Xanadu Weyr - Infirmary

The infirmary here is intended for human care. It is spotless and smells of disinfectant, cots are lined up against one wall, a curtain can be pulled to give some privacy to the occupants of the cots if they so desire. A cabinet stands off against another wall, instruments and medications stored against when they will be needed. A couple of curtained off beds are used for examinations of patients and the treatment of minor injuries which won't require long term care. A desk with chair is just off of the doorway for the healer to sit and catch up on record keeping after a long days work.
Nearly two weeks have passed since the fire, and the rains that somehow managed to put it at an end are still slowly falling from the sky. The day finds Tenebrous, still clad in hospital linens, sitting at the rear of the Infirmary. The bandages on his face have all but been removed, and he gingerly applies new salve to the mottled skin beneath them. Healers have cut away any hair that might have impeded his healing, but the rest has been left alone, giving him an even more wild appearance than usual. His usual coat now destroyed, he has settled for a simple, off-white cotton cowl that rests around his shoulders with a lightly yolked hood on it. For the time being, it's away from his face, allowing him to work easier. Standing off to one side of him are his attending, a remarkably young-looking Journeyman, fresh from the Hall, and someone older, who almost screams 'Mind Healer'.
Two weeks gone, and Phylicia's sleep schedule is completely blown to bits. Sick of the infirmary linens, with burns finally proclaimed 'healed' enough to be mostly uncovered she finds herself in a light weight long skirt, and looser button up shirt that looks suspiciously like something she might have gotten from one of her brothers, it's big enough. The apprentice is waking up from one of her spontaneous naps, the weakness caused by frying her lungs still eating at her. With a small raspy groan for healing skin in need of moisture and stiff muscles, she sits up in her bed, brushing away bangs and hair that have been shortened by trimming away the damage the fire inflicted to it. It doesn't take her long to spot Tenebrous and the two healers, though her legs get drawn up towards her chest as pain runs through her features, even as she silently watches the trio,taking in as much of Tenebrous' condition as she can. Not that it lessens the blame she puts upon herself for this.
"I don't understand why we have to do this here," Tenebrous rumbles. It's lower than it usually is, that voice, almost like it's fuzzed with sleep. It speaks to the damage to his throat as well, though not as severe as Phylicia's. That, at least, will heal. "The Master's medicine comes in a pot, and the last time I checked, pots were portable. As in, in my hand." His work is done quietly and quickly after that point, and it's only another few minutes before he's reaching for a facial bandage. It's applied with gentle precision, covering almost all of that reddened, new flesh, and then one hand is reaching back in that same, uniform, unchanging gesture, grasping at the lighter hood and pulling it up. "Journeyman," The mindhealer chides gently, "It's not bright enough in here to need that hood, and it'll only make you uncomfortable." One of his hands reaches out to the back of Tenebrous' throat to gently begin tugging at the hood.
The motion is almost instantaneous, when Tenebrous reacts. That left hand of his flickers up and around his body, fingers closing around the man's wrist with enough force to make bones pop with protest. The mind healer cries out even as Tenebrous begins slowly to move him around with brute force, blue eyes blazing under his hood. It calls stark attention to two things: One, that he hasn't used that right arm for much since Phylicia woke up, and further inspection reveals that it's impossible to see beneath the long sleeve of the gown, and two…he still doesn't like having his throat touched.
It is a frazzled-looking Moria who makes her way into the Infirmary, and a wet one, too. The latter really isn't much of a surprise, though, since it is /still/ pouring rain. But she's wringing her hands and glancing around nervously as she approaches the On-Duty's desk, waiting for a lull in activity so she can speak with the healer. Her blue firelizard is perched on her shoulder, unusually quiet as he watches the going-ons around them.
Phylicia could have told the Mindhealer what a foolish thing that was to do, but healed does not mean her reaction times have quickened. She finds herself crying out in momentary pain as she stretches something that didn't want to be stretched just yet. Apparently the girl's body likes to work without her mind's cooperation of late, because she is taking the necessary steps to put her into range of that group. "Ten!" Is the first startled word that comes out of her mouth, the pitch scratchy before she drops her tone, into one only slightly more comfortable to talk with. "Tenebrous, don't. Please." The rough words hold appeal to them, and at this moment, it's obvious her brain isn't speaking with the rest of her, talking like she may be able to influence him. Bandages creep out from under the cuff of that button up shirt as she reaches for his left arm, pausing in mid-action as finally realizes what she's doing. Her brain races as she takes a half-step backwards, her eyes trailing to Ten's right arm before resting on the floor, unable to look anywhere else.
The On-Duty sits at the desk, apart from the small disturbance taking place, but keeping a careful eye on it. As Moria walks in and approaches the desk, he turns his attention to her with a friendly smile. "Yes, miss?"
The mind healer is all but worked down to one knee before Phylicia's appeal finally reaches Tenebrous ears, and he stops his arm's inexorable advance. Blue eyes snap up from the Mindhealer's face, locking onto Phylicia's own before something finally possesses him to release that grip. A flicker of emotion passes through them as he slowly pulls his arm back to rest. His head tilts slowly, completely ignoring the stunned mindhealer on the ground before he turns and looks up at that young female that serves as his Attending. She merely nods before looking over at Phylicia. "You should be careful of your bandages, miss," she offers calmly. "But thank you." That said, she calmly walks around to where the mindhealer sits, cradling his wrist. "Read the file next time," she hisses, dropping a thick folder into his lap.
Moria flinches at the cry of pain but doesn't turn to look, pretty sure that she does not want to know. "Ah, I heard a, uh, friend of mine was here? Phylicia, the healer?" she mumbles in reply to the On-Duty's query. "I was hoping to visit with her for a bit, if that is alright?" Blackbeard chirps inquiringly, leaning away from Moria to peer at the group, tilting his head to regard them with shimmering green eye. What's this?
The On Duty raises a hand, pointing in the direction of the group consisting of both Phylicia and Tenebrous as well as the two other healers. "She's up and about for the moment, miss. I think she just woke up." His tone is amiable and he lets Moria go without another word, turning back to whatever paperwork it is he's supposed to be doing.
Phylicia however, is just going to take a small break on the vacant bed she's standing next to, not quite plopping down, but definitely not sitting with any sort of grace. "I'm fine." She rasps to Tenebrous' Attending, only half wondering where her own has gotten to. She finally gets up the nerve once more, her expression half way between guarded and vunerable as she looks up at her former-mentor a small series of coughs scraping her throat before she can continue, though they don't blow into a full fit. "Thank you." She gasps, fingers clenching at the bed to keep from itching healing skin. "H-how are you doing today?" An innocent enough question, which could come from anyone.
Tenebrous stands abruptly, wiping his hands off on the pantlet of his soft, cotton bottoms before looking back up at Phylicia, shis face far from hidden under that hood. "Quite fine," he rumbles. For a time, he simply stares at her, and behind him, his Attending's eyes grow hopeful. Then Tenebrous simply puts his jar of salve back down on the table. "Use this," he murmurs to her. "You'll need it." Blue eyes work up and down her body once before he turns to face his attending again. "I'm done here," he growls. "I'm tired of being prodded, and I'm tired of strange people trying to touch my head, and I'm tired my my room." He starts stepping around the table. "I want. To Go. Home." Even as he starts towards the door, however, one hand pats his chest, and he stops, turning. "Where…is my…" Confusion slowly creeps onto his face. "Where is my … flute?" he turns a little more. "Where is my jacket…"
Moria follows the pointing hand, eyes coming to rest on the group, and stands stunned for several moments. Sure, she was told Phylicia had been injured, but she hadn't been aware of just how badly! Her immobility is broken by Blackbeard, who once again chirps at her and flaps his wings to get attention. "Hush now," she murmurs distractedly and raises a hand to stroke his neck, a gesture as much for her own comfort as his. "Let's go see the apprentice," she adds, beginning to thread her way through the infirmary toward the group. She doesn't recognize Tenebrous yet, the changes in his appearance more than enough to make him a stranger to her, and she isn't familiar enough with his voice to immediately place him.
That sound? That sound would be a young lady's heart cracking another notch as Tenebrous leaves the jar of salve for Phylicia, but lacks any recognition. The griping sounds like her mentor, which tugs a small smile to her lips, though his following questions have her standing and going to her bedside table, where a scrap of coat has been stashed away. If anyone has a right to take it though, it's the owner. So silently she holds that bit of burnt coat out to him, lips pressed firmly together as she watches, just starting to catch Moria out of the corner of her eye her lips twitching before she's watching to see what Tenebrous will do with what remains of his coat.
M'nol enters the infirmary slowly. He'd seen Phy heal slowly over the last several days, even if she had slept through most of his visits. The tableau that greets him tells him that this one will be different. For one, he's actually changed clothing and his hair is in less disarray, for another he nearly walks into Tenebrous. He blinks twice at the man, taking a moment to recognize him, and even then only due to his voice and the reaction he was bringing out in Phy. Faraeth gives a soft croon from outside, sensing his bonded's distress as Morl murmurs softly, "Tene? I…" He glances at Phy, then Moria, then back at Tene. What /was/ going on? For Phy there is an encouraging smile and a murmured, "You're doing better?" Moria gets a nod. It's not that he doesn't like her, far from it, just that he's a little focused, until he notices that she's heading in the same direction that he is. Then he really /notices/ her and smiles, "Hey, Moria… long time no see…" The scrap of charred coat gets a momentary confused blink, followed by a moment of recognition. /What/ would Ten do now?
Tenebrous side-steps at the last moment as Morl and he nearly collide, and ittakes him a moment to register on the remains of what Phylicia is holding out to him. He grunts once, and the right arm at his side quivers for a second before he makes an annoyed sound and he reaches out with the left. Fingers wrap around the scrap of fabric for a moment before he looks up into Phylicia's eyes. "Who are you ?" he asks nervously. His head turns rapidly to his attending, voice growing hard. "Let me see my chart. Now."
Recognition dawns in Moria's eyes when M'nol identifies Tenebrous and she stops her approach, still a few feet away from the group. M'nol's greeting gets a distracted nod but she doesn't speak just yet. She nervously fiddles with her braid, watching Tenebrous and Phylicia interact, before sidling around toward M'nol, careful to not run into Tenebrous in the process.
Phylicia pauses as M'nol walks into the infirmary as well now. Apparently it's some sort of visitation hour for her, and she's been nothing but off kilter since she woke up from her nap. This whole situation isn't making her too entirely happy. "Phylicia. Phy." She supplies simply enough as she surrenders the coat. She meets his eyes only for one moment before she steps away as he demands to see his chart. She steps carefully around Tenebrous, almost looking like she wants to touch his right arm, though she keeps her hands to herself before she looks from M'nol to Moria. "I.. would love to say I'd like company right now, but…" Her eyes flick back towards Tenebrous and she shakes her head. "I'm sorry." And slowly, occasionally using the wall as a support or a resting spot. In the end, she won't go too far, but she'll get away for a while.
M'nol's focus is definitely moreso on Phy and Tene's interactions than on any one person specifically, though it is Tene's question that makes a few tears spring unbidden to his eyes. It was true, then, Tene didn't remember them… any of them… One hand comes up, running briefly through his hair before falling back to his side with a gentle slapping sound. He'd thought that facing Phy while she was injured because he hadn't been there to save her was hard, but no. This was definitely harder. His face falls even more as he is again asked to leave her alone with her pain. It's agonizing for him watching her flee… watching her be weak and there's nothing he can do to help. His head hangs in a slow nod, his shoulders slump. It seems almost like all of him curls up upon itself.
Tenebrous watches Phylicia creep off to a more private part of the Infirmary before his attending finally hands him his own folder, and he begins leafing through it. "This doesn't tell me anything," he says, his voice growing aggravated. He snaps the folder closed, the last page all but unread, and tosses it onto a bed. "Why does my mind stumble whenever I look at certain things?" He makes a gesture to the private wing of the Infirmary. "I've never met that girl before, and I still know what she smells like! What is wrong with me?"
Moria meets Phy's gaze for a few moments, understand in her eyes, and she nods slowly. "Go rest," she says softly. "We'll be around when you feel up to visiting." She reaches to rest a hand on M'nol's shoulder, if he will allow it, to give comfort. She turns her head to regard Tenebrous thoughtfully, and glances to his Attending. "He doesn't recognize her?" she asks softly, raising a brow.
M'nol moves one of his hands to rest on Moria's and shakes his head, "Fraille said he'd hit his head… lost his memory…" He sighs, glancing at Tenebrous. The deep breath he takes before speaking shows the supreme effort it takes to even talk to this changed man before him, "She's Phylicia… she is… was… your apprentice. I'm M'nol, her… /partner/ seems the best word for now." He squeezes at Moria's fingers, his pain clear in his eyes.
It's the mindhealer that's finally managed to find his voice. Still cradling his wrist, he calls, "You've suffered blunt force trauma to your brain, Journeyman. You were asked a series of control questions shortly after you woke up the first time, and we think the last year or so of your active memory has suffered serious lapses." Tenebrous' eyes open wide, and he turns a little to face his attending. She merely nods. "There was a fire, near the southwestern section of the woods, near the spine of the mountains," she offers quietly. "You were injured, pulling someone out of it. We think a tree collapsed while you were making your way out, and it hit the right side of your body. Your arm…your face…your memory. All burned."
Moria nods slowly at the explanation fro M'nol, and listens as the mindhealer speaks. Softly, she volunteers, "You pulled Phylicia out of it. You saved her life. You have been her mentor for almost a year now. The two of you helped me gather plants for a project…" and she trails off, lapsing into silence as she watches Tenebrous' reaction. M'nol's gentle squeeze is returned, and Blackbeard croons reassuringly to him.
M'nol nods slowly in agreement with Moria, "You saved her life… I've been trying to find you to thank you for it…" He sighs again, glancing off towards where Phy disappeared. He nods a few more times, as if nodding would somehow make the entire situation easier, "You… I met you outside my Weyr… Thea was there… we saved her later when she… she fell in your woods…"
"I don't own them," Tenebrous responds automatically, before glancing around the room. "I don't..remember any of it…" He spends a long time looking at both Moria and M'nol before he turns back to the mind-healer. "Will I… ever get it back? You're talking about a year of my life…" Even as he responds, the Mindhealer is slowly flexing his fingers, trying to determine if anything was damaged in that wrist… "We honestly don't know. We're impressed that the damage wasn't more extensive. I mean this in the most unoffensive manner possible, but…your skull is very, very hard.." One side of the Attending's mouth twitches. "We have something we want to try with your Fire Lizards, Journeyman." Tenebrous blinks. "I… have fire lizards?" he stammers. "I don't…Flop's not mine, Healer. She belongs to my master, Fraille." The attending just shakes her head.
Moria regards Tenebrous for several very long moments before shaking her head sadly at the situation. "I hope you can remember it at some point, journeyman," she says softly, her rough voice full of compassion. "I think I'll leave you to your healers for now - I'm sure this is going to be plenty stressful without an audience." She give's M'nol's shoulder another squeeze, murmuring, "If you need someone to talk to, I'll be around. I know something of how you're feeling." And with that, she heads back toward the clearing, stroking Blackbeard for reassurance as she goes.
M'nol swallows loudly, then nods slowly, "I hope you do… I've come to think of you as something of a friend… certainly someone I can trust…" He sighs softly, glancing off again before looking back at Tenebrous, "I… You have two gorgeous little girl flits, Tene. One gold… Cilia, I think, and one green… and you have more than that, if I'm any judge…" He closes his eyes, thinking slowly and carefully for a moment, making sure to form his words exactly as he means them, "Do you… remember the greenrider from Ista?"
Tenebrous turns back to M'nol as he speaks, shaking his head. "The only dragonrider I really remember is a Brownrider, Kherissni, and her mount, Malchisibeth. She flies transport and escort, and she can't stand Ista…" Then something registers in his mind and he whirls on his Attending, taking a step towards her. "You said the fires were in the southwest region of the woods?" Something almost frantic leaks into his eyes, and he suddenly whirls on his heel, starting for the Infirmary door with quick steps. It's only when he's thrown it open, trying valiantly not to blow Morl aside that his Attending catches up to his train of thought. "It's gone, Tenebrous!" she calls, raising her voice over the now audible din of the storm. Rain lashes against the side of the Infirmary, slowly soaking the front of Tenebrous' body. "Stormhaven is gone! There's nothing there but burnt trees and a naked waterfall anymore, and with the rainwater, it's one giant pool now…" Never mind that it will grow back someday. Tenebrous simply slumps against the door then, uncaring that he's almost completely soaked. "What did I do to you?" he whispers accusingly…
M'nol's eyes fall, if it's even possible, further. If he were made of clay, his eyes would be somewhere around his chin, it seems, "It's not just Stormhaven… the whole /wood/ is practically gone. It's been…" He sighs, leaving any number of possible things unsaid. Taking a deep breath, he nods deciding to start things over somewhat, "I'm M'nol, brown Faraeth's rider… you have… had a good friend at Ista… a /female/ friend… I… she… I think you two were in love?"
Morl's words fall on flushed ears, and something about what he's said finally pushes Tenebrous over the edge. Eyes wet with something more than the storm's water, he takes a few angry steps further into the rain, ripping the hood away from his head with his good hand. "What did I do to you?!" he screams, his face anguished. The bandage on his face bloats with water almost immediately, sloughing from his face without a noise and revealing the red, moddled flesh beneath. "What could I have possibly done?!" As if believing that there might possibly be an answer, he stares into the clouds imploringly, but the storm has only scornful rumblings of thunder and the occasional lick of purple-hughed lightning for a reply. In time, Tenebrous simply lowers his eyes, staring at the ground. Then, without explination, he starts off towards the forest's edge, and the Weyrs that rest within its boundaries.
M'nol's eyes finish the journey to tears as he /feels/ Tene's pain. When the healer storms out, M'nol moves to follow, "Ten! Don't you'l… catch your…" the last word is incredibly tiny as his whole being seems to shrink, "..death…" M'nol clings to the doorjamb as Faraeth stares after Tene, just as unsure of what to do as his rider.