Getting Better

Writers: AL, Kaysea
Date Posted: 17th October 2008

Characters: J'gen, Irlani, Gyta
Description: J'gen checks on Irlani during a lunch break.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 5 of Turn 4

He carried the tray very carefully up the staircase, his eyes riveted
on the jug of fresh juice that wobbled occasionally. He hoped Irlani
would be feeling a little better after the visit from the healer, and
that Gyta had received the chalks and papers he had sent up for her.
There was a sense of having done something similar before and he knew
why. It had been this way when Syrita had first been diagnosed with
the growth, he had taken her and Gyta their meals every day for two
sevendays. He had been on his way up to their quarters when Suuth had
alerted him to the drama that was unfolding up along the cliff face.
He shook his head trying to wipe the memories from his mind. Irlani
would be fine, Gyta would be fine too, they would both be waiting in
her rooms for him to arrive.

It was with a sense of relief he saw Gyta sitting on the small couch in
the corner of Irlani's room, his eyes sought Irlani in the dim light -
and there she was covers thrown off her, asleep on the bed. He
slipped the tray onto Irlani's desk and beckoned Gyta over, indicating
the child should help herself to some food and juice. Crossing the
floor, he knelt by the side of the fostermothers bed and gently shook
her shoulder.

"Hm...huh?" Irlani jerked awake and blinked up into J'gen's face. His
features blurred, then settled down to normal. She managed a small
smile and turned over, looking around as if she were confused while
she waited for the fog of sleep to dissipate.

"Shhh.... shhh." he soothed, "Don't rise too quickly. I just thought
you should wake and have some nourishment. You won't get better
starving yourself."

"I'm not really hungry." The illness had taken away any appetite the
woman might have. "But I wouldn't mind some juice."

"Your wish is my command." he said, saluting before pushing himself up
and away from the bed. He crossed the room and poured her a drink,
smiling and winking at his daughter before returning to Irlani's side.

"Drink this, it'll cool you." he said, holding it while she
readjusted her position on the bed. "Have you slept the morning
away?" he asked, passing her the juice.

"I don't know...have I?" It was hard to get a sense of time having
been sleeping so much. Irlani sipped at the juice, then closed her
eyes and enjoyed the feel of it sliding down her throat, raw from
coughing. "What time is it?"

"Just noon - about a candlemark ago." he smiled, "So what did the
healer say?" he asked, hoping the healer had been to see her.

"Respiratory infection." Irlani took long, slow sips of her juice in
between speaking. "He sent an herbal mixture to be made into tea."
She eyed Gyta, asking silently for the girl to get it.

Gyta appeared at J'gen's side, holding a package out to him.

"Hot water is needed, I'll be back shortly." he said perusing the
package as he stood up. "You drink some juice and I'll make up the
tea. Maybe after you've quenched your thirst you'll feel like having
some fruit or cheese, you never know." he crossed the room, ruffling
Gyta's hair as he passed, "I'll be back very soon."

***

"It doesn't smell too good," he said, his nose wrinkled in distaste as
he brought the mug of tea across to her. Maybe it tasted better than
it smelled, he thought, but doubted that was true. He passed it to her gently,
ensuring she had a tight hold on the handle. She looked a little
brighter now, than when she had first awoken, but the cough still
sounded horrid.

J'gen could see the way she trembled when she took the mug and had to
use both hands to steady it, though it still shook a bit. Irlani
lifted the mug to her lips then made a face as she took a sip. "Ugh.
It's terrible."

"Terrible or not, you need to finish it all up." he waggled his finger
at her. He pitied her the taste, he wouldn't have wanted to drink it
either.

Irlani took another sip and wrinkled her nose. After a momention, she
motioned to the tray. "Would you give me some more juice please?"

"Sure, sure." he crossed the room and poured another mug of juice for
her, "You're hoping this will take the taste away?"

"Yes." Irlani took a long sip of the juice, then one of the tea. That
allowed her to pour some of the tea into the mug and she drank, easing
down the tea a bit at a time with the juice. The final swallow still
wasn't what she would call pleasant, but it certainly wasn't nearly as
bitter. She handed the mugs over with a foul expression upon her
face. "I have to take that twice a day." She coughed then, let the
spasm pass, then added, "I don't think I can do it."

"When you start noticing the cough settle, I think that will be
condusive. I must say, you take bad tasting medicine a lot better than
the dragons do." he grinned. "On the plus side, you're small enough
for me to hold you down and make you drink it, too." he chuckled,
waggling his eyebrows a little.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Irlani laughed, the gesture
merely sending her into another spasm of coughing, her body shaking
violently as she did so.

"I should stop talking, or at least stop trying to be funny." he shook
his head, dragging a seat over from the table, he sat down near her.
"Is there anything else I can do for you before I go back to work?"

"Get me some new lungs?" The foster mother suggested with a half
smile. "These seem to be broken."

"Wish I could help you there, but that is out of my hands." he smiled
back wryly. "I'll bring you something to eat when I finish work, but
I'll also see if anyone has one of those mushy books I know you women
love so much."

"Ugh, no." Irlani shook her head. "If you're talking about those, the
writing is usually pretty attrocious."

"You'd rather I didn't? Then I won't, but surely there's something I
could bring you that would give you something to do? I know from
experience that there's nothing worse than being stuck in bed all day
with nothing to do to entertain the mind."

"A book is fine." Irlani shifted to try and get into a more
comfortable position. "Just not one that's completely mushy."

"How would you feel about one on dragon healing?" he asked, only partly
in jest.

"It sounds too technical." Irlani wrinkled her nose at the thought.
"And I don't think my mind is up for really serious thinking."

"No probably not, I was joking though." He pushed himself up from the
chair, "Okay, I'd better head back, but I'll have alook around and see
what I can find for you. Is Gyta still okay to stay here with you?"
he asked, wondering if he shouldn't find someone to care for her as
well.

"It's nice having her here." Irlani admitted, her voice breaking with
the sound of phlegm that rattled in her throat. "And to be honest,
she's been exposed. I don't know if sending her elsewhere would be a
good idea. Do you think she minds babysitting me again?"

"I don't think so, she likes to be useful." he glanced over at his
daughter who was immersed in her drawing. He wondered what she was
thinking, and wished she could tell them - maybe one day, she _was_
becoming more open with everyone since Irlani came into their lives.

"She's been _very_ useful." Irlani admitted, "But I'm afraid I've been
rather boring. I hope this passes and quickly. I'm getting rather
bored with my bed myself."

"This is only the first day..." he had to stifle a laugh, "but I hope
for your sake, it doesn't last long. And it won't, if you continue to
take the tea the healers gave you."

"Has it only been one day?" Irlani blinked and then rubbed her
eyes. "It seems like a century. Don't worry, I'll take the tea though
I won't like it."

"Good girl." he nodded, "Okay, I'd better scoot." He turned, and gave Gyta
a hug and kiss before leaving. It seemed strange, he had settled so easily
back into a 'family' type of atmosphere, he didn't want to examine his
feelings too deeply right now, he wasn't sure he was prepared for the
realisation of how deeply he cared about his daughter's fostermother.

"Have a good day." Irlani's voice cracked again just before she settled
into another coughing spasm that faded as he closed the door behind him.

J'gen closed the door gently behind him, deep in thought about the way
things stood between them.

Last updated on the October 18th 2008

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