October 29, 2003
R'hyn visits Serriena in the infirmary while she's recovering from her illness.

Previous Next

The infirmary is pretty quiet, except when the door to the living cavern is opened and the din of the supper crowd can be heard. Serriena is in the infirmary, sitting on a chair next to a child-sized cot. She has one of her daughter's hands in hers, holding it. Rhyena is laying on the cot sleeping. Serriena reaches out and brushes back the golden-red strands of hair on her forehead, feeling it. Rhyena is flushed, her cheeks pink with fever. Serriena strokes her daughter's forehead, comforting with a soothing touch.

R'hyn's dressed as though he's been drilling all morning - which, in fact, is exactly what he has been doing. It also looks as though he hasn't had much, if any, sleep, and the greenish stain down the front of his shirt suggests he hasn't even gotten changed recently. He rushes, as quietly as he can, towards Serriena and his daughter, pausing for breath as he rests both his hands upon the edge of the cot. "Is she--? Is she any better?" Pant, pant, pant.

Serriena looks up at R'hyn and shakes her head, "It's too soon to tell," Her voice is soft as she informs him of this. "Her symptoms started yesterday?" She glances at the healers and back, "That's what I've been told." She looks back at Rhyena who coughs in her sleep. Serri continues to push her hair back, "Firehead... how could she have gotten firehead?" This is a rhetorical question. "My baby...."

"Firehead?" repeats R'hyn, surprised. His hands are black with firestone dust, and sweaty, and leave stains upon the edge of the cot as he lets go, and sinks into a seat beside the cot. "How--?" He shakes his head, eyes shutting. "I can't believe this. She's too little."

"She is little," Serri says. She removes her hand from Rhyena's forehead and continues to hold her little girl's hand. "I just hope she pulls through....she's a fighter.." Serri glances at R'hyn and seems to take in his appearance. "Have you slept any?" she asks.

R'hyn's hands are drawn uneasily into his lap, and he nods. "Like you. She'll win." His expression, as he gazes down at his daughter, is tender. "Not yet," he admits, not looking up. "I can sleep later. I was too worried. Am too worried. She's my little girl, I couldn't lose her."

"I know," Serri says nodding in understanding. "They didn't even want to tell me about Rhyena. They thought it might be too stressful." She shakes her head. "It's even more stressful when people don't tell me things like this." She strokes the back of her daughter's hand, needing to touch her to reassure herself. Changing the subject she asks, "What's that stain on your shirt?" She's not looking at R'hyn anymore, she's watching Rhyena now.

"They were just concerned for your health, Serri," says R'hyn, quietly. "We've all been very worried. It was-- I hoped that she'd be better, quickly, before you knew. That it wouldn't matter." He, too, is watching Rhyena, hardly glancing across at his friend. "Oh. Rhyena sneezed into me. Yesterday sometime."

"Don't do that to me," Serri looks up and into R'hyn's eyes. "I'd rather know so that I can be with her." She looks back at Rhyena and her voice is soft as she informs, "Besides... I'm back to some of my duties already. Hidework - if you remember it -." She glances up with a rather weak smile in reminder of a certain paperwork hatred. "But I'm not back to Threadfalls yet."

R'hyn is embarrassed, and can hardly meet Serri's gaze, though he nods. "I'm sorry." His fingers are twined together, and he notes, "Don't rush it. Take a break - do something fun. I don't want you to, you know, relapse or anything. Mechelle can cope without you. She has so far."

"I know she can," Serriena says in a low voice, "But she shouldn't have to." She gives a sigh. "R'hyn... not many people know this..but I don't think our Weyrleader is innocent of anything involving me.." She looks up at R'hyn again. "In fact I'd asked Mechelle to look into it by sending someone to High Reaches to investigate."

R'hyn's breath is taken in sharply, and, finally, he stares at Serriena properly. "I'd-- I'd had a suspicion. You, and then Rhyena... and people told me I was being stupid, so I shut up. What do you think, exactly? Have you any evidence?" His voice is lowered, all but a whisper.

"You think this is E'van?" Serri glances sharply between Rhyena and R'hyn her face showing alarm. After a moment she relaxes and says, "No.. no, not even our great Weyrleader can cause firehead... that's a common illness." She finds a reasonable doubt. Leaning across the cot she says in hushed tones, "I have my own instincts that say E'van orchestrated this to replace me. I didn't exactly support him as Weyrleader..." her voice trails off, "And I suspect he knew I was planning to have Jeirath away when Niaryth flew again..somehow."

"I thought..." says R'hyn, trailing off. "For a moment. I just worried. Before I knew what it was. She was just /sick/, and after you." He takes in a breath, again, and then nods. "He kept Arisvath and I away. It-- he needs to be removed, somehow, but I don't know how. Not unless you can find proof, and it's too dangerous. If he's... done something like this, once, he could do it again. And it could work."

"I really don't know what he'll do next," Serriena says. She covers her face with her hand, as if the effort of thinking about E'van is too stressful. "I almost half expected him to open the weyr to a flight and invite that witch Priane down to fly her gold." She lowers her hand to her mouth and mutters, "Thank Faranth under the stars he didn't do that."

"He couldn't get away with that." R'hyn is firm. "He's not stupid. In fact, he's quite the opposite. That's the problem." He stares at Serriena sharply, noting, "Don't stress yourself over this, Serri. You'll get sick again. Let-- let me. We'll fix this, eventually. No one is ever going to hurt you, or another Istan, ever again."

"Somehow," Serriena nods. "I almost asked Mechelle to have you look into this.." She looks over, "I trust you R'hyn." That said simply, "But then she made me realize I'd be putting you in terrible danger of E'van's wrath and I couldn't do that to you." She looks down at Rhyena, "Or to Rhyena."

R'hyn's face is just a little pale, though he nods, attempting to look brave. "I don't mind. I mean... I'm not really stupid, Serri, even if I look that way. I wouldn't do anything rash. And I'm /not/ trying to be the hero. But I'd never forgive myself if Rhyena grew up without a mother, even if she has a fostermother."

"And I wouldn't ask her to grow up without knowing you, her father," Serri says looking across. "And I don't think you're stupid R'hyn." She shakes her head at the idea. "It's because I know you're good at getting information that I wanted you to even try." She lets him in on her thinking, "You blend in well in a crowd. I could probably send you up to High Reaches and come back with the personal information of every person in the weyr within a few sevenday."

R'hyn's expression turns wry. "But to go to High Reaches, I'd need E'van to send me, and that's not going to happen. He had a reason to send me to Southern, a reason of his own. But I'd be noticed, going to High Reaches all the time. I don't even know anyone up there." He reaches across to grasp at Serri's hand. "But something will come up. He's not going to escape retribution for this one." He glances around, nervously. "And we really should be talking about these things in a less public place." But no while Rhyena is there, looking pitiful.

The light grows wan as the autumn day gives way to evening. A steady rain falls from a dark, cloud-covered sky - dismal with only mild winds to disturb the gray streaks. The autumnal air still clings to the ends of summery humidity, but is cooler and fresher. (66F, 19C)

"I know," Serriena says, "And you're right, but something has to be done. Perhaps if we send Cardixa... she's been to High Reaches quite a bit since becoming a rider." She seems to think about it and then looks back to Rhyena. "Can you believe she'll be two turns old in less than two months?"

"She's a Wingleader," says R'hyn, shaking his head. "It wouldn't work. She can't just up and leave. It'd be better if it was a non-rider, someone whose absence wouldn't be missed." He squeezes Serriena's hand, then adds, "It's hard to believe. I can't imagine life without her. She makes everything better." This is one devoted father.

"She is a love isn't she?" Serri grins and looks at Rhyena. "Of course you know, once she hits her teenage years, we'll just be those two people who helped bring her into this world." She's teasing as she says, "I'm just kidding. Has your mother been by to see her lately?"

R'hyn, with his free hand, reaches down to push a strand of Rhyena's hair away from her face. "She'll resent us, just as much as any other child," he agrees, seriously. "But that's a long way off. Yes, she's been in. She's busier, now, though. An actual Assistant Weyrlingmaster. It's making her happier."

"I think that was a brilliant idea we had," Serri says with a smile. "Your mother has been much more pleasant now that she's working harder. Although I heard she put quite a show on in the caverns when E'van held his little meeting all those months ago." Serriena looks up, her grin truly pleased at the thought of that.

R'hyn's nose wrinkles. "She's a political firebrand. My grandmother says that Mum was a reasonably apathetic, quiet little kid. I wonder what happened!" Head shaking, he admits, "I'm worried she's going to get herself in trouble. She never knows when to shut her mouth."

"Well I hope E'van won't be stupid enough to ask her to leave if she keeps voicing her opinions," Serriena says. "After all, to ask an injured rider to leave their home weyr ..." she tries not to grin as she asks, "Your grandmother said she was quiet? That's hard to imagine."

"I hope not," says R'hyn, wrinkling his nose again. "I do keep warning her to keep her mouth shut, but she won't follow directions from me. Not even when I was her Weyrleader." He cracks a brief smile, nodding. "Very hard to imagine."

"Perhaps her granddaughter can curb her," Serri smile slightly. "I can't even begin to remember how many words this little girl of ours learns in a week now." She grins. "She's getting so talkative to those she likes." And then back over, "But I think she has your shyness when it comes to strangers."

R'hyn smiles, quietly. "She's like both her parents, I think. It's nice to see. Mum /does/ dote on her. So does Saera, and her boys. They love having a cousin." He shifts in his seat, reaching back to scratch at his arm. "I'm going to go and clean myself up," he says, quietly, but firmly. "And when I come back, you're going to go and take a rest. I won't have you wearing yourself out."

"And I think you should be the one resting," Serri says equally firm. "I did my sleeping last night. You sleep tonight and I'll keep watch. I'll let Niaryth tell Arisvath to wake you if anything happens okay?"

"But you're still recovering," retorts R'hyn. He hesitates, then considers. "I'll take a nap, after I bathe, and /then/ I'll come and take your place. Fair? I'm not going to keel over and collapse, and I'm worried that you will."

"I'm not going to keel over," Serri promises with a smile. "But I will agree to that. You go shower, take a nap and if you wake up, you can take over." this promised.

R'hyn, standing, shakes her head. "You might. You overestimate yourself sometimes, I think. I'll be back." He sounds determined - but watch him now fall asleep for twelve hours. "Night, Serri. Night, Rhyena."

Serriena says, "Good night R'hyn," Serri waves him out."

Previous Next