Patient Confidentiality

Writers: Estelle, Halyonix
Date Posted: 8th January 2026

Characters: L'keri, S'yen, Vaile
Description: Vaile and S'yen treat a rather embarrassing injury to Rhalith
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 13 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Sybana, W'ser

L'keri

S'yen

Much to L'keri's disappointment, flying a gold was not considered sufficient reason to excuse him from wing drills on the following day, and he had to apply all of his strength of will to prise Rhalith away from Galgaith's side.

**She's going to get tired of you,** he predicted. **You should keep an enticing distance if you want to win her favor. Take it from me. I know what I'm talking about.**

}: I have already won her, :{ Rhalith pointed out. }: Now I must pay her the attention she deserves. Our ways are not the same as yours. :{

"Hmm." L'keri wasn't so sure of that, but he decided to change tack. **Perhaps not, but if you don't come to drills, you're going to get some attention from Kyverth that won't be nearly as fun.**

Rhalith sighed gustily, but soon he was gliding down to join the gathering wingriders, where L'keri waited with the riding straps. He seemed to move with less ease than usual, but amid all the cheerful congratulations of his wingmates, the brownrider put it down to lingering tiredness from the day before. It was only when they were in the air and working through a flaming drill that he began to feel concerned.

**We could have dived for that.** A bundle of ropes, painted to represent Thread, plummeted past them towards the ground, but the brown pair stayed in formation.

}: Tyraminth will get it. She is much more agile. :{

L'keri frowned and reached back to rub his shoulder blade under his riding leathers, feeling the echo of a dull ache. Surely he hadn't overexerted himself...or perhaps Rhalith... He thought back to his disjointed memories of the day before, the brown with his wings spread wide, straining with all his might to slow the gold as she fell, before the sea rushed up to meet them. **Oh, shells, no.**

But no matter how embarrassing, he couldn't risk his dragon by going in to Fall injured. **Rhalith, once we're done here, we're going to pay a visit to the dragonhealers.** And he'd just have to hope he got someone discreet. Sybana couldn't find out about this.

They made it through the rest of drill, though with a less impressive score on the ropes than they might have hoped for. By the time they landed at the foot of the cliffs, L'keri could definitely feel the soreness in his dragon's wing joints, reflected in his shoulders and upper back, and he again exerted his will to prevent Rhalith from rushing back to his mate. **Dragonhealers first, and then I'll give you a bath so you'll be clean and handsome and won't get ash all over her shining hide. Deal?**

}: I am fine, :{ Rhalith protested, but he couldn't hide the twinge as he folded his wings and followed his rider to the dragon infirmary.

}: Hello Rhalith! :{ Jenith greeted brightly as the brown approached. He let his rider know that another patient was approaching.

S'yen came to meet the pair just inside, wiping his hands. "Well, well. If it isn't the talk of the Weyr today," the bluerider said, his tone a mix of amusement and sarcasm. "What are you here for?"

"Good day." L'keri thought he recognized the apprentice as one of the recently graduated weyrlings, and he wished he'd paid more attention when his son had talked about his classmates - other than the goldrider. Could he be trusted to keep his mouth shut? "It's Rhalith. I'd like to get him checked out. He's feeling some pain around his wing joints and I think he might have strained them...in drill this morning."

The bluerider cocked an eyebrow in curious disbelief. "Sure," he said with a nonchalant wave towards one of the bays. "Have him get settled in there."

Rhalith huffed in annoyance, but he did as he was told and made himself comfortable in the bay. }: Why did you tell them I hurt myself in drills? I am not a silly weyrling. :{

**Trust me, it's better this way.** L'keri reached up and scratched the brown's eye ridges as they waited for the dragonhealer.

When S'yen returned, he was not alone. "Hello, L'keri," Vaile greeted. "S'yen tells me that you think Rhalith might have a wing strain?"

"Yes, I noticed it in drills today. He's got an ache in his, uh, shoulders." L'keri patted his own upper back, unsure if that was the right term for a dragon. "It's worse when he moves his wings."

Vaile nodded, understanding. To S'yen, she said, "Okay, time to teach you about all of the muscles in those shoulders." She moved to inspect Rhallith, S'yen trailing behind. He winked knowingly at L'keri but said nothing more than the smug grin he wore. "Have him spread his wings full for me. Any pain?" Vaile asked of L'keri.

"Yes, I can feel that." L'keri ignored Rhalith's indignant snort as he unfolded his wings, taking care not to hit anything in the confined space. "It hurts right around here." He stretched out an arm like a boy playing at dragons, then touched the back of his shoulder with his other hand.

Vaile's expression turned thoughtful. "Does he mind if we get on his back?" she asked as she began to construct a possibility in her mind.

}: I suppose so, :{ Rhalith said grudgingly, though his irritation was directed more at his rider than the healers.

"He says you can, and he's very grateful for your help," L'keri replied, with a silent nudge to the brown, who lowered his wings and crouched, bending a foreleg to make it easier to climb up.

Vaile used the offered leg to climb up and then motioned for S'yen to join her. Her deft fingers began running over hide and muscle, explaining to S'yen each muscle group, how it connected, and, most importantly, as she probed, which ones twitched in soreness. "These right here are usually only strained if the dragon had to do some heavy lifting, say in a mid-flight catch during Threadfall," she said.

"Or maybe some heavy lifting in other flights?" S'yen asked with saccarine sweetness as he looked over at L'keri.

Vaile shot him a scowl. "Professionality, S'yen." The bluerider didn't say another word but conniving laughter showed in his eyes. Vaile looked over at L'keri. "Did Rhallith have to catch one of his Wingmates lately?

"Uh..." L'keri grimaced. He considered lying, but catching an injured dragon in Fall sounded like something the dragonhealers would know about. "Not recently. Perhaps he tried hunting a herdbeast that was too big for him?"

}: I am big enough to lift any herdbeast! :{ Rhalith protested. }: Why not tell them? Galgaith is magnificent. It is nothing to be ashamed of. :{

**Our ways are not the same as yours, remember? **

"He would be strained on his arms too, not his back," Vaile pointed out. She slid down and gave L'keri a patient look. "It was Galgaith, wasn't it?" she asked with the quiet gentleness of someone who was inviting a patient to admit that they had done something stupid so that they could treat the actual condition and not dance around it.

"Well, I can't be absolutely sure. I was rather busy at the time." L'keri rubbed the back of his neck. "But I can't think what else it might be. He had a struggle to slow their fall." He glanced up at S'yen. "He understands patient confidentiality, right?"

There was a wicked glint to S'yen's eyes but Vaile looked at him with a withering glare. "He should. And if he doesn't, then he'll be getting an earful from W'ser."

"The Weyrdragonhealer will be the least of his worries." L'keri scowled at the apprentice. "Say a word about this to anyone and I'll throw you in the lake. The ice-cold one."

S'yen opened his mouth, probably to make some caustic comment, but Jenith interrupted him with, }: S'yen. We're supposed to uphold our oath, right? The dragonhealer one. :{

S'yen rolled his eyes, knowing his dragon was right. "Yeah, sure, healer's honor and all that."

L'keri gave him a doubtful look, but decided not to press the matter and turned back to Vaile. "So, if he did, ah, overstrain himself...what's the prognosis?"

"Strains are usually a good prognosis," Vaile assured him, "so long as he rests and doesn't push himself. Take a few days off from drills. Only minimal flying if you need a ride down from your weyr. We can give you a salve that will help with the soreness that you could use once or twice a day that'll speed it along." Vaile snapped her fingers and pointed to a shelf, indicating that S'yen should retrieve the one she was referencing. The bluerider headed off to get it.

"Thank you." Once S'yen was out of earshot, L'keri patted his dragon's neck ruefully. "Poor fellow. Maybe no more chasing golds for a while, eh? But at least you've got some time off drills."

Rhalith rumbled thoughtfully. }: Good. I will have more time to spend with Galgaith. :{

The brownrider rolled his eyes. "He's incorrigible."

"They often are," Vaile agreed," especially after winning a flight." She smiled gently at the brownrider. "He'll be just fine though. It takes a lot to really keep them grounded."

"Glad to hear it. Else that'd have been quite the way to end up in the retired Wing, wouldn't it?" L'keri was relieved to know he could expect nothing worse than a few sly remarks from his wingmates. No one would know for sure it hadn't been an accident in drill. "Twelve Turns fighting Thread, and brought down by his passion for a majestic golden queen."

"Only for a few days," Vaile reminded with a chuckle at the tone L'keri used. "Have him speak to Liranth if it gets any worse, like the pain turns to shooting or burning, or if he doesn't feel better in five days, okay?"

"Will do." L'keri saw S'yen returning and accepted the salve. "Thank you, both. I appreciate your discretion," he added, with heavy emphasis directed at the bluerider.

S'yen waggled his eyebrows at L'keri.

Scowling another warning at the impish bluerider, Vaile said, "You're welcome. Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

Last updated on the February 8th 2026

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Patient Confidentiality