She had been returned to the safety of the den after her brief tryst with the Otherworld, but it seemed that the chill of that place had not entirely left her. In truth, she had not done much other than sleep or eat— concerning, for the activity and curiosity that had been her strongest traits previously. Over the night, sniffles began to develop in the young babe, snot forming crusted rivers that reached from her tiny nostrils to her lips; even upon her chest. But the sleep kept much else from occurring, and she huddled closely against the warmth of both the Giver and Bringer.
They did their best to keep her from Deirdre, which little Emaleth hardly noticed in her slumber; but Deirdre was often inconsolable over their separation. The little black babe could hear her protests and murmurings, like flashes of dreams— the same with the songs of her father, or the gentle words of her mother. But over the course of this day, it was rare that little Emaleth became very alert.
At least until she awoke herself with a large (for a tiny babe) sneeze; a breathy intake, followed by a high-pitched, rushing squeak. It faded swiftly, replaced with a cantankerous wailing— her head hurt, and her face and chest felt funny, but she did not yet know how to communicate this.
something was wrong.
deirdre knew it, and it seemed The Speakers knew it, and deirdre could not handle it. while her sister suffered a cold, deirdre became quite heartsick over the absence, short though it already was. why?
she babbled to her parents in a whimpering cry, why do you keep me from her?
she tried to reach emaleth in different ways, but it was a difficult task; during this time of her sisters sickness, both of her parents were present. but when one went to get a drink, deirdre rushed madly toward her sister, thinking she might indeed make it. she was strong-armed by her mother, or perhaps it was her father?, and her path was gently blocked. NO! NO!
she bellowed, breathing heavily. her next method was to climb mount father as he sat near emaleth, but he was on to her, and was able to keep her away.
the little girl presently sat in the den, and cruelly she was given but a glimpse of her sister when the one with her started from her sound. deirdre started, too, but took the opportunity to again race toward her sister when she belatedly gathered her bearings.
Fading old threads so I can start and focus on more current ones. <3
She stirred at the soft shouts of her dearest heart, struggling to lift her head and view her; but a blackness overcame her vision, little Emaleth's body doing what it must so that she might heal. Exhaustion was its way of doing this, and exhaustion was the cause of the darkness in her gaze— it was no more serious than that. And she slipped back into fevered dreams, the cool tongues of her parents massaging the heat from her brow. In a week, little Emaleth would regain her strength, and this would not be remembered; a mere haze, though for Deirdre perhaps, the impression would be lasting.