Things you shouldn't have to do

Writers: Chelle, Cymiri
Date Posted: 19th October 2012

Characters: Chupsin, Daimhin
Description: Chupsin leads Daimhin to Alivya's body.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 13 of Turn 6
Notes: Follows Not Simply Done

Seeing the guard for the first time, the healer waved his hand to flag him down. He looked only slightly confused, but there was an air of anger and disappointment about him. He was weary from working all afternoon and all night but instead of sleep against his warm wife in his bed, he had been greeted with something entirely different. "Daimhin, I need you to handle this."

Daimhin had slowed the second the healer's wave impinged...but a look at his face got the man's full attention. Calmly, he asked, "Chupsin...what is it? And what do you need me to handle?" Unusual for the healers to come courting the guards, unless a patient was very unruly. Usually the other way around.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew people might suspect him, so he had to handle this by-the-book. He couldn't have folks thinking their healer had killed his own wife or he'd be out of a job and ruined. "My quarters, please." Not saying anything else in the event they might be overhead, he led the man there and stood outside the door. He gestured for Daimhin to enter and have a look around.

Daimhin's eyes narrowed slightly at the airy command- but those quick eyes didn't miss little tells either. This was not the Chupsin he knew, neat and perpetually put together. Little disarrays, tiny things out of place, suggested he'd put himself back together rather than
been collected to start with.

The rooms, too, when he preceded the healer, had a look to them that just resounded wrongly in the man's spirit. In the back of his mind he ticked off through the usual routine. Not a burglary- too neat for that for all the feel of wrongness. A more limited theft? Chupsin was disarrayed enough for it to be some vital something, but he doubted it- the man had gestured him here. All the while turning these thoughts and others over, mind trained to calm in the face of chaos, he prowled- and found what it was the healer couldn't bring himself to say.

The sadness he felt as he surveyed the young woman's body didn't effect the guard's face, ever professional, studiously calm, but it showed in expressive eyes suddenly dark, in the slight downturn to his mobile mouth. Death. So wasteful. Wasteful when it was old men, tired aunties. Young women...young mothers, babes... for his eyes and mind didn't miss the obvious either? Cruel.

He knelt, automatically feeling for the woman's pulse, but he knew it was futile. Could hardly have missed bluing lips, certainly didn't consider the healer had failed to do it himself. It was mere habit, ingrained. Necessary, too, for reports and words and clinical methodology that had nothing to do with feeling and empathy.

Inexplicable instinct made him gently fold the woman's hands to her chest, resting on the bump of the child who'd never see its first day before it had seen its last. He'd seen enough of the awkward sprawl to know what he had to to proceed. Let her rest a little more peacefully, for
all the good it would do her.

"Chupsin?" he said simply, glancing up.

"I...I'm just going to grab some things and sleep in my infirmary cot. I'll touch nothing else. You'll need to tell Karhal and maybe the Lord Holder. You all can do whatever you need to in here and just...let me know when I can..." His face was rigid but he avoided looking directly into Daimhin's eyes. "I'll just need to grab my things." And with that, he headed into the bedchamber and quickly began to pack a bag, not looking in the direction of the kitchen at all.

"Chupsin!'

This time it was a command. A gentle one...he understood... but it was also a clear one. He waited to continue until he had the man back and was fairly sure he had the man's attention. What he was going to get of it, at least.

"Chupsin..."

He said, much more softly.

"...it's not going to happen like that. I'm sorry. I do understand. But this...this is not your craft and your world. You don't have to-or get to- be in charge..."

He rose, leaning a hand on the counter.

"I understand... I certainly understand why you don't want to face this. I am not going to ask you to do more than you have to. But you can't do that. You were here. I haven't come to the infirmary to tell you of this. You found her. And she is...gone. Even if I could let you run out now...which I can't...have a care to the look of it."

Daimhin swallowed. Neither alternative that faced him was particularly pleasant for him either. He honestly didn't want to lecture to the man here, the body a scant few paces behind, but the man was acting erratic.

"I do not want to keep you here Chupsin, not in this room right now, but I do not want to walk you to an office or a room or anywhere either- as I probably should. I do not want to ask you the questions that have to come eventually right now and first, as though they are yours alone to answer because I know you and I honestly don't believe you can answer them. And I don't want to when wagging tongues can piece timings together. Not when people are as unkind as they can be.
But you will*not* stroll out here as though you are controlled and put together either. Because of that timing and those unkind thoughts and because I cannot do my job properly and allow it even knowing you. So I *will* take you to the infirmary instead. And I will hand you to one of your peers. And you *will* put yourself in their care, even though they are not you and you don't answer to them. And *I* will bring you that bag when I do come to ask you those questions. And for Faranth's sake, Chupsin, just let yourself *go*. Allow yourself to feel."

On that quiet note, he crossed to the other, cupping a gentle hand to his elbow.

"But first...is there *anything* you need to tell me? Do you know anything? Did you suspect anything?"

If he allowed himself the luxury of feeling just then, he would not be able to do anything else. His brain was already trying to shut down, to ignore what needed to be done to safeguard his future at the Hold and elsewhere. Chupsin was ruthless when it came to his career, though, and that was the only thing holding him together. Now, with Alivya and the child gone, it was once
again all he had. "I wouldn't hazard a guess without an examination but it's clear it was sudden and there are no outside wounds where I can see them which means whatever it was was internal. So an internal problem or poison," he answered matter-of-factly. "Can we go now?" His need to be away from the scene was great. "I can't....I can't have anything to do with it-to touch it, nothing...it has to be someone else."

Wordlessly, Daimhin started to walk them both to the door. Only when they got there did he add,

"Yes, it does." He hesitated, just a moment, and then added- friendship winning over the guard inside-"And you swear, Chupsin, that's all you have- or need to- venture?

There is nothing I don't want to know about this?" He had to ask, for all he had no real suspicion.

The thought was unspoken. If he had wanted to, he could have done it before now. He could have waited till the baby was born and done it then. No, for all the trouble she had caused, Alivya had not been unwelcome invitee to his life. "That's all I know."

"Then this will be your part in this done. Come. The infirmary. Let them help you."

With which he guided the man out the door

Last updated on the November 17th 2012

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Things you shouldn't have to do