Logs:Someone Has To Care
| |
|---|
| RL Date: 13 February, 2009 |
| Who: Madilla, Milani, Tiriana |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Bandage rolling in the Inner Caverns is party to chatter, news and discomfort. |
| Where: Lower Caverns, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 5, Month 13, Turn 18 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: K'del/Mentions, Satiet/Mentions |
   |
| The caverns are a hive of activity, this afternoon, no doubt partially encouraged by the absolutely miserable weather outside. Madilla has escaped the infirmary, and has ensconsed herself in one of the niches along the wall of the main tunnel between living caverns and the rest of the weyr, with a basket of bandages to roll. It's relatively mindless work, which means she's keeping obvious tabs on the conversations around her, and, in particular, the quiet game being played by a few weyr children not so far away. Milani comes around the bend and pauses at the edge of the niche, where Madilla sits, leaning her back against the wall and huffing out a breath. "Shells," the headwoman murmurs, clipboard held to chest as she apparently takes a momeht to catch her breath and take a load off. Madilla's head turns in surprise, at Milani's murmur, her attention having been so enraptured by those around her that she misses the Headwoman's approach altogether. Recovering, she manages a smile, head inclining towards her, remarking, more than asking, "Busy day?" Milani tilts her head towards the healer, smiles wryly. "Yes. And it's supposed to be relatively more quiet now with winter really getting going," the headwoman claims. "Mind of I join you for a little bit? Rolling bandages actually sounds like a vacation after all the running around I've been doing." "At least winter is /supposed/ to be busy for us," remarks Madilla, sympathetically, gesturing with her free hand that the Headwoman is more than willing to join her. "Please, do. Journeywoman Delifa sent me out here for much the same reason; she seems to think I'm pushing myself too hard, and need a break." The healer's rueful expression suggests that the older healer might be right, but she's not pleased with it, all the same. Milani sets down her clipboard and sits, in a two-part motion. "I suppose so, yes, all those winter colds, hm?" The headwoman smiles at the apprentice and leans back in her chair, hands lifting to massage at the back of her neck. "Thank you. I figure I can 'hide out' here for a little bit." There's a sympathetic smile across the way for the apprentice. "Other than busy then, how've you been, Madilla?" Madilla nods, for the winter colds, and adds in, "Plus the sprained ankles from slipping, and the rest. And plenty of pregnancies." She sets a completed bandage in the basket, and fishes out another one, tilting her head to smile at Milani. "I won't tell," she says, with mirth. "Me? Oh - well. There were exams. And..." The smile sort of fades, then brightens again, as if with deliberate effort. "Just lots to think about. But I'm fine. What about you?" "Ice," Milani nods knowingly. "Hopefully I won't be coming to you with one of those as the skating season really gets going," the headwoman adds and leans forward to pick up a bandage and join in the rolling. "Thank you, I appreciate it," she says with a broad wink followed by a sympathetic face. "Exams. Those don't sound like any fun. Lots on your mind? Well, if you need to offload any of it, I've got two ears." Millie exhales slowly and rolls, with nimble fingers. "Pretty good actually, there's some things that will just always be complicated. Like dealing with the Weyrleaer. Or Tiriana. But otherwise, things are getting into a good routine in the caverns. Personal life is ... good. Plenty of good company. And well, just had a turnday and got some lovely gifts." "Ice," agrees Madilla, sagely. "Mm, I hope not. It looks like it can be a dangerous sport, though even just walking around outside can be, too, I suppose. And skating is more fun." She nods ruefully for the exams, but there's obviously hesitation before her answer. "Thank you. I-- wish I could offload it." /That/ is earnest enough. "I suppose it is enough to say that I'm worried about a patient." She doesn't let that hang, instead marching straight on to continue with, "I had a run in with Tiriana, too." Her cheeks go pink. "She's--" She stops herself, smiles blandly. "But. Your turnday! Happy turnday." "I love skating," Milani says enthusiastically, setting that one bandage down and picking up a new one to roll. "Oh? Well then, I won't pry," the headwoman says gently and looks over with sympathy. "Ahh, right, so of course you can't talk about it. Well if you need to take your mind off things too, I can sort out a thing or two, especially if you want to get out of the Weyr for a bit." Millie snorts softly about Tiriana. "Impossible. But thank you." "I don't really know how, properly," admits Madilla. "But I tried it out last winter, and it was - fun. But cold. I'm still not a big fan of the cold." She looks embarrassed about her inability to talk about that which bothers her, though she nods slowly, the corners of her mouth pulling out quietly. "Thank you. That might be good. It's - well. Anyway. Yes, 'impossible' describes Tiriana quite well." She adds another completed bandage into the basket, and smiles. "You're welcome." "Oh, come out sometime with me. I can show you some pointers," Milani offers with a bright smile. "The lake freezes so hard, it's a shame to waste the opportunity, you know?" The headwoman's expression shades sympathetic again. "Don't worry about it, Madilla, it sounds like it's something difficult and well usually getting your mind of that sort of thing works well." A little shrug from the headwoman and she goes ont. "Mm. Impossible. Just when you think you're getting somewhere with her, bam, insults." Madilla looks pleased. "I'd like that," she tells Milani, earnestly. "One needs to make the most of it - the snow, the ice, the all of it." She opens her mouth as though she intends to say something more, but shuts it again, and instead just nods, her expression more serious, though she softens it to a bit of a smile before she does manage to speak again. "I stood up to her," the healer notes, pink in the cheek again. "I don't usually do that. But she... I don't understand why you'd want to be that mean to people. I can't imagine... I thought Weyrwomen were supposed to be good leaders." "Great, any evening really, before dark. I go out to do a spin around whenever I can," Millie says blithely about the skating. The rest though, brings a keen gleam to the headwoman's eyes. "/Did/ you now? Well I'm impressed. And you're right. Though i guess not all of them always have been." "I'll take you up on that," promises Madilla, earnestly. "When I can. Dark comes so early - and I'm often still working. But. I'm not /always/ working." She looks more embarrassed, and at least partially ashamed, rather than pleased with herself over her run-in with Tiriana, but, nonetheless, she nods. "She complained about me, but I didn't get in trouble. I think they all know what she's like. I just..." She nods again, finally concluding, "Hope she grows up." "I know. Me too, but I usually sneak off for a few minutes at least," the headwoman confides, with a wink then nods about Tiriana. "I don't think anyone's under any illusions about her. And me too. She seems a little better at least than she did a few turns ago." Madilla laughs, lowering her voice to note, once again, "I won't tell." She sets another completed bandage into the basket, nodding again. "Does she? I don't tend to have a lot of dealings with her, but I did meet her when she was a candidate at Telgar. She wasn't so awful to me, then. Perhaps Iovniath made her worse, but now she's getting better again?" There's a pause, and then, meaningfully: "I /hope/ so." "Thank you," Milani says in an equally low tone and undoes a little bit of the rollup she's working on to redo it more tightly. "Oh well I knew her before then. She broke my brother's heart and got him in trouble with the Weyrwoman at Telgar," Millie says with a purse of her lips. "So, overall she seems a lot better now since she got a weyrmate and all." The smile Madilla gives in response to Milani's thanks fades distinctly as that story comes out, her expression darkening altogether. "I--" She frowns. "That's awful. She's not a very nice person." She seems aware that she's just repeated the sentiment of the conversation, and hurries along, cheeks pink again. "Well. I hope so, then. I really, really do. I just wish she was more willing to... to take responsibility, I suppose." "Yeah. That was a long time ago now though. Remi's all happy with his weyrmate now. They even have a new baby girl! Her name's Jenivra." Millie drops the bandage she was working on into the pile, takes up another. "Exactly. Always trying to foist blame off or pretend like things aren't her fault and then when you offer to /help/ tries to just get you to do stuff /for/ her." Madilla's face softens the instant the word 'baby' is mentioned; she looks utterly pleased. "Oh, that's a beautiful name," she tells Milani, earnestly. "I'm glad for them. I'm sure he's better without /her/ anyway." Her lips purse again for the rest of what the Headwoman says, but she nods. "Mmm, yes. It's not really my place, but... I just feel like she should be pulling her weight more, instead of throwing it around instead." There's a slight twinge to her expression, though she smoothes it again quickly. "Anyway. Not really a pleasant subject. Have you plans for turnover?" Tiriana heads in from the bowl. "Isn't it? THey call her Jeni for short. Jenivrys and Giremi put together. Nice." Milani beams happily. "Of course, now they're teasing /me/ about having some. But I'm not quite ready yet." Her eyes roll a little at continued mention of Tiriana. "That's a good way to put it. Pull the weight. Not toss it," Millie agrees and pokes at that bandage roll she's working on vengefully. "Anyway. Yes! I do. I ... well I always do. Though ... maybe this turn might be different," she says slowly, chewing on her lower lip. Madilla and Milani are ensconced in one of the alcoves along the main hallway of the lower caverns, rolling bandages. The healer looks utterly entranced. "No? If I hadn't become a Healer, I'd probably - well," she frowns. "I wouldn't /have/ one yet. But I'd probably be working on it. I wish--" Her expression, for a moment, turns very distant, though she breaks it off to smile, circling about the Tiriana-subject to raise her brows. "Different - how?" At least they didn't mention her name; Tiriana can't /really/ know she's being talked about. Right? Still, on her way down the hall, the bandage-rolling pair attract her attention, and she pauses to eye the pair for a moment. For once, Milani's mostly ignored, in favor of the goldrider eyeing the younger healer. "So. You're still here," she says. "Right, because they get started early in the holds," Milani says quietly and shoots Madilla a sympathetic look, misunderstanding. The next question though makes Millie silent. "Well, mostly because I made someone I care about a lot a promise a couple of turns back and I mean to keep it. But ... I also have reasons to maybe ... not make good on those plans anymore. There's someone else I'd rather spend the --" And speak of the devil. Milani's mouth shuts with a snap and she looks up at the goldrider sidelong. "Why wouldn't she be? Madilla is one of our posted healers and very good at her job." The sympathetic look from Milani makes Madilla go pink again, and though she opens her mouth to re-explain herself, she doesn't quite get the words out, as though it's all too hard. So she just smiles, listening, as her fingers work, so intent upon the conversation at hand that she doesn't note Tiriana's approach until the goldrider speaks. This time, her cheeks flame, her eyes ducking down. It's a good thing Milani can speak - because Madilla doesn't. Can't? "That healer--" a certain one that got an earful last time Tiriana was by the infirmary "--said she's give you one more chance. Surprised it hasn't been used up by now." Which may or may not be true: if it is, certainly it must have been a try at placating Tiriana, not than any real threat. At any rate, it probably made all the healers snicker at her expense for a day or two, though Tiriana herself seems unaware of this. "Not your concern. Start early on what?" In one breath, she tries to shut out Milani; the next, to pry into the other girls' conversation. Milani just shoots Tiriana a skeptical look. "Babies," Milani fills in promptly for Tiriana's benefit. "A lot of holders start having babies when they're very young," she continues. "It must be so hard to have to deal with that kind of expectation." And there's that sympathetic look for Madilla again. "And Giremi and Jenivrys just had their first. You know, they're very happiliy weyrmated. My new niece's name is Jenivra. Pretty, don't you think?" Sweet as syrup. Madilla is utterly scarlet, but manages to straighten her posture, and purse her lips - even if she still doesn't say anything on that particular subject. Her presence, after all, is indication enough that, no, it hasn't been 'used up'. If it ever would have been. "It's not actually so hard," she manages, after a few deep breaths, almost, but not quite, ignoring Tiriana. "You get raised with that expectation. I think you grow up more quickly." Just like that, Tiriana's irritation vanishes, as does all her interest in Madilla, perhaps allowing the unfortunately singled-out healer the time to recover herself, while Tiriana stares instead at Milani. "Wait, what?" she finally gets out, blankly. "Giremi?" The very idea bewilders her, mouth twisting up as she tries to wrap her mind around that. "/Giremi/?" "Giremi, yes. And Jenivrys. Cute little baby girl. Family's thrilled," Milani summarizes again, smiling happily herself. "Why're you so surprised, Tiriana? He's a good guy." Madilla's remark earns a brief look from the headwoman though. "Perhaps," she says thoughtfully. "I think it's an individual thing. Some people, they just don't grow up, baby or no baby." Lucky Madilla. By the time Milani has responded to Tiriana, the healer has more or less recovered her composure, her face back to a more usual natural pallor. "Perhaps," the healer agrees, after taking a moment to consider the Headwoman's response to her. "I suppose that's true of people everywhere. I don't think I should have minded it. Being married, and perhaps pregnant already, I mean." There's that dreamy look again. "Because," says Tiriana, as though that explains everything. She leans against the table now, still looking perplexed. Eventually, "Because. It's /Giremi/. He just... Faranth. He just shouldn't be doing that." She grimaces, then shoots a look sidelong at Madilla. "Oh, please. What kind of idiot wants that?" she says, scathing. "How old are you, exactly, like thirteen?" "Don't they like, teach you that it's not that good for you body though?" Milani asks Madilla, looking taken aback. "My mother said so when I was getting around to an age where you know, boys and stuff were getting interesting. That's why she taught me how to have it not happen until I w as ready," the headwoman continues and takes a breath, perhaps understanding now, that she had the wrong idea. Her gaze lifts back up to Tiriana. "Why not? He's a good father and a really great weyrmate. You know. Faithful. Dedicated. And totally in love with Vrys." Madilla colours again. Rainbow-Madilla day. "Sixteen," she corrects, in a more or less even tone, though there's an edge to it. To Milani, she shakes her head. "Not at home. Here - of course. But at home, it's expected. Life's hard, and babies die all the time, and the more you have, the more help..." She breaks off, head shaking. "It's just the way it is for u-- for /them/." Her lips purse, but she doesn't say anything more, so as to leave the other two room to talk about Giremi. "So?" Tiriana answers Milani, her eyes rolling. "Please. Totally in love. He said he was totally in love with me, too, y'know. Before he screwed me over." Which is perhaps the crux of the issue, but don't ever expect her to admit that one. Instead, lifting her chin, she eyes Madilla again. Almost conversationally, she asides to Milani, "Holders are just--weird." "You know, I've just /got/ to hear how it is that you think /he/ screwed /you/ over," Milani says. Family you know. Blood's thick. She takes a breath, looks over at Madilla again. "I guess it just works that way. Holds. Makes me glad I live in a Weyr though. No offense, Madilla." Madilla's gaze flicks between Tiriana and Milani, as her teeth worry on her lower lip. She opens her mouth; she shuts it again. Finally, with all that attention on /her/ again, she remarks, quietly, as she sets another completed bandage roll into the basket, "None taken. I live in a weyr, too, remember." It's probably not strictly relevant, given her own obvious beliefs, but she manages to smile, and look - almost! - relaxed. Tiriana, lip curling into a sneer, is all too happy to oblige. "Because he knew what it was, the whole damn time," she snaps, full of righteous indignation. "We were friends, except then he got too busy trying to play lover-boy to actually /be/ my friend. Got all jealous and freaked out at me over doing some other guy--when it's not like he had some claim on me. /Or/ like I wasn't already upset enough." And with that settled, at least to her mind, she straightens and turns to stalk off. "Wait ... so you cheated on him and you wonder why he got upset? Shells, Tiriana ..." Milani starts with an eyeroll but then the goldrider is stalking off and Millie's lips purse. "Whatever." And she sighs, looks back across at Madilla. "I'm sorry. That wasn't a very nice thing of me to say. Sometimes I get carried away with ... what I think. And /yes/, you definitely live here now and I wouldn't have it any other way. Unlike /some/ people." She shoots a look at Tiriana's back. Madilla looks honestly aghast as she stares after Tiriana's retreating back, her expression fading slowly into something sour, full of distaste. To Milani, she shakes her head. "It's all right," she tells the Headwoman. "She wasn't being very nice, either." A pleased expression settles in following her last words, and she notes, "I'm glad. I /do/ like it here. Despite her. At least she's not /actually/ in charge, right? She'd make your job difficult, wouldn't she?" "No ... and wow, you know, I wouldn't actually have expected anything about my brother to've made her mad ..." Milani's all the more thoughtful, but doesn't remark on that further. Instead she just beams at Madilla. "Oh good, I'm glad you do. I mean it's my home you know. The Reaches. So ... I want people to like it and be happy here." Big round eyes at the healer. "Oh shells yes. If Tiriana was in charge ... can you imagine? Everything would fall apart ... and she would probably make my life hell." "I suppose," remarks Madilla, quiet and thoughtful, "She does care about people, in some small way. She must do, if she... cared." She can't seem to resist that beam, returning it full-force, though it falters slightly as Milani finishes off her words. There's a pause, before she formulates her own response. "I suppose so." Her eyes are briefly wide, and she blinks several times before forcing a tentative, not-quite-genuine smile into place. "Well. She's not. So... good." She lowers her head, hastily, busying herself with the baskets, and bandages within it. "Maybe she did ..." Milani agrees and looks vaguely remorseful for a moment. Madilla's shift of mood though, tilts her head to the side. "Madilla? Are you all right?" Madilla is /so/ busy with that basket that it takes her a few moments to respond, which can't possibly have anything to do with her needing to school her tone. Right? "Fine," she assures Milani, glancing up eventually. "I'm sorry - just too much in my mind. You were--" a beat, then she latches on to a previous subject, "Telling me about your turnover dilemma." Milani smiles over at Madilla then and reaches across tentatively, aiming to rest her hand briefly on the other girl's wrist. "A lot of that going around right near turnover," she says gently and then blows out a breath. "Right. Well see, I used to be with A'son, but we ... parted ways. But promised each other turnover still. So. I always have plans for turnover. But there's K'del ... and we did just do something fun for my birthday. But ..." she t rails off, laughs. "He could be /busy/ of course. But I was hoping for a dance. And that he'd maybe come home with me." If anything, Madilla looks relieved as that hand rests on her wrist, managing a quick nod and a smile, but no verbal response to that first comment. She listens, her focus rather more intense than it probably needs to be, for the rest of what the other woman has to say, but at least she's still smiling. Even if she /does/ blush faintly at mention of K'del going home with her. "Oooh," she breathes. "I see. That is a bit of a dilemma, then. Perhaps you could spend some time with both of them?" Rolling bandages again, Milani, nods. "Mm. Ista's ahead of the Reaches, so I could. It's just that ... well, you know K'del, right? If I'm not /here/ he might wander off with someone else. Not that I'd /mind/ you know, but ... I would like to spend the time with him," she says with a sweet little smile for Madilla. "What about you? Any nice boys to kiss on turnover? " Madilla's head bobs, the corners of her mouth twisting lightly: she knows K'del, yes. "I take your point," she remarks, with a wry note to her voice, the pink fading from her cheeks. "Me? No. I haven't really-- I don't really know any boys. Not ones that would kiss me, and not expect to go home with me." She doesn't seem too bothered by this, adding in, "I don't mind, though. I'm not-- it's not really important." Beat. "For me." "No? Well, shells, Madilly, we should fix that. I know a /lot/ of nice boys." She smiles widely. "Even if it's not important. It can be /fun/," she says determinedly. "Or ... do you like girls better?" Madilla looks mildly uncomfortable for most of what Milani has to say, but the /look/ she shoots her for that last question goes far beyond that: she looks desperately uncomfortable, if not actually outright horrified. "I-- uh, no." Milani makes a little face. "Oh dear. I've made you uncomfortable. I'm sorry," Milani apologizes and laughs, rubs at her face. "Anyway. You know, sometimes, a girls' night in is the way to go too. You know, lots of talking and trading stories and a little bit of booze." Madilla manages, after a few moments, to relax again, her expression embarrassed; she shakes her head. "It's fine," she assures Milani. "I'm still - things are very different, here, from what I'm used to. Mm, maybe. Anyway, I'll have to work at least part of the night - someone has to - but I'm sure I'll find plenty of ways to enjoy myself, for the rest. It'll be nice." "DEfinitely, there's the bonfire and music and dancing and good food. I mean, it's hard /not/ to have /some/ fun on turnover." Milani beams again at Madilla, encouraging. Madilla's hands have stilled slightly, though there aren't so many bandages left, anymore. She smiles, nodding with real enthusiasm: "Exactly. It should be good. And not long after turnover, it'll mark three years since I arrived at the Hall." She looks thoughtful for this, admitting, "Which feels kind of strange, actually. Like that was a lifetime ago." "Probably not too different from the weyrlings looking back on a turn of being weyrlings," Milani says with a little grin. "Big changes in life, you know." She props her chin on one hand, pulls a bandage out of the basket with the other but doesn't roll it yet, pushing i t around on the table with a fingertip. "Happy being a healer?" "Right," agrees Madilla, returning the grin. "I guess it probably is. Some of /them/ probably came from a long way away, too. Had to get used to the weyr." As her companion grabs another bandage so too does the healer, though she actively works on it, rolling with an expert hand. "I... am. Yes. It's not quite what I expected," she admits, looking thoughtful. "But I do like it. I feel like I'm doing something helpful. Bigger than just... me. It's all about people's lives. Other people's. Which terrifies me, but also... it's /powerful/." "They did," Milani says softly, smiling and pushes off of her hand, to start rolling that bandage. "What did you expect? But, yes, I understand helpful. I mean, what I do, people's lives aren't on the line, but, I like making sure they have what they need and that it all runs smoothly. And yeah, I don't know if I could shoulder that. /That/ much responsibility." "I'm not sure," admits Madilla, of what she expected. "Something more straightforward. Keep your head down and learn. I wasn't used to needing to make decisions; that didn't help. I didn't comprehend, I suppose, much of what might be involved." She nods, enthusiastically, as she sets her bandage in the basket, and reaches for another one - but there are none left. Her hand returns to the table, hesitant. "Right. You would know, of course. They're related, our jobs, I suppose." She looks serious again, biting her lip, for the Headwoman's last, nodding. "It's--" she says, finally. "Hard. But. Someone has to care. So. I'm glad it's me." "Mm, I suppose in a field like that there's a lot more of that kind of thing earlier on. When you assist a headwoman, most of the decisions come from her, or above. Not that there aren't decisions to make but ... yeah." Millie finishes up with the last bandage and sets the roll neatly in with the others, smiling at Madilla. "Everything in a Weyr is related or connected somehow. I think that's the beauty of it. ANd I guess in the end ... everything is. Holds make the food, Weyrs protect and serve, Crafts produce and sell ..." she brings her hands together. "Any one piece goes missing and the whole thing falls apart." Still, she smiles over at the apprentice. "Exactly. And so am I. Glad that you're one of the ones who care." She pushes her chair back and picks up the clipboard. "Thanks for the talk Madilla. And we'll see about some fun for turnover." So saying, the headwoman gives a little wave and heads off. Madilla nods, as Milani speaks, evidently in agreement, though she doesn't spell it out. "Thanks for helping out," she tells the Headwoman. "And for the talk - it was good. Tiriana aside. Have a good rest of your day." Then, she gathers up her basket, ready to head back to the infirmary. |
Leave A Comment