Into the Hold

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 12th April 2008

Characters: Shadux, Mariss, Cyrek, Chupsin
Description: Shadux and Mariss make it to the Infirmary, and Cyrek realizes what's happened to his daughter
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 9, day 1 of Turn 4

They'd managed to avoid most of the holders on their way back, but the shocked looks that Mariss and Shadux got on their way to the Infirmary confirmed Mariss' worst fear: her father would find out what happened.
Shadux was in much worse shape than she was, and so she was able to wash the blood from her nose and tidy herself a little while they tended to him. Her father still hadn't arrived by the time she was finished, so she sought out her rescuer where he was suffering under the ministrations of one of the Hold's healers. Chupsin looked over his shoulder at her before snipping the thread he had been using to stitch Shadux's lip closed. "It's all right to come close, young Mariss. The worst is over now."

Barely ten years her senior, and Chupsin was already acting as if he was ancient.
Mariss bit back her initial reply - one fight was enough for the day.
She sat on the bed beside Shadux. "You look a right mess."

"You'd sink I'd been in a fight or somesin," he mumbled through numbed lips.

The healer pressed a cloth full of ice chips into her hand. "Perhaps you would be good enough to hold this compress to his eye while I make him a poultice for his ribs?"

Mariss glanced at Shadux, suddenly feeling shy. She gently touched the ice to his face but withdrew it when he winced. "It'll probably hurt less if you do it."

"No, iss alright." He didn't want to tell her that reaching up was equally painful at this point. They sat like that for a moment until the curtain was whisked aside and a slightly grey-looking Cyrek charged in. Trouble was flitting in and out of /between/ over his head and Mariss dropped the ice into Shadux's lap. "Da!"

"Oh thank Faranth--" Cyrek swept her up into a hug that was tight enough to crack the joints in her back. "Are you all right? I heard you were attacked but I didn't know-- what were you _doing_?! I can't believe--
you're _are_ hurt!"

Mariss squirmed in her father's grasp as he gently held her face between his hands to examine her swollen nose and the scrapes on her chin. "I'm fine, it's just a few little scrapes--"

"You're staying _home_ young lady!" the Steward snapped. "If Shadux--
shards!" He finally took a look at his understeward and blanched a little. Mariss had had a chance to wipe the blood from her face but Shadux had a trail of blood that streaked his chin and an eye that was too swollen to open. "Thank the _Egg_ you found her. If you hadn't...
How bad is it?"

"I'b had worss, sir," Shadux slurred through swollen lips.

"Indeed, it looks much worse than it really is," the healer said as he joined them, followed by an apprentice carrying a poultice. "Just a split lip, a black eye and a bruised or possibly cracked rib. Really, nothing to worry about. Mariss, you might want to avert your eyes. We need to remove Shadux's shirt now and pack his ribs."

Mariss opened her mouth to tell him that she'd seen far worse than a naked chest in her time, but abruptly realized that Chupsin might have been attempting to keep Shadux from embarrassment instead, so she did as she was asked. "We're fine, Da. Chupsin said that Shadux's mostly just bruised and will heal soon enough. Please don't worry."

"HA! Don't worry, she says," Cyrek grumbled. "You're not going anywhere from now on--"

"Da!" Mariss hissed. "You have no-- this is not the time nor the place.
Shadux knew the two men who- who confronted us."

Cyrek's face went a little red and Trouble scolded Mariss from the safety of a curtain rod. They glared at each other, then Cyrek sighed.
"Is this true true, Shadux?"

"I knew one of them, sir." His voice faultered slightly as the cold of the poultice touched his skin. "The other I cannot say for sure. A relative, perhaps."

"Give me a name, and I'll get the other," Cyrek said. His normally gentle expression was replaced by something much harder, and Mariss looked away. The last time she'd seen her father look like that was when Lady Jerandra was revealed as a tunnelsnake.

Shadux almost flinched under the Stewards stern gaze. "Sir, may I point out that it is entirely possible that I might have exacerbated the situation. I think it unlikely that either of them would have done a harm to Mariss."

"I want his name," Cyrek said quietly. There was no patience in the Steward's voice for any answer then the one he sought. "Holder Zelnu."

"Holder Zelnu." Cyrek's eyes narrowed as he thought. He'd seen the name listed but couldn't recall the face that was attached to it.. well, that would come soon enough. He excused himself from the Infirmary to whisper the name into the ear of the guard who waited in the hall, and he watched as the man hurried down towards the guard's quarters, the nails in his bootheels clicking loudly on the floor. He and Holder Zelnu would have more than enough time to get acquainted later. In the mean time... When he returned to the room Mariss was still studiously - and uncharacteristically - looking elsewhere while Shadux grimaced and Chupsin bandaged the Understeward's ribs. "Shall I call your father, Shadux?"

"No, thank you, sir." He hissed and shot the healer a glare as he pulled the bandage tighter than Shadux deemed neccesary. "He'll know everything soon enough." Just one look at his son's face would tell him all he needed to know.

"Will Shadux be staying the night in the Infirmary?" Cyrek asked Chupsin.

"No, I don't see any call for that." The healer gently helped Shadux pull his shirt back over his shoulders and indicated that he could button it back up himself. "His face might look worse for wear, sir, but he is showing no signs of a concussion. Cracked ribs can be painful, but they pose him no danger. I'll be giving him some tea to help him sleep and numb the pain a bit, but that's really all I can do for him. Though I would ask that he might be given a couple days to recover, and then no physical work for the next month to give his ribs a chance to heal."

Shadux frowned. That meant desk work. Not that there was much heavy lifting to be done at this time of the turn, but sitting the whole day was not something he would look forward to.

"Do you need help getting back to your quarters? I'm sure that Chupsin will be willing to assist you." Cyrek's tone didn't brook argument. "I would myself but it's late and I need to take my daughter back to our apartments."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" Mariss snapped.

Shadux eyes darted between father and daughter. Well, she certainly had proved herself fearless tonight. More backbone than he would have given her credit for. Clearing his throat, he shook his head slightly. "I can manage, sir. Thank you anyway."

"Take the next five days off, and report to me in the morning when you're back on duty," Cyrek said grimly. "And don't worry - this 'Zelnu' will be taken care of."

Shadux was sure he would go nuts in five days, but Cyrek seemed to be in no mood to be persuaded. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

"Just rest up, and..." Cyrek glanced at Mariss, who still stood in the corner. "I'm glad that you were there. I can't... thank you," he said quietly.

"I'm just sorry it happened." This whole mess certainly didn't cast his people in a good light. Cyrek managed a small, tight smile, then took his daughter by the hand and led her out of the Infirmary. Mariss waved at Shadux on the way out and smiled in a way that unconsciously mimicked her father, before disappearing through the door and leaving Shadux alone with Chupsin.

Last updated on the April 17th 2008

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