Nurse
Rhoswyn with Ranger
Unalmis Raxëlilta
Treatment Room – December. Private One-off post
Her first reaction was to be concerned. As soon as she had seen his name in her appointments schedule. There was an element of surprise, of course. And some relief as well. But by and large
Rhoswyn was concerned.
“
You’re early,” she observed, as the Ranger entered the room. And before
Unalmis could point out that he had arrived only just in time in fact, the nurse explained. “
You are not due for our usual examination for at least three weeks.” The lilt of the woman’s voice suggested that the statement required an explanation of it’s own. “
You usually wait until the date itself, and more than often come in on that date itself to schedule your appointment. So you must tell me. Is there some reason why you are suddenly so keen ?”
“
I would hate to be predictable,”
Nal grinned. And then relented, although he had been prepared for her to query the atypical behaviour. “
But you are right, there is a reason. I .. just, well, I may not be available to come and see you on the expected date. And, so. To be honest, I was kind of hoping that this could be managed before I go .. to do that other thing. Wherever it may be that I go to do .. whatever it may be.”
The Nurse pressed her lips together so that it was impossible to know if she might have frowned or laughed. It was important to remain professional. However unprofessional her patients may be.
“
Alright,”
Rhoswyn indicated for the worst liar in the world to sit down, which he did with a small emission of relief. He had found, perhaps by spending too much time with
Ilisys, that being less than straightforward in any given sentence could do wonders in not revealing the actual truth. After all, he was a terrible liar. If he’d just come right out with some reason, then everyone would know it was not true. This way, they simply were not sure what he actually was saying. At least he was learning something from his training partner.
“
It’s been fine, no aches or .. anything,”
Nal answered before he could even be asked. As the Nurse gestured for him to raise his right arm, and rotate it in the same series of movement as she always did. Once every six months. When the Ranger Captain happened to also be the Master Healer, it paid to ensure he did not keep any physical concerns to himself. Training and whatever that training prepared him for .. it all required to be certain that there was no compromise caused by past injury.
“
Now this way,”
Rhoswyn directed the young man to alternate ever so slightly from her usual pattern. If he was going to insist on keeping her on her toes, then she could return the favour. “
And .. hold it there for me, please.” The nurse counted out a period of time she felt was adequate, not aloud. Not any more. When she did that, he almost always made her lose count somehow. “
And the other way ..”
Rhoswyn was nothing if not thorough.
“
I told you its fine,”
Unalmis rolled his eyes although he recovered a far more innocent expression, as the woman bought her own eyes back from observing the limb. "
You want me to prove it. I can prove it. What can I throw for you ?”
“
Nothing. Please.” the nurse did smile that time, although she also indicated for the young man to sit back down from where he’d sprang up, eager. “
And the armour your friend made: that is not bearing down on the joint ? I mean, is it protecting the girdle adequately and ? … Alright, alright. Stop laughing ! Before you hurt yourself.” The word ‘girdle’ had clearly been a bad move, on her part.
“
I told you before. Cali’s a genius," the young man strove to compose himself. "
The armour shields my shoulder without weighing down on it. And I can move all kinds of ways. It’s .. its fine.”
“
We had spoken before, about you bringing in this astounding armour, so you can show off your friend’s prowess in her craft,”
Rhoswyn served up a reminder, with a side helping of admiration, to try and conceal the nag.
“
Next time,”
Nal promised, drawing his hand across his heart to leave no room for doubt. “
It’s all dirty right now anyway and .. you just wouldn’t want that risking infections and bacteria into your clean room here, would you ?”
“
Next time,” the nurse agreed, making a mental note of the expectation. “
For now at least, I am happy to sign you off as fit for purpose, although I don’t want to think about what purpose you may have in mind.” she tapped her nose. And the young man grinned. “
This thing though, that you are going to go wherever to do whatever .. ” she then mused aloud. Mostly out of habit than real intrigue. “
Are there any physical expectations, anything new or more extensive that you want to talk about ?” She saw him glance out of the window, and snapped her fingers in front of his turned away face. “
Your Captain is my captain. And anything spoke in this room is confidential,” she tried her best to make him feel at ease.
But still.
It was not as though he could really tell her. He hadn’t even been able to tell his father what was on the cards. And that had been difficult. With a father who paid far more attention now, too much sometimes, as though he was subconsciously making up for all the years of neglect. But if
Unalmis could manage to not tell his father, then there was no way he could tell his nurse. “
That would be telling,” he admitted. “
But you’ve told me all the everything a hundred times already. And I mean, I’m fairly certain there will be persons there who you would think competent in your area of expertise. It will be fine. So long as you don’t give the Captain any reason to believe I can’t go do .. you know .. whatever, wherever.”
Rhoswyn scrutinised that unconcerned countenance for a moment and wished she could be as optimistic as the young man. But she’d seen too many terrible things in her career. And all too many of them were from young men who did too much, too soon, or didn’t even consider there ought be limits. “
I’m trusting you to take care of yourself,” she decided, albeit with a clear degree of hesitation. “
If you do not, well, you know I will have something to say about it when they wheel you back in here all broken,” she shook her head in a resigned state of despair.
For a moment, just a moment,
Unalmis frowned at the word ‘broken’, until he realised from her watchful gaze that he was .. and threw on a smile in its stead. “
I’m not sure if that is meant to be faith or doubt, or .. a threat ?” he raised a single eyebrow and leaned back, on both arms. And thankfully there was demonstrated no difference at all in the two shoulder joints.
“
Take it as you will,” the nurse let a smile soften her reservations. He’d flinched there, almost. The laughter had stopped. Just for a moment. But she was one of the few people who had seen that pause before. And so she was glad that the carefree silliness returned. That it could return. There had been a time, years ago now, when she had feared for the patient's broken spirit, far beyond the broken shoulder. But that had been years ago now.
“
That’s all any of us can do,” the Ranger observed, as he leapt at her approval to be gone and out of any chance of bothering her. “
Thank you,” he waved whilst en route to and then through the treatment room door. It was the nurse’s turn to roll her eyes then, when the young idiot pointed to his waving right arm, with his left .. as though the feat was worth acknowledging.
He wasn’t concerned about the physical requirements of what was soon to come. The mental side of it was enough, that the physical side of things didn’t even get a look in. And as for messing up his shoulder, he’d been already told, after the surgery, that it might degenerate more quickly than a healthy joint. He might end up with 'rheumatism' or its like, at a more premature age than he might have done otherwise. He'd made his peace with that prognosis. For after all, his father had gotten through only ten years in the Rangers, almost to the day, before he’d been injured so could not do it any more. And
Ryndir had scarcely survived a year .. before …. No.
Unalmis was under no delusion that he’d chosen a vocation which promised a long or healthy life. It was however, a good cause to give all that he could manage to. For however long he was able to do so.
