Long Overdue Check Ups [Shiress]

[Alric Lysane]

17th Spring 522 AV – The Reddyn

“You’ve been living here?” Lys’ voice was part awe and part recrimination, the subtext of the conversation since he had shown her the dovecote entrance having shifted, towards the suggestion he should have told her about it sooner.

“Partly, I work in Sunberth so I tend to split my time. This was why I wasn’t around for a few days and didn’t know you were in trouble, otherwise I’d have been there within the day to help” he said as they made their way through the streets, slowly due to Lys having a slower pace, using a crude wooden crutch to help support her whilst her injured leg wasn’t at full strength.

“Why?” she asked him with bubbling curiosity and some form of confusion.

“Why what?”

“Why work in Sunberth when you have all…this?”

“It’s comp-“

“Complicated…when I get better, I’m going to chase you and keep stealing your pouch until you tell me what is so bloody complicated”

He said nothing in recrimination to her, she had already given some ground when she agreed to wear the linen shift and woolen dress atop it, more used to trousers and jacket for her thievery. Not to mention she was still suffering the aftermaths of her injuries and was tired even if she put a brave face upon it. Upon reflection he suspected that they looked like an odd couple - he was decently dressed and had weapons all over and she was roguhyl dressed, hobbling along on a crutch. He had promised her ebtter clothing once she was recovered and they could properly shop, which had mollified her slightly, but he still suspected she'd end up with a nicer and more extensive wardrobe than himself.

“In time…not now. For now, I only care about you being alright, I’d have thought you did too?” he suggested with a raised eyebrow and she hobbled onwards, muttering under her breath, no doubt about his stubborn foolishness.

He had his reasons for not telling Lys everything, he knew, and they were good reasons at that. He kept his eyes open for some of them as they made their way towards the Redynn, the healing centre of the Outpost. No doubt people, if they knew, would condemn him one way or the other – either for keeping the secrets or not – but he had only his own imperfect judgement to use and he wanted her fit and healthy before she learned what truths he kept from her. At least then, should she decide she wanted no part of it, then she would be well enough to go her own way. He owed her that much, at least.

They crossed the threshold with Lys’ continued awed sounds at the shining stone, the clean corridors and rooms with fresh air and flowering plants dotted around every so often. He remembered feeling much the same as she did when first seeing the place, feeling dirty and out of place, a fish upon land and baking quickly. He put his arm around her shoulders and looked down at her with a friendly squeeze. She smiled slightly after looking around and biting her lip, signs she was unsure and uncomfortable. He nudged her onwards with his arm and the made their slow way towards the centre of the welcoming area, where he knew they’d get someone coming to see them soon enough.

“It’s too clean Alric, I feel like I’m dirt just standing here…making it grubby” she whispered.

“I know, but you aren’t, I felt much the same, but you’re part of the Outpost now. You’re with me, remember?”

“Doesn’t that mean we’re making the place doubly grubby? Are you getting checed on too?” she tried for humour and he snorted back at her with amusement.

“We'll see, maybe they'll inflict it upon me to make it fair. Just do what you’re asked, answer the questions, show them your injuries and I’ll get them to look you over fully. Make sure there’s nothing we missed wrong with you. Then we can head back to the apartment and you can meet Twilight”

“Twilight?”

“Oh, he’s a snake”

“You have a snake?!” she almost jumped and frowned up at him.

“Depending upon how you define a thief I could maybe have two” he said with a grin.

They stood there, bickering and bantering back and forth to keep themselves occupied, until they ere seen by the next healer that would become free.

[Shiress]

Exhausted, Shiress clutched at the counter, running along the exam room wall. Despite it not even being midday, the doctor longed for her bed, but not for the typical long day at work. Shiress's exhaustion came from lack of sleep, worry, and, above all, fear. Fear that her slavemaster's ghost would make another appearance.

Haunting, hunting, and purely horrifying, Elijah Jordan's ghost was nothing like any other Shiress had come in contact with. He, or it, was more than a ghost. At least more than the one she had met back in Syliras so many seasons ago. This ghost could physically hurt her, and Shiress still bore the bruises from Syka's Tenday gathering the first time he had attacked. There had been others; a flicker from the corner of Shiress's eyes would end in a slap, a shove toward stairs, or worst of all, a slash of a whip across her tender flesh. Thankfully, for the last two days, the phantom of Elijah Jordan had been absent, but Shiress had still failed to rest, and it was catching up to the doctor.

Dark circles framed Shiress's green eyes as they took in the room. All the medicine shelves were stocked, towels folded and put away, floors and countertops clean. Shiress loved working at The Redynn, but nowadays, it was as a volunteer and not as a staffed physician. She called Syka home now, and that was where she made her coin, working as a doctor for the many orphaned children the city had accumulated.

Had Shiress listened to her new companion, Shade, she wouldn't have stepped a toe into the Outpost again, at least, not for a long while, but the idle weariness that plagued her on the days she didn't work was enough to drive her mad. Waiting on Elijah Jordan's abusive ghost was enough for her to want to cast herself from the highest and closest cliff. It had been agreed upon for her to cross the dovecote to gather what belongings she had at the hospital, but her guardian didn't know that Shiress had begun volunteering. She only hoped the monk would be understanding if he ever found her out.

"Doctor, Shi?"

Shiress jumped like she had been shot with a bolt at the sound of the voice and spun, seeing Beth, a Redynn nurse, standing in the doorway. The nurse's eyes went wide, spluttering an apology, but Shiress waved it off, and Beth smiled. Beth always smiled.

"A man and girl are waiting to be seen, and all the other healers and physicians tend to the patients from that cart accident." Beth grimaced apologetically, "Is there any way you might see them?"

Shiress thought about it for a tick, giving herself an inward examination, then offered the nurse a hesitant smile.

"Sure, where are they?" she asked.

"In the waiting area." Beth replied, giving her signature grin.

Shiress nodded and strolled from the exam room in search of her patient. Before she saw them, she heard voices, one male and one female, younger, if Shiress was to wager, going at each other, though companionably. At first, Shiress thought father and daughter, but the way the two went at it, they sounded more like siblings.

"A snake named Twighlight sounds intriguing," Shiress said, coming to a stop by the young girl, a broad smile forming on her lips, "and, I assure you, I have seen far, far grubbier." she added, giving the last 'far' the emphasis it needed cause it was the truth. "I'm Doctor Shiress Underhill, but you can call me Dr. Shi." she stretched out an arm toward the exam room she had just vacated, "Come on in so we can chat."

Shiress walked behind the pair, indicating for each to take a chair as she wove around them and hopped up on the exam table. Shiress had found, for some odd reason, that having her patients in a chair and her on the table put most of them at ease.

"So, first tell me what to call you, swear words optional" she grinned, "Then, tell me what brings you in to see me."




Word Count - 731

[Alric Lysane]

It was a gentle, calming voice that greeted them, interrupting their back and forth quit neatly as if it were experienced cutting through the everyday conversations that people had. That was a good sigh, he assumed, it meant she was experienced in her craft and that made him relax somewhat even as Lys seemed to go quieter and blush slightly at the words. Still he could tell she was not scared but instead not sure how to respond to a stranger posing her what seemed to be a compliment, however folded into their words it had been. She looked up at him and he nodded slightly, letting her set the pace as they followed her into the more private space. They were both surprised when Shiress took the table rather than the chairs, but they settled into their assigned places easily enough after an exchanged glace.

“Hi Doctor Shi,” he said when he was sat down, taking her in as he looked at her, “Alric and L-“

“I can tell the pretty doctor my name Alric, I’m not that young! I’m Lys…Lysandra” she supplied after looking at him and blushing further when she saw him give Shiress a patient, long suffering look and shrugged, leaning back into his chair.

“And she can be a bloody nuisance…but I like her enough that I’ve brought her here to get looked over. Found her in an underground tunnel back in Sunberth. Fished her out and looked after her best I could but I’m no medicine person and she’s been living ro-“

“You should let her look at you too,” Lys interjected, mostly just to interrupt him so that she could look up at the pretty doctor who seemed so much better than she was, “he’s a stubborn mule and keeps getting into fights like every man in Sunberth. Most end up dead but he’s got a thick head, so he’s survived for now”

There was a moment of tension as they met each other’s gaze before is dissolved into a series of chuckles and giggles, the aura of frustration gone, and Lys launched into her tale of what she had been up to. Alric noted that she embellished much of the smaller details, possibly trying to impress Shiress for reasons Alric couldn’t fathom. She described how she hadn’t eaten a lot, had been in the elements, scratches and cuts all over. How she had been bitten by the Brat on her leg and that she felt weak still but better, amongst a whole host of complaints that Alric could only assume young women had as he couldn’t remember having that many complaints - though being fair he’d had no one to complain to anyway.

He rolled his eyes slightly at how Lys enjoyed stressing how Alric had abandoned her for a few days, which had caused her misfortunes but was at least honest enough to save him by whispering to Shiress conspiratorially that he had been in the Outpost being posh by Sunberth standards and so she didn’t blame him because having seen the Outpost she wasn’t sure why he would come back anyway. Alric used the time to look at their tender doctor further, noticing how she seemed as if she had pushed herself hard. He knew healers didn’t like leaving people to their fates if they could help it, it was what made most of them good people. However, the dark circles and various darker bits of skin he noticed was suggestive of a woman perhaps quite close to the edge of exhaustion.

The fact that she still puts up with us…well I’ll have to find a way of thanking her he thought to himself, simply listening, his eyes taking Shiress in silently.

[Shiress]

"Lysandra," Shiress repeated, smiling, " and Alric, it's nice to meet you both."

Shiress listened as Alric spoke, and the misconception that the pair were siblings soon evaporated, and a new realization soon took shape. Alric had rescued the girl from the streets, well tunnel, in Sunberth. Gods, but even mentioning that city's name sent a shiver down the doctor's spine. Shiress wondered how the girl had come to that fate but then remembered the many young, dirty faces of homeless kids she had witnessed during her time there.

The doctor maintained the smile, but as Lysandra's tale unfolded, a crease appeared between Shiress's green eyes. The girl looked malnourished to the point of bony, but she didn't seem emaciated to Shiress's discerning gaze, though final judgment on that would come with an exam. The scratches and cuts that she could see seemed superficial may be inflamed but not quite infected yet. The brat bite, though, was what concerned Shiress. Not only was the bite of such a creature filthy, but a myriad of diseases have also been known to accompany such a wound. Thankfully, though, Lysandra may have dodged that particular arrow from the looks of her.

"Seems you have had a hard go of it," Shiress said, giving the young woman a sad smile.

From unfortunate experience, the doctor knew that lingering on the circumstances of tragic events caused many, herself included, to become uncomfortable and stressed. The how and where of how she had got where she wasn't necessary, not now, not with her savior sitting by her side. What was most important now was getting the girl healthy and feeling better, and that was something that Shiress could do.

"The brat bite is what I'm more concerned about. Those nuisances carry all sorts of filth in their mouths and can cause an infection, but first things first."

Shiress hopped down off the table, slowing her movements with only a little grunt of pain, and stuck her head through the curtain covering the exam room entrance, motioning for Beth, her nurse. Beth was a short, plump woman about Shiress's age, with a shock of blonde curls and bright blue eyes. The nurse was gentle and soft-spoken and had a way with children that Shiress herself didn't have, despite being a mother. She fervently wished she could cart Beth off to Syka with her.

"This is Beth, Beth, this is Lysandra," she motioned to the girl, and Beth gave her a signature grin, then she motioned to the girl's companion, " and her caregiver, though savior might be more fitting, Alric." Shiress paused, letting Beth greet her new patients, and once the salutations were complete, she turned her attention back to Lys, "We need to get you clean, so I can get a good look at all those battle wounds, so Beth here is going to take you to have a bath, but!" Shiress flung up a finger, assuming the girl would object like any other teenager. "It's not like any other bath." she grinned, "Have you ever been in a small, personal pool with warm water and bubbles?"

Shiress's brows went up at the implication of a very nice and deserved warm bath and a small window of time for the girl to be young and play a little if she wanted to. "Every young patient that gets a bath also gets a choice of new clothes from the hospital's clothes closet. There are dresses, skirts, britches, riding pants, and every top you can imagine to go along with them."

Once Beth had guided Lys from the room, supporting her wounded leg, Shiress's attention turned to the girl's dark-haired companion, emerald gaze scrutinizing.

"You, sir, have done that young woman a very virtuous and noble deed." Shiress commended with a nod of her head, " I wish someone would have-" she broke off, about to say 'done that for me', but instead tacked on, "done that for all of them." She smiled, "While Lysandra is getting cleaned up, let's have a look at you, okay? Pull your shirt off and hop up on the table."

Shiress waited patiently for the man to comply, then stepped between his knees, fingers gently brushing back the man's thick curls from his forehead to better study the abrasions there. "Now," she said, frowning, "What have you gotten yourself into?"

Shiress dipped her emerald eyes down, catching Alric's gaze, "There's no place for gallant lies in my exam room, so tell me what hurts."



Word Count - 799

[Alric Lysane]

It didn’t surprise Alric to hear that Shiress’ concern was the Brat bite, though he noted how her gaze roamed all over Lys as the youth gave her story, not noticing as she lost herself in the telling. When Shiress’ brow furrowed slightly he felt a barb of concern catch in his chest but he eased it away as best he could, telling himself that this was a medical professional and likely saw many things he couldn’t hope to see. Yet they were here, and Lys was of reasonably good, if tired, spirits. As such he kept reminding himself that, whatever worried thoughts battered in the back of his mind, there was no finer place Lys could be for treatment that they had access to, or that he was aware of.

He wasn’t surprised when Lys’ face went from diamond in the rough street scamp to wide eyed youthful wonder at the suggestion of a bubble bath complete with new clothing and the chance to have some alone time and fun alongside. She did spend a few moments lamenting the fact that Alric would not get one either as she could have splashed him. Still a raise of his eyebrow, and the suggestion she follow the orders of the professional they had come to visit later, and Lys was leaving with Beth, to no doubt get some much needed time away from him. He couldn’t resent her that, she had had to put up with him for a number of days now, consigned to a rough straw bed and clothing that didn’t fit her properly.

Not to mention my cooking too…surprised I’ve not killed us both yet to be honest he thought o himself with a slight curling of his lips in amusement.

So lost was he in his thoughts that he didn’t at first register that Shiress was now commanding him to get himself ready for an inspection. He blinked and then immediately tried to say that he was fine and didn’t need any looking at, but she was firm and clearly quite practised and manoeuvring patients into doing what was required. It was shown quite nicely by the fact that as he moved out of the chair in an attempt to avoid the examination her positioned herself so that there was nowhere for him to back away but into the table. Feeling it against his hip he turned, sighed at having been caught so expertly, and nodded resignedly as he pulled off his shirt.

“I did nothing that big, she’s alright despite her mouth. And she’s the only family I have really…so it wasn’t a hard choice” he shrugged, not truly seeing that he had done much after all, many might have done the same, though he noted her slight paused and tilted his head thoughtfully as he watched her, “would if I could…but Sunberth isn’t like that…sadly” he sighed.

“You really don’t have to examine me if you don’t want to Dr Shi..Shiress. I’m alright, honestly. You look like you’ve been here a while, could use this time for a nap? No/ Sure? Ah…fine fine” he sighed, leaning back instead of hunching over and letting her see whatever it was she wanted to see.

He didn’t think he was that bad as Sunberthian standards went but she would find him covered with bruises of varying colours, depending upon how old they were. His work as a bouncer was rough and fights were frequent so even if no serious harm, was done in one go, over time it built up and this season had been particularly rowdy so far. There were the cuts from the Reimancy induction, of course, still healing and to his eyes red and a bit itchy, his palms in particular were annoying to him but he just assumed everything would heal in time and had bandaged them under the gloves – which he now removed for her so she could inspect and would also see his Lykata mark upon the back of his hand. The cut on his side from the brawl at Brega’s had fully healed, but was still fresh, but there were a few more gashes dotted around his chest and a few more upon his back that he pointed out.

“Sunberth…isn’t a nice place. But I’ve seen many with worse. I feel fine, though I’ve not really been able to see the one’s on my back. Cleaned them best I can. I don’t know…you’re the expert Shiress” he said softly, simply doing as she suggested and telling her what she wanted to know.

If she wanted to move him around he’d comply, he saw no reason not to though he didn’t tell her the specifics of what had caused any of his wounds. He’d answer if she asked but he just didn’t really like telling strangers – no matter how professional – the intricacies of his life.

[Shiress]

"Your modesty becomes you, Mr. Lysane." Shiress said, smiling, "Ask young Lys how she feels about what you have done for her in about ten summers, and I guarantee she'll agree with my assessment."

Shiress's gaze took in the man's torso as he situated himself on the table, one eyebrow arching. Alric's marked body could rival her own in the scar department. Most were freshly healed, and the doctor danced her fingertip along their bumpy surface, wanting to but refraining from asking any questions. Higher up, across Alric's chest, were a few more recent and angry-looking lacerations that could use a cleaning.

Shiress leaned close to peer over Alric's shoulder at his back and frowned. Stepping to the side, she pushed his shoulder, causing the man's upper body to twist around forward with a bit of encouragement. As the entirety of the man's back came into view, Shiress let out a long-suffering sigh, head shaking, as she pressed against the sides of the most significant cuts.

"You never went to a healer about your back, did you?" she asked, stepping back around to Alric's front,"And unless you are a secret Eypharian, I suspect you saying "as best I can" is Alric Lysane for "didn't clean it at all." Shiress huffed, giving the man a long, disgruntled glare. "How long ago did you receive these cuts? There's one here," she gave the laceration across one of Alric's shoulder blades a good poke, "should have been sewn up, but if it's been more than a day or so, I can't stitch it up because it's likely on its way to infection already. The rest, luckily for you, have closed and are on their way to healing. Bruises are fading, too, save the more recent ones."

Stepping back, the doctor's gaze traveled the length of Alric's chest, down to his stomach, assessing. When her eyes fell on the man's hand, she reached out one of her own, running the pad of her finger along what looked like, to Shiress's eyes, a tattoo of an intricate keyhole. Having her own gnosis, though, she knew better.

"A god's mark?" she asked, then absent-mindedly turned over the hand she held, letting out a little gasp at the healing scar on his palm. Shiress immediately grabbed for the man's other hand, lips parting slightly with an intake of breath, as her gaze landed on the twin scarring there.

Green eyes flicked up to Alric's blue, then back down at his hand, but the doctor remained silent. Shiress knew reimancy scars when she saw them, having seen Elias's and the ones of others Elias had...taught his craft to. The word 'taught' didn't seem to be the proper word to call it. Clearing her throat, she let the man's hand drop back into his lap. She had no issues with mages, but in Shiress's dealings with magic users, they seemed to take great issue with her. Best to let those sleeping hounds of Rhysol's sleep.

"I'm going to go gather the supplies I need to clean your back, some salve, and a few bandages." she turned to leave, adding over her shoulder, "Be right back."

Shiress gathered a pitcher, water basin, and bandages, dragged a vile of ointment from its cubby, and made her way back to her patient, feet dragging. She'd need to make fast work of Alric and his ward; Shiress's body had begun to really protest its lack of sleep, her ribs ached from that cursed ghost's beating, as did her forearm, where her master's ghost had ripped open the sutures, obliging Shiress to have someone restitch the wound for her. It had been too painful to repeat the stitching herself.

Walking back into the exam room, Shiress passed her patient with a grunted smile, placing the items she had collected beside Alric on the table. She tipped the pitcher over the basin, filled it with clean water, and dropped a cloth in. Stepping back, Shiress went to push up the sleeve of her shirt and hissed at the pain the movement caused. Glancing down, she gave the long, bloodred row of sutures a scowl before hesitantly lifting her eyes to see if her patient had noticed. Judging by the man's face, he had. Her mind began to race for something to say to dissuade the inquiries Shiress knew were coming. Speaking of the ghost might draw it to her, and Shiress had no intention of ever having to endure its torments again.

"I see you have noticed my slave's mark." she said, completely ignoring the fact that the angry red, stitched gash running the length of her forearm was much more blatant than the flesh-colored brand scarring her wrist. She moved back behind Alric to avoid the man's assessing gaze. "Being a product, quite literally, of the city of Sunberth, myself, I'm well aware that there are few men of your caliber from that lawless mud pit, Mr. Lysane."

Shiress poked and prodded the cut on the back of Alric's shoulder, ensuring there wasn't any dirt or other detritus inside of it, then began to clean Alric's back, lingering on any wounds so that they were thoroughly cleansed.

"I was a slave there for many a season," she explained, then went suddenly cold, realizing that mentioning her time as an enslaved person could lead directly back to.... precisely what she was trying to avoid; her slavemaster.

"That was long ago, though. I now live in Syka," she diverted, quite deftly, too, she thought, "And you? What do you do in Sunberth? Any family? Friends?" Shiress would keep the man talking and not asking if it killed her.

Done with the cleaning, Shiress covered the worst wounds with salve and bandaged them before stepping back in front of Alric to do the same with his chest.

"Lysandra shouldn't be too much longer," she said, studiously avoiding her patient's gaze, "Anything else you would like for me to look at before she returns?"






Word Count - 1043

[Alric Lysane]

“We’ll see, for now she seems intent on either haranguing me or sleeping. Perhaps in years to come I’ll find out and I’ll let you know,” he shrugged with a small grin, “but thanks for the words. I hope you’re right”

He was largely silent throughout the examination, letting her direct him with her hands and moving as she wished. He had no desire to fight her, she was the expert and besides which too much time had been spent fighting already this season – it was somewhat relaxing to just do what he was asked to do. Her touch was gentle, far gentler than Nessilie, and was possessed of none of the sarcastic barbs. Though barbs she had, with good reason, as she poked and prodded him as she huffed at his foolishness. He nodded with resignation, she was correct that he hadn’t managed to properly clean it. The day he had received the one’s on his back one of the guards had poured some vodka on it and had wiped it clean with watered rag but they had bene between brawls and so it had bene forgotten until later. He flinched as she jabbed the one upon his shoulder, hissing slightly at the pain that blossomed.

“No, I didn’t. Was too busy looking after Lys…but you’re right, that doesn’t excuse. I’ll remember in future. As to the one on the shoulder, 1st of the season. Along with the other shoulder, palms and the forearms. I’ve cleaned those but…well you’re the expert. As for the mark…Eyris paid me a visit a while ago” he said, his voice changing slightly to become lighter, it was a good memory now that other thing had ben resolved and he thanked for the usefulness of the Lykata powers.

With that Shiress was off to gather what supplies her gaze had told her she needed, and he was left by himself for a time. It really was a luxurious place, he reflected, looking around and wondering whether it had always bene used for the sick and injured. Absently he stretched out his hand to brush his fingertips across the wall, feeling its smooth shine with curious enjoyment. He closed his eyes and concentrated, letting his mind go blank slowly and letting the flickering images start flowing into his mind’s eye.

It was getting easier the more he used it, but even so he still only got a few impressions. He was starting to think that was a purposeful limitation, perhaps to show that knowledge should come slowly so that you could develop wisdom in its layered understanding. All of the images were medical in nature – a woman giving birth and the tearing pain finished it off and made him take his hand away, but there was an old man too who was aged and passing peacefully, and a youth with a badly mangled leg who was overjoyed that the healers had managed to fix all of it for his future life’s benefit. Shiress returned and he saw her in a slightly different light now, not just more appreciative for her efforts with the flooded emotions of the impressions, but also as a person – she was hurt, tired and he really wished now that he had not had to bother her so she could rest. Then he saw her cut and met her gaze and knew there was, her eyes widening and then immediately trying to shift the conversation to the other, older, mark he had seen upon her flesh.

He listened as she worked upon his back, grunting and sharply intaking breath as she worked at pressing and prodding him. He wasn’t sure what she was doing, she was out of his sight, but whatever it was seemed to be working after a while. The initial pains aside, once the cleansing had been finished and the salve applied, he could feel what had once been heated skin cool and ease somewhat. The bandages helped to bind things together and the soft pressure was a relief he hadn’t known he had needed. He made a mental note to visit her again if he ever got injured, she was right about him not taking that good care of himself. As she shifted back around to his front he looked up at her and met her gaze steadily.

“Slavery is a terrible thing, I wish I could scour it from Sunberth…from everywhere…but I’m more concerned about you now as you seem to have survived the past with strength enough to help others still. Admirable, I know we are thankful…but,” he reached out to gently brush the hair along her face aside and exposed further bruising around the jaw and neck with a frown, “who has been doing this to you Shiress? I’ve seen beatings but…this is what I’d expect from a guard not from a healer. Patients attacking you? Partner?” his questions were soft and his tone not accusatory, more curious and concerned.

“I’m a guard, at Ruby’s. If you were in Sunberth you know what place it is and how rough it can get. Look at me, I’m better off than you are. The cuts on my arms and shoulders were intentional…magic,” he said pointedly, “the back and bruising were the only ones that were from work. Do you need…help?” he asked quietly.

“No, I’m fine…but I’d like you to sit down and take a rest. Tell me what’s going on or not, it isn’t fair to make you work until you drop. When was the last time you ate? We could take you out for food and drink maybe? A thank you for your services. Syka is a beautiful place, so I’ve been told, but it seems everyone I meet from there has something happening to them this season” he said, non-judgemental and the opportunity to discuss hanging there gently between them both.

[Shiress]

The man was more observant than Shiress had given him credit for, and the doctor wondered if she should have headed Shade's warning not to return to work at The Redynn as she now recognized that this was precisely how word of her whereabouts could worm its way back to Ravok.

Alric's concern warmed the doctor's heart, but when his questions came, Shiress dropped her gaze with a minute shake of her head. How could she possibly even begin to explain that she was being haunted and abused by a violent ghost, a ghost that no one but she could see, and that her only companion accused her of inflicting those wounds on herself? No, it hadn't been Shiress's patients or a partner who had inflicted such injuries; it had been an apparition that wasn't even real.

"No, nothing like that." she replied, complying when Alric asked her to look at him, her gaze lifting.

Shiress quietly studied the man as he spoke of understanding and the capability of helping. The doctor's stoic outer shell cracked and began to fall away, especially with the mentioning of knowing others from Syka. Before Shiress knew it, she had dropped down into the chair beside Alric, trying to conjure the right words to explain her curse and remember the last time she had eaten. Still, even just that little bit of respite had the doctor near to drifting off and her mind wandering.

"He..he did it, he cut my arm, then choked me. Hit my face." she said, her voice taking on a dreamlike quality, "I couldn't do anything to stop it." The doctor glanced up, meeting Alric's gaze with sleepy eyes, "It was my ma-"

"And we're back!" Beth called, clambering back into the room with a freshly bathed Lysandra in tow, abruptly concluding the conversation.

Shiress stood slowly, smiling at Lysandra, a simple bath making the teen girl look much better, then turned her attention to her nurse.

"I'm going to step out and prepare the medication and gather a few more things if you'll get Lys here up on the table and comfortable." Turning back to Lysandra, Shiress said, "We'll get that leg taken care of and feeling better, and you and Alric can enjoy the rest of your day in the Outpost. Sound good?"

Gathering up the items she had used on Alric, Shiress smiled, patted the man on the arm, and strolled from the room. As soon as she had exited, the smile faded, and Shiress slumped against the counter. What had she about done? Gods, she had been about to tell a perfect stranger everything. She shook her head clear of that foolish notion and began gathering the supplies she would need for Lysandra, then returned to the exam room.

"Alright, young lady." Shiress produced a small cup with a cloudy liquid and handed it to the girl, "This is a little concoction of mine that will help you relax," she leaned in, faux whispering, "And a little high." she grinned, "Just so you don't kick my teeth out when I go poking around your leg."

Once the girl had drained the cup, the cocktail's effect didn't take long, and Lysandra's eyes started drooping. Shiress and Beth helped the girl lie back, and Shiress went to work.

Lysandra's leg had swollen and reddened around the brat's bite, but the heat radiating from the area coupled with the four sealed punctures that the doctor didn't like. Thanks to the bath, the wound itself was clean, so all was left to free that infection, clean out the wound, and bandage it. Hopefully, the girl's body would do the rest on its own.

Shiress explained all this to Alric, grabbed a scalpel, and turned back to the table. Starting at the topmost puncture, the doctor made a small opening over the top of each bite, satisfied when each wound released a hiss of puss just as she had wanted, pressing and prodding until each puncture bled freely without the nasty white infection. Shiress then cleaned Lysandra's leg, liberally applying every bite with a healthy amount of antibiotic ointment, then wrapped the girl's entire calf with a white bandage.

"Every other day, rebandage Lys's leg and apply this ointment," Shiress said, turning to Alric and offering him the small tube of medicine,"[/b] Beth will see that you get plenty of bandages before you leave."[/b] she added, glancing over her shoulder to see the girl and Beth giggling about something and smiling.

"Lys will be feeling pretty good for the next few bells," she said, looking back to Alric, "You should keep her off the leg as much as humanly possible," she laughed tiredly, "But, otherwise, I suspect Lysandra's body will do the healing on its own. If anything changes, let me know, okay?"

Shiress then did something she never did; she fled the exam room without allowing the time for questions or any more invitations. If the pair did have any, well, Beth was in there. Slumping wearily against the cabinet outside the room, the doctor rubbed at the arm that had collided with the side of the door in her haste to exit, heavy lids closing for a tick.


Word Count - 916

[Shade]

Big hands caught her as she fled the exam room. Shade growled under his breath as he caught the wayward doctor and glowered down at her. "Shiress." He rumbled, and gave her a little shake. "What in the world were you thinking coming here? Is this where you've been sneaking off too?" He said, exasperated in Tawna. The monk studied Shiress intently, shaking his head.

"You look like shyte. Haven't you been sleeping?" He asked in Tawna, glancing around. "You have patients in Syka to treat. Weren't you going to start a clinic up for the new kids? Randal came around today to ask about some drawings for the clinic he was going to build for you. He said something about the tent being not good enough." He said in Tawna, then carefully released her shoulders and took a step back.

He was pissed at the woman, but there wasn't much he could do about it if the fool lady wanted to go traipsing off who knows where and make her son an orphan. Gods, didn't she understand that Ian's father was absolutely gone - maybe for good - and she was all he had? Ian was the exact age Shade was when his parents were killed and it put him in a situation where he started living in a rock quarry breaking rocks just to have enough coin to put food in his mouth. He would have died if a monk hadn't reached out and taken an interest in him.

"That boy depends on you, Shiress! He's got things going on. Syka has things going on. You have things going on. What's so important that the healers here can't handle things... while you take care of things in your new home?!?" He snarled in Tawna, balling up his fists, then reaching up and running his hands through his hair. "Woman... you make me crazy. I promised Hadrian I'd watch out for you... but I can't do that if you are halfway to Gods know where." He snarled again in Tawna, reaching out and tapping her collar bone.

"Ian needs you to get some rest. To relax. To stop putting yourself in danger. You are worn thin and half your patients look like they are in better shape than you are." Shade snapped in Tawna, his face darkening in his anger.

First thing this morning he woke up and discovered she'd snuck off again like a wayward teenage girl. He'd searched the entire settlement and finally found Ian at Mistress Hess' place with the other kids working on his reading. Then he'd got her attention as she was walking around while the students were reading aloud to ask if Shiress had said where she was going and when she'd be back.

She scared him. She frustrated him. She made him crazy. "That little boy is not going to have a mother if you keep going on like you do, Shiress." He said in a quiet growl, his words in Tawna almost beyond comprehension. "Don't you think that's a little selfish of you?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow and stepping back to cross his arms over his chest.

Word: 525

[Alric Lysane]

His concern was palpable, he had seen enough beaten people in Sunberth to know that sometimes it might be deserved, but what a doctor who helped people could have done to deserve such things eluded him, and so his suspicion was that they were undeserved, and should be stopped if possible. It only seemed fair -one good turn for another in the grand scheme of things. Besides which, something called to him and told him to at least try to do something, set something in motions. He wasn’t sure why but that tingling feeling he got on occasion rose up and sung to him of the need to get involved. His fears seemed well placed as the words began to tumble from her, only to be cut off by the return of Lys and Beth.

Damn…later…we’ll talk later then he made the silent promise as Shiress set about getting things ready.

“Alric! I forgot to show you! Look…found these in the tunnels. Went in to try to get sellable things…but I guess should be yours now, for…for saving my life and…being…well…you know…my d-”

“Don’t say it”

“Dad”

“Gods above” he breathed at her persistence but ruffled her hair and took what she offered in her hands.

They were jewels – two of them in different colours – and throbbed with an inner light that could only be magic. He studied them as Shiress tended to Lys’ wound, he was no doctor that much he knew and so left it to the professional. As she worked, he tapped his Djed and summoned up his auristics, seeking to try to discern the secrets of these magic jewels. Magic they were too – impressions of functions vaguely echoing back to him and their auras three times their size at least. One felt icy cold, like a spike through his chest whilst the other felt like a protective blanket that brushed away everything outside. He frowned and considered using his Lykata, but the instructions from Shiress broke his concentration and he returned his attentions to her, slipping the jewels into his belt pouch and nodding at her words, but suddenly surprised as she all but fled the room, leaving them with the vaguest suggestion of tired tears beginning. Eyeing Lys, noticing she was still out of it and getting a nod from Beth he followed her after a few chimes of fussing over Lys.

As he walked down the corridor he slowed, noticing a man now taking to her in an animated way – almost perhaps forceful in his tone. He looked a fighter from the way he stood, muscles that showed at least appearing to have been trained at least somewhat. He approached as quietly as he could, eavesdropping as he got closer. The man’s words were hard to make out, some kind of flowery and perhaps archaic version of common. Listening and trying ti understand was almost a headache in and of itself, but it was clear enough hat he was haranguing her, which didn’t bode well given what she had told him in the examination room. Was this her attacker? Either way he resolved to get involved and stepped closer, leaning against the wall about three feet away and waving slightly at Shires before his eyes took in the man, considering and weighing, wondering if he was a better fighter than he was.

“Is this the one that did those…things…to you Shiress? If he is then I’ll happily get rid of the petcher. Just say the word, least I can do. Besides, I like throwing out trash” he noted, a slightly amused tone of voice but slightly harder eyes than usual as he looked at the man.