It's not a personal slight

Writers: Ang, Chelle
Date Posted: 27th March 2012

Characters: Chupsin, Saynt, K'ilra
Description: Master Saynt stops during his travels to check in on Chupsin
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 6, day 21 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Master Miranek, Zathris, Benani, Keayd, Alivya

Able to get a good look at the Hold and its surroundings as the green
slowly circled down, Saynt was able to see little but white everywhere
after the blizzard that hit a couple of days ago. He was able to pick
out the main hold, the stables, the various craft buildings and of
course the gather square where he would be deposited. He'd been
traveling adragonback so often that he wasn't the least bit afraid
anymore but it wasn't always that way.

As the green lightly touched down, the rider turned to offer help but
Saynt was already unbuckling and climbing down with ease. "Thank you,
K'ilra. Your assistance is much appreciated," he said with his deep
voice, sea-green eyes looked up at the man as he lightly slapped
Kitith on the shoulder. "It was a perfect ride, as usual. Come for
me after dinner?"

The greenrider bent his head and said, "Of course, Master. Enjoy your
visit." That the tone held a large dose of curiosity was not lost on
Saynt but he let it go. The greenrider grinned and waited until the
older man was out of the way before telling his green to launch.

Saynt continued on but shook his head lightly. The reason for his
visit wasn't lost upon the sharp-minded dragonriders but it was none
of their business. This was healercraft business.

Entering the main doors, he stomped his feet to remove the snow on his
boots then looked around. A lovely young woman came to meet him and
took his coat, hat and gloves as she asked what she could do for him.
She couldn't keep the fright from her face as she looked up at the
very tall man but his warm smile set her at ease.

"Fetch Senior Journeyman Chupsin for me, will you? And I could use a
bit of klah after that chilly arrival …"

"Of course, sir …" she said before moving off to find someone to bring
klah and to deliver the message to Chupsin herself.

Currently in the middle of a tooth extraction, Chupsin instead sent an
apprentice to greet the Master and bring him to the infirmary, unless
he wished to wait. He had given the man fellis and the mouth was held
open with a metal contraption. The healer had the tooth firmly in the
forceps. Taking a breath, he yanked and pulled the nasty thing.
Setting it aside, he instructed his assistant to take care of the
man's mouth while he went to wash his hands in redwort.

Following the apprentice to the infirmary, Saynt had time to reflect
upon the situation with Chupsin. That he didn't drop everything to
meet with him was admirable and Saynt couldn't fault him since this
was a surprise visit. Stepping inside, he watched as Chupsin took a
deep breath then pulled without much of a fuss. "Nicely done," he
said as he watched the assistant carefully. It would reflect badly
upon Chupsin if the assistant screwed up.

"Thank you Master," he replied as he finished scrubbing. He dealt with
all manner of disease and infection. While it didn't bother him to
have his hands in someone else's mouth, it did bother him to have
unclean hands after the fact. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of
your presence?"

During his turns at the Hall and then as a travelling journeyman,
Chupsin had made connections with many others that could someday help
him when he was ready to study for his masters' knots. Like a local
boy made good, he had returned home to run the infirmary, albeit at a
major Hold, but he didn't yet know if he intended to stay there
forever, especially if the Lord Holder didn't think him capable.

A single eyebrow rose at Chupsin's attitude. How could he have
forgotten the self-assurance of the man? It had been much too long
since they'd spoken. "I was just traveling through and thought I'd
stop for dinner. As I remember, Zelanka's hired the best cook around
and my mouth's been watering all sevenday," he answered with a warm
smile as he ran a hand through the long strands of his gray hair.
"There's also been … talk … and I wanted to get your thoughts. Is
there somewhere quiet we can have some klah? I'm afraid whoever was
supposed to get me some may have given up the search to deliver it."

"Sure, we can step into my Records Room." The journeyman kept his own
records related to patients, medicinal recipes, and other strange
illnesses that came up. It would be passed down to the next healer who
came. He gave instructions to the newly knotted journeyman that had
walked in for duty, then led Master Saynt into the small, but cozy
room. There was a table and chairs as well as a klah pot for those
nights spent pouring over hides. Fiddling with the pot, he managed to
get it going. He set out two mugs and then took his seat as he waited
for it to brew.

Settling into the chair with a sigh, Saynt looked around the neat,
cozy room with appreciation. It was expected that the senior
journeyman would be this orderly, the man was meticulous about
everything. "How are you, Chupsin?" he asked when the man sat down,
"and don't give me 'fine'. We both know that won't wash." It was more
often than not that a Hold healer ran into unique situations that must
be dealt with delicately. Saynt was more than confident that the man
before him was capable of handling this current situation but the
MasterHealer needed to be sure.

"Well the Lady Holder's pregnancy is going forward as planned. So far,
no real complications except I ordered her to bedrest. She's been
doing as she should." By the tone in the Master's voice, Chupsin knew
that he had heard something. Thinking there was likely only one thing
he could have heard about, he sighed, showing his irritation that he
had never before revealed.

"The Lord Holder is concerned that she survive the labor. It's twins
and a first birthing. I've personally trained her sister to be midwife
to assist and I was planning on handling it when he decided to call in
Master Miranek from Emerald Falls." The look on his face showed that
he was displeased and it was easy to discern why. "Of course I will
bring him to speed since he knows nothing about the patient, her
history, or her current condition except what I've already sent him
under the Lord Holder's request." Effectively, he was doing all the
work then handing it over to the Master to take the glory.

"It is good to hear she is smart enough to listen and follow orders,"
Saynt said with an approved nod. There were so many first-time
mothers who thought they knew what was best. He prepared himself for
Chupsin to continue, the sigh not a good sign at all.

And he was right to prepare, it was what they figured and Saynt
frowned at the implications. It was one thing to have a Master who
dealt with deliveries of all kinds attending, but quite another to
bring him in simply to demoralize your current healer. "Has Lord
Holder Zathris ever usurped your position before?" he asked with keen
interest.

"No. He is only doing so now because it is his wife. If it wasn't, we
wouldn't be having this conversation," he said simply.

Saynt looked down at his boots, considering how to phrase what he was
thinking. At first, he thought it was an act of a disgruntled Lord
Holder trying to make a very good healer leave. But hearing that it
was only a solitary act put things into a different light. "Chupsin,
do you know anything about Master Miranek? I realize how demoralizing
this situation has become but you mustn't think less of yourself
because he's coming in. If you wish, I could speak with him about
coaching you during the delivery instead of taking over himself," he
said as he looked up to the younger man.

It was at that moment that a light brown flit appeared above Saynt's
head and settled on his shoulder. Needles wasn't all that happy about
not being invited but after a short berating, he settled and quietly
looked around. Saynt rolled his eyes at the display and lazily
flipped his hand between the two. "Chupsin, Needles … Needles,
Chupsin."

"Tourniquet is around here somewhere," he answered, feeling his bronze
through the link. There was warmth involved so he supposed the
firelizard was by a fire or a heater. "I've never met Miranek though I
understand he's been at Emerald Falls for sometime. And no, coaching
won't work. Zathris wants him to deliver the babies and I will assist
him." Not that Chupsin wanted a Master there telling him what he was
doing either.

Times like these made him realize more and more that he wanted his
master knots. He wasn't ready just yet to make the commitment,
however. There was too much to do at Amber Hills. "I plan on going
back to the Hall after some turns spent here." Not that it would
surprise anyone that he had such intentions.

"Miranek has a special skill with birthing and children. Having twins
is a risky prospect and it is only to be expected that the Lord Holder
would want the very best. Again, that is no reflection on you. If
she had one baby, I doubt this situation would even be an issue."
Stroking the soft hide of Needles tail, Saynt nodded with a smile.
"That is to be expected and I truly hope that it won't be much longer.
You've done well here, Chupsin. We are all impressed with your
accomplishments and although birthing twins would be a coup, it isn't
what's going to get you your Master knots."

Smelling the rich aroma of the cooking klah, Saynt sniffed loudly and
motioned towards the pot. "May I? I have been riding on a green.
Did you realize that it's colder riding a green than a bronze? Must
be the lack of the big heads," he said with a chuckle.

Chupsin got up and turned the heater down, then reached for the pot
and poured. When he had the two mugs full, he brought them over,
allowing Saynt to sweeten it as he wanted. He himself just liked a
little cream. "It's been some time since I've went riding adragonback
so I confess I've forgotten. Still I suppose there's less body heat
coming off the smaller one. A nice warm dinner will fix it, though,
I'm sure."

"Trust me, I'm very much looking forward to that dinner. I've heard
good things about the cook here," he said as he accepted the mug with
a nod of appreciation and added a bit more cream than Chupsin did.
Saynt was amused at how serious the man was with regards to his
flippant comment about the egos of bronze dragons. "Chupsin, are you
always so serious? Do you ever just let loose once in a while?"

"Well...there is a certain vintner I have an arrangement with. He
provides me with alcohol from time to time and I fix him when he
breaks." Thinking of Keayd and their nights spent in the tavern every
now and again he did present a ghost of a smile that was rare.

Saynt blew on the hot klah as Chupsin spoke of the vintner before he
took a sip. "Does he break often?" he asked with high amusement.

"Well..he has a chronic condition so it helps. I imagine the alcohol
probably helps it as well, considering things." He knew how painful
something like that could be, though not firsthand.

His interest was peaked but he wasn't sure there would be enough time
to get into it. "A chronic condition, hm? Do tell …"

"He has a clubbed foot that he was born with. It causes a limp." Of
course it also caused him injuries from time to time due to balance
and speed issues.

Ahh, Saynt's interest waned completely at the knowledge that it was a
physical impediment. Had it been something to do with an internal
issue, he would have asked to see the man. "Sorry to hear about his
difficulties but I'm happy that you're around to help him ease the
pain. So ... any female companionship to help you let off steam?" he
asked then took another sip of the hot klah.

If he had been any other man he might have choked on his beverage just
then. "You have to marry holder girls," he answered quickly, as if his
unmarried state explained things. Of course, it wasn't exactly a lie,
he just wasn't mentioning the fact that he had inadvertently managed
to ruin one.

Saynt tsked and lowered his mug. "Come now … I'm certain you get out
of this Hold once in a while. There are plenty of women that could
help you. Trust me, that type of activity would help relieve a lot of
stress," he said then looked closer at the younger man. "Unless, of
course, females aren't your type …"

There was no judgment in his tone. If Chupsin was one who enjoyed the
company of men, he had better reconsider getting his Master knots. It
would never be allowed. Saynt thought of his prior relationship with
his wife and couldn't imagine trying to attain his rank without her.
But that was long ago and thoughts of his dead wife often left him
melancholy. Needles caressed his cheek and crooned which brought a
smile to the Master's face. "If you need help in that area, let me
know."

Chupsin was inwardly horrified. While he knew that such things
existed, he was a wellbred holder born healer. He also believed in
legacies, passing on one's seed. Homosexuals could not do this and
therefore, he was of the mind that they were a drain on society except
in the case of dragonriders. "I assure you, I manage just well on my
own. Besides, there are other ways to relieve stress. I've found I'm
decent at making pottery." That brought another thought of Alivya to
mind and he pushed her away to focus again on the Master and the klah.

"As you wish," Saynt said with a nod and another sip of his klah. He
could see the stiffness in Chupsin's shoulders and had forgotten that
he was holdborn ... a good thing to remember when he went for his
knots. "Pottery? Do you have anything here you've made?" he asked as
he looked around the office.

"Ummm some jars and bowls. I can do my own mortars and pestles now."
He wasn't really into fancy decorating so none of them had colored
glazes. He pointed to various brown containers sitting around.
Noticing his klah was empty, he judged the time. "Enough about all
this, though, let's go eat. Unless you had anything else?"

Saynt was impressed. The items weren't works of art but they were
quite serviceable. "Impressive. It's always good to trust in the
items you've made, especially when you're in a hurry," he said as he,
too, noticed that his mug was empty. "My stomach couldn't agree with
you more. No ... no, nothing else. Just remember to have patience,
Chupsin. Observe all around you, don't fight the system, and you'll
see your efforts rewarded. Thank you for the klah."
Standing, he set the mug on the desk then walked with the younger
healer to the hall where the delicious aromas were wafting from. Saynt
was a happy Master indeed.

Last updated on the March 30th 2012

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It's not a personal slight