Remember Muchausen Syndrome? If it is by proxy then imagine colonial era Ned makes Nes sick all the time because he wants to keep Nes all for himself. He likes Nes to be so dependent on him, and likes he did. No amount of medicine could cure him because Ned has been dutifully replace them with placebo. It’s not as if Ned has ever done anything so cruel to him. Ned likes to give Nes a bath, help him to walk around the house for some exercises, etc while Nes is battling his sickness.

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