12/19/2000

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.


Laying back on one of the beds, Neelkan is at least spared the embarassment
of wearing infirmary robes this time, and is still in clothing that he
would actually be caught alive in. He's humming softly under his breath,
obviously trying to pass the time until he can get out of here. The only
visable mark of what happened to him is a remaining bruise on his chin. The
rest is either healed, or covered.

Denn'ryiel enters carrying a basket of the herbs that she has managed to
coax out of the Tower's gardens, now that the cold has released its grip on
them. Like usual after such a chore, she's dirtcovered and oblivious to it.
She does look more serious than usual though, and after setting the basket
down takes a moment to locate the Proven. "I just heard something
happened," she says, walking towards him.

The humming cuts off almost immediately, and Neelkan offers a smile,
nodding towards a seat near his bed before he says, "Ah, it's nothin' t'
worry 'bout, honest." His smile is a little more lipsided them usual,
heavier on the left side, and now that she's close enough it's probably
noticable to an extent that his right cheek is swollen a little as well.
"I'll be outta 'ere soon as Vorsha shows t' check m' out. She made m'
promise I wouldn't leave 'til she did." What? Is he unreliable?

Denn'ryiel nods her head, though her eyes wince slightly as she notices the
swelling. "I thought you hated it up here... why do you keep coming back?"
she asks, trying to break her mood with an amused smile. "Do they serve
better food up here or something?" She looks around for a food tray,
feigning ignorance. She knows how bland the food is; she's served it often
enough.

This earns a light chuckle. "Oh, I dunno. Maybe I just like people worryin'
'bout m'." Neelkan winks a little, then grows a tad more serious and says,
"I don't mean t' get put in 'ere, really. It was just a trainin' spar 'at
got a lil' carried 'way. I wouldn't've come 'ere if 'ey hadn't made m'."

Denn'ryiel takes a seat on one of the chairs set near the cot, and settles
herself in before looking back up. "Carried away? What happened?" she asks
curiously. "I mean, what should I look for to make certain it doesn't
happen when I'm around?" She looks pretty serious about this.

Neelkan shifts around in the bed a few moments and doesn't seem to be on
the fast track to answering that question. After a decent enough pause, he
mumbles, "I just wasn't as good as the other guy. It happens." He just
isn't /used/ to it happening. He hasn't had someone that much better then
him to fight in years. Unless one counts Tet, which he didn't remotely
think he could win anyway, since the guy could channel.

A look of incomprehension appears on Denn's face, before realization dawns
on her. "Oh..." she says, looking away slightly. That perhaps is one
problem the White has never had to worry about. How can one get upset when
/everyone/ is better than you. "Has this ever happened with any Warders
that have trained with you?"

"No. I think 'ey at least hold back some, 'is guy isn't e'en a Warder. He's
a Proven, like m'." Neelkan runs a hand through his hair, before shrugging
lightly to add, "I bet I could beat 'im at swords, but I don't wanna go
near 'at guy without a weapon 'gain." For Wyn, Neel's laying proped up on a
bed off to the side, with a visable bruise on his chin and his cheek a
little swollen, as well as she might notice his earrings have been removed,
though he's in all his own clothes besides.

Denn'ryiel shakes her head with a small smile now. "Are you sure he isn't
better with a sword as well? But another Proven, you would have known him
from before... did he get promoted quickly, or was he Proven when you were
promoted?" she asks curiously.

One wearing the Stole of the Amyrlin makes her way into the infirmary.
Wyntere glances over the charts and her eyes seem to show that she's in
thought. Goodness, a male channeler in the city the night before. Not
mentioning there is still one inthe dungeon. And then with everything else,
it's amazing the yellows haven't put her in here yet. She spots Neelkan
there and her brow furrows. What else has been going on? Moving over to the
bed, she nods to Denn and Neel. "Peace favor you both."

"He got raised immediately t' Proven on joinin', prolly 'cause he's 'at
good." Neelkan mutters, then shakes his head, "He isn't 'at good with a
sword. I walked in on 'im practicin' forms. He's not 'at good. Though I'd
have t' watch out f'r his legs." The guy can certainly kick, as his chin
can inform a person. But at the entrance of Wyn, the red haired trainee
pushes himself up a little bit more, grimacing slightly before he says,
"'ey, Wyn! What brings ya up 'ere?"

Denn'ryiel turns her head at the new voice, and a surprised smile replaces
her expression. "Peace favor you M- Asha'Toh," she says, lowering her head
respectfully. Hard to curtsey when you're sitting down. She opens her mouth
to duplicate Neelkan's question, but snaps it shut as the trainee gets it
out before her.

Wyntere laughs at the greeting. "I heard something about a beat up proven
channeling in the practice yard. Seems the story goes that the beat up
proven was upset and then channeled himself faster than a fade. Then
somehow clobbered the other guy." She shrugs. "Sounded a bit fishy if you
ask me. And if that guy knows a weave like that, I'd like to learn it." She
pulls up a chair and then takes a seat. "You know, my first thought was...
Neelkan. So, here I am. I can leave if you want me too." She motions
towards the door.

Flinching a little bit at what Wyntere says, Neelkan quickly recovers and
shakes his head, "No, no, ya can stay. It's... not what 'ey all thought. It
was an accident." .. Uh. That doesn't sound any better, and he seems to
realize that and grimaces again, "It wasn't channelin', it... was m'
earrings." He pauses, then looks up at the Asha'Toh, "Yer not gonna take
'em fom m', are ya? I really didn't mean t'! 'n he wasn't hurt, he was just
fine. He actually was able t' dodge... mostly."

The poor White is lost, however. "Channeling? Neelkan, you didn't mention
that. Your opponant channeled in your match?" she asks bewilderly, before
Neelkan explains. She looks quite surprised about the earrings, allowing
her eyes to grow wider. "I've never heard of such ter'angreal..." she
mumbles to herself.

Wyntere looks at the two of you with a grin on her face. "I know it wasn't
you channeling, Neelkan. And no, I won't take the earrings away." Then her
eyes start that twinkle of a long lost Mistress. "That is if you dress up
all fancy for me one day." Can I get away with this? Well, that's what Wynt
is thinking. Then she looks to Denn, "We had a Male Channeler in the city
last night. But if it wasn't for him being where he was, we would have lost
a novice. I haven't decided what to do with him yet. He's here in the tower
waiting and being most helpful with things." Wyntere shrugs to that. Yes,
that's where her thoughts are. "I know for sure he follows the light."

At the condition, Neelkan's bruised jaw drops and he sputters in protest.
That is so unfair. But by the time she tells about the male channeler, he's
gotten settled down and seems to have accepted it. So /that's/ what all the
commotion was about yesterday. He stays silent, content to just look a
little grumpy at the condition he was given.

Denn'ryiel shakes her head slightly with a frown. "Follows the Light now,
perhaps, but who knows when voices in his head will tell him the Light
wants him to destroy a building, or town." No, Denn isn't usually like
this, so something must be eating at her. "Still, I'm glad the novice was
saved. What happened to threaten her?" And the unspoken followup, what did
he do to save her?

Wyntere glances at the both and nods. "Kyleigh was in the grove when
another female channeler showed up. She was weaving things that would get
some killed faster than anything in this tower. The lad allowed Kyle to
link with him therefore having her power match this other lady's power.
Kept Kyleigh alive until I got there. And the novice caught her first male
channeler." Wyntere isn't unhappy about it at all. "The lad hasn't
channeled since and I'm keeping an eye on him. He remains on tower grounds.
Either because he's afraid that we will execute him or for safety from
whatever drove him to Tar valon in the first place. I'm not going to allow
him to be executed at the trial. He helped save Kyleigh's life and
therefore deserves his." Yes, the thought of gentling him is still on her
mind. She can't find a way around it and curses the taint upon men
everytime.

Watching Wyntere and Denn'ryiel speak about the male channeler, Neelkan
just watches in silence for a while, lightly thumbing the bruise on his
chin as he does. But after a pause, he finally adds to the conversation,
"Ya know, it'd prolly b' best t' keep 'im outta sight, 'n e'en underguard.
Not 'at I think he's gonna hurt anyone, 'r nothin' but 'cause I doubt all
the Sisters 'r gonna like 'im bein' 'ere. Someone might take it int' 'ere
own hands t' get rid of 'im."

Denn'ryiel nods her head with Neelkan's analysis, even if she doesn't think
it will go that far. "How many Sisters are currently Shielding him?" she
asks curiously. She stifles a yawn at the same time, as drowsiness abruptly
assails her.

Wyntere glances between the both of them. "None. I'm not worried about it.
I know it sounds odd and I know things are risky. But this lad isn't going
to channel on fear of his death." then she looks to Neelkan, "And why
should I lock up someone who saved a novice? What kind of thanks is that?"

Shaking his head, Neelkan looks away and grumbles, "It isn't a thanks. It's
a fact. Not e'eryone is gonna like the thought of 'im unguarded, 'n
unshielded, 'n if the guy gets threatened, he's prolly gonna end up havin'
t' channel t' protect 'imself, 'n 'en where'll he be? Trust m', 'n I
thought 'at I might be channelin' I thought 'bout it a lot, 'n all it takes
is some trainee wantin' t' make a name f'r 'imself b' stabbin' a male
channeler in the back."

Wyntere looks to Neelkan. "Neelkan, listen to me. Trust me in this. I have
a weave on him myself. He can't channel without me being on top of him. And
he won't like it if he breaks my trust in him. Yes, perhaps I should have
him locked away and gaurded. But this guy has basically walked himself in
here of he own freewill. It's not fair to lock him up." Then she sighs,
"Look, last time I locked up someone that person escaped. I'd rather not go
through that again. Just trust me. I don't think this guy is going to go
far from where I tell him. He's in a guest room with a tower gaurd
stationed with him." She takes a deep breath and then stands up. "Look,
Neelkan, you don't have to dress up. I was just seeing what reaction I'd
get. just be careful with the earrings. I'll see you later." Now she needs
to rethink things. SInce her judgement is being questioned. Yes, kaomi
might lock him away, but she knows that the lad won't pee without asking
her first.

It's not the lad that Neelkan is concerned about... But he doesn't say
anything more on the subject, just nodding and reaching to pick his
earrings up off the table nearby and finger them. "I'll see ya later, Wyn."

Wyntere turns and looks to Neelkan and nods. "I'll see ya later, Neel. If
ya want, perhaps you can drop by sometime. I wouldn't mind the company. It
gets lonesome up in the office." Yes, she wishes she had freedom to show
grace and prank and laugh again. She hates this job, but she wouldn't let
anyone else have it in fear that Kaomi would not get it back.

"A'right." Neelkan says with a smile, though it is lopsided, favoring the
non-swollen side.