27 - Slaves

                                    

                                          
Reana sat at her desk in the study, her eyes scanning over a pile of documents that seemed to grow larger by the minute. The soft light of the afternoon sun filtered through the window, casting a warm glow over the room. She had been working non-stop, trying to keep herself busy to avoid the gnawing worry that had taken root in her mind. Sinbad and Ja'far had left for Ria Venus Island three days ago, and the thought of the impending duel weighed heavily on her.
She pushed her hair back from her face, letting out a deep sigh. Her mind kept drifting back to that moment with Sinbad. The memory of his closeness, the feel of his forehead against hers, and the look in his eyes—it all played over and over again in her mind. She had almost thought he was going to...
She shook her head, trying to clear the thought. There was no way that would happen. Their relationship wasn't something that could evolve in that way, right? They were like family. She tried to push the memory aside, focusing instead on the documents in front of her.
But the more she tried to concentrate, the more her thoughts betrayed her. She found herself reading the same line over and over again, unable to make sense of the words. Her head felt heavy, and a strange sensation began to creep over her. She tried to ignore it, chalking it up to fatigue, but it was becoming harder to dismiss.
The room started to feel too warm, and her vision blurred slightly. Reana rubbed her temples, hoping to alleviate the discomfort, but it only seemed to worsen. She felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, and she had to grip the edge of the desk to steady herself.
Then a sharp, sudden pain pierced her abdomen, causing her to gasp and curl up, clutching her arms around herself. The pain was intense, like nothing she ever experienced. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, her breath coming in short, shallow bursts. After what felt like an eternity, the pain subsided, leaving her shaken and sweating.
"Reana?" Hinahoho's deep voice broke through her haze.
She looked up to see the tall, imposing figure of Hinahoho standing in the doorway, concern etched on his face. He stepped into the room, his eyes narrowing as he took in her pale complexion and the beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"Reana, you don't look well," he said, coming closer. "You need to rest."
"I'm fine," she protested weakly, though she knew it was a lie. "There's too much work to do. I can't afford to rest."
Hinahoho frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're not doing anyone any favors by working yourself to the point of exhaustion. Sinbad wouldn't want you to make yourself sick over this."
Reana tried to respond, but another wave of dizziness hit her, and she swayed in her chair. Hinahoho moved quickly, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.
"That's it," he said firmly. "You're resting whether you like it or not."
He helped her to her feet, supporting her as she swayed. Reana wanted to protest, to insist that she was fine, but the truth was she felt awful. Her head throbbed, and her vision blurred again. She leaned on Hinahoho, grateful for his strength and support.
"I just need to finish..." she started, but Hinahoho shook his head.
"Nothing is more important than your health," he said gently but firmly. "You've been pushing yourself too hard. You need to take care of yourself, especially with everything that's going on."
He gently but firmly helped her to her feet, supporting her as they walked out of the study and down the hallway to her room. As they reached her room, Hinahoho helped her sit on the edge of the bed.
"Just rest," he said softly. "I'll handle the rest."
Reana nodded, lying down and trying to relax as he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.