Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 14, 2008 2:03:26 GMT -5
I stopped just this side of making a face. The vile stuff he had me drink seemed to have helped, and I wasn't sure how I was going to sleep tonight if the pain didn't fade. "Are you referring to gardening or assignations?" I asked, smile a bit wry.
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 14, 2008 2:28:19 GMT -5
The look on his face was very visible - I'd seen it on many a patient, particularly when making a comment on lifestyle changes, or lifestyle best practices. I didn't say a word. I'd said what I had to say - if he wanted the migraine, it was up to him. Some went with, others went without. To each his own.
I chuckled. "It's all a matter of your own limits," I replied, a little non-plussed. "It's only that if you flex your hand," I demonstrated with my own as I spoke, "It will make the would gape, and cause you pain."
I almost added, now, it you're into such things... but I didn't, convinced he wasn't. In a way, it was better this way. There was nothing more frustrating than trying to heal a somewhat algolagniac Valerian.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 14, 2008 11:50:53 GMT -5
A deep breath in, a deep breath out. I could do this. It had been my choice after all.
"So be careful, but still use my hand, and come back in a week?" I summed up to make sure I had it. I didn't want to miss anything because I was distracted by my now throbbing hand.
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 14, 2008 12:24:25 GMT -5
"That's correct," I replied, nodding. "In a week, I will remove the thread, and your hand will be more than half-healed, though the needle breaks will need patch up. It should take them a few days, and be rather less painful than this."
I moved to the cupboard, and gave him a pot of the new, more potent salve I'd used. "You can dab some of this on the sticthings to speed it up," I added. "It's been clinically proven - I wouldn't be surprised if you showed up a little earlier than in a week, because the healing went faster than expected."
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 14, 2008 12:47:35 GMT -5
"How will I know, if it does heal faster?" I asked, rubbing my forehead with my mobile hand. The throbbing was becoming very distracting.
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 14, 2008 13:26:32 GMT -5
"You will know, believe me," I replied confidently. "It's difficult not to use a hand, they are such an important part of the body," I explained. "You'll stop wincing when you forget, because the pain will be much less strong. Give it a day or two, and already you will see the difference."
I assessed him quietly a moment. "We need to get you home," I said at length. "Do you have a carriage?"
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 14, 2008 13:30:13 GMT -5
I shook my head. I knew that I couldn't walk home by myself. "My parents only live a couple blocks from here. I'll get one of them to walk me home."
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 14, 2008 13:47:49 GMT -5
“Then we will send for them,” I replied. “In the meantime, have a rest, if you like.”
I looked at the time. I didn’t have a patient coming for another bit. It would be fine. “I won’t be long,” I replied as I exited the room.
I told Joelle to fetch the errand boy, and came back to the patient. “The boy will be here soon.”
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 14, 2008 13:56:14 GMT -5
I leaned back against the wall while he was gone, closing my eyes and unconsciously cradling my hand to my chest. I sat back up when I heard the door open, smiling my thanks to the docteur. A boy appeared a minute later, and I gave him directions to my parent's house and specific instructions to ask for my father. My mother would be... well, too mothering.
Truth be told, I could have afforded a carriage, but I needed to let them know what happened, and was hoping a little walk in this state would let me sleep more easily tonight. Exhaustion's good like that. "Thank you for your help Docteur."
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 14, 2008 14:00:57 GMT -5
“You’re very welcome, Adin.”
I observed him – the boy (I knew for a fact he wasn’t but his visible pain was touching, it made him look younger) was rather in bad shape. “You may lay down here on the table, if you like, while we wait.”
I busied myself in the room, picking up the instruments and setting up the place for a better look. “Tell me, would you like me to stick around? Is there anything I can do?” I asked, at length.
I hated to see people suffer. Poetic justice, when one knew of my intended’s proclivities.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 14, 2008 14:14:34 GMT -5
I smiled at him for the obvious concern in his voice, and went to lie down. "You've already done wonders sir, if your prognosis is correct. I don't want to keep you from your other patients."
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 14, 2008 14:23:01 GMT -5
"As you wish," I replied as I finished tiding up the place. "Though I don't have another appointment for a few minutes, so I can keep you company, if you need me to."
In truth, I'd do it out of curtosy and concern, but I was alright with going back to the study. The boy would let me know when my patient was gone. As for the other matters... bah. I had no mind to badger him with money concerns. We'd settle that when the stitches came off the following week.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 14, 2008 14:29:33 GMT -5
"I would appreciate it," I said, voice soft with the admittance. I looked at his towering figure sideways from the table. He was a good man, if gruff at times.
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 14, 2008 16:58:05 GMT -5
“Alright,” I said, sitting at his side where he could see me. “So tell me more about yourself, Adin,” I asked gently. “Are you from L’Agnace yourself?”
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 15, 2008 0:09:59 GMT -5
"City born and bred." I replied, turning my head to the side so we could actually talk. "Both my parents are Servants, my father Alyssum and my mother Jasmine."
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 15, 2008 0:13:04 GMT -5
"Dedicated to Naamah, true and true," I replied, smiling. "Were you born to the Night Court as well?"
I asked with curiosity, and no guile. Anyone who knew where they came from had one up on me.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 15, 2008 0:27:25 GMT -5
"No, by the time I was born my parents had their salon established. I didn't enter Alyssum until I was nine." The talking was definitely helping. I could feel the pain lessen as I kept my focus on something else. "My mother worried that I wasn't fitting in with the other children living around us, but my father knew."
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 15, 2008 0:33:53 GMT -5
I listned to his tale patiently, interestedly, but at his words, my eyebrow arched. The way he said it was almost ominous. I simply repeated his words, the question a self-evident thing. "He knew?"
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 15, 2008 0:40:55 GMT -5
"He knew I belonged at Alyssum. Why, what did it sound like I meant?" I asked, puzzled by his confusion.
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 15, 2008 0:46:30 GMT -5
I shrugged. Aside from a few assignations and taking care of some adepts, I had little knowledge of the usage of the night court. "I wasn't sure," I replied honestly. "Just that it sounded a little ominous, but Alyssum is not, so I must have misread you. But go on, with the tale," I added, smiling, my hands under my chin in full attention.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 15, 2008 0:57:49 GMT -5
"Not much to tell really. There was the usual adjustment time. I missed my parents terribly. But I didn't stick out anymore, and Alyssum became my primary home. I was dedicated at sixteen. That was a happy day," I said, smiling at the memory of the dove trembling in my hands and the priest smiling down at me.
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 15, 2008 13:26:19 GMT -5
I listened, understanding in ways he probably couldn’t imagine. “You’d be surprised how one can accept a new home easily,” I replied thoughtfully. “Though I never did quite remember what happened before I was taken in,” I admitted thoughtfully.
What was it, that compelled me to talk of myself to a patient? It was rather unlike me, now, wasn’t it?
“But enough about me,” I said quickly, “and tell me of this woman that you love…” Yes, anything to keep the discussion off of me, I told myself.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 16, 2008 1:27:47 GMT -5
I looked at him then, really looked at him, and wondered what he was so scared of. But I left it alone, both training and instinct agreeing. His past was not for me to pry at. He needed to speak of it on his own accord.
"She is an adept as well. She's kind, and beautiful, and intelligent. She puts up with my ways with such patience." I smiled at that.
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 16, 2008 1:34:20 GMT -5
"She sounds lovely," I replied to his words. "Almost perfect, in fact. But... my mother always said she loved me for my faults, and so I assume your love is not?" I asked the question kindly, warmly - it was almost uncharacteristic of me.
His ways? I wondered what in the world there was to put up with. He seemed rather the gentleman.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 16, 2008 1:46:25 GMT -5
"We all have our faults. But I love her despite and because of them." I thought of the child growing within her. I would love that child, given a chance. Even if I would never know if the babe was mine, it didn't matter, not really. They would be Allisande's child, either way.
"And what of your love? Have you set a date?"
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 16, 2008 10:24:37 GMT -5
I looked up, eyebrows twitching. Had I let on that I had already asked Rae to be my wife? Gods, I had to watch myself more – it didn’t do so well to let the boundaries between professional and personal lives blur so much. Right. I’d fallen in love with Raegan, and she was a patient. Way to go, Sieg.
I gave him a rueful smile. “Not as of yet, but it won’t be much longer until we do,” I replied openly. “There are a lot of hoops to jump through, for such things,” I added a little bashfully.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 16, 2008 14:45:23 GMT -5
"I imagine there are," I agreed with my little smile. He wasn't very good at keeping information under wraps, if he kept slipping and then was surprised when others caught it. But I had to admire it on a certain level. Even at Alyssum there was too much in-fighting. "She makes you very happy, doesn't she?"
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 16, 2008 16:14:12 GMT -5
“Of course,” I replied, giving up. It must have been his gentle ways, that made me open up like that – the only people I spoke to openly were Joie and Caine, and it had to do with friendship, more than anything else. “And I do hope it’s the same, though I suppose she wouldn’t put up with me if she didn’t find some kind of happiness, in some odd, twisted way, in being with me.” I shrugged – it was my usually self-deprecating humor: I just had to take a jab at good old Siegfried.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jan 17, 2008 10:35:53 GMT -5
I searched his eyes, saw humour in them, and relaxed back against the table again. "Women are odd like that, aren't they?" I replied with a grin.
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Post by Siegfried de Strasbourg(D) on Jan 17, 2008 12:07:23 GMT -5
“You bet they are,” I replied with a chuckle. That made me think – was this the week that she was going to Mandrake? Good gods, how badly would she be hurt ? I shook my head, and smiled, “I’ve no doubt your woman thinks the world of you, Adin. You seem to be quite the gentleman.”
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