...”
“It’s all right, Madam. Just keep still,” Mimosa assured me, finding my back underneath the covers and gently stroking it.
After that, I just listened to the footsteps of the maids scurrying this way and that from underneath my blanket, fighting down my nausea all the while.