Fever-Gripped

Writers: Heather, Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 8th March 2019

Characters: Timassa, K'yne, J'ackt, Urlene
Description: Timassa and K'yne visit J'ackt in the infirmary.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 1 of Turn 9

Timassa

K'yne

J'ackt

Urlene

J'ackt was unconscious, dosed with a combination of fellis and
willowsalic. Laying in the curtained-off cot, his eyes were rimmed
with dark circles and his lips looked bloodless in the glows' light.
Thick bandages covered his left shoulder and side. A junior
journeywoman Healer stood waiting for the visitors she knew would be
coming, then glanced at the
hide in her hand, then up at the young rider who had been placed as a
guard at the entrance. It seemed that the Leaders were taking few
chances.

Timassa was the first one through the door. "I was told I could see
him," she said to the healer in a low voice. "How's he doing?"

The Healer recognized the Wingthird, but looked down to inspect the
hide. Finding the name, she offered a slight smile. "As of a
candlemark ago, he's stable. He was awake long enough this morning to
see N'vanik, but he's in and out. You'll have to speak to Urlene or
Silain to get further information." She turned and looked with a
frown, wrinkling her nose. "I think they're both with the other one,
but they should be back shortly. "

K'yne was only a few steps behind the greenrider. The young rider
guarding the door stepped in front of the Dragonsfall brownrider and
glanced over his shoulder at the girl with the list. **This is the
best Dolphin Cove has to guard a bronzerider?** K'yne mentally
scoffed. He didn't know if he would be on "the list" or not, after
all, how many people even knew his connection to J'ackt?

"Timassa," he growled her name.

Timassa turned and shook her head. "This is J'ackt's father K'yne."
She said. "I just fetched him all the way from Dragonsfall." She
reached and pulled on the front of his jacket to drag him after her as
she started walking back to where they'd put J'ackt.

"Wait! You can't go back there yet! " the healer followed them. "I
have to make sure that..." She scanned the list, hurrying after them,
then paused, finding it. "Oh..." Her voice trailed off. "Go ahead."

J'ackt lay still, a slight flush beginning to stain his cheeks despite
the paleness of the rest of him. He didn't open his eyes at the sound
of the curtain opening, nor did he move to acknowledge their entrance.

K'yne stopped just short of the foot of the bed. He hadn't anticipated
the way J'ackt would look. Lying in the bed the way he was, he looked
just as K'yne remembered Ocktima looking right after she had lost
Marloth.

Urlene spoke quietly behind him. "I recognize one of you, but not the
other. He's not here to be gawked at." She nodded at Timassa,
recognizing her easily, and slipped past them both. She paused at the
flush and her lips pressed into a thin line as she laid her hand on
J'ackt's brow. "Shard it." The soft curse was muttered as she lifted
the dressing on his side. She frowned, then looked up. "You, blonde
man, come over here and take his side. Timassa, wasn't it? Take his
hips. He has a fever. I need to roll him to the side to look at his
shoulder wound and it can't wait on the sharding apprentices."

"Of course," Timassa moved exactly where she'd been told. "And blonde
man is his father K'yne. So we're not gawking." Timassa could
understand the attitude from the Healer but they had every right to be
here.

K'yne didn't respond to Urlene other than to do exactly as she
instructed, helping move J'ackt so that the wound could be inspected
by the surly healer. The brownrider had never touched his son before
or even really been this close. It gave him a moment to really see
J'ackt up close, to see the resemblance between himself and Ocktima
that had created the features of the young bronzerider's face. The
proximity made him recall Timassa's words from earlier, that he would
have to force himself into J'ackt's life, because that was what family
did, and J'ackt needed family.

"Yes, K'yne then." Urlene didn't make an apology. "Very well." As they
rolled him to the side, she lifted the dressing, then hissed through
her teeth. "I'm going to take the hide off of that blasted apprentice.
He'll be busted down to junior by the time I'm through with him, or
worse." She removed the bandage, soaked with an ugly appearing fluid,
then removed the compress carefully. The carefully stitched wound
looked puffy and red. "Hold him there." She hurried to a cabinet,
quickly pulling a bundle of aromatic herbs, more bandages and a small
vial.

Timassa wasn't squeamish in the least about injuries, she'd had her
own fair share like most Dragonriders. But somehow, this one almost
made her lightheaded. "Oh J'ackt," she sighed. She wanted to wipe her
face but settled for pressing her lips together keeping her hands
right where they were to help the healer take care of the wound. "He
seems awfully warm," she trailed off realizing that's likely what had
set the healer off in the first place.

K'yne's blue eyes followed the movements of the healer as she gathered
the supplies that she needed, and then flicked back down at the angry
wound. Images flashed through his mind of how J'ackt must have
received it and it made his jaw clench. That same protectiveness he
had felt for Ocktima seemed tripled in that moment for J'ackt.

Not looking at them, Urlene busied herself by rinsing her hands in the
necessary redwort before carefully cleaning the wound with the
staining mixture. "Yes, he is." Her voice was crisp and dispassionate,
despite the firm set to her mouth. "Normally a mild fever would be
expected with a wound that deep, but he lost enough blood that a high
fever could kill him. His body won't be able to fight it like it
normally should. I have to bring it down before it gets to that point
and he starts seizing."

She soaked the herbs in cool water, then with a practiced hand applied
them. There was a soft groan from her patient, but she continued with
the fresh bandage, wrapping it carefully. "Roll him back carefully.
But keep his upper body reclined. Timassa, I need pillows from the
next bed over, please." She shook the vial in her hands with quick
flicks of her wrist.

Timassa nodded and gently rolled J'ackt's hips back in place before
quickly diving across the room for the extra pillows. "Here," she
said as she brought them back.

K'yne gingerly released J'ackt as the pillows were placed his upper
half. "Will he be alright now?" he asked Urlene.

"Thank you." She nodded at Timassa. "Not yet, K'yne." Urlene frowned
and opened the vial, tilting J'ackt's head back. "Keep a hold of him.
This tastes horrible and fever or not, he's not going to like it." She
tipped the vial between his lips, pouring the contents quickly into
his mouth.

Even through the pulling and rolling, J'ackt had remained limp. He did
not do so as the liquid hit his tongue. His eyes fluttered opened and
he coughed, trying to spit out the vile contents, but was unable to
the moment Urlene clapped a hand over his mouth. Forced to swallow, he
grimaced and pulled his head away with a groan.

She exhaled and looked at the pair. "Thank you for your help. That
should bring it down. I'll set someone more responsible to watch him
for any increase. Once he is alert, he'll be in pain and we'll ease it
as much as we are able. You may stay as long as you wish." She
inclined her head. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must have a word with
a certain senior apprentice." Her lips lifted briefly as she spun and
stalked out of the room.

J'ackt's head turned, his barely opened eyes glazed from fever. His
brow knit and his mouth worked, still trying to get the taste out of
his mouth. One of the vague figures looked so very familiar. The red
hair..."Mama?" The voice was a murmur. " s'tha you?"

She knew enough about the healing process to know she shouldn't
distress him so she just leaned over and said: "I love you, now rest."
Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at him then at K'yne. "You need
to sleep so you get better."

"Doon worry, mama." The mumbling was barely audible as his eyes
fluttered closed again. "I protect you..." His brow knit deeply and
his head rolled to the side, the fever dreams apparently troubling
him. "Allays prote.." His words faded back into a troubled sleep, his
hand twitching towards his waist in little jerks.

K'yne's hands were clenched fists at his sides once again. "I've got
to get back to Dragonsfall." Wingdrills would be starting soon. He had
no doubt that his Wingleader, R'enh, would understand if he was
absent, but he needed the fresh air and space to think.

"Then do what you must," she said. "As I will." She pulled a chair
nearer to the bed and sat gently putting her hand into J'ackt's. She
didn't watch him to see if he left or stayed. Only J'ackt mattered.

Last updated on the March 11th 2019

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