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Ni Na lunged towards him.  Catching him before he could hit his head on the ground.  She slid to the floor with him.  As it turned out, the man was no lightweight.  Either that, or she was just a wimp. 

As she sat a foot from the open door, staring down at his still face, the rain began to pound the ground just a few inches from them.  And Ni Na wondered how on earth she was supposed to get this man to a bed by herself.

She reached up to touch his forehead.  She’d been right.  He had a fever. 

She felt that familiar fear making her quake again.  Only, this time, Beom Sook wasn’t awake to reassure her.

“Oh, Beom Sook.  Please.  Please get better.  Quickly,” she whispered brokenly.  Attempting to push that terror away. 

She knew that she was being silly.  All of the little kids had recovered completely already.  And many of the older children were well.  None had been in danger of dying.  Surely, her sweet lord would be just fine.  Still, that terrible sense of unease assailed her.

Help!” she cried out.  Hoping that a passing servant would hear her cry.

Someone did come running.  She glanced up at the sound of his footfalls. 

“Dae Jong?” she asked in surprise.  “Who’s with Dae Hee?”

“She’s fine.  She’s playing with the other little girls in her bedroom.  They’ve all recovered, you know.”  He stared down in horror at the noble lord.  “What’s wrong with Lord Lee?”

“I don’t know.  He blacked out.  He has a fever.  And an awful headache.  Can you find a couple of men to come carry him to his room?”

“Yes, my lady.  Immediately.”  He raced off.

And returned almost momentarily with two servants.  The men each reached down and slid an arm around one of the lord’s shoulders.  As one man, they worked together to lift him off the floor.  Then they began to drag him towards his room.  But he wasn’t helping them one bit. 

“Would it be easier if one of you held him under the shoulders and the other one lifted his knees?” she asked, trying to be of assistance.

They looked at each other, shrugged, and set him back down on the ground.  Then they followed her instructions and easily made their way to his bedchamber.  A few moments later, he was lying sprawled out on his back on his bed.  She’d followed them.

“Thank you.”  She turned towards the first servant.  “Please call the doctor.” 

She commanded the second, “Get some water and broth from the kitchen.” 

Then, Ni Na noticed Dae Jong standing in the doorway.  “Could you please get me a bowl of water and a clean towel?”

The boy nodded and ran off as the servants headed out to do her bidding.

She turned her attention to the man on the bed.  She crossed the room and sat down on the edge of his bed.  And frowned. 

He was shivering.  He needed to be under those blankets.  Not on top of them. 

She stood up and tugged on the blankets, drawing them towards the foot of the bed.  She had to pull hard to dislodge them from underneath his large body.  But after several intense moments, she finally managed to free all of those covers.  Then she drew them up over him, tucking them in around his shoulders.

“Rest, my love.  And get better.  Quickly,” she whispered.

––

“So…I hear that I’m to have a new patient,” the doctor remarked from the doorway a few minutes later.

Ni Na glanced up at the man.  And sighed with relief.  “Doctor, I’m worried about him.  He passed out half an hour ago.  He was complaining of a bad headache beforehand.  And he has a fever.”

The man frowned and approached the bed.  “Have you tried to wake him?”

“Not really.”

“Let’s do so now.”

She was sitting on the bed.  Facing her beloved.  She leaned forward and touched his face.

“Beom Sook,” she crooned softly.  “Wake up, love.”

He groaned.  And she felt relief spiraling through her.

“Beom Sook.  Open your eyes.”

She watched as those eyes seemed to squeeze more tightly shut.

The doctor chuckled.  “My lord, would you just open your eyes for a moment?” came his deep, smooth voice.

Lord Lee groaned. 

She bent and whispered something into his ear. 

And his eyes flew open.

She glanced down at him as she straightened.  And sighed with relief as she realized that he was now awake.  Her lips curved into a smile as his eyes found hers.

“What did you say to him?” the doctor murmured.

She felt her cheeks beginning to burn. 

But before she had to think of a response, Beom Sook moaned.  “My head hurts so bad.  Doctor, can you give me something for it?”

“Yes.  Can you see me, Lord Lee?  Clearly?”

Beom Sook tore his eyes away from her face and focused on the doctor.   “Yes,” he ground out.  “But my head hurts like the dickens.  What can I take?”

The doctor reached into his bag and pulled out a packet formed from parchment.  Just then, the servant returned with a glass of water and a cup of broth.

“Excellent,” the physician responded.  “Water or broth, my lord?”

Beom Sook squinted up at him.  “Pardon?”

“You’ll have to drink your medicine.  I can mix it into either drink.  Which do you prefer?”

“Broth is fine.”

It was probably a bunch of herbs anyway.  They were sure to taste better in chicken broth than in water.  A few seconds later, the doctor held the cup out to him.

“Can you sit up?” Ni Na asked Beom Sook.

She reached out to help him.  Slowly, he leaned forward until he was in a sitting position.  Then he began to down the medicated broth.  When he was done, he handed the cup to the doctor.

“What’s the diagnosis, doc?”

“I think it’s the same disease that attacked the children.  Is your stomach paining you?”

“No.”

The doctor nodded.  “Sleep as much as you can.”

“Why’d you wake me up then?” Beom Sook queried with a wry twist of his lips.

“And drink as much water and broth as you can handle.  That’s a key to fighting the fever.  I imagine you will feel remarkably better in a day or two.”

Beom Sook groaned and lay down again. 

The doctor bowed to him.  “Don’t hesitate to call for me if he worsens,” he instructed Ni Na before he left the room.

Beom Sook cracked one eye open.  “Is he gone?”

“Yes.”

“Good.  He won’t make me take any more medicine then.”

“Nope.  That’s my job now,” she smiled at him.  “He left you several packets.  You’re to take them every six hours.”

He groaned.  “You’re a slave driver.”

“Anything to make you better.”

He heard the quaver in her voice.  He reached out to grasp her hand.  “I’m not going anywhere, Ni Na.  You can’t get rid of me that easily.”  He squeezed her hand and closed his eyes.

She sat watching his face as it slowly relaxed into slumber once more.  She reached up and ran her fingers through an errant lock of his hair.  Drawing it back behind his ear.  She bent and pressed her lips against his hot forehead.

“Sleep well, my love.  And conquer this horrid fever.” 

There was no way she was leaving his side.  Not until he had recovered fully.

––

“Ni Na,” his mother’s voice was insistent.  “You must sleep.”

It was three o’clock in the morning.  Beom Sook had slept all afternoon and evening.  And then some.  Even when she’d tried to wake him.  She’d managed to coax his medicine down again.  But he’d been instantly asleep as soon as he’d choked down the last of it.

She hadn’t left his side since he’d been brought to his room.  Except to relieve herself.

“Beom Sook will be furious with me if you get sick too,” Lady Lee muttered.

“I am not leaving him,” Ni Na spoke firmly. 

Lady Lee studied her exhausted face.  The girl had been sitting on his bed all day long.

“You love my son, don’t you, Ni Na?”

The girl’s eyes latched onto her own.  And she nodded her head.  “I adore him,” she breathed.

“I knew it!”  Lady Lee’s face broke into a wide grin.  “Lie down, Ni Na.”

“What?” she gasped.

“Lie down next to my son.  Sleep.  I will sit in this chair until you’ve slept the night through.  I’ll take my rest later in the morning.”

Ni Na’s eyes filled with tears.  And she did the lady’s bidding.  She was sound asleep before a full minute had passed.  Her entire body had begun to ache two hours ago.  But fear had kept her awake.  However, she had reached her breaking point. 

The last few days had been exhausting.  For them all.  She couldn’t take much more.  Thankfully, Beom Sook’s mother had come to her rescue.

And for the remainder of the night, that noble lady kept watch over her son and his beloved.  Smiling sweetly at the adorable picture the two of them made together.  Ever hopeful that she was catching a glimpse of their lovely future.  Together.  As husband and wife. 

Lady Lee could almost hear her grandbabies’ laughter now.