While Queen Chalyela was bound by politics, Amelia – afterward given the title of Minstrel, acted quickly in changing the fate of the kingdom. Following the deaths of their leaders, the gangs of Aarbyville were in disarray; forcing Aarbyville to surrender their allegiance to Archolia.
This resulted in a sudden swell of the population of Archolia as a wave of Aarbyville refugees migrated to the village of Archolia to reside. Surgeon Gavin and his wife Nurse Jolene certainly felt the pressures of having so many new residents within the kingdom.
While Surgeon Gavin stays up to prepare the clinic for the next day’s work, his now child aged son Godfrey and Nurse Jolene attempt to rest and recuperate from a long day’s work.
Weary and tired himself, Gavin sweeps the waiting room wondering how he and Jolene will manage if the population continues to grow the way it has.
Now Gavin finds himself running out of tonics and salves everyday, with barely any time to replenish his stock.
If only there was a way to spread a super medication around to heal everyone at once.
Across the kingdom, Shopkeeper Percival and his wife Felicia sleep. Percival is also feeling the pressure with the increase in population.
Percival wakes early. Now that Archolia’s population has grown, Percival has to work twice as hard to keep his stalls stocked. The swell in population equals a potential for new sales.
As always, Percival is ravenous when he wakes up and a stew is not enough to satisfy his appetite.
One of his first purchases after his marriage was a spit where he can roast meat; which proves to be a lot more filling.
He enjoys his hot roasted meat before beginning his day.
Gavin wakes after spending the night in his son, Godfrey’s bed. Godfrey has developed a habit of falling asleep next to his mother, so Gavin is often forced to sleep in the smaller bed.
Gavin walks down to the waiting room. He is shocked by the crowd that has already gathered.
Rumor has it that Archolia is facing another deadly pandemic, now that so many refugees call the village home, but Gavin is not convinced.
It is obvious that a sickness is rapidly spreading, but Gavin is not ready to announce that it is a deadly one.
He begins approaching the waiting villagers, asking about their symptoms. “How are you feeling?”
“I am afraid that I have contracted the plague or something worse.”
“What are your symptoms?” Gavin asks.
“I know not, Surgeon. I just do not feel right.”
The first patient is not very helpful, so Gavin approaches another.
“Fever! The fever is terrible and will not go away and my skin is clammy to the touch.”
“Anything else?” Gavin asks.
“I cough all night…so much that I keep my whole household awake.”
The next patient, a local fisherman describes similar symptoms.
As Fisherman Steven walks away, Gavin decides that he should probably examine him to see if his symptoms are plague-like or not.
Gavin calls him over and takes a look at his tongue. Sure enough Steven’s tongue is swollen and just touching his skin, Gavin can tell that he has a fever. “This looks like plague,” Gavin informs him.
Gavin examines the next patient. She has the same symptoms, except she is also suffering from yellowed skin and eyelid worts. “It looks a lot like the plague, but I think this is something different,” Gavin remarks. He decides that he will have to look into this illness further.
