Infirmary at Rubicon River Hold
It's a late evening in the Infirmary, and even the On Duty has apparently gone home, leaving one man to run the show. Tenebrous sits on one of the exam beds, casually dressing an ugly looking cut on his forearm. Casually dozing on a bed next to him is a small, green fire lizard. Next to the fire lizard is a wooden flute, strung with a leather thong. "It's been a long few days, Flop," he says quietly. "You've got wings, you could have flown with me while I ran." He hisses when a particularly odorous ointment is applied.
The late evening has found the Lady Ryeira on her final rounds of the night. Rumours have her as a cool and efficient Leader. There is respect for her, though few would mark she had a soft side though some might say Gaerwyn has softened her somewhat. She is the utmost in formality in all her dealings. The doors open and she steps into the Infirmary quietly, ready to depart once more before she notices the new healer here and she turns toward him. "Good evening Journeyman." She says with a faint dip of her head.
Tenebrous puts the salve down slowly, gritting his teeth for a moment before gently beginning to pat the wound with a bit of cloth. "Indeed," he manages after a few moments. "It is good." Very gingerly, he begins wrapping his arm with a bit of homespun cloth, rather than a sterile bandage. The green fire lizard opens one eye to regard the woman before closing it again with a snort.
As she notes the actions of the man, Ryeira moves forward to lend her fingers to the process. Long fingers gently wrapping the bandage around his arm if he should let her, with practiced care. "A healer needing a healer…" She murmurs faintly as she looks up to the man. "The Master spoke highly of your skill, I do hope you take better care of your patients then you do of yourself Journeyman." She says with a nod to the plain bandage and wound.
Tenebrous is very still when she touches him, very aware. His eyes flicker over Ryeira as she works, a man observing. Alert. Only when she ceases her contact does he exhale, very quietly. "The master is kind," he whispers, suddenly nervous. He glances up at her face. "I'm not much of a healer. Just a Fetch. I fetch things."
Once finish with her little task, Ryeira's hands drop to her sides again and she steps back. "Sorry, habit…there have been times when more hands were needed than were available. I asked to be taught what I can do to help. Bandaging seemed the easiest thing for them to teach me." Ryeira explains of her actions. There is a faint look of disappointment at his response to her question, a hand rising to touch her abdomen. "I had hoped…" She pauses before a smile touches her lips, albeit forced, "We are thankful for what the Hall can provide us."
Tenebrous's eyes wander the Lady Holder's body as she speaks, stopping when her hand touches her belly. "I hope you like tea," he says after several quiet moments. "I noticed your discomfort this morning." He shifts position, sliding down from the exam bed and moving over to the On Duty's desk. There, his long coat and satchel lay. "Someone once told me," he murmurs, reaching a hand into the pack, "that … a certain combination of herbs would go a long way." His hand emerges with a small, cloth square, stuffed lightly. He turns, holding it in his hand. "To helping with your … condition." He offers her the square, his tone suddenly turning serious. "Once a day. Steep for ten minutes. No more, no less. When the tea begins to turn green instead of amber, you will know that you require more…tea."
Ryeira follows the man's actions curiously, nodding to his comment of tea. "It is my habit to take tea with breakfast every day. I would take anything that would help maintain this pregnancy. I fear my history has not been too great on that matter." A ten year marriage with only two live off spring and many miscarriages if he had chance to read her records. "I understand my age might make it more difficult, but I would like to see this out and will do anything I can to ensure it through." There is an urgency to her voice as she speaks on it.
Tenebrous lays the little square down in front of Ryeira, murmuring, "Can you hear them? The little ones?" He gestures to her stomach, his face wistful, childlike. "When they grow. Do you…listen?"
The question from Tenebrous gets a confused look from the Lady. "I would feel them…" She says in a quiet voice, pain touching her ice blue eyes. "The dolphins would hear them, the healers too and they would tell me if what they heard was strong or not." She responds in a low voice. Living right next door to Dolphin hall does have some advantages.
Tenebrous mms. "I've helped the Master deliver several…helped her save a few, but…" He flushes. "Obviously, I've never been…like you."
"Well I will take whatever advice that can be sought on the subject, if it means going down to the Dolphins daily, I will do it. I imagine I do not have many chances at this and I will do what it takes to carry to term." Ryeira speaks of the child, only a seed in her womb at the moment. "The Tea, what will that help with?"
Tenebrous murmurs, "The morning sickness and placental stability. Our studies indicate that it helps equalize the flow between the mother and the unborn." He smiles a bit shyly. "Or so Master Fraille says."
Ryeira nods to Tenebrous at the explanation, "Then I will take it as often as I may…the sickness has been quite bad this time around." She explains. She is pale, but that could well be her natural complexion as well. "By my calender I am about two months gone…" She gives to him in honesty , though the wedding was less than a month ago. Well Widows do have some allowances in romance that maids do not.
if Tenebrous is doing the math, if he even understands the implications of her statement, he doesn't show it. "Standard gestation periods are around nine months, so you've got about seven left." He looks away for a moment. "I doubt that any of the Hall's staff will remain that long…but I will speak with the Master about suitable arrangements. We'll do everything in our power to maintain your health, my Lady."
"I am petitioning the crafthall for a master for a more permanent assignment." Ryeira responds to the mention of the hall staff not staying. There are those here of course that know how to patch the day to day ailments of a hold. Not healers per se, at best more like nurses, nannies, the old Aunties and their remedies. "My health was never at risk, the two I delivered to term were…easy births as much as one might call them that."
Tenebrous shakes his head. "You misunderstand me, Ryeira of Rubicon." He paces over to her slowly, his eyes slowly focusing on hers. "I am concerned with your health here," he places his hand on his own stomach, "as well as here…" Slowly, that hand raises to his head. "Trauma is trauma…anyone who says otherwise has never screamed in helplessness." He points that finger at her. "And I know you have," he whispers.
Her face bears a mark of confusion at first at his words, then her eyes widen and anger flares in her crystal blue eyes. It is clear he has hit a mark, dead on the bullseye. "You overstep yourself Journeyman to presume to know what goes on inside my mind. It would please me for you to keep such musings to yourself." With that she steps back and nearly stumbles over a chair in her retreat.
Tenebrous tilts his head, watching the Lady's egress. "I don't believe I'm here to please you. I believe I'm here to try and save your child." He turns from her then, slipping his satchel over his shoulders and reaching for his coat. "You have a husband and aides to please you, and certainly your subjects try." He slips his arms into its sleeves, drawing it up around him like armor, his voice becoming more firm as he does so. "But you asked us here because you want professionals. Healers. Not 'Yes' men." The hood is drawn low, and he turns to face her. "Decide, right now, which is more important. Right now."
His words give Ryeira pause as she regains her balance and looks back to the healer. His words surely have unsettled her. She is not used to such directness from those that serve her, such personal words from someone who seems to know her far more than he should. Her face is tight with cold anger at the words he speaks to her. The request goes unanswered for a moment, until her hand rises to her stomach. "I want this child as much as I have wanted all those that I have lost before and those I did not." She finally says, though she still stands rigid.
It's a little past Lyerdes' bed time, but that doesn't mean the young lord is asleep yet. He's demanded to see his mother before actually being tucked in. Usually he's not so adamant, but with all the excitement from the wedding he hasn't seen her in a few days. And knowing that she was at the hold, well… he's decided he's going to go see her. So into the infirmary he has, with his attendant following close behind. Someone directs him to where his mother is and he announces himself. "Hello! Mom?"
Tenebrous stands near the Lady Holder, having a quiet, if somewhat…frosty conversation. When the young child walks into the room, however, the hooded man's gaze tracks him, if only slightly. "Good," he says simply, to whatever they were speaking of. Then he simply slides out of the way, back to one of the walls of the Infirmary. Unobtrusive.
Ryeira gives a clipped not to the healer, her face still drawn tight when the doors open and her son enters. She tries to let some of the front fall from her face as she moves through the empty cots toward her son, "You should be asleep Lyerdes…" She says to him, a faintly admonishing tone to her voice, yet a hand out to beckon him nearer.
Lyerdes looks up at the healer for a moment questionably, then heads over to his mother. There's another glance to the healer before his throws his arms around her to give her a hug. "I know, but I wanted to see you. You haven't been by to tuck me in in a long time." He looks up at her with sad blue eyes, before turning back to the healer. "Hello. I'm Lyerdes. You're a healer? What's your name?"
Tenebrous shakes his head slowly. "Oh, I'm not really much of a healer, young sir," he offers quietly. "Just a Fetch. An errand boy, if you will. Of no moment." He leans down a little, eyeing the child. "But you…" his voice goes strangely soft. "You are potential. You have two hands, boy…you will do great things someday. Possibly soon." He glances up at Ryeira. "But not without a good night's sleep, unless I am mistaken."
Ryeira crouches at the plaint from her son, her hand touching to his cheek. "You are quite right young sir, and I will rectify the matter tonight." Her arms return his embrace, warming up a little more with the presence of her child though she is still tense. She releases him to rise and guide him toward his chambers when he greets the healer. Her hands move protectively to rest upon his shoulders. "Yes he will, he will be the Lord Holder of Rubicon when he is old enough, but quite right, not without sleep."
Lyerdes blinks at Tenebrous. "Not a healer?" There's a funny look given to the man when he's talking about his.. hands? And potential. "Great things?" Then he looks up at his mother for an explanation. "Ah right, yes. I'm learning how to be a good lord holder now! And someday I'll take over and Lord Gaerwyn can relax for a while." These great things though, he wasn't so sure about.
Tenebrous sounds…sad, perhaps. "Sleep well, little heir. There is time yet tomorrow to be young." He glances to Ryeira. "I must go as well, my Lady Holder. I have my Master's wishes to see to and more…tea to make. Among other things."
The sad look touches upon the Lady and she nods to his words, "Of that he has plenty as well, do not worry." Ryeira replies to the man before slipping her hand down to take her son's hand. "Come on, let us go to bed and I will read whichever story you wish tonight." She promises him, giving one last curious glance to the odd healer before moving out the doors.
Lyerdes blinks at both the healer and his mother. What was going on here? Adults were all so strange. He takes his mother's hand willingly though. "Well, alright then. Uh. Good to see you, sir." He says to the healer then grins up at his mother. "Really? Yay!" There's a wave to Tenebrous as they head out.