Adjustments (Libby/Rythal)

[Kaya]

| 01.01.3079 | afternoon | Aerie infirmary | tag thelifeweaver |

Turnover day had plenty of people around the Weyr nursing a hangover. It meant extra work for the kitchens and grumpy patrons. Libby fit right in, reliving her sailing days. She'd even cracked a few of those heads last evening for threatening a ruckus in her dining hall. Different Weyr, same rascals.

So with the morning rush on klah subsided (though she truly missed the stronger northern variant, halk) the kitchens had finally finished preparing the lunches that needed delivery. She had some yuppy Brown Rider assigned to help ferry the food. He kept staring. The stopped by the weyr of a Blue Rider whose weyrmate, one of the south field weyrfolk, had recently given birth. The healers had recommended they be in the comfort of familiar surroundings, but she was still supposed to rest. So here was Libby to deliver a tray. Task done she returned to the Brown who was happy to be off again. They made quick time to the Aerie to deliver the rest of the patient meals, and while the man worked adeptly to remove the deliveries from his dragon and guide them to the ground, Libby caught him staring at her ass. Again. She cracked her knuckles before taking one of the heavier loads. He maybe took the hint and scurried off.

She made it into the infirmary entrance, was spotted by a currently occupied journeywoman who barked at a nearby apprentice to go help bring in the rest. She was examining a young man with his head all wrapped and a nice bruise peaking through. "Rough Turnover, eh?" she asked, hefting the box onto the table.

[thelifeweaver]

To be perfectly honest Rythal wasn’t entirely sure how to reply to the new woman’s question. After all beyond the basics required for his medical care the only major questioning he’d recently undergone regarded the hazy explanation of candidacy - to which he was still wondering how and why he’d accepted. So for but a brief moment he gave the woman a critical analysis, much like he would give any threat or for that matter anyone he didn’t have a degree of familiarity with.

She was a threat, was what he numbed mind concluded; taking into account her a frame one might find amongst runners and the box she bore indicating a degree of strength. Her knots told another story however, marking her as a member of a kitchen staff and with the box she carried he could only help but assume she was ferrying goods. Angering the kitchen staff was a universal taboo, horror stories of their swift and unusual vengeance told by many bar-harper.

Given his current inebriation he thought honesty would best serve him. “Fire lizards were o-out to get me.” He replied, internally screaming as he found himself awkwardly stuttering. He sounded pathetic, of that he was sure.

[Kaya]

Libby cast a curious eye over the man given his statement. She considered shrugging it off, rummaging through the box to bring forth a set of items for this patient's next meal. Readying to leave the offering she caught a confirmatory whiff of Turnover deeds past, though perhaps the entire infirmary could smell better this day. Nonetheless, his expression was too amusing at this point to simply let it go.

"'Em firelizards is it?" she dolled back, playing up her sea accent. It had the roll of the waves that tossed the ships of her home port like she had never left. She summoned Anchor in the back of her mind. The healer would no doubt scold her, but where was the fun in that? In a second a grey blur appeared in the air above her, gave a backflip and landed on the headboard of the bedframe, peering down. The Iron firelizard's wings stayed out, and the healer there frowned and took a breath to shoo the flitt.

[thelifeweaver]

He had made an error, that was for certain. The women seemed bemused as she set down food and as she readied to leave he felt relief. "'Em firelizards is it?" The woman asked, with an accept that Rythal couldn’t place. The deviousness of its tone was rather apparent, yet it was not a tone befitting of a mocking remark, there was more to it.

Emerging from the between the grey Fire Lizard manifested with a degree of grace that was entirely lost on Rythal as he flinched in his bed. It's acrobatic maneuvers whilst diligent were wasted as he braced himself from an impact that did not come. As the beast landed on the headboard Rythal opened his eyes, having subconsciously closed them. He stared up at the Fire Lizard with a glare. “At-least you know not to smack into things.” He grumbled.

Apparently his dignity has not included in his new accommodation. 

[Kaya]

A strong laugh pierced the air, eliciting several hungover groans from down the hall. The healer woman had gestured for Anchor to leave, but instead he simply sidestepped away from her side of the bed until it was an awkward distance for her to continue heckling him.

"Now look, I don't know who you think you are, but if you don't leave my patients alone I will see to it that the entire head council of the lower caverns hears about this," the woman angrily tried to return the box to Libby but could only shakily lift it. She wobbled and Libby caught the edge of the box.

"Now now, no need fer that," she deflected, taking the box under her own power. Man could stand to learn how much drink he could handle. How the pounding headaches didn't seem convincing enough, she would never understand. She strode off to deliver the rest of the box, picking up the apprentice in tow as he returned with a box. Anchor flew off the bed and wrapped himself around her shoulder. It took them a half hour with deliveries, and a few talkative delays, and the apprentice trying to be friendly and ask her name. Libby failed to deter his attempts and he learned her name despite the feeling she had that it would be better if they didn't make her acquaintance this time.

On the way back out she stopped by the same man's bedside again. Maybe a decent meal would have dispelled his wild notions. It seemed right to check on him, not let the healers accuse her later of doing damage with naught but laughter. "So, eh, how was it?"

[thelifeweaver]

Oddly Rythal felt a pang of guilt as he watched the healer berate the woman, threatening her with some form of internal political group he was ignorant to. Although he did feel relief as he watched the damned Fire Lizard depart its perch. The sounds of complaint from the other patients gave along with her initial question of a rough turnover made Rythal come to an awkward realisation. “I’ve missed turn over.” He muttered, oddly glad as caravans typically didn’t run during the celebrations.

Turning to his healer he gestured to his Healer. “Umm. Please don-n’t make a f-fuss on my account. I think there was a misunderstanding.” Rythal asked, squirming awkwardly and with that tasks complete he turned to his food.

He had to admit the Weyr cooks were to be envied for their skill and he had found very little in his life to compare it with beyond the rare ingredient infused foods from his travels. He ate it hungrily and rapidly, cleaning the bowl. However a problem had arisen as his movements had unwittingly loosened the bandages covering the impact site upon his forehead.

By the time he’d bothered to try fix it the woman was once again upon him with a new question. "So, eh, how was it?" She asked.

”S-Some of the better food I’ve had in awhile.” he confessed as he worked to pulled the damned bandage back into place. He hoped that his response satisfied her curiosity as he found himself hissing as the wound stung.

[Kaya]

"Oi, yer just makin' it worse," Libby reached for his hands to hold them in place. She had already filed away the compliment, validated that her cooking skills remained sufficient. Being now this close to him she recoiled from the perceived smell, but the bruise he had showing now was truly nasty. A shiner worthy of a story better than some Turnover eve gone awry. Well, perhaps once he healed a bit more he would show some proficiency in lying.

"I can wrap it if you just hold still."

[thelifeweaver]

Internal screaming was the obvious solution to the unwanted proximity of another human so close to himself. The fact that she had his hands pinned with a surprisingly strong grip made things all the more problematic. Tact was cast aside with his next statement as ire began to seep out. The way her nose turned to a perceived smell, no-doubt influenced by the others within the chamber, infuriated him. He held still, but only until she had completed the re-bandaging.

When the woman finished her task he turned to a nearby healer. “Can you please tell her one of your damned Fire-Lizards smacked me?” He asked, pleadingly, yet frustrated. The response he got was a begrudging nod and a grunt of affirmation.

[Kaya]

Libby stopped. She had committed a grave error. He was very agitated now, though she had simply meant to poke a little fun and make reparations by helping. Her intentions seemed to matter very little now. Her teasing dropped, her shoulders slumped, and her words fell back into the more natural dialectal lilt from Ice Stone. "I'm sorry." she stated lamely. She tried not to stare at the bandages she had wrapped well around his head and dropped her gaze to the floor. A true apology. She had assumed, and been wrong, and caused more harm in so doing. Another sign why the Aerie had rejected her, perhaps as well. She felt Anchor's steadying presence from across the room, pulling her back from feeling sorry for herself. There was still much work to be done. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

[thelifeweaver]

Rythal’s expression shifted almost immediately as the guilt returned twice-fold. He clenched his fists and exhaled, clawing back at his composure. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. It was just a misunderstanding.” He said after a moment. “I shouldn’t have gotten so angry, this…I” He pauses, mulling over his wording.

“I don’t converse or have much contact with others. I’m a Hunter and Caravaneer by trade.” He explained, hoping that by splurging out context it would patch the situation. Rythal grew flustered quickly. “Just please don’t tell the cooks to sabotage my food.” He whispered, entirely flummoxed as to how to continue, let along correct the conversation. Perhaps there wasn’t, but he felt a need to at least try.

Towards the room he saw the grey demon direct its attention towards its master. He found it amusing, perhaps the Fire Lizards were out to get him after all.

[Kaya]

"It's a good trade," Libby echoed quietly as he rambled. She felt relief that his anger had vanished, but still felt badly for the situation. She was about to try some fragile attempt at connection when he made his plead against sabotaged food. She was surprised by it and her laugh returned, albeit much quieter. "That I can do," she stated confidently. She moved the empty box she had set down to the corner for pick up. Best to start the long walk back to the Weyr, unless some other Rider happened to be on the Aerie ledge.