Logs:Hide & Seek with Blood Trails
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| RL Date: 19 May, 2014 |
| Who: Gaelan, Oliwer |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: After Gaelan escapes the infirmary, a trail of blood leads Journeyman Oliwer right to him. |
| Where: Random Tunnel, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 3, Month 11, Turn 34 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Aseana/Mentions, G'laer/Mentions |
| OOC Notes: Back-dated. |
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| Random Tunnel, High Reaches Weyr There are many twisty, turny tunnels throughout High Reaches Weyr. And this just happens to be one of them. It branches off from one of the main ones, taking you away from the resident dorms and private rooms. Here and there are some storage closets, but the hall is mostly bare. It's devoid of decoration and seems to otherwise just take a windy path towards the main caverns.
No doubt Oliwer's thoughts have been wandering to various, stressful places during his search for G'laer's son. Following a trail of blood isn't exactly his idea of a pleasant afternoon. But there's some strange relief in finding the boy that isn't just to help him, a relief in it being him and not the greenrider. "You're doing a number on yourself, I see," says the healer to Gaelan as he approaches. "You think maybe we can go and get you patched up before you start attracting hungry tunnelsnakes?" Gaelan makes a half-move as if to rise and tear off running again, but the wince as he only manages to rise a quarter of the way would indicate that the pain of the wound is finally getting to him, so he only glowers and settles back on his rump. "I don't need your help," the classic words come with the complete confidence and angst of a boy coming into manhood. The statement is really proven when he lifts the rag away, yet again to see the deep cut still steadily oozing blood. Holding up a hand as though to assure the boy that he comes in peace, Oliwer says, "That may be. But I would really like to help you, Gaelan. I don't like seeing people in pain when I know I could help them. Even strong young men like yourself." The look he gives the boy is more of a question than anything he's said, expectant and sincere. Gaelan's gaze is half suspicious and half reproachful. How dare Oliwer just want to help. "Fer all I know, you want t'give me stitches so my leg gets messed up forever and I'll be a prisoner here, just like he wants." When you're twelve and the only stitches you've ever seen left a friend's hand mangled... Well. Maybe not everyone would blame him. Others would say that paranoia came genetically from his father. Oliwer, sweet, naive, overly trusting man that he can be, doesn't even know how to respond to that right away. He might even seem a little taken aback that someone so young could be so cynical. "Why would I possibly want that?" It's hard not to ask, but he's quick to add, "Besides, that's impossible. I'm a journeyman Healer. I'm sworn by oath to help people to the best of my ability." There's a pause before he asks something else that's hard not to ask, "Do you really think that's what your father wants for you?" The youth studies the healer a moment in sullen silence and then seems to decide the man only capable of 'disappointed dad' face at the worst of times is probably not wily enough to have ulterior motives (little does he know). The rag is moved to the side, "Fine." Which doesn't answer the first question; possibly another paternal genetic trait, or maybe just a snot-nosed preteen one. At least Gaelan will apparently let Oli do his job. The latter question gets a shrug at long last. "If you'd asked us a turn ago, we'd've told you he didn't want anything for or from us. Now?" Shrug. "Do you think we can make it back to the infirmary so we can do this properly? I can help you walk." He might even attempt to carry the boy if need be, but he doesn't offer that option to him straight off. No one likes to be carried, after all. "I can't say I know your father very well," which isn't even really a lie in Oliwer's current state of mind, "But I do know he wants what's best for you and your sister, even if it doesn't seem like it." "Is he still there?" It doesn't, therefore, seem to be so much a matter of can but will, and this is the critical question. "Mother says he wasn't always a twat, but he's had twelve turns to show up and prove he's not." Gaelan doesn't try to assess who knows the greenrider better but he does offer this gem. "He shouldn't be, no. I told him to leave. And if he shows up, I can tell him to leave again, if that's what you want." Oliwer offers the boy a hand to help him up. Instead of commenting on G'laer's twatness, the Healer instead asks, "Your mother wanted you to come here, didn't she?" That helps, but it doesn't stop Gaelan from giving that hand a long look before he accepts it. He's a thin boy, and as yet fairly short, so the weight of him isn't great as he pulls himself up. "Dunno, really. She just kept saying 'it's best' when we asked." He frowns and then winces as he starts limping back the way he'd come going. Oliwer doesn't seem to have much trouble helping Gaelan up. He is a full grown man, after all, with a sometimes moderately physical job. Really. He follows near to the boy without hovering, just close enough to lend a hand if need be. "There are a lot of opportunities in a Weyr," he points out. "Do you know what you want to do when you're older?" Never mind twelve is around when a lot of kids apprentice. The side eye that Gaelan gives the healer as he limps along presages the question, "Are all healers as nosy as you?" This doesn't of course address the opportunities of the Weyr nor answer the question. His father's son whether he likes it or not. There's clearly no offense taken from the question of being nosy. In fact, Oliwer considers it and says, "I suppose quite a few of us are, actually. I think I'd say it's an interest in other people than just nosiness, though." There's apparently a difference. "A lot of patients do enjoy talking about themselves. It makes them feel more comfortable. Would you prefer to ask the questions?" Or just walk in silence? He doesn't ask that for possibly obvious reasons. Gaelan clearly wasn't looking for a real, thoughtful answer judging from the way his expression settles into a scowl. "Then I definitely don't want to be a healer when I'm older." Take that, overly nice and tolerant healer man! "Listenin' to people blabber 'bout themselves sounds awful." So that's a no asking the questions. Maybe that's a yes to walking in silence? "To be fair, many of the people I treat are in too much pain to say a whole lot. Or they have to be sedated to keep from screaming." This is the right thing to say to a child you're going to be sewing up shortly, surely. But that's all Oliwer says, content enough to continue their walk to the infirmary in silence. Nope! Gaelan stops, eyeing the healer suspiciously. Oliwer stops when Gaelan stops but he doesn't seem to understand why they've stopped right away. Maybe it's the way the boy looks at him that makes it click. "I specialize in treating people with much more serious injuries than a cut on the leg," he explains. "Broken limbs. Severed limbs. Burns." You know, fun stuff. "Fortunately those aren't as commonplace as more minor injuries. Numbweed will keep you from feeling much more than some pressure. You'll be fine. I promise." "You sever limbs for a living?" Gaelan eyes the healer. Because, of course, that's what he'd get from that explanation. "What? No. No, of course not. I mean, I have." But that's beside the point. "People lose limbs in accidents sometimes. Other times they have to be removed to keep, for instance, infection from spreading and ultimately killing them." And of course Oliwer takes this moment to point out, "Like if your leg went untreated and became infected." This hasn't really won trust points with the youth, but thankfully for all involved, fear outweighs trust, and so he starts limping forward again, this time silently. Once Gaelan is moving again, Oliwer lapses back into silence and he'll no doubt stay that way until they reach the infirmary, barring the boy actually deciding to speak on his own. |
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