Broken

Writers: Emma, Paula
Date Posted: 3rd October 2007

Characters: Demalia, Rigella
Description: Demalia stops by to see Rigella.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 23 of Turn 4

"Please ask her if she'd like to see me," Demalia asked the healer as she stood close to the room Rigella was in. "I'm her friend."

"I'll check if she can take visitors," the healer promised little hesitantly.

"Thank you."

The journeyman nodded and left. He returned after few minutes. "You can go to see her. She's wake, but.." he shrugged ambiguously. "You do know she lost her baby?"

"I know," said Demalia, a tinge of regret in her voice. She'd been the one who'd taken her /between/ in the first place.

Rigella had a separate room. She was sitting on bed, staring the wall.
She didn't react when the door opened.

"Rigella?" Demalia's voice was soft, not wanting to disturb her friend. "Are you awake."

Rigella turned to look. The expression on her face was frightening, empty yet somehow desperately sad. "Demalia?" she asked hesitantly.

"I had to come and see you when I heard." Those words didn't sound right, but somehow they were all she could say. The way Rigella looked, it was as though she was not there anymore.

"If you came to see my baby, they took him away," Rigella said and gave the journeyman healer a nasty look. He had followed the greenrider in and now sat on a corner. There was always someone watching her, they didn't dare to leave her alone.

"I, I know, that can't be easy for you," said Demalia gently.

"I want my baby," Rigella said with small, broken voice.

"Was he very ill?" asked Demalia. She felt uneasy, was it her trip /between/ with Rigella that had made this happen, or would it have happened anyway.
"Maybe the healers are trying to help him and you."

"He was deformed, my poor son," Rigella replied and covered her face in hands. "I've killed my baby."

The journeyman cleared his throat and told Demalia in low voice: "She kind of drifts in and out. Sometimes she's quite cohorent and in touch with reality, then she suddenly slips back to world of delusions.
Seems like you caught her on clear moment."

"The baby, it wasn't because I took her /between/ to try and get rid of it was it?" she asked the journeyman.

The healer shrugged, "Nobody knows for sure."

"Rigella," she said focusing on her friend again. "It wasn't your fault, or mine."

"I just want my baby back," the misery in her voice was heart breaking.

"Maybe one day," Demalia began hesitantly, "Maybe you'll have another."

"It won't be the same, it won't be Biri's," Rigella said.

"You don't know that," said Demalia.

Rigella just shook her head and stared her hands.

"I'm sure it'll be okay."

"No, it won't," Rigella's voice was barely above whisper.

"If you let the healers help..." Demalia's voice trailed off, what else was there to say.

"I'm broken beyond repair," Rigella was still staring her hands.

"Please, Rigella, look at me. There's every reason to get through this,"
pleaded Demalia.

But Rigella didn't move or reply.

"I think she's drift away again," the healer sighed sadly.

"Maybe I should go, I'll try to come back another day. If she'll see me."

"She'll be moved to healer hall soon," the journeyman warned.

"I can always go there, Tapheth will take me."

"That's good, she needs friends. People that don't abandon her even when she's like this," the healer nodded towards apathetic Rigella.
"It will help her recover."

"Will she?" asked Demalia.

"We're certainly doing our best for it," the healer replied, but he couldn't give any certain promises.

"If you could let me know before she goes, I'd like to say goodbye."

"I try to remember," The healer promised.

"Thank you."

Last updated on the October 3rd 2007

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Broken