A slip from the knife

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 26th February 2009

Characters: M'galec, U'das
Description: M'galec tends to U'das' injured hand.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 14 of Turn 5

"Really? A man your age? You would have though you would have known
better," the healer said with a shake of his head.

"Yeah, so would I," U'das grumbled and winced.

M'galec shook his head again. "Fishing, you say?"

"Yes, I do that a lot. I've done it since I was old enough to hold a
pole. You would think I would have learned how to gut a fish by now
without trying to cut off my fingers too," the bronzerider said with
self irony. The wound was not big, just about a inch in lenght, but it
was dirty and located at the base of the middle finger, on palm side.

"Well, first thing I will need to do is clean it. Considering the
location, it will need to be stiched up." He motioned to an apprentice
to bring over the bowl of redwort. "Were you down on the beach or up
the river?"

"Up in the river," U'das replied. He stared his palm. Perhaps he
should start wearing his reading glasses outside his office too.

M'galec began washing out the wound with the disinfecting redwort. "The
fishing is good there, I take it?"

"It's great. I got ten big ones. I let the little ones back to the
water to grow some more," U'das replied with obvious euthiasm.

"That sounds nice," M'galec muttered, obviously preoccupied. "Tweezers,
please." An apprentice brought him the small instrument and a small
metal depositary bowl. "You have some sand or grit in your would that I
will have to pick out by hand. Please try to keep your hand still."

"All right," U'das said and steeled himself for the discomfort.

"So do you eat all the fish that you catch?" The healer knew that
taking a person's mind off of what he was doing tended to keep them
calm.

"Not all of them. Sometimes I just give them to kitchen staff," U'das
replied.

"I tend to prefer deep sea fish myself." M'galec squinted as he peered
into the cut. It looked as though he had managed to pull out the worst
of it. "There. Now, do you mind if this apprentice here observes while
I stitch you up?"

"Not at all. I like both," U'das said.

The healer motioned the young woman over to watch his work. First he
applied numbweed in and around the wound. "You were a crafter, as I
recall."

"Yes, a seacrafter," U'das replied.

"That was it," M'galec nodded, remembering their previous conversation
as he gently picked the bronzerider's hand with the needle to check that
it was numb. "I seem to remember hearing that your neice was one of my
weyrlings."

"That would be Uetia," U'das grinned.

"Height runs in your family obviously." The healer demonstrated for the
apprentice how to thread the needle.

"Yeah," U'das grunted. Funny how a small needle could make a big man
nervous.

"You must have been proud when she was chosen for the Weyrleader's
Wing." Luckily the little needle could not be felt by the bronzerider
behind some gentle pressure and tugging, his hand was so numb.

"I was. She's a good girl," U'das agreed.

M'galec paused long enough to explain a point to the apprentice before
continuing their conversation. "She was an enjoyable weyrling," much
better than some he had been stuck with. "So you are close then?"

U'das shrugged. "I promised her father to look after her," he only said.

"You have no children of your own yet?"

U'das snorted. "I have four or more. And bunch of grand children too.
But they doesn't live here where I could fuss over them."

"That is too bad. I have always wondered if I might have left a child
from a Flight somewhere. Though, if I have not heard from them by now,
the chances are I never will." He inspected the stitches one more time
and nodded his satisfaction.

"The women usually let you know before the baby is born," U'das said.

"Well, that is comforting," the healer smiled. "And now we just need to
bandage your hand and you will be done for the day. Though I would
request that you not gut fish until after the stitches have come off."

"Sure," U'das agreed. He wasn't one to disobey healer's orders.

"If you do not mind, I think I will leave that to my apprentice to do
while I fetch you some tea to fight off infection. I will meet you by
the herbalist, it should not take but a minute." M'galec left U'das in
the apprentice's capable hands while he filled the bronzerider's
prescription.

"Go ahead," U'das said. He looked over the apprentice. Shards, they
looked younger and younger every turn. Or maybe he was just getting
old.

Last updated on the February 28th 2009

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A slip from the knife