Ototo-shi lay on the narrow cot. His breath came in ragged gasps that pained Okusama to see. She wiped a cool cloth across his fevered forehead and whispered quietly to him. The room smelled strongly of the healing herbs and ointments she’d been using to make him more comfortable, but beneath that was another smell. It was a slight scent, but she knew it meant death. It was the sick sour smell that all people got when they were dying slowly.

“How is he?” Onna asked.

“He’s sleeping now,” Okusama answered.

“That’s good.” Onna knelt on the narrow rug next to Okusama and gently laid her hand on Ototo-shi’s arm. His skin was hot and clammy, but pale. She too could smell the death in the room.

“He needs Ikasu,” Onna said.

Okusama looked down into the bowl of herbed water she held. She knew that Ikasu could heal her brother.

“He wouldn’t be safe,” Okusama whispered. She stood and carried the tepid water over to the table. She set it next to the cup and packets of herbs.

“He would want to know that Ototo-shi is sick,” Onna said. She turned to look at Okusama.

“He knows, he will come if he can,” Okusama said.

“We don’t know that,” Onna said.

“He knows. How could he not know? If we sent someone for him, it would lead the Guntai to him. We can’t risk that,” Okusama said.

“If we don’t send for him, we risk letting Ototo-shi die!” Onna stood and went to her sister. She laid her hands on Okusama’s shoulders lightly. “He’s our brother.”

Okusama pulled Onna into her arms and they hugged tightly.

Someone knocked softly on the door. Onna went and answered it.

“Hello, Chiyu,” Onna greeted the man standing at their door.

“I wish I came under better circumstances,” he answered.

Onna nodded. He stepped in and put the package he was carrying on the table and then went into Ototo-shi’s room. He knelt down next to Ototo-shi and gently touched his hand.

“Hello, Ototo-shi. I have another ointment for your sores. Some of my patients have said that it stings when it is first applied, but it greatly relieves the itching and pain.”

He pulled back Ototo-shi’s blanket and lifted the damp shirt. Dark purple sores covered his chest and stomach. They drained a heavy yellow muck that had a foul smell. He sighed and rose. He went to the table and opened the package he had brought in.

“He’s getting worse,” Onna stated.

“Yes, I’m sorry,” Chiyu answered.

She nodded. “Do you need any help?”

“Could you wash his sores, please?” Chiyu asked.

She took the bowl and filled it half way from the tea pot and then added cool water from the water pitcher. She picked up the wash cloth and carried these over to Ototo-shi’s bed. She got the cloth wet and gently washed off the thick drainage from each of his sores. Ototo-shi didn’t seem aware that they were touching him anymore. Somehow she found that more distressing then when he had moaned.

Chiyu crushed and mixed several herbs and added them to an oily ointment.

“The Guntai made another arrest today.” He shook his head sadly. “It seems that the worse the plague becomes the more certain they are that magic is behind it.”

“I don’t believe that. How could this be caused by magic?” Okusama asked.

“I don’t believe it either, but I think the Guntai do,” Chiyu said.

“They’re looking for something to do. They’ve been hunting mages for months now and it hasn’t done anything to alleviate the plague. I think they just want an excuse.” Onna said as she gently turned Ototo-shi onto his side. She used pillows to prop him up while she washed the sores on his back.

Chiyu carried a bowl of ointment over to Ototo-shi’s bed and knelt down next to Onna. He began applying the ointment to the wounds.

“I think the Guntai have killed more people then the plague has,” Onna said.

Okusama began brewing some tea. She didn’t like it when Onna spoke of things so darkly. It made her sad to think of the world that way.

Onna gently turned Ototo-shi to his back again and Chiyu put ointment on the sores on his chest and stomach. Then she helped hold up Ototo-shi’s arms and legs while Chiyu applied the ointment there as well. The sores covered most of his body now. Onna and Okusama were washing his wounds about every hour, but the blankets still turned yellow with the drainage.

“May the Goddess heal you,” Chiyu whispered to Ototo-shi. Chiyu looked to see if Okusama could hear and then continued, “May She give you rest and comfort now in your time of suffering.”

Onna laid her hand on Chiyu’s and whispered, “Thank you.”

Chiyu nodded and rose. He took the empty bowl back to the table and laid it there. He looked at Okusama a moment and sat down. She poured him a cup of tea and set it on the table in front of him.

“Thank you,” he said.

Onna sat next to him at the table. Okusama poured her some tea as well before sitting down with her own. They sat quietly sipping the hot tea a while before anyone spoke.

“I heard that Ikasu had to leave the city because they put out a warrant for him,” Chiyu said.

“It’s true,” Onna said.

“He’s been gone about six weeks now,” Okusama added.

“I’m sorry,” Chiyu said.

“It’s for the best,” Okusama said.

“For who?” Onna asked.

“Onna, please.” Okusama looked down at her tea and sighed.

Onna looked at Chiyu. He said nothing, they both knew how Okusama felt about Ikasu and there was no arguing with her about it. Onna got up from the table and went to her room. She didn’t agree with Okusama and hated that being the younger sister made her powerless. How could she defy her sister anyway? It would break them apart forever. She lay down and covered her face. She felt that there was nothing she could do about anything. If Ikasu really was blessed by his God, couldn’t he use that favor to heal Ototo-shi? He had healed others. Wasn’t coming here worth the risk if it meant Ototo-shi would be alright? She had to admit to herself that she would rather see Ikasu captured by the Guntai then see Ototo-shi die…