05/22/2000

Infirmary, White Tower, Tar Valon

Square in shape, this room is most often abuzz with activity. It contains
the normal implements of a teaching infirmary, in fact, it is extremely
well stocked with all manner of things: cots, jars, bottles, syringes,
bandages, cloths, cabinets, shelves, books and tables along with plenty of
hot water. The air has that sterile smell associated with the constant use
of redwort, tinged with the unpleasant prickle of witchhazel. While most of
the Healing is done via the One Power at the Tower, there are many minor
medical situations that are dealt with the old fashioned way.

There are several areas curtained off, for patients' privacy as well as for
instructional usages. This is a teaching infirmary for the Yellow Ajah,
after all. Beds in cheerful colors are lined up in neat rows, providing a
comfortable place to sleep after a Healer's tender ministrations. Windows
are kept wide open to all for light and fresh air.


A Yellow heads over to Redd to check on him, frowning slightly at his
condition and sitting down next to him to check him over once again.

Espi has heading in with Wynt, since she wanted to drop by the infirmary
and Espi wanted to see how Redd was doing. A thr emoment they are engaged
in a quiet conversation as they walk down the rows.

Wyntere moves slowly about talking softly to Espiria. And despite the topic
that would make any cry, if she didn't keep much of the details out, she
keep a calm patient smile upon her face that shows much compassion and
caring.

Redd looks to the Yellow through squinted eyes. He starts coughing a
little, but it is there and gone after a minute or so.

The AS continues to touch Redd's forehead, eyes narrowing slightly as she
tries to help ease him thru another bout of weakness. He's just got to make
it..he's got to. She sighs, placing a cold compress back to his forehead to
keep what of the fever can be kept at bay and glances over to the advancing
pair. She nods to her fellow sister, glancing at the novice in a passing
fashion before turning back to her patient. She lifts one of his hands,
scowling a tthe red splotches that seem to be forming on his hands now.
Hmm, must be an effect of the heat he's enduring? She grabs a bit of
ointment, applying it with care before touching his face again.

Espiria glances at Wynt, smiling slightly before she makes a soft comment,
mindful of the resting patients. "I'm really sorry to hear that Wyntere
Sedai. I know what it means to loose family. It's never easy..and the
wounds always stay around even if they seem to heal." She shrugs, "I know
mine have..."

Wyntere nod to the Yellow and then looks to Espiria and nods. "Yes, some
are more painful than others." Her true mother's death especially. And
well, her reaction to that um... well.. let's just say she learned where
the MoNsters office was. "we can talk more about it later. It doesn't
bother me to talk about it." Wyntere stops by Redd's bed. She smiles to
him. "So Redd, how do you feel today? Any better?" She asks cheerfully for
him.

Enter the Yellow's must UN-favorite patient. Neelkan stalks into the
Infirmary, a scowl on his face and his eyes narrowed in a glare and he
stops as the Accepted at the door intercepts him. His voice is as loud as
it ever was, but not quite what would be considered a yell from him. When
Michael picked him up. That was a yell. This isn't even close. "All m'
things were 'posed t' be moved down t' the Trainee area, but one of m'
necklaces is missin'! Ya women steal m' earrin's, now m' necklace!" ...
"Um, I'm sure it wasn't stolen. It was probably just missplaces..." the
young woman says under his glare. "Fine! 'en I'm goin' o'er t' m' bed 'n
lookin' f'r it!" StompStompStomp. He storms over towards his bed, grumbling
under his breath, cursing the Yellows and women in general as he goes,
calling them jewelry thieves!!

Frowning gently the Yellow glares over at Neelkan for a moment, motioning
one of the other sisters to go over and help him find his necklace.
Anything to quiet the boy so the patients won't be disturbed. She goes back
to frowning as she touching his head and darts her eyes over to Wynt, "His
temprature keeps going up, no matter what we do." She sighs softly,
continuing to put the salve on his rash bothered hands. "We've done all we
know how to do Wyntere Sedai. maybe if we knew more about what this was..."

Espiria heads along with Wynt, stopping at Redd's bed and looking sadly at
him. He looks so...aweful. Her eyes go to the rash as she listens to the
words the Yellow says and there is a moment that she blinks, but it fades
as quickly as it came. She bites her lower lip and she wishes there was
something she could do to help him, but with her limited abilities right
now, she would do more harm than good. She glances over to Wynt, worry
etched in her features before looking back at Redd.

Redd begins to cough again, only this time it doesn't just fade like the
last time. It continues for a moment, slow, a good few seconds between each
cough, then suddenly begins to rapidly worsen. He begins coughing to the
point that it hurts his throat, and he can't find a place to take in a good
breath between coughs. Tears begin to swell in his now closed eyes as the
coughing still worsens.

"No no no... It's not like this one," Neelkan explains to the Yellow that
came over to help him look, motioning towards the red and yellow beaded
necklace already around his neck. The one with a silver coin shaped charm
on the end with symbols carved into it. "It's the green 'n purple one." He
kneels down to look under the bed, then glances towards the commotion over
there... Over near Redd's bed... His brow furrows slightly, then he frowns
and straightens, necklace forgotten for the moment as the boy is coughing.
All the hostility drains from his features and he starts over towards the
group, keeping a decent distance back to avoid getting in the way, noticing
Wyn and Espi he mutters a soft, "He's gettin' worse isn't he...?" Light,
for someone who stormed in a minute ago his voice sure softened to the
point of a sad whisper quickly.

The Yellow jerks a bit, eyes widening as she tries to calm Redd down. She
seems at quite a loss over what's causing this and she calls for two other,
whispering to them and sending them off for something to ease the coughing
fit he seems to be having at the moment. Her hands remain on him though,
not doing anything but keeping close eye on what his system is doing at the
moment and she frowns deeply at not understanding why this is happening.
There is no cause for it..is there? They can find very little wrong with
the boy at this time. They can ease the symptoms, but for some reason it
comes back twice as badly before. The Yellow softens somewhat and her
glance over to Neel is all he would need to know that he is correct. She
says nothing else at the moment, but her hands stay on Redd to try to keep
him laying down even as the coughing doubles him over.

Espiria jerks as well, chin dropping as she takes a step back. No..she's
not scared of catching whatever it is, but she does seem to be in shock
about something. First..the rash and now this? She shakes her head a
moment, tne stops to think. If this is bringing a memory from the past,
maybe it's usable? She steps forward again, looking at Redd carefully. She
hears his hacking cough and it tears at her inside. Oh..he's sooo sick. She
frowns slightly, glancing at the hand, hearing the cough again. It's worse
than just a moment before. Something springs into her mind and she says it
without thinking about it. "Phague...It's the Phague...all over again." Her
eyes widen in horror as images roll thru her mind of when this last
happened. The death toll was horrendous. that was before.....before what?
She struggles with that, feeling it nag at the back of her mind. Cure?
There was a cure..wasn't there? Yes...there was. Her face frowns and
flickers as she strains to remember.

Redd continues coughing for a long time. Keep it up and he will pass out...
he finally stops though, exhausted from all the work it caused him to
endure, eyes still half-opened when he opens them again.

Closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, Neelkan's head lowers a
little, his hair falling in front of his face a little. Sigh. Then Espi
starts to speak and his head lifts up, eyes widening a little. He reaches
forward and touches the girl's shoulder. Is he going to have to go fetch
her notebook again..? "Espi?" Not another one of those weird things
again... His eyes trail back to Redd, coughing like that and his eyes look
very sad.

The Yellow darts a glance toward Espi, eyes wide for just a moment as she
hears her speak, but her main concern in the child in her care. She keeps
watching him till he calms and shakes her head as she tries to get him to
drink alittle of what was brought to her. She glances up to everyone,
scowling. "I think that's enough excitement for one night. He needs his
rest badly. I think I will have to ask you to at least not hover. I know
he's your friend.." She glances to Neel and Espi in particular, "But he
needs to sleep now so he can be stronger in the morning." Her eyes say
she's not entirely sure that would be true, but she stays hopeful in her
voice at least. Having said that, she goes back to her tending of him and
ignoring everyone else. Single minded, isn't she?

Espiria gasps just a bit as the hand touches her. It seems to snap her back
to the here and now, though her eyes look over to Neel, they have a
troubled look and one that is just slightly confused about something. She
manages a smile to him, "I'm..fine, Neel. I...I think I need to go do
something really quick." Her eyes stay on him, hoping he will get the hint
that she needs to write something down before she forgets. She glance to
the AS in attendance and to Wynt, bobing a neat curtsey to them both before
she looks one last time at Redd. She's not sure yet, but she may have
something. But..it's hard in coming. It's there, but not quite there just
yet. Soon though..if she can get time to think about it.

Redd looks to Neelkan when he can finally think with a somewhat cloudy mind
instead of fully clouded. "I... am... fine..." The words sound like they
are coming from far away.

With a sigh, Neelkan pulls his hand back and nods his head slightly,
"A'right..." He looks at Redd with a very sad look, then takes a few steps
back, putting his hands on the sash around his waist. Light. He feels so
useless. His expression saddens even more when Redd speaks and... well...
are Neel's eyes getting watery? Hmmm. No. He'll deny it if anyone makes a
comment on it. There's a tap on his shoulder and he spins around, nearly
elbowing the poor Yellow as he does... And she has his necklace. He nods a
thanks and puts it on over his head, then looks back at Redd. Blood 'n
ashes... Grrrrrrr.

Redd watches Espiria leave, saying, "Neel... I... promised... to watch...
her... Help... me..." The words don't sound any better than the last time
he spoke.

Sighing, Neelkan moves forward, shouldering past the yellows to lay a hand
on Redd's, "I know. I know. Ya'll get better 'en we'll watch o'er 'er
together.. I promise." It's the only thing he can offer his friend.
"Light... I wish I could... I wish I could do more... Ya'll get
better,Redd... I know ya will..." Those watery eyes show themselves again.

Redd smiles weakly at Neelkan as he makes those promises, which Redd knows
will come true. His brother made those promises. "Thank... you..." He then
closes his eyes, going off to sleep quickly afterwards.

Squeezing the boy's hand, Neelkan tries to fight back more watery-ness in
his eyes and adds, "'n... 'n 'til ya get better..." He pauses and glances
down at himself, then sighs and grabs onto his longest necklace. The one
with the charm. The one he hadn't lost in here. He pulls it off gently and
moves to put it in the boy's hand. "Hold on t' 'is f'r m'. 'n give it back
t' me when yer better. Kay?"

Redd opens his eyes again, not asleep yet. "I... will..." He smiles weakly,
holding onto the charm as tightly as he can.

Neelkan is just going to squeeze the boy's hand around the necklace and
close his eyes. Light. He's never really lost people before, and he doesn't
plan to let his adopted lil' brother be the first one he's lost!

Redd thinks quietly as best he can. He then slowly moves the hand Neelkan
doesn't have to take something from under the blanket. It is a small charm,
like Neelkan's, only this one has an odd design on it, of a Noble House
Sigil, except Redd doesn't know what it is. "Hold... this... until... I
get... better..." he holds it out toward Neel weakly.

Taking the charm, Neelkan nods. "A'right... I will." He looks down at it,
eyes narrowing slightly, then stuffs it into a pocket in his sash.