The weeks passed by, and Alex exhausted herself between classes, lessons, and her private fencing lessons, but she didn't stop. In early December, the flu went through the city, and those in the palace who didn't catch it wer still affected by it. Since most teachers were sick, classes were cancelled, and teh pages, Gifted and unGifted, were called to help.

Mid-December, Alex woke up one morning for another session with Travis. Without thinking, she sent out her magic to the candle sticks on the mantel and wood in the fireplace, which had sat in her room since the Queen had decided everyone had to prepare for the inevitable. Instead, the room remained dark and cole. Frowning, she tumbled out of bed, lit the candles by hand, steadied her dizzy head, and looked within herself, where only a trace of her Gift was evident.

I overreached myself with healing yesterday, she thought glumly as she slipped on her necklace. Luckily, the necklace works still. The magic must be permanent in it.

She pulled on her page clothes, grabbed the big broadsword, and made her way to the high tower. Quietly, she stretched and warmed up, with a little conversation between her and Travis.

"You look worn out," he commented. "Are you sure you're not sick?"

"I've never been sick a day in my life, and I'm not going to start now," she told him. "I just worked really hard yesterday. It's amazing how much the flu can spread."

"Yet, it doesn't look like the flu at all," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I've seen the flu before, and this isn't it. We have cures for the flu. Why aren't they working?" the soldier asked. "This thing has nearly killed three pages, and the number is already high in the city."

"So, you think it's a new virus?"

"Or the Black Plague's come for another round," he said. "You really look worn out. I think you can afford to miss one practice session. Go back to bed for another couple hours. Don't worry, this won't harm your progress. At least, the rest will do you good. You tire yourself out as it is, but I won't say it doesn't pay off. If I hadn't seen you two months ago, I'd think you were a natural at the sword."

Alex blushed and grinned. Getting a compliment from this gruff soldier was a real accomplishment, and he had spent the majority of their practice time yelling at her to correct one thing or another. But I guess that's how they teach, and then give compliments after, she thought as she walked back to her room. Wearily, she pulled the blankets over her head and immediately fell asleep in her clothes.

"Where's Alex?" Joshua asked. "Usually he's awake before all of us."

"Yes, but he's probably tired from yesterday," Rufus said. "He's the only one who knows healing magic, so he was busier than us. I say he deserves a rest. He was positively pale last night, I thought."

Travis walked by and heard them. "Are you talkin' of Alex?" he asked, and the group nodded. "He looked sick this morning, so I made the lad go back to bed. Has anyone checked on him?"

The boys shook their heads. "Thanks, Travis," Joshua said as he stood up. "We'll go look on him now." He strode out of the mess hall and down the cooridor, with Stuart and Rufus hurrying after him.

A man was standing at Alex's door when they turned down the pages' hall. "Hey, what are you doing?" Rufus called out, and the tall man turned around and grinned at them. It was Marek. "How'd you know before us?"

"Travis told me as soon as he could, and I got here as fast as possible," the thief answered.

"Who are you?" Stuart asked. He had never even heard Alex mention him before.

Marek looked him over, then smiled. "You must be Stuart. I'm their friend from the city. Marek Nazzir's the name." He turned back to the door. "The only problem is, Alex keeps doors locked. Of course, that's no problem for a jack of all trades like me." The door slid open, and they walked in.

"It's freezing in here!" Rufus exclaimed. "No wonder she's sick."

Alex turned over in her bed, muttering to herself. "Shh," Joshua told her, placing a hand on her forehead. "He's really warm," he commented. "We'll need a doctor as soon as possible."

"I'll go find one,"Stuart offered. "Although, I doubt it'll be easy."

Joshua lit the fireplace with his magic, tucked the blankets around the shivering page, and wrote on a piece of paper. "Get these things," he told Rufus, handing the list to him. Then, the Prince and Marek sat down and waited.

"My mother's working until noon, and she'll probably get stuck on overtime, but she'll be here after that," the thief told him. "She's an expert healer; that's where Alex learned it. She'll know how to beat this thing. We just have to wait."

Alex stirred, and they stood up. "Josh?" she asked. "And...Marek?"

Marek nodded. "Aye, lad, it's us," he told her. "Looks like you've got a bad case of the flu."

She shook her head. "It's not...the flu," she whispered. "Drains...Gift."

"Be quiet, Alex," Joshua told her. "Don't worry, we'll take care of you. Go to sleep now."

She smiled. "I know you won't let me down," she said as her eyes closed again.

"Well, now we know why she didn't light a fire," Marek said. "An illness that drains magic...that's no common sickness, it's sorcery."

"But who would want to send a sickness to an entire city, and why?" Joshua asked.

"I don't know, but I'd watch my health if I were you, your Highness," the thief warned him. "Mayhap you should stay away from Alex."

"Don't be foolish!" Joshua protested. "He trusts me, and I can't just leave him. Explanations mean nothing to a dead friend."

Francis' head stuck inside the room. "Joshua?" he asked. "How's Alex?"

The Prince sighed. "Pretty bad, really," he admitted.

"We can't lose him, your Highness," his friend said quietly. "He saved my own life, just last week. I wish I could help, but I'm still recovering." He smiled grimly. He had been scant inches away from Death when Alex had come and saved his life. "I owe him something, at least. Anyway, I saw Stuart. He said to tell you there are no doctors in the palace that aren't busy, so he's gone into the city."

"Thank you, Francis," the Prince replied, and the shy blonde disappeared.

"So what do we do now?" Marek asked.

"Wait for Stuart to get back with a doctor," answered the Prince, and looked down at the restless page.

"Joshua..." Alex whispered. She had to get to him, but she couldn't find him. "Joshua!" She looked at the marvelous, yet frightening city in front of her. Was he there? "Joshua?" A wave of coolness washed over her, and the dream went black.

"I have been doing all I can," he replied. "Don't you think I would have tried soemthing by now, if I knew it?"

"You must help," the boy continued. "You're Alex's brother. If we lose-"

"What?"

"You're siblings, and me," he told the shocked Prince. "We decided that Alex would tell you, but we didn't have much time since we found out. Please, you must help all you can."

Joshua sat in a chair, rubbing his forehead. "I wish I could help some more," he said. "I just - have barely any magic left in me, and that's just from using little spells."

James jumped up on his lap. Help's coming, he mewed.

"Wha- I won't even ask," Joshua stated.

"The cat's bewitched," Stuart said, coming in the room. "He talks when he wants to. And I've brought help." In walked Iris Nazzir. "The finest healer in all the world, or so her resume states."

"How is he?" Marek's mother asked.

"Stable. He hasn't gotten any worse, but not better, either," Rufus told her. "I'm not sure if that's a blessing or not, since he's already pretty bad off."

"Believe me, it's a blessing," the nurse said as she checked Alex's vital signs. "If he gets any worse, there's no way we can bring him back." She looked at Joshua. "You need a rest, boy." She pointed to the one cushioned chair. "Sit."

Meekly, Joshua obeyed with a sigh. He had done all he could, now it was up to this lady. He watched her tend to Alex, and his thoughts let loose. This boy was his brother. And Rufus, too. Well, they looked alike, so that was no surprise, but him? This was a lot to think about. His head hurt. Keeping Alex going this long had worn him out. With a yawn, his eyelids fluttered shut, and he fell asleep.

Marek had been watching him, and grinned. "Good, now we can talk about Alex," he whispered. "She said it drained out her magic, ma."

"For goodness sakes, boy, do something useful," she told him. "Go to my house. In a cupboard above the sink in the kitchen, there's a white container. There's a special medicine in it. Hurry and bring it back to me." Marek quickly left the room, and Iris built up the fire some more.

They worked through the day, and when Marek returned, Alex was fed some of the medicine at hour intervals. The sun quietly disappeared above the horizon, and Rufus rested, with the Prince taking over his place by the fire. Only when the midnight hour was called did Alex's fever drop, and she stopped thrashing wildly in her bed.

Finally, at two o'clock in the morning, Iris sighed and sat down. "He's over the sickness," she said. "Everyone should go to bed now. I'll sleep on a cot in here to keep a watch over him. He should sleep for a while now. He needs his rest." The three tired men walked wearily out of the room, and Joshua turned to close the door. He saw Iris kneeling beside the bed, and frowned. Had he just heard her call his brother Alexandria? Then he smiled and closed the door. He must be very tired, to have his ears not working right.

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