Stay Out of The Infirmary

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 17th January 2015

Characters: R'enh, Barenziah
Description: Two weyr residents meet for the first time.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 12 of Turn 7

R'enh

Barenziah

The first few times Barenziah had worked Threadfalls she had been
incredibly nervous. Being nervous was not something that Barenziah was
use to. She had been so comfortable in her life at Amber Hills that
being nervous or afraid had seemed silly. Now in a new place with new
people Barenziah's confidence felt shaky at best.

Being accepted into the healercraft by Master Pachem had soothed some
of her worries that she wouldn't be good at any of the jobs that the
Weyr provided. Since she already had Turns of reading, writing,
sewing, and basic first aid experience, she was ahead of the young
apprentices that were just joining the craft.

One of her first lessons had been on treating pulled muscles and
tendons, as well as treating Threadscores-- the most obvious types of
injuries that she would be seeing as a healer. The simple dark
lavender skirt that she wore was cut modestly around her knees,
although still much shorter than what would have ever been considered
appropriate at the Hold. Her tunic was the traditional healer purple,
but mostly hidden by the cream colored apron that she wore tied about
her waist.

The woman's fiery mane had been tamed into a single braid that hung
over her shoulder while she worked. She was grateful that the
healercraft had not forced her to cut it the way many of the Weyr's
young dragonriders had to do when they began training. Her hair had
always been a vital part of her and Barenziah couldn't imagine
chopping it off.

Barenziah was just finishing up with a greenrider's thread scored leg
when she looked up to see another dragonrider heading for her
examination table. The crowd in the infirmary had finally began to
disperse with the worst cases being treated and sent home to their
weyrs.

"Hi," Barenziah gave a nod. "What's troubling you?"

R'enh looked up at the healer with pain shadowed blue eyes. His
normally sunny expression overlaid with the strain of maintaining in
front of the other riders far more injured than he. He quickly looked
around the room and saw that all the more serious cases were being
handled. "My shoulder" he said.

He'd managed to get his jacket off so there were no knots to
show his rank. But that wasn't important to him. "I think we caught
that blue at a wrong angle and I messed up my shoulder," he said in a
low voice.

"Sit." Barenziah gave the command in a soft, but firm tone. "Do you
need help getting your tunic off so I can have a look?" In looking
after her brother while he trained as a guard for the Hold Barenziah
had seen her fair share of pulled muscles.

"Yes please," he nodded and sat as she asked steeling himself for the
inevitable pain that would follow when she helped him off with the
garment. "Rookie mistake," he shook his head. "I should know better."

Barenziah came around the table and once the man was seated she
reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt, "Mistakes happen to the
best of us." She said with an empathetic tone. "This might hurt a
bit." There was an apology in her eyes as she gingerly peeled his
shirt over his shoulders.

"Yeah," he nodded in acknowledgement. Stifling a groan he tried to
hold his breath while she pulled it off. "Shardit," he finally
growled. "Sorry," he said quickly after the word slipped out. It was
obvious to him from her bearing that this woman was more than a common
drudge, perhaps even a Lady but certainly new to the Weyr. "I
appreciate the help. Really."

"Don't worry about it. My brother is a guard, and they are not
particularly well known for their rich vocabulary." There was a hint
of teasing in her voice as she walked back around the table. Barenziah
studied the man's bare back, her eyes comparing his shoulders, and
then wincing in sympathy as she noted the swollen, angry red of his
injured shoulder. "You definitely strained a muscle. Can you use it at
all?" It could possibly be as bad as a full tear.

"Can't get it higher than this," he said as he tried to raise the arm
up to the side. "And that's bad for catching firestone sacks. Or
tossing it into Mnoranth's maw." He didn't comment but found the
information interesting that the holder woman was used to seeing men
without their shirts though there was much worse in the Weyrbowl from
time to time. If her brother was a Guard then... "So where did you
come from?"

"Amber Hills." Barenziah answered, seeing no reason why she shouldn't
tell the man. "I am going to put some numbweed on your shoulder, then
I am going to wrap some ice packs on it, and fix a sling for you.
You'll want to keep from using the muscle for a while, but, as a rider
I am sure you are familiar with muscle strains."

"I've had my share," he chuckled familiar with the treatment. At least
there was nothing broken or out of position. "Amber Hills? Thats a far
different climate. Are you ready for the heat," he flashed a grin up
at her.

"It is a very different climate." Barenziah agreed, "I use to dream
about the beach before I came here. I had only ever heard about it in
stories, or perhaps seen it through a painting, which does not really
do it justice at all. I never took into consideration that a woman
with red hair and fair skin is going to be very out of place in a hot,
sunny place. I will no doubt be pink and covered with freckles in no
time." She shook her head in disgust, although there was a hint of
teasing in her voice.

As Barenziah rubbed numbweed carefully onto the man's shoulder, she
took notice of the scarring on his forearm and hand. Truly he was
familiar with the infirmary. Laying ice packs against the injured
area, Barenziah carefully wrapped bandages around his shoulder and arm
to keep the ice packs into place.

"Thank you," he said with a genuine smile when she was done. "You have
a nice touch." He stood to face her. "You be careful in the sun, make
sure you wear hats. It's not so bad this time of year but when summer
comes you'll burn unless you take precautions.If you go slowly you can
get a bit tan instead of red." He winked and nodded at her. "And stay
out of the bowl in the middle of the day."

Barenziah tilted her head to the side, a smile on her lips, "And you
stay out of the infirmary, sir."

He took her hand. "How can I do that now that you're here," he grinned
and bent over her hand. Then he picked up his clothes and walked out
of the room. As he cross the Weyrbowl he was still grinning and began
to whistle.

Last updated on the February 11th 2015

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Stay Out of The Infirmary