Bullies: No Adolescent Fight (3/3)

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 28th October 2006

Characters: Keles, Nyblek
Description: Keles recieves an update on her brother's condition from the healer
Location: Smith Hall (NPC)
Date: month 13, day 27 of Turn 3

"I gave him something for the pain and to help him sleep," the healer whispered quietly in Keles' ear. "Do you want to stay with him until he's sleeping and then come to my office and we can talk about his condition?"

Swallowing thickly, the young woman nodded as she sat down in the chair beside Nyblek.

Nyblek reached out a hand towards the sound. He had cold compresses on both eyes to try to reduce the swelling. "Keles?"

"I'm here, hon," she murmured, calling him by an endearment she'd hadn't called him by since he was eight Turns old. Her fingers linked through his. "You're going to be okay, Ny. Everything's going to be okay."

"They said I would sleep soon," he muttered, the drink already starting to take its effect. "Will you stay with me a while longer?" Nyblek knew she had a baby and a husband to go home to, but her presence made him feel safe.

"Of course I will. Don't worry about anything, Ny....just rest. I'm going to be right here."

"Are you going to tell father about this?" he asked, a twinge of worry in his voice.

**I don't know, Ny....** And she honestly didn't know. Telling their father had been the last thing on her mind at the moment "Ssssh...
Don't worry about anything, hon." She rubbed his hand soothingly.
"Just sleep."

"Don't let him take me away," he whispered, already slipping deeper. "I don't want to..."

"I won't let him." And she meant it. Keles watched as Nyblek's hand went slack in hers, and she let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. Poor Ny.... Her poor little brother... Again, she swallowed, trying to get past the growing lump in her throat. Who in Faranth's name would _do_ this to her baby brother?

"Is he asleep?" the Healer whispered, giving her a few moments alone with him to be sure even after the talking had stopped.

She nodded mutely, turning her head to look at the Healer, trying to fight the tears. **Shards, Keles, pull yourself _together_..."

"Why don't we talk in my office?" he suggested gently.

Again she nodded, gently placing Nyblek's hand down on the sheet before quietly rising to follow him.

"I'm sure you had a really bad scare today," the journeyman said gently, offering her a seat. "Let me start out by assuring you that your brother will be fine. There should be no permanent damage. I would, however, like to keep him here in the infirmary for a couple days at least."

"For him to rest?" Keles completely agreed. "The journeymen and smithmasters who teach him will need to be told...."

"And his aunt, who is listed as his guardian," the healer said as he picked up a file. "The Hallmaster has already been in. He will probably like to start an investigation. This was no adolescent fight."

"He was mobbed," she snarled softly, the sudden raw emotion in her voice shocking her. With wide eyes, she looked down, hands twisting tightly together in her lap.

"It would seem that he was taken by surprise and was attacked by more than one person. That much I can say with certainty. There are no bruises on his arms that would suggest he had a chance to defend himself, so I would say his claim that someone held him would be true.
It's also obvious that a weapon of some sort was used to give him a blow to the head, but whether it was a stick or something more sophisticated I cannot say. But luckily they didn't use it on him at any other time that I can tell. It seems they wanted to give him a beating, but nothing permanent and certainly had no intention to kill him. He has cuts and black eyes, bruised ribs and a concussion, but nothing to make me think they intended permanent harm. Although, if that blow to the head had been much harder... That was a stupid thing to do."

Keles blinked back the tears that threatened to surface again. "Are you telling me he would've died?"

The Healer put a reassuring hand on Keles shoulder. "Heads are sensitive and vulnerable. There's always a measure of danger. But we luckily don't have to worry about that. He'll be fine, aside from a concussion. Still, I think I would like to keep him here in the infirmary for the next few days, just in case."

"Of--of course," she whispered, nodding fervently. That kind touch of his was almost too much. She didn't want to cry. "What can I do?"

"Could you inform his family?"

"Of course." Nyblek'd voice echoed in her mind: "Are you going to tell Father?" Shards, but she had to. He had to know...

Last updated on the October 30th 2006

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Bullies: No Adolescent Fight (3/3)