The Morning After

Writers: Estelle, Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 23rd September 2019

Characters: L'keri, Urlene, Cyradis, D'ale
Description: L'keri wakes up to find himself in the infirmary
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 2 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik, Saibra, K'reyel
Follows DCW: Partying Gone Wrong

L'keri

Urlene

Cyradis

D'ale

L'keri drifted slowly back to consciousness, slowly becoming aware
that he had what felt like one of the worst hangovers of his life. His
head pounded, his mouth was dry and tasted of bitter herbs and -
inexplicably - his whole body ached, too. He opened his eyes a crack,
wincing at the bright morning light. It felt as though he wasn't in
his own bed...but unfortunately, he realised as he reached out with
one arm, he wasn't in anyone else's either. He was in a narrow, single
bed, and he caught the faint scent of antiseptic and the low murmur of
conversation nearby. And he couldn't move his leg...

His leg!

Frantically, and with his stomach muscles protesting painfully at the
movement, L'keri managed to raise his head and upper body enough to
see the foot of the bed. To his immense relief, he made out two shapes
underneath the sheets. Flopping back down against the pillow, he let
out a long breath. "Oh, thank Faranth."

"Don't say that yet, brownrider." A cool voice responded, Urlene
coming into view from behind a curtain. She clasped her hands at her
waist, looking down at him. "Do you remember what happened or shall I
remind you?"

L'keri searched his hazy memories of the night before. It had all been
going so well. He'd shared a drink with that pretty young greenrider,
and one drink had led to another, and then - oh, shards. Had anyone
seen them? Despite the headache, he summoned his very best virtuous
look. Wide, innocent eyes, semi-confused smile... "I, uh, fell over?"

No smile graced her face at his attempt at innocence. "Serlira told
us everything. A full report has been given to Cyradis, N'vanik,
Saibra, K'reyel, and your Wingleader. You could have broken your fool
neck or your back not to mention panicking your dragon. As it is, you
have cracked ribs and a badly broken leg that took three men and
myself to reset. And there's still a risk that it won't heal properly
and infection will set in. You're very lucky that I had extra
medicines that fight infection and I filled you full of them. They're
typically saved for more extreme cases. " Her lips thinned. "You'll
be here for at least a month. What they do with you after is up to
them. "

L'keri's mouth fell open and he was struck all but speechless by that
list of people who he _really_ didn't want to notice his existence and
the prospect of a month in the infirmary with nothing to do but think
about what his fate would be when he was released. Remorse swiftly
followed. He'd scared his Rhalith, caused him pain, and almost
certainly got Serlira into trouble as well. Why had he done it? He was
surely the most hopeless excuse for a dragonrider who'd ever lived. He
reached out, feeling his dragon's presence, warm and loving as ever,
but it almost made it worse. He'd let Rhalith down. Again.

He could do one thing to make it better, though. Closing his eyes for
a moment, he spoke with all the sincerity he could muster. "It was my
idea. Serlira had nothing to do with it. She told me not to."

"Odd. That's not the story she tells." She waved a hand. "It is of no
matter to me. My concern is your leg and ribs. I would like you to
understand how closely it came to me deciding to amputate. Those types
of fractures are very extremely difficult to set properly." Thrusting
a pillow under him to help him lay upwards so he could see his leg
without as much pain, she then took a hold of his blanket and flipped
it over, revealing the swollen, blackened-bruised mass that was his
leg. There was no cast on it, it would have to wait until the swelling
went down, but there was a large stitched area where she'd had to
repair the skin. "Take a very good look. You can still lose it if
there is an infection or if you decide to go against my instructions
as a healer, use a cane for the rest of your life." Her lips thinned
as she covered it back up. "Keep that very much in mind when they come
and speak to you."

There was a knock on the doorframe and Cyradis cleared her throat
before stepping into the room with a tall brownrider at her side.
"Hello L'keri," she nodded. "I've brought D'ale to see you." She
stepped back next to Urlene.

D'ale stepped up and looked over the rider shaking his head. "Well, it
looks like you've really done it this time."

L'keri had turned a rather sickly greenish shade as the sight of his leg
combined with the nauseous sensation of his hangover, and he had to
swallow hard not to disgrace himself in front of the ranking riders.
"Weyrwoman. Wingsecond, I - uh." He couldn't think of anything else to
say. "I'm sorry to impose on Dolphin Cove like this."

D'ale tilted his head and raised a brow. "Oh I'm sure you didn't, and
yet you have." He turned his amber eyes to the lovely healer "What are
we looking at as far as a time frame for him to be able to travel
between?"

Urlene looked up from her the hides in her hands. "Minimal is four
sevendays before going between. Certainly six sevendays before he'll
be allowed to put weight on it or ride again. And that's only if
there's not infection. With a break like that it's very possible." She
looked tapped the healing records in her hands. "Thank you for
providing these, Brownrider D'ale. I'll be sure that his diet is
monitored and he receives no spirits, ale or wine while he's here."

"Thank you Master Urlene," he nodded then he turned to the Weyrwoman.
"I apologize for the drain on your resources Weyrwoman. Perhaps Cyan
Wing can find a way to make reparations?"

"That won't be necessary Wingsecond," Cyradis waved a hand. "We'll be
sure to feed both of them an appropriate diet while they're with us."

"Wait - what?" Aghast, L'keri stared at first one woman, then the other.
What in the name of the First Egg was an appropriate diet? "No drink?
But it's just a broken leg! There's no need for that...uh, ma'am," he
added hastily.

Urlene looked at D'ale, then at the Weyrwoman before addressing
L'keri. "Alcohol inhibits healing, brownrider, and from your records,
it's already been suggested that you stop your intake." Her eyes were
cool, but direct. "You're going to dry out while you're here, L'keri.
You'll stay in the infirmary and I will inform my staff that should
any apprentice or journeyman furnish you with alcohol, they'll be
mucking the cesspits. And you'll eat the diet that you were told you
should eat. I'm in agreement with the Healers at Dragonsfall about
that. You're unhealthy and you will leave my infirmary the healthiest
I can get you. Whether you like it or not."

"Oh, come on! You can't do that." L'keri turned to the dragonriders, now
looking seriously alarmed. He couldn't go a month without a drink, not
shut up in here. He'd perish from boredom. "This is revenge. She's only
doing this because she - she's taken a dislike to me."

"Could it have been something you said?" Cyradis lifted a brow with
eyes like flint.

D'ale cleared his throat and through heroic effort his expression
didn't waver. "Well, it is more than justified by her healing rank
wouldn't you say?" He tilted his head. "We'll abide by her
recommendation and I'm sure she just wants to get you back to your own
Weyr as soon as possible.

"The feeling is mutual," L'keri muttered. Right now, there was nothing
he wanted more than to be out of the bright, clean-scented infirmary,
alone in his weyr with a skin of wine for company, well on his way to
the oblivion of a drunken sleep. Four sevendays...at least! He wasn't
sure he could stand four minutes of this. There had to be some way he
could get a drink.

D'ale watched his rider for a moment as though trying to evaluate his
thoughts then he nodded to the healer and turned to the Weyrwoman.
"Thank you ma'am," he said. "I'll be back next week to check on him.
In the mean time if you could keep me informed?"

"Of course, " Cyradis said with a nod to the tall brownrider. She
looked at Urlene for confirmation. "We'll keep you informed of his
progress."

Urlene inclined her head in agreement. "I'll be sure to send regular
progress reports to both of you. The first sevenday will be the most
difficult for him, but we'll keep him healthy. "

**I'm right here, you know.** L'keri listened resentfully as they
discussed him, but he didn't quite dare voice that thought to the
Weyrwoman. Nor the fact that he had no interest in being healthy. **I'll
think of something.** If nothing else, he now had time on his hands.

Last updated on the October 14th 2019

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The Morning After