Working Wonders

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 10th May 2012

Characters: Vandor, Cyradis
Description: The goldrider has a stress induced reaction
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 18 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik

Vandor

Cyradis

Vandor washed his hands thoroughly then dried them on a towel. His
shift was almost over and afterward he could eat and then relax for the
rest of the evening. At least, he could have had a drudge not come up
to him as he was heading out into the waiting room.

"Sir...goldrider Cyradis requested a healer." The drudge glanced back
to the door.

"Is she ill?" Surely Cyradis would actually come to the infirmary if it
was particularly bad.

"She's complaining about a bad headache. Light sensitive and the like."

Vandor nodded and rubbed his chin. Headaches could be caused by any
number of things - and until he determined what, it would be difficult
to treat her. "All right. Let's go then."

The healer always took a bag with some basic items with him and when his
shift was over, it remained with him in case he was called after hours,
so at this point, he was ready to simply go and try to help with the
problem. The drudge nodded, turned and led the healer through the
halls, then to the goldrider's quarters.

"Goldrider Cyradis." Vandor called gently before he actually stepped
inside.

She'd made things as dark as she could before laying down to try and
deal with the headache. But finally it had just been too much and when
she heard the drudge clearing the dinner she hadn't been able to eat
she had asked for the healer. So when she heard the voice she
responded. "In here."

Vandor instructed the drudge to wait. After all, he might need
something and would send the young man to get it. Still, the drudge had
given him an idea of the problem so hopefully he already had what he
needed. "It's Vandor, Journeyman healer." He closed the door gently
behind him and let his eyes adjust before moving in further. "I
understand you've got a bad headache?"

"Yes," she said softly. "This sometimes happens. I'm sorry to bother you
but the light hurts."

"That's fine, I understand." Vandor carefully moved over to where she
lay. "Mind if I sit beside you?"

She patted the side of the bed with her fingers. "Go ahead."

Vandor sat down on the bed and pulled his bag onto his lap. "Where is
the pain most concentrated? When did it start? And how long do these
headaches normally last?"

Her hand rose to cover her right eye. "Here," she said. "Usually if I
can catch it in time just laying down in the dark for a bit will keep
it from getting too bad." She answered the first part of his question
but wasn't certain she wanted to give the full answer to the rest of
it. "It started just after dinner." She didn't add anything about her
meeting with the Weyrleader though anyone in the Weyr would have heard
Panitath on the heights.

"Did something trigger it? Headaches like this tend to have triggers.
Allergies to something, stress, emotional trauma." Vandor ran his
fingers gently over the area indicated. There was no swelling, a good
thing, and he honestly hadn't expected to find anything, but it was his
job to cover ever possibility.

"Stress," she said softly. She understood his need to ask all the
questions but she just wanted the medication to knock her out for the
night. Tomorrow she'd be all better and she vowed she wouldn't let
N'vanik make her so mad the next time.

Vandor's hands began to move down and he nodded. "I suspected as much."
But having the patient tell him, that was important. His hands moved
down to her neck. She was very, very tight, which would
definitely contribute. "Please turn over for me."

She didn't want to make the effort but rolled over on the wide bed and
turned her head to the side. "Like this?"

"That's fine." It would have been better if she was face down, but it
wasn't the best place to have her do that. Vandor slid his hands over
her shoulders, then to her neck. His fingers began to work at her skin,
noting the knots and gently kneading them. "There will be a little pain
associated with this, but after that passes, you'll feel better." Even
as gentle as he could, knots weren't necessarily
pleasant to work out.

She tried not to groan as he worked but she couldn't help the intake of
air on occasion. She knew in the end she'd feel much better. His fingers
seemed to find and push on every single place that hurt in her neck and
shoulders. "Shardit," she said softly when he hit a
particularly difficult spot.

That was definitely a tough spot. "It's going to hurt." Vandor
certainly wasn't going to lie to her! "But only at first. Let me work
at this and it will feel better. I promise."

Cyradis turned her forehead into the bed. "I'll take you at your
word," she said in a muffled voice.

She would see. Vandor continued working on her neck and shoulders and
even lower down her back. "You've definitely got some things going on.
I might suggest doing this more often. It will help with your stress."
And he knew that she was in a very stressful situation. "I also have
some other things that will help."

She really was beginning to notice a difference and though he was
working on a spot that really hurt some of the other placed he'd
touched were now relaxed. "I'd love to hear about them," she said as his
fingers worked wonders, even if it was a painful process.

"Essential oils for one. They have marvelous properties. I'll leave
some with you. You can add them to your tea, or I suggest putting them
on your wrists, neck, or feet. Let your body absorb them, it will help
you relax. There's a blend I make specifically."

"I'm willing to try anything you suggest, Healer," she said fervently.
While she'd wanted to curse him moments before he'd proven he knew what
he was doing as her pain ebbed away.

"I brought some with me." Because Vandor had his suspicions when he had
been told why the goldrider needed him. He worked on the last knot,
then eased his hands over his back one last time. "Better?"

"Much," she replied not wanting to move. "Thank you Vandor."

She certainly seemed a lot more relax than when he first arrived. "I'll
leave the bottle on your sideboard." Vandor patted her shoulder gently,
then stood up. "And I'll have some tea sent over. It won't be enough
to make you sleep, but some of the herbs can help relax your muscles
when you're feeling particularly tense."

"Thank you Vandor," she said turning her head again so could see him.
She hadn't felt this relaxed in some time. "You could make some marks
doing this kind of thing you know." She chuckled. "I'm certain I'll
appreciate the tea. Now, I don't want to move, just lay here and drift
off to sleep."

Last updated on the May 15th 2012

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