Chương 124: Chapter 123 – The Peanut Problem

The words hung between them like a warning. Thai doesn't get sick. It was a fact they'd taken for granted, a truth as certain as the mountains surrounding them. But now, something felt fundamentally wrong. Thai's eyes, usually bright and curious, seemed distant. Her small body felt heavy against Rowan's chest, her breathing shallow and uneven. The warmth radiating from her skin wasn't the natural heat of a child's energy, but something more insidious.

"My tummy really hurts," Thai mumbled again, her voice barely a whisper. She tried to curl closer to Rowan, seeking comfort, but even that movement seemed to drain her.

"What's wrong with the Peanut?" Ray asked, his forehead wrinkling in concern. I had expected her to be wide awake asking all kinds of questions by now.

"She said she isn't feeling well," Sheera said, realizing there was far more to be concerned about than she would have liked to admit.

"I'm sure it's nothing," she added, trying to shrug off the looming sense of dread that crept up her spine. Celestia, who had been busy with Grim discussing the arrangements, looked over at the group as they were fussing over Thai. Grim glanced in the direction Celestia was looking. He cocked his head before looking up at Celestia.

"Everything okay?" he asked, "you were right there with me and then suddenly you were gone."

"Something's not right," she answered, more to herself than to Grim. She turned to face him.

"If you'll excuse me for a minute, I need to see what's going on with them."

"Of course," Grim said, concern suddenly sweeping over his face.

"What's wrong, Sheera?" Celestia asked, once she was within earshot of the group. Sheera turned to face her.

"Not sure," she replied.

"It's Thai, she is not feeling well, I'm not sure if it is something to worry about or not, I mean, kids get sick, but this is Thai…" she paused, casting a glance at her daughter who could barely lift her head off her father's shoulder.

"Thai has never been sick, not even as an infant." She sighed. Celestia went to Thai and rubbed her back, the child barely stirred.

"Thai, sweetie, what's wrong?" she asked softly, feeling the heat radiating from her skin through her clothes.

"Thai, honey, can you answer me?" Thai's eyes fluttered, but she could not seem to pull herself to full consciousness.

"Grim," she called out, moving away, "Grim, can you come here, please?" Grim rushed to her.

"What is it?"

"It's Thai, something is wrong. She is obviously ill, but Thai has not so much as had a sniffle in her five years of life. Is there perhaps a doctor or a medical station anywhere nearby?" Celestia asked.

"Celestia, a Dwarven doctor isn't going to even knows where to begin with an Elven child. Up untils earlier today the peoples of this realm had not even known of their existence, 'cept in the occasional bedtime story." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"We have to do something," Celestia said. She put her hands in her pockets, looking around helpless. She saw the dread and concern on both Sheera and Rowan's faces, as Thai's decline was seemingly accelerating as each moment passed. Then she felt it, her emergency teleport fob. Celestia walked back to the group.

"I know this may seem like a drastic move, but I really think we need to get her to Alex for a once over. If it's nothing, then so be it, but I would feel better knowing it was just a typical childhood illness, than something far worse." Sheera and Rowan looked at each other, then down at their daughter and exchanged a nod before nodding at Celestia.

"Rowan, I am going to need you to carry her for me," she said before directing her attention to Sheera, "Sheera, I know you are not going to like this, but I am going to need you to stay here with Ray and get to Shadowborne Villa. You will have to get a place set up for Thai when we bring her back."

"No, I'm going with her, you stay here." Sheera snapped, rubbing her daughter's back.

"Sheera, I am going to have to get them back here, you can't operate the Shirley system." She said, looking at her sympathetically.

"Seraphina can escort us back once we figure out what's wrong with my baby." Sheera said, tears filling her eyes.

"Sheera, we don't know where or what Seraphina is working on right now, she may be unreachable. Then what do we do?" She sighed.

"I know you're upset, and with good reason, but think about it." Tears rolled down Sheera's cheeks. Her heart screamed to stay with her daughter, she needed her mom, but her head pointed out every flaw of her logic. She sighed heavily.

"Fine, I will stay." Ray turned to her.

"Sheera, I know this is hard, but you have to think of what is best for Thai. She won't be alone, she will have her dad and Celestia. I'm sure they will be back in no time."

"Keep in mind we have to travel to the Fairy Realm before we can get back here. I will see if there is a portal closer to the Shadowborne Villa, but if not, we will have to take this same path you are embarking on to get there." She turned to Grim, "Grim, was the plan for you to stay with them at Shadowborne Villa or were you to return to the tower?"

"I was assigned to stays with them, but I's can get word to the tower to expect and escort yous to us once you returns," he replied before glancing over at Ray.

"Not that I's expect any trouble or anythings, but everyone just felt it would make the transition easier for not only yous guys, but the locals as well."

"I fully understand," Ray said, nodding his head in agreement. The last thing we would need is some hot head thinking we're storming the place and have an angry mob show up with pitchforks and torches." He snickered.

"I know having you there will just make me feel better, I hate not being familiar with blind spots and the like. I'm sure you understand that." Ray put a gentle hand on Sheera's back.

"She's gonna be fine. She'll be back in no time with a million questions and stories," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. Rowan pulled Ray off to the side.

"Take good care of her please," Rowan said, heartbreak in his eyes.

"She really doesn't look well Rowan, whatever she picked up seems to be pretty quick moving, you and Celestia need to get her to Alex, the sooner the better. Don't worry about Sheera, she will be fine. If you can find a way to send word, once you know what's going on, please do." He sighed and put a gentle hand on Thai's back.

"Take care of the peanut and bring her back to us soon," he said before kissing the top of the girl's head.

"You ready?" Celestia asked as she approached.

"Wait!" Sheera cried out as she rushed over. She threw her arms around her husband and her daughter, kissing them both softly on the cheek.

"I love you both. Feel better soon, baby," she said as she stepped back.

"Momma loves you, baby," she said, blowing Thai a kiss. Thai's eyes fluttered but immediately closed. Sheera wrapped her arms around herself as she watched Celestia wrap her arms around Rowan and Thai, then in an instant they were gone as if they were never truly there in the first place.