Into the Dark World

Writers: Heather
Date Posted: 5th September 2019

Characters: T'kev, R'axe, Melandra
Description: R'axe is finally removed from the infirmary and T'kev has been assigned as his helper.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 3 of Turn 9

T'kev

R'axe

"I can't do this," T'kev muttered to the journeywoman healer as he took a step backward.

"T'kev," Melandra tittered, reaching out to snag his sleeve and hold him in place. "Master Jadirah has assigned you to assist R'axe. He has been in the infirmary for a month and they have finally set up his ground level weyr so that he can move into it. He is going to need assistance getting there, and getting familiar with the layout."

"But why me? I can't do this. I can barely even keep my hands from trembling," he said, shoving the offending appendages into his pockets.

Melandra's brows lowered. "I've read your file, you know."

T'kev's eyebrows shot up near his hairline. "You have?"

"Yes, it says you were working with the visually impaired before you quit the infirmary."

"That was a long time ago," T'kev said, remembering how his ambition had been to reach the status of Master and specialize in working with vision.

"He needs you. Put yourself in his shoes. He's a dragonrider who lost his eyes to Threadfall. He is in a world of darkness. Nothing is familiar for him anymore. Not eating, or dressing himself, walking has been a challenge because when he tries he gets overwhelmed with vertigo. Help him, T'kev." Melandra said, and before the bluerider could make any more excuses she gave him a shove toward the door.

T'kev rubbed his hands together, to hide the trembling signs of withdrawal, as he walked to the small room where R'axe had been staying while he healed and while they had prepared his new living arrangements. Knocking on the door, T'kev pushed it open and frowned for a moment at the darkness that greeted him.

"R'axe?" he asked, flicking the light switch on.

"Yes?" The bluerider turned his head toward the sound.

"Why are you sitting here in the dark?" T'kev asked in confusion.

R'axe's brow, what could be seen of it above the sash he wore around his face, where his eyes should have been, furrowed as he tilted his head. "Is that a joke?"

T'kev winced when he realized the stupidity of what he had said. "No, it's just a washed up healer not using his brain."

"I'm in good hands, then," R'axe's voice dripped sarcasm.

T'kev could not believe the difference in R'axe's appearance. He remembered the lively bluerider's handsomely grinning face, the shine of his blue eyes, the light tan he wore on his skin, even in winter at Dragonsfall. None of that was present. He knew that R'axe couldn't see the silk sash that was tied around the ruined remains, where bandages were still wrapped, so it must have been picked out to make him feel less self-conscious about his appearance. T'kev had heard from Jadirah that the scoring in the eye sockets had been nearly fatal. If it had gone much further, there would have been no saving R'axe at all.

"Are you going to tell me your name?" R'axe asked after the awkwardly long silence. "Or are you just going to stand there and stare at me?" Which R'axe could only assume was the reason for the silence.

**Dammit, T'kev, get it together,** the healer told himself.

"It's T'kev." They had never really run in the same circles, but had at least been on a first name basis.

"Ah, I didn't recognize your voice," R'axe said in explanation.

"Well, it's not slurred right now, so that's probably why," T'kev said.

R'axe snorted. "I've been waiting for you for... I don't know how long." He still had not figured out a way to keep time while he was in the dark. "Melandra dressed me," he said sourly.

T'kev felt a bit guilty, knowing how he had stalled.

"Does it at least look decent?" R'axe asked, gesturing toward his clothing.

"Yes," T'kev said, "it looks like they retrieved clothes from your weyr."

"Good," R'axe said with a bit of relief.

"Are you ready to go to your new place then?" T'kev asked.

"Not really, but what choice do I have," he sighed.

T'kev understood. Going to a new weyr would be a whole new world for R'axe to learn and memorize, without the benefit of his eyes. In the past, T'kev had suggested his patients remain in the weyr that they were familiar with, but it wasn't possible with the upper level cliff weyr R'axe had been in. The danger of him falling was too great a risk to take, and now other healers and support could reach him easily on the ground.

"Let's go then. As we walk I'll show you how to count." T'kev said.

R'axe sounded puzzled as he asked, "Count?"

T'kev went over to the man's bedside, where he was sitting ramrod straight, and took his elbow. "That's right. Counting will help you keep track of where you are at all times. Think of it like a game. There will be a certain number of steps from here to your new weyr. I'll help you identify landmarks that you can touch along the way. Over time you'll memorize the steps to those landmarks and you'll be able to keep track of where you are when you're walking to and from the infirmary."

That sounded complicated and R'axe already had a headache thinking about it, although that could have been from the general pounding in his head that he'd had ever since he'd woken up missing his eyes.

"Let's go," T'kev said, sounding a little more confident as he helped R'axe to his feet.

The world of darkness around him seemed to tilt, leaving his equilibrium struggling for balance as he grabbed T'kev's arm.

"Easy there," T'kev said to steady him. "Think about the soles of your feet. Focus on how solid the ground feels underneath you."

R'axe swallowed and did as the other bluerider suggested, and as he did, he felt the moment of nausea and disorientation pass. "Oh, that's better," he said with a deep exhale.

The corners of T'kev's mouth twitched upward. "Good. Now, the door is to your left and we're going to take about three steps to get there...."

It was slow go and by the time they reached the new ground level weyr, R'axe was drenched with sweat and his head was throbbing painfully. There was no way he could do that trip on his own, he thought.

T'kev's thoughts were not dissimilar to R'axe's, except he was thinking that he could really use a drink of alcohol. "Okay," he said as they entered the weyr. "We're in the main room of your weyr. There's a couch to your right, there are no tables in here right now and no rugs, so you don't have to worry about tripping."

"Okay," R'axe said, trying to visualize what T'kev was saying.

"We walked in through Jayth's weyrcouch, it's now behind us. That means if Jayth is in his couch, you would have to walk through him, or by him, to get out, so that should help you keep from accidentally going outside."

That was at least some relief, R'axe thought. He secretly worried about wondering out and not being able to find where he was.

}:I would never lose you. I can always find you.:{ Jayth reassured his rider.

"Jayth can probably even see in-"

R'axe gasped as his dragon sent him a mental picture of himself and T'kev standing in the weyr together.

T'kev glanced sideways at R'axe, whose mouth had gotten slightly lax. "I take it he's showing you the weyr."

"Yes," R'axe breathed, "he can see in, just as far as we are standing."

"Good, now you at least know the layout of the living area. Come on, I'll show you the bedroom and everything else...."

It was past lunch time before T'kev had walked R'axe through everything in the small weyr. Even though the area wasn't large, there were many things to show R'axe in order to minimize hazards and hopefully prevent any accidents.

"Is there anything you need before I leave?" T'kev asked once R'axe was settled and seated on the bed, where he had requested.

"No, my head is splitting and I just want to lay down." R'axe said.

"Okay, well, another healer will be by to check on you in a couple of hours. If you need anything just have Jayth send a message to Jeminath."

R'axe nodded without comment, knowing that he would not be sending a message to anyone. All he wanted was to be left alone to lick his wounds away from the rest of the Weyr.

T'kev took a step backward, thinking how dejected R'axe looked sitting with his shoulders slumped on the bed. He still wasn't sure why Jadirah had assigned him to do this, he didn't know if he could even quit drinking for any length of time, let alone help someone in R'axe's condition.

Listening to the other bluerider's footsteps fade, R'axe released a pent up sigh when Jayth informed him that they were alone. Finally. Curling onto his side, not even bothering to remove his boots, R'axe cried. Well, the best way he could. There were no tears to fall, not with the tear ducts gone, but his shoulders shook, and his face contorted with the sobs that he had not shed while he stayed in the infirmary.

}:Shhhh,:{ Jayth soothed, doing his best to look into the weyr but unable to see beyond the main room. }:We are together.:{ The blue dragon repeated the words until his rider fell into a fitful sleep.

Last updated on the September 23rd 2019

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Into the Dark World