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Kestrel had seen Void bandaging Tori’s arm, but she didn’t give it much thought after that. They were all adults; Tori would ask somebody to clean and change the bandages when it was time. They would have preferred to drink a red potion and have it taken care of, but Spike wanted to do some things in his Castle Town before they left and Beedle was nowhere to be found. It was a long train ride to Central New Hyrule, and it wasn’t until a few days later that Kestrel chose to sit beside Tori.
“You there?” Kestrel asked, bumping Tori’s shoulder.
Tori stared listlessly out the window, only stirring after a delayed few moments. “Hmm?”
“You’ve been quiet,” Kestrel pointed out. “Usually you’re ecstatic to ride the train. What’s up?”
“Nothing,” Tori grunted, and readjusted her arm with a grimace.
Kestrel actually looked at Tori’s arm for the first time, not liking what she saw. The bandages were frayed and discolored like they hadn’t been changed since Void tended to Tori’s wound. Tori wouldn’t be that stupid, right? He knew to ask for help, especially with something that could go very wrong very fast.
“Hey, can I see your arm?” Kestrel asked. “When’s the last time you got those changed?”
Tori gave her a weak glare, but offered his arm. “Dunno. Ask Void.”
“Void?” Kestrel called, and a hooded head perked up from across the car. “When’s the last time you helped Tori with their arm?”
“A few days ago, when he got hurt,” Void signed. “Why?”
“Tori!” Kestrel cried incredulously. “Have you not asked anyone to take care of this?”
“Guess not. Must’ve slipped my mind,” Tori muttered.
“Unbelievable,” Kestrel hissed, unwrapping the bandages. Tori winced, and Kestrel swore as she uncovered a very obvious infection.
“How are we even supposed to treat this?” Kestrel snapped. “Potion won’t take and Spike said there aren’t wild fairies around. You better hope there’s a doctor in Castle Town who can help.”
Tori flinched away from Kestrel, pressing their arm tight to their chest. “No. I don’t need a doctor.”
“Yes you do, and I’ll take you there myself if I have to!” Kestrel said, walking to the door that led to the front of the train.
“Kestrel-!”
“You’re going to a doctor!” Kestrel repeated, and slammed the door.
“How many times do I have to tell you guys to stay in the back?” Spike shouted, the scowl on his face unchanging as he turned to look at Kestrel.
“Tori has an infected wound,” Kestrel said, not bothering to apologize. “Is there a doctor in Castle Town who can treat it?”
“I- yeah,” Spike said, and took a moment to think. “I can take you to the royal doctor. She has more supplies and shouldn’t be busy with other patients. Go sit with Tori, we’ll arrive before long.”
Kestrel saluted, more than happy to leave him be. She stepped back into the passenger car and found Tori dead asleep; passed out from fever, most likely. She rejoined him on the bench, pressing the back of her hand to his forehead. Yup, definitely a fever. She kind of hoped they would stay that way, with how they had reacted to her even mentioning a doctor. It would be nice if she didn’t have to drag her all the way there.
Tori wasn’t in the mood to cooperate, of course. She woke as the train pulled into the station, still lucid enough to fight back as Kestrel and Spike worked together to guide her onto the platform. Well, not fighting as much as attempting to twist free, but it still made the trek to the castle much more difficult than it needed to be. Where did Tori even think he could run off to if he escaped? Kestrel knew that the delirium meant that Tori wasn’t thinking with logic but it was comforting to use her own.
“Spike, please,” Tori begged, dragging their feet as the engineer had their arm in an iron grip.
“Don’t look at me, she’s the one who even realized you’re sick in the first place,” Spike grumbled.
“You think this is my idea of fun?” Kestrel said, nudging Tori along with a hand on his back. “When you’re all fixed up we’re going to have a long talk about taking care of your wounds because apparently nobody bothered to teach that to you.”
Tori whined all the way to the castle, but there wasn’t much she could do to bring herself anywhere else. He was a little more subdued by the time they reached the infirmary, but Kestrel didn’t let her guard down. This could easily be a trick, with Tori prepared to bolt as soon as they saw an opportunity. He didn’t make a peep as Spike introduced them to Satali, the royal doctor, then left to talk to his Zelda. As Kestrel moved to take Spike’s place holding Tori’s arm, they latched onto Kestrel’s hand instead, squeezing tight.
Kestrel was starting to think that Tori was scared, not stupid, and she was pretty sure that made things worse.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, though I have the feeling it could have been under better circumstances,” the doctor said. She was a tall woman, with dark skin and long red hair pulled back in a neat bun. Her smile was professional, but kind. “What brings you here?”
“My friend here has an infected wound,” Kestrel said, as Tori was completely unwilling to speak for himself. “Link said you should have the supplies to treat it?”
“I am equipped with more medicine than most, yes,” Satali agreed. “Potion, while slightly more limited in its use, is more readily availble across the other villages. Assuming the infection is not too severe, a proper cleaning and a course of antibiotics should send you on your way by the end of the day.”
“Hear that, Tori? This’ll be easy,” Kestrel said, but Tori was staring very intensely at the floor. “Sorry, they’re a little out of it. Fever, y’know.”
“That’s alright,” Satali said with an encouraging smile. “I have a bed here you two can sit on. Tori, was it? I understand you may be hesitant to trust me, but I promise I will do my best to treat you.”
Tori made a low whine in the back of her throat as Kestrel took them to sit on the bed. It took some convincing to let the doctor see their arm, and they watched as Satali cleaned and bandaged it. Tori didn’t let go of Kestrel’s hand, silently squeezing to let her know when it hurt.
“Well done,” the doctor said as she released his arm. “You will be free to go after I give you some antibiotics to kill that infection.”
“…How?” Tori whispered.
“Hm? How will I administer the medicine?” Satali waited for Tori’s nod, then continued. “Using an intravenous drip. It will take a little while, but you only have to sit and wait.”
Kestrel had no idea what that meant, but Tori’s face was pale. “No,” they said immediately. “I can’t- Kestrel, I- I can’t do that.”
“I’m afraid that I have no other choice,” the doctor said. “I am able to add something to calm your nerves, but-”
“No,” Tori said again, attempting to hide behind Kestrel. “No more. Don’t make me go to sleep, you can’t. Let me go to sleep.”
Kestrel’s hand hurt with how tight Tori was squeezing it.
“So I won’t,” Satali said gently. “You may stay awake during the procedure. You will have your friend, as well.”
“That’s right,” Kestrel said. “I’m here, I’m not just gonna leave you when you’re scared.”
“But I- but you-” Tori’s breathing was faster, shallow with panic.
“Come on now, just breathe. She hasn’t even started yet,” Kestrel said, pulling Tori’s face to hide against her. The doctor nodded and went around the room, gathering supplies as Kestrel talked.
“It may be easier if you lay down,” Satali suggested, and Tori flinched so hard Kestrel almost fell over.
“I’m not laying down!” Tori cried, and Kestrel shushed her.
“It was only an idea. I’m fine sitting here with you.”
“Zelda promised! She promised I wouldn’t have to go back! Why would you… why are you making me go back?”
“Go where? You’ve never been here before,” Kestrel pointed out, but Tori shook their head furiously.
“She said, not until I was ready. I don’t have to go to the Shrine, or see Purah, or-” Tori’s words broke off into a scream as Satali gently took his hand from Kestrel’s.
“This will be easier if you are able to relax your arm, Tori. I know that may seem impossible right now, so can you focus on matching your friend’s breathing?” To Kestrel, the doctor added, “Slow and steady, please. I will not continue until they have calmed down some.”
“That sounds easy enough.” Kestrel counted her breaths, waiting for Tori to follow along. Very slowly, Tori’s protests tapered off and his body slumped against hers. Kestrel knew better than to assume that he had stopped panicking; he had simply lost his strength for now.
Satali had set up a bag filled with the medicine and hung it on a pole beside the bed. A long, thin tube was attached to it, with a small needle fit on the end. Kestrel wasn’t a very squeamish person but she didn’t envy Tori’s position, especially with them being feverish and scared out of their mind. She rubbed circles on Tori’s back as the doctor extended his arm and prepared the needle.
“Kestrel… why…” Tori whispered, and she huffed a bitter laugh.
“Because I’m not gonna see you die from a tiny wound you didn’t clean. I’m gonna be right here, I won’t let you fall asleep and before you know it we’ll be back on Spike’s train.”
Satali slipped the needle into Tori’s arm and he pressed hard against Kestrel, his breath hissing out between his teeth.
“That’s it, you can do this,” Kestrel said, hugging him tight. “Hey, how about you try to think about something else? Um…” What had Fi talked her through, when she had been fighting her own panic back in Eldin? “Oh- can you tell me something you can feel?”
Tori had started to shiver, and their voice was a broken whimper. “The Shrine…”
“Nope, try again.” Kestrel reached down to squeeze Tori’s hand again. “What’s something safe that you can feel?”
Tori was quiet for a long moment, and Kestrel was about to try a different approach before he spoke. “…You.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I’m here,” Kestrel smiled. “What about something you can hear?”
Tori mumbled into her shoulder, “You again.”
Kestrel snorted. “Alright, that was too easy. I’m not the only thing here, y’know.”
The other senses were soon exhausted, so Kestrel cycled through the safer realms of touch and sound while Tori’s eyes remained firmly shut. Tori was exhausted too, her voice quiet and cracking as they waited for gravity to do its job, but Kestrel refused to stop talking. She kept Tori engaged, not breaking her promise to keep him awake. Tori had stopped pleading for Kestrel to make it stop, so she hoped she was doing the right thing.
She had been so close, too many times, to finding out that the best she could do wasn’t enough.
Satali had been quiet while Kestrel helped Tori through their panic, which Kestrel was thankful for. After a while, the doctor walked over and took Tori’s arm once more. “That is enough medicine for now. A potion will complete the healing process. Do you currently have any?”
“No, we don’t have any potions or fairies. That’s why the injury stuck around in the first place,” Kestrel said. “Is there somewhere in town we can buy some?”
“The shop is carrying red and purple potions today,” Satali said as she added another bandage to Tori’s arm. “I suggest purple if you are able to afford it.”
“Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
“I thank you for requesting my help,” Satali replied. “I have seen how quickly an infection can go foul. You were lucky to arrive when you did. I will go inform Link that you are finished. You may wait for him here, if you like.”
Tori relaxed the tiniest bit as they heard the doctor leave the room, but they were still pressed firmly against Kestrel’s side. Kestrel nudged him, reaching for his hand. “Hey… it’s safe to look now.”
Slowly, Tori pulled away, and Kestrel’s heart sank when she saw tears silently streaming down her friend’s face. “Oh no, Tori, I- was there anything else I should’ve done? I thought I was helping, I’m sorry-”
“Is it over?” Tori whispered.
“I- yeah, it’s over. You’re all done.”
Tori collapsed again, this time in obvious relief. “It’s over… Kestrel… thank you. For being there.”
“C’mon, Tori, I told you.” Kestrel held Tori close, fighting back a few tears of her own. “I couldn’t just leave you alone while you were scared. Just tell us sooner next time, okay?”