Knackered

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 20th March 2011

Characters: Briata, Y'gel
Description: An exhausted volunteer and a gentle mentor.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 7 of Turn 6

Briata

Y'gel

Briata leaned heavily against the wall of the cavern, head bowed had
tendrils of hair that had escaped from her braid falling into her
face. Threadfall had always been hard. Her parents hadn't quite
understood why she had reacted so badly to it even when they had
assured her time and time again that she was safe. Of course, even
she hadn't understood her ability quite so long ago. She had heard
them. Heard the screams, felt the pain.

When she had first come to the Weyr, it had been even more difficult.
Her inability to block them out at all had caused a lot of pain,
physically and emotionally. But she had gotten through it. She had
learned. It wasn't perfect. And she had to be careful when she did
open herself up to not get so overwhelmed.

But she had never participated in helping the healers during
Threadfall. Her duties had generally been to help in other areas in
the Weyr, often with things such as laundry and the like.
Participating in the healing duties had been exhausting, physically,
yes. Mentally, even more so.

And yet...and yet there was a sense of something else. Pride? Not
quite. Reassurance? Maybe. She had helped, in more than just
tugging around supplies or making sure someone knew about this or
that. She had helped the healers, urged dragons to calm down, placed
her gentle hands upon them to help soothe and even sung in order to
stop the whirling of those chaotic and panicked minds. It made her
feel good to do so. As completely exhausted as she was...she would do
it all over again.

Y'gel had watched her through the fall and as the injured dragons had
come into the cavern for treatment. Aughashyth had caught one pair in
mid-air that had much pain and he could see their distress reflected
in Briata's face. He remembered Aug's injury and what it had done to
them at the time and could only imagine how that was magnified for
her.

He crossed the cavern to where she stood and placed a gentle hand on
her shoulder. "Are you sure you're up to this?" he asked.

Her head lifted up, blue eyes peering from beneath her ebony locks
that had fallen from her braid. "I am." She agreed, without
hesitation. "It will just...take some getting used to. It took
getting used to the voices after I came here. Time will help." Briata
managed to straighten up a little as one hand attempted to press the
locks back into their proper place. "I'll be all right."

All the concern of a father shadowed his eyes as he stood there next
to her. She'd shown a resilience that many an apprentice took a turn
or more to learn. "Alright, I'll trust you to know your limits. Just
be careful." He withdrew his hand. "You were great out there today,"
he added with a smile.

"You're very kind to say so." Briata tried to straighten up but her body
resisted. She hadn't felt great. She had felt sorrow. She had felt fear.
And yet she knew that she couldn't project that to the dragons, couldn't
let them feel her own for it would only make them worse. So she had taken
those feelings, folded them and placed them in a closet. Then she had
been kept running so much that she didn't have time to think or feel the
fatigue until after it was all over. Her head pounded and she squinted
against the light, wanting to emerge herself in the darkness of her room
for a few hours. The problem was getting there. She tried to tell her
foot to move but it refused to budge. "I never...realised..." She didn't
finish her sentence, not quite able to put together the words.

He saw the exhaustion overcoming her. She leaned against the wall like
it was the only thing holding her up and it probably was. He also knew
he could only partially understand what she was going through. What
she had willingly put herself through.

Y'gel bent and scooped her up. "Here, you need to sit and rest until
you're ready to go. Most of them are fine now and cared for." He
carried her easily across the cavern past several dragons to set her
in a chair next to the refreshment table. There was juice, klah,
water, and tea. "You should drink something and rest a little before
you try and go back."

Briata's mouth opened and a squeak escaped in surprise as her feet were
suddenly swept from the floor. It was probably just as well, she was
beginning to think about merely sinking to the ground and lying her head
upon her knees. She just didn't exactly expect to be carried somewhere.
Pink echoed its hue over her cheeks and she turned her face inward, away
from any who might be watching. It was with some relief that he set her
down, more from the embarrassment of the situation than anything. Truly,
she should have been able to walk herself rather than be dragged by
another who had worked just as hard as she had. "I...suppose. You should
rest as well. You had as long a shift as I have." If not longer.

He smiled "I am used to it young woman, unlike you. Now eat something
and get your strength back." He'd made similar speeches before and
knew she'd have to find a way to pace herself or she would burn out.
He wanted to see the color back in her face before he let her go.

She wasn't hungry, but Briata also wasn't going to argue with the healer.
She accepts a bit to eat, a meat pasty, small, but filling and allows
juice to be pressed into her hand. Her eyes desperately try to close
while she desperately tries to force them to remain open, but it will soon
be a losing battle.

He watched her nibble at the food and battle sleep and finally made a
decision. "I'd like you to meet my daughter another day Briata. For
now though I think you need some sleep. Can you walk down over there
into the barracks or shall I carry you?"

The food helped, so did the klah but walk? Well, she'd have to see. "I
think so." So tired. She didn't want to walk, she just wanted to lie
down right there and fall into the slumber that tugged so intensely at her
mind. But she forced herself to hand back the mug and pushed herself to
her
feet.

"Alright then," he said offering her his arm. "I'll just take you down
but if you feel faint, let me know." There was simple exhaustion
written all over her. Nothing a good rest wouldn't fix.

Briata might have asked Y'gel to help her if he hadn't offered. She felt
wavy on her feet and she clasped his arm tightly and gratefully. "Thank
you." She offered softly, allowing him to lead her onward. The trek
seemed to take forever, though they were not going so far, her shuffling
step slow and careful. She was half asleep on her feet when he finally
guided her to the barracks. And as soon as she fell into a bed, Briata
was gone, clothes and shoes still on.

Y'gel smiled gently down at the brave young woman. He pulled off her
shoes one by one and placed them under the bed where she would find
them. Then he covered her with a blanket and tucked it around as he
had with his daughter when she was little. He turned the glow dimming
the light in the room and quietly shut the door.

Last updated on the April 3rd 2011

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Knackered