(( OOC: Cruddy post, I know. I'll try and improve on the next one. =) ))

Waves of heat ascended gracefully from the sands surface, distorting the vision with the further off it would gaze. It had been rumored that such a thing caused people to hallucinate that they had been seeing things that they really hadn’t. On the other hand, dehydration was also rumored to cause such things to happen as well. Whatever the case was, it really played no hand in the matter, especially to Varonen.

Having been unsuccessful in finding slumber during their trek, he had been forced to endure the pain that seemed to reign prominently throughout the very core fabric of his being. It was a pain he never felt, one that seemed to reach down to the very center of his entity and wrench it for all it could. Having ignored it the best he could since their confrontation with the sandworm, he found his efforts paling in their effectiveness. Not wanting to give up on Shadeen now, his eyes would cautiously scower across the horizon until they settled just upon the quaint little city of Istan. A ray of hope seemed to shine through the dark brooding thoughts that seemed to litter his mind during the last fateful hours. Wasting no time from the second they approached the gates, he would take flight from her shoulder and land just a few feet in front of her. Just then a green light flashed brightly across his body, only to alter it back to its original state.

Taking a moment, he would wait for her to take up her spot along side of him before pressing on towards the guard at the gate. There was a slight limp in his steps, but it was done to try and prevent further damage to the already mangled leg. Since there was no knowing how much more the leg would take before it would finally give in, but the same had gone for him. Warding off such thoughts, his eyes would settle upon the guard and in a strained tone his voice would pick up, “I’m Varonen Skeirs…I have come to see General Aldrich, would you perhaps direct me to where we can meet him?”

The guard’s eyes scanned across the two of them carefully, finding neither of them a threat. Speaking up in a sharp tone, he would gesture a hand off towards the city beyond the wall, “General Aldrich could be anywhere in the city. I keep no track of him and I have no reason to do such. If you have to meet him, be my guest….I cannot help you. Now, be gone. I have no time for either one of you at the moment.”

Varonen lifted a brow at the man’s response and took a quick glance at Shadeen before shrugging, “If I had to guess, someone wasn’t hugged enough as a child. But I suppose it really doesn’t matter, we’ll find him on our own, won’t we?” Offering her a faint smile, a hand would lift up towards her chin only to place the side of his index finger just at the bottom of it, while his thumb would lightly trace itself across her lips, “I’m really lucky to have ran into you. Not only did you save my bacon out there, but you took gimpy ole me all the way to the city. And on top of that, not only are you beautiful, but you’re funny and enjoyable to talk to. All in all, I’d say no man could be luckier than me right about now.” Sucking in a deep breath, a sudden pain would shoot through his body causing him to take a few steps back and drop his hand from her face. It was at that point when it all seemed to catch up with him and he knew it. Every action, every movement, and everything he endured during that fight were starting to bubble to the surface. Arms ached and burned from their collision on the worms head, muscles burned and grew taut within time, and lastly his body begun to pick up a dull ache from the collision with the Elemental. It was at that point when he could no longer ignore the signs and knew that he would need to find a place to rest.

Masking the pain on his face with a fading smile, he would speak in a soft near inaudible tone, which would only succeed in signaling to her that something was wrong, “Shadeen, I’m a stubborn fool…Ignoring this proved to be a bad thing. I’m not sure how much further I can make it, but I need to rest. Let’s find somewhere before I make my problem yours.” Each breath seemed amiss, almost delayed in its nature, but also strained on its release, leaving every sign that something may happen soon if nothing should be done. Taking that last sign as his cue, he would turn and begin his way through the gate. With eyes alight in desperation, they would trace hopelessly across the buildings that littered the street. Through all the times he had been here, there came no recollection of an infirmary of any sort, or even an Inn. Perhaps there may be a chance he could find the General, but what would that prove other than just a further delay. The streets seemed to bustle with life, but it was of no importance to him as he simply blocked their existence from his vision. Then again, maybe one of them could direct him to some place he could go? It seemed pointless, but he would have to give it a shot. Gesturing a hand at a passing civilian, he would get no response. Again, he would try to flag someone over, but again he would remain ignored. Growing frustrated in his futile efforts, he would take a step forward in order to grab someone to stop them, but that’s when it had happened. A loud click and crack echoed forth from the knee of his right leg and it was with that where he would be sent to the ground with a sudden thud. Feeling his head come into a rough contact with the ground, all would swiftly draw to sudden blackness and lifelessly he would remain upon the ground.

The civilians paused in their daily tasks to take brief notice to the fallen man, before bustling on like they saw nothing at all for fear that something might happen to them if they had taken witness to something they shouldn’t have. They seemed to be of absolutely no help at all, other than the guard at the gate which slowly straggled over to the fallen form of Varonen. Taking the spear in hand so as to use the blunt end, he would lightly poke the man’s back only to find no response. Dropping down to a crouch, his free hand would move out to the man’s neck where he would place a few fingers upon the vein, “Good, he’s not dead…” Was all he murmured, before issuing a glance over to the woman, “Wait here, I’ll get someone.” Wasting little time the guard rose and took off in a sprint through the city streets, only to return moments later with a group guardsmen and one that didn’t seem to quite fit in with the rest of them. The lone man stepped forth from the group and dropped to a crouch just off to the side of Varonen’s body and issued a quick glance up to the guards, “I’m not sure what happened here, but I want you to take him to the town Doc.” Rising from his current position, the man took a few steps back to allow the guards to pick up Varonen. Turning his gaze from the form of Varonen and over to Shadeen, a soft voice would break from his lips, “I’m not sure what your relation is to him, but if you would like to come with, I will not hinder you. The doctor would like to ask you a few questions I’m sure, that’s if you don’t mind. It’s just so we get a better understanding on how to treat him.” With a single gesture of the hand, he would usher her off to follow the group of men and Varonen, only to follow shortly behind them all….

The heat beat down on her and Shadeen was feeling a little on the exhausted side. After all she had to trek across the desert with some giant sword strapped to her back half the time. In a way it made her feel stronger that she had actually made it to Istan. The desert city rose up before her eyes and she would have gasped if she thought she could spare the air. Varonen stopped a few paces in front of her and she took the time to catch up. She shoulders were slumped and the spring had left her steps. She was too tired to even look the guard in the eye when Varonen spoke with him. Shadeen laughed a little hoarsely at Varonen’s comment and smiled. God she wanted a bed, and a drink, a drink while in bed.

Suddenly she found Varonen’s finger on her skin. Her heart beat faster as he spoke to her and she wanted to lean into him. But before she even got that chance to make a move he backed up. Shadeen could tell something was wrong right away, although she had no idea what she would even be able to do about it. “Varonen. . .are you okay?”[b] She took a step towards him, hand outstretched, she was worried beyond belief by this point. [b]“Varonen?” He turned on his heel and started walking away from her, his eyes searching for something. She followed, more worried more than ever. “Varonen?” Her voice was strained and she quickened her pace. “Varonen?” It was the only thing she could seem to say and yet he seemed so focused that he didn’t answer. Suddenly she heard the crack and watched helplessly and Varonen tumbled to the ground. She dropped to her knees and shook his body for a minute before giving up and just sitting there stunned.

“What now?” She asked to no one a little hopelessly. She couldn’t carry him, or help him in any way. She didn’t know anything about medicine or mechanics.

“Good, he’s not dead…” Those were the happiest words Shadeen had heard all day. She let out a sigh she didn’t even know she was holding in. Suddenly the weariness caught up to her like a punch in the gut. She breathed in and composed herself. There was no way she was leaving Varonen behind like this, not a chance. Shadeen wasn’t quite sure what happened next she just started at the fallen man and hoped something would help something would come of all this. When a man started to lift Varonen she was sure he was a friend, she nodded at his words and picked herself up from the ground. She followed behind the group, focusing on just getting there.

They weaved through the streets and the crowds seemed to part for them to get through. Shadeen was aware of curious eyes but she never bothered to look around her to see how many people were around. Soon they came to a doorway and the men ducked into the darkness beyond. Shadeen followed them inside, they didn’t try to stop her and make her wait outside for which she was grateful. It would take her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darkness. . .

The main hall was dark and dingy, with only two small candles burning on each of the walls. As the men progressed through the main hall, they soon entered a large open spanned room. A small fern was poised off in one of the corners of the room. Also three beds littered the room, each of them staggered a few feet apart from the other. Across from them rested a desk, which seemed to be made of an aged wood. Beyond that desk rested an elder man in a comfortable looking high backed chair, which seemed to be made of the finest fabrics. The elderly man peered up from the book that rested upon his desk and studied the group of men standing before him and the lone woman straggling behind them. Taking a brief moment, he tipped his glasses down to get a better view of them, before motioning to one of the empty beds, “Place him on one of the beds and I’ll be with you in a minute.”

Silently the old man skimmed through the page he was on, using his finger as a guide of his placement on it. Once he reached the end of the page, he simply slipped a piece of paper in between the pages and closed the book with a soft thud. Placing his hands flat upon the desk top, he would release a slight groan as he pushed himself up to an erect stance. Moving out from behind the desk, his eyes would wander over to the slumbering form of Varonen and then back to the grouping of men and a lone woman at the entrance of the room. Lifting a lone hand up to his spectacle, he would flip them down to the brim of his nose so he could peer over them, “Ah…General. I will need to ask your men to leave if you wouldn’t mind. As for you and the woman, you both can stay.” While his voice was old and frail sounding, it still seemed to have enough base to it in order to get his point across to those who listened.

While the man complied and piled out of the room, the old man carefully moved mere inches in front of the General and the woman, looking from one to the other. Speaking a soft subtle tone, his head would motion off to the body of Varonen, “I’m going to assume this woman knows the story about this man. So General, if I could ask you, would you perhaps be willing enough to get me a nice cool bucket of water?”

The General nodded and offered a slight bow to the woman, “He’ll be fine…This is the best doctor in the city, if anything he’ll know what’s wrong. I shall be back shortly.” With that said he simply rose and wandered off through the main hall and out the door.

The old man nodded faintly, before turning on the balls of his feet and making his way over to the bed in which Varonen rested upon. Taking a single finger, he would place it against the bridge between the lenses and pushed them back higher on his face so his visions wouldn’t distort, “Now, Miss before we start. There is a bucket of water over on that table over yonder. You may use the cup next to it, it is clean. I’m sure you’re dying of thirst, especially being out in the desert like that. Just judging by your clothes, the redness of your skin, and the way you’re perspiring. Besides, he’s in no better shape and is a tad worse for wear if I do say so myself. Though, if I simply went by looks and appearances, I would have no living patients now would I? So we’ll have to take care of this young fellow and nurse him back to his natural state. I’m not sure what his relation is to you, but you can trust me.”

Taking a brief moment, he would lean down to place his head against Varonen’s chest, listening to each and every heartbeat. Once the desired amount of time was reached, he would withdraw back to an erect stance and place both of his hands behind his back, where they would lock together for a moment, “Once you’re done with that water, I would like you to bring it over here. We should probably damp down his skin so he doesn’t dehydrate and also offer him some of it as well. And if you would like, there’s a bed right next to him that you can take up if you need a rest. In the mean time though, I would like a detailed explanation of what took place out in that desert so I know exactly what happened. Also, if you could tell me how you found him like this would be of a great help as well. That way, I can get to diagnosing and figure what’s wrong with this man before matters grow worse. Sound good to you?” At this point he was simply trying to keep conversation going so she wouldn’t pass out as well. Also, giving her meaningless tasks such as fetching the bucket would prove to be something she would need to stay focused on. It was all intricate way of keeping what help he had of figuring this would still with him. But then something caught his eye on the woman’s back, which was a rather large blade. Eyeing it for a moment, he simply shook his head and gestured off to one of the corners of the room, “If you would please discard that over there, before hand. I would appreciate it, I’m not fond of…Weapons. “

Shadeen staggered into one of the men when they stopped in front of her. She slowly backed up and focused on an old man. The man was saying something. Shadeen blinked and squinted but the man’s words made no sense to her, they just sounded like a mumble and as though they were very, very far away. Instead she tried to survey her surroundings but that didn’t help much either. She saw three beds and something else, and three beds. Hadn’t she seen those already? She couldn’t remember. Everything just seemed to be a blur to her, and she couldn’t seem to remember what the place looked like or where anything was. She felt dizzy. Why? She watched the men take Varonen to one of the three beds. She focused on Varonen, it was the only thing she didn’t keep forgetting.

When The men started to leave she looked startled, and then she came face to face with the old man. She could have jumped backwards if she wasn’t so tired. She watched the General move off and focused on the man, he seemed to go blurry then solid multiple times. Once he had left she turned to Varonen who rested on the bed. The old man was now with him and she slowly put one foot in front of the other. She counted the steps in her head so that she would keep moving. Everything had seemed to hit her at once and she didn’t like the feeling. Just as she was walking the man pointed at a bucket of water. Water! Shadeen moved to find it quickly. She stopped at the bucket and stared into her reflection before scooping up the glorious liquid in her hands. She drank, trying to restrain herself from drinking too much, then she washed the sand off her face. She was suddenly very aware of the fact that sand seemed to coat her body. She shook her hair and sand rained from the strands. She really, really needed a bath after this.

The old man had been speaking while she was quenching her thirst and up until the last few sentences it all made sense. She wasn’t sure what he meant until he mentioned a weapon. Varonen’s sword. She had completely forgotten about it. She unhooked it from her back and put it down on the floor by the water bucket. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her back, probably because a huge weight had been lifted from her back. She picked up the bucket and brought it over to the old man, placing it next to him before she moved to the other side of the bed. The she started the story telling him everything from the start of the journey and running into the sand worm, to Varonen being injured, to her trekking to Istan with a bird on her shoulder and a weapon on her back.

“He just collapsed in the streets. I’m not sure why though... I’m so tired...” Shadeen rocked back and forth for a moment before she snapped back. “Will he be okay?” She looked at the doctor eagerly.

Bit by bit their story would be revealed as each word passed her graceful lips. Though, when the mentioning of the sandworm came into play, his gaze would freeze in a stone cold stare at the man lying before him. A sandworm…The word played over and over in his mind like a broken record. They were the beasts…The behemoths of the desert, how could such a man survive an attack from something like that. By no means was this guy any ordinary being, in fact he had to be far from it…The thought seemed to worry him though, but through all of his amazement, his eyes still seemed to drift back to the woman who eagerly watched him. Gently his hand would move out in a slow moving arc, before pausing so his fingertips pointed to the bed behind her, “Please…Take a rest, but don’t fall asleep yet…”

The second his hand would withdraw from its gesture, it would move down to the bucket on the floor only to pick it up and place it onto the bed. Turning from it, he would turn to the table next to him where a rag rested. Picking up the rag he would plunge it into the cool water, before withdrawing it and ringing it out slightly. From there he would proceed to damp Varonen’s exposed skin before pausing at the dented and scratched armor that adorned his torso. Lifting the rag for a moment, his eyes would carefully wander across the rest of Varonen’s body, noticing the irregularities in the muscles. Each muscle seemed to force against his flesh, bringing it to a tight appearance as though they had been flexed and blown up. Clicking his tongue lightly, a few thoughts seemed to wander throughout his mind, before nodding solemnly, “No man could match the strength of a creature like that without some other means. I’m assuming he used some sort of spell that his body wasn’t used to handling. In which case, it would cause a great strain to his muscles and in a short period would wear him out from the exertion. I’m quite surprised he even made it consciously this far..." Pausing for a moment, he would relinquish the rag and dip his hand within the bucket, before scooping up a small sum of it in the palm of his hand. Taking it, he would place the side of his hand just against Varonen's lower lip, before taking his other hand and placing it behind his head to lift it upwards slightly. Tilting his hand slightly, he allowed the liquid to flow gradually into the man's mouth, before allowing his head to come to a rest on the pillow once more. Plucking the rag back up, he continued his work before speaking, "He's also quite dehydrated, but that's not a hard issue to fix. A little water here and there until we can start introducing him to larger amounts. By that time, he'll be almost one hundred percent, so you've got nothing to worry about."

Not once did his eyes break up to her during his speech, instead he continued to damp down Varonen’s exposed skin, only to dip the rag into the bucket and continue yet again, “Perhaps you should think about resting for a while. This young lad should be within good shape in a couple of days, it’s nothing to worry about. Until then why don’t you catch some shut eye and once you wake, we can get you cleaned up. And perhaps even find you an escort to show you around town in the mean time, how’s that sound?” Again he remained steadfast at his work, before diligently placing the rag back upon the table and then turning his attention back to Varonen. Steadily his eyes wandered again across his frame to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything, but that’s when he caught the soft glimmer of light that reflected from the tear in his pants. Curious, he made his way over to the man’s legs and proceeded in rolling up his pant leg to reveal the cold steel of the intricate appendage bellow, “Oh my….” Was all he managed to muster in his blunder, “Where in heaven’s name did he get this…Better yet…” His words would falter the further he moved the pant leg up, “Who can fix something like this…?” It wasn’t so much a question directed to her, but more so a rhetorical one, knowing that no one would be able to really answer it.

Just at that moment, the General would emerge forth from the small hall, bucket in hand. That was until he had set eyes upon the immaculate leg. Placing the bucket upon the ground, the General began to move around to the side of the bed where the Doctor had stood, “Sooo….This is him, isn’t it?”

The Doctor eyed him a moment and offered a slight shrug, “I don’t have a single clue as to who you’re talking about…All I know is that there’s not a single person in this city that could even possibly repair something like this. Unless of course you could muster a guess.” Slowly his eyes would part up from the fallen form and up to the General as a quizzical look took itself upon his visage.

The General frowned as a single hand lifted to his chin where it would proceed to idly knead it, “If my memory serves me correct…This man is none other than Varonen Skeirs, Brother to the new found Goddess of Water. Also an old time…Rival?” Slightly his head would tilt towards the single shoulder that would rise and fall in a half hearted shrug, “I guess if that’s what you would like to call him. Regardless, I may of know of one person who could handle something like this, but I have a question for you if I may.” For a moment his eyes would part from Varonen and over to the woman not far off from them, “Who is she…?”

The Doctor glanced between the General and Shadeen for a moment as a single brow lifted itself in curious question, “I’m afraid I couldn’t even muster a guess. She hadn’t even mentioned it, perhaps you should ask her and not I. Just keep in mind, she had come in with him…” The Doctor lifted his hand to the General and lifted one single emaciated digit towards him, “There could be only one reason a woman would be with a man like this young lad. And if that isn’t the reason, then she’s looney…No one would trek this desert, fight a sandworm face to face, and be able to physically make it to this city without reason. I wouldn’t suggest pursuing anything if I were you.”

The General frowned at the Doctor’s words, but would make no further motion to carry this conversation any longer. Instead, he would repay a debt left unpaid and return to his own business. Offering the Doctor a salute, he would turn on the balls of his heels and head towards the doorway of the room, before faltering for an instance, “I will see who I can find. I will be back before sun down, please attend to him the best you can. Good day, till I return.” And with that the man was gone…

Peering over his glasses the Doctor simply shook his head, “Stupid stupid man. Finds a woman and immediately thinks he’s got a ghost of a chance. If I were him I would look elsewhere, because if these two are together, this lad would tear him to shreds…” A soft chuckle resonated forth from his parted lips, before his gaze returned to the form of Varonen, “Fools, they all come in an abundance. I really despise that man, you know that Varonen? I’m sure you already do if you know him as he claims.” Of course he was talking to himself, but he didn’t care in the least. It was the only way he could pass the time, especially with as un-lively the company had been.

Heaving an exasperated sigh, he would move along side of Varonen and proceed to undo the strapping’s of his armor to loosen it. From there he would move a hand beneath Varonen and place it against the center of his back, before forcing him up to a sitting position, where he then would proceed to lift the armor off and over his head. Gently he would place it off to the side and continue to undress Varonen to expose the upper section of his torso. From there, he would proceed to gently run two single digits across the upper and lower part of each rib, pushing occasionally here and there to check for weaknesses and swellings of the sort. Finding a few weak points and a couple spots of swelling, he would reach into his pocket to pull out a roll of wrappings. From there he would wrap up the rib section of his torso, making sure to make it nice and thick so as to provide protection from anything that could possibly damage them. Once down, he would lie him down again, not bothering to return his clothes to his body. Deciding to wait until the General would return he would simply sit down on the bed behind him and monitor the man in the mean time.

Shadeen’s eyelids drifted down. She didn’t seem to withhold any of the information the man was telling her. Her vision would blur then focus again. She wasn’t sure how many times it had happened now. Her head kept falling forward, jolting her into temporary awareness. Shadeen would snap up and look around her for a moment. Once satisfied that no one was around her head began to droop again. At the doctor’s mention of rest Shadeen drug herself over to the other bed and crawled in. She didn’t even hear him tell her not to sleep before she drifted off.

She heard snippets on conversation, and movement. Occasionally a blur of light. Then she slipped completely into darkness.

”Var-Varonen?” Shadeen wandered through a thick mist. It pressed in all around her, she felt like she was being choked. Shadeen was utterly lost, she turned in circles but couldn’t seem to find what she was looking for. He was gone. She’d lost him. Where was he? Shadeen found that panic was growing in her chest.

She’d come to this place with Varonen. She couldn’t remember the journey but she’d come with him. It was the only thing she knew for sure. He was around somewhere... he must be. The fog closed in on her, becoming thicker and thicker. Now she really couldn’t breathe. Shadeen opened her mouth and gasped for air but none came.

Why wasn’t he here? Did she scare him away? Varonen?

“VARONEN!?” Shadeen sat bolt upright in bed, the sheet fell away from her mouth. She breathed in deeply and sighed at the air filling her lungs.

Wait Varonen... He was hurt... Where was he!?

She turned to her right and her gaze fell on the figure of Varonen sitting upright in his bed with his eyes on her. Shadeen smiled warmly at him before realizing that he’d probably heard her scream his name. She blushed and turned her head away, embarrassed. She stared down at her hands for a few awkward moments before she cleared her throat and spoke up.

“So...umm...You’re awake. How’re you feeling?”

A sharp pain resonated within his chest, causing his eyes to snap wide open and groan out of sheer discomfort. Deciding to lay there for a moment hoping that the pain would subdue itself eventually if he didn’t move; his eyes shift around the room in the meantime noticing that no one else was in the room other than Shadeen. Once his emerald hues fell still upon her, his body would tense and jolt upright before swinging his feet over the side of his bed. Concern washed over his face as his eyes stared down at her helplessly, his mind traveling a million miles per second as to what happened out in the desert. That’s when it had hit him, the fact that she was the one that saved him and brought him back to town. With that a wide spreading smile crossed his slender lips, before murmuring softly, “My warrior woman…Sleep and I will watch over you until you awaken.”

What seemed like hours, ticked away as minutes until the time came where she would finally awaken, but in a manner that startled him. As she bolted upright, she would blurt his name out into the silence of the room, causing him to blink a few times. Lifting a hand up to his ear, he would rub it softly, “Well…At least we know your lungs work. And you didn’t have to shout, I’m right here.” A wry grin crossed his lips at the thought of her dreaming of him, but he would allow it to pass without further mentioning of it. Turning his attention over to her following question, he would simply nod and speak in a soft tone, “I’ve been awake a while now…As for feeling, it feels like I got trampled by a freaking caravan of elephants, but I don’t have time to lie around.” Deciding to make an attempt to stand up, a low grunt would emit itself from his larynx. Once standing, his eyes would move over to his armor resting on the ground beside his bed, but he would make no move towards it. Instead, he would simply stare at it for a few moments, before sighing. With the way his chest and body felt, trying to put that on by himself would be a nightmare, but he highly doubted that Shadeen would be so willing to help him with it.

Giving it a shot, his eyes would drift over to Shadeen and a nervous smile would spread across his lips as a hand moved to the back of his head, “I suppose you wouldn’t be willing to help me with my armor, would you? I kind of had plans for the both of us if you don’t mind, that and I have to meet that guy I was telling you about…” Blinking a few times, his eyes would move across her body for a brief moment, before laughing softly, “Besides, we should really get you cleaned up, you look like you were practically rolling in the sands out there.” A grin plastered itself upon his face, knowing full well that she’d have some sort of comeback to his words. Perhaps he was finally getting used to her now, which meant a lot more things would be acceptable, especially his playful little insults. They reminded him of the times with his sister when they would sit there and call each other names for hours on end. Their parents usually ended up breaking up the name calling through, which suited him fine. Returning his attention back to his armor, he would sigh faintly, “Besides…I’ll be fine to move around if I have my armor on to protect me from getting hurt. So, how about it?”

Shadeen blushed but then looked back up at Varonen. He was eyeing his armor and she could almost see what he was planning to do. Leave. Already. After just telling her he felt like a welcome mat for elephants. Shadeen smiled a bit at him. He was very determined. She liked him for that... She liked him for a lot of things. She didn’t want to sit around in the doctor’s office either but he needed to get better. Maybe once the doctor came back she’d help him. It was hard though, having to look at him and say no, because she could almost see him just getting it himself. She thought she might have to jump up and tackle him.

A little giggle escaped her lips at the thought of her tackling Varonen so he couldn’t get his armor. Looking up at him only made it worse, and a huge smile split her face. It took her a few seconds to get her giggling under control, but she still couldn’t stop smiling. “You’ve been here one night and you want to leave already,” Shadeen smiled at him. “Shouldn’t we.... wait for the doctor to release you or something?” She gazed over at his armor, next to it sat a bucket of water. She rose and moved towards the armor and bucket. With both hands she grasped the large pail and tried to lift... without much success. It always came as a surprise to her how much water could weigh. She grabbed the bucket handle with both hands and dragged it across the floor to where Varonen still sat.

Shadeen flopped back on her own bed and laughed. “You’re right I need a bath. But this’ll do for now.” She reached into the bucket and scooped out some water with her hands, placing it on her arms and washing off most of the sand. She pulled up her skirt a little ways and washed off her legs as well. As she washed she tried to avoid Varonen’s gaze, as well as trying not to lift up anything too high or low. It would be awhile until she had a good bath so she wanted to look decent without stripping right then and there.

“How long will it take for the doctor to get back? I don’t wanna have you break or faint or anything again,” She looked up and smiled and him.

For some reason he knew she would do this, intent upon simply ignoring his request and mentioning the doctor. Though he really couldn’t blame her, after all he was a wreck as far as his appearance went. And the way he felt, especially his chest there would be no way he could go on throughout the city without injuring himself further. That of course didn’t mean he wouldn’t at least try. When she got up to fetch the water bucket, his eyes would follow after her observing the way she moved and struggled to move the bucket back to a suitable position. She seemed in far better shape than he was so her concern seemed to only reside upon him, which made him smile again.

Once she returned back to her place upon the bed and began washing her arms and legs he couldn’t help but observe. Though, the second that she would begin to lift her skirt up his eyes would advert themselves not wanting to seem impolite with his stare. No less he was more fearful of her catching him staring. As it were, there wasn’t he could do against her with the way he was, so if she wanted to she could easily dominate him if things turned to a skirmish. The thought perturbed him, but would swiftly be fanned away when her voice picked up again. Unsure how to answer the question, his emerald hues would shift over towards the doorway with a shrug, “I’m not sure when he’ll be back. I couldn’t even tell you what he looks like.”

A brow quirked itself faintly when his eyes returned to hers and again he would shrug, “But I don’t think we have to worry about me breaking. Fainting is another thing, but breaking definitely isn’t in the cards. If I was going to break, that sand worm would have shattered me then and there. Of course you helped when it seemed like he was going to make one hell of an attempt to do so.” A faint grin etched itself across his slender lips at the sheer thought of her saving him. If it had been any other woman, the idea might have been a bit sour for his likings. Taking his eyes off from her, they would move back to the door, “To be honest, if you weren’t there I probably would have been a goner. I played a reckless game taking that thing on like that, but I really didn’t have a choice. I had you there and running wasn’t an option…” There wasn’t any particular meaning in what he said, but instead they were merely words to express his own gratitude for having her in his company.

A soft click came from the doorway and in emerged the old doctor who stopped just as his eyes caught sight of Varonen up in his bed. A deep scowl set across his face and a soft grumble slipped past his lips, “You foolish man, lay back down you’re not in the condition to be moving around all willy nilly like that.” Not bothering to make his way over to Varonen and aid him back to his bed, he would simply move behind his desk and proceed to dig through a stack of papers in one of the drawers, “You’re a lucky kid you know, your muscles are exhausted and will be rather sore for the coming days. You also injured your ribs, but its minor compared to what you could have done to them. And lastly that leg of yours, while you were sleeping we had a man come in and look at it…” With a sudden exclaimed ‘Aha!’ the doctor pulled out a sheet of paper and placed it upon his desk, before taking up a quill in hand and proceeded in scribbling a few random things here and there.

During the entire time the doctor spoke, a faint frown would gather at his lips until there came a mentioning of his leg. Without even knowing it his leg had been repaired to its original state. Anxious to take a look he would roll up the pant leg to expose the smooth reflective metal of his leg until it came to the joint. A smile soon alit his features at the sheer sight of its intact appearance, admiring the workmanship greatly. No longer was the metal scuffed, scraped, and twisted from years of abuse, but instead it looked like it had the day in which it was given to him. A soft thank you muttered forth from his lips, as his thoughts trailed their way from his leg and then back to Shadeen and his armor. In a soft almost reserved voice he would speak up loud enough for the doctor to hear him, “Do you think it’s alright if I leave for now…? I don’t run a risk of hurting myself any further do I?” There was nothing he wanted more than to escape this place, to be back out in the sun once again and soak up the life outside of this dreary place. It was almost depressing to be cooped up in such a place even if he was hurt.

The doctor paused in his scribbling and placed the quill down lightly to turn his full attention to the man’s question. A curious brow lifted at the question and a soon laughter would flitter out into the silence of the room, “Do as you wish, I can’t stop you. Just remember if you don’t take it easy, you’ll be back in here. That means no fights, no leaving the city, and lastly no over exerting yourself over the demands of ordinary operations. Oh and drink some water before you leave will you, you’re going to want to keep yourself hydrated especially coming off the dehydration you were subject to not long ago.” Without further debate the man took up the quill again and continued scribbling out his own thing while the two debated over what they wanted to do.

When the doctor gave him the okay, his eyes moved back to Shadeen with a grin and he motioned towards his armor, “Now you have no choice in the matter.” Sticking his tongue out her, a smile again took upon his face, “You know, I kind of feel like a little kid again. Having to be helped to get myself dressed, only I don’t mind the fact that you have to dress me.” A soft laughter emitted forth from his lips at the sheer thought of it, “I just hope I haven’t been too much trouble for you. After all if you hadn’t come you wouldn’t be put in this position. I hope you don’t regret coming here with me…”

((OoC: Alright let’s get Shadeen and Varonen moving again ^_^. Happy happy writer’s time for Shadeeny. Hehe. Seriously though I’ll try and make my replies once a day from now on if not more. They might not all be long but hey at least I’m doing it ^_^ hehe))

“I’m glad I came with you. Facing a giant worm wasn’t really on my agenda for the day but... at least something happened right?” Shadeen smiled at him. It was odd, how a spark had grown out of a chance meeting at the stables. She loved the time she spent with Varonen because it was interesting, because things had a way of happening around him... not all of them good, but they were all certainly interesting. It would be hard put to deny that a giant sand worm attack wasn’t interesting. “And you’re welcome.” She added playfully. “A woman saved the life of a warrior and his shiny sword... shiny, heavy sword.” She smiled at him in a playful way, showing she wasn’t really serious, although the comment held truth.

Shadeen had opened her mouth to say something more when the doctor walked through the door. She smiled as she cursed Varonen’s own luck. Of course the doctor would let him leave. Suddenly Shadeen was aware that she had pulled up her dress and yanked it back down, almost knocking over the water bucket. It swayed awkwardly and she reached out to grab it. It splashed in her face as she grabbed onto the side of the bucket. Shadeen closed her eyes and stifled an embarrassed laugh. Instead her tried to hide her blush before she hurried said, “Alright, we can go.”

She stuck her tongue back out at Varonen and made her way over to his armor. She gathered up Varonen’s armor, even though it was awkward to carry, she didn’t want to make two trips. The doctor made her nervous, although she couldn’t pin why he made her feel jittery. She wanted Varonen to get better, but the doctors utter indifference made her think twice about staying here. It was odd how one simple action could change a person’s mind to the polar opposite of what they originally thought. She shifted her body so the weight was more evenly spread. She lumbered her way over to Varonen and dropped the armor on the bed

“You know, I kind of feel like a little kid again. Having to be helped to get myself dressed, only I don’t mind the fact that you have to dress me.”

Shadeen smiled nervously at him, “I’m sure you don’t.” But she couldn’t hold back the red tint that crept into her cheeks. “I don’t regret coming here with you, just like I don’t regret meeting you, or spending time with you.” Shadeen lowered herself onto the bed beside Varonen and stared down at her hands. She wasn’t sure what to do next but she breathed in slowly and stopped her hands from rubbing together. She let out her breath and quickly leaned over and gave Varonen a peck on the cheek. “I like you,” Then she blushed and hurriedly changed the topic, hardly believing what she had just done.

“So umm... so... right... umm... oh yeah,” She couldn’t seem to get her mouth to work right, and the doctor was sitting right over there. The embarrassment made her blush deepen and she looked down at her hands once more, blurting out her words as soon as they came to mind, scared she might mess them up again. “How do you put all this on?”

Carefully he listened to each of her words as she assured him that she didn’t regret doing anything with him thus far. It was a thought that brought a smile to his lips and seemed to cheer him up. The last thing he wanted was to involve someone into something they didn’t want to be involved in. While it wasn’t his fault that any of that had happened, it still bothered him that perhaps Shadeen had regretted doing this in the end. Now that he knew she wasn’t, it was like a big burden was lifted from his shoulders.

What would come next was something that took him completely by surprise and immediately caused him to smile from ear to ear. It seemed that he wasn’t the only one that felt the way he did, especially since their meeting in the Stables. She was an awesome person, someone he could talk to and relate to without any tribulation. Though, before he could think on it any further, the next couple of words that escaped her lips brought his eyes swinging down to the armor on the bed and then to her. A faint laughter escaped his slightly parted lips, “Here…I’ll guide you through it, okay? First undo the bindings at the sides and open up the breast plate portion.”

Not bothering to wait for her response, both of his arms would lift carefully into the air above his head, “Now, help me get my arms through the chain mail sleeves first, before lowering it down over my head.” As she would do so, his body would make the slight adjustments to make the action more easily accomplished for her and as less painful for himself as he could. Once the armor slid over his head and went to settle upon his shoulders, both of his arms would lower back to his sides, the hands placed themselves upon the bed. Using them to push himself up to an erect stance, they would lift off to his sides and bring themselves to a parallel position to the ground, “Now, redo the bindings and pull them taught and we’ll be set to go.”

While she did that, his eyes would watch her for a moment, before parting off towards his ragged shift lying haphazardly across the backing of the bed. A slight perturbed look took upon his features at its sight, before shrugging to himself, “Seems I won’t need that shirt anymore…Kind of forgot I didn’t have one.” A nervous laughter escaped his lips, as a hand moved up to lightly rub at the side of his face, “I suppose I need a new ward robe anyway…” Leaning forward slightly, his eyes peered down to the ragged and torn state of his pants, before releasing another fit of laughter, “I guess that’s a bit of an understatement…What do you say we get out of here and see what we can find in the city, hm?”

Moving a delicate hand off to the side, he would bring it out in smooth motion to guide her off into the direction of the door first, “Ladies first, I’ll let you lead the way today. Seems when I lead bad things happen…” The second she would, he would follow shortly after, “So, what do you feel like doing today?”

well damn

Shadeen followed Varonen’s instructions as she moved about him to slip the armor over his head. She redid the bindings and tightened whatever needed to be tightened. Once finished Shadeen plopped herself down on the bed beside Varonen and scanned his body for an obvious injuries she may have missed the first time. She was glad she hadn’t hurt him while putting on his armor and a slight smile crept onto her face as she began to beam at him.

When the mention of “getting out of here” escaped Varonen’s lips Shadeen couldn’t have been more relived. She couldn’t place why but the doctor bothered her. She stood up and stretched her hands above her head and bounced towards the door at the thought of exploring the city. The clothes didn’t matter, the sights didn’t matter, the fact she’d spend the day with Varonen did and she was happy she’d had the opportunity to meet him. When he mentioned Ladies first Shadeen slipped out the doorway and into the light of the morning. Her spirits lightened immediately.

“Where to first?” She was bouncing along happily in front of Varonen, only slightly aware that she was the one leading the way. It was more so out of excitement than any real desire she had to lead. She turned and smiled at Varonen and when she turned back a shop caught her eye. She moved towards the window, dresses displayed on mannequins. She put her face up to the window and stared into it. “What do you think of these?” Before she got her answer Shadeen bounded down the road and looked into another window.

The sun and outdoors raised her spirits considerably. The times before had been really scary with the worm and all. Shadeen slowed down and fell into step with Varonen. “Y’know... My life hasn’t really been anything special... until now. But you... Well you have a metal leg. How’d it happen?” Shadeen stared up at Varonen, watching his features as they walked along. She hoped he wasn’t intruding on anything that he was keeping secret for some reason. “I’m just... curious...” She said nervously.