Nocturnal woes (2 of 3)

Writers: Suzee
Date Posted: 21st May 2011
Series: It takes Time to Love

Characters: U'kaiah, Tavia, Vandor
Description: Nocturnal woes (2 of 3)
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 7 of Turn 6

Tavia

Vandor

Tavia jumped off the bed and helped U'kaiah to his feet. Then she
pulled the bloody sheet from the bed so it wouldn't soak any further
than it already had. She didn't give it another thought but threw on
one of her caftan's and opened the door to the hallway. "You stay
here." she said and thought firmly to the little flit.

She took his hand and started down the stairs with a glow in her hand.
She knew the way by heart but it was all new to U'kaiah. Soon they
were at the door and she walked inside. "Vandor?" she called softly.
She realized there were patients sleeping at this time of night.

A large piece of shadow skimmed off from the deeper sets, then
illumined by the light of Tavia's glow as well as his own which he
lifted to let that light spread. �"Tavia?" �Came the response and he
stepped forward, eyes looking over her. �He was on night shift that
sevenday, but he hadn't expected the visitor whose voice he heard.
"Is something wrong?" �Those dark eyes rested particularly on her
abdomen, as if trying to see inside to the babe nestled in the womb.
It was then he caught sight of the man, shadowed as he was by his
position and an eyebrow lifted. �Was that...?

"Yes," she said softy. "We should take him to the exam room," she
didn't want to go in depth about what had happened and didn't let go
of U'kaiah's hand. "This way," she said leading him past Vandor. When
they got out of the ward and into the better lighted area she turned.
"U'kaiah, this is Vandor." she introduced them. "Glory mistook his
presence as an attack and tried to drive him away." She didn't want to
explain much more than that.

"Either that or she mistook me for a tunnelsnake. �She wouldn't be the
first," the bronzerider said, trying to make light of the situation if
only for Tavia's sake. �Inside he was wondering how he was going to
explain this if he ended up not being able to fight Thread because of
his injuries. �And Faranth only knew what Aileyan would think.

"His presence?" �Vandor moved even as he spoke, uncovering the glow
completely so that the light brightened. �He motioned for them to
follow them since the man seemed able to walk on his own and led them
even further back back to a specific examination area. �"Well, your
face is intact, thank Faranth for that." �The healer grinned then
motioned to the table. �"Let me take a look."

"Yes his presence," she smiled with a little embarrassment for the
situation. She felt Vandor to be the best doctor she knew and if
anyone could take care of the injuries it was him. "I've already
cleaned them up a bit and applied numbweed."

Vandor peered at the greenrider, as if he were trying to read her
thoughts. �For once, he wished he _could_ read her thoughts. �"Very
good." �He offered in praise to her. �His presence. �That dark gazed
darted back to the bronzerider, but the healer made no further remarks.

The healer seemed a bit stern to U'kaiah, and Tavia was looking rather
uncomfortable. �Did the journeyman disapprove of the situation for some
reason? �"It was really my fault," the bronzerider assured him, not
wanting Tavia's colleague to think she had been lax in any way. �"I
surprised her. �I really should have thought that Glory was too young to
understand... why I was there."

Tavia gave U'kaiah's fingers a grateful squeeze before she let go. She
smiled at them both and then offered to Vandor, "U'kaiah is the father
of my child."

"Ah, I see." �Vandor dipped his hands in redwort, scrubbing them
thoroughly. �His presence, the time of the night. �It only meant one
thing. �He felt a pang, but suppressed it as best he could. �"Lie down,
please." �If there was any hint Vandor was bothered by the realisation,
the gentleness of his request didn't give it away. �"Let me take a
closer look."

U'kaiah did as he had been requested, carefully easing himself onto his
stomach so the healer could do his work.

Tavia stepped away and prepared to assist if needed. She looked back
at Vandor bending over U'kaiah and shivered slightly. It was so
different taking care of someone you cared about. Her stomach felt
queasy and she knew it had nothing at all to do with the baby. She
tried to shake it off and pulled some bandages out of the drawer to
put within reach should they be needed.

Vandor bent over to get a closer look at the wounds. �"I'm going to prod
a bit, though the numbweed should still be in effect, but I apologise if
it causes any pain." �He warned before placing his fingers and pressing
gently. �"It could be worse. �It's a good thing she's just a little
thing, but some of these are fairly deep. �I'm going to clean them and
cover them and give you something to put on it once a day." �He smiled
to Tavia as she already had the bandages prepared. �"Just a moment, I'm
going to prepare a cream." �He turned then to exit the little area,
passing through the curtain.

U'kaiah pushed himself up onto his elbows and caught Tavia by the hand.
"Listen, I want you to be honest with me," he said, looking her straight
in the eye. �"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Her head immediately spoke her denial. "No U'kaiah, you only startled
me." Her hand rose to the side of his face. "I think I felt the flight
lust on you....didn't I?"

Vandor paused just outside the curtain and peered inward through the
crack, his dark skin melting with the shadows. �He watched U'kaiah, the
way he reached for her, the way her hand rested upon his cheek. �He
stared at that slender hand and let his gaze travel the arm to her face,
noting her expression as she gazed at him. �The corners of his lips
tightened and he finally turned away.

Through the infirmary he traversed, taking up one of the ointments
already prepared for similar injuries. �He wasn't long and he slipped
back through that curtain, clearing his throat. �"I'm going to go ahead
and apply this. �You'll need to do so once a day - it will help with the
pain and help stave off infection."

"What about my duties? �Drills and Threadfall?" �U'kaiah asked, Tavia's
hand still firmly in his.

"I think you should refrain, just for a day or two." �Vandor knew that
wasn't what any dragonrider wanted to hear, but it was better to be
cautious now rather than regret it later. �"I want to see how you feel
after a couple of days. �It may hurt right now, but the next two days
or so will be where you can really get a sense of how you're feeling."
�Vandor's touch was a gentle as if he were tending a baby, easing the
ointment over the bronzerider's back in soft, easy strokes.

Her fingers pressed around his, "sorry," she whispered. She felt like
his injuries were her fault for the way she'd reacted. Glory would
probably not have attacked if she hadn't... well it was too late, you
couldn't unspill the klah.

Well, he would have a bit of explaining to do. �He squeezed her fingers
back gently. �What could he say? �He had been attacked by a Flight
trying to defend the woman he had woken up in the middle of the night to
have with reckless abandon? �U'kaiah could already hear the question in
his mind that would inevitably be in everyone's mind - **Why would a
flit think you posed a danger to her rider if you didn't do something to
her?** �After the reputation he'd had after that last Senior Gold
Flight...

Vandor finished applying the salve and he closed the door, then
reached for a towel to wipe the stuff from his fingers. �"I'm going to
cover the wounds and then we'll be done for now." �He explained and
prepared to do just that, though his eyes darted between Tavia and
U'kaiah briefly before he reached for the bandages.

Tavia watched Vandor work. He was one of the finest healers of her
acquaintance and she was very glad he'd been on duty tonight. She held
her hand out for the small pot of salve. She would make sure the
medication was applied until he was ok to /between/ back to
Dragonsfall Weyr.

The bronzerider didn't say much as the healer did his work. �His mind
was already preoccupied with how he was going to explain this whole
affair - to G'nir, to Aileyan... Even to Tavia. �He did think to thank
the healer once he had finished bandaging him up. �"Any final
instructions, sir?"

Vandor nodded, wishing he could give certain instructions but saying
nothing as that wouldn't help matters. �"Just take it easy for a day
or two. �Most likely the pain will be worse tomorrow, though it should
start to improve after that. �If you notice the redness doesn't fade
and the swelling gets worse, come see me or another healer. � We don't
want infection setting in."

"Thank you Vandor," Tavia smiled a smile that didn't exactly reach her
eyes. They turned back to U'kaiah "Ready?"

U'kaiah nodded, slid off the table and laced his fingers with those of
the greenrider. �"Thank you again, journeyman. �I appreciate the help."

"Of course." �Vandor replied easily inclined his head to them both. �"I
hope you both have a good rest of your evening."

Last updated on the May 12th 2024

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