Like Trying To Stop A Runaway Herdbeast
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Jane, Kastaka
Date Posted: 27th April 2008
Characters: Ylisahn, Vasha
Description: Ylisahn gets covered in numbweed by a certain daydreaming apprentice
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 26 of Turn 4
"Vasha -" Ylisahn got no further in speaking to the young Candidate and apprentice dragonhealer, whose pleasant daydream of dragons shining in the sun was rudely interrupted by her inevitable collision with the Headwoman.
Two jars of redwort went out to the sides and smashed convincingly against the rocky walls, their contents flowing down onto the floor and probably making it cleaner, if slightly odd-smelling. The jar of numbweed tipped forwards and liberally coated itself over the front of the Headwoman's clothing, and began to pool unpleasently at her feet, although the actual jar somehow escaped undamaged. And then there was a large pile of cloth, the kind you mend wingsails with, which wriggled uncomfortably and then parted in the middle to reveal Vasha's head, looking fantastically embarrassed but also kind of hopeful and cute.
"I'm going numb," the Headwoman said with resignation for she had dealt with the youngster before. "Whose idea was it for you to apprentice with the dragonhealers?"
"Argh sorry let me get that off you," panicked Vasha all in a rush, gathering up some cloth and ineffectually attempting to scrape the numbweed spill off the Headwoman, helpfully making things worse by ensuring it continued to soak deeper in.
"No, no -" Ylisahn tried to fend the girl off but it was like trying to stop a runaway herdbeast. "Vasha. You're really not helping."
Vasha snatched her hands back as if the Headwoman had suddenly become burning hot, and clasped them behind her back, looking extremely guilty and contrite. She looked up at the Headwoman nervously and stood stock still, waiting for further instructions.
"Are your hands numb," Ylisahn asked with regrettable hopefulness in her tone.
"Going that way," admitted Vasha ruefully, discretely trying to wipe them off on the back of her shirt and succeeding only in rubbing in the numbweed more thoroughly.
"I think first we need to wash your hands, though it's going to take time for the numbness to ease." The Headwoman looked down at her own stained skirt and thought that numb legs were quite the problem numbed hands were. "And then I can find somebody to clean this up. Come into the kitchens, Vasha."
Head hung low in what she hoped was a properly contrite expression, hoping that not too many people would see her like this, Vasha trailed after the Headwoman, glancing worriedly back at the shattered remains of the redwort jars and the slippery patch of numbweed on the ground just past the pile of cloth when she thought Ylisahn was distracted.
"Vasha? Are you dawdling?"
"No, ma'am!" replied Vasha in a slight parody of over-politeness, scuttling forwards to enter the kitchens just ahead of the Headwoman, gesturing expansively as if she would be opening the door for the Headwoman if there was a door and she wasn't likely to botch the operation due to having her hands covered in numbweed.
"Just use that sink over there and scrub your hands clean," Ylisahn said, eyeing the apprentice dragonhealer with suspicion.
Vasha made a spirited attempt to comply with the Headwoman's instructions, fumbling around with clumsy fingers and making almost as much of a puddle as washing a young and over-enthusiastic fire-lizard might.
"Did you tell me who thought you would make a good dragonhealer apprentice?" Ylisahn asked, watching the mess.
"I do make a good dragonhealer apprentice," protested Vasha, "most of the time. And everyone's always telling me I have a lot to learn, so maybe I do!" She looked at the puddle dolefully. "Maybe I should get a mop," she suggested, rather less defensively.
"Maybe you should rub your hands with oil and pick up what's salvageable and carry on whereever you were supposed to be going.
I'll have somebody clean up after you."
"Oh, you will?" asked Vasha excitedly, cheering right up. "Thank you so much!" she beamed, as she looked around for some oil to obey the Headwoman's instructions with.
"On that shelf - no. Wait. I'll get it down for you," the Headwoman said, hurrying to do just that. "Now, away you go and _be_careful_
Vasha."
"Sure I will, ma'am," replied Vasha, heading off to get numbweed-scented oil all over the big pile of wingsail cloth on her way to its destination, leaving the wreckage of the pots behind her.
Last updated on the May 1st 2008