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1/10

Ygraine quietly stepped into Zev and Yona’s bedroom, cracking open the curtains to let in a flood of bleak morning sunlight. Asa was already off for his first appointment with a client, and the older boys left an hour before for their classes. Normally, Ygraine had her own work to tend to once the little ones were ushered to classes. Or… that was the plan. Until she brushed her hand against Yona’s face. The girl was still asleep, even as her brother began peeling himself from his bed. Yona, however… was fiery to the touch.

A fever. That meant no work today. Obviously, Yona couldn’t go to class breathing as shallow as she was. Marcella, bless her heart, volunteered to take Zev to class in Ygraine’s stead, so for now she left her little one to rest as she retreated into the kitchen, palming her face tiredly. Another day’s lost wages… it wasn’t as stressful as when the older boys were young, and Asa was still studying and not making much money. But they had a lot of mouths to feed, and she’d insisted the boys not work so they could focus on their studies.

2/10

Ygraine didn’t hear Yona until the door slammed open, and the tiny girl stumbled out, wild eyed, silky hair askew. Immediately, she shoved aside the wifely worries and put on her mom face, smiling as she crossed the room back to her daughter’s side. “Oh sweetie. Don’t worry about today. I already asked your brother to let your teacher know you’d see everyone tomorrow.”

3/10

The Aishan Crisis? Was that what Belrean schools were calling the extremist war? Ygraine pressed her lips together, disapproving, but kept her thoughts to herself. Her baba had made it clear, over the years, what a time it was. Of course, he peppered in that that was when, as a boy, he met his future husband but - that was supposed to be the highlight of a dreary early life for him.

“Baby, lets take some deep breaths and sit down, hm? I’m sure Zev will tell you all about it when he gets home.”

(4/10)

“Yona!” Ygraine forgot any discomfort she felt at her daughter’s stubborn insistence. Any consideration of them fell to the wayside, in lieu of the coughing fit. She rushed closer, rubbing her daughter’s back, lighting patting it in hopes it would help with her breathing.

Of course, she knew it would do nothing on its own, so she turned to the breathing exercises Asa had taught her, and the kids. “Lets breathe - okay? In for four…hold. Okay… out… six.”

5/10

Yona’s breathing began to calm, and Ygraine sighed out in quiet relief, a tired smile flitting over her features. She ignored the stormy look on her daughter’s face, and instead carefully brushed flyaway silvery hair from the girl’s face, tucking them behind her long ears.

“It’s just school, sweet girl, it will still be there tomorrow. No one thinks badly of you for not being there.”

(6/10)

Sending Yona to school like this… it would be a relief. Ygraine could go to work, as planned, and not have to worry about the lost income, or pushing her employer far enough that she was never invited back. It was tempting, and… it wasn’t as if she didn’t want her child to have fun, if school really would make her that happy.

Yona was practically pleading, she wanted to go so badly. … But her face, though still flushed from coughing, face shining with sweat, eyes glowing with fever, and below it all she looked sallow and shivery.

Even if Yona wanted to go, she couldn’t drag this girl out of the house, down the street, and expect her to sit through classes all day and come home after. Even if she carried her, she ran the risk of Yona falling asleep at her desk and getting into trouble regardless. Ygraine sighed, and gently pushed Yona’s hair back again.

“Not today, Yona. You don’t have to push yourself so hard. You don’t feel good, it’s okay to just rest-”

(7/10)

“Yona. Yona, I said not today.” Ygraine tried for firm, but her tone hit a bit more frantic. This wasn’t how Yona normally was, even in her moments of rebelliousness. She’d kick, or shriek, or make little noises of annoyance, pouting so that no one in the room could forget she was upset. But this -

It terrified her, that Yona might ignore her. She’d get herself sick - sicker - would go out walking and get that deep, rasping cough like she had when she was a little girl, the one that left her with bags under her eyes, looking close to death--

No. Ygraine quickly stood and plucked the bag out of her daughter’s hands, frowning firmly. “You have to take care of yourself right now, Yona. I need to KNOW you’ll take care of yourself, not - not push yourself like this!”

(8/10)

What… what had gotten into this girl? It must be the fever. She… she was so feverish her head was a mess, right? Her little girl wouldn’t be hitting or shoving her, not over something like going to school. It was such a simple thing, not something that Ygraine would deny just for giggles. She wanted her child to get to have school! They last thing she wanted was to shut her children up, the way Asa had been -

“Yona, baby, not today. I… hey! Hey - it can be a girls’ day, huh? You and me? I can do your hair, and maybe… maybe we can write to grandba and he can talk to you about when he was a little boy, during the crisis, hm? Would that make up for missing today’s lecture?”