Not a Morning Person

Writers: Chelle, Paula
Date Posted: 26th December 2014

Characters: Stennar, Chupsin
Description: The two of them make the rounds.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 27 of Turn 7

Stennar was sterilizing instruments when he heard the infirmary door open
and close. He quickly dried his hands and peered to see who it was. "Ah,
journeyman Chupsin. Good morning!" he greeted with a cheerful tone.

Chupsin was not the cheerful sort. The healer was nursing his morning klah
and running everything that needed to be done. He usually had a routine.
Tourniquet, bless him, was being quiet and went to perch on a chair rung.
"Morning, Stennar."

"I'm almost done with sterilizing instruments. Want me accompany you to your
morning rounds?" Stennar asked.

"Mmm. I need to read the records first to catch up on what was done."
Walking over to where records for current patients were hung, he familiarized
himself while drinking the klah.

"All right," Stennar replied and returned to work. Chupsin really wasn't in
for small talk, he grinned to himself.

It took some time but finally he got through all the updates and arranged
them in his head. He figured out the order that people needed to be seen-the
most injured to the least. Gathering things like a board, the proper records, and
a stylus, he put on his purple healer robes and motioned to Stennar.

Stennar didn't take long to appear to his side. "Can I ask you a personal
question?" he asked and then launched into his question without waiting for an
answer. "When did you choose to specialize in general healing? I mean I should be
choosing a specialty, but I have no idea what it could be. I know I have to
pick something to make it to senior journeyman."

As they walked, Chupsin considered the question. Of course, his infirmary
was also a training ground for up and coming healers. He was proud of that fact.
Amber Hills was good sized enough that it could support it. Truth be told, he also liked
the role of teacher. "For me, it seemed like the logical answer since it was where I
could do the most good. The South's Holds need healers. The Plague underscored
that quite handily and even now we are still not as plentiful as we could be. Besides,
I like learning so much I didn't want to focus on just one thing-I like all the different
situations that I deal with."

"Sounds sensible," Stennar said. "I am not sure I want to be
that..widespread," he continued thoughtfully.

"Well we need specialists to be called in from time to time so there is no
harm in picking a specialty. Matter of fact there are a few specialties that haven't
been taken up much in recent turns due to the demand for general healers being so
great." That was true enough.

"Hmmh. I think you need to take consideration where your strength is too,
when choosing specialty. Me, I'm kind of interested in mixing herbs into
medicines. There's something very fascinating how common kitchen herb
turns into a cure," Stennar chattered.

"Medicines are well needed and sometimes we can stumble onto new uses for
things." He wasn't one to be standing behind a mortar and pestle all day, though.
Chupsin liked dealing more with the people and the new challenges presented.
He liked seeing new things everyday, even if there were common injuries that
came in. Checking off things as he passed by each patient, he made sure to note that
there were no changes.

Stennar nodded at Chupsin's words. When Chupsin was checking the patients,
he made sure he exchanged a few words with everyone
and had a smile for them. His boyish looks and easy smile tended to cheer up
the patients. Especially the old aunties were very smitten
with him. He seemed to remind them of their sons or grandsons.

"Of course when testing new things you have to be very careful. The wrong
thing can kill a man." Which was a reminder of the fine
line they walked sometimes. They could save lives and they could take them,
either through incompetence or inability.

"Yes, I'm aware of that," Stennar replied. "And some combinations have
unexpected side-effects."

"Indeed, which is also why testing in small quantities is important if it
isn't a known recipe." The healer thought about some of the trials
he had assisted with and tried to recall the results. "Have you discovered
anything new recently, Stennar?"

"I haven't really had time to experiment recently," Stennar answered.
"Between duties and my mother trying to find a match for me," he rolled his
eyes at the thought of his mother. "As an apprentice, me and my friends did
try to find a way to cure hangover," he grinned at the memory.

"MM I fear that's one thing you can only treat symptoms for though many
would be grateful for such a cure." His tone held a bit of humor in it.
"You don't want to be wed then?" It was a touchy subject for him, that was
for sure.

"Well, yes and no. I do want a wife, eventually. I just don't feel ready for
it yet. Shards, I'm only nineteen," Stennar replied. Besides, he had broken
his heart as an apprentice and wasn't fully over it yet. "I want to enjoy
life first, before being loaded with wife and children."

"Having a wife and children can be something to be grateful for and to grasp
while you can. Not everyone are so fortunate, especially if you wait until
it's too late." Most days he didn't even notice anymore when he was being
morose.

"There's that too. All my older siblings are already married," Stennar
replied with sympathy.

"Can also be useful when you want promotion, though that isn't a good enough
reason by itself." It was certainly something for a male crafter to think
about.

"Now you sound like my mother," Stennar laughed.

"Mothers are smart creatures usually." Chupsin shrugged and stopped when
they came to their first awake patient of the day. "Allright Stennar, take
notes and chime in when you think to."

Last updated on the December 29th 2014

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Not a Morning Person