Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 19)

"Almost back," he said.

“Okay.” She whispered, clinging to him.

They reached the door within the next several minutes, and he paused there. "...Can you walk?" he asked warily.

“Yeah.” She nodded and forced herself to pick her head up, cracking her eyes open. She’d figure it out. Somehow. “Thank you. Love you.” She tried to get down.

He helped her down, keeping hold of her arm to steady her.

She swayed severely but somehow managed to keep her balance as she shuffled to the door and fumbled it open after an infuriatingly long attempt. “See you.”

"Be safe." He dipped his head.

She nodded and shuffled inside, shutting the door behind her but not bothering to lock it. Someone would find it and do it. Eventually. She shuffled across the courtyard painfully slowly, feeling like she aged five million years before she finally made it to the Keep door.

And then she melted as soon as the hot air hit her when she opened the door.

She sank to her knees, then crawled out of the walkway by the wall and laid down. She’d just take a quick nap and then head up to her room. On the floor. In the entry way. Hopefully no one would notice her.

Gaius had managed to get Tomhas to the infirmary, where he was being treated for frostbite and hypothermia. He himself was resting in his office, waiting for Ky to return. He focused himself every few minutes to see where she was, and he rang for a servant the moment he registered her collapse.
"Ky is downstairs," he said. "Get her to the infirmary quickly, please."
His ears had rung when he'd touched Tomhas. The surge of memories had been immediate, but there was very little in Tomhas's mind that he himself had not experienced as well. He'd shaken off the unpleasant images, but the empty ache that had carried over remained even now. He felt sick to his stomach with shame, but for something he hadn't even done.

Ky grunted in protest when she woke to the servant. She didn’t open her eyes. “I’m… busy now, please. Do the… not this… I’m just… I’ll go… but no… please not do… lemme… I’m just…”

"Miss, you're not well at all," the servant said in distress. "Let me help you to the infirmary or fetch someone who can carry you, please."

“No, I’m okay,” she slurred. “I’m sleep walking… am dream… not real… you wake up… and I’m not.. here. I’m sleep. Bed. It’s okay. You’re okay.”

The servant hurried off and returned moments later with Ivar, who bent down and lifted Ky without any trouble at all. He strode off toward the infirmary.

She grunted in protest but didn’t have the energy to fight. “No sleep… walk.. you…. Heavy. I go… bed? Home? Home bed?”

"She speaks in nonsense," Ivar said to the servant in Nortung. The servant gave him a nervous smile, uncomprehending.