Spoiled Expectations

Writers: Estelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 20th October 2020

Characters: Urlene, R'fal, Terren, Sarlono
Description: Urlene speaks to R'fal after catching Terren faking an injury
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 9 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Y'gel

Urlene

A dark, curly-haired man in a dusty tunic stepped cautiously into the
Infirmary, and peered around him with interest. He breathed in the clean
scents of herbs and redwort, glanced over the shelves of neatly stacked
scrolls and bound hides and spotless cloths, the bottles and jars, each
labelled and in their place. So this was where his son spent so much
time. It certainly beat labouring in the beast pens...

Hearing a door opening, he sprang back from the cabinet he'd been
examining, quickly clapped a hand to his back and assumed a pained
expression.

Urlene stepped into the examination room, looking down at the hide
that had the apprentice's scribbled notes. Her brow furrowed as she
closed the curtain and glanced up. "Hello, Terren. I'm Master Healer
Urlene. " Her brow arched at the open cabinet door. "I assure you,
there's nothing of interest in there. It says here that you've hurt
your back. Where exactly is your pain?"

Terren's eyes lit up at the sight of the beautiful blonde woman with
healer's knots, and it was all he could do to maintain his look of
patient suffering. "Oh, ah - just here." He turned sideways, his palm
pressed against the base of his spine. "I was lifting some heavy sacks
of grain, and I suddenly felt a horribly painful spasm, just here. Ohh,
that hurts." He grimaced.

A single brow arched and she gestured to the bed. "Hm. Take a seat and
lift your shirt. I'll have to examine the area." Her lower lip pursed
in thought as she considered him, walking around to the other side of
the bed to wait. It wasn't the first time she'd heard such a
complaint, but typically, if it was serious, they wouldn't be able to
turn so easily to the side.

It was fortunate she wasn't looking at his face at the moment, for a
decidedly roguish look crossed Terren's face. Less than a minute and he
was already taking his clothes off. The Weyr really was the place to
live! "Gladly." He sat down on the bed, loosened his belt and tugged his
shirt free and raised it, making sure to hiss and groan as if his back
was twinging at every movement.

Urlene frowned and then rolled her eyes. "I said your shirt. There's
nothing in your pants that interests me." The speed of his disrobing
told her enough. "And you're fine. A back injury like you described
wouldn't allow you to bend and drop your pants and underthings so
quickly. You moved remarkably fast for someone who was injured." She
moved to the cabinet and pulled out a particularly pungent salve.
"But, as a man gets older, he's less likely to move well or lift as
much as a younger man." She turned and placed the salve in his hands,
not bothering to look any lower. "For sore muscles. I use it on most
elderly men your age. It should do fine. You can go back to work but
remember to lift with your legs, not your back."

"But you haven't examined me," Terren protested. Elderly? He was hardly
more than forty! Well - perhaps a few Turns more, and his time in the
mines hadn't done much for his youthful looks, but... "I'm in agony. You
can't send me back to work like this." Sensing from her expression that
he wasn't getting anywhere, he changed tactics, his voice turning
coaxing. "Couldn't you at least rub some of this into my back? I'm so
sore, I can hardly reach."

His request was something that had been tried before. But luckily for
her, and perhaps unluckily for Terren, she had a no-nonsense failsafe
for just such requests. "I'm so very sorry," **That you can't touch
the spot you just did a few moments ago.** She dropped her voice a
little to a husky purr. "Give me just a moment, and I'll be happy to
help you out. I'll be right back with something special that will do
just the thing for you." She winked and then as she turned, rolled her
eyes and stepped out.

It only took a few moments for her to return, followed by a very
large, very brawny man in his middling years. He managed to look very
concerned as he stepped in, then moved aside to make room for him.
"This is Sarlono. He's got a far more gentle touch for people in pain
than I do and his hands are baby soft!"

"I'm happy to help. Wheresth your pain at, sthweetums?" The big man
approached, rubbing his hands in an apparent show of warming them.

The affected high-pitched voice nearly made Urlene's straight face
break. Sarlono was very happily weyrmated to a very sweet female
smith who he could easily carry over his shoulder. And he had seven
children. But his sense of humor about doing little "chores" like this
was second-to-none. "His lower back, dear. Just slowly spread that
salve all over. Three layers should do it. Slow, mind you. So it seeps
in."

Terren had arranged himself face-down on the bed, his eyes half-closed
as he imagined the sublime pleasure to come. When he heard the swish of
the curtain as she returned, he sighed and wriggled a little in
anticipation - and then froze when he heard the second voice. His eyes
flicked open and he turned his head. Then his body convulsed and he'd
have leapt to his feet with the agility of a man half his age if not for
getting his legs tangled in his loosened pants.

"Shards!" All at once, stories of the _other_ side of the depravity of
the Weyr rushed into his head as he kicked at the cloth around his
knees. "Uh - Master - I'm suddenly feeling much better. Very much better!"

"Shh...It's okay. He's really very nice." Urlene spoke in a false,
soothing voice. "It won't hurt at all. He might even pop something
right into that place that you need. He's very gentle, I promise.
People rave about his hands." She patted Terren. "Are you sure you're
feeling better? I'd hate to have your back hurting _all_ day."

He scowled back at her as he struggled to re-arrange his clothes. "What
kind of Healer are you? It's disgusting that a - an injured man should
be treated like this." He staggered off the bed and half-out of the
room, holding up his trousers as he went, then turned back to include
Sarlono in his glare. "I've a good mind to complain to the Headwoman
about you! Both of you!"

"Which is perfectly fine. Please do so." Urlene replied easily, losing
the false sweet tone. "And I will be reporting that you attempted to
fake an injury. Did you actually think that hasn't been attempted
before?" She arched a brow. "You're not injured and even if you were,
it would be an apprentice or journeyman treating you after I gave my
diagnosis, not myself. Male or female. Now, get out of my infirmary,
or I'll have Sarlono escort you out."

Terren muttered something inarticulate under his breath, pushed past
Sarlono and stormed out through the infirmary. The titters that followed
in his wake did nothing to improve his mood, and he barely noticed one
apprentice who turned to watch, open-mouthed, as he passed.

"They never learn." The journeywoman he'd been speaking to shook her
head in disbelief. "Well, looks like the Master's free now, but if I
were you I'd leave your message with me. Or at least wait a few minutes."

R'fal stared after his father, unable to speak for a moment. What had Da
been doing here? Was he hurt? He'd been around the infirmary enough to
hear the stories about those who attempted to proposition Master Urlene,
which never ended well. But surely he wouldn't have...

"Um, thanks, but I'd better give these to her straight away. I was told
to make sure she got them and hurry back." He held up the note and
records he'd been asked to deliver.

She gave him a sympathetic look, then gestured towards the Weyrhealer's
office. "Good luck."

With an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, R'fal thanked her and
went over to tap on the door.

"Come in." Urlene's voice was clear as Sarlono stepped out of the area.

The big man looked down at R'fal and gestured him in. His regular
voice was deep and precise. "She's in there." He moved on to his
duties and left Urlene, who stood, making notes on a hide while
shaking her head. She looked up and flicked her eyes over R'fal. "Ah,
R'fal. Did you need to see me for something?" She paused and tilted
her head, then very slowly arched her brow as she studied his face.

"Journeyman A'jun asked me to bring you these, Weyrhealer." He handed
over the hides, records of medical supplies from the dragonhealers'
stores, and almost turned to retreat, his courage faltering. But he
couldn't, not until he was dismissed, and if his father was sick or
injured, he had to know. "And..." He swallowed. "Is my d - that man...is
he all right?"

She caught the skip in his words and her lips only lifted slightly as
she watched him, observing the nervousness of his stance and the
hesitation of his words. "He's perfectly fine, R'fal. Close the door
for a moment, please." She paused to wait for him to do so and then
pursing her lips, chose her words carefully." I'm assuming that you're
related in some way. You look similar and your concern for him was
obvious. But R'fal, since you do have rank, it may be a good idea if
you speak to him about what sorts of behaviors are acceptable here.
Faking an injury will not cast a good light on him, nor will behaving
inappropriately with female staff members of the Weyr. It could
potentially reflect poorly upon you if word gets back to leadership
about the matter."

R'fal had grown more and more horrified as he listened to her. He was
relieved his father wasn't ill, of course, but - well, Terren had never
been very enthusiastic about his work with the herders. Could he really
have lied to get out of it, or worse, made an improper suggestion to the
Weyrhealer? There must have been a misunderstanding. Yet he couldn't
believe Master Urlene would speak anything other than the truth.

"Ma'am, I'm really, really sorry. He's not been at the Weyr very long
and he's still getting used to it here. I'm sure he didn't mean any
disrespect." The fact that he had rank - that in fact, as far as the
Weyr went, he outranked his own father - seemed too absurd for him to
grasp. "I will talk to him. I'm so sorry."

Urlene's voice was crisp. "You've no need to apologize for him and I
don't expect you to. It is him that should apologize, R'fal. For me
personally, his behavior doesn't reflect upon you as you've been
nothing but polite and courteous since I first met you. And if you
must know,I too am Holdbred. Even in a Hold, that behavior would be
considered inappropriate. I don't think the fact that he's in the Weyr
now has anything to do with it. But, you are the closest to him, so
perhaps it is best to be explained by you. There are others, however,
who will consider him your responsibility now and his behavior will
affect your reputation. Keep that in mind, alright?"

"Yes, of course." R'fal felt slightly nauseous as he imagined how it
would be if his Wingleader found out about this, or Master Y'gel, and
what they'd think of him. It was true, he'd brought Terren to the Weyr
and was responsible for him and besides, everyone knew a son often
favored the father in character as well as looks. "I promise it won't
happen again."

Studying his face, her face gentled. Perhaps it was because she now
was a mother and perhaps it was her experience with her own family, but
she felt a sense of empathy for the young man. "I've had my own troubles
with family, R'fal. Sometimes they disappoint and sometimes they hurt
you more deeply than you can ever imagine. But you've started to truly
prove yourself here. That's what matters in the end. "

Despite his embarrassment, the young brownrider brightened at her words.
Although he wasn't her apprentice, he'd worked around the infirmary long
enough to know that her praise was hard won. He'd speak to his father,
he decided, and there would surely turn out to be a simple explanation.
"Thank you, Weyrhealer."

She inclined her head. "You're welcome, R'fal. Thank you for bringing
me these reports. You can go back to your duties." If his relative came
back again with a false complaint, however, she'd have to do more than
request Sarlono's assistance in dealing with him.

Last updated on the October 27th 2020

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Spoiled Expectations