To the Infimary with you! (Eira)

[Lady Smara]

Tschermak lay upon the stone a few moments longer before a moan finally escaped his lips. His head pounded, demanding the forefront of his attention as it easily outweighted any of the pain and bruising he knew he body would soon have. Lifting his arms to his head, he covered his eyes and rolled from his back onto his stomach. Pain flashed behind closed eyelids and he gasped, holding as still as possible in hopes that it might subside, even if just a little bit.

Again moments passed, but it was his jaw that began to ache first from clenching it. Fine. This was apparently not going to go away first. Sitting up carefully, he kept one hand on his head as he wrapped the other around his stomach. Touching it gingerly where the kicks had landed, Tschermak could feel his skin warming even through his shirt. Finally dropping his other hand to the hem of his tunic, he pulled it up to find one particularly nasty bruise developing on the left side of his rib cage.

Even at his young age, Tschermak sighed and let his shirt down. He knew something was wrong as he wrapped his arm defensively around that side once more. He’d have his own fair amount of bruises, two more were almost healed, in fact, upon his chest as well. But this one was different. It was already starting to stick out from the rest of his skin. Letting out a slow breath, he decided against going to the infirmary, that would probably only get him a lecture. No, he’d go to the lake instead. Maybe the cold water would help the swelling.

[blue]

Eira had once again a little free time on her hands. Siath had ate, been bathed, oiled, and now the young dragonet was very sleepy so the green had went off to sleep while Eira was headed near the weyrbowl just to have watch some of the older dragons. She was half tempted to go down to the infirmary to see if she could help or even talk to her great aunt for a little while. Sighing, it would come to her after she thought about it. Sitting down in the grass, it was rather dry thankfully so she did not have to worry about any mud getting on her clothes.

Tilting her head back, she had her eyes on the sky when she thought she heard something. Turning her head, soon her gaze was on Tschermak. Her lips curled into a slight frown as she watched the boy limp. That she didn't like the look of. Sighing, it was looking like she was going to be taking the boy to the infirmary from the looks of things. She could easily patch him up there if there wasn't anything too serious. Honestly, Eira hoped it wasn't. Simply because she hated it when people just could not be healed.

Standing to her feet, she dusted off her dress and started over to him. “What happened?” She asked. Granted, the question came out more as a demand to know what happened than a simple question. Even though her words came out a little more harsh than she intended to, her hazel eyes shown that she was clearly worried about the boy's limp. It was just how she was and not being able to be in the infirmary every day was just about the one thing she disliked about having Siath.

Of course, the goods far outweighed the bad and since having the dragonet she had been able to get some real sleep. The noise was starting to bother her less that was for sure, and she was still able to get up early as always. A brow raised when she did not get an answer. "Well? Answer me, what happened?"

[Lady Smara]

Hearing a voice demand what happened, Tschermak paused and looked toward its source. Finding the hips of a woman, he looked up… and up… and up. Finding a face to finally put to the voice, Tschermak actually took a step back to keep from craning his neck so far. Blinking, he frowned. Shards, she was tall!

Hearing the demand, however, he looked around quickly to see if anyone else was around. Finding nobody, he quickly shook his head. “Nuth’n Ma’am.” He said, almost quiet enough to be under his breath. “I was jus’ going to wash in the lake… I can go back to my chores though.” Thinking that he may have gotten himself in trouble, he turned around and started back toward the lower caverns, trying to figure out where he would be able to find some extra chores to keep from getting in trouble.

[blue]

Eira watched as the boy kept looking at her she raised a brow when he had to step back. She was tall but she was not THAT tall! Sighing, she shook her head. “Just wait one moment, Boy.” She mentioned lightly. “You're not going anywhere until I see how badly hurt you are.”

That was the truth. She was not going to let him go wandering away just because he thought he was in some sort of trouble. “To the infirmary with you, that's an order. I can take a quick look at you easily anyways...” She muttered as she reached out and put a firm hand on his shoulder. “On our way there though, do you mind telling me what happened and who decided to use you as their own personal punching bag?” Eira asked him curiously as she moved herself to walk easily side by side of him.

If he did not start answering her questions though, she would be tempted to make his wounds hurt before she patched him up fully.

[Lady Smara]

Tschermak couldn’t exactly deny an adult, so when she told him he was going to the infirmary and that it was an order, he felt his chest fall a little bit – a motion that brought a sharp pain through his side. Wincing visibly, he turned toward the Infirmary as a hand landed heavy and firmly on his shoulder. Great, he was in trouble whether that was what she was really saying or not. Why else demand answers if he wasn’t?

Trouble or not, Tschermak was not a tattle tale. So when the tall woman asked if he would tell her what happened as she walked him toward the strongly smelling rooms of herbs and numbweed, Tschermak shrugged his shoulders under her hand. “I just fell down.” He said simply.

There was no reason to tell her who had kicked him, or that there had even been more than one person. Those children would simply get in trouble, then they would be angry, then they would hit him again and probably harder. No, it was better to stay quiet. Adult wrath was far gentler than the wrath of Weyrbrats.

[blue]

Eira watched the boy for a moment or two, even more so when he visibly winced. Really, Tschermak was not in trouble, even if he felt like he was. Eira was just more or less trying to get to the bottom of this like she felt she needed to. Even if he did not tell her who created the blows, she did need to know what caused the injuries. It would mean less guesswork and that she would not miss something important. “Sweetie, I highly doubt what injuries you have came from falling down.” The tall woman told him smoothly.

As they headed towards the Infirmary, she looked d own at him curiously. “Really, you don't need to tell me who did it, but it would make things easier to fix up your wounds if you tell me what they did.” Steering him towards the infirmary, Eira breathed in the smell that reminded her of home. Even though she had Siath to look after, the young woman still found time to herself while the young dragon slept. The green was thankfully fairly consistent with when she wanted to eat and Eira kept on top of the scrubbing. After each lunch time bath, Siath would get tired and wind up dozing off.

Of course, because Siath was currently napping away it was much the reason why Eira was able to get Tshermak to the infirmary and why she was going to make time to patch him up herself. Steering him towards an empty bed she sighed lightly. “Sit.” She directed lightly as she gestured towards the bed. “Take off your shirt and also, what is your name so I don't keep calling you 'sweetie' or 'boy'.” Her lips curled into a slight smile, trying to show him that he really was not in trouble and that she really just wanted to help.

[Lady Smara]

Some would argue that Tschermak’s refusal to answer was due to his stubborn nature, and while it was true that the boy never tattled and true that he would stand up repeatedly after being beaten down, others would say that he was just too dumb to know when the truth would be more beneficial. Of course, either way Tschermak held true to his lie as he shook his head in denial that anyone else had been involved. “I jus’ fell down, Ma’am.” He repeated simply.

Finding himself guided to an empty bed and told to sit, it took the shorter boy a moment to climb onto the elevated bed. Turning around once he was on it, he kicked his legs against its edge while he waited, the kicking stopping when he was told to take off his shirt. Naturally obedient as long as it wouldn’t get him in trouble, Tschermak decided it was defiantly in his best interest to do as she told him rather than irritate her further than his lie was already doing.

Grabbing back of his own collar, he pulled it up and over his head, his hair becoming a mess as he continued to pull it up and over. While other male Weyrbrats were often found outside with their shirts off in the summer time, Tschermak had made a habit of keeping his shirt on to hide whatever bruise he may have that week. Because of the habit, his skin beneath the shirt was pale and the sight of it was made even more sickly thanks to the handful of bruises, all in various stages of healing as they turned his torso into a discolored and ugly mess.

The newest of his collection for that sevenday was the one bumping out from his ribcage. Tschermak did not need to touch it again to feel that his skin was heating up there. He also knew the woman wouldn’t need to touch him to be able to easily count his ribs as they naturally stood out against his skin. He really did hope that one day he would fill out and look more like a man than a stick. After having spoken with the young rider D’isk, he wondered if some day he might grow as large as that man. He doubted it, however, as his hands and feet remained small, giving no hidden promises of growth.

Hearing the woman ask for his name as he set his hand-me-down shirt next to him on the bed, Tschermak looked back at her. “Sure-mach” he said, sounding it out. He secretly knew that it was written with a silent T at the very beginning after the Harper had to correct his spelling a thousand times. But his T would never be heard if his name was pronounced properly. At first he thought it was silly to put the T in the front, but he had slowly grown fond of the hidden letter. It made him different than those Weyrbrats who bullied their way around the Creche.

[blue]

If Eira known Tschermak a little bit better, well, she would probably say it had to do with his stubborn nature. Either way, Eira just wanted to know what caused the pain more or less to treat him. She would have to figure it on her own with the boy told her once more he fell. Honestly, she hated it when people lied about their injuries, or say that one thing happened when it happened by another way. It made her job much more difficult if you asked her.

At least he followed her order to set down on one of the elevated bed and taking off his shirt. God, he looked so sickly with the shirt off and the bruises in various stages of healing. It made her cringe a little before letting a heavy sigh leave her mouth. This was going to be some work from the looks of things. She did know some things that could help with the bruising he did have that's for sure. While she did not say anything, she listened to what his name was as she carefully examined him. Another sigh left her. “Well Tschermak.” Eira said lightly saying his name properly. “These bruises could not have been caused by some little fall. Especially the newest welt. If I'm looking at them right, you have some bruises here that are about the same age. Not as bad as the welt but still. I would say you were kicked repeatedly if you ask me.”

With that a slight brow raised at him, she knew she had to be right but, she doubt he would say a darn thing. “Anyways...” Turning away from him she was getting some sort of paste created to help with the healing and any pain. A quick wash of her hands she dried them before carefully feeling the area around the welt. “This may hurt but...I think I will need to wrap you up a bit to help. I'll put the paste on and then wrap some strips of cloth around your chest okay?” It was looking more and more like one of his ribs she could see so well either was fractured or broken.

“You won't be able to exactly move too much. You can but, it's best to let your parents know just how hurt you are or else I'll track them down and tell them myself okay? You should have a lighter chore load so you don't risk hurting yourself more. A rib can slip and prod you in the lungs then in that case not really much I, or other healers, can do for you.”

[Lady Smara]

Tschermak had lifted his arm up behind his head so that it was out of her way as she poked and prodded the area that was coloring so nicely. Turning his head away from her and her touch, he kept his gaze steady. Sure it hurt, lots of things hurt. His unnaturally high pain tolerance left only his breathing as a sign of the pain as she touched it, however. He knew she had to in order to ‘look’ at it as his skin was in the way, but he had to admit, she was more gentle than some of the healers that usually caught him off guard.

Nodding when she asked if the paste and cloth would be okay, he continued to look away from her. In fact, it would almost seem he was making a point of looking at anything but her. Just as she guessed, he said nothing when she hit the nail right on the head. If asked again, he would simply repeat that he fell. He now knew that she believed otherwise, but that didn’t mean he needed to confirm it.

When she made question of telling his parents, he finally glanced her way once more before quickly looking back at the far wall, well away from her. She didn’t know him, but then again not many did if they were not from the crèche or the lower caverns. He didn’t recognize the woman so it only made sense that she did not recognize him. She had, after all, asked his name.

“I’ll tell them.” He lied, just as easily as he had lied about the fall. It didn’t really matter if he had parents or not. In a day or two the crèche ladies would forget if he told them and he would still volunteer for more work to simply keep him away from the games the other weyrbrats played. He might ask to be able to change the glows, it would be easier than carrying wood for the kitchen hearths, but he would not make a show of trying to get out of work. No, instead he’d volunteer to change the glows too.

[blue]

Eira frowned slightly as she worked. She was careful so he wouldn't be hurt more by her hands and she was simply healing him like he needed to be. She put on a little bit of the paste on his skin and very carefully rubbed it in. Not just on or around the welt either, but also on some of the other fresher bruises that littered his sickly looking skin. Getting the strip of clothes done, she was careful with it too. Wrapping the long strips carefully, Eira was paying attention to the boy's breathing as she did so. There was no use in him being hurt more when she was trying to heal him.

As he lied to her again, a brow momentarily raised. Eira was not born yesterday and she had thought he was being fostered by someone already. Granted, she was thinking if he still was in the creche....Sighing, she carefully secured the cloth that will help keep things bound in the sense.“If you happen to still be in the creche, I'll let them know about your injuries.” Eira told him lightly. “I know they look after the other weyrbrats there but...Remember for yourself that it'll take a few days before you can take those bindings off permanently. You can take them off to bathe, but come back to the infirmary to have someone re do them for you alright?” She asked him.

Sighing she double checked her work before picking up his shirt and handing it to him. “Really if you don't make it worse it will get better rather quickly. It's hard to tell if there is actually a fracture there. I think there is but, with the welt, it's simply hard to tell, Tschermak.” She smiled at him lightly, really, she just wanted the boy to heal up properly. The smile faded though when Siath woken from her nap. ”My Eira? Where are you? I'm hungry now.” ”I'm coming soon Siath, just finishing up in the infirmary.” Eira thought quietly. ”Oh Eira, you're so kind but find a healer to help, I am very hungry.”

Sighing, Eira smiled at the boy. “I need to go now...But I'm sure you'll be fine.” She told him before signaling a healer that had just entered the room. Telling the older man what was up with the boy, she turned her head and smiled at him lightly before leaving. ”I'm on my way now, meet me at the Weyrhall Siath, it'll save time and get some food into that belly of yours sooner.” ”That is good my Eira, after I eat can you bathe me? I'm starting to get a little itchy again.” ”Alright, you'll be bathed.” ”More good news to hear then, oh, and Joris is following me, I think he is hungry too.” ”Could be Siath, make sure you do not step on him.” Eira thought as she headed to the meeting place. ”I will my Eira.” Eira shook her head a little as she walked that cat certainly did not act like a cat. Either way it was not long before she met up with her dragonet and her little tunnel cat who by this point was hitching a ride on Siath's long tail.