[ Even though he can't exactly get up and run off, Camellia feels oddly discomforted leaving him here by himself. This whole situation feels fragile and dreamlike, like he might just disappear if she takes her eyes off him for too long.

But the important thing here is helping him get better. He really can't afford for her to hesitate on that front. So she gives him one last smile and then stands up and leaves him be, making her way to the kitchen so she can prep the medicine as promised.

It's nothing overly complicated – a blend of spices and herbs and whatever else that need to be ground into a paste and mixed with hot water, to be ingested in liquid form. She's heard enough about it that she has some confidence in its effectiveness but there's no way for her to be sure about it until she sees it for herself.

She'd been told not to let him take the stuff on an empty stomach, but she's also fairly sure he's not quite ready to manage a meal yet. So when she returns, it's with a tray, carrying the medicine in a small bowl and a stack of dry, bland crackers for him to at least try and eat his way through. ]

Here you go. I know you're probably not ready for food yet, but you can't drink this on an empty stomach. I thought these might be a little easier to eat than proper food, for now at least.