28 days later [open]

[Zen]

Okay, so it wasn’t exactly 28 days after the hatching, but to Ever it felt like it. In actuality, the woman knew it was only a sevenday since the hatching. She’d been out, fully unconscious, for three of the seven days. When she woke up she felt disoriented, not to mention weak. She’d been made to eat and drink foods and drink that would make her stronger. By the end of the sevenday, she’d become sick of slurping coconut milk, eating meat, and feeling, overall, numb.

At first Ever hadn’t wanted to look at her hand. It was too gruesome and she’d had trouble even coming to terms with the fact that she no longer had half a hand. To make matters worse, she’d lost half of her dominant hand, and she was slowly learning how to use the other hand since her left was covered in layers of bandages—she could barely move it much less feel it. She knew that the Healers had worked on it. She also knew that there was still a small chance for her to contract an infection, and the Healers were keeping her until her hand’s swelling and bleeding stopped. She could already feel the itching as her hand became ruled by scabs, even through the numbweed. There was little fellis (for prisoners) here at Warden’s. And Ever didn’t do Dust.

Ugh, don’t even remind her. She was still a prisoner. Still, there hadn’t been enough eggs for each candidate, prisoner or not. She had heard that, despite the amount of traditional candidates, more prisoners had Impressed than traditionals. Huh, win “one” for prisoners. There had been no egg for her, no dragon who singled her out. She had not fulfilled her wish, but if Semith ever did Rise (Run?) again then there might be more eggs on the Sands. And if there were more eggs, Ever was sure she’d Stand again, despite the horror done to her hand.

Bailey and Jayne had relocated themselves to the Sands as soon as Ever had blacked out despite the angry cries of humans as the ‘lizards appeared out of nowhere. Bailey had obviously seemed more frantic than Jayne, who nevertheless swooped down to defend His with tooth and claw until he saw the Healers coming to help her. Now, a sevenday later, Bailey slumbered on Ever’s lap as she laid on her cot. Jayne cast glances around the room, still stuck in that ‘protect Mine’ point-of-view. Jayne was a simpleminded creature in that respect.

Ever had maneuvered herself into a sitting position using multiple pillars—much more pillows than she’d seen (or even used) in 6 Turns. She had just finished eating a stew that contained various vegetables and some meat. Its broth was wondrous to her taste buds. She left only a small puddle of the sauce left, which she let Jayne lap up for his good job of ‘guarding’ her.

Ever’s fingers itched on her left hand. She didn’t so much feel the pain as the incessant itching that kept her from feeling halfway decent. She tried to snake the fingers of her right hand underneath the wrappings to itch the stub of her pinkie finger, but she didn’t even reach halfway. With a groan of defeat (she’d already tried five times before), she tugged her right hand out of the wrappings and slammed it down on the cot. The itching did not abate; in fact, it seemed to taunt her.

Ever was a very light sleeper—six Turns of being a prisoner had given the “ability” to wake up on the drop of a pin—and this itching would not let her mind sleep. Instead, she dragged over a pot filled with bean-like plants and began the monotonous task of popping the seeds out of the pods with her one good hand. There was no television or internet on Pern, and so Ever had to do with what she had. So she recognized that she was a prisoner and went ahead doing prisoner-like things. That included, unfortunately, peeling beans one handedly in her red jumpsuit.

Her hand still itched.

[Thorney]

Fortunately for her, or perhaps for Warden’s, Julienna was not a prisoner. Sometimes it could feel like that, what with being surrounded by walls of stone, but the herbalist had a unique luxury that many others did not. She herself was a journeywoman in the farmercraft, and enjoyed her rank to it’s full extent here. Unlike Ista, she was respected as a crafter first and a candidate second, and with that singular trait, Warden’s had quickly become the woman’s favorite weyr. And oh, the blessed freedom she had! To come and go as she pleased, to oversee her herbs as she wished, to wake and sleep when it pleased her, and to order the apprentices about. Jules was an assertive woman by nature, and when she saw them doing something that did not suit her, she had the marvelous liberty to tell them to stop acting like ignorant wherries and to do their job correctly.

And she did that a lot.

Of course, being so absorbed in her duties, Julienna had not made many acquaintances yet. When she had arrived, their garden of medicinal herbs had looked pitiful, and she certainly had her hands full for the better part of the first turn just getting them to all flourish once more. Now, however, the garden looked green and fresh, and Jules could relax a bit.

Not right this moment, however. At this particular point, the woman was carrying a basket full of meadowsweet into the detox area, the room that served as Warden’s infirmary. Julienna had her hands full trying to get the meadowsweet to grow, as it was a plant that thrived in damp places, and the soil of the jail was anything but ‘damp.’ Yet, the plant was a unique thing, as both leaves and flowers could be used to treat stomachaches, and it was worth the trouble to keep them in stock. Adonis and Tussilago, both named for the herbs she worked with, sat upon her shoulders, the bronze on her right and the blue on her left. The two were excellent guardians, especially in a ‘weyr’ where she was surrounded by known offenders of various crimes, and Jules never went far without them. There were guards, sure, but she was too shrewd to take any chances, and Tuss was a beast. She had confidence in him.

Moving briskly down the center of the rows of beds, the woman noticed one of the patients sitting up and shelling beans. Quirking a brow, Julienna wondered why on pern she had deigned to do that instead of sleep or rest, but then shrugged. Well, to each their own. Moving towards her, Jules sat the basket of meadowsweet on the table, smiling at the other girl. “Afternoon.” The herbalist said pleasantly, pulling one of the stalks from the basket and beginning to strip the leaves and flowers from it. A pleasant aroma followed the action, as meadowsweet was a very aromatic herb, and the woman took a deep breath. Eyes wandering to the other girl’s hand, the journeywoman blinked, suddenly remembering where she had seen her before. They had both stood at the last hatching, and had not Impressed, but unlike Ever, Julienna had not had part of her hand snapped off by a green. “I’m Julienna, an herbalist.” She provided, her hands still moving efficiently and quickly, striping the useful parts of the meadowsweet from the stem.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” She asked curiously, grabbing another stalk after she had finished stripping the first one. Nodding towards the bandaged hand, Jules winced in sympathy. “Is that keeping you up?” Meanwhile, Tussilago and Adonis had moved off her shoulders, both settling down on the table nearby to eye the two woman and the girl’s own firelizards. They watched placidly, aware that none of them were a thread to their Julienna-not yet at least-and so were content to merely observe.

[Zen]

Ever wasn’t going to lie, when she saw the woman walk toward her, the blond quickly thought two things. The first was, of course, why the heck was this woman coming toward her? The second was a bit more delayed and a lot more subdued: ‘I wonder if she’ll talk to me.’ Ever had been deprived of anyone truly talking to her for about a sevenday. Shards, not even Reeva came to check on her (and perhaps say ‘sorry I let my dragon chomp your fingers off’), and Ever had been feeling almost worthless. That’s why she peeled the beans.

She blinked blearily up at the woman, her brain sluggishly making the click that the woman wasn’t just another Healer come to give her food, and then nodded to her. “Good day. Is it afternoon already?” Ever knew her voice sounded sad but it really wasn’t fully sad—she just spoke that way. She dropped an empty bean-shell into the bucket and picked up an unshelled pod. “Pleasure to meet you; I’m Ever, a prisoner. Former candidate, too, I guess.” She shrugged on one side, forcing her left shoulder to stay still. She’d already shrugged unconsciously once, and the pain that ripped up her side made her switch her tactics… to using only her non-dominant hand.

Ever did not have the pleasantry of remembering Julienna from the Hatching. In fact, she didn’t remember much of the hatching at all except, oh yeah, a green dragonet hated her. And, oh yeah, that green dragonet had, of course, Impressed to the only prisoner Ever thought to be a friend. One more thing—that green dragonet had chomped off half of her hand. It wasn’t her fault she didn’t remember Julienna, of course. She was too caught up in dying, trying not to die, and trying to show her (absent) father that she could win. She had no idea what she was ‘winning’ or if she’d ‘won’ or not, but she’d tried.

At Julienna’s two questions, Ever blinked. A slow smile spread across her face. “I am in bed.” She said and pointed to the cot under her with her full right hand. She giggled a bit, “But I understood what you were asking. I’ve slept so long that I know when I sleep again so soon after waking that I’ll wake up with a headache. But this,” Ever held up her bandaged and broken hand, “I won’t disagree that if I were to seek sleep, I’d probably not find it. It’s itching up a storm.”

Ever shrugged as if the itching was a hopelessly lost cause—yes, it was another one of those half-shrugs. Then her head nodded to the plants Julienna was peeling… or whatever she was doing with them. “What made you stop here? What are you doing?”

[Thorney]

Abruptly, it occurred to Jules that her sudden appearance was probably a bit puzzling to the girl, and she likely wondered why this stranger had decided to just sit down at her bedside table and strike up a conversation with her. The herbalist brushed the concern aside, however. For one, she generally preferred company rather than sit alone lost in her own thoughts, and two, Ever was one of the few patients that was up and about instead of wallowing in their cot. Added to that was the fact that she was the closest to Julienna in age here, at least judging by their appearances, and no matter how hardheaded and independent the journeywoman was, she still wanted at least one friend in this stone dungeon. Not that she planned on leaving the ‘stone dungeon’ any time soon, but the fact remained it was one dismal place, especially when one had no friends.

With a little chuckle, the woman nodded slightly. “It is. It’s hard to keep track of time when you’re laid up in the infirmary, I’m afraid.” Julienna shrugged her understanding, fully sympathetic to that scenario. She herself had been stuck in them often enough, what with the frequent injuries she caused her hands with her chosen craft. Each limb fully exemplified it, too. Her fingers, palms, wrists, and lower arms were crossed over and over again with red and white scars, each ugly and quite pronounced against her medium skin. In fact, it was something she had been mocked for often enough, but those that had decided to test her usually walked away wishing they hadn’t. Julienna was not a complacent opponent.

Briefly, the herbalist was intrigued by the tone of the other girl’s voice. She sounded…sad. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Ever.” The woman replied, glancing up occasionally while she stripped the meadowsweet. “I remember you from the hatching.” Jules stated, nodding toward her bandaged hand. “That green was nasty business. I hope she settles down after Impressing, or her rider can at least keep control of her.” Julienna spoke starkly in her usual straightforward manner, not even pausing to consider how blunt her words were. It was just how she was. With another shrug, the journeywoman grabbed a fresh stalk to work on. “Seems like her rider will have her hands full with that one. Can’t say I envy her.” Direct and honest. That’s Jules for you.

An answering smile curved the herbalist’s lips, and she quirked a dark brow. “Point made, Ever.” She quipped, her grey eyes falling to the elevated, injured hand. The woman grimaced. “I had one of those myself, once.” She supplied, her distaste evident in her voice. “Fell on a pair of shears. Mine wasn’t nearly so big, though.” Julienna wrinkled her nose, then, tossing more clipped flowers and leaves into the growing pile before her. “I wish I had something that could help. Unfortunately, we haven’t found an herb yet that can cure an itchy wound if not applied directly to the sensitive area. And with that wad of cloth, I don’t think I can help.” With a sympathetic smile, Jules went about her work with the meadowsweet, quick and methodical, and very efficient in each movement. Ever still had her attention, however, evident as she glanced up quite often.

“I just wanted some company.” Julienna replied frankly, glancing up and concentrating her grey eyes fully upon the other girl’s face. “I don’t really know anyone my age here, you know what I mean? I spend most of my time caring for the medicinal herbs, so I’m usually busy yelling at the wherry-brained apprentices around here. You’d think they never studied farmercraft at all with the way they try to run things.” Again, the woman wrinkled her nose in distaste, but the expression smoothed away at Ever’s next querry. “Oh this?” She asked with a quick smile, holding up one of the stalks. “This is meadowsweet. The flowers and leaves are a very potent cure for severe stomachaches, including menstrual pain and any abdominal discomfort. I’m stripping them off the stalks so the healers can grind them down for medicine.” Jules shrugged, grinning at her new acquaintance. “I’d just leave the plants for the healers to strip themselves, but they are pretty covered up with the aftermath of the hatching, so I thought I’d chip in.” And oh, how well did Ever know how busy those healers were, right? Zeroing her gaze in on the other girl, Julienna again quirked a brow. “What about you? Got any crafts or hobbies you were into before you got sent to Warden’s?” Of course, she wouldn’t ask what Ever’s crime was. That seemed too personal. At least right now.

[Zen]

Ever’s hand worked the beans free from their pods, her hand working automatically. There was a method to this simple task. Pop! Pop! Pop! Empty bean shell dropped. New one picked up. Pop! Pop! Pop! The process began all over again. “The pleasure is mine, Herbalist.” Ever said, her eyes gleaming up at the woman. Her hand itched more. She loathed it. “Just wish you don’t have to go through the misery of relearning how to use your hand. It’s my dominant one.” Ever declared, raising an eyebrow. As soon as these dratted bandages were off, she’d have to learn how to use her dominant hand with two less fingers. Of course, she could always learn how to do things with her right hand, but that would take much longer than re-teaching herself.

“I can understand that. Though I don’t see how you’d find much company in the detox area.” Ever continued genuinely, smiling at the woman. “Everyone here’s either going through withdrawal or injured and boring.” Yes, Ever was attempting a joke. She was one of the ones who was injured and yet was she being boring? Ever was getting tired. Or perhaps Ever was just devoid of human interaction. It was actually leaning more toward the latter. She blinked at Julienna then.

“Meadowsweet. I haven’t heard of that before. I’m training to be a Healer. I know, I know, a prisoner training to be someone. I’d rather you not joke about that. But it’s interesting. And when you’re a prisoner with little else to do, Healing just seemed to be the best bet.” Ever continued. Pop! Pop! Pop! More beans fell into the pot.

“I was a Lady Holder before Warden’s.” Ever said. Her truthful fact was surprising even to herself. She blinked. She’d only told one other person in the world. One other person. Reeva. And Reeva had Impressed that horrid Green who’d chomped off her fingers. It wasn’t Reeva’s fault. It wasn’t even the green’s fault… or perhaps it was. Perhaps it wasn’t. “I’m… I’m not even really sure why I just told you. Fort Hold. I’m a daughter of Fort Hold’s Lord. Estranged, of course, but I never really did anything.” Why did it always feel so good when telling her past?

[Thorney]

Grimacing a bit in sympathy, Julienna nodded to her new acquaintance, her grey eyes momentarily dropping to the bandaged hand. She had never injured her dominant hand, thankfully, at least not anything more serious than some cuts and scrapes, and so had never faced the same trouble that Ever was currently in. Still. She could imagine how much that would suck. “That is…most inconvenient.” The herbalist agreed, her full gaze once more centered upon the meadowsweet she was stripping. With a dark brow quirked, the woman raised her eyes for a moment to observe the prisoner across from her. “At least the itching is better than the pain, right?” She asked slyly, grinning a little as she cracked her small joke.

Cocking her head to the side, Jules regarded the other for a moment before a pleased little smirk curved her lips. “Not the best place to pick up friends, is it?” She agreed with a self-depreciating grin, tossing the bare stalk she was currently holding down to grab another piece of meadowsweet. With a shrug, the herbalist smiled fully at Ever, a spark flickering once through her grey eyes. “I don’t find you boring, just injured.” Julienna gave a quick, amused laugh, then added, “Honestly, though, I suppose you could just call me lazy.” She grinned, settling back in her chair a bit more so she rested all the weight on the two back legs, the front two coming off the ground slightly. “The healer’s offices are right there,” She explained, pointing towards the door separating them from the ward, “and that just gives me a shorter walk when I get done. I’d strip the meadowsweet in there, but the healers around here are as snippy as a green in heat. Besides, you looked like you could use some company.” Jules shrugged again, winking at her new friend.

Back on the task at hand, Julienna pulled off more leaves and flowers, listening with interest as the other girl again spoke. Snorting, the herbalist shook her head. “I wouldn’t have.” She supplied levelly, quirking a brow at Ever with a vague grin. “Teased you about it, that is.” She clarified, allowing the chair she was sitting in to fall back down to all fours with a little thud. “I can imagine how boring it is around here without a craft to study. Shards, I have a craft and even I get a little tired of, you know, walls and more walls.” A pause. “Besides, you shouldn’t give up just because you are in here.” Jules stated firmly, grey eyes glinting once with conviction. “Life isn’t worth living if you don’t make the most of it, prisoner or not.” The herbalist focused her heavy gaze upon Ever, then, pausing in her work. “Healing is a good craft, too. Stick to it.”

Blinking once, the woman studied Ever with sharp, piercing eyes, trying to find any hint of deception or teasing about her. It seemed so unlikely that she would find a Lady Holder in here of all things, but then again, no one was above making a mistake, peasant or lord alike. Her grey regard danced over the prisoner’s face, finding nothing but honesty, and Julienna had to admit that she was a bit shocked. “Maybe you just needed someone to talk to?” She asked lightly, smiling a bit at the other girl. For a moment, Jules was silent, then cocked her head to the side to watch Ever with a kind gaze. “I spent a good few turns in Fort. My master, Sadra, and I ran a shop there.” For just a moment, the herbalist hesitated, and then gently asked, “How did you end up in Warden’s?” Julienna reasoned that if the girl had already told her she was a Lady Holder, then surely she would also feel better getting the rest of it off her chest.