Completed A Helping Hand (Devi)

[Autumn Wilde]

22nd Day of Winter, 514 AV

Autumn felt like absolute shyke.

She had been feeling a little bad a few days before, sore throat and a bad cough, but that didn't nearly compare to how she felt now.

Her room was far too warm. The fire had simmered down to just glowing embers, and it was the middle of Winter. Usually she would be freezing at this point, but this morning every inch of her body was sweating, and she couldn't stop shaking. She had to struggle for every breath and they all sounded like wheezes.

When she was young she had gotten sick plenty of times. Her immune system wasn't all that great, but it had never gotten this bad. It felt like if she moved she would empty the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

She needed to work though, she needed to get to the theater and busk for as much coin as she could. The crowds had grown thinner and less giving now that Winter had fallen, her busking was not very successful. She couldn't waste a working day laying around, no matter how bad she felt.

"Uggghh." She groaned as she perched herself up on her elbows. Her head pounded, she could see stars every time she tried to open her eyes. Sitting up even slower helped, and luckily her last meal still sat situated in her stomach. No mess to clean up for later.

She swung her legs to the side of the bed and placed her feet on the floor. It was cool, relieving some of the heat from the fever. As soon as she got outside and got some fresh air, the feeling should lighten up. Her hands and arms still shook as she stood though, and a raging cough rattled through her whole body.

Autumn tried her best to stay positive though. She knew she probably looked terrible. Heavy bags under her eyes and her face flushed of all color. She didn't want to, but she pulled on her coat and then slowly shuffled over to her gea'tar on the ground.

She bent down to grab it and groaned again. What is wrong with me? She thought. This couldn't be a regular cold, she was far too nauseous for that, and the shaking didn't usually come with a cold. And her breathing, why was it so hard to breath? Her throat had never been more sore, every cough felt like it was dragging tiny blades down in her throat. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.

It will pass, it's only sickness, Autumn tried to reassure herself. She decided to just start her day, and shuffled over to the door of her apartment. As soon as the door opened, she felt the cool breeze of the day, but it was wrong. It made her feel even worse. Her chills and shaking got more violent, and the breeze didn't even cool her down. But she had already made it this far, no turning back now. She stepped out, shivering way to much to be considered normal. When she turned to lock the door, the key fell out of her hand.

"Petch it." She mumbled under her breath, and picked the key up off the ground, stuffing it in her pocket. She covered her mouth as another bout of coughing caught her, practically doubling her over.

A few strange looks were shot her way as she stumbled her way through the packed roads. Her coughing was getting worse and she could barely focus, the headache making her vision blur at the edges.

She had to keep her eyes on the ground just to keep her already drastically clumsy footing. Because of this, she didn't notice the people moving out of the way because of the carriage coming at her ahead.

People were yelling at her to gt out of the way, the man with the carriage wasn't slowing down. Her ears were plugged up and she couldn't think properly. Where was she? Was she even going the right way now?

It was too late for any movements. All of a sudden she was being run into by a large gray horse. She was spun around and it was too much to try to keep her balance. She fell face first onto the ground. She couldn't catch herself and her face drug into the concrete. She couldn't really register the pain, but she knew that it should hurt.

Then she heard a loud crack! and pain shot through her arm worse than anything she had imagined. She couldn't make any noise other than a gasp and whimper. That was too much. She couldn't move now, and her senses were very close to just shutting off. The edges of her vision were growing black, willing her into subconsciousness.

She could feel her body being moved. Hands all over her, and then she was lifted and people were cursing and shouting. They were talking to her, asking her something.

"Where do you live?" Someone shouted at her. It was strange, his voice was too far away, but she thought she mumbled her apartment number. She must have, because then she was moving. The pain in her face wasn't anything compared to what she felt in her arm. That and her head still pounded, and her coughing wasn't close to over. She couldn't breathe now, not without an intense struggle. Every breath she took was a pathetic wheeze.

She couldn't keep herself awake anymore, and everything shut down. It wasn't like she wasn't already practically unconscious, but now her eyes closed and her brain went to black, shutting out all the noise, letting her fall into a state of actual unconsciousness.

But just before her mind completely went blank, she had a horrifying thought.

Where the petch is my gea'tar?

OOCThese are symptoms of diphtheria

Autumn Wilde

[Devi]

Stormhold Apartments - Winter 22, 514 AV

"If you do not desist and sit still-"

Devi flinched as, for the third time, the young boy in front of her kicked his leg out with masterful aim towards her face. She glared as he giggled in celebration of his increasingly successful attempts to antagonise her. With his mother safely distracted by the three other rampaging miniatures in the room he was free to exact his dastardly plans without fear of recompense. With an unprecedented level of willpower Devi finished her examination of the boy and stood to replace the items of her medical kit. The mother, noticing the change, took a brief reprieve from tackling the horde to ask about the boy's welfare.

"He's responding well," She began, "but I would suggest further rest to ensure the illness is clear before allowing him to return to his usual day to day."

She couldn't quite stop the corner of her mouth twitching into a smile as the mother began fussing over the boy, much to his dismay.

"At least five days would be best." She suggested, after which she left the apartment to the complaining moans of sweet, sweet victory. Okay, so five days may have been a little extreme but if the neighbours knew I bet I'd get a bonus and an invitation to return before the season's half gone. She started making her way through the bustling corridors of her district, nodding here and there where she recognised people.

With her morning rounds finished she was in the mood for some space. If winter hadn't begun by turning the roads into cold mush she might have considered going for a long walk but as it was she thought about going to visit Ronan in his smithy. He was frequented by Akalak patrons, which meant she could practice her still struggling Tukant, but best of all she wouldn't be frequented by knocks at her door and she would be warm. Treating such a tight-knight community had its perks - sometimes she knew more about her patients than their own husbands and wives did. Not only did it help her diagnose but she also knew all the ins and outs of the people that lived around her. I could keep the rumour mill churning for seasons... On the other hand such a close association meant that eventually all pretence of a polite, distanced relationship was shattered. Casually chatting about the weather whilst having parts of the body that only a husband or wife should see waved in her face was rapidly becoming a part of her workaday.

Devi was so distracted that she didn't notice her brother until he was practically right in front of her. He fell into step beside her, interrupting the greeting that made it to the tip of her tongue.

"Devi there's a young woman who's had a nasty fall near the smithy-"

"And like the gallant young gentleman you are you carried her all the way to Soothing Waters, left her in the capable hands of the healers there and are now here to treat me to an early lunch?"

"Devi." She slowed at the tone of his voice and looked into his troubled eyes.

"She wasn't right even before she fell. Swaying and staggering along, practically walked into a carriage horse."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Drunk?"

"That's what I thought - she didn't exactly scream native to me and you know how visitors can be."

"So naturally you rushed to her aid before she could be set upon by natives."

Ronan ignored the quip and continued. "By the time I got to her the horse had spooked and caught her arm. I picked her up, she was pale as anything, bleeding from her face. Then I noticed she was sweating."

Devi frowned and quickened her pace a little. "Outside?"

"Mmhmm." With nothing more said he began leading her through the crowd towards Traveler's Row


Traveler's Row - Autumn's room

As she bent over the shivering young woman, Ronan busied himself re-lighting the hearth. She was indeed pale and still shivering, cradling her swollen arm even in unconsciousness. There was an angry, dark bruise between her wrist and her elbow and from what she could tell the bone had been fractured. Still, no skin had been broken as a result, which was a blessing. The woman had a large gash across her cheek and a number of smaller ones in an arc across the rest of her face and neck. Devi frowned and, ignoring the blood on her face and the soft whimpers escaping every time her arm moved, listened and frowned.

"Her breathing's wrong..." She muttered.

"Devi do you need anything else?"

"No," she responded, deep in thought, "Just find someone who works here and tell them I'm going to need fresh linens, plenty of clean water, soap and some clean cloth."

She felt him move closer behind her. When he spoke again it was in a lower tone. "Is she going to be okay?"

Devi's frown deepened and she made a non-commital noise as a vague memory wheedled its way to the front of her mind. As Ronan turned to leave she carefully opened the girl's mouth and tilted it towards the light so she could better see inside.

"Ronan, did anyone else touch her?"

"Not that I saw, why?"

"Wash yourself. Thoroughly." She turned to look him in the eye to be sure he understood and then he left her. With a deep sigh she opened her kit and pulled out a splint for the girl's wrist, dressings and krolar paste for the cuts and a multitude of teas and tonics.

"You are going to have a long day." She said to the unconscious form, "I don't envy you when you wake."

[Autumn Wilde]

Flashback/Dream

The day was sunny and warm. A beautiful day really. But why is everything so hazy? All of the details kind of just blur together. And my ankle hurts, why? Oh, right, I fell out of the tree. My friend Emalia went to get my grandma when I started crying.

Grandma, she'll make everything better, she always does. Oh, here she comes now. Over the hill. She looks worried, she always does when it's me though.

"Oh darling, what have you done this time?" She soothed in her sweet, motherly voice. The only mother figure I had ever really known. My face was wet with tears, but she made them stop, even though it still hurt.

"I fell, Grandma. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry." I didn't want her to be angry at me, I shouldn't have been climbing in the tree in the first place. She always told me climbing in trees was much too dangerous and I could hurt myself. Grandma was right, I should have listened more carefully.

"Shush, child. I will take you home and we'll take care of that ankle. It's only a little sprain." She continued in her soothing voice. She used this voice whenever I got sick, or hurt. How could I think she would be mad at me? She's Grandma. Grandma doesn't get mad at anyone. Well, except maybe at Old Mr. Spits down the street. I don't know his real name, but he's always spitting out his window.

Grandma picked me up and she cradled me to her chest. I wrapped my tiny arms around her. She was so comfortable, I could fall asleep just like this. And where did Emalia go? Grandma probably sent her home. Oh well.

"Grandma," I paused and looked up into her honey-colored eyes, "I won't climb in the trees anymore." Grandma smiled and looked down at me. Her eyes had lots of lines around them when she smiled, and her hair was very white. But she didn't seem old, she never did.

"I know, child. The only way to learn is through your mistakes, and I trust that you have learned." She looked back at the path ahead and I rested my head on her shoulder, closing my eyes.

Present

Autumn was back in her own apartment, that much she knew. Though she hadn't opened her eyes yet, she remembered from the constant fading in and out of her unconscious state that someone had carried her back here and set her on the bed.

Another person had stayed in the room with her, whispering soothing things every so often, which her mind couldn't really understand, but knew that the tone was soothing. Maybe her grandmother had come, and was sitting here in the room with her. No, her conscience dismissed the thought immediately, she couldn't get here fast enough from Zeltiva.

So then who was this stranger that was in her apartment? And how had they gotten in without the key? Autumn always locked the door behind her. She took these few moments that she was awake before opening her eyes to assess how she felt.

Bad, that was her immediate answer. Something still scratched at her throat and her breathing was shallow, though not as terrible as it had been earlier. Her face felt tight as well, like something was taped over it. She wasn't wearing her coat anymore, but she wasn't cold either. Upon further inspection she could hear that the fire in the hearth of her apartment was crackling. How kind, this stranger had lit a fire.

Another strange thing, her right arm felt far too heavy. Autumn tried to think as to why this would be. Even though everything was rather hazy in her mind, she remembered her fall. Oh yes, the pain. Maybe her arm was a lot worse off then she had originally thought.

Another thought really brought her awake though, and her heart started racing. She couldn't contain herself anymore and her eyes popped open.

The light was dim in her room, and it smelled strange. Different from the usual smell that comes from a fire. Was that... soap? As she was thinking this she heard a sound come from her left and she quickly turned her head to it. Her neck ached and a dull pain shot through her head, but the appearance of another person in her apartment surprised her.

The woman was small, that much was obvious. Actually she looked around the same size as Autumn, but her back was turned to her. This stranger's hair was a dark, pretty auburn color, tied in a loose braid down her back. She was wearing regular brown pants and a white shirt. An unfamiliar long cloak was draped over the back of one of Autumn's chairs. The woman was busy with something, a repetitive motion.

Is she... cleaning? A bewildered thought went through Autumn's mind. Not that she didn't appreciate it, but Autumn didn't have very much to clean up, most of the stuff she owned stayed in the chest at the end of her bed, which brought back why she had woken up in the first place. She decided it was time to speak up.

"My g-" Oh gods her throat hurt, and her voice sounded like it was coming from a gremlin, she tried to clear some of the phlegm and started over, "Where is my gea'tar?" After the question left her lips, she knew it didn't sound very polite. The first thing she should be saying was Thank you. The woman obviously wasn't there to hurt her.

"I'm sorry, I mean: Who are you?" Okay, that wasn't that polite either. Autumn's thoughts were all over the place. She apologized with her eyes, trying to convey that she wasn't quite sure how to put what she was trying to say into words.

Autumn Wilde

[Devi]

Devi stood for a moment, watching the woman struggle with her words, giving her time to become accustomed to her situation. When she quieted her eyes were full of anguished apology but there was nothing feverish in the expression, thankfully. Devi turned away for a moment, wringing out the cloth she had been using to clean and setting it aside. She replaced her tunic over her shirt and trousers, put the kettle over the fire to heat and then came to sit beside the woman.

"My name is Devi. I'm a doctor. My brother brought you here after you fell in the street."

She felt the woman's forehead and felt her shiver again. Bright green eyes stood out starkly against short, dark hair. It was cut into an unusual style for a woman but oddly enough she was no less beautiful for it. Without the illness and worry marring her features she would turn more than a few heads in Syliras. It was no wonder people had been paying attention when she fell. She paused to consider a moment then returned to her medical kit to pull out a packet of Rugberry Tea.

"I'm afraid I have no idea where your gea'tar is. It certainly isn't here in the room and unfortunately my speciality lies outside the realm of lost property."

She finished preparing the mixture and returned to the woman, taking advantage of the fact that she was awake and distracted to examine her further whilst the kettle heated.

“You know, if you wake up in the morning and feel like an Isur has clubbed you over the head with his arm it’s your body’s way of telling you to stay in bed. You have a rather severe infection – I’ve come across it before, a long time ago. Fortunately your neighbours here don’t appear to be showing symptoms. You won’t be allowed visitors for now and soon enough you’ll wish that was your only problem but there’s no reason as yet that you shouldn’t recover.”

Devi leaned back in her chair, taking a mental note of all she’d learned. She found herself just watching the woman again. She could see a note of panic in her eyes, darkening the depths of their green hue. When cleaning the room there had been few possessions to bar her path. Some patients responded in outrage when they realised she had been through their things, some indignant or embarrassed that she felt the need to do so in the first place. It all washed over her. It was nothing to do with the patients themselves or their habits, though some of them could certainly use some assistance in that respect.

Clean body, clean soul.

It had always been one of her favourite sayings, one she had picked up from Versin, the doctor she apprenticed to. He used to talk about illnesses like they were living things, some weak as children and others like violent monsters. He used to think that unlawful behaviour encouraged illnesses to latch onto a person, hence the ‘clean soul’. Devi wasn’t so sure she believed that anymore but the saying had meaning to her nonetheless. The body had ways of cleansing itself of toxins just as the mind did. All in all the process of cleaning became synonymous in her mind to one of healing.

Devi could see thoughts churning around in the woman’s head like a toxin all of her own making. She felt a small smile lighting the corners of her lips. She already seemed like such an innocent thing, one to be treasured and protected. Definitely not a native… Syliras, for all its safety, could suck such qualities out of you. It would be a shame to see them fade from those startling eyes.

“Why don’t you start with your name and then tell me what you remember?” She coaxed in a softer voice.

[Autumn Wilde]

The woman paused before answering Autumn's haphazardly-put question, pulling what had been resting on the back of the chair over her body. It was a tunic, and it covered practically her entire body. That wasn't saying much as her frame really was not so large, but she held herself in a way that Autumn did not second-guess the woman's physique. Then she put the kettle, which Autumn assumed was full of water, over the calm fire in the hearth and turned to her patient.

She introduced herself as Devi. A pretty name, Autumn hadn't heard a name such as it before. She was a doctor, I guess that explains her business here.

The doctor rested a cool hand across Autumn's forehead, which she involuntarily shivered against. The stoic woman was studying her with a careful expression. She seemed professional, obviously not here against her will. This helped Autumn to relax a little bit. This stranger in her apartment wasn't just a stranger. At least she had a name now.

Devi turned again and went back to her bag that Autumn had seen on the table. She couldn't tell what the woman was doing, as her back blocked her view, but she spoke whilst she performed whatever task was being done.

No sign of her beloved gea'tar. Oh what her grandmother would say if she knew. "You have an incredible knack for misplacing your belongings, child." ... Probably something along those lines. It wouldn't be false though, Autumn had never been able to keep track of personal items. Her gea'tar was a different thing entirely though. She had been wearing that instrument on her back every day since she bought it off a fellow local in Zeltiva, a man that went by the name of... Oh why can I never remember his name?!

Her doctor continued speaking. An infection? How wonderful. Not like she hadn't had her fair share of colds, but an infection was entirely another story. She truly hoped nobody else had caught it. This was not Autumn's idea of a fun time, and she wouldn't wish anybody to suffer like this. No visitors? Did that mean she wasn't allowed to leave her apartment either? How many people could she have possibly passed this on to in the time she had been sick? Autumn didn't have a lot of friends in the city, and most of the time the locals here kept their distance. Very strange people here, that much is true.

Devi was watching her again. The woman was not someone to overlook herself, so Autumn took the moment to admire her as well. She had a very stern face. Not unkind, just a face that wouldn't betray the woman's feelings if she so chose to hide them. Her eyes were dark, the pale complexion of her skin making them seem even darker than they truly were. The few little freckles across her nose were, it was hard to say on the woman, but they could be considered cute. Her face glowed in the fire light and Autumn could have laughed out loud. My glowing guardian angel.

How long had this woman been a doctor? She had all of the right tools and seemed to know at least how to treat someone with minor injuries and sickness. Autumn supposed she could put her trust in this woman's seemingly able hands. She had never been to a doctor before, but Grandma had. Grandma had pain in her joints, and the doctors gave her all sorts of vials and powders to mix and smash and stir and drink. None of it really worked though, but Grandma paid them for their help anyways.

"It's only their job, honey. Just like you would pay a bartender for the food, even if you didn't like what you ordered." Grandma would try to explain when Autumn asked why she kept going to the useless doctors. It sort of made sense, but Autumn's simple mind as a child couldn't comprehend things so complex to truly understand at the time.

So caught up was Autumn in her mind's ramblings, that it took her a few moments to realize that Devi had asked her another question. Or maybe it was the sickness causing her lack of focus.

"My name?" Her thoughts ran around in circles until they slowed down and settled, "Oh, of course! I apologize. My name is Autumn," As for what she remembered, it wasn't much. She took another minute to try to coax back the memories from... was it this morning? Hopefully.

"I remember waking up, I could barely move, and my coughing was so, so terrible," In fact, her throat was still sore, causing her voice to be fairly hoarse. She hoped it went away soon. Singing was one of her favorite pastimes, how else was she to spend her day without her gea'tar? The thought sent a pang through her heart again. "I work at the Theatre, so I grabbed my gea'tar," Another worried pang, "And headed outside. I think I dropped my key. Was my door unlocked? I can't remember that part." Maybe that's how they had gotten inside, perhaps she hadn't even locked the door.

"Everything is pretty foggy from that point on. I bumped into a lot of people and I couldn't really lift my eyes from the ground, my head hurt too much," She paused and considered the ache in her head now. It wasn't bad, very dull, easy to ignore, "And then... a horse hit me... and I fell. I think it might have stepped on my arm, or the carriage rolled over it, I'm not sure." She glanced down at her bandaged arm. So even if she got her gea'tar back, that was her strumming arm, she wouldn't be able to play. Her heart began to pump faster again and she looked up quickly at the doctor sitting by her bed in alarm.

"Devi," She used the doctor's name, always finding it was better to communicate with people when she used something more familiar to them, "How long until I can play again? It will heal properly, right?" She didn't mean to make the question an accusation, but she couldn't keep the worry out of her voice. What would she do if she couldn't play gea'tar? She had no other skills, nothing to keep her dreams of traveling the world afloat. It was a terrible thought.

No, she was sure the doctor was better than that. After all, her shirt was still white, and she had been scrubbing the room with soap and water. So obviously she wasn't some lowly, unkempt, dirty nurse that did their job for meek coin. She took care in her patients. It was an admirable trait, one that Autumn tended to look for in people whether she realized it or not. Caring and kindness, two of the most important aspects in a person, according to Autumn.

Autumn Wilde

[Devi]

Devi listened patiently to what Autumn remembered of her morning. She flipped straight from feeling terrible to heading to work and Devi heard a familiar note of resignation in the woman's voice. She heard it everywhere in Syliras - nobody has time to be ill when there's work to be done. The Syliran in her recognised the necessity of it, recognised that everyone living around her needed to push themselves in order to survive. The doctor in her protested that being hardy didn't stop people from being fools.

Autumn isn't a fool though, she found herself thinking, just... innocent.

She found it interesting that potential damage to her arm elicited more panic in Autumn than the illness which had caused her to fall in the first place. A person could survive perfectly well without a limb, assuming it was healthy. Then again, she considered, the young woman was a musician rather than a workaholic of a doctor encouraging a keen fascination with disease, so of course the use of her arm would be paramount to her well-being.

"Devi," The sound of her name brought her out of her reverie and into the present moment, "How long until I can play again? It will heal properly, right?"

As was always her instinct in these situations, Devi opted for the truth, innocence or no.

"I don't know for certain. The initial signs are good - none of the bone appears to have broken the skin and I managed to get it splinted quick enough that it has a good chance of setting well and straight. If we're lucky then at the outset you're looking at half a season, possibly less considering you're young still. However there is still chance of complications."

She could see panic rising again and continued, ensuring she caught Autumn with her eyes so she continued to listen.

"Your body's already weakened a bit from fighting the infection which means you need to help it along as much as possible. You're young but you're not invincible. The sooner we get that cleared up and the swelling down on your arm, the sooner I'll be able to tell how your arm's doing."

Hearing the kettle coming to boil Devi stood and returned to the hearth to mix a blend of Rugberry and Iskyny tea. When she had drunk all of it the blend should continue to reduce Autumn's fever and would give her some further, much needed, rest. The action also served in giving Autumn a moment to absorb the information. She eventually returned with a mug and pressed it gently into Autumn's hands. However the musician had gone very quiet, the tea as yet untouched.

"Hey," she said, gaining Autumn's attention, "Whatever happens, we'll figure it out. You may just have to work on your singing for a while." Her lips quirked a little at the side and she continued, "You're in Syliras now; there's something in the water here that makes people incurably stubborn."

[Autumn Wilde]

"Half a season..." Autumn mumbled. That was quite a long time to be sitting around. But maybe it would be for the better. After all, she did have enough coin saved up for now and Winter was never a good season for buskers. Her infection was causing problems though. She could feel that her body was already worn out from what it had gone through so far.

Devi finished her explanation and got up to make some sort of mixture in the kettle. What would happen if her arm didn't heal right? Would she lose her arm? She couldn't play gea'tar without it, that much was true. Maybe if it came down to it she could join a music troupe and sing with them. There were plenty of musicians at the Theatre, perhaps they could use a singer. Or maybe they would feel that Autumn was trying to take whatever coin they earned.

When Devi finished she poured a cup of the mix and brought it back to Autumn. Autumn held the cup, staring into it's contents. The mug was very warm against her hands, and upon further inspection she realized it was tea.

She didn't drink it right away, letting it cool a bit so it wouldn't burn her tongue. She couldn't identify the smell, although it was something sweet. Grandma had sometimes made an herbal tea for Autumn when she had a cold or a sore throat, but the tea she held now was definitely different than what her grandmother made.

Autumn smiled at Devi's reassurance that they would figure things out if something did go wrong. The doctor was very soothing, and her presence was not an invading one. Autumn was sure that she would rather have someone here with her than be by herself. She would get over the infection quicker than the broken arm, so singing was definitely in the picture. Maybe she could visit her Eypharian friend at the 'Stallion more often. She could go to the bazaar and finally buy the hat, scarf, and gloves she had been meaning to buy. Maybe, she could even start writing in a journal. Dear Diary, what the petch do I do now? ... Maybe not.

"You're in Syliras now; there's something in the water here that makes people incurably stubborn." Devi said with a slight smile, her tone lighthearted. Autumn smiled back and thought about the few times she had come across the people in Syliras.

"That is very true. I guess it's pretty obvious I'm not from around here." She chuckled at that and continued to let the warmness of the mug seep through her fingers. If she held on for too long, her shivers would probably knock the drink right out of her hands.

"What is in this tea? What will it do?" Autumn was curious, because the drink did smell good, so she was sure it wouldn't be horrendous. But she was always interested in learning even if what was being taught wasn't her specialty.

Autumn Wilde

[Devi]

It was nice to see Autumn laugh a little, it lit up her face and drove away the shadows that had settled there. Devi perked up at the question about the tea. More often than not people would just drink whatever she put into their hands. It had crossed her mind more than once just how easy it would be to poison someone. And Ronan wonders just why it is I don't get along well with others for too long.

"It's a blend of Rugberry and Iskyny tea. The first is to help warm up your body and reduce the chill that keeps making you shiver. The second is primarily to ensure you get another long and undisturbed rest. All together it should all help you to heal more effectively."

Autumn appeared to be interested enough and the mug seemed secure in her free hand, so Devi continued.

"The dressings on your face are laced with Krolar paste. It's a substance designed to help cuts heal. Your arm is secured to a wooden splint. It's used as a temporary replacement for your broken bone. It helps keep it solid and straight so the bone can knit back together in the right way. I've also been trying to cool down your arm using some of the snow outside." She nodded her head to a bowl where a clean, wet cloth rested inside, "It should help with the swelling."

She leaned back, stretching out the muscles aching against her spine. It was going to be a long couple of days for her. What I wouldn't give for an assistant right now. Devi suddenly had an acute appreciation for her old mentor and his difficulty in securing the right kind of assistance. As it was she would need to make some of her house-calls tonight whilst Autumn slept. Patients wouldn't usually take up so much of her time but then most of the people she treated had families living with them that she could leave instructions with.

In the few cases she came across like this, once the initial danger was past Devi would usually have them moved to Soothing Waters where they could be taken care of much more consistently. With the weather taking a turn for the bitterly cold however, Devi doubted that Autumn would be the only one suffering. Besides all that she felt a draw to the woman. She was worthy of care, not just healing. It was not enough to survive if one didn't know how to live and Autumn would need her arm in working order if she was to live. Devi began packing away her things before speaking again.

"I'm going to make sure some food is left within reach, cut up nice and small so you don't have to teach yourself one-handed table manners. There'll be water too - manage as much as you can without making yourself sick but nice and slowly, small bites and sips at a time. I'll be back to visit you and change your bandages tomorrow."

She nudged gently at the tea.

"Drink up, before it gets cold, and sweet dreams."

[Autumn Wilde]

Devi seemed to perk up when Autumn asked about the tea. Rugberry and Iskyny... two exotic names Autumn had never heard before. But, if she was putting her trust in the doctor, they would help in her recovery. She went on to explain the rest of what she had used to help Autumn was. Krolar paste? Yet another strange word, the musician needed to get out more.

The doctor seemed tired. Of course! I've been so selfish. She must have other patients. But she hadn't complained yet, good bedside manner. It was much better than the man in Zeltiva when her Grandma had developed one of her own diseases.

She was old, and Autumn was scared. The man could have said something positive other than "It doesn't look good." and then just leaving. Luckily, Grandma pulled through, and as far as Autumn knew she was still alive and happy. Grandma was a fighter, one of the strongest women the young girl knew, she should make it for quite a long while still.

After another few moments, Devi stood and began putting things back into her bag. She explained how she would leave food out for her to eat... left-handed. Autumn couldn't do much left-handed, other than putting her fingers on the right chords. The doctor was truly very kind, and not unattractive.

"Thank you for everything, Devi," She paused long enough to take a sip of her tea. It was sweet, as Autumn thought it would be, with a slightly bitter aftertaste, "And could you tell your brother thank you from me too? I don't know what would have happened to me if he hadn't brought me here... Is he a knight?" She ended. She had only met one other Squire in the city, but the knights were everywhere. They were supposed to be all chivalrous and what not, helping citizens, but some were merely there to make sure nothing suspicious went on, so you could never be sure.

Autumn took another sip of her tea when she remembered what else she meant to ask, "Also, if you see my gea'tar laying around, or if somebody else has it, please get it for me. It's hard to miss. The design is black with red and white roses on it. Like these." She gestured to the rose tattoo on her arm, like the woman wouldn't know what roses look like. That gea'tar was almost as special to her as her own Grandmother, whom was pretty much the only important person Autumn had in her life. She would need to write her a letter, let her know things were okay.

Autumn Wilde

[Devi]

Devi laughed at the question about Ronan. It was a genuine sound, made all the more enjoyable by the fact that it was unexpected. It shook away the tiredness that had been seeping into Devi's muscles and she turned back to face Autumn to respond.

"No Ronan certainly isn't a knight. He's pretty dangerous with a hammer in his hand but only if you happen to be made of metal. He's a blacksmith. He was working close to where you fell and came out to help." She smiled in affection, "He has a knack for taking care of people."

She listened to Autumn's description of her gea'tar, making a mental note to check with Ronan later to see if he'd picked it up at all. Barely had the thought crossed her mind however when a quiet knock sounded at the door. She frowned slightly, wondering if Autumn had a guest come to call and went to answer it herself. Seeing who it was Devi grinned widely, shaking her head, and stood back to let him in.

Ronan entered tentatively, still in his overalls from work and smudged everywhere with sweat and soot. Spotting Autumn sitting up in bed his lips twitched into a smile and he strode in more confidently, pulling a worse-for-wear but very much intact gea'tar.

Autumn's reaction was immediate as she reached for it, the tea left forgotten on the bedside table. Devi could tell that she had instinctively reached with her injured hand by the wince on her face but soon enough she had her instrument resting on the bed with her. She seemed somewhere in-between pain, relief, happiness and being overwhelmed as she began looking across the instrument intensely, running her fingers along any roughened edges or chips in the paintwork.

Devi took the opportunity to tease Ronan, giving Autumn a few moments without distractions from her ministrations.

"You really should be a knight. Chivalry is practically oozing out of your pores."

Sensing he had perhaps missed a joke made at his expense, his gaze narrowed when it turned on his little sister.

"No really," she continued, "a few more days like this and you'll be riding out into the wilds, hammer in hand, to protect the city from its many dastardly enemies."

"I'm much too important to leave the city unattended." He retorted.

"Ah.. rivets in the gatehouse need repairing again?"

"You're hilarious." He leaned closer then, a glimmer of excitement leaking into his eyes, "By the way, you should come visit us soon." He puffed up proudly, "We have some news to share."

"News hmm? Whatever could that be?" She replied, putting as much sincerity into her tone as possible, "Must be important news considering you're actually enthused by the thought of my joining you for dinner and continuing to corrupt my niece and nephew. Marianne finally relented and decided she doesn't mind Flo playing with Auntie Devi when she's dissecting things?"

Ronan's eyes narrowed again and he stared at her for a moment. She almost managed to withstand his gaze but then the corner of her lip twitched in betrayal. He tilted his head, dumbfounded.

"You know don't you?"

"Know what?" She said with her best imitation of the innocence she had noticed in Autumn before.

"How do you know?! I haven't even known that long!"

She burst into laughter for the second time that day, "Really Ronan, how could I not know! This is the third time Marianne's been pregnant. She has the same symptoms every time."

"Well why didn't you tell me then! Oh this is wonderful, she's going to think I told you..."

Devi suddenly remembered the audience that their conversation had and left Ronan to process for a moment. Placing her full attention on Autumn, a smile still lingering on her face, she sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist that. He'll be off home once his mind has caught up with the rest of him. Is your gea'tar ok? Is there anything else you need before I go?"