Xanadu Weyr - Observation Level
Dark blue seats form a semi-circle around the sands below, the lowest row separating from the sands themselves by merely a railing. The seats climb upwards, each row a bit higher then the previous, and they are broken up into sections by 3 sets of staircases. Lights are evenly spaced along the outer wall, lighting the seats and the sands easily, though they tend to be dimmed unless a major event is taking place. A large balcony looms overhead, darkening some of the seats, providing a place for observers of the draconic kind to watch without obstructing the view for others.
When one looks over the railing, the oddly hued sand below can be seen easily, the circle-shaped area of the sands spread out to the far walls, the sand itself a unique mixture of red and white grains.
Early in the morning, a brown firelizard pops in above Thea's desk. Toral has a piece of paper in his talons, and the brown chitters before letting it go and… disappearing again. So much for two-way mail service.
Every word of the message itself seems to have been erased at least twice. It's a wonder the page hasn't torn.
Thea -
Can you come see me at the sands?
Yes, there's a problem. No, it's not urgent.
- Soriana
Faithful brown that he is, Shep is curled up on the corner of Thea's desk. Where is Tocha? Off flitting about after Ruin, who thankfully isn't there when Toral pops in, trying to keep his annoyances to a minimum. The visit will be peaceful, even if short. Shep has time to give one sleepy-sounding sweet chirp of hello before Toral pops out.
Check-ins to Luraoth via Seryth is not the same as a personal visit - those have been less frequent than she'd have liked. So it's not too much later, not quite an hour has passed when the Weyrwoman mounts those stairs. It's autumn, the time when the air has a crisp bite to it in the mornings but the afternoons are still warm, so she's thankfully not wearing anything heavy and thick, but a lighter blouse and skirt. Nevertheless, she's come with the heat of the hatching grounds in mind. In her hands are two bowls of something frosty and cold, the chill beading the outside of the bowls with moisture. Inside each one, mounded heaps of something creamy, tinted a buttery color (don't worry - it's not yellow snow) with a spoon sticking in the top. One is offered over to Soriana as Thea greets her with, "Citron chiffon ice cream. Because it's hot in here and I suspect breakfast may have been hit or miss." It's said with a lift of one dark brow. Yep, that was a question.
It's like there's always more work to be done. Always! And Soriana, well… paperwork has been appearing at the sands for her, and it's even been returning to the office, but… really, she's not been much help. Not given her level of experience and the fact that she's focused on taking care of Luraoth and not melting in the process. Still, she's at least been doing okay at that part. (It's not like she doesn't know the theory, given that study as a dragonhealer.) Luraoth's been generally happy, in those talks with Seryth. Usually she's curled on the sands with her eggs and Kanekith - as now. Autumn may have arrived outside, but in here, it's still hot, and Soriana… is bothered. For a while after sending that message, she sat on the edge of the cot that (finally) arrived - the one where Ka'el now sleeps, covered by the lightest possible sheet that she pulled up over him to make it less obvious that he was there when she left to pace and think. Think, think… Thea. The Weyrwoman's arrival brings Soriana's eyes darting there, a quick smile of relief followed by hurried steps to meet her. For all she said it wasn't urgent, she certainly looks worried about… something. "Oh," she says with a glance to the bowl, reaching down to take it. "Thanks." She takes the spoon in hand, giving the ice cream a little nudge before looking up to Thea again. Breakfast? "I had some. Sort of." Because Ka'el brought - she frowns.
Breakfast isn't usually the thing one frowns about. The cooks and bakers take pride in their provender, having a variety of baked rolls, pastries, fried crisp ham, bacon, tasty sausage, eggs, potatoes and hot cereals each morning. Thus the frown is further questioned with a tilt of Thea's head. "Sort of? What's that mean?" she asks before taking her own spoon out and using it to point at Soriana's bowl. "Eat it before it melts," she suggests with a partial smile. Partial because her eyes are taking the girl's measure, noting the fray of emotions and knowing what the note said. She doesn't notice Ka'el right away, but thankfully she's kept her voice down. She doesn't move towards the cot either but sits where they are, sinking into one of the seats while patting the one next to her in a silent invitation. "If you're is sick of sitting, feel free to stand. I've been on my feet all morning." That's unusual says the eyeroll. Her own spoonful is placed in her mouth, though when it's swallowed, she asks, "So. Problem you said. What's up?"
"It means…" Soriana begins, then stops to take a spoonful of ice cream as directed. Because while food was brought, she didn't have much appetite, because Ka'el… "It's good." The ice cream. "And I've been eating okay." She gives her head a little shake, because that's not what's important here. This was not a ploy to get ice cream, even if it is tasty. "I've been doing a lot of sitting, too." Her gaze drifts off to the cot - yeah. He's still asleep. Or lying there silently and staring at the ceiling, she supposes, but close enough. She'll know if he can hear them soon enough, because her eyes go back to Thea and she nods, once, sharply, then folds herself quickly down to that seat. "Ka'el -" She pauses a moment, sorting through the words and trying to force her emotions down. She can't entirely, but the frowning set of her jaw at least doesn't prevent her from speaking. "- was attacked." Probably not how he'd describe it. Too bad.
A mildly skeptical expression forms on Thea's face at that 'eating okay' assurance. She'll let it slide, however, even if reluctant to do so. She draws her own conclusions, which she doesn't voice either. And apparently meal delivery isn't the problem she's been called here for. "The sands aren't-" She interrupts herself to lean forward and peer at the sands, shadowy because the lights are low this early, looking for technicians checking temperatures or doing adjustments. It feels hot enough in here to her! So much that it prompts her to take another bite of the icy stuff while her eyes scan down there. She hears Soriana say Ka'el's name but when she doesn't finish, Thea turns back. "Attacked?" More puzzled than alarmed, for Seryth hasn't reported a ruckus from the dragons of Xanadu. She casts for the possibilities, no, there's been no late-night carousing from the drunks in the Wandering Wherry, she'd know that because- "What happened now?" Did she hear correctly? Maybe she did?
Admittedly, the reason Soriana's been eating okay has less to do with the meal delivery she should be getting and more to do with the fact that her friends have decided the only proper way to come visiting is while bringing a snack, but she's not starving. Besides, Luraoth's okay with her running quick errands. And it's both hot enough and not too hot, out on the sands, so Soriana shakes her head at that part. (And, yes, she did make Jethaniel come out and assure her all the systems had been triple-checked. She felt no guilt about it, either.) Soriana's frown is one sign that she's serious about it. Her nod of confirmation is another. And then she explains. "He went back to Black Rock, to tell his family. It…" a quick shake of her head, "didn't go well." That part, she'll skim over. Ka'el would probably rather she skipped it entirely - no, never mind that probably, he'd rather she weren't having this conversation in the first place. He asked her not to do anything about it. Too bad. "His brother attacked him. He's… got bruises." Which she wouldn't be bothering Thea about. "Maybe cracked ribs." Which she is.
Friends bearing snacks to the sands-bound. Thea remembers that well, probably also why she'd thought to bring the ice cream - someone must have done it for her in the past. The answers she's getting to her questions this morning, seem to be given by headshakes, frowns and facial expression rather than words, but the Weyrwoman is used to picking up nonverbal cues. Yes, she saw the initial report from her steward, but machines are like that - they wait until you least suspect and then they go boom. While relieved the sands are currently fine, she is also aware how serious Soriana is. Listening carefully, her brows inch together until by the end she's frowning heavily. "When did this happen? And where is he?" Her bowl of ice cream is forgotten, even if it is making her palm numb by now. And melting. Oh well.
"Yesterday," Soriana says, and for the other question… she leaves her spoon stuck in the melting ice cream and points back to her cot. "He brought me breakfast." And now she can't keep her voice entirely level, because something lump-like catches in her throat as she reports. She pretends it isn't there. "…and…" Nope. Deep breath. She can do this. "No open injuries, breathing steady, I applied numbweed and told him he wasn't going to formations, and he's asleep" still, she hopes, "and I don't know how to take him off the duty roster and he doesn't want to do anything about it but I can't just let it go and he's not going to hurt himself more by trying to stay on duty and -"
"Yesterday," says the Weyrwoman looking grim. Why is she only hearing about this…now? The one-word implies the question, as does the ice in the eyes that pin her junior with a stare. It's not voiced, no. That is of secondary importance and she'll perhaps get to that later. Perhaps. She understands covering for a friend. Besides, there are more pressing concerns at the moment. Another non-verbal answer. Her eyes swing towards the cot, following the junior's pointing finger. Oh he's here? The bowl of ice cream is set down abruptly on the arm of one of those seats with a clank and a rattle of spoon against glass. Her intent is to march over there and… But Soriana is still speaking, the emotion in the young woman - very young yet - is unmistakable. Thea stops and, if not avoided, rests a hand on her shoulder, meant to be a comforting squeeze of fingers. "Easy. Take another deep breath." She waits, then adds, "You did the right thing. He shouldn't have been in formations." So there's that. As for the duty roster, with a bark of a laugh, she says, "Oh that's easy. You take him off. Notify his wingleader. Tell, don't ask. You outrank him." Her lips form a grim smile, "And Ka'el." Oh she knows that's not going to be pleasant but, "I had to fire my own weyrmate." If Thea could do that, then Soriana can put her boyfriend on leave. Now she heads to that cot.
Ice though that gaze may be, Soriana has no issue with meeting it. She's not the one who delayed the report. Well, okay, she could have made it a bit faster if she'd written down details, but… yeahno. As those comforting fingers rest on her shoulder, the junior swallows, though the lump doesn't want to go down entirely, and takes in that breath. Easy? It's hardly that, but… okay. Maybe the wing duties part is easy. Soriana nods slightly. "I had Luraoth tell them he wouldn't be there today." Telling, not asking. So… more of that! She takes another breath, nodding slowly at Thea's mention of her weyrmate. There could be questions there, but… no, she's not going to ask them. Not of Thea, and especially not now, when other concerns push them aside. She rises a moment after Thea, following the senior down to the cot. "He… stayed there or something, last night. I don't know." Her words are quiet, not wanting to disturb Ka'el. "I just…" she gives her head a quick shake. Deep breath. "Kanekith got upset yesterday and left. Luraoth didn't press him." Soriana frowns at herself. She should have… but how could she have known? "And they came back this morning." And here they are. Kanekith, down on the sands, calm now. Ka'el… not the most restful of sleepers, at the moment. His chest rises and falls, breathing that's fairly steady though definitely not deep, and the sheet's pulled up enough to hide most of the bruising, though a hint of splotched blue and purple shows - because Soriana was not going to try to get a shirt back on him. That adventure can wait until he's awake.
It's an aside, the mention of her firing Xanadu's Weyrsecond (she seems to fire people a lot, doesn't she? Heh), meant merely as a supportive comment on having to be tough. Or something. Thea's mind is already moving on. To the explanation of why report on something of such a serious nature has been delayed, her expression softens, "I see. So you didn't know." She stops beside the cot, concern etched on her brow as she looks at the young rider and Soriana fills her in on the rest. Her expression clouds as she notes the bruising, hears he'd remained in Black Rock overnight. "Most likely unfit to fly," she muses, then lifts troubled eyes to the young woman beside her and says gravely, "He needs to be seen by the healers."
Maybe Thea wouldn't have to fire people so often if it weren't for her hiring practices? Buuut that's not really what Soriana's worrying about, today. That would be what's lying on her cot, and her gaze falls on Ka'el as the two weyrwoman stand over him. Still sleeping? He looks like it. However he was last night, he certainly didn't seem like he got much rest. Soriana wouldn't have either, if she'd known… but she didn't. "No." It's soft, said to Thea - but Soriana's eyes are on Ka'el, not the senior weyrwoman. She sent the firelizard within the hour of Ka'el's arrival, even with all her second-guessing of the message. Thea arrived within an hour of that. The delays… have been of Ka'el's doing, becase of… She swallows again at the mention of being unfit to fly, and nods. The words make it sound so serious. They're true, of course, but… it's serious. Unfit to fly… and in need of healers. Real healers, not a junior dragonhealer pretending for the day. Soriana nods. "Okay. He…" She frowns. "I'd rather he not move." Because she remembers the pained looks.
That wouldn't be nearly as fun! Though. She didn't hire the Weyrsecond, the previous Senior did. There were, however, some alarming similarities in that particular scenario to present hiring practices - maybe that's where she learned them? Ka'el is getting Thea's attention also, her nod to Soriana given in an absent manner. Those bruises peeking over the top of the sheets. She wants to see the extent of them. "He shouldn't be moved until they've seen him," she starts to agree pinching the sheet and lifting it. Hope you've got shorts on under there Ka'el!
Sleeping. Yes, that's what Ka'el is finally doing after hours of .. well, not doing so. Hours instead spent listening to dragons and people coming in and out to look at eggs and place bets on dragon colors and listening to candidates reactions to egg touching and remembering the not-so-long-ago time when that at himself down there. And he thought about other things less pleasant. Things that hurt as much as those battered ribs. And he finally slept, at some point, and sleeps still now, the bare torso beneath the sheet that covers him purpled with bruising. His ears are deaf to the voives around him. Forehead glistened with sweat, though that's likely to be expected after being here for a prolonged period of time. Though once those sheets shift on his skin as they're lifted, he begins to rouse. Yay! He's wearing pants. Un-yay, to the extent of injury. Bruised muscle is seen down the extent of his ribcage on the side. Red, blue, purple. He winces. Not due to Thea, but because with wakefulness the mind becomes conscious of pain. And pain isn't pleasant to wake up to. "Ungh.."
Okay, good. No moving Ka'el. Well, not good exactly, but… Soriana is glad to not have any arguments. Not with Thea, anyhow. She nods, and she opens her mouth to say something - probably asking how best to get a healer to show up here - when it's interrupted by Ka'el's groan. She frowns, and her words of planning are lost in favor of the situation itself. She reaches out without thinking, touching her fingers lightly to the back of Ka'el's hand nearest her. It's meant to be soothing. She didn't mean to wake him. Maybe she'll be having an argument soon, because, well… reporting it to Thea probably doesn't count as leaving things alone. Still, for the moment, concern is her dominant expression.
"Or at all," Thea manages to say after stifling a gasp at the extent of the bruising. Ka'el is waking up, but her hand is frozen, the sheet remaining lifted as she stares at the injury with a rising fury that is reflected in her face. A muffled bellow from the clearing has her swallowing that emotion and her expression, while slow to follow, eases to something more pinched with concern than rage. Her voice, however, still trembles with anger when she says, "Though he should have ice on this. That'll be a challenge in here." Right now the important thing is treating the injury. And so there's not even a hello to the waking Ka'el. "There could be internal injury, internal bleeding. Bruises this large can form clots that become emboli." Isn't she just the bearer of pleasant thoughts. Okay, a healer she is not, but after turns of reports and visits to the infirmary, she knows some of the hazards. "Seryth is bespeaking the healers dragons," she informs Soriana after a pause. So soon they should all come running.
Emboli? Bleeding? … Wonderful words to wake up to! Ka'el's eyes blearily blink open, getting a blurred look at the ceiling above and two, heads in his peripherals. Thoughts are a jumble, and it takes some doing to untie the knot. Where is he? How did he get here? How long has he been asleep? .. Was he asleep? "Bowl eye?" His voice sounds groggy and he blinks hard to clear his vision. Ow. He's slow to realize that there's a sensation to his hand. The touch of fingers, and he turns his head that way, looking up to Soriana who is visually enough to soothe those tumbling thoughts of his. He inhales a breath, too deep of one apparently, for his expression tightens in response. A wince. He exhales slowly, and it's then that his brain catches up and informs him that that wasn't Soriana's voice he heard. Nope! The other head in his vision? Thea's. Eyes widen at the Weyrwoman senior. What's she doing here? "Th-th.. Weyrwoman Thea! I..shards! Er," Cursing. Not good. "Shit.. uh.." Stop. Cursing. In. Weyrwoman's. Presence! He attempts to sit up properly, but only succeeds in scooching up half an inch before grimacing again.
Soriana has seen that injury before. She doesn't like it any better this time, but at least she was prepared… unlike Thea. She glances to the weyrwoman, seeing the signs of anger, and looks away again, watching Ka'el. That bellow doesn't surprise her, and on the sands, Luraoth lifts her head to watch, her thoughts twining with Kanekith's and washing protectively over the eggs, shared between them. Soriana's seen the injury before, but she hadn't understood the full nature of the problem. Dragon bones are tougher than human ones, and their circulatory systems work differently. Healing them isn't the same, and as Thea describes what might be, Soriana pales slightly. "…shards." See? She's doing it too, Ka'el. No need to worry… about that. Emboli? Yes. Lectures? Probably, yes. Sitting up… "No, don't," Soriana informs him sharply as she sees him starting to move. Fear fuels her glare. She might not have known what to do - might have made a mistake in saying it wasn't urgent - but… at least she asked for help. Ka'el can get mad at her for involving Thea later, so long as he can get mad at her.
There is no hesitation. Thea's hand finds an unbruised spot on - or near Ka'el's shoulder and gently halts that upward motion, "Lie down," says the Weyrwoman with a firm 'don't argue' tone. There's no doubt that it's an order. The cursing - of both goldrider and bronzerider are overlooked. "How's your head, Ka'el?" Her words may have been blunt, but her tone is kind as she asks that, her own emotions held well in check by now - at least in her vocal tone and facial expression. When she turns her head to her junior, there will, however be fear in her green eyes, "Soriana, has he taken any fluids? And do you have something chilled here with you?"
Women. Always telling him what to do! But both Soriana and Thea have the right of it. He probably shouldn't be moving … even though Ka'el's sure V'dim would insist he stand at attention when in the presence of any Senior Weyrwoman, especially their own! He could be losing an eye, and it'd be no excuse not to. And so he looks imploringly at Soriana, but doesn't argue. Though a 'what is /she/ doing here??' sort of look could likely be gleaned in those eyes. Then there's Thea's hand and command which he does in fact obey. He settles back down with furrowed brows, eyes flicking from weyrwoman to weyrwoman. … In any other circumstance, this would be something like a dream come true. Ka'el, shirtless. Soriana on one side, Thea on the other.. *cough* "Ma'am, my head's fine," he assures. "I'm fine. You needn't've been bothered.."
One corner of Soriana's mouth quirks at that look from Ka'el. It's not a smile. It's almost an apology… but not really. More like an acknowledgment. Yep. She knows Thea's there, and she looks back to her now, attention prompt. There's a fear to answer Thea's in Soriana's gaze - but she meets those eyes, and her voice is steady enough. Bedside manner: engaged. Thea's got roughly the same degree of reflexive respect from Soriana as a senior dragonhealer, so that part's easy. She just has to ignore the fact that this is Ka'el lying here and pretend it's a dragon. One she's never met before. Has Ka'el taken fluids? "Not since getting here." She doesn't know what he did before, but patients aren't to be trusted. They forget things. Or pretend things are fine when they aren't. "I have cold-" It's been a couple hours. "-cool water." Chilled? "There's… the ice cream?" Cold glass bowls! "Or…"
Thea snorts. Needn't have bothered indeed! She doesn't even give that comment the dignity of a verbal answer. Though she doesn't believe his answer regarding his head, either. While she speaks, gentle fingers palpate his skull, part the hair, checking for blood or lumps. "You are not fine, Ka'el. Seryth tells me Kanekith can feel your pain. His breathing is too shallow." She levels a stare at him. He's aware his dragon is uncomfortable? Soriana's answer draws a wince. He hasn't had fluids in who knows how long then. "Water's best," she says to Soriana, turns her head to murmur something about Luraoth.
Thea mutters to Soriana, "… ease… Luraoth's… won't… in… in…"
Thea whispers "Seryth will ease Kanekith with Luraoth's assistance if she won't mind another queen's mental presence in here? She'll remain in the clearing."
Ka'el doesn't remember if he drank anything, so he doesn't even try to input anything helpful to that. But he's thirsty now. The talk of drinks and ice cream brings attention to a dry tongue and throat, and he gingerly swallows while otherwise trying to keep himself still. Being still doesn't hurt as much, and breathing lightly is key. So he plays at being a statuesque mummy, moving as little as possible, not able to protest the prodding to his head from which Thea will find no trauma there. That's a plus, at least? His eyes wince and tighten, not due to any stabs of pain, but in response to Kanekith. His eyes flit towards the sands in concern. His pain is not his pain alone. In his pain, he nearly forgot. "We'll be…all right… right?" he asks. Internal injury. Emboli. Remnants of words remembered upon awakening. "Kanekith will be.. okay?"
Soriana nods to Thea about the water, then leans in to catch the softer words. The nod for that one is less prompt, because her eyes dart to the sands for a moment first for a moment of silent communication. "Yeah. It'll be okay," she says - to Thea. Not to Ka'el's question, though perhaps it could be interpreted so by an anxious bronzerider… but she's not looking at him when she says it. Luraoth looks at Kanekith, though. The gold lowers her head, ceasing to watch the stands to instead turn her attention to the bronze keeping her company. Her thoughts reach out to his, the warmth of summer that's faded outside these walls but still exists here in Luraoth's mind - and not her mind alone, either. Up on the sands, Soriana darts into motion. Water, yeah, she has water. It starts with ice in it - it starts mostly ice, really, but it doesn't stay that way for long in the heat here. But there's still a few bits of floating ice, as she fills up a cup, so it can't be entirely tepid - and if she can just find it… there. A straw, because otherwise Ka'el's going to have a hard time drinking. The point is not to give him a bath. The point is, to have a drink. "Here." She holds it near his head. Holding his own cup? Nooo, that's suspiciously like dignity. He'd better get used to a lack of it, the healers will be here soon.
"Kanekith will be alright if you are alright," Thea says the tersely. "So you'll need to be honest with us - and with the healers. Don't be playing tough, you got me?" The clipped words make it evident that some of her control is slipping in her concern. This could have all ended so differently! And it might yet. She is, however, looking relieved that she's found nothing obviously wrong with his head, and so stops riffling through the bronzerider's hair, withdraws her hands. She holds up one finger (nono, not her middle one. That'd most likely be Darsce's method but then making Ka'el laugh right now would not be helpful), "How many fingers am I holding up?" She'll listen to the answer, infirm the healers if he's having visual difficulties such as seeing double or having trouble focusing. While Soriana gives Ka'el water, she frets. "Damn it. Where are those healers?" Now who's cursing? Seryth's presence sweeps slowly into the hatching grounds, mindful to avoid the eggs, touching only the young gold and her bronze mate in a curtain of gentle mist to mingle with Luraoth's summer as a warm and soothing sunshower.
Kanekith's mind rarely reflects things cheerful. It has once, after flight and catching, where everything was wonderful and warm and happy. Rainbows and butterflies. But he isn't a rainbow and butterfly type of bronze, and even with the lingering contentment of the passing sevens and months, his cheer has been felt as a dark blanket of protection. Patroling shadows. Now as Luraoth checks him, her summer warmth is cooled by his autumn breeze that's a little too cold for the season. The cold of worry and ache, yet still strong and protective, growing heavier at the arrival of Seryth. Oh..but she is his queen. No need to be wary. Ka'el's lips pull downward into a frown right up until that water is brought for him. And held for him? He protests. He can handle holding a cup for Faranth's sake! But moving his arm on that particular side hurts more than he anticipated, and so he relents. This time. He drinks from the straw, feeling instant relief. He nearly drains it before taking a breath, eyeing Thea's hand. "One.." he says with just a hint of a scowl. "And ten plus fourteen is twenty-four, and I live on Xanadu weyr and my dragon's name is Kanekith an' he's a bronze knucklehead…" He takes a shallow breath. "M'not lying. My head is perfectly fine." In a sense. "Give me any test of V'dim's an' I'll ace it, swear."
Autumn, or so Luraoth would have Kanekith know, need not always be cold. Oh, the shadows grow, yes. Kanekith need not be bright - but there's warm days still, times when the sun shines, times when the rain is gentle and washes away what's unpleasant - for Seryth's presence is accepted, though there is a certain protectiveness in Luraoth still. Her eggs are kept buried beneath the ground, in her mind, though their shells are by now visible above the sands. Soriana holds the water for Ka'el to sip, ignoring (well, no. Pretending to ignore) his protests. Attempting to ignore her guilty feeling as he drains the thing - how thirsty must he have been? He brought her breakfast, and she… no. Ignore it now. Just a nod as he finishes it, something that might be satisfaction, and a quick turn away to refill it. His reaction to the test of wits makes her smile - though he probably can't see it - then quickly blink her eyes a few times. He probably can't see that, either, and then Soriana is back again with new water - though she pauses before offering it to Ka'el, leaning toward Thea.
Soriana mutters to Thea, "… long… he's…"
You whisper "More water's okay, right? As long as he's tolerating it?" to Thea.
Thea actually chuckles at Ka'el's irate answer. "Okay, so your head is fine, I believe you now; the rest of you…" That'll be up to the healers to decide. "As long as he's cantankerous enough to be grumpy I don't think we need to worry overmuch," she says to Soriana. "If he gets listless or pale then speak up. I'm going to get the healers." Yes, Ka'el, they're talking about you even though you're right there to hear it. "Save some of that water. He should probably have cool cloths if you have anything to use. He felt hot to me." Bedbath anyone? But hey - she's not a healer, so what does she know anyhow? She watches Ka'el drink, relief in her face as she turns to go fetch them. Soriana's whisper stalls her departure and she turns back, a half frown on her lips as she eyes the prone bronzerider. Then with a small frown of concern, knowing that her next words will likely be protested, if not by the junior then by the bronzerider she answers in like manner.
Thea mutters to Soriana, "… in… amounts…. to hit… fast…….. really… heat… much in… sure…"
Thea whispers "Occasional sips in small amounts. We don't want to hit his stomach with too much too fast. ……. And, he really can't stay here, Soriana. The heat is too much in here. I'm sure the healers won't allow it."
Ka'el doesn't see any of those Soriana reactions, no, but he is pleased by Thea's diagnosis of his head being fine. He told her! The mentioning of healers has him pulling a face though. Nobody likes healers poking and prodding and painfully fixing! But … 'fixing' is the key word, and he has Kanekith to think of. And so his eyes ping pong between weyrwoman junior and weyrwoman senior as Thea speaks to Sori about him. "All due respect…but you try not feelin' hot…after bein' laid up in here for…" A pause. "How long have I been here?" It's hard to tell the passage of time when one is sleeping! Regardless, cool cloths sound grand and despite the pain, he's not getting any deathly feelings. No sudden light that he feels he should be heading towards. Yet, anyway. His eyes half close as he turns his head to sip at the straw, only swallowing a gulp this time as murmuring ensues. "I can hear you…y'know. What're you.." aslight wince as he shifts his weight a little to properly glare, "..sayin' about me?" He has a right to know! Or so he thinks.
Soriana nods to Thea. "He was acting okay earlier." When she should have called the healers. When she… didn't, because… she frowns, looking away briefly before returning her gaze to Thea and nodding. Listless. Pale. Oh, so humans can go off-color, too? Good to know. Get him cooled down? "I'll do what I can." Until the healers (belatedly) get here. And… she leans toward Thea again, first nodding and then frowning… but she looks down and away and nods again without replying in words, turning to let Thea go get those healers. Soriana herself goes to Ka'el's side. "That once the healers get here, we'll get you cooled off." It's… kinda sorta true. The healers will inspect him and figure out what precautions they need to move him and then take him away! So. It'll work out? And in the meantime, Soriana gets a clean… napkin, okay… and pours some cool water on it for Ka'el's forehead.
There's a look shared with Soriana at Ka'el's protest that says 'See? Grumpy!' and a ghost of a smirk flickers about her mouth. She manages to control it though, to answer both his irritable comment and the question in one go as she says mildly, "Right now we don't want you overheated." Especially if he's bleeding inside, but she doesn't tell him that. The healers, oh the hated healers who will do so much for people when they are too near death to protest their ministrations, will be along, probably with bootprints in their behinds. She'll be sure of that. And she'll likely return with them. Or be awaiting Ka'el's stretcher'd arrival in the infirmary. Right before she leaves, she murmurs something else to Soriana and then is gone.
Thea mutters to Soriana, "There's no… couldn't go… if Luraoth… all right. The eggs… like… leaving Xanadu."
Thea whispers "There's no reason you couldn't go with him if Luraoth will be all right. The eggs are hardening and it's not like you're leaving Xanadu."
Cooled down and not overheating. That's what they were talking about? Ka'el gives a brow quirky look to the both of them but … he accepts that answer. What choice does he have against two weyrwomen? So he grunts a sort of answer and settles back down, quiet now, and yes hot but that's to be expected. Comfortable? Hardly, but he's not outwardly complaining. The healers are coming and they may fix things. Or make things worse before fixing them. "Goodbye, Weyrwoman Thea," he says in her wake, wrinkling his nose at how final the phrase sounds. Goodbye cruel world! But, he's not dying. Kanekith would know if there was something really wrong, right? And he'd lament. He laments about things far less crucial than death. The cool press of the wet napkin on his head might as well be ice, and he exhales a breath of relief. "Shards…" he says thankfully, eyes closing fully for a moment. Silence for a few seconds, then. "…You're worryin' for nothin' babe."
As long as Ka'el can protest the healers, he probably doesn't need them too - well. As badly as he could. Soriana nods agreement to Thea's answer about overheating. It's a perfectly reasonable answer. They'll just… haul ice down to pack around him here, that's it. Or! How about that mister fan? Problem, solved, and Soriana's not going to say otherwise. Not to Ka'el. She nods to Thea again, with a glance to the sands at Luraoth and Kanekith, gaze lingering on the bronze one of the pair before returning to the bronzerider. A cool cloth, yes. That'll help. It does, though there's a brief anxious flicker before she's sure that was relief instead of pain. "Good," she says to Ka'el's words. It's almost… fervent. "I'd better be." Half a smile. It's a joke. Sort of.
A smirk to her light words. He'll take the joke. "Feel like a shardin' invalid…" Ka'el murmurs, but not how he's not asking her to stop any of her attention giving. Especially that napkin to the head because that feels wooonderful. But not so wonderful is the other attention he gets from curious people who saw the Weyrwoman up here and sees the rider on a cot with the bruises and will see the healers when they get here and… he frowns, eyes opening. "Tell me there's not … gonna be trouble," he says, looking her in the eyes. "Shards. Thea needn't've known. She's not going to do anything, right? The healers .. that's the lot of what she's aimin' to do, eh?" Surely Soriana would know. She's a weyrwoman! And weyrwomen must have telepathic powers that tell each other what their plans are.
…uhhhh, that might be because Ka'el is an invalid, what with being on sick leave until further notice. Those staring people are at least keeping their distance for now, but they'll probably talk all about the stretcher-bearing healers. It'll be around the Weyr by nightfall! Soriana re-wets the cloth, eyeing Ka'el's chest but deciding to stay away from the injury for now, instead going over his forehead once again. "You can do my paperwork for me?" Soriana suggests. Keep the tone light. Engage the patient. "It'll prove your health." …talking about trouble and Thea's involvement doesn't seem like keeping the tone light. "She's not going to do anything crazy." Unlike Ka'el? Of course, non-crazy things to do… "But she knows how to get the healers moving." And other things moving, if she decides, but… "Shards, it's a good thing she did come, huh? They didn't even listen to Seryth." Or they'd be here by now! So. On that light (again) note. "Want more to drink?"
Nothing crazy? That's comforting…he guesses. Though just how 'not crazy' is nothing crazy? He really isn't worth all this fuss! The anger from Thea … Ka'el didn't see it, but he could feel it through Kanekith. A surprising thing, that flare of emotion, though he doubts it was a personal reaction. He's one face within many. One rider among hundreds. Surely she's done with it now, passing the buck to whomever it needs to be passed along to so she can tend to bigger things. He's convincing himself, and he begins to breathe a little easier. "I'm all right, thanks.." said of the drink. "And do your own paperwork. I jus' told Thea my brain is fine. Why would I fry it with your boring work?" A vague grin that's ruined by a cough, wholly ruined by a curse as his body somewhat doubles in. Now that hurt. Coughing has earned the number one spot on the list of Things Not To Do. "Mother of..f…rrrngh!" Ouch. He braces, waiting for it to subside, which it eventually does. "..They're gonna move me away…aren't they?"
Soriana will let Ka'el convince himself, since he seems to not be worrying about it too much - and she's not going to remind him of it, if his thoughts have moved on. She nods about the drink, then smiles. It's not an entirely untroubled one, but it's a smile. "Can't imagine. On account of my brain being fried, see." Because of the paperwork. Light it is, until… oh, the cough makes her frown. It makes her lean forward, water in one hand, practically hovering… not that there's anything she can do about it. Just… wait. For the cough to subside. For the healers to get here. Waiting sucks. And… at his question, she looks away. "They'll probably want to check you out in the infirmary. Machines and stuff."
Machines! And poking and medicine and a bed. .. Ka'el won't protest the bed. But everything else earns a frown. Being moved earns a frown too, for as hot as it is here, and as uncomfortable the cot and unwanted the staring… "I was jus' gettin' used to havin' you around again.." he says with a vague and crooked little smirk. Granted, it's only been a few hours, but they have been hours of no fighting or awkwardness or misspoken words and unsure feelings. Ka'el has a whole host of other things to worry about, but Soriana isn't one of them. "Will you come?" A pause. "Not…exactly right now.. But, later.. Maybe. If Luraoth doesn't mind?" Another pause, then, "But.. you've gotta wait til they.. fix me up and make look less like an invalid." Because she hasn't already seen him at his worst or anything, laid up in a cot near hot sands, wincing and cursing at every move.
"Luraoth will be okay with Kanekith," Soriana says, and then she manages a moment of stern, "if you get it taken care of." So no arguing with the healers, except, do argue with the healers so she knows it's not deathly! "Besides. I've got to see what they say so I know if you're doing it right." A half-smile for the half-joke, and then Soriana leans in, touching her lips to his. It's a real kiss - he doesn't have any head injuries, after all - but it's a short one, because heavy breathing would be a bad idea. So. It's rather abbreviated, and not even because there's sounds at the bottom of the stairs as the healers start to arrive.
"I will, geeeeze…" says Ka'el, exaggeratedly rolls his eyes. "I'll do whatever they say, alright? .. Unless … they want to stick me." He frowns at that. No needles. "Or if they try…to make me swallow too many things. Or if they try to give me tests like Thea's. I…already passed her test. I'm not mentally challenged." So in short, he'll be the greatest patient as long as the healers are on his terms. Excellent! Isn't that always the way infirmary visits go? The patient dictates what happens? It is in Ka'el's world apparently, and for a brief moment he looks smug. But smug disappears as he's kissed, melting towards a look of peace. And a half skip of his heart, but the kiss is too short to give much more than that. He frowns, hearing the thump of feet. Feet that sounds like they're carrying a stretcher and stern faces and all that official healer business! "One more. Please?" She can't say no to an injured guy that says please, right? "I've got a feelin' they'll be prescribin'.. no kissing…." And he's already had no kissing!
…and the worst of it is, Soriana's pretty sure they've got a good reason to prohibit kissing, along with doing all those other things Ka'el is objecting to. It's for his health. His own good. She's already messed up by not taking this seriously enough. She should … okay no she can't resist. She's already done enough things Ka'el didn't ask for, she can't not do this one he's asking for. He'll probably be mad at her once he figures out she's the one who sent for Thea. Once Thea does whatever it is Thea's going to do, once the healers poke and prod and… yeah. He'll be mad at her, so while he isn't, she leans in and kisses again. One more. … okay. Two more, but they're small, because he needs to breathe in between, and that's all there's time for before healers are arriving to begin the poking and prodding. They usher most people away. Soriana… yeah, she's not going anywhere. After all, this is her Ka'el, and she's just been reminded that she outranks… well, pretty much everyone. So she stays. And when they take him away - because they do - she makes sure Luraoth's okay staying with Kanekith, and then goes with. At least for a little while.
Anger. Maybe. That may be the reaction to everything, once everything unfolds. If those creases of the fold are deep and crooked and ruin the picture within, he may be angry. But anger depends on many factors. Does he have enough anger left to harbor more of it? He was already angry at her before. So very angry. He was angry at Mur'dah, for never understanding his anger. Never 'getting it'. Angry at his brother. As his mother. Does he have room for more anger before it consumes him? Time will tell. Fortunately now, there is no anger as he's kissed and kissed again, which is all the medicine he needs at the moment to keep him tolerating the influx of healers and their prodding fingers and questions. And he only just keeps himself from groaning out as he's lifted onto a stretcher and moved out as gently as they can, which when it comes to going down stairs, doesn't make for too smooth of a ride. But that's ok, because through his wincing he can see that Soriana is coming too, and that doesn't make him angry at all. Far from it.