Tea and Scars (A Redwall Log)
My first log of 2016! :D
RW Abbey: Infirmary
Several beds are lined against the red sandstone walls of the Abbey's Infirmary. An examination table, separated from the rest of the room by hanging blankets, rests against the far wall. Tucked into a small alcove is a sizeable workbench with various containers for mixing and preparing medicinal compounds. Against another wall is a desk for use by the Infirmary Keeper. A curtained off alcove behind the desk hides a locked door to the Infirmary's supplies and linens.
Exits: Infirmary [Rec]overy Room, [H]ealer's [D]ormitory, [O]pen [G]round, [Hall]
Mice: Emyuil, male. LilyMoore and Angela, females.
Emyuil walks into the Infirmary, wrapped up in warm clothes because he's coming in from outside. He apparently stopped in the kitchen, however, as he's carrying a tea tray. He looks around. "Angela? Are you in here?" he calls. "I brought tea!"
"I suggest you don't call Nana by her name, Nuncle Emmy." Lily appears like a wraith beside him, a basket of bandages in her arms. "She's been super grumpy since Caleb came back. Her lecture was of legendary length."
"Okay then," Emyuil says, hiding his surprise at his niece's sudden materialization. "Well I would be too...just haven't had a chance to talk to him yet. D'you know where she's at?"
LilyMoore nods towards the Healer's Dormitory. "Right there," she says as the elderly mouse comes hobbling through the door, grumbling something about otters. Looking up, she scowls, although her bad temper doesn't seem to be directed at her grandson or great-granddaughter. "3 of my Healers are sick! And my great-grandson has come back after havin' an adventure to who-knows-where! And that big dumb eagle hasn't left the Abbey yet, nor is she willing to follow my exercise orders! Why do all these bad things seem to come in waves?!" Angela is now at the fireplace, stirring a pot of vegetable broth. "Small wonder Leon seemed so stressed!"
Emyuil debates offering his grandmother some tea, then swallows and goes for it. "Want some tea?" he offers sheepishly. "Just made it. 's mint." He casts a wary eye over the old mouse, keeping an eye on her walking stick especially.
LilyMoore goes and puts the bandages away as Angela turns to her grandson and actually smiles. "Aye, that'd be nice. Nothin' so soothin' as mint tea with 'oney." She hobbles over to him, then reaches up and goes to touch his scarred face. "I may 'ave come up with a way to make scars not so bad. Interested?"
Emyuil closes his eyes slowly as his face is touched. "I'd consider it," he says cautiously. He has mixed feelings about this. His scars are part of his demeanor, his 'don't-mess-with-me' look...part of his legend...but does he really want to be nothing more than a killer? A flicker of uncertainty crosses his features.
Angela goes to gently turn his face this way and that way. "You'd be easier to dump Dibbuns on, that's for sure..." Lily reappears and goes to hug her uncle. "You would also be less scary," she adds, successfully sounding like she feels neutral about the subject. She wants his scars gone, but she also doesn't want to influence his choice, so she doesn't make it sound like she approves either way.
Emyuil accepts the hug. "Sometimes, though...we have to be scary," he muses, as if to himself. "I'll decide after you explain how it works, I guess," he says, more clearly.
LilyMoore shrugs and goes to bury her face in his shirt. Angela nods and starts getting herself some tea. "It just makes the skin softer, then makes the scars fade, for the most part. More severe scarring," she gestures at his face with her staff, which is probably terrifying, even though it's obvious that she's not threatening him with it, "it doesn't completely go away. But it aids and speeds up the body's natural 'ealin' process." She sips her tea and nods approvingly. "This is good! Did y'brew it yerself?"
Emyuil tucks his chin in to avoid the staff, then, at the compliment, smiles bashfully, reaching down to stroke the back of LilyMoore's head gently. "Yup," he nods. "Glad you like it." He takes a sip of his own, feeling the warmth flow through him.
Angela seems quite taken with the tea, and just stands there sipping it. Lily sighs in a happy manner as he strokes her head, and her tight muscles begin to relax as the gesture helps soothe her anxious nerves. She thought for sure that having Caleb back would help her calm down. "So? Whaddaya think of it, Nuncle Emmy? Nana's trying it on that gigantic golden eagle--Riana, that's her name!--and it smells nasty, but so far it doesn't seem to be doing anything bad."
Emyuil considers carefully. "Maybe," he says. He honestly isn't sure. He's leaning towards removing the scars, but at the same time...some part of him doesn't want to let go of the past.
Angela smiles again. "Well, when ye decide either way, lemme know." She walks off, taking her tea with her as she goes to work on an herb mixture. Lily goes to tug on her uncle's arm. "Do you need to talk it out to decide? I sometimes have to do that; Butterclaw has taught me how to be a good listener." she seems eager to help.
Emyuil nods, smiling gently. "Absolutely." He was going to go work on something, but forget it. It's Lily; he'll make time. "Want to go somewhere more private?" he offers.
"I'm still helping Nana roll bandages, but we can take it into a quiet corner." she grabs a basket of clean but as of yet unrolled bandages and holds it out to her uncle. If he doesn't take it, she'll set it at his feet and grabs another one. "C'me on." she says kindly as she grabs another basket and takes it to the quietest corner on the Infirmary. There are 2 rocking chairs set up, waiting. [LilyMoore]
Emyuil follows Lily and picks up the bandage, sitting down with a content sigh in the wooden chair. "Okay. So...where do we start?" He could be referring to either the conversation or the bandages. Either way.
LilyMoore picks up a (very long) bandage from her basket. "This is how you roll bandages....it's very boring if you don't have someone to talk to." She shows him how to start, then continues rolling the bandage....veeeeery carefully. It has to be just so. "So.....how do you feel about Nan's cream thingy? And remember: first thoughts are the strongest, so say the first thing that comes into your head. Just," she offers him a wry smile, "try not to cuss. Nana'd probably wash your mouth out with soap. It tastes /nasty/."
Emyuil carefully follows Lily's paw movements, working with surprising deftness for all the strength and scarring visible in his muscular paws. "I'm not sure. I'm afraid of losing who I am," he says, quicker than he intended. "These scars are part of me."
LilyMoore nods, her paws moving with the swiftness of someone who has had a lot of practice. "I can understand that. Do you have anything else that makes you feel complete? Like, if you lost them, part of you would be gone forever?" She halfway done with her bandage. She must do this a lot.
Emyuil pauses. "Well...there's your mother. And Nana. And you, and Caleb...and my sword. But some of those things are beyond my control." He continues rolling the bandage.
LilyMoore is almost all done with her bandage, and it's not super sloppy, either. She smiles a little bashfully as he tells her how important she is to him. "Perhaps you could find a way to make /those/ things part of your identity, more than your scars?"
"Mayhap," Emyuil says quietly. "I just don't know how." His stomach growls. "Be right back, I'm gonna go fetch us some food." He rises, stretching, goes to pat LilyMoore on the head, then heads for the kitchen. He'll be back momentarily.
LilyMoore accepts the pat and continues rolling her bandage. She trusts him. Smiling, she waits for him to come back. She hopes that she can help him make the best decision.
Thanks for reading!
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