Death by Fraille

Strong language content follows


Xanadu Weyr - Thea's Weyr

This clearing is sheltered by a thick canopy of trees, which seems supported at its centre by an immense, wild-growing fellis tree. Hanging from one of its high branches is a swing, made up of two ropes and a seat of softwood and leather. The grass is tall here and interrupted in places by clusters of white and blue alyssum. Alyssum covers the indentation of the wallow, remaining hardy despite being continually crushed. The constant sound of herdbeast in their pens can be heard close-by, though its source is invisible through the foliage.

The cottage itself is made of white softwood, like birch, though creeping vines cover all four of its walls from the outside and even encircle the brown-shuttered windows and matching door. The interior floor and walls are raw wood that has been sanded and lacquered to make them smooth and, for the most part, the inside is quite spacious. The bedroom area is plain, an ornately carved wardrobe providing the only real decoration, and at the rear of the cottage a brown lattice has been built into the doorway to a makeshift kitchen, where a breakfast nook has been carved into the wall, along with short counters. On one counter, a circle has been cut out and fixed with a clay-fired bowl with a nearby matching pitcher.


So it is to her weyr that Thea is returned by the Weyrsecond and blue Siebith. She's been quiet for the ride back, accepting help dismounting with a smile that borders on tired. She opens the door to her weyr, still carrying her bundle of wherhide clothes. Once inside the door, she pauses uncertainly, just looking at the place.

Tired makes two of them. D'had trails in behind her, leaning against the doorframe when she pauses. "You want I should let you get some rest.." he offers to leave her be.

Thea turns back absently when D'had speaks, then blinks as if she's surprised to see him there. She shakes her head quickly, "I- no, I don't want to be alone!" She lowers her eyes quickly, muttering, "Rest is all I've done the last three days." She steps to the dresser and plops the folded, muddied and scuffed wherhide clothes onto the top, then just stands there staring at them, lost in thought.

"Not going," D'had replies just as quickly to that response. There's a bit of a scramble on his part as she walks away and he's pulling the door closed behind him before following to drape his arms over her shoulders. "You okay babe?"

Thea turns her head at the scramble behind her with a vague look devoid of curiosity, watches him walk towards her. She leans her head onto his shoulder when he drapes his arms over her shoulders, "I dunno," she says dully. "I guess that knock to the head took more out of me than I let on. I'm all…" She flounders for words. She, who usually says too much. "No zip." That sums it up.

D'had gives her a light squeeze, leaning his cheek against her's. "We could talk to the Weyrleader about another vacation?" he suggests, though somehow that doesn't seem quite the right answer even to him.

Thea's eyes close as D'had's cheek touches hers, "No. I don't want to leave the Weyr right now," She answers quietly, "But thanks." Her arms encircle him, applying gentle pressure. She is silent for a time, then, "You… haven't been taking care of yourself, Donn. You're all scruffy." There's concern in her tone, "Why?"

D'had chuckles. "Scruffy huh," he jokes, but on a more serious note there's an answer to her question. "Was worried about ya," he admits giving her another quick squeeze. "Sorry if I made ya think you couldn't come to me."

Thea leans back to peer at him with a slight frown of bewilderment, "No, no, it's okay. We talked about that, remember? I forgave you. I'm not mad at you, or hurt or… anything, really." Her listlessness is just… for reasons she doesn't even know why. She lifts a hand, brushes the stubble of his cheek with light fingertips, "You were too worried to take care of yourself?" She's sounding worried rather than piqued.

D'had nods, "Right." She forgave all that. He ducks his head sheepishly. "Wasn't there when ya got hurt, wanted to be there make sure you got better." Its as close to an apology as he can get right now.

Thea ducks her head to catch his eyes, "You sat out side the cave all night because you weren't there when I fell?" She shakes her head and pulls him closer. The next words are said gently, "I'm not mad at you." She laughs softly, as if she really cannot believe it, "What a mess the pair of us are. It's a wonder either one of us are alive, you know that?"

D'had shrugs awkwardly, "I couldn't sleep?" he offers as a rather bad excuse. "Wanted to make sure you were alright," he adds, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Glad you're alright though," he adds leaning to press a kiss to her forehead.

Thea just nods, not really worrying about his reasons, "I appreciate it. Think you'll sleep better now?" She's watching him with the same quiet stoicism she's had since they came in.

D'had hmms, "I don't know…" He starts, turning his usual smirk towards her. "Might sleep better with a real bed.." Hint hint. "And maybe a bed warmer could be nice too," he teases.

"Is that so?" Thea smiles at D'had in spite of her lack of energy. "Must be all those turns of sleeping on a couch have finally taken their toll, hmm?" Hints? What're those? She tilts her head at him, "Whatcha gonna do about it, then?" Her eyes twinkle just a bit, "I'll bet you need a bed warmer after sleeping outside in the winter! I hear Sigam's dog had puppies. Might cuddle with one of them to warm up?"

D'had chuckles, "Was thinkin' something a little more…" he raises his brows suggestively, "than a puppy," he comments, scooping her up to spin her around once before heading for the bed. "So how about that."

The knock that comes on the door is loud and abrupt, without courtesy or convenience, and a moment later, it opens without preamble. In its absence stands Fraille, Master Healer, Botanist and, or so it's rumored, poisoner. Eater of a thousand apprentices and she who created the sack tap. "Anyone home," she grates, voice like gravel and water, rust and old metal.

Thea squeaks at the scooping and spinning, grabbing him about the neck reflexively. "You… don't want a puppy? Sigam will be so disappointed." Yes, because likely he's sleeping with the whole litter in his bed. She blinks at him, "Why didn't you just sleep here instead of outside the cave then?" The knock on her door has her head popping up over D'had's shoulder in surprise. "Uh, yes?" To give her the short answer.

"Didn't say that," D'had replies with a grin. "You want a puppy you can have one." But that knock has him turning back towards the door, Thea still held in his arms. And what he does.. stare at the healer who lets herself in. "And you are….?" Besides ruining his good mood.

Master Fraille chuckles, a noise like boots on sand, dry and raspy. "Older than you, Rider, and by the looks of things, substantially less aroused." She thumps her staff on the ground once to shake a bit of dirt loose from its foot and looks around. "No offense, dear," she offers mildly to Thea. "I thought I owed you a visit, girl. The healers at the Infirmary are passing thread out their backsides with all of your missed appointments." Any pleasantness on her face drops then, and she begins her slow advance. "I am Fraille," she says evenly. "And that is enough after so many turns." This, to D'had.

"But, but… I don't want a puppy," Thea protests weakly to D'had. He's missed the point entirely. "And… you don't have a bed?" This is not going well. She just sort of gapes at at Master Fraille. "I-I… just left the care of Journeyman Tenebrous and Apprentice Phylicia not thirty minutes ago. I was supposed to report to the Infirmary right away?" Someone's confused.

D'had is just.. confused. Yes, that's the word best used. "Um.. thanks sweetheart," he comments to the healer, "Just give us an hour and I'll have her down to see you." Queue charming half grin, though there's a sidelong glance towards Thea. Missed appointment is one thing, but appointments plural?

Master Fraille snorts once and then clucks. "Poor boy, you're not nearly low-hung enough to call me sweetheart with any kind of authority." She closes on the two of them slowly, sympathetic eyes on D'had. "And that's a hard thing to live with, I hear. But…give the wee thing a rest. It'll fall off if you keep slingin' it around like it's meant for it." Then she shrugs. "Not that there's not a time and a place for that sort of thing. It's been more than sixty turns for me, I think." She half-shudders. "Beyord had so much back-hair that you couldn't tell where it stopped and his neck started." She snorts in fond memory. "But then, that kind of body hair was in vogue back then." She sniffs once and taps the inside of D'had's thigh with the tip of her staff. "Put her down and go soak it in a pail of ice-water, boy. I'll be done with her shortly. Hopefully, quicker than you will be, but…it's been a stressful week for you, and I hear that kind of a thing can affect a man." She eyes Thea expectantly.

Thea blinks back at the Weyrsecond innocently, "I haven't been IN the Weyr long enough to have MISSED any appointments. Ignore her, she's as crazy, if not moreso than the Weyrwoman. You know, Crazy Cupcake. That one." And as Master Fraille speaks she removes all doubt from Thea's mind that it is so. The weyrwoman flushes scarlet and just sinks down into D'had's arms, muttering, "Don't leave me alone with her."

D'had raises a brow towards Thea. Right.. And where did they dig up this old bat. But that tapping.. that's the last straw. "Look here you crazy old bat, why don't you just turn around and march yourself back to whatever hole you crawled out of. And I'll make sure she gets to her next appointment."

Master Fraille smirks. "My mother's long since dead, so I won't be going back there, now will I?" She turns to eye Thea. "Five minutes, child. That's all I want, unless you're still broken. If you are…well, I imagine I'll have to have a few conversations with the Fetch and his pet apprentice, won't I." Then she eyes D'had. "He's feisty. If he's still upright and mobile after you get done, send him over to the Hall. I haven't broken a man in years. I'd like to see if I'm still in practice."

Hey, it's Xanadu! Crazy people come out of the woodwork around here. The current all-over-rainbow-painted population attests to that fact. Thea isn't meeting D'had's eyes after the first onslaught from the Master, no. She's still too embarrassed. At the Master's repartee, Thea squeaks and sinks further into D'had's arms, flushing a color she hasn't been in - ever! And it's totally without the paint so recently used by the boozing crowd. She's gaping at the old woman, "After I get done-??" Beyond embarrassed now, she just turns her head and buries it in the Weyrsecond's shoulder.

D'had just stares. "Look, I like my women as much as the next man, but lady you just ain't my type." Did either of them mention she's OLD! "Now I think my lady, asked you to leave." Or if she didn't she should have darn it! And if he weren't still holding…

Master Fraille laughs bodily before stammering, "You've bedded so many women in the south continent that you have no IDEA what your type is, boy. Five minutes." She sticks her lower lip out. "Just five minutes, boy." She turns to eye Thea again. "Yes, girl. After. You. Get. Done. You can't tell me that he doesn't just REEK of pent up spit and vinegar. Surely, he'll have enough left over to share?" Then, apparently, she gets what she came for, and all joviality vanishes. "Young people carryin' on without their clothes on," she growls, waving a hand at the two. She levels one finger at Thea, her voice low. "We're not done yet…you and I." Her voice softens, making it all the more eerie. "You thought I wouldn't notice the change. Or maybe you thought I wouldn't care." She harumphs and abruptly turns on her staff, making her way slowly to the door.

There's no need for the healers to keep checking on Thea, nope. She's dead. Death by Fraille, to be exact. The weyrwoman is silent long after the old woman stomps out, her head remains buried in the Weyrsecond's shoulder. Finally her muffled voice says, "Just bury me now, please."

D'had just stares. More. "Damn woman!" he grumps after the healer is out of sight, letting Thea's feet drop back to the floor about the same time. Grumble. Mutter. Freaky old healers. Grr. "Sure you don't want a puppy?" he asks, tearing his eyes away from the door and back to Thea.

"C-could I get an old-bat-eating wher to chain out front instead?" Thea's still not able to look at D'had. Thankfully her hair provides a nice hiding place and that's where she is as her feet touch the floor, head tipped down and hiding underneath it. "Now you know why I wanted to recover up in that cave instead of the infirmary."

D'had chuckles. Well at least he still has a sense of humor after it all. "Can get whatever you want as long as its not going to attack me." Beat. "And yeah, if I'd known about .. that before wouldn't have questioned."

"Don't suppose you'd let me go back to the cave-healers for checkups?" Thea is able to laugh just a little, "I really don't want anything at all. Was for -you- the puppy-bed-warmer." She takes a step back and sinks down, sitting on the side of the bed. She manages to peek up at D'had with a bit of a smirk, "I guess you'd better hope you stay healthy huh?" What with Master Fraille over at the Infirmary awaiting to pounce D'had..

"After her…" He'll certainly consider letting her do just that. D'had settles beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "See I was thinkin' more like a weyrwoman-bed-warmer. But if I ever need to see them, remind me to send you first to see who's on."

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