OOM - part two

[gods_that_haunt_me]

[Part One]

Early in the morning, Helga wakes up and carefully slips out of bed, not wanting to disturb Floki. She cooks breakfast for the both of them, porridge, as it's the only thing Floki can eat at the moment. Gently waking him, she helps him sit up, and she spoonfeeds him, sharing the porridge out of the same bowl.

Later, with the assistance of a servant, Helga changes Floki's bandages and applies a fresh healing paste to his wounds. The gouges in his side still ooze blood, but they don't seem infected. Helga only worries that they're too deep to close up properly.

For Floki, sitting up to have the bandages removed and the clean ones wrapped around him is painful, as his ribs still feel as if they're stabbing his lungs with every breath he takes. But he is determined to do some things on his own. Like standing. With the help of a wooden staff, of course. But not for too long because the bed is really quite comfortable and lying down is good.

Sometimes, with a silent plea to the gods, he tries to move the fingers of his right hand. And tries not to panic when he finds that he can't.

He would truly go out of his mind if not for Helga. And this idea of Athelstan's is the next best thing to divine intervention.

Comments

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan himself slips quietly through the door and closes it behind him, smiling at Helga.

"Any difference today?" he asks them both.

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Helga looks up as she cleans up the table where she prepares Floki's medicines.

"Hello, Athelstan," she greets him, brightly as ever, though her smile is a bit rueful. "Not much, I'm afraid. But I think our little plan is working, since Floki insisted on trying to get up and stand on his own."

Floki shoots her a look.

"Plan? What little plan? You and the priest were making little plans while I was unconscious?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"We decided", Athelstan says cheerfully, "if I kept coming to visit, it might annoy you into healing more quickly so you could get away."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"Oh, sure, go on, amuse yourselves as I lie wounded and incapacitated," Floki gripes with a wave of his uninjured hand.

Helga smirks and bends down to kiss his head. "What else are we supposed to do? Use you as a hnefatafl board?"

"Such cruelties delivered with such sweetness," he snorts, and he grasps her sleeve to tug her in again for a light peck on the lips. "Sometimes I don't know which to believe. Now that you're in league with the priest, I'll need to keep a closer eye on you."

He teases. Mostly.

[athelstanthescribe]

"We're only plotting for your own good", is the chipper response from Athelstan. "Helga, have you had breakfast?"

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"I did, but Floki ate most of it," she says. "Getting his appetite back is a good sign. Why? Are you relieving me of my duties for a while again?"

Floki looks from Helga to Athelstan and back again, but doesn't say anything. If he pretends to protest, she might not leave.

[athelstanthescribe]

"I am if you're willing." He smiles. "Somebody has to see to it you have time to eat."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Floki looks up at her, touching her arm. "You should get something to eat, Helga," he says, as he can't argue with that. "Don't worry about me."

She glances between the two of them, wondering if they're in league with each other. The idea amuses her.

"If you're sure..."

She slowly gets up off the side of the bed.

"Don't get into trouble now," she teases Athelstan as she passes on her way to the door.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan grins at her impishly.

"Oh, but I was going to take Floki swimming."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"Don't be silly -- Floki can't swim," Helga chuckles as she leaves.

"He's going to drown me!" Floki calls after her.

She only closes the door behind her.

[athelstanthescribe]

He gives it a minute or so, listening carefully to make sure Helga isn't coming back for something she's forgotten, then moves to the door.

"All right. I brought table linen from the bar, I hear sometimes this works... so let's find out."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Floki lifts his head to see and winces with the effort.

"I heard that, too," he says. "All right, try it. If it doesn't work-- well, try again with another object, perhaps."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Yes", Athelstan agrees, holding the napkin in his hand and reaching to open the door. "I'll bring a chair with wheels to move you in."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"A chair with wheels...?"

Now why didn't he think of that?

In the meantime, he throws the blankets off and grits his teeth as he struggles to sit up, pushing himself up on his good arm. The door had better work!

[athelstanthescribe]

"Wait", Athelstan asks. "When I come back, I'll help you get up. Don't hurt yourself worse."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"I'll be fine," he growls, holding his broken arm close to his chest. "Go! Get the-- wheel-chair!"

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan nods briefly and opens the door - which, to his great relief, shows Milliways on the other side. Unwilling to go far from the open door, he steps just inside and calls over a rat to explain what he wants.

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Steadying his breathing as best he can despite the pain, Floki manages to bring his long legs over the edge of the bed. Wearing only loose cotton trousers and the bandages around his middle, he gropes for a light cloak bundled nearby. After tugging it over his bare shoulders, he reaches for the wooden staff propped up against the wall.

At this point he's winded and has to rest, leaning on the staff as he waits for Athelstan.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan returns, pushing a small and light wheelchair. "We have to be quick so no one sees this - are you ready?"

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Floki stares at the thing. It looks way more complicated than it ought to, with flaps for the feet and armrests and all sorts of rigging and whatnot.

"Yes, yes, I'm ready," he grunts, setting his jaw as he pulls his weight up by the staff to stand up at least partially.

When he sits down, it feels as if he's sitting in a child's chair. His elbows stick way out over the armrests and there's no way he's using those footrests without his knees nearly touching his chest.

"Really? You couldn't get a bigger one? Was this made for Saxons?"

He grabs his staff.

"Never mind. Go!"

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan wastes no time pushing him through the door and closing it behind him, trying not to run over Floki's feet.

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Floki holds the staff like a spear and it knocks against the side of the doorway.

"Be careful!"

Once inside Milliways, he brings the staff over his lap and the end of it tips a barstool over and halfway drags a small table along. There might have been some spillage of an unfinished drink or two.

"I said careful, priest! Who taught you how to push a wheelchair? A blind mule?!"

[athelstanthescribe]

"No one", Athelstan says pointedly. "If you think you can do better, use your good hand to turn the wheel."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"Don't be ridiculous! This is your idea, and besides, I'm running out of intact limbs!"

He awkwardly braces his feet on the footrests to keep his toes out of harm's way.

"Hurry up! This is the most uncomfortable chair I've ever sat in. I thought things were supposed to be more comfortable in the future!"

[athelstanthescribe]

"This is the one I was given", Athelstan retorts as calmly as he can, reminding himself Floki's in pain and probably afraid. "We're almost there."