11.26.08 - Sivaine Gets a Ride

Location: Redwall Infirmary, Redwall Gatehouse

Characters Involved: Zade, Sivaine, Rajani

".. hh. Seriously," Zade mutters as he enters the infirmary, glancing around with an expression of amusement. "This's th' first time I've come in an' yon moron-mouse isn't hangin' 'round." How refreshing, to come see Sivaine and Mayeul isn't lurking nearby.

There are only so many ways you can be laid up in bed, and Sivaine is starting to reach the limits of her creativity. Right now she's using her sister as a pillow, leaning back against her side while she pages through a book pilfered from the library. Ardice is taking a fine-toothed comb to Sivaine's headfur while trying to read over her shoulder. "Oh hold on, I haven't finished that page yet.. your fur's like -wire,- Siv.. oh." "Mn." Both mousemaids look up as Zade enters. "Moron..?" "Evening, Zade," Sivaine half-smirks.

A grin crawls across Zade's muzzle, aimed first at Ardice as he explains, "Th' one whose brother died? Flamin' idjit hell-bent on huntin' down th' dying owl an' it's hypothetical mate. How y' doin', Sivaine?" He pauses a few feet from her cot, finds a chair, and pulls this over to sit nearby, straddling it backward with his arms crossed on the back of it.

"Oh." Ardice's ears droop and she shrinks back a bit behind her sister; Sivaine winces at Zade and makes a subtle 'cut it out' motion with her good paw. Ix-nay on the Ayeul-may! She clears her throat for emphasis. "I've been.. interesting," she decides with a flick of her ear. "Not being able to escape and all." A longing look at the door. "Sorry about bleeding on you, by the way, but thanks."

Dropping the subject of Mayeul is something Zade is /more/ than happy to do. He chuckles and shakes his head, focus more of Sivaine than her younger sister. "Ach, I hardly noticed," is his reply to the blood. "Th' /drool/, though. That's what I'd expect a 'pology for."

"The drool," Sivaine repeats flatly, brow furrowing. Clearly she was not informed of this, and is desperately hoping she heard wrong. "The _drool?_"

"Aye," Zade responds, brows creeping upward. "Th' drool."

"I-" Sivaine starts, as behind her Ardice starts to giggle. "I am so sorry."

"That's .. not even th' worst of it," Zade says, green eyes just slightly narrowed with humor. "I went back yesterday an' found /this/.." Out of the pocket of his jacket, concealed discreetly there to get it past the guards, he pulls the sturdy, slightly curved knife that he lent her, now encased in its scabbard. ".. an' y' wouldn't believe th' filth I had t' clean off it."

"I think I would," Sivaine replies dryly, a little smirk skittering across her muzzle. "I was up to my paw in it, from what I remember." She leans forward a bit to get a better look at the knife, which elicits a slight wince. "I'm glad it wasn't lost. They tell me I was rambling about that."

"And something about beans," she adds with a sniff.

"'bout losin' my knife?" Zade's gaze drops to it, and he turns it in his hands, eyeing the scuffed-up scabbard of the blade and then shrugging. "I figure, 's too bad y' didn't shove it in further. Killin' an owl outright would've been better t' brag about than .. indirectly killin' it. Still. Y' did-- beans?" Whatever he was going to say isn't finished because he starts to laugh, just a little, the tone gruff as he shakes his head.

"Mmh. Wish I had," Sivaine comments, rather darkly, then confirms, "And yes, beans." Ardice makes a little 'eh-hem' noise and hides a smile with her paw. "Made of flying toads, or maybe the other way 'round, but knowing Layne she's just pulling my leg. Never take belladonna tea if you can help it," she warns the big otter with a stern schoolmarm look. "You'll go wobbly in the legs as well as the head.. oh, blast it all," she blinks.

"Mmmm, belladonna. Deadly Nightshade," Zade murmurs, his eyes closing for a moment. He looks just the slightest bit wistful, which is an odd expression for his rather grizzled muzzle to acquire. "'s that what they gave y'? Heh.. well. It explains the beans, anyway. Though given Redwall's reputation 'd figure the healers could concoct somethin' with less potential for .. y'know. Killin' y'."

Sivaine raises a brow again, eyeing Zade speculatively. "Had a run-in with the lovely lady?" she asks dryly. "Is. No idea _why_ they're still giving it to me, which's why I want to be up and out of here, ribs be damned." "_Kill_ her?" Ardice exclaims from behind, eyes going wide. Like her sister's they're a subtle shade of green-blue; almost a perfect match, really.

"Heh. 've been privy t' poisons since I was a kid. So if by 'run-in' y' mean used it, an' built myself an immunity t' it... yes." Zade's glance goes to Ardice, whiskers scruffing with how he gives the mouse a winning, reassuring sort of smile. "In th' right dose, aye, 'tis deadly. S'why your sister shouldn't be drinkin' more'n a cup of that tea every handful of hours. Wee bit too much an' it'll put a beast in their grave right 'nough."

Ardice smiles back, but seems anything but reassured. "Ah-" she starts, when Sivaine pats her paw (resting on her shoulder) reassuringly and cuts in. "Right. Introductions. Ardice, this is Zade. He carried me back and is, evidently, full of surprises and a colorful past. Zade, this is Ardice, my sister."

Zade doesn't pursue any more information on the toxicity of the plant or it's strange variety of uses. The poisonist in him is suppressed and he just shoots Ardice a slow, endearing kind of smile. It's then directed at Sivaine and has a bit of a flirty edge. "Heh.. 'colorful' is a word for it. Lucky for you I can heft y' easy enough. Don't figure Taye could'a done it so easy."

"Well, thank you," Ardice replies with a grateful smile. "So, so much." Sivaine snorts through her nose. "Taye," she grumps. The word carries quite a bit of heft, including shades of 'he ought to be boiled in his own teapot.' Then she shakes her head. "Are you commenting on my weight, sir?" she half-smirks, then continues. "Wish I hadn't needed it; was my own fault, freezing up like that.."

Sivaine is propped up in a bed fairly close to the door, talking with a big, scarred-up otter sitting on a chair at the foot. Her arm is heavily bandaged and in a sling, and Ardice sits behind her, listening. A book lies forgotten on the counterpane.

Zade shows his teeth in a brief grin. A nod goes to Ardice before his gaze is back on Sivaine. "What I mean is, ahh.. heh. Taye was a bit occupied at th' time. Jus' best that I carried y' back like I did." His small, rounded ears twitch forward, muzzle canting a little. "Y' did fine, Sivaine. Y' did th' brute th' most damage of any of us. Now .. speakin' of Taye. What's been amiss with 'im?"

Rajani trise to sneak in but that rattly chain, even wrapped around his arm, does not help him stay unnoticible. He tiptoes his way towards the area where bandages and such are kept, with only tiny rattles and clinks every once in awhile.

Was it that obvious? Well, she wasn't trying to hide it. Sivaine huffs a little sigh. "I saw a bit of it," she comments. "Whole face was red.. and I'd _love_ to know, because I'm thoroughly confused. ..well, no. But. It was interesting." Frf. Ardice, though, looks over and spots the little shadow-mouse creeping in. "Rajani!" she calls, in her usual sunny way.

Rajani jumps when his name is called and turns towards Ardice with a big smile, the mouse trying to look like he was not sneaking, "Ardice-mousy! Hello! How are you and sister Siv-mousy doing today?" His tail twitches behind him idly and he looks in much better health than when he arrived.

"Well I ask 'cause, you jus' sounded.. ah, peeved. An' somethin' 'bout Taye bein' yelled at?" The otter shrugs. He gets up, setting the knife on the nightstand next to Sivaine's cot, beside the belladonna tea. "S'pose it's his business, anyway. So. Where d' you wanna go?"

"We're all right," Ardice smiles. "And Siv's getting better by the day-" "Though not as fast as she'd like. 'Lo Rajani." Sivaine aims a fond smile over that way for the young mouse. "Oh, but you! Siv told me about your wound.." Ardice starts, rising - Sivaine has to put her good paw down to prop herself up. "Ack! Ardice!" "Oh, sorry, Siv.." "Go?" Sivaine blinks up at the big otter, and a slow little grin spreads across her muzzle. Escape! A light at the end of the tunnel! "Halberd needs seeing to." Yup. That's the first thing.

Rajani smiles and waves to Siv before he blinks, "My wound?" He looks down at his shirt, a new one, and then nods, "Yes! Rajani almost forgot he was even hurt! Not even enough for stitches, it was not." He looks back towards the siblings and chuckles, his head tilting, "Siv is good enough to be walking around? That is good to hear! Being in here can be boring."

"Which, I 'sume.. is in th' guard'ouse?" Zade asks, that same grin showing in return, a mirror of Sivaine's. "Well, anywhere I can get t' I can take y' with me. Like I said. You're easy 'nough t' lug around. C'mon." The burly otter leans over to curl his arms around the mouse, and start to lift her with just as much ease as before.

"That's good," Ardice smiles again. With the talk of belladonna forgotten, she's quite cheery. Sunny, even. "She, ym.." She hesitates. Blinkblink. "Um." This wasn't quite what Sivaine was expecting, and it shows readily on her face as she finds herself being picked up with surprising gentleness. Ardice makes a little 'eep!' sound of surprise, and watches her ascend. "Well. Um. I was thinking there'd be a little more walking involved on my part," the elder Brennig protests, but carefully, since you can't do much negotiating when you're in midair with a cracked rib.

Rajani blinkblinks and starts to chuckle, his head tilting, "Siv has been swept off her footpaws? That is romantic, right?" He looks to Ardice for conformation.

"What, stagger a few steps an' keel over?" Zade teases the mousemaid. His ears twitch again and he gives Rajani a look, one eyebrow lifted, mouth forming a smirk but saying nothing. Not like Sivaine was on her feet to begin with, but, okay. "You can walk when we get there," he informs Siv, "else we'll take too long in th' gettin' t' do much after."

Ardice just.. takes a look at Siv with her headfur hanging loose and dissolves into giggles. "Not when there's injuries involved," Sivaine starts to protest, but is interrupted by Zade. "Oh, so you've _heard_ the stories then," she snorts. Still, her weapon beckons, and she'd never get there otherwise. "Well, all right, but don't go parading me through the Great Hall like a yuletide bouquet. I think Harper would skin me alive if I didn't die of shame first."

Sivaine says, "Not even festively colored, anyway."

Rajani chuckles softly and shakes his head, waving to Siv, Ardice, and Zade with a claink of his chain, "You three have a good night, yes? Rajani has some stuff to do!" At least, he will once he can sneak his way to the bandages.

"Go on, Ardice," Zade gruffs at the younger sister, "laugh it up. An', ahh.. heh. 'scuse us." He smirks back to the rodent in his hold while carrying Sivaine out of the infirmary, taking the doorway to the outside instead of going down the stairs toward the Great Hall. "I'll do y' a favor an' not.. this time. But jus' so you're aware, bein' as I'm doin' th' labor an' you're jus' on for th' ride - /if/ I want t' parade y' around, I can do it whether y' like it or not."

"I'll drool on you," Sivaine threatens as they go out the door. Ardice, after she recovers from her gigglefit, nods to Rajani who is.. gone. "Oh." Blink. Gathering up her things, she follows after Zade and her sister.

Sivaine is carried without any particular grandeur outside and to the gatehouse, which gets them a few looks from the guards on duty. No one is inside it, though, and Zade leans his shoulder into the door to push it open, ducking his head slightly as he goes in and nudges the door shut again with one foot. "Don't fall," he tells Siv, and sets her down on her feet - hands at her waist, lightly, to ensure this doesn't happen.

The guards, for their part, get Looks back. Right. You just dare say anything. She'll.. well, once she's up and about, she'll do something about it! "Not planning on it," Sivaine mumbles, paws out to balance herself. She wobbles slightly, but seems stable enough. "..right," she nods, and turns to the nearby weapons locker - or rather, one of the polearms leaning just against the wall. "There you are." She gives its square handle a pat, and takes a careful step forward to.. stare down at the locker. Sigh. "..Help me with the lid?"

Zade keeps his eyes a little narrowed, watching for any wobbly motions that may indicate falling. He follows Sivaine the few steps to the weapons locker, giving her halberd an appreciative glance. "Big polearm for a wee mouse," he teases, flashing a grin and sidestepping to get ahold of the locker's lid. Cold never helps with these things, but a slight wiggle and then a hard jerk brings it off. That was less helping and more just .. doing it. "I'll have t' introduce y' to my spear, then." It's somewhere around here, too.

Sivaine flicks an ear at the 'wee mouse' jab and snorts, but doesn't reply directly. "I noticed that," she comments, bracing herself on the edge of the locker to peer in. "I wish I'd brought mine.. gnrf." There's a little bag in there, sitting on top of two scabbards, and Sivaine just looks at it. "I really hope that owl is crashing into trees on a nightly basis. Help a fainting flower of maidenhood get at her blade polish?"

"Well if there was a 'faintin' flower of maidenhood' nearby," Zade drawls, as he leans over a little to scoop the polish up in his big hand. ".. I'd /gladly/ help." He dangles the bag in front of Sivaine, eyebrows raised at her. "Y' don't exactly fit th' description, though."

Sivaine straightens up, with a pleased little nod. "Good answer," she half-smiles, reaching out with her good paw to grasp and heft the halberd, bringing it into the crook of her arm. After a moment she brings it up to balance on her shoulder, thinks better of it, and uses the tall weapon as a staff to move herself over to the chair by the fire. "Can't stand this. Ribs be buggered, I'll grimace at everyone through dinner if I can get down the stairs."

Sivaine asks, "Will it help if I fall over?"

"Hey, it could'a been worse," Zade chuckles. "Imagine if it was a /leg/ that got mangled. Only reason y' can't walk is the rib, an' those heal faster'n you'd think. Trust me." He glances to the side, distracted by the glimpse of his own spear, and contemplates picking it up before his eyes flick back over at the question. "Help what, make y' a faintin' flower? I don' think you're capable of it."

Sivaine makes a face at that. "You've got a point," she admits with a little quick of her mouth. "I'll stop complaining. Uff." With a bit of difficulty, she brings one foot up to rest on her knee, and lays the halberd across her lap. "There we are. Hi Uncle," she adds, apparently to the blade. "Let's see.."

"Uncle? .. well that's original," Zade snickers, and offers her the bag of polish once the weapon is rested across her lap. He goes back to eyeing the halberd with a look of appreciation and interest, tongue rubbing at his upper teeth. "I'd like t' see the damage y' could do with that. Would'a turned out better if you were with me, actually had a weapon, an' someone else was the bait. How long y' been usin' that?"

Sivaine accepts the polish, tilting her knee to keep the halberd from sliding off her lap. "_Was_ my uncle's," she clarifies, as she fiddles with the bag strings and sticks a paw inside, drawing out a cloth and a little corked clay pot. "He's bled on it, I've bled on it. I figure there's a connection there. About seven seasons now, I think.." She tucks the pot in the crook of her bad arm and leans forward, running a careful paw over the flat of the blade, narrowing her eyes. It's a.. hefty weapon, to be sure, almost too big for her, and the blade shows signs of much use.

"Aha. Well, makes more sense than 'em silly beasts what name their weapons.. Deathbringer or.. or Bloodwraith or some nonsense." The dog chuckles as he says this, finding a chair which he pushes over in front of hers, then going to lift his spear and carry it with him as he goes to sit down. It's thick, dark wood, fire-hardened and engraved with tribal-like symbols not far off from his tattoos. Both ends of the shaft have a narrow, sharp blade that can't really classify as 'spearhead', and he strokes one lovingly, before glancing up at her. "So why a halberd?" the otter asks. "Guess 's jus' what he had t' pass on?"

"If you're doing it right, you don't need to advertise," Sivaine smirks at her reflection, and pulls up to turn the thing over and check the other side. "Been out in the snow enough.. tsk," she murmurs, and sits back. "Oh. Well, yes. Never touched a sword," she replies, eyeing the corked pot. Another puzzle to solve. She ends up snugging it in the crook of her knee and working the top out with her fingers, very carefully. "And the reach, and spears aren't so difficult to learn, and you carry a whacking great weapon around like you know how to use it, quite a few beasts won't even try."

"True 'nough," Zade responds with a nod. He angles the spear vertical, leaned in toward him with one of the blades digging into the floorboard between his feet. "Me, I started with sword. Staff, bow'n arrows. I was four seasons, certainly couldn't handle a full-sized spear for another few. By th' time I could heft one this size I knew the technique like I was born knowin'." He chuckles, shaking his head. "... I had a good teacher."

Dip goes the cloth into the pot, and Sivaine sort of holds it with her last two fingers while the first three wrestle the cork back in. "My aunt taught us slings, but I was five when I started with this. Well. Really Uncle Fen's walking stick, and moved up to this later on, but." She works the oil through the cloth and begins to see to the blade's surface, caressing the thing with a careful, almost mother-like gentleness. "There's still a lot that I don't know. Too much." Her voice has an edge of bitterness in it.

"Well, focus on healin' up," Zade says, absently fixing one of the feathers attached to the base of the blade which it aimed at the ceiling. He smooths this down, checks the fastening of it, and lifts his gaze back to her face. "When your rib's as it should be an' you're outta that sling, I'll teach y' what I can." A grin now. "S' th' benefit of havin' a friend that's fight-trained 'is whole life. S' like a Patrol hare with none of th' distraction. Y'know .. of bein' in th' Long Patrol an' such."

One side finished, Sivaine shifts back to give the blade room to turn to the other side - her brow furrows at the moment - and lowers herself back. It's awkward going with her splinted arm in the way, bulked out of proportion and just.. there, but even so it's evident she's done this a thousand times. The mousemaid looks up mid-stroke, paw stilling. "Would you?" she asks. Don't sound too eager there, Siv. Quick, recovery! She chuckles in the back of her throat and smirks. "True enough. I imagine you won't be heading back to the mountain come spring, either."

"Heh.. hardly. I'll be headin' wherever I want t'," Zade says, leaning back more now with his spear across his thighs. "Whenever I want t'. I left th' group I grew up with .. ach, longer ago than I care t' think of. ... so if y' want me around, Siv, all y' gotta do 's say it."

Sivaine cants her head to the side, considering the big otter with a speculative expression. Then she nods, mouth quirking in a wry smile. "Long enough to beat that stupid freezing-up business out of my head. Think you can do that?"

Slowly the otter's muzzle splits into a grin, and some of that arrogance shows through. "Aye," he chuckles, "when 'm done with you.. biggest, meanest buggers in th' world will be quakin' in their boots." He promises this with a firm nod, then glances out the window. "Better finish up, last thing I need is someone yellin' at me 'cause I had y' gone too long. Tempers been flarin' left an' right since I got 'ere."

"Can I find a big mean bugger and hold you to that?" Sivaine jokes, finishing up her work on the halberd. "Don't worry about it. Being on practical house arrest with lives at stake, everyone's riled." There's not much to do; it's been well-kept, and the whole thing has a ceremonial feel to it. "See you next month, then," she murmurs lowly and nods, working the polishing supplies back into their back, which she holds in her teeth while using the halberd to stand again. "Mrfst fro."

"Mrfst fro?" the otter snickers at her. "My you're a verbose lil' thing, aren't y'?" He stands, leaning to tug the bag from her mouth and taking his spear in his other hand. The chair he was occupying is pushed off to the side and he leans the spear where he got it from, dropping the bag back into the locker and glancing back to Sivaine to make sure she's hobbling her way over without too much difficulty. "/I/ get t' pick th' first big mean bugger, though. Or we'll be real lucky an' one'll find us."

"Pfuh." That's what Sivaine has to say to _that._ She stumps her way over, the metal-capped end of her ersatz walking stick clacking against the floorboards with every shift. "I tell stories for part of my living. I'd better be," the mousemaid replies without much rancor, carefully leaning her halberd back against the wall. "Fair enough, but I won't believe you 'til it's best three out of five." She wobbles. She lifs her foot and eyes it. Are you going to behave this time?

"Fine. Three outta five," Zade concedes. "Now don't go thinkin' I'll let y' walk back. You toddled 'round here plenty an' got all cozy wit' the polearm." This is all said in a chuckling manner, more faux-concerned than anything. The otter turns more to Sivaine and slides his arm across her shoulders, head ducking down. "... an' disregardin' all that rubbish, I jus' kinda like totin' y' 'round." With that, he bends and scoops the other arm behind her knees to lift her with a heft upward, leaning the injured mouse against his broad chest.

Sivaine snorts and opens her mouth to return some snappy comment. Or that was the idea, at least. "Um," she manages, and then "Whup-" as she's swept off her feet by the big otter _again._ She blinks, thinks about this, and has an attempt at a dry, disinterested, "_Really._" Comes out rather soggy though.

Tameus snickers, moving one hand from her briefly to pull open the door and then returning it to the hold he has on the mouse as he heads back outside. "Well, I don't figure you've had anyone carry y' since you were wee. ... well. Wee/er/ anyway. An' even then y' likely squalled like a baby bird." That's an image. Baby-Siv with her mouth open, nubby little limbs windmilling in protest. Now there's a big grin on his muzzle.

Zade snickers, moving one hand from her briefly to pull open the door and then returning it to the hold he has on the mouse as he heads back outside. "Well, I don't figure you've had anyone carry y' since you were wee. ... well. Wee/er/ anyway. An' even then y' likely squalled like a baby bird." That's an image. Baby-Siv with her mouth open, nubby little limbs windmilling in protest. Now there's a big grin on his muzzle.

"Erm." Judging by the expression on Sivaine's face, there are few things tht could make this worse. Say, her relatives showing up with embarassing recollections. Or the presence of Har-of anyone else. Or snakes. Live snakes. Well and truly flabbergasted, Sivaine just makes a mute little nod. Inside her head, wheels turn, and a klaxon blazes: You will learn to walk. TOMORROW.

".. yeah. That's right," the otter gruffs at her, smirking and smug. He got the last word, yes he did. The triumphant Zade carries the flabbergasted Sivaine back inside, taking his time in doing so - just to drag out the experience.