Tottering & Feverish [Pod/Zen]

[kevna]

Siorreya - Green Amagetith

Her head felt full… Almost like it had the morning she had awoken with that horrid hangover. Except the headache was situated more in her face and temples, and she kept needing to rub at her face, trying to alleviate the pressure there. “Uuuhhg.” She moaned, her hands working over her forehead and eyes furiously. The green dragon looked at her, concern whirling in her yellow eyes.

Maybe you should go back to sleep.

“Why?” The short blonde snapped at the green, irritated. “I’m fine.”

You don’t feel fine. I think you should lie down.

Sio opened her mouth to respond, but a cough rattled out of her lungs instead. Shards, she really did feel horrible. She put another layer of loose pants on as soon as her cough subsided, and a jacket over her long sleeve to combat the chills she was experiencing off and on.

“I’m fine." She muttered again, even though her chest burned something fierce from that coughing fit. She hated being sick, hated feeling trapped or confined to a bed. Each time she had gotten sick and been ordered to ‘rest’ it had brought flashes of her own mother’s illness, and the way it had ended for her, fresh into her mind. Nightmares were sure to follow if she went back to bed.

I will stay here with you. Her dragon’s soft, careful voice entered her mind, and Siorreya shrugged, shaking her head and feeling dizzy from it. “Ama, really. I just need some food, and then I’ll be right as eggs.” She rubbed her forehead until the dizziness passed, and then buttoned up her jacket to keep out the chills-it didn’t seem to help much. “Go for a swim, play on the beach, and when you get back I really will feel wonderful again.” She said, giving the lithe athletic green a sweet smile which ended in a sneeze. Still, she felt the extreme excitement at the idea of a little fun as the naive green seemed to take Siorreya’s words to heart.

Ok, ok, ok, I’ll be back later. Eat well. The green wiggled, and the sick woman smiled and nodded encouragingly as she watched Amagetith retreat and head out onto the beach. As soon as the dragon was out of sight her shoulders drooped, and she grumbled as she exited her weyr in the direction of the dining cavern. Maybe they had soup she could sip on.

She fought against another cough as she moved through the line, picking food randomly, blinking rather dazedly. Why was she so tired? She dragged her feet to an empty table, avoiding people’s inviting looks, not in the mood to talk with anyone. She sat down, and just stared at her food for a moment. She pushed the fruit on her plate around, and then with a groan, she pushed her food further from her and slammed her head on the table. Never had she ever wished she didn’t have a face as she did at this moment.

[Zen]

Podrell

His self imposed isolation had given him plenty of time to think, and Podrell hardly liked any of the conclusions he’d come to in that time. His fight with his uncle had hardly gone as planned, of course how could it have when he hadn’t planned anything about it? He’d let his emotions get the best of him and acted without thinking at all. And look where it had gotten him. Asirikai had beaten him quite soundly and made sure he couldn’t show his face for several days, what with the bruising that had discolored it. There was no way he’d be able to skirt questions about what had happened to him. The only thing he could do was make himself scarce until the bruising faded, which cost him precious time when the vote was fast approaching. If he’d won the fight maybe it would have been worth it, but he hadn’t, and his uncle had gone away with far fewer visible marks from the incident.

He also couldn’t help thinking about Siorreya. His uncle had never once denied that he’d taken advantage of the drunk woman and instead of checking in on her, there he was… sitting in his room and stewing over his loss, unable to show his face in public for risk of severely hurting his chances at winning the Lordship, the entire reason he was even here. It felt like cowardice, shells, it was cowardice, but it was something he forced himself to swallow because in politics, sometimes you had to take a path you didn’t like to get things done. The perception people had of him mattered more than anything right now, if he wanted to have any chance at winning. He couldn’t do anything to jeopardize that anymore than he already had.

Which brought him back to Siorreya. He remembered at some point thinking that she would be his downfall in his bid for the Lordship and that seemed to be proving true the more he continued to involve himself with her. She had become like an addiction, detrimental to him and yet he could not stop himself from wanting her. It made no sense, which was how he had come to admit to himself what he felt for her, against all logic. So when the discoloration of his bruising had finally faded and he could pass off the remaining split in his lip as bad chapping from the cold weather, despite everything in his mind railing at him to leave it, to leave her, the first thing he did was head to the Weyr.

He stopped at her weyr first, but his knocking drew no answer. He wondered briefly if that was a sign to turn around and go back, but he didn’t believe in silly notions like that. She just wasn’t there, that was all there was to it. So he’d turned and headed toward the dining cavern, hoping he might be able to determine if the greenrider was busy with some sort of dragonrider duties at the moment. Someone there might be able to tell him if her Wing had drills or something right now, or if he was lucky she might be there herself. Entering the cavern, it seemed luck was with him as he spotted her… strangely sitting by herself. She was such a social little thing, it struck him as odd to see her alone when there were so many people around she could be interacting with. And with her head down that seemed to suggest a number of negative possibilities which had him frowning with concern.

Reaching up to brush a thumb over the split in his lip self consciously, he made his way over to the greenrider, noting her rather untouched food as he got closer. If she was sitting up and her normal lively self, he probably would have sat across from her, but his concern brought him to her side instead and he sat facing her, watching her closely, “Siorreya? Are you unwell?” And somewhat surprised by the obvious worry in his own voice, he fought for something with less feeling… something more normal between them. “You look like someone left out for Thread,” he tossed the mild insult out, hoping it would be enough to cover his tracks, so to speak. These feelings were ridiculous and Siorreya needed to know absolutely nothing about them. They didn’t matter, in the end. These few short months of insanity with her would be over come turn’s end, one way or another. He shouldn’t even be here with her right now, but he hadn’t taken care of her when he’d seen her drunk at the feast and that had led to Asirikai…. His jaw clenched at the thought. He was determined to make up for that failing now. Somehow.

kevna

[kevna]

Siorreya - Green Amagetith

Siorreya’s jaw clenched when she heard the approach. Did it look like she wanted company? No. She was sure she did not. Yet the individual sat next to her, and his voice she recognized almost instantly. She had not thought he would approach her again; she had thought him quite clear with his intentions at her graduation feast. She would have ignored him if not for the strange emotion in his voice that had her rolling her head so she could peer at him with narrowed eyes. Her head was full of snot, or she would have come up with an insult before him, she was sure. Something nasty enough she would be able to ignore the way her heart seemed to increase at the sight of him.

She started to growl at him, but the sensation it caused in her throat set off a coughing fit. She turned her head back down trying to muffle the sound, as well as to hide her face. Vulnerable. Guilt. Confusion. Anger. Anger was the safer emotion, but she found herself to be too tired to use it as armament. Last she had seen him, he had made it abundantly clear he didn’t want to be anywhere near her or her games. Then Asirikai had told her that they had fought over her honor, whatever that was. But Podrell hadn’t come looking for her, and since then, she had avoided places she assumed he would be. Maybe out of guilt. Maybe just because she was stubborn. She had never seen him though, and had assumed it meant he was avoiding her just as successfully as she was at avoiding him. Till now. But none of the confusion, or even guilt, had passed. She couldn’t understand him, nor herself when it came to him.

When the fit passed, she sat up and gave him a sharp smile. “A firelizard then, I eat Thread for breakfast.” She bared her teeth at him, but her shoulders bowed in when a shiver ran up her spine ruining the effect as much as her raw voice did. Still, she avoided the question, because she was vulnerable enough, and didn't see a need in stating the obvious. “Here I thought we were supposed to avoid eachother. What do you want?” She meant it to come out sharper, angrier, but instead it came out tired. Her eyes soaked him in for a moment, noting no bruises, but a split lip. More probably from the cold then the 'supposed fight' Asirikai had claimed. Yet Asirikai had never lied. She turned back to her food to push it around the tray but ended up rubbing her forehead to relieve the pressure her congestion caused. As much anger as she tried to convince herself she felt toward him, another part of her admitted she had missed him. Too bad she was too sick to enjoy it. In truth, she didn’t feel anything like herself, and she didn’t like it, nor did she like that he was here to witness it.

[Zen]

Podrell

She turned to look at him and his frown returned as he took in her features. Unwell indeed. A coughing fit overtook her for a moment before she could speak and his brows drew together in concern as he waited for it to be over. Before he could say anything she sat up with a retort for his insult, but he could even hear the sickness in her voice. He rolled his eyes lightly, “Do firelizards eat Thread? How interesting.” They did not, to his knowledge, though he could admit that his knowledge was rather lacking where dragonkin were concerned. His gaze fell to her untouched food, his tone dry, “It doesn’t look like you eat much of anything for breakfast, besides.”

Hazel eyes returned to her face in brief confusion as she said they were supposed to be avoiding each other. A soft breath of laughter devoid of amusement pushed past his lips. He ought to be avoiding her, she was right about that, but it took a moment to figure out why she ought to be avoiding him. “My dare ended with the feast. I can’t-” He cut himself off, wondering at how careless he could be with his words around her, “If I want to win the Lordship, public opinion of me matters, and you, my dear, draw me into far too much nonsense that would hardly paint me in a good light. If I was callous with you, I apologize, but I could hardly afford another… Maz’ru incident in such a public place.” He still felt mildly sickened at himself for how he had used the young bluerider in their stupid game, and it was even worse after finding out the young man was her brother. He didn’t think there was any hope of rebuilding that bridge.

Podrell cleared his throat softly, shaking his head, “I wanted to… make sure you were alright. After the feast. I saw you leave….” It seemed so weak to say, now that so much time had already passed. His thumb brushed over the split in his lip once more, absently, as he once more considered his own cowardice in refusing to go see her after his fight with Asirikai. He should have gone anyway. Shells, but everything was so complicated. He had come to Mavros for the Lordship and instead he had found Siorreya and now he was being pulled back and forth between Hold and Weyr and Mavros may be a Weyrhold but he could not have both. And honestly no matter how he felt, Siorreya was not his to claim anyway. There was no future with her whether he became Lord of Mavros or not. He was quite certain she felt nothing for him. He was just part of one of the many games she played, for now.

He looked her over again. She really did look terrible. “Have you seen a healer?” he couldn’t help but ask. She looked exhausted and wasn’t eating, wasn’t acting at all like herself, and he was annoyed by how worried it was making him for her. “Why are you even out of bed? Is it your intention to share your misery with the entirety of the Weyr?” He still wanted to ask her about after the feast, to determine just what his uncle might have done, but her current state was a bit more pressing at the moment.

kevna

[kevna]

Siorreya - Green Amagetith

She saw him glance at her food, pointedly, and considered taking a bite in defiance, but her stomach only roiled. She only shrugged and shivered. “Not hungry.” In fact, she was pretty sure she was full, or maybe that was nausea.

Her hand fell away from her face at the sound of his ‘empty’ laugh and her eyebrows drew together again, creating that pucker between her eyes. She chewed on her lower lip and reluctantly looked at him, even though her instincts told her to ignore him. But he was so intriguing… and a liar. She had heard him at the feast, she knew he was a good one, but maybe if she looked at him, she would be able to tell. Eyebrows still drawn together she studied him, trying to discern what he hadn’t said. He couldn’t what?

She tried to keep up with his explanation and think about possibilities at the same time, but her head was too full, and her chest hurt. From coughing, obviously. So did her lip, and she realized she was worrying her lip still. She released it and shook her head at him incredulously. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Asirikai was right, she would never be appropriate company for Podrell, and here he was politely telling her so. Then why not just leave her alone? Sio felt a different pain in her chest and looked away from him and resumed chewing on her lower lip. “I couldn’t care less about public opinion.” Her voice was low, and she made it sound as rude as she could through the rawness of her throat. It was as close to, ‘I’m not the best friend then,’ or ‘go away,’ as she could muster.

Guilt came back at the soft tone when he mentioned checking up on her. A few weeks too late, and she didn’t have anything to be guilty about. Right? She had been drunk when she had kissed his uncle, and she couldn’t even remember why or what she’d been thinking. If she’d been thinking at all. She rubbed her face again and peered at him sideways with a small smile. “I guess I was better at avoiding you then, since you never did find me.” She murmured, raising an eyebrow. She shrugged. “I’m fine.” Which set her off on another set of coughs that shook her small frame and left her quivering slightly.

She stiffened when he asked her if she needed a healer, glaring at him. “I. Don’t. Need. One.” She said it between clenched teeth, quietly, challenging him to defy her. The only way she’d see a healer is if she had a cut in need of sutures, and even then, she would prefer an ugly scar. Her mother’s death had given her a phobia of sorts, one she would never admit to. More then one phobia. Being in bed, alone. She tried to force herself to relax, and said softer, "I'm fine."

It was even more embarrassing when his next question almost sent her into a panic attack. He'd been teasing.“I’m not tired.” This she said a little too quickly, desperately, and felt perspiration break out on her forehead at the thought of going back to bed this sick. Which had her scrambling to hide the fear in her voice and gave her an idea. She smirked at him. “The only way I’d get into a bed is if you physically put me there.” Which he wouldn’t. Siorreya understood him, his need to look good in the public eye. This wasn’t even one of her dares, so she felt sure and safe that she could wallow the day away right here. She would just have to scare him away first.

[Zen]

Podrell

Podrell sighed lightly at her ’not hungry’ response. If she was ill she ought to eat something to keep her strength up, but there was little he could do about that if she flat out refused to do so. She seemed to be looking at him rather intently as he explained the reason for his dare at the feast, but eventually she looked away again. He laughed again, with more humor, at her blunt statement about public opinion. “I’m quite aware,” he replied softly, continuing to study her as he thought about how she seemed to erase any of his own concerns about what people thought of him whenever they were together. In any other situation, perhaps it would have been a good thing. But he couldn’t get votes if people had a poor opinion of him, and that’s what mattered. That’s what should matter, right now, if he didn’t want his one chance at Lordship to slip through his fingers.

Her response to his admission of wanting to check on her only had another flash of guilt coursing through him. It wouldn’t have been difficult to avoid someone that wasn’t even looking for you. It wasn’t like he could tell her that, though, and be forced to admit why. He could lie, he could say he’d been ill himself, it wasn’t like she would know, would she? It was the excuse he’d been using with anyone that had noticed his absence while he was recovering from his fight with his uncle. No one had questioned it so far. It wasn’t like he hadn’t gotten used to lying to her every time he saw her and held back the truth of how she made him feel, how badly he wanted her and how it tortured him that he couldn’t have her, not really.

In stark contrast to her assurance that she was fine, another coughing fit overtook her, but his inquiry about seeing a healer was met with an icy look and tone to match as she insisted she didn’t need one and again, that she was fine, which she very clearly was not. His gaze narrowed slightly at her, “If you’re going to lie to me, you ought to make sure evidence of the contrary isn’t sitting right in front of me.” Why was she insisting on the fact that she was fine so much? Did she just not want his assistance or was it some silly need to… he didn’t know… be strong and push through it? He would expect such bravado from a man but not a woman. Then again, Siorreya was hardly like the women he was used to.

More rushed assurance followed, and then what sounded dangerously like a challenge. His jaw worked thoughtfully as he considered her. Why was she being so stubborn about it? Under other circumstances he might have made some joke about her wanting him to take her to bed, but right now he was just trying to figure out why she was refusing to take care of herself in her illness. It was actually starting to irk him. Was she being this stubborn just to try to get a rise out of him? He certainly wouldn’t put it past her, but she couldn’t know how much it would bother him… could she? Or maybe she was getting him back for not assisting her at the feast? Shells, he had no idea what was going on in her head right now.

His brow rose slightly, “If your illness is making you too weak to get back to your bed without my carrying you, perhaps you need a healer after all. Would you like me to fetch one for you after I help you back to your weyr?” He didn’t know why she was refusing to take care of herself but he was determined to get her back into her bed one way or another.

kevna

[kevna]

Siorreya - Green Amagetith

Of course, he was ‘quite aware.’ Hence his distancing from her for the past two weeks. Was she wasn’t aware of was why his distancing had come to an end at this point, when she was at her sickest? Could it be possible he knew she was vulnerable? Was it his eyes on her that made her feel ill at ease?

“If you’re going to lie to me, you ought to make sure evidence of the contrary isn’t sitting right in front of me.”

Her coughing fit had subsided, but her chest burned. So she rolled her eyes at him. Why was he being so insistent? It rankled. He had ignored her for the last few weeks, actively pushed her away, and now he was being increasingly insistent, as if he was worried. It almost seemed genuine.

Liar, liar, liar, liar. She had to chant it in her head, because looking at him it was hard to believe. It also made her wonder if he had been honest with her during their ‘little’ game. If he couldn’t be honest with the people he was trying to woo, why would he care to be honest with her? “Well, if you had the answer, why did you ask?” Her sarcasm didn’t sound nearly as good through the fire in her throat.

Her false affirmation, her challenge, didn’t have the desired effect she had hoped. She had assumed he would laugh, roll his eyes, maybe even walk away. Instead, his hazel eyes were watching her carefully, the muscles in his jaw were jumping, better accenting his strong facial structure. She almost squirmed, but he hadn’t moved to touch her, and she felt much safer in her spot. Siorreya knew something about him, his weakness, where he’d draw the line. Well… His words threw off her assurance for a moment…

Siorreya’s eyebrows rose a bit in panic, her eyes rounded, and she was sure if she was a flit they would be white in panic. She swallowed and half stood, her fight or flight instincts kicking in, but her body felt too weak to run, and she lowered herself back to her seat, trying to control her terror. A healer and being bedbound was sure to kill her more than her current circumstance. “I’m plenty strong, just no desire or need to rest.” Her voice was a little breathless, and she blamed her throat. She felt a quiver shake her body, but she was sure it was more from fear then the fever. Her voice was a little steadier, a little fiercer, “In the spirit of threats, I-I’ll scream if you call a healer.” Empty threats, his and hers, she wasn’t sure she could bring enough air into her lungs for a scream without coughing, and the only reason she was able to calm herself down was her assurance that he wouldn’t dare pick her up in front of a crowd.

Her nails bit into her palms, her fists white, but the pain was a distraction from the fear, and she looked him straight in the eye with defiance.

[Zen]

Podrell

Frowning again, Podrell shook his head, “I may be able to see you’re unwell but I don’t understand why you keep trying to downplay it so. You need to take care of yourself when you’re sick or it will only get worse.” And careful not to rush too much to make it too obvious he was covering his concern, he added, “And then I’d be left to entertain your poor Amagetith by myself, and I hardly have enough time to devote properly to her.” He also hoped that maybe invoking her dragon, and her dragon’s need for her to be well, might knock some sense loose from somewhere.

He was hardly expecting her expression to shift to something akin to terrified at his question about fetching a healer for her. She seemed to attempt to rise, only to sink back into her seat a moment later, and Podrell only saw confirmation that she was too weak to make it back to her bed on her own, regardless of her insistence otherwise. Just who did she think she was fooling? “You may not have a desire but you certainly have a need. You’re acting like a child,” his frustration with her over this nonsensical behavior of hers was growing.

And then she mentioned threats. Who had threatened anyone? What in Faranth’s name was she going on about? Clearly she had some aversion to healers, though he couldn’t fathom why. She glared open defiance at him and he could only stare back at her as he tried to understand why she was acting this way and couldn’t begin to guess. A bad experience in the past was likely the culprit but that could be any number of things and it wasn’t really important right now anyway. What was important was to get her back in bed. He could figure out what would be best to do for her after that was accomplished.

He held up his hands in the universal gesture that meant he was not a threat, hoping to prevent any of her threatened screaming, and stood, “Alright… I won’t fetch a healer if you don’t want one… but you are going back to bed.” And he bent to lift her into his arms, doing his best to ignore several eyes that turned their way and hoping to Faranth she wouldn’t start screaming anyway. He focused on her and their way out, stiff and uncomfortable as he strode from the dining cavern, “I’m not arguing with you about it anymore. You’re being ridiculous. When you’re sick you need rest, anyone would know that. Stop being so stubborn. You’ll worry and upset Ama if you keep this up.”

Yes, Ama would be worried.

kevna

[kevna]

Siorreya - Green Amagetith

“I’m not.” She protested, folding her arms, trying to straighten her shoulders stubbornly, and failing. She did manage to quirk an eyebrow when he mentioned Amagetith. “Like you could handle her longer than a couple candle marks.” Real humor. “And I am taking care of myself. I’m trying to eat.” She looked distastefully at the food but pushed the tray farther from her. “It’s the thought that counts.” She muttered lowly.

“And you’re acting like… like…” She trailed off, throwing her hands up briefly in frustration. Siorreya had no idea how or why he was acting this way, and she felt foolish not being able to come up with anything witty to cover her confusion. Sharding congestion. She would blame the panic too, later. And him, of course.

Their eye-lock seemed endless, and she bit her lip and sighed when he put his hands up in surrender. She immediately felt herself relax in relief when he gave in to her demand for no-healer, and he was even getting up to leave. She felt the barest satisfaction that even in her weakened state she still won this encounter, but before the feeling could actually settle, he continued to inform her she would being heading back to bed. “Wha-?“ She squeaked as he scooped her up and she rested hands on his chest and then balled her fists into his shirt, hissing through her teeth, but it was more shock then fury. She hadn’t seen it coming. This went against everything he said he was trying to avoid.

“Put me down.” Completely ignoring his, ‘we won’t fight about this,’ threadfodder. She didn’t bother to see who saw; her concern was more for the impending bed… He’d dump her in the bed, and then she’d be stuck. She wouldn’t have the energy to get this far again, and it was too cold to escape outside... Siorreya tried to calm the fear. She’d think of something, some way to get back out of bed… She didn’t have to be stuck. That seemed to assuage some of the fear, and being in his warm arms, seemed to soothe the rest. He was… Oddly comforting, and as terrifying as that thought was, she really didn’t have much energy for a fight, physical or mental. The nightmares refused to let her rest, but the swaying of his walk promised a different rest.

“Fine.” She sighed quietly, her hands relaxing their death grip, and continued to grumble. “But you haven’t won anything. Who knows, as soon as your gone whose to keep me in bed? Stop worrying about Ama, I'm fine, she's fine, and at least she's easily distracted.” Unlike some people.  Ama would be fine. Podrell seemed to be far harder to shake off then the emotionally volatile green. Exhaustion was the only explanation for why she let the side of her head rest on his shoulder, though she angled it up so she could still see his face for the most part, her eyes zeroing in on his split lip. She went back and forth between his eyes and the lip, as if they alone could tell her why this man confused and annoyed her so. Her finger had its own mind as it raised and moved to gently touch the split in his lip, Siorreya wondering again about Asirikai’s words, but too tired to connect thoughts very successfully. Her eyebrows lowered again as she pulled her hand away and looked up at his eyes. He was longer legged then she, but she didn’t think it made sense that he was making it to her weyr far faster then she normally did. Once they were there, then he would be gone and she’s still be stuck with all the emotions and questions his absence left her in. They were already walking her hall, was that her door? Shards and shells... If she wanted answers, she had to be fast.

“Truth or dare?” She said it softly, studying his face for a reaction, as if just that reaction alone could give her the answers she couldn’t divine. It was easier to ask if he wanted to continue their game then to ask why he was so adamant about her finding a bed. She was almost positive it had nothing to do with the last time he had mentioned wanting her and a bed at the same time. Maybe it was that just part of the façade he wore with her? Concern? It was a strange game to play... And not what she had expected from him. 

[Zen]

Podrell

Why he felt anything for this foolish, stubborn woman he would never understand. She may have come to the dining cavern to try to eat but that clearly wasn’t happening so she should just go back to bed and get some rest instead. Perhaps her appetite would be better when she woke next. But if she had used up her strength to get here, then Podrell could certainly see her being too stubborn to ask anyone for help back to her weyr. Perhaps that’s what her challenge had been, a way to ask for help in her own stupid, stubborn way. He didn’t know. She was hardly being logical, that was for sure, so it was difficult to say why she was acting the way she was acting.

The fact that she couldn’t come up with a proper retort was just another symptom. Part of the reason he enjoyed interacting with her so much was her wit. Clearly her head was too full of sickness to think properly. He was mildly pleased he’d managed to lull her into a false sense of security upon relenting on the healer front, her surprised squeak when he took her into his arms somewhat satisfying, until he chided himself because she was sick and was hardly in her sharpest state of mind. There couldn’t be much satisfaction in besting a sick woman.

She tried to demand he put her down, but at least she didn’t scream. “I’ll put you down once we reach your bed and not before,” he replied dryly. She relented to being carried, and then continued to try to keep up arguing with him about something new. He sighed in exasperation. She was impossible. “I haven’t won anything? I wasn’t aware we were playing a game over your health, but it seems to me that the side you’ve chosen will mean you lose either way since you seem intent on making your illness worse rather than better.” He couldn’t understand her at all. Was she so intent on being contrary to him that she would even sacrifice her own health to oppose him? They ought to be on the same side right now, in his opinion, but Siorreya seemed determined that they would be enemies over this.

He rolled his eyes at her threat to get back out of bed after he left, “I suppose I’ll just have to stay then, won’t I?” He doubted she had the strength to get far even if she did get out of bed, but if she wouldn’t allow a healer to see to her, he supposed he would do so instead. He’d helped in caring for sick younger sisters enough that he had some idea how to make her more comfortable at least, though if she was going to keep arguing with him over every little thing it was promising to be quite a battle. Perhaps she’d wear herself out with all this arguing and just fall asleep before too long.

Lost in his thoughts, he flinched in surprise at the sudden touch to his lip, glancing down at her. She must be half delirious, he decided, but she was already taking her hand back. It was such a strange action, he felt mildly discomfited by it. Why had she done that? Surely she couldn’t know…. Her soft question drew his attention back to her again and it took him a moment to register what she had said. Shaking his head, Podrell sighed as they reached her door, thinking it ridiculous but also fortunate that she would ask that now of all times. He was certain she wouldn’t be able to come up with anything too sinister for him in her current state of mind. “Dare,” he replied easily as he pushed her door open, using a shoulder to push it shut again before heading for her bed and settling her into it. The game was hardly of any importance to him at the moment, however, and he pulled blankets up to cover her before glancing around briefly, "Are you warm enough? Do you have spare furs anywhere?"

kevna

[kevna]

Siorreya - Green Amagetith

She fought a small smile at his exasperated smile. There was something about successfully vexing him that gave her a thrill. It was the power of the thing, especially over Podrell, who normally acted and spoke so very Lord-like. “So now you’re a healer? I must say, your all knowing is making your head puffy. Who knew you could be any more aggravating?” She scrunched her nose at him. It was her own health to worry about, not his, so she couldn’t understand what had brought out this obstinate side of him.

Her smile diminished into a sardonic twist of lips, and she scoffed at his threat to stay. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t! Men didn’t stay, that was the pattern ingrained within them all. Still, his threat presented a problem. If he chose to stay, even for a just a little while in order to plague her, she might lose what remaining strength she had left to escape her weyr… That would be a problem. Just the thought of the nightmares, being alone with her memories had her chewing her lip to control the... anxiety. It just made her more fatigued.

He flinched from her thoughtless contact, looking startled, and she berated herself. Why had she even done that? The longer she was in his arms, the more likely she would say or do something even stranger, especially with the conflicting feels he inspired in her. If she had been hoping for some telling sign that would answer all her questions with her own question, she was sorely lacking. Was he amused, but trying to look exasperated at her? What if she didn’t rile him up at all, it was just some elaborate part of his game? Suddenly she was feeling inadequate, vulnerable, and unsure. She only nodded when he chose dare as if thinking about her options; she was a little disappointed, but doubted his honesty even if he had chosen truth.

It might have been the fact that she’d been desperately trying not to appear as sick as he obviously thought she was, and that was why she had been breathing shallowly in an effort not to cough. But when he distributed her on the bed, the shift caused that tickle in her throat and chest. “There.” She said a little choked and motioning to her chest, which had at least one more blanket and then giving into the fit as it racked her chest. When she finally recovered enough to breath she had tears of pain in her eyes, which she held back with what dignity she had left. She tried to cover the pain with a shake of her head and a rueful smile, which probably looked more like a grimace.

After a fit like that, she felt bone tired, but looking at her bed and around the room, she could feel the panic rising again. What if she fell asleep and woke up alone? She had to get up and get out now, and the dare was her only opportunity. He might refuse to carry her back, but he wouldn’t refuse something he was already planning on doing anyway. Like leaving.

“I dare you to stay away from me for the remainder of my illness. Far away.” It rushed out of her in desperation, before thinking about the way she said it, so very like his own dare, betraying her in its own way. She was already sliding back to the edge of the bed even as her muscles screamed for her to stay. Her will power was stronger. It had to be, but the window was short. She could feel her panic bringing Amagetith's awareness, and she sought to amplify her barrier. 

[Zen]

Podrell

“It doesn’t take a healer to know you need rest when you’re ill,” he shot back in mild irritation. He was aggravating? Shells, she ought to meet herself. “I think I have ceased to be surprised at your incessant need to disagree with me at every turn. Perhaps if I said you ought to get up and run laps you might decide to nap only to spite me. You are by and far the most contrary person I have ever met.” All he had done thus far was try to help her and she’d been nothing but disagreeable the entire time. If he didn’t know her better he might have blamed her sour mood on her illness, but no, she enjoyed arguing with him regardless of the circumstances it seemed.

She didn’t answer his first question outright, but if she was warm enough why would she have pointed him to more blankets? At least she wasn’t arguing about whether she needed another blanket or not. Small mercies. He fetched the blanket from the trunk she had indicated as she fell into another coughing fit. Perhaps after she was safely asleep he would visit the infirmary for some sort of herbal concoction that would help soothe her coughing. He would have liked to go sooner but with her threatening an escape if he left he figured he would have to wait. He sighed again as he settled the blanket over her, wondering once more why she had to be so difficult about this. Was it just him she didn’t want taking care of her? If fetching someone else to assist her would keep her calmer then perhaps he should do so. He wondered if Maz’ru might be a better option.

Her fit subsided, Siorreya suddenly launched into her dare for him, already looking like she was trying to escape her bed and he hadn’t even moved yet. “What is wrong with you? Do I need to get in with you and hold you there?” His brow rose as he looked down at her, challenging her to call his bluff, for he wasn’t bluffing at all. “I already told you I was staying. Now just lie still while I get you some water.” Water was the best he could do for the moment. It was rather uncommon for someone’s quarters not to have a pitcher or skin of water somewhere, after all. He returned to her quickly, afraid she was still going to be trying to get up again with any distance between them, and pushed a cup into her hands.

He sat rather pointedly on the edge of her bed and without thinking much of it leaned over her to brush the back of his hand against her forehead, muttering in annoyance to himself, “Wandering about with a fever….” He pulled his hand away and sat back, eyeing her, sure she was going to continue to fight his care until she exhausted herself into sleep. Though he doubted he would get an answer, he asked anyway, “Is there anything else I can get for you right away?”

kevna

[kevna]

Siorreya - Green Amagetith

“And you are the most inconsistent, contumacious man I have ever met.” She bit back. She was the most contrary person? He was the one that told her to leave him alone for fear of public humiliation, and then he was the one to pick her up in front of everyone sitting in the dining cavern. “And I probably would just walk the laps verrry slowly. Backward.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “I don’t want a nap.” She sighed. Arguing was exhausting, yet she just couldn’t seem to stop around him. It was Podrell’s fault. He was the contrary one.

She felt the blanket draped over her during her fit. Instead of feeling better, she felt hampered, and it did make the process of working towards the edge of the bed more difficult. Another flutter of panic, but she just took a steadying breath, hoping to keep it together.

“Hah, like you would.” She sneered or did her best to. Siorreya struggled with getting the blanket untangled from her legs, mentally pushing him to hurry up already and leave. His refusal mystified her, and she felt like a fish out of water, her mouth opening and closing. “What?” She whispered. “Wait, that was my dare. If you don’t leave you lose this round.” She stressed the important words, her voice breaking in her stress. Hopefully he would just assume it was her losing her voice.

Her eyebrows had dropped again, and the headache now seemed to be localized there. She watched him, her mind reeling as he went and got her water, accepting it mindlessly. She looked at it, contemplating throwing the water at him, that would for sure make him leave, right? But her throat was on fire, and soothing it took precedence. She sipped her water, then lowered the glass to her lap. His hand on her forehead startled her, but she closed her eyes and leaned into it before he dropped it. It had felt blessedly good, even if it caused another shiver to go down her spine. His muttering seemed unimportant, he just didn't understand. She still couldn’t fathom what was going on. He asked a question and she just looked at him confused, shaking her head.

“No…” She said faintly. Was she hallucinating? Was it possible this whole thing was a dream? Nothing made sense at all. “I don’t… I don’t understand.” Her agitation plain in her voice as she rubbed her forehead where he had touched her. She was just so tired, why wasn’t her brain working? She put her glass on the wobbly bed side table, and reached out and poked at his arm, as if to make sure he was still solid and there and shook her head. “I can’t stay here right now.” She tried to mask the desperation with a growl, and again started moving to slip past him and off the bed. She could feel her breathing accelerating. If she didn't get a hold of herself, then hallucination or not, this Podrell was going to witness a full blown panic attack. She had so few of them now, and only when sick. She remembered when she woke up alone after her mother's passing, having her first panic attack had felt like she was dying. She wasn't sure she was willing to even let a hallucination witness something so vulnerable. She needed to get a hold of herself. 

[Zen]

Podrell

“Contu-... in what context?” he demanded, before waving his hand in dismissal. He was not trying to escalate arguments with her in her current state. Inconsistent he could not argue, he had been quite inconsistent with her, but contumacious? He couldn’t see it. He felt the term described her far better. Overall he was surprised she even knew the word to begin with. Then again with how little it applied to him maybe she didn’t actually know what it meant. Or perhaps she’d made up her own meaning for it for all he knew. He rolled his eyes when she argued the specifics about just how she would be contrary in his hypothetical situation, “Shards and shells.” How could one person be so sharding frustrating?

She clearly didn’t believe his threat as she continued to struggle to free herself from the blankets he’d covered her in, but his refusal to leave surprised her into stopping. She gaped at him for a moment before reiterating her dare. His brow furrowed slightly, “I’m not playing games where your health is concerned, Siorreya.” Why was she so desperate for him to leave? The way she was acting about it was reminiscent of his own panic to be away from her at the feast, but he couldn’t begin to guess her own reasoning. He considered asking her if she would prefer to have her brother tend to her, but then he was sure if he left to find the bluerider, however long that might take, she would manage to slip out somewhere and not be able to make it back again.

He was glad to see her drink some water without argument, at least. One small victory. But now she just seemed confused. He wondered if her fever was starting to affect her more, with all her moving about and struggling, and a frown tugged at his lips. She didn’t understand what? He was about to ask when she suddenly reached out and poked him. Now he was convinced her fever was making her delirious. Again she tried to leave the bed but he caught her in his arms, doing his best to keep his tone firm and not let his growing concern seep through, “Siorreya. You need to rest.” Clearly her fever was addling her brain. “I’m not letting you leave this bed,” he insisted and sighed, still trying to mask his concern with a bit of humor, a hint of their usual banter, but his heart wasn’t really in it and it came out a bit flat, “If you had wanted me in bed with you, you only had to ask, you know.”

Still, he pulled her gently back into the bed with him, keeping his arms wrapped around her so hopefully she would realize the futility of trying to leave again. He tried to think of something that might distract her and rolled his eyes at himself at the first thought that occurred. Well, maybe it would work, “Well, I lost my round. That should make you happy. Your turn. Truth or dare?” If she chose dare he’d dare her to get some sharding sleep already.

kevna

[kevna]

Siorreya - Green Amagetith

She gave him an incredulous look. Seriously? In every context but most especially this one. He was being beyond stubborn. Wait, had she gotten the word correct? She had only heard it once and had had to derive the meaning in its own context. Suddenly doubting her intelligence and coherence, she was glad he waved it off.

Unwilling to play games where her health was concerned? “Well, I don’t see why not.” She said petulantly, chewing on her lip as she continued to reel, the spinning and twirling of emotions and thoughts all due to the shock. It was her health, not his, nor his concern. He had seen her drunk, apparently, and done nothing then. Asirikai’s voice echoed in her head. ‘I see the way he looks at you.’ Well, she did too, and it seemed he looked at her mostly as an annoyance. She couldn’t separate the difference between this situation and the last. Was it that he had trusted Asirikai to take care of her? But if that was true, then the fight couldn’t be real, or at least the reasoning behind it was false. Her brain hurt. 

Mine? Concern laced her bonded's tone. Do you need me to come back? 

No... No, the lordling is here. I'm fine. She tried to be as rational sounding as possible. Have fun. Really. It would make me sad if you cut off your fun. I'll let you know if I need you. 

I don't want you to be sad... She said hesitantly, assessing her. I don't want to be sad either. I'll probably get up again in a minute anyway. Sio felt bad, she was manipulating the poor green. But the thought of having Ama in distress on top of everything sounded like too much. She felt her dragon's acceptance more then heard it. Sio's resolve to get up strengthened.

Later, she would probably realize how non-sensical she had been. Later, she would be embarrassed about how much she had to struggle just to get close to the edge of the bed. But now, she just needed out of this bed. A small noise of surprise, something between a squeak and a gasp, escaped as arms encircled her, pinning her in place. She heard his reasoning, but it didn’t stop her from weakly pushing against his chest, intermittently, as it was all the strength her exhausted limbs could pull together. “I don’t see how you get a say.” But even as she said it, it lacked fervor. There was something about the weight of his arms that seemed to calm her. His joke, she was pretty sure it was a joke, lacked luster, and she looked at him sharply. Wasn’t he the one that had mentioned wanting her in bed, when they stood on the beach? Another contrary statement, trying to lay the blame on her. She didn’t even know how to respond to that, but it had stopped her from struggling, which must have been his goal all along. “Well, don’t sound so excited about it.” She muttered, her arms stiff against his side as he settled her next to him gently, still trying to assess if she could make a break for it. He had iron arms.

His words had her looking up at him and chewing her lower lip again, which was really starting to hurt. “Okay.” Siorreya said slowly, narrowing her eyes at him. He was trying to distract her. If she chose dare she feared he’d dare her to sleep or some kind of nonsense, and then probably sneak out…“If I pick dare, you’ll make me stay here or see a healer, and I won’t.” But even as she said it her arms which had been stiff relaxed, and she laid her head on his chest and moved an arm to encircle his waste, belting him in place. This position would surely wake her if he tried to move, tried to leave. Not that she planned on sleeping. She sighed. “But by Faranth, If you ask me a deadglow question I’ll make sure to shove you between myself… Truth.”