Reality-Ambiguous: Recovery

[privateproperty]

The ship's chief medical officer had insisted Kri'Stak remain in quarters. It was apparently a highly mutated strain of the Levodian flu, and in these conditions, any advanced treatment for the virus could become more dangerous than the flu itself. It had to be allowed to run its course in isolation, with a great deal of rest and drink. Kri'Stak's first officer was running the ship fine, and consulted frequently over the comm system.

Dahlfes was doing her best to take care of her master, but...

Comments

[qeylis_mindu]

But... Kri'Stak is a terrible patient. Oh, he tries to be good in the sense that he very much wants to recover as quickly as possible and get back to his duties. He strongly dislikes admitting there's anything he can't do, though, and he hates the entire aura of 'sickness', after all he's endured because of his father's malady.

As such, he mostly pushes himself to exhaustion trying to keep up with everything they'll let him do, further slowing the entire recovery process, and only really sleeps when reminded it will help his recovery, or his body just won't take any more.

[privateproperty]

Dahlfes wishes she were smarter, and could disengage the communications system so he couldn't find more work to do. Instead, she simply overcomes her aversion to interrupting.

"Water, Master," she says as he's pushed himself into the middle of something, the Will-Not-Be-Ignored tone of her voice contrasting with her posture, on her knees by the bed politely offering the glass.

[qeylis_mindu]

She finds the perfect time to interject, getting his attention before he can start a new project. His attention shifts to her, and he manages a small, if grateful smile, taking the glass. "Thank you."

[privateproperty]

"You're welcome, Master. May I put away those devices for you, please?"

[qeylis_mindu]

He ponders a few moments. So much he should be doing. But then again, he is tired, and the first mate has been acceptable, and she asked nicely.

He hands them over.

[privateproperty]

And she thanks him with base gratitude and puts them away. "When you're finished with your water, may I help you relax?"

[qeylis_mindu]

"I would appreciate that." he responds, working on the water. He may not be up for some of the usual relaxation options, but if he's not going to be working, he certainly wouldn't mind a distraction from just lying there being sick.

[privateproperty]

She knows what he's not up for. She's scrubbed her skin raw in the shower a few times to keep from agitating him. But she'll start, for now, with his free hand, fingers working the wrist and up the arm to undo the tension of work.

[qeylis_mindu]

He's extra tense not so much from work, but working halfway. Outside of his time with her, he's married to his duties and responsibilities, some of them self-imposed, and the separation wears on him.

The massage draws a small groan. "You're very good at this."

[privateproperty]

"Thank you, Master. I try." She smiles as she continues. "And I'd like to think I know your body after all these years."

[qeylis_mindu]

It takes some time, but the arm relaxes under her practiced efforts. "And you put the knowledge to good use."

[privateproperty]

When the water's done, she sets the glass aside and moves to the other arm, his neck, and his shoulders. "Thank you. I love you, Master."

[qeylis_mindu]

He rolls over without prompting when she finishes his arms, making getting to his neck and shoulders easier. "I love you too. I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes."

[privateproperty]

"That's very thoughtful of you to say, Master," she answers as her fingers press along either side of the spinal ridge, under his hair and into the base of his skull. "I... would be dead, so there's not too much to figure out there."

[qeylis_mindu]

"Its true." he responds, not precisely delerious, but seeming at least more prone to honest compliments while sufficiently fatigued. "I may have saved your life. You regularly save my sanity."

[privateproperty]

She adjusts her position on the side of the bed to continue working.
"...very glad to help, thank you, Master."

Touched, she allows herself one kiss to the back of his shoulder and no more. Her more reactive responses to praise would not be best.

[qeylis_mindu]

He takes the kiss as a sign to stop there, aware of her responsiveness. When she moves, he stretches out a little, then settles to let her continue working. "Since I'm caught up on my work - any news with you?"

[privateproperty]

"The kitchen is managing somehow without me," she admits as she continues to knead into his skin and muscle. "While you were occupied, I read some of the tales of Lukara. She's always interesting."

[qeylis_mindu]

"Oh? What stories?" he asks, curious now.

[privateproperty]

"Some of the less-heard ones, like her seeing him off to Sto-Vo-Kor, or her learning of her family's deaths -- I liked that, the way she dealt with it when there was nothing she could do -- but even the ones everybody knows, like their stand together against the 500, or the wedding ambush, the differences are fascinating when one reads different versions. In the oldest accounts, there's the recurring line in each verse of "The Lady Lukara, tiny but fierce,' while anything but those makes it sound like she was some sort of giant woman. It's nice to think that maybe she didn't have any physical advantages, but just wouldn't quit. Especially since... most people seem to forget, sometimes, that she wasn't marrying an Emperor. She was marrying a soldier with new ideas who just couldn't be stopped, and whom she'd stuck by even when the others gave up. It's ... nice."

[qeylis_mindu]

"Indeed, it is nice to remember where the greatest heroes came from. There is also a great deal to be said for tenacity. You will have to tell me your favorite versions of the stories from now on."

[privateproperty]

"I will, thank you, Master," she says as she starts to work her way further down his back. She softly hums a low, soothing song, trying to make it as easy as possible for him to fall asleep.

[qeylis_mindu]

It takes a while, longer than it should. But with her efforts and fatigue, he does eventually begin to drift.

[privateproperty]

When she's finally sure he's asleep, knowing what a light sleeper he is, she quietly goes to her rug in the corner and rests, to avoid any chance of disturbing him.

When he stirs, she'll soon be at the side again with a full glass. "Water, Master."

[qeylis_mindu]

As usual, he'd worked himself as hard as he could, which leads to sleeping for almost twelve hours. On blinking awake, he accepts the water, then checks the ship time and current logs, just to make sure he hasn't missed anything important. At least he's drinking the water while he does it.

[privateproperty]

"If anything terribly interesting was happening, Master, they would probably have called," she says, worry creeping into her voice.

[qeylis_mindu]

"Unless a member of my family or someone they've hired is on board, and takes the opportunity to suggest there is opportunity for advancement through deeds while I'm incapacitated." he admits. "But you're correct, its been quiet."

[privateproperty]

She lowers her head further to acknowledge his point.

"I have some of the food the doctor said your stomachs could deal with, Master," she says, making herself return her attention to actually taking care of him. "Will you have some, please?"

[qeylis_mindu]

Had the doctors approached him about what he could or couldn't handle, he'd likely have had some strong words. Perhaps taken it, but not easily. He gets her meaning far better than if a Klingon had said it.

"Very well. Will you sing one of your stories while I eat?"

[privateproperty]

"Yes, Master," she says happily, fetching the tray of food, giving it to him, and tapping her foot like a soft drumbeat.

And she begins the rhythmic chant, and some complementarily expressive and graceful movements, of the tale of the 'tiny and fierce' Lukara, standing alone beside Kahless against the attacking battalion.

[qeylis_mindu]

Yes, this makes eating the weak, runny food far more appealing. But then these types of stories make everything better - and he has to admit, she's become very good with Klingon tales.

[privateproperty]

And quite enthusiastic, at well. She sings and gestures dramatically, the knife flashing from its sheath -- yes, she was wearing her knife. It's become more and more of a habit with time. No, she's not paranoid, why do you ask? -- at just the right point in the story, continuing the near-dance.

At the end of the long song, she kneels again by his bedside. When he's finished with the food, she'll take the tray away and return.

"How are you feeling, Master?"

[qeylis_mindu]

"Significantly better. No doubt I'll be back to work in no time." A little bit of a lie, but at least with a kernal of truth to it after the food and rest.

[privateproperty]

She lowers again, not naive enough to take him literally. "I hope it's as soon as safely possible, Master."

[qeylis_mindu]

He can't help but grin, just a little. He caught precisely what she was going for there. "Don't worry, the doctor won't let me out of my cage until he's sure the virus is past."

[privateproperty]

Different though their ways of speaking are, they've definitely gotten used to each other over the years.

"Is there anything else I can do to make the imprisonment easier, Master?" she asks, smiling. Then a small sigh. "Considering I've been warned against... some of the most relaxing options."

[qeylis_mindu]

"Indeed." he replies to the latter, having been strictly warned about the same thing. "You already make sure that if this is a cage, its a gilded one."

[privateproperty]

"Thank you, Master." She smiles. "He made sure to tell you, too; I see he doesn't trust me to control myself."

[qeylis_mindu]

"He doesn't know you like I do."

[privateproperty]

Her smile widens. "He certainly doesn't, Master. I belong to you exclusively."

[qeylis_mindu]

"And will for as long as I live." he agrees, reaching out to pet her hair affectionately.

[privateproperty]

She happily leans into that a little. "Thank you, Master."