A change of brace

[Vega]

19th Trial of Ashan during Arc 718

Vega had pulled her hair right back from her face, tying it back in a messy bun sort of affair. At least, she figured, she'd managed messy. Then, she'd pulled on her orange dress and she looked at herself in the mirror. "You know," she said, with a crooked smile. "I'm startin' to think that you missed your callin' in life." Motioning to the bed where they'd been working on the physical therapy she was doing, not a half break before, she explained. "If you ever get bored of travellin' you could become a professional torturer." With a grin to show that she was teasing, she put down her hairbrush and then looked at him. Every morning, since the one with the hot chocolate and confections, they'd spent at least a break exercising. At first it had been all upper body stuff and a lot of stretching to make sure her leg muscles worked. But now, following the list that the healers in Scalvoris had given him, they were adding in exercises to help her get mobility and strength back into her legs. Then, when they were done, she took herself to have a wash and got dressed. The same pattern of exercises again just after mid-trial and again in the evening. More than once, he'd come in to their room and she'd been doing sit ups, or using the rings he'd hung over the bed. Her upper body strength was as good as it had ever been, better even.

But there was no doubting that her leg muscles were, most certainly, not what they once had been. Yet, this morning when she'd been pushing against his hand, which was on the sole of her foot, she'd done it. It had hurt, but she'd done it, as she had the times before. After the initial ten trial of having to have her legs splinted together, in order to ensure that neither of them moved at all during the vital part of the healing process, Vega had been delighted with moving to separate splints, at first for a few breaks at a time and then more and more. It was a long, slow and deeply frustrating process, but for all that she found it so, she'd been a sight better patient than when she'd been splattered by the giant snake. If he'd commented or asked her, it was simple. Then, as far as she was concerned, he was fussing over nothing. Now? "Every bit of work we do is work to me an' you dancin'." To her walking again, she meant but she figured he knew that.

She was doing everything faster than his list said, and Vega was pleased about that. When that had first become apparent, she'd pushed herself too far and that had knocked her back a few trials. She'd overdone it and tried to move in ways that she couldn't yet and it had led to her staying in bed for two trials straight and she'd sobbed in frustration and more than a little fear when they were alone together. But she'd also learnt the lesson and didn't push herself over her limits again. Just always, right up to them.

However, this morning she'd been pleased and so she said something which had been on her mind for a few trials now, but she thought he'd say no to. "Arlo?" Vega looked at him and gestured to her legs, feeling the familiar rush of irritation at how thin and weak they looked, to her mind. "I think I'm ready to stand up. I know what yer list says, an' I'm not bein' foolhardy, I promise you, but," she folded her hands onto her lap, smoothing her skirt and then lifted her gaze to him. "When we were workin' there, this mornin'. An' the last few trials, that pushin' against you. I can do it an' I feel ready. The splint they gave you, the brace, for when that 'appens. Can we try it?" That was a change of splint for her left leg, certainly, as it was a brace which allowed very minimal movement. Her right leg would remain immobile until the splints came off. Bright pink eyes regarded him and she lifted her lips in a slight smile. Maybe he wouldn't say no, she thought, maybe he was waiting for her to tell him she was ready. Suddenly, that seemed more likely and she breathed in, with a smile which told the absolute truth of her next words. "I'm scared witless, but I think it's time to try."

[Arlo Creede]

He and Vega had traveled aboard sailing ships a number of times since they'd met. Before he'd met her, he'd seldom done it at all. He'd never considered the means of travel to be anything nearly as desirable as walking the open roads. Through the forests, across the open plains. Threading the mountain passes. Booking passage therefore and getting aboard therefore had been a means born of necessity and not much else. But now that they had their own ship? All that had changed.

It might have something to do with U'frek's blessing, but Arlo doubted it. It was more about freedom, and being in control. During previous voyages, he and Vega had been required to abide by the rules, habits and schedules of others. But now they were free to chart their own course. To go where they pleased whenever they pleased, to decide when it was time to sail towards the next horizon. It made him appreciate more just how massive the oceans were. How expansive and deep, how unpredictable sometimes. And how the night sky looked from far out to sea. It had been a good idea, purchasing the Wanderlust, and Arlo had told Vega that more than once since they'd left the docks of Scalvoris. And none too soon in his opinion.

There were probably more than a few adventures and mysteries they'd left unexplored or unanswered behind them. But the last two dozen trials or so had managed to take quite a lot of shine off the place for him. He wasn't really sorry to see the coastline shrink over the rail at the stern until it finally disappeared altogether. Maybe some trial they'd be back. But for now he was happy to be gone from it. "I hear it pays fairly well," Arlo quipped, wearing a lopsided grin as he watched Vega brushing her hair. If what she was going through now was torture, and he had no doubt that a lot of it was, the pain in this case at least meant that she was getting better every trial. And for that he was grateful.

All of the exercises Vega did, Arlo did right beside her. Whether it was in their cabin or up on deck. It helped, he knew, for him to partake just as she did. But it also helped to keep him fit while aboard ship. That, and climbing the rigging. Sometimes because it was necessary. Other times just because. "It would be grand," he told her, once they were able to go dancing. He'd find the fanciest place he could, and she'd have the fanciest dress there. She'd outshine all the other women in the ballroom, who'd box their husband's ears for looking once they got home for the evening.

"Are you sure?" he said when she claimed that she was ready to stand. "It's a little soon." Then again, he'd been right there beside her and had witnessed her determination and drive. And he'd seen her getting stronger, faster than he'd been told that she would. And why not? She'd started out ahead of the game hadn't she? And this was the first time she'd mentioned it. Maybe, then. "Only if you promise to tell me, and to sit back down the trill that it becomes too much," he said, standing up to go and collect the brace. "No pushing through where you shouldn't."

No need to be scared, Arlo told her. He'd be right there holding her hands. There for her to grab onto if she needed more. And smiling, he sat down in the chair facing the bed, lifted her skirt above her knee and carefully strapped the brace in place. Then standing and pushing the chair aside, he smiled and offered both his hands for her to take.

[Vega]

She'd believed, most strongly, that Arlo would find travelling on the seas different when they were doing it in their own ship, on their terms and at their pace. She was delighted that she was right about that and it was good to see. As the shores of Scalvoris had disappeared they'd both breathed out, somehow. It wasn't the place itself, it wasn't the people but so very much had battered them there that Vega had to admit that she was relieved to get away. And, in fairness, that was another boon for the Wanderlust. It was theirs, their space together and they weren't beholden to anyone else, but if they wanted to be up on deck, then they were. Or if not, they were not. Her silver blood shone more in the vast darkness of the ocean, she was sure of it, or it showed more and at night she teased him that his glow, like the auroras they saw sometimes, from U'frek's blessing made him look like an exotic biqaj.

He'd told her, more than once, that he was glad that they'd bought the Wanderlust and she'd returned the sentiment wholeheartedly. It was, Vega realised, what she needed, this time together the two of them. Her father, her cousin Huw and his sister in law Fi were aboard too, but the vessel was large enough that she and Arlo had their own space both above and below decks and Vega had taken advantage of that. When he'd climbed the rigging, just for the sake of it, she'd been sitting on deck and watching him. Isolation wasn't good for her, but she needed time to heal and the journey from Scalvoris to Viden was giving her the time where they were alone, where they sat together as a group with all on board sharing a meal or a game of cards or even when Reese, Shon and their wives came over to the Wanderlust and partook of food or games. She needed that, those chances to laugh and play, but equally she needed time with just her and Arlo together and the Wanderlust provided both of those opportunities and in their time, at their choice.

Each and every exercise she did, he was there with her and Vega could not be more grateful for that. She was doing her best, but she struggled sometimes and he was there to motivate and support her. Again, it was what she needed and she prayed her thanks to Xiur for him, because he made it so much easier. Her grin matched his when he considered how much he could earn as a torturer. But when he described the dancing, the venue and the fancy frocks, she grinned. "I love that idea. An' you know, lets do that. But lets dance barefoot on the grass, too, Arlo. On deck, too. I don't care where, lets dance in all the places." As for women boxing their husbands' ears for looking at her in the fancy dress he was envisioning, Vega chuckled and kissed him. "They'll be doin' that to draw attention away from the fact that they spent the night envyin' me for bein' with you." Her hands wrapped around him and she groaned. "Damnit, I'm goin' mad. Could you please look less appealin'? Or.. somethin'." She grinned, though she meant the sentiment absolutely.

When she said that she felt ready to stand, though, he thought about it and checked that she was sure. "I think so, yeah. I mean, I won't know till I do it, will I?" But he'd be right there with her and if it was too much, he'd catch her, she knew. There was no hesitation from her, though, when he asked her to promise him that she'd not push herself. "Honest to Betsy," she said, with a smile. She meant it, though, and she added, "I promise. No bein' silly, that jus' puts us back, doesn't take us forward." If she could do this, Vega knew, it meant that she was healing. Actually, genuinely, healing. Standing was very early on in the process, but it was part of it and it marked something for her. He went to get the brace and she watched as he removed the old one and strapped the new one. "I thought there'd be more of a scar, you know. They did a good job, didn't they?" There was a scar from the surgery, but it was smaller and less obvious than she'd thought it would be.

Gingerly, she put her leg back down as he stood and he offered her his hands. As he did that, Vega frowned as a memory hit her. "We've done this before," she said, but it was as much a question as a statement.She considered it and then a smile replaced the frown, "I remember. You helped me stand up on the cliff. I was dreamin', wasn't I?" She must have been, come to think of it. Taking in a deep breath, she clasped his forearms and felt his hands wrap around hers. Her eyes were solid pink as she looked at him, but that was what she did. She looked into his eyes and kept her gaze there.

And slowly, carefully and with a lot of support from him in terms of the pressure on his arms and how hard she held on, Vega stood up for the first time in over twenty trials. She didn't stop looking into his eyes as she did that, just kept her gaze on him but the eyes which were locked with his swirled green inside the gold and she beamed. It was painful, there was no doubting it and he could tell by the way her hands dug into his arms, the expression on her face and the way her body started to shake, but the look of triumph on her face was absolute. "Hey, you," she whispered, standing next to him just for a few trill. Then, she lowered herself back down, as quickly as she could. By the time she sat back down, she'd stood for maybe twenty trill and she was shaking all over, but there was no doubting it, she had stood and held her own weight, but she didn't quite believe it. "Did we do it?" Vega asked, shock and delight mingling in her expression and her hands tightening in his. She grinned then and answered her own question. "We did it, didn't we? I stood up, an' that means I can do that. It's gonna be alright, I bloody well told you, didn't I?" Of course, it was her, not him, who had doubted it but Vega didn't feel the need to focus on such minor details as she flung her arms around the back of his neck and kissed him.

[Arlo Creede]

Arlo was skeptical that he'd ever pass for anything close to Biqaj. He didn't have the eyes or the signature dreadlocks for it. But with the faint rainbow of color that swirled around him, more noticeable now they were out at sea, he'd at least pass for a fairly good beacon in the night. It also meant that even while her silvery veins glowed brighter under the night sky, he couldn't tease her any longer about doubling as a prospective lantern or nightlight. No matter, it also meant that she had no trouble locating him in the dark, or him, her.

Before they'd set sail, he'd slipped a pair of stray kittens he'd stumbled across on board. Had he told her yet, once he'd turned them loose below deck? Not exactly. Arlo didn't care for cats much more than she did. But it stood to reason they'd be just as useful on a ship at sea as they were in the barn back home when he was a kid. Besides needing to throw them a few scraps now and then, they'd probably rarely be seen in the open.

She was getting stronger with each trial that passed. It was plain to see that even aboard ship where the places they could go, the things they could do were limited, the healing process was going along steadily. And it did them both good being active. If he didn't keep active, in fact, he'd probably go mad. "You want I should wear a burlap sack over my head?" he teased her when she demanded he stop tempting her. Although he fully expected that she'd claim that it wasn't his face that was the problem. But then he'd have to tell her the same was true in reverse, and they'd both end up more frustrated than they already were.

So as he strapped on the brace that would better allow her to stand, Vega promised that she wouldn't push beyond what was sensible. And the promise was fair enough. As for the scar, he figured that by the time it was fully healed, it would be just them who already knew it was there, that would notice at all. And "Yes," he told her as she took his hands and slowly stood up. "In a dream. We've done this before." She was shaky as she did it, he could see the pain she was in, just looking in her eyes. But Arlo knew this was necessary, so he only smiled and kept encouraging her as she put more and more weight on her leg.

It was only when he supported her as she sat back on the bed again, that he said, "Of course you did. Was there ever any doubt that you would?" And each time, it was only going to get better. Each time, she'd be stronger. She'd stand longer, more steadily, and standing would be followed by steps, that would be followed by walking. "Then running, before you know it," he said, the last bit of it stifled by a shared kiss between them.

[Vega]

"You'd make the damn burlap sack look fine, you would. There's no cure for it, I'm afraid. Yer addictive an' I'm in withdrawal." She smiled and there was a very definite glint of determination in her eyes. "Soon, Arlo. Not a season. Soon." They were both feeling the frustration of being forced to maintain a physical distance, but it was a small price. "An' then, for the rest of our lives. Fit an' healthy lives." That was the only way she could think of it.

They had done this before? Vega grinned and shook her head slightly when he explained even as the memory of the dream came back to her. Even in her sleep he was there, supporting her and helping her. Vega didn't really know how to put into words just how loved and cared for she was, just how much she appreciated him and everything he did for her. "You turn up all over the place you do, don't you?" Her tone, her gaze and her eyes all told the truth of what she meant when she said that.

But then, she had to focus and so that was what she did. On standing and looking into his eyes as they stood, together. He smiled, pushing her on and yet she could see the concern and worry in his eyes. But he focused on helping her stand as she focused on standing and as she sat back down, perched on the bed, she pulled him to her and kissed him. "I couldn't have done it without you. I couldn't, an' don't you tell me different cos I know it's the truth." Her eyes stayed locked with his and her fingers tightening on his shirt. There were tears in her eyes, but not from pain or anything negative. "You make it all possible, Arlo. An' just shurrup, before you argue, an' accept the damn compliment." He'd told her that once upon a time, walking through the snow to the Tower in Scalvoris. Before all this, when walking had seemed like the simplest thing in the world. "I know, that I'm strong, an' so are you. But together, we're more than that." Then, though, because that was the romance and sappy she could manage, she grinned. "So, when can we do it again? An' what exercises do we put in now? Get the list, Arlo!" Because, frankly, the sooner each of these things happened, the better.

"Can we do it again, now?" She understood she needed to rest a few moments, but he was right. Every time a little bit longer, another step towards the final goal. "What's it say?"

[Arlo Creede]

"You're driving me mad. Stop it," Arlo demanded. The spark in Vega's eyes was enough to tell him where her mind was at. His was there too, and was as often as not. It would be frustrating for any man, under any circumstances: so close and yet, don't touch. But Cassion's blood running through his own veins assured that things like that were felt all the more keenly. Soon, she said, and he agreed when he placed a lingering kiss on her lips. It couldn't be too soon, was it to be next trial.

As for her dreams or here in their cabin together, Arlo shrugged and smiled. "There's no place you could go that I wouldn't try to follow." And not stop, that was, until he managed to get there. His ability to dreamwalk helped quite a bit in that regard. He wouldn't argue that he'd played a part in getting Vega up on her feet again. He'd rather enjoy the kiss than point out that it was her that had done the lion's share of the work. He knew. It was all that mattered.

She was eager to continue, to try it again and he grinned and shook his head. "That's enough standing for one trial. But," he said, first getting up off the bed and then standing on the chair so he could reach the ceiling, "There is something else you can add to your exercises." From what he could see, she didn't need the rings any longer to help her sit up, or to get out of the bed. They could be better used elsewhere so he detached them from the ceiling and shortened the straps before attaching them both to the foot board.

She could use her feet now for leverage, so long as she didn't push or pull too hard. Just enough, he explained, so that her muscles wouldn't atrophy. "Gentle pressure. Pull and push at once," he said, handing her the rings so she could pull, release, then carry through with the repetitions. But for now? Enough at least for a couple breaks till she might try standing again.

[Oracle]

As always you two write the most heartwarming threads. Vega is finally getting back on her feet and it seems she is raring to go. Arlo is such a wonderful character, his support of Vega does not go unappreciated or unnoticed by her. The story was very well structured and you both did a good job of providing details on the surroundings. Vega's dialogue is always a delight to read and Arlo's is always so lovely and well considered. Well done both of you!

Vega

Points

XP: 15
This may not be used for magic.

Renown

N/A

Loot

None

Injuries

None

Knowledge

Cosmetology: A messy bun
Cosmetology: Hairstyles appropriate for exercises
Discipline: Enforced abstinence is difficult!
Discipline: No pain, no gain.
Endurance: Pushing through pain by focusing on the goal.
Endurance: Standing for the first time in over twenty days
Strength: Pulling yourself up on weak and shaky legs
Strength: Weight bearing onsplinted, broken legs Non-Skill Knowledge

Arlo

Points

XP: 15
This may not be used for magic.

Renown

N/A

Loot

None

Injuries

None

Knowledge

Caregiving: Encourage and challenge
Caregiving: Needs to be tailored to the individual
Discipline: Enforced abstinence is difficult!
Discipline: Focus on the long term, not the right now
Persuasion: Say yes, but lay down rules
Persuasion: Explain why it's important
Psychology: Motivating someone by working with them.
Strength: Providing support to someone who is standing for the first time.

Non-Skill Knowledge[/tab][/tabmenu][/align]