Fergus'view

Muchen and I left at the break of dawn. Ying had packed us breakfast and lunch to eat on the road. It was good that Xin had leant me his horse at the speed we were going. A good horse was needed. We managed to get to the capital within two days, stopping only for one hour's rest every four hours except at night when we found an inn, and we paid for the room, but we were gone again 4 hours later with the food we requisitioned. Our horses were stabled and fed.

We arrived at the capital in the evening of the 2nd day, so we headed to the ghost pavilion and slept there. It was rather dusty as no one had come to clean it; the only evidence of life was the cat, Soot, who pounced on me as soon as it saw me. It refused to leave my side after that. I guess it was missing me.

The next day we headed to the apothecary and secured Dr. Hack's and his services. Dr. Hack was coming as, as yet. The apothecary had only been sewing up wounds, not actually creating them. I guess the good doctor thought of mum as a daughter being the only white person he knew. He wanted to head out immediately after hearing her symptoms, but packing the things needed took some time, as well as securing a wheeled palanquin for the trip.

Our return home, unfortunately, took four days as Dr. Hack could not travel the long hours like Muchen and me. The cat, Soot, stationed itself on the roof of the palanquin like a tiny cat statue, and it only got off when the passengers did.

On our return, we found Xin had paid for accommodation and food at the town's local inn for Dr. Hack and the apothecary, giving them a day to recover before calling them to the house to inspect Mum.

I, however, did not wait when I was within eyeshot of home, leaving Muchen to take care of everything. I had to go home to see mum, I was reluctant to leave her to start with, but as I was the only person who knew where to find the pair needed, I had to go. I was relieved to see Mum was looking better. A new life seemed to have breathed into her with Xin being home.

Xin's touch had clearly been magical as Mum was sitting outside in the sun, smiling happily as Xin had come out and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. It was a very happy, heart-warming sight, one that eased my mind a lot. Mum did not seem like she was dying anymore. If anything, she had a happy glow from being with Xin.

When she saw me, she smiled happily, "Fergus! You're home! Welcome back!" To my surprise, she got up and hugged me. The cat almost tripped her up with its own affection.

I was so happy; I had missed her bear hugs with how sick she had been. I hugged her tightly back, "I missed you, mum." I said, tears forming in my eyes. I did not realise how much I had missed her hugs, but now I was receiving one again; the truth sunk in.

"Fergus, were you able to get their services?" Xin asked worriedly.

"We did. They will be here tomorrow," I said, looking at him over my now mother's head.

"Good!" Xin nodded his thanks, "The table ordered for them arrived yesterday. Xinye said it would be needed, so I had it made along with some weird body drapes."

"Mum, you are looking better," I complimented her.

"I am feeling better with Xin here," She smiled and relaxed into Xin's hug, as he seemed jealous of the one I had received not a minute earlier, "I guess I should not eat or drink tonight after dinner."

"Oh? Why is that?" Xin asked, curious.

"Because if they need to operate, it is known to be safer not to eat or drink."

"Operate?" Xin did not quite follow as, despite him having a few, he was not used to the word.

"They operated on you to sew up your abdomen," Xinye explained to him, "For me if they need to operate, they will cut me open and remove what is making me sick if possible and sew me back up."

"Won't that hurt?" Xin asked, remembering the pain he went through.

"Yes," Xin agreed, "It's going to hurt like a bush fire blazing through the unharvested paddocks. There is little to be done about it, though. I am not looking forward to it at all."

"Why?" Xin asked, "Surely they can give you pain relief as they did me."

"They can't, Xin. I can't have poppy oil," Mum said sadly, "Well, I can if you wanted me dead, but I do not want to die yet."

Xin hugged her in alarm, "I do not want you dead either."

Mum had a very light supper and a lot of water before heading to bed. Xin's, and my eyes followed her before I asked, "How is mum truly Xin?"

"She is a lot better than she was, but I worry we won't have her for much longer unless the apothecary you bought can do something. She eats very little, as you saw, and can barely move unless I rub everywhere that pains her." Xin's eyes clouded over as if he was going to cry when his brother ribbed him.

"Hey, Xin! You're not a baby, don't cry," one of his brothers said, "That woman has made you weak, brother. You would not have cried at such a thing before."

"Don't say such a thing!" I snapped at him, "It is ok to feel sad if you are losing someone you love. If not..." and my voice cracked as a sob escaped me. Even though she was not my mum, I could not imagine a life without her being in it, hugging me and keeping me safe.

"Ooohhh," he teased me then, "Xin has raised a pansy boy."

I saw red, flew across the room, and knocked the guy out, "I am not a pansy!"

I turned to find Xin behind me, steam coming out of his ears as he said, clearly fuming, speaking simultaneously, "He is not a pansy!"

Maelgwyn was sitting with his arm on his leg, the other leg folded under the bent upright knee, with a drink in his hand, a smirk on his face, "SO, are you calling us all pansies then?" daring them to say we were.

The brother I had punched was unconscious, but the comment earned a wry laugh from the rest of them, as they knew they could not defeat Maelgwyn nor Xin in battle. As I had been with mum, they did not know how I stacked up against them but seeing I knocked out the offender. They were betting I was on par or not far behind in ability.

We drank for a bit more before heading to bed. Xin set up the lounge, ready for the Doctor in the morning.

🍀A/N If you enjoyed this chapter, please take the time to vote by pressing the star. Please let me know if you see any errors, as this is unedited.