• Memory • Little Monsters [Genna]

[Rose Greenwood]

70th of Ymiden Arc 715 – Afternoon

It was going to be one of those days.

Rose sighed heavily, clasping her forehead in her hands. A dull ache had been nagging at her left temple since early that morning. Rather it had started the moment she was assigned a room in the children’s’ area of the Olọravu Slosneppe. She had been startled upon realizing that there was not one patient waiting within the room but two: twins…of course. Their names were Vae’lin and Nal’ryn. The young brothers were seven arcs of age, and like Rose they were Sev’ryn mixed bloods: although Sev’ryn and Biqaj to be exact. They had been suffering from a mild fever and a terribly itchy rash, nothing to be very concerned with according to the other healers, but the brothers were miserable and it showed. All morning she had been trying to reason with the two children, offering honey sweets in exchange for drinking a cup of bitter feverfew tea or allowing her to administer a salve to their rashes.

She leaned against the twins closed door, rubbing her eyes in frustration as she reflected on the past break. It was not as though Rose had no experience with children, but things became a problem when there was a language barrier. She was pretty sure her Xanthea was not atrocious but when she had tried to ask for them to sit still, Vae’lin and Nal’ryn had looked at her like she wanted to eat them, their Biqaj eyes flashing green with fear. After the screaming had started Rose had gracefully staggered from the room in sheer panic.

She was fairly certain that they had barricaded the door.

She sat glumly in the sunlit hall, her back against the closed door.
“Aladani kọv eo gbà” (Let in me please) she begged in broken Xanthea. Rose snapped to her feet and tried the door when she heard a clattering from inside. Of course it was still locked.

“I know you can hear me!” She shrieked in Common at the narrow opening at the bottom of the door, sounding a little unhinged in her desperation. Giggling could be heard from inside, apparently the two brothers thought it was good sport to keep her locked out.

A nurse wandered by, laughing under her breath and shaking her head as she passed, neglecting to offer help.

'Oh yes…it’s hilarious that the new girl is letting two little runts make a fool of her.' she thought to herself, glaring at the nurse’s back as she disappeared down the hall. It was like some form of cruel initiation that they were putting her though. Okay, so maybe she had been a little boastful of her experience and credentials when applying for a position and perhaps she had been quick to shoot down the local medicine women’s techniques but that didn’t mean they should abandon her with the two little monsters barricaded in the room behind her…. Right?

A few visiting physicians were in the Olọravu Slosneppe for the next few trials, assisting with new treatments or hoping to learn some of the local medicines. Rose looked hopefully down the hall toward the foyer that marked the entrance. Maybe a stranger would be more likely to help a girl out.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

The city of Desnind was a marvel to the young Lysorian woman. It was the first time she had been farther then Ne’hear in all of her arcs. The city of the Sev’ryn and home of Moseke and her own patron Ymiden. The platinum blonde had been raised in a city of stone, beauty achieved through the chisel and hammer. Desnind was beautiful and in a very different way. Its beauty was achieved through nature and was nurtured by time. As relatively new member of the Order of the Anduith she felt like it would be a good idea to visit this city.

She had found herself in the Oloravu Slosneppe, which had turned out to be the local healing house. It was the second trial since she had arrived and she had risen late as she was still recovering from the travel. It was amazing how much traveling had taken out of her and she felt a bit embarrassed at having awoken so late. She had been working with some of the local’s healers helping to clean bandages and other clothing for the use by the Oloravu Slosneppe.

Thanked for her help and released Gennadiya walked down the halls. She moved with a graceful pace that upon casual observation would appear laid back and unconcerned, but to a careful observer they would see her walk had a purpose but should wasn’t about to appear hurried. Gennadiya knew that life had a time table and lived by that, but she also was aware that if you rushed from event to event you would miss the important things, and many times those side adventures could be more important. For example today if she had been rushing she would have missed the desperate pleas of another healer.

Gennadiya had come upon a hall in the building that she had to pass to get to her decided destination. She paused in her walk as she heard pleading from down the hall. She tilted her head and looked inquisitively down the hall. She saw a young woman with vibrant red hair leaning against the door. She looked up with a plea for help in her eyes and it touched Gennaiya’s heart. The young woman didn’t hesitate in altering her course as and walked down the hall towards the woman. Gennadiya kept her same pass but moved with resolution towards the woman. Her blue skirt swishing just above the ground. She wore pale blue blouse and over that wore with pride the green cloak of the Order of Adnuith.

She knelt next to the woman, who also was wearing a matching green cloak, and Gennadiya put her hand tenderly on the woman's shoulder. “What is the problem, how can I help?” she asked impulsively. It was only then that she heared little giggles from the other side of the door. Her sapphire gaze looked at the door questioningly, and then understanding dawned on her face. She carefully put out a hand and tried to push the doors open. It firmly remained closed. Her sapphire blue eyes turned back. There was understanding in them as well a bit of humor. “It sounds like the castle has been locked up against a siege. Well let’s show them they can’t keep us out.” Gennadiya said with a grin that spoke of comradeship.

[Rose Greenwood]

Relief surged through the young doctor when she sighted the graceful figure of the stranger at the end of the hall. Upon making eye contact Rose’s new ally strode toward her, the woman’s distinctive platinum blonde hair gliding in the air behind her. She cut an elegant figure; this was someone who wielded their guise with the surgical precision of a knife. Everything about her, from her posture to the color of her rippling skirts was chosen with purpose. Rose sometimes wished she possessed the edge that this stranger did; to command every gaze within a room simply by making an entrance.

Rose gave an exhausted smile when the woman spoke to her. The redhead looking a bit embarrassed once Gennadiya realized that the door had been barricaded by the two boys. Nodding at the Lysorian woman, Rose confirmed her assessment of their predicament. It was a little humiliating to need help for what seemed to be a very simple problem, but she was at her wits end. Begrudgingly the healer swallowed her pride and resolved to accept any help the stranger could give. There was no harm in admitting defeat when you were so clearly outmatched by two very mischievous midgets.

“They are holed up in there fairly tight.” Rose said smiling as she stood, her pale green skirts rustling once she gained her footing. It was then that she noticed that the woman was also wearing a green cloak of the Order of Adunih. Rose herself had joined the order a few arcs ago when she had been working with her father in Strosdyn. Rarely had she ever seen another of the cloaked healers before but certainly she had never herself met one in person.

“Oh you are with the Order!” she remarked excitedly, offering a hand to help the woman get to her feet. Rose grinned with delight. “I’ve never met another of the Order in person; it’s so lovely to meet you.” She paused for a moment, forgetting for a few trills that there were two troublesome but sick little boys in the room behind them.

“It is good fortune too, I’m in a bit of a pickle with these two” the redheaded doctor quipped with a sheepish laugh while nodding toward the door. From her tone one could guess that she was making every effort to shelter her pride. Rose hated being bested by anyone, it was made all the worse that it was children that had beaten her.

“I'm Rose by the way.” She interjected quickly, nearly forgetting her manners given the odd circumstances. Unconsciously she straightened her posture to look a bit more respectable as she tried and failed to match the Lysorian’s elegant visage.
Rose winced as she heard the clattering of what were certainly the wooden plates from Vae’lin and Nal’ryn’s lunch hitting the ground. Her shoulders slumped as she pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. Squeals of laughter could be heard as the boys continued to destroy the innards of the room.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya observed her fellow order member as they knelt. The young woman found the woman’s vibrant red hair beautiful. With that color Gennadiya could only image how it could be styled. Her face was open and friendly which gave her an approachable charm. There was something feisty in her eyes and expression though that said she wasn’t a push over. Gennadiya felt that this was a woman who could be a true friend. This was a woman who could love and be loyal to those who won her trust.

Gennadiya accepted the woman’s help up as they stood. While Gennadiya didn’t have any issues with the floor she did feel it wasn’t the best place to make introductions. As they stood the other woman noticed Gennadiya’s cloak for the first time and realized that they were both member’s of the Order. Gennadiya’s smiled became more relaxed at the woman’s excited greeting. ”It is a pleasure to meet you as well.” The young Lysorian woman said in reply. ”It is one of the great things about the Order. It can be found anywhere. We have a family all over the world and that can be nice.” she said her expression showing that she believed what she said.

She listened to the explanation of the current problem and could tell that the woman was embarrassed and ashamed of what had occurred. Gennadiya didn’t say anything, partly because there wasn’t any reason to comment on it, children regularly got the better of adults. They had less concerns and more energy, but mostly because she then introduced herself.

”It is a pleasure to meet you Rose. I am Gennadiya.” She said with her open and welcoming smile. ”I’m visiting from Ne’hear for a little while.”

She looked with humor at the crash from the room beyond and shook her head. ”Well lets address these …” She looked at her new companion, ”Boys? Girls? Who exactly is in there?”[/b} She asked wanting to know who she was dealing with. She guessed boys, but she had meet some tom-boys who were more destructive then boys. Here expression was friendly and open, but had taken on a business tone for solving the problem. She also glanced at the hinges of the door to see if the hinges were on the inside or the outside of the room. ”Also are there windows in the room?”

[Rose Greenwood]

Rose let out another sigh of relief now that the friendly stranger had offered her aid. After introductions were made the red-haired physician put her ear to the door, listening intently to the clattering within the room. Drawing her attention from her paitents momentarily she quirked an eyebrow at Gennadiya’s question.

“Two boys, twins if you would believe it” she spoke in a comically loud whisper. “Vae’lin and Nal’ryn are their names, the little rats…” she seethed before her face softened. “But they are sick with a low fever and a rash, so I suppose they can be given a pass for acting out.” Rose proffered begrudgingly. Children would of course be children, but two boys made uncomfortable and fidgety from fever and itchiness were miniature forces of destruction. Not to mention they might well be terrified of their doctor because she lacked a fluency in their blasted language.

Upon inspection one could see that the door hinges were attached on the inside of the room. There was no easy way to get in from the hall. The young physician ran her hand through her hair as she considered Gennadiya’s question concerning the window. ”There is a window, and all the windows here are without latches, so the patients can always have fresh air. Not to mention nobody expect a common thief to fly twenty or thirty paces up into the air in order to get into one of these rooms.” Rose was rather excited at Gennadiya’s idea until she gulped fearfully at the prospect of scaling the walls of the medicine house. She was no climber, but maybe there was another way if they followed this rather unorthodox line of thinking.

“But maybe we could get a rope! You could lower me down from the room upstairs.” She exclaimed excitedly, choosing to ignore the imminent danger in lieu of telling one of the medicine women that she had been routed by her two young patients’.

“That should work right?” Rose said quizzically to no one in particular, scrunching her face up in thought at the idea. Normally the young woman was rather sensible and did not engage in needlessly risky escapades, but Rose was stubborn and didn’t give ground easily. It was only recently that she had come to work here after leaving her home in Strosdyn; she knew that many of the nurses and younger medicine women did not respect her. She would suffer the consequences for seasons if she didn’t wrap up this problem quickly.

Rose forced a lively smile on her face, attempting to ease any of her new found friend’s worries, along with quieting her own.

“Come on, it’ll be fun!”

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya nodded her head as she collected the data. The blonde woman hadn’t dealt with twins but she had seen her fair share of you boys really close in age. Gennadiya had thought about possible going through the window, IF it had been on ground level. She wasn’t that familiar with the building so hadn’t been sure how close to the ground the rooms were and so had made the suggestions. She wouldn’t have it she had realized how high up there were. Her thoughts had started to move towards other ideas. Gennadiya’s expression remained the same as she was suddenly pulled up short.

Rose was actually proposing that they climb in through the window. Which Gennadiya’s pride wasn’t above doing, but on the ground floor. This was where the difference in the two woman’s thinking came in. Gennadiya could stay calm in a situation and think outside of the box, but she liked to be able to come back into the box if necessary. Rose, could leap whole heartedly out of the box. Gennadiya paused and thought about the woman’s idea. Yes lowering someone down from the upper floor would be more realistic then climbing the wall. Gennadiya was worried about being able to hold the rope.

The longer she thought about the more she though it would be worth a try if they could be safe, and it would save having to trick the boys. Gennadiya’s smile gain a touch of mischief and her eyes began to twinkle. ”Well it is worth an attempt.” Gennadiya’s impulsive side could only take over so much. ”First though one of us should find rope while the other watches the door and makes sure that the twins don’t break out while we are looking for a rope.”

The sapphire blue eyes looked at Rose, the gaze was always friendly and kind but there was something showing now, a crack in the normally calm, graceful and serious exterior. Few people realized that there was a girlish, silly, and even a impulsive side to this young. It had been sealed off Arcs ago after the death of her sister. Gennadiya struggled internal with it, but she seemed to have to give this a try. So it was that this struggle was hidden from others except for the impish gaze and smile.

[Rose Greenwood]

A mischievous grin bloomed on Rose’s face; it was rather nice to see a crack in the visage of her poised and sophisticated friend. She had expected resistance from Gennadiya, but was delighted to see that she was game for dangling a fellow physician out of a window.

“An excellent idea!” she said in response to Gennadiya’s suggestion that they divide and conquer in order to prepare for the task ahead.
“I will go and find us a rope, and you keep watch!” Rose declared brightly, deciding to bypass the thought that she was about to be doing something incredibly stupid. However the risk to life and limb was at that moment seemed to be a far better option that confessing her failure to the senior medicine women. The young doctor turned on her heel and began a hurried walk toward the end of the hall before turning back to her new partner in crime.

“Have fun…and try to look…as normal as possible if someone passes by.” The physician said, pausing between every few words as though it was a little painful to mention that none of the other staff should know that they were locked out of a room by children, and also preparing to clandestinely repel down to her paitents' window.

“Best of luck” She said encouragingly while giving Gennadiya a double thumbs-up before dashing around the corner toward the store room.

----
A few bits had passed since Rose’s departure, footsteps could be heard coming down the hall toward Gennadiya. A Sev’ryn nurse garbed in a simple russet colored robe accented with leather turned the corner. Her long dark brown locks were tied back into a thick braid that was spiraled into something akin to a bun at the base of her neck. She wore a stern expression and carried a clipboard with several pieces of parchment stacked on it.

“Ke’u pẹlẹv” (“You there”) she barked in Xanthea before she took note of Gennadiya’s appearance and clothing, arching a single black eyebrow at the woman.

“Who you!?” she asked sharply in broken Common, “Where is Wajen (doctor) Greenwood?” she questioned, garbling Rose’s surname in the process. The nurse gestured briskly toward the door behind the tall pale woman, her dark brown eyes narrowing at her. A soft murmur of the twin’s laughter could be heard from within the room.

----

As swiftly as possible Rose dashed past the central foyer of the medicine house to head toward the storeroom at the back. Her low heeled boots clicked lightly on the wooden floor; a couple nurses and one of the younger medicine women eyeing her as she passed through the main chamber of the building. Rose tried to look as normal as possible even if she was certain they could all see right through her ruse. Regardless she passed out of the central room and into the hallway at the back of the structure. There at the end of the hall was a double door that led into the storeroom. After ensuring that no one was following her, the young mixed blood slid inside the doors.

The storeroom was rather spacious and held many things used in the maintenance of the Olọravu Slosneppe and of course items used in treating patients. Slings, crutches, cots, and various tools lined the walls or sat in carefully ordered boxes. As stealthy as was possible for the woman, Rose began looking for what she sought, or at least something strong enough and long enough to get her to that window before someone found out what they were up to.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya felt herself being pulled along in the woman’s exuberance for the idea. It was pleasant to go along with the crazy idea and just be. The woman Rose could be very warm and welcoming, but Gennadiya felt that there was a determination in the woman. It wasn’t possible for one to be a good healer without that determination as one had to fight against death and diseases and any numerous other ways that people could be harmed. Rose seemed determined to prove herself which Gennadiya could and did applaud as she was constantly working to prove herself, but she only wanted to prove herself to herself.

Gennadiya smiled and waved encouragement as Rose gave her two thumbs up. She watched for a long moment as she disappeared down the hall in search of that rope. The blond haired woman looked up and down the hall at the pleasant but simple structure. She looked at the door with a raised eyebrow. She hadn’t ever been locked out of a room but then again she hadn’t ever worked in a complex this nice. She had experienced enough of children’s antics to understand that difficulty that they were currently facing.

As she looked at the door and though about the situation she really began to wonder at the wisdom of the rope idea. It was certainly and option but Gennadiya wasn’t going to just sit there doing nothing. She leaned against the door and was prepared to start singing a lullaby, it was one of the most effective way she had found of calming children. It didn’t always put them to sleep, but a honest song could win trust and had many times worked for her in the past.

It was then that a server nurse came walking down the hall. Gennadiya registered that she had entered the hall but wasn’t particularly concerned by the woman’s presences. The Lysorian woman was a member of the Order of the Anduith and had worked for arc’s as a healer. She had been welcomed into this house of healing and was doing her job. She wasn’t haughty about her position though she smiled warmly at the woman as she came closer. Gennadiya wasn’t surprised when she was asked something in a foreign language. Her smile turned apologetic and she said calmly and softly. “I am so sorry but I don’t speak your language.” She paused as the woman spoke in broken common. She smiled and bowed respectfully to the nurse. Gennadiya didn’t particularly approved of sour demeanor but she took people as they came. After what she had done how could she hold something like this against others? “I am Gennadiya Lysoria, and have come from Ne’hear to expand my healing knowledge.” She said in her sincere Alto voice. “I am currently helping Greenwood while she nips over and get some supplies. Can you tell me what Wajen means? I know you are busy but Xanthea has such beauty to its sounds and I am hoping to learn a little while I am here.” Actually what Gennadiya wanted to know was a local lullaby something familiar to the boys, but this woman didn’t look like the kind who had time, literally, for such lessons.

[Rose Greenwood]

Rose dashed through the storeroom looking for anything that looked like it could function as a rope. She almost immediately stumbled over a cot and started to fall before catching herself on the edge of an opened wooden crate. The shock of the stumble reverberated through her, and suddenly it brought into the light the possibility of breaking every bone in her body if she tried getting through that window. It was then that the physician noticed what was in the crate that she had caught her fall with. Balls and little wooden toys were haphazardly strewn in the bottom of the box, their once vibrant paint now dull with age. They rarely used toys with the children because typically they didn’t have extended stays in the medicine house. A bit of honey candy normally did the trick when they needed cajoling, so these playthings were left to collect dust. A hint of a smile pulled at the corner of her lips before Rose began collecting an armful of balls and little figurines of animals that had been painstakingly carved arcs ago.
Maybe there was an easier way around their problem.
---

The nurse raised her brows at the tall pale woman as she listened patiently to her response. The Sev’ryn woman was half a head shorted than Gennadiya but seemed to possess the bearing of a hungry wolf. Regardless she seemed satisfied with her responses and gave a curt nod at her question.

“You are Wajen” she stated plainly, using only basic words of Common to speak. “Healer…doctor is Wajen" she said, trying to explain further while being limited by a language barrier.

“It is good you come to learn.” The nurse stated approvingly. “You are a hultstxem ioi…wise woman.” She noted with a smile, making sure to try and translate her Xanthea when it slipped into her sentence. It was always pleasing to see a northerner who was actually interested in learning from the Sev’ryn people.

Satisfied with Gennadiya’s explanation she gave a curt nod and turned on her heel to head back toward the central foyer of the medicine house. As soon as the nurse's back was to the hall a red head popped around the corner.

“Oh you are too good” She said excitedly to Gennadiya. Rose was pretty sure her new friend was as sincere as they came, however she obviously had what it took to act under pressure. It was an excellent and admirable skill for a physician to have.

“So I didn’t find a rope, but I did find these.” Rose said while offering a few of the toys to Gennadiya; the toys included a bear figurine, a deer toy and a small red cloth ball filled with a sandy substance to give it some weight.

“Thought we might open negotiations before engaging the enemy with force” She teased playfully. One of Rose’s worse flaws was her tendency to get carried away with things. It had led her into trouble before, so maybe she needed to try and take a page from Gennadiya’s book and approach things with a calmer more measured approach.

“What do you think?” Rose asked with an inquisitive quirk of her head.

[Alistair]

Rose

Caregiving: Calming children with soothing words
Caregiving: Using a native language to put people at ease
Socialization: Greeting a stranger
Socialization: Making a friend through common interests
Detection: Noticing the presence of a window in the room
Stealth: Sneaking through the Medicine House
Logistics: Planning a rescue operation
Persuasion: Using toys to convince a child to behave
Endurance: Working with a headache
Negotiation: Offering sweets and toys to stubborn children

Gennadiya

Socializing - Reconizing someone in distress.
Linguistic - Learn new words in Xanthea
Detection - Gathering information about a situation.
Socialization - Helping perserve a friends dignity.
Psychology - Compliment others makes them more coperative
Leadership - Getting a group to move forward even when there are depressed.

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Renown: Slight (+5) For Treating Sick Children
Devotion: N/A

Points: 15

Comments: That was an interesting read. I liked the interactions between the two, and the premise was well written, kept me engaged. Nicely done thread!