A Duty And A Pleasure

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 14th October 2005

Characters: M'galec, Lenala
Description: M'galec keeps Lenala company during her lonely night in the infirmary
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 10 of Turn 3

Lenala

Lenala sighed and shifted for the third time, trying to find a comfortable way to sleep in the narrow infirmary cot. It was far removed from the comforts of her own bed, and she was fairly certain that she wouldn't be getting any sleep at all unless a healer popped in with something to make her sleep.

"Restless, Lenala?" a voice asked gently.

Squinting into the dim light, Lenala thought she made out the familiar shape of the bronzerider who had dealt with her injury earlier. "M'galec? Is that you?"

"Yes, it is. You can't sleep? Is your leg alright?" The bronzerider usually left minor threadscores for his journeyman assistants to follow up on, but as she was a _gold_ rider, he felt it was only his duty to check on her personally.

"It hurts a little..." She felt silly saying it, considering the fact that she'd seen girls and boys half her age with worse Threadscore at Dolphin Cove, but it _did_ hurt and she had no idea how people managed to ignore pain! "Mostly I just can't seem to get comfortable."

"It's only natural that it would be a bit uncomfortable," he said as he gave her arm an encouraging pat. "Well, perhaps I should take a look at it just to make sure. Would that be all right?"

"Of course," Lenala replied, feeling relieved. "I'd probably rest a little easier if you told me everything was fine, again. I tend to worry..."

"Well, there is nothing to worry about, I'm sure." He turned up the light a bit and lifted the light sheet that covered her leg. "Now, does it itch?
Or ache?"

Lenala closed her eyes, not wanting to see the injury. It was hard enough when it was someone else's... looking at her own Threadscore was asking for trouble. "It aches..."

"Well, let me look at it." He didn't see any red developing around the edges, which would be the first tell-tale sign of infection. As he ran his finger lightly around the undamaged skin he didn't feel any areas that were raised or hotter than would be expected. "Now this might hurt just a little." M'galec watched her face as he pressed the undamaged skin around the wound lightly.

She winced a little, her hands tightening on the side of the bed. "I'm afraid I'm not very brave."

"You did just fine," M'galec smiled as he pulled the sheet lightly over her leg again. He sat down in the chair next to her bed. "Well, I didn't see any sign of infection, but we'll keep you on the mosstea just in case.
We'll check it again in the morning and make sure, but it looks to be progressing normally."

"Thank you, M'galec." Lenala summoned one of her smiles--one of the pretty ones that had always worked on handsome bronzeriders. "I appreciate you coming to visit. I think I might be going a little mad, laying here with nothing to do but think."

Apparently it worked on the average looking bronzeriders as well, for M'galec smiled back, perhaps a bit bigger than was appropriate. "Well, I'll stay with you a while if you'd like."

"I would like that..." Lenala shifted again, making it easier to look at him without twisting her head around. "Especially since I haven't really gotten a chance to meet you, yet! You've only just arrived in the past few sevendays, haven't you?" She knew she'd seen a note about the Weyrlingmaster's new Second, but she hadn't given it much thought at the time. Now she wished she knew more.

"That's right." She did have the prettiest eyes... "I just transfered in from Rising Moons Weyr."

"Someplace I've never lived," Lenala replied with a hint of a smile. "Though I've been in a few Weyrs in my day. What was it like there?"

The bronzerider shrugged. "The weather wasn't nearly so pleasant, though the people were nice enough. Some where a bit... narrow minded. But I suppose you will find that anywhere you go."

Lenala gave him a curious look. "You like the weather here? I'm not sure I do... I've only been here a few months, but it seems to _never_ get cool!"

"Where did you transfer in from?" "Far Island," Lenala replied. "I started off at Vista Point Weyr. From there... well, from there I just seemed to find myself _everywhere_."

"And why is that?" M'galec asked with a curious smile.

She hadn't been thinking far enough ahead to realize that this coversation would end up somewhere she didn't want it to go. Lenala could feel the warmth in her cheeks as she blushed. "Well, I suppose I haven't always had the easiest time. Being a goldrider can be... interesting." Her blush did not go unnoticed. He had to admit, the flush became her nicely. "And I suppose it can be a life full of secrets."

"Sometimes," she admitted, forcing a smile to her face. If she was going to blush, she could at least use it to her advantage. "And sometimes keeping secrets is close to impossible. You're a bronzerider... you know how it can be." He chuckled. "Yes, Lenala, I guess I do know. But I will tell you, if the time ever comes that you need to tell someone a secret, I can keep it for you."

"So you're offering to keep secrets for me?" Lenala's smile turned teasing.
"Maybe I'll have to rush out and find one so I can confide it to you." "Oh, and have you no secrets now?" M'galec, knowing full well that she was flirting with him, gave her a smile that told her that he was more than happy to flirt back.

"Well, maybe one..." Lenala gestured for him to lean closer. "But you can't tell _anyone_..." "All right." The bronzerider leaned in close.

"Mmmhmmm..." Lenala settled back down against her pillow, smiling at him.
"And he saves her from certain peril at least three times. It's very brave of him." He leaned in close againand asked conspiritorially, "And was he a dragonrider?"

"Alas, no." Lenala shook her head, the pain in her leg forgotten as she admired the strong lines of M'galec's face in the dim light. "But he was a healer, and very skilled at his trade. Among other things..." M'galec cleared his throat slightly to keep from smiling. This goldrider seemed to be very much a lady, and he had to be careful not cross any bounds of propriety, though he doubted anyone in the Weyr would notice such gentile concepts. "Ah, well, healers are very handy fellows when there are dangers about, I should think."

"You know, I would have to agree. Especially after the dashing way you saved me today." The bronzerider chuckled a bit. "That was not so dashing, Lenala. Yours was not life threatening. And the critical patients, well the things that have to be done are not fit for romances."

Lenala reached out to take his hand. "Well, I found it _plenty_ dashing, and I'm the one who gets to decide. Thank you for taking care of me." "It is my duty, Lenala," M'galec said as he gave her hand a light squeeze.
"And my pleasure."

Last updated on the October 15th 2005

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A Duty And A Pleasure