It had happened fast. In the morning she had had a headache. It was sharp pain and her face felt a little stiff. Of course, she assumed she'd slept funny, and continued on with her day as it had been planned. Breakfast in the garden, correspondences with friends, lunch in the dining room, then reading. It was a quiet life, but she approved of it.

Walking from the dining room to the library had been a little harder than normal. Her right side seemed to be a little weak, her knee collapsing twice as she tried to walk, but she made it into the library after a while and sat to read her book.

That's when it happened. The pain became excruciating.

She thought for a moment that she was dying, right there. That she would simply stop breathing. That the pain could not continue for long, not the way it was. And then it faded a little.

She panicked and sent owls to the family. Almost without thought. Her hand was unsteady and she hoped they would be able to read the notes at all, but she was feeling something she wasn't at all used to allowing. Fear.

Augusta had the door propped open, and a large sign that said "meet us in the back" in her perfect script.

The pool was charmed the perfect temperature, and there were drinks and snacks on the table.

OOC: have at it.

( dating style? )