Get In The Chair

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 8th April 2014

Characters: Loella, Karhal
Description: The Guard Captain finally leaves the infirmary
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 6, day 15 of Turn 7

Loella

Karhal

This morning Loella wore a smile as she crossed the square to the
healers. Karhal was finally coming home. Livie and Rikka at her heels
while her pup kept trying to play with her mother.

She thought maybe Livie had understood her when she told her Karhal
was coming home but she wasn't sure.

Pacing by Loella, Livie walked with her tail slightly wagging from side to
side. She gave light growls to the gamboling pup beside her, only giving
chiding nips when Rikka got too rambunctious. As they approached the
infirmary, she stopped at the door, sitting beside it. She had spent many
a long day sitting and watching the door, but had neither seen nor heard
her owner, but still she waited.

Loella stopped to caress Livie and Rikka before she opened the door.
Of course the puppy tried to come with her and she had to turn. "No
Rikka, Stay," she said just as Karhal had taught her.

She went past the front desk and straight to Karhal's bed. "Are you
ready," she asked as she came into the room.

Karhal's face was set in stubborn resistance. "Not if I have to go in
that." He pointed to the wheeled chair that the healers had set beside
his bed. He was sitting up wearily, not all of his strength returned,
but his masculine pride would not allow him to set one bit of his hide
on a wheeled chair. "I'll walk."

She knew better than to assault his manhood. "You don't want to try
and walk on the ice right now," she said softly. She nodded at the
chair. "That's safer than having you fall and hit your head and end up
right back here."

He stared at the woman who had recently become his wife and arms
crossed over his broad chest as he shook his head."I can walk. I'm not
going to be pushed around like some invalid."

"It's for your safety, you won't need it after we're home," she tried
to keep her tone light though she didn't like that stubborn set to his
jaw.

Karhal eyed her and one pale brow tilted upwards "And I don't need
it." He took a deep breath and rose to his feet. He wavered only a
moment; after being in bed for so long, his muscles didn't want to
work properly. But he stiffened and forced his knees to stop
wobbling...for a few moments.

She took a step back and he eyes opened wide and then narrowed. "Oh
really," she said and crossed her arms. "I certainly can't carry you
if you fall. Just get in the chair Karhal."

"Not one bit of my rump is going in that chair, Loella." He sat back
down before he wavered and turned to the healer next to him. "Get rid
of it and I'll be out of your hair."

"Then not one bit of your mouth is going to wrap around the steak and
tubers I'm having for dinner." She looked directly at the healer.
"Leave the chair. He get's no dinner til he gets into it."

The healer looked lost as he was trapped between two very strong gazes. "Uh..."

Karhal arched a brow and the Healer slowly pulled the chair away.
Rank had its privileges. He looked back over at Loella nudged the
chair further away from him. "No chair. I'll get up." He rose again,
his jaw gritting and was able to stand. He eyed the door as if
approaching a challenge. "Now...if you'd just step back I can get to
the door."

"The door is easy, What is it, three maybe four steps?" she said and
moved to stand near the healer. "Home is another matter entirely." She
crossed her arms and just watched him. "Remember, I'm pregnant and if
you fall I won't try and catch you and get knocked down in the
process."

There was an immediate scowl on his face. "I'm not going to knock you
down and I'm not going to squash you." He wanted that steak but he did
not want to get in that shaffing chair. It was just too much of an affront.
He took a deep breath, glowered at her and began walking slowly
towards the door, driven by sheer stubbornness. His legs wobbled for
an instant, but he stiffened them as he took another stride. Right
before he reached the door, his legs gave out and buckled, pitching
him forward into the door. With a shout, he caught himself just enough
to not knock his teeth out and turned, slumping against the door
frame, panting. He lifted his head and pointed a hand at her weakly.
"Not one damned word, woman."

At the cry from Karhal, Livie could be seen popping up in the window
barking relentlessly. Loella was sure that if she were to open the
door now power on the planet would keep the canine outside.

"So shall I feed your steak to Livie and Rikka then?" She turned and
pulled the chair out of the Healers hands and pushed it to where
Karhal lay. "Get in the chair."

He craned his head back limply towards the window. "Livie! Quiet!"
The barking ceased immediately to whines and claws at the door. He
sighed and glared at the chair, then his wife. The thought of steak,
juicy steak and tubers instead of the pap the healers had been
giving him made his stomach rumble. But the chair... His jaw set.
"I hope they enjoy the steak."

"Alright," she said serenely and bent to give him a kiss on the floor.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Karhal's brow snapped down. "Hey...wait a moment. You're my wife.
You're supposed to take care of me." He scowled up at her.

Still serene, "I am," she replied. "You just don't want to take care
of yourself the way the healers want you to." She shook her head and
stepped through the door. "I'm not going to help you injure yourself
because of your pride."

The moment Loella opened the door, Livie burst through it, the large
canine slipping past Loella's legs and pouncing on Karhal with spasms
of joy. Whines, yips and a rapidly wagging tail were combined with
circling of the prone man, trying to crawl up into his lap and long
slobbering licks of his face. Kahal sputtered and laughed, burying his
hands in the thick ruff of fur around Livie's neck. The canine
immediately flipped over on her back, feet up in the air kicking as
her insane canine wiggles nearly knocked Karhal over from his seated
position.

He caught himself and sighed, stroking the belly that was offered.He
glared up at Loella. "I'll hold on to the chair while I walk."

The joyous canine reunion almost knocked her off her feet but she
grabbed the door frame to steady herself. Of course the first body of
wiggles was followed by the second who seemed to think that jumping up
on her mistress was suddenly allowed. "Down Rikka!" The puppy subsided
but grinned up at her with a lolling tongue.

"No," said Loella to her husband. "You'll get in the chair or these
two will have your steak." If they could almost knock her over how
much worse would it be if he was trying to walk and the chair slipped
out from under him.

His eyes narrowed. She would not be dealing with a happy husband this
evening, but it was a choice between two evils. He despised the
infirmary more than he hated the chair. He grabbed the chair, growled
and hauled himself into it with difficulty, refusing any help from the
watching healers and then crossed his arms over his chest.

Her mother had told her that she'd best tread carefully with the big
guard captain and so Loella had been careful during their courtship.
She could count on the fingers of one hand the times that they'd had a
difference of opinion. But this time, it was about his safety over his
pride and she had no doubts about who was in the right. She didn't
care how many black looks he threw in her direction when they got
home. He'd be home and not in the infirmary. That was all that
counted. She grabbed the handles and pushed the chair through the door.
"What would you like for dessert?"

Last updated on the April 23rd 2014

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Get In The Chair