Aramina woke with a agonising headache and felt the cold floor beneath her. It took the stunned squirrel time to remember what had happened but when she did, Aramina hastened to rise up. She had to persuade her parents to let Flamiro live. It was the most important thing in the world.
The Royalsheen princess swayed alarmingly, her sight hazy and the earth spinning around her in a blur of dark colour. As she valiantly strived to walk, Aramina overbalanced and fell to the floor, losing the energy to keep herself upright. Her breathing shallow as a small bout of heat overtook her body, the young squirrel leaned against a chair as her eyes closed once more.
She did not hear as Raldinya entered the room.
"Aramina... what in the name of heavens has happened to you?" The kindly cook hurried towards the fallen Raresheen and crouched down beside her, abject concern evident in her voice.
Struggling, Aramina tried to make speech but failed to do so as her strength drained once more. She could only manage a feeble shake of her head which sent agonising pain lancing through her skull. The squirrel flinched involuntarily then visibly wilted against the chair.
Raldinya begun to panic "I must get you to your chambers and send for Dmitiro at once..." She said more to herself than to the semi conscious squirrel. "You are surely ill!"
Raldinya literally had to carry the Raresheen princess to her chambers as Aramina was rendered incapable of walking. The cook huffed under the combined effects of weight and poor stamina before finally reaching the Princesses room. Somehow managing to open the door, Raldinya gently deposited the now senseless squirrel onto her bed before running from the room, all tiredness forgotten in the rush to fetch Surgeon Dmitiro.

In his small house, Parato was sleeping by the fire, exhausted by grief and worry. The poor squirrel was oblivious as his door slowly creaked open and silent shadows crept in, threw a sack over him to drown out his muffled screams of terror and then carried him away and into the darkness of the alleyways. To stop the bundle from struggling, one of the abductors used a club to land a cruel blow and Parato moved no more.

Dmitiro hurried after Raldinya, questioning her along the way.
"Did she tell you how she felt? Did she say anything about what was wrong? What happened?" His paws tightly gripped his surgeon's bag of equipment, somewhat in convulsion.
The cook answered shortly though her voice was laden with worry "She was unable to say a word! Do all you can to make sure she is fine!" She opened the chamber door and at once, Dmitiro hurried to the bedside where Aramina lay perfectly still, the only movement being the shallow rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
The professional surgeon carried out his examination. He listened to Aramina's heartbeat, felt her pulse and felt her forehead as Raldinya looked on in terrible anxiety and apprehension.
Finally Dmitiro gave his analysis "I think Aramina is suffering from some sort of head wound as far as I am able to tell. I shall give her a solution of calendine to ease the pain whilst she sleeps." He frowned suddenly "But I don't believe that is all. She is suffering from something else... I can't say what it is just yet"
Raldinya looked down at the still form of the Royalsheen then looked up at Dmitiro. "Is it serious?"
"I cannot tell right now" The surgeon explained patiently though a shadow passed across his eyes. "When she wakes it is best if you inform her not to over exert herself or produce stress as that is likely to make her unknown condition worse"
The cook pressed Aramina's wrist in her own paws.
"Thank you for treating her Dmitiro" Raldinya thanked him earnestly whilst wiping her own eyes. "I don't know what we would do without you"
Dmitiro smiled slightly "That is my duty. To treat the Royalsheens... Though I prefer to treat the princess than her parents. I would rather poison those two demons than treat them ever" His eyes now held a look of fury that left as quickly as thought. Raldinya did not notice his momentary anger as it was one of terrible but quiet loathing.
Bowing, the surgeon left the room after giving a solution of calendine to Raldinya who promptly poured a couple drops of it down Aramina's throat as she was told to do. The brown squirrel shifted slightly and Raldinya could somehow feel that the Raresheen's pain had eased.