It Could Be Worse

Writers: AL, Devin
Date Posted: 13th June 2011

Characters: N'vanik, Meledei
Description: N'vanik comes to visit Meledei after her scoring.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 11 of Turn 6

N'vanik

N'vanik always visited the infirmary after Fall, but today
he put off Loseth's bath to get there sooner. It didn't take him long to
find Meledei's cot. "Hey, how are you?" he asked, his expression full of
concern.

"Hey N'vanik." Meledei was feeling a little odd. The healers said it
was part of the shock and combined with fellis - well, she felt almost
not quite _there_. Or maybe drunk. Or both. "Doing okay."

"How bad is it?" He'd found out through Loseth that it wasn't life
threatening or crippling, but that was it.

"Oh, it could be worse. Bad enough I won't be walking on my own for a
bit." Meledei gave him a lopsided grin and then shrugged. "I still
have my leg and I'm glad for that!" A lot of riders had lost limbs,
eyes, she'd even seen one who was missing a nose.

"So am I." N'vanik put a gentle hand on her arm. "Are you in pain? Did
they give you enough numbweed and fellis?"

"Yeah. I feel like I'm halfway to drunk." Meledei grinned again and
reached up with her hand to pat the Weyrleader's. "I'm all right,
really. This too shall pass, right?"

"Yeah, you'll be back to normal soon enough." He hoped. He'd have to
get a more detailed report from a healer.

"Might be a few sevendays, but after that." Meledei didn't really
_want_ to go back into Fall, but that was her job. She had a duty to
perform. "Though I guess I'll have to find some way to be useful while
I'm grounded."

"There's _more_ than enough hidework to go around, don't worry about
keeping busy."

"At this rate, I'll get _ahead_ of it." Meledei wondered if that were
possible. Probably if that's all she did every waking moment of her
day. Of course, with Janani taking over, things had gotten better. "I
was thinking though, since I'm not able to fly...maybe I could go help
with the weyrlings or something - as long as it doesn't require having
to move around _quickly_."

N'vanik nodded. "I'm sure the weyrlingstaff would be happy to have
you. They'll have their hands full soon enough."

"Couldn't hurt. And I'm sure I'd get something out of it too."
Besides, it would be good to see the differences from Meledei's class
and the newest one.

"Just watch out for Sh'del."

"Watch out for Sh'del?" Meledei hadn't expected to be told that.
"Why?"

"He's an old friend of mine and he likes to tease." N'vanik smiled.

"Oh, I already know that!" Meledei laughed. "No worries there. I
didn't know you guys were particularly close."

"We go back a few turns, and he seems to follow me around." N'vanik
teased the other rider about it when they'd both ended up at Dolphin
Cove.

"Is he stalking you?" Meledei wasn't above teasing herself - and she'd
had her own stalker of sorts, though he'd be nice enough. "Better
watch out!"

"He rides brown, not green or blue, so I'm fine." He winked.

"This is true. Unless he painted his dragon." Meledei giggled at that
thought.

"Please don't get me imagining Sh'del as a greenrider." N'vanik made a
face.

"Too late." Meledei sighed as a healer stuck a head in to check on
her.

N'vanik followed her gaze. "I think that's a hint that I'm supposed to
leave you alone to rest."

"They keep doing that, but I'm sure you have stuff you have to do."
Meledei knew people couldn't hang around to keep her company _all_ day.

"Yeah. I have a few more people to visit, and Loseth still needs a
bath. And I think you might be getting a few more visitors. You seem
to be popular." He smiled.

"Yeah, I can't seem to understand it. Maybe it's my perfume or
something." Which she knew N'vanik would know that Meledei didn't
generally _wear_ scents. "Thanks for coming by, N'vanik. I appreciate
it."

"Rest up, and don't push yourself too hard." He hesitated a moment,
then kissed her forehead.

"Thanks. I will." To some degree. Meledei did have duties to attend
to, but she wasn't going to be able to drills for some time. "I'll see
you soon."

Last updated on the June 17th 2011

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It Could Be Worse