Is it wrong to fleece adventurers at the item shop?

I do wake once more that day, or rather just about as day turns into night. What wakes me is Ulryk's whimpering. It seems he is starting to really feel all the marvelous sensations coming with the Scarlet Rash now too. I feel for the poor boy. It's not easy for me either, but at least I was able to mentally prepare for what was and still is ahead of me. For him this is all new in the worst possible way.

It's mostly dark already. The shops is closed and so is the door leading out back. Sour Cream is already gone, but the empty bowl by the workbench reassures me that Elzbieta too good care of her. That's at least one worry taken care off and one burden off my mind.

I sit up to look around a little more with a groan. Elzbieta is sitting by the fireplace with the boy, who is still asleep but only barely so, held in her arms and she too is snoring softly. The glow of the coals still glowing under the cauldron that probably contains some fresh tea paints her in a warm light.

I blush a little as I see her like that. My fever is down, of that I'm sure, but past experience suggests that it'll probably come back at least once more tonight. With a little effort I swing my legs out of bed and get up to head to the store out front where the young mother has left the enchanted lantern.

It takes considerable effort to not grind my teeth, as I begin to realize that the effect of the balm is wearing off. The rash is not driving me crazy with its itch yet, but it's getting worse and already well beyond what I can ignore easily. And, of course, it'll get worse if I don't do something about it.

I bring the lantern to the back room and hang it from one of the ceiling beams near the fireplace for the time being. The leather rag and the jar's with the ointment are sitting on the workbench where they ought to be. They aren't the only things deposited there though. No, it seems this is where Elzbieta put the blankets and the pillow she borrowed from Agnieszka as well.

Well, I better wake her anyway. She still has to prepare her bedding after all. And that isn't the only thing either. I'm tempted to just wake her up, but that would be unkind right now. She is not just watching out for her boy but for me too after all. She deserves a little more consideration and thanks.

Thus, before anything else I get two clean cups to pour both of us some tea. If she kept to the brew she has been making me drink so far it should be not just fine but actually pretty good. I taste test it first, taking a small sip and it indeed is more like a basic stamina potion than just plain tea. It's pretty invigorating. I put the lid back on the cauldron and set the cups down atop of it for a moment.

Then it's time for the more delicate task ahead of me. I put one hand on the back of the fitfully sleeping little boy in my house mate's arms before giving her shoulder a light shake with the other. As anticipated she wakes with a start, put I keep her sitting on the chair by putting a little more pressure on her shoulder.

"Hello there, sleepy head. Could you give me a hand with the balm again? And maybe you should put some on for Ulryk too, before you get properly ready for the night. I think you really shouldn't spend it in the chair."

She blinks at me owlishly for a moment or maybe even two, but then she nods and I let her get up.

"You look better … you sound better too."

"I'm better. A little. For now anyway. The rash is still there and the balm is wearing off. Speaking from previous experience, the fever will spike at least once more over night too before it'll really settle and get better."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

She nods in understanding and I hand her the still unused cup with the tea she brewed up. She immediately perks up after drinking some.

"So, the ointment?"

"Yes, the ointment. Both for me and Ulryk by the looks of it. A careful sponge bath for me too, before you apply the fresh ointment."

Little Ulryk comes first. Elzbieta uses the soft leather rag to apply a very small helping of it both to her sons front and his back, before helping him into a very new little shirt she gets from the pile with the blankets and the pillow. It seems she got a little something extra from Agnieszka.

The baby boy protests at first, as the ointment probably feels pretty cool to him, but after a moment as the itch caused by the rash subsides he calms down. A quick meal later and he is all passed out, resting at the foot end of our bed.

I in the meantime take advantage of my slightly better condition to get some fresh water as well as a fresh rag for that sponge bath I mentioned. I sit down by the workbench after taking off my night dress for a moment.

Elzbieta in turn helps me out, carefully washing down my front and back, not scrubbing as to not make the rash worse. Then she applies a little more of the ointment, to spread it out and rub it in with just as much care.

Before long I can slip my nightdress back on with a sigh of relief. I don't get back to bed right away though. First I finish up my cup of tea. I help Elzbieta prepare her makeshift bedding by the fireside too. Only once that is taken care off and mother and child are nestled in at least moderately comfortable do I crawl back under the sheets.

"Don't trash around too much, alright?"

She snorts quietly but also clearly amused, holding Ulryk, who is finally sleeping a little quieter, close.

"Don't worry, this isn't the first time I sleep by a fireside, or by a fire in general."

"Mhm. Nigh, Elzbieta."

My only answer though is soft snoring. She must have been more exhausted than me. Of course, she has been looking after me, her little one and the shop while making arrangements with Agnieszka too on the side.

Another smile tugs at my lips as I realize that it isn't just the mother snoring softly. Seems her little boy is matching her rhythm too. It actually sounds pretty cute. I on the other hand have a little trouble falling back asleep and it's not because of the two's snoring either. That sound is way too quiet to trouble me. No my problem stems from the fact that I have been spending way too much time in bed sleeping lately. Getting any more actual sleep, at least right away, in this state is rather unlikely.

I let out a soft sigh. Getting back up now isn't an option either, since I don't want to wake the others. I'll just have to wait until sleep claims me again. Or maybe I could do something else? Should I try my hand at counting sheep? No, the idea never really appealed to me. But tiring out my mind sounds like it could work in general.

Should I sing some of the songs about Ksawery's silly adventures? That might result in some interesting dreams. I'm just not sure if I could keep quiet, only singing the silly lyrics silently in my mind. They are rather catchy after all. And even if I manage not to sing them out loud, even if quietly, I probably won't be able to hold in the laughter. Honestly, just thinking about some of those lyrics I already want to giggle.

I sigh. No, I'll have to busy my mind with something else. Something that is very much mentally exhausting. Something like coming up with a new enchantment I haven't tried my hand at before. Yes, that will do nicely. I better not try to actually use whatever I come up with tonight though, but who knows, maybe my fever addled mind will come up with something creative that bears some more thinking later on once I'm better.

That thought too puts a smile on my face, but I don't have the urge to laugh out loud. Instead, as I turn my head to look in the direction of Ulryk and Elzbieta inspiration strikes me, what kind of enchantment I'll work on to tire out my mind. A proper hearth stone!

Simply enchanting a stone to heat up on command would be easy. Enchanting one to always be hot would be even easier. There are problems with that approach though. First off, no one wants a hot hearthstone heating up the house even further on a hot summer day. And, of course, stones that heat and cool repeatedly have a tendency to eventually crack. So this approach might not be the best.

My grin grows wider, as my mind begins to roam in search of other approaches or solutions to these issues. Now, if only all this thinking wouldn't heat up my head too. Oh well, can't have everything.