Valkin Visits Veski

Ista Weyr - Infirmary

Equipped with the latest healing technologies, this spotlessly clean, large room smells slightly of antiseptic and numbweed. At one end, cots sit for the recovering to recover on. At the other end, are the proceedure tables. Cabinets with supplies and medical files sit along one wall. At any given moment, there could be any number of people in here. A weyrchild with a broken arm, a mother recovering from giving birth or even one of the residents recovering from heat stroke or sun poisoning, a rider and dragon recovering from a strained wing muscle.

Evening approaches as the healers make their rounds changing dressings and prodding wounds for infection. Shorynia yelps in pain as her own sliced clavicle is prodded roughly, though she bites back a snide remark. It wouldn't do to have her thrown out.

Veski is..quiet. Whether or not he's sleeping, the renegade doesn't seem to have much to say. But since he's able to move a bit better with just having his ankles chained, he's managed to twist enough to lay on his stomach comfortably. The yelping earns just a hint of a smile though, arms folded underneath his head.

Shorynia glowers at Veski, not seeing the smile, but knowing it's there. It was always there whenever she showed weakness. She looks at the paperwork before her and sighs, "Veski? What're Valkin's favorite foods? I want to make sure he gets food he likes while he's here."

"Now why would I know something like that?" Veski shifts, ever so slowly pushing himself up on his arms. No quick movements! "Feed him. Feed him and he'll be happy. Of course, I doubt sweet things would hurt much."

Shorynia sighs again, "Because you've cared for him for that last who knows how long. If anyone would be able to tell me what he loves or hates, seems it'd be you. Of course he's being fed, just want to make him as comfortable as possible. Prison's no place for a kid his age."

Veski shrugs faintly. "So that you can try and lure him to trust you? To tell you things? Hmph. He doesn't know anything." Well, aside from the camp location. Alas, that's been exploited!

Shorynia sighs a gain, getting more exasperated, "I can't speak for what Ysa might want from him or any of the others who were captured. All I want is him happy and safe." She holds up a hand, "I'm not implying the Weyr is safer than your camp, but at the moment it's one of the safest places he can be since you're not at your camp anymore."

Veski does look a bit irritable, and pushes himself up completely, turning to sit on the cot instead. Still, he shrugs, fingers poking just a bit at his stitches. "Your definition of 'safe', varies widely from my own."

Shorynia chuckles humorously, "No… it doesn't… you just assume I'm nothing but another brainwasher rider, but I'm not. The empty plains of Ista is no place for a kid to be alone. And he would be alone if we'd left him there. Here at least I can make sure he gets all the nutrients he needs to grow up healthy as I can only presume you want him to, and allow him to visit you and the rest of his makeshift family whoever they might be."

Veski blinks, a faint twitch going through him. "There's nothing /makeshift/ about my family. We /are/ family." Yes, he's rather offended!

Shorynia sighs a faint smile pulling at the corner of her mouth, "Yes, but you're not his biological family. Wait, let me finish. However, he left them for his own reasons and so long as your band is family to him, you're family." She glances at Chaton for a moment, then nods, "Family's more than just blood."

"Indeed." Veski snorts faintly, but seems agreeable enough to that fact. Shifting again, he lays back…and then just sits up again. Situps? Possibly not the best thing for a stab in the side, but since the man can't do much else, boredom does indeed tend to happen.

Shorynia takes a few more notes on her papers before she begins tapping her pen boredly on the clipboard. She sets both aside quickly, "Can I ask you a question?" She glances around to make sure the rest of the recovering were asleep. They were. "Why? Everyone talks about what you've done or what they think you think, but why? Why do you hate dragonriders so much?"

Veski pauses, and then just blinks at Shorynia. His head tilts then, ever so slightly, and he simply /looks/ at the girl, staring at her. "They murdered Deremy." Though there's a shrug after a bit, and he smirks. "It's not just dragonriders. You people.. Someone doesn't conform to your ways of thinking, your standards…or perhaps some Lord gets tired of them..and then what? They're tossed /out/ of your Weyrs and your Holds, with nowhere to go. What then, exactly? What /should/ they do, when nobody else wants them? You people who think your little society is so wonderful… It makes me sick."

Shorynia actually smiles at this, "Veski. I'm not quite 17 and even I know society isn't perfect. It enforces rules and codes and boundaries that some people will never be able to live within. So the question for me isn't why do you choose to live holdless, it's why you choose to kill. Who's Deremy?"

Veski narrows his eyes just a little bit. Indeed, Deremy was likely ages before the girl's time. But it still doesn't seem to make him any happier that the name may have been forgotten by people. Alas, why is it that heroes get remembered better? He smirks though, after a bit, and then drops back down on his back. "/My/ owner."

*Now* Shory looks confused, "Like Valkin says you own him? Forgive me for not understanding your… culture… Is that how you train new members?"

Veski lowers his lashes a bit, and then simply grins, shaking his head. "Not at all." Yes, he'll just lay there and be vague.

Shorynia grimmaces, "What I don't understand is what drives your people to kill overall. Somewhere back in the ether of time someone must have started it. There's no reason our two groups couldn't live in separated harmony if not for some sparking event."

Veski laughs at that, and stretches finally, reaching his hands beyond the head of the cot he's on. And wiggles them at one of the guards while he's at it, smirking. "The human species lives and grows as those around it.. Little little minds..latching onto the first things they see.."

Shorynia's eyebrows draw together, crinkling the skin between them, "Most people simply live as their parents raise them to, rightly or wrongly. I'm sure that's been true since old Earth. What makes your group so special?"

Veski tilts his head, sending a quiet…and calm look at Shorynia. "Isn't that what I just said? Heh.. Do listen, little…little thing. Ask a question and listen to the answer."

Shorynia continues her odd look, "Just because I don't understand the words you use doesn't make me stupid, you know. Just means I was taught different words."

Veski chuckles softly at that, and looks to the ceiling instead, staring there with a faint grin curling at his lips. "I don't believe I called you stupid. Just that you need to listen better."

Shorynia sighs, "You challenge me intellectually, which is good in a way… but very confusing…"

Veski snorts faintly, and just shifts slightly no the cot again. Twitch. "So glad that I can be of service to you."

Shorynia chuckles, shaking her head, "But you still haven't told me the greater why. You kill because they killed Deremy. I'm forced to assume that he made you what you are, so why did he kill? What evil was done to him?"

Veski blinks after a moment, and then just laughs. Laughing! Yes, he stretches out a bit further, and laughs all the louder. "Killing? Who said /anything/ about killing? You asked me why I hate riders, that is the reason I gave. For all your /insistence/ that I'm a murder, I've yet to see your /proof/."

Shorynia shakes her head, sighing, "I refuse to believe that people would lie to me. Especially your young charge when he said you tortured people for information." She cocks an eyebrow at the man, "But the question still stands, on some level you learned that hate from Deremy, where did he learn it from?"

Valkin was seperated from the rest of the renegades that had been captured incase any of them found out it was the boy that brought the dragonriders. Of course the Istans wouldn't want any more blood on their hands and so he was kept to himself since the big day. Yet, he's been under guard as well, especially since he hasn't been 'functioning' well as the report had said. Meals have gone uneaten, he hasn't said a word since his second arrival to Ista, and the idea behind him visiting Veski was to perhaps snap him out of it - or it wouldn't have been allowed in the first place. Still, his current guardian happens to be the same guard that took after him the first time, in hopes that the familiarity would bring some reaction out of the kid. Not that it has, as he's practically encouraged along with a hand behind his shoulder. The guard pauses at the front desk, asking after the prisoner Veski and if visiting is allowed… Valkin turns his eyes up at that, watching the guard before hopeful eyes flicker across the infirmary.

Veski snickers quietly. "You refuse to believe that people would lie to you. Funny. Coming from a liar." He rolls his eyes, however, snorting at the questions. "Stop playing at mindhealer, /girl/. Just because you might be bouncing in one's pants, doesn't make you anywhere near to understanding../anything/." Noise from across the room has him sitting up again though, and his eyes narrow. Well, first at the guard, but then he perks up as his gaze zeroes in on Valkin. "Valkin!"

Shorynia glowers at Veski, "I'll have you know that neither have we 'bounced' as you put it in quite a while nor have I ever lied to you or Valkin. Also, I want to understand how this conflict came to be, not just you, hence, not playing mindhealer." He gaze glances up and she manages a smile for both the boy and the guard, "Let them in, apprentice, I sent the paperwork myself." Once they're cleared she smiles at Valkin, "Sorry I haven't been in to see you," she motions at her sliced clavicle, "I've been a little occupied. Did you get the bubblies I ordered sent up to you?"

The healers mention to the guard that Veski has a visitor at the moment, so that as long as the current visitor was ok with the intrusion, they could join. The guard seems to acknowledge that and shows Valkin towards the direction, not that the boy already didn't know where to go, due to Veski hollaring the name across the place. The guard's hands stay on Valkin's shoulder, to keep the boy from rushing Veski. Valkin merely regards Veski with an odd sort of glint in his eye, preoccupied is a likely term. The guard nods at Shorynia, "May we interrupt you?" He inquires, his eyes shifting down toward Valkin, "I thought it best if he gets out of that room." Valkin completely ignores Shorynia, his eyes barely staying on Veski for long as he's shuffled forward. His head lowers, and therefore only Veski would see him suspiciously darting his eyes over at Shorynia as he turns his back on her and approaches the renegade king, as it was. To Veski, he gives the man a pleading and an apologetic look, which eventually turns into a very humiliated expression, as if knowing he let Veski down in a way none other could.

Veski waits, rather tense and certainly anticipatory as the guard moves Valkin around. No, he doesn't seem to like that very much, growling a little under his breath. But once the boy /is/ finally able to get to him, his head tilts, simply watching him, before reaching out. Hey, his hands are free, after all. Free hands grab at the boy, with a sharp glare given to the guard there. Pulling then, he leans, hauling Valkin into a rather possessive hug. "I'm not angry with you." After all, it's not his fault that the people at the Weyr lie to young people.

Shorynia motions assent to the guard, pointing out the room full of cots, "Just because I'm cleared to leave doesn't make me a visitor." She watches Veski and Valkin's exchange carefully. Part of her fully understands their relationship on a level in that instance, remembering her own reunion with Nornon, but at the same time she's at a loss for understanding why. Her throat constricts when lying is mentioned again and tears actually well up in her eyes, "I didn't lie to him. By the time I knew I would have been putting both him and the man I love in more danger."

Valkin's head lifts up as Veski's hand drops on his shoulder, his gaze wavering between Veski's eyes until he's pulled into the hug, to which he returns only after Veski drops a reassurance that he wasn't angry. It seems to bring some sort of relief to the kid, a minor one but enough to let the kid embrace the older man. Wise thing for Ysa to keep them seperated. The guard exchanges looks to Shorynia as he shifts uncomfortably. Valkin pulls away enough to murmur to Veski, "I ruined everything, didn't I?"

Veski rests his forehead lightly against Valkin's for a moment. "You did." At least it's said without accusation, though. "But you had help." Fingers lift, lightly brushing against the boy's cheek as his gaze shifts onto Shorynia, smirking slowly. "Hm. Lying has many forms, my dear little girl. Whether or not you said something directly to him is irrelevant to me."

"It's not irrelevant to me," she grumbles even as she waves the guard to relax. There was no need to separate the two, yet, "I don't want you poisoning him against me. For better or for worse, Ysa put me in charge of him, as much as I hate to use the term. Which means once I'm fully healed he'll be my responsibility. I don't want to have to lock him up because he won't listen. He's a good kid." There's a sound of running feet from the bowl, then another youngling, most likely at least 2 turns younger than Valkin comes running in, past the desk without so much as a glance, "Shory!" She oofs as the boy hugs her, then sighs, "Now's not the time, Nornon." His lip wibbles gently, "But… but I've missed you and they wouldn't tell me where you were." She reaches out, ruffling his hair, "I'm fine, kiddo, and if you promise to sit and be quiet you can stay, otherwise you have to go back to the rooms."

Valkin flinches at the answer that comes, unsuspecting of the blunt truth but it does come as such, taking him by surprise and thereby his shoulders flop down and his chin follows. Even as Veski tries to comfort him, he closes his eyes, a frown on his face. His eyes snap up as Shorynia admits to being placed in charge of him, seeking some comfort in Veski, eyes looking down at the shackles… inspecting them while everyone else is distracted by the new kids coming onto the scene.

Veski gives Valkin another light tug. Hey! His cot has room with just himself sitting on it. Right? There's a wary look given toward guards, at least. They're rather punch-happy, given the bruising to the side of the man's face. "Be careful.." He purrs at Valkin a bit, voice softening. "You know how they are." At least /now/ Valkin does anyway. Though his gaze shifts back toward Shorynia, and gives a snort. "I don't have to poison anything, little girl. If you want to blame others, that's fine, but it doesn't absolve you at all." He gives a soft tsking sound then, and just shakes his head. "Threatening to lock you up again.."

Shorynia just kind of twitches, "I… you… gah! I wasn't threatening. I was stating the fact that I won't have a choice if he doesn't behave. How can you ignore everything I say but the one part that might put me in a bad light and then call me the liar?"

Valkin settles his eyes on those shackles, looking for a way that could be unlocked without the key. Yet, he doesn't do more than that, frowning at the individuals in which have to 'be there' during his visit with Veski. Valkin makes another face before he snaps, "Stop fighting. Haven't you all had enough of it?! What do you intend to do with us?!" This is pointedly asked at Shorynia, his eyes showing some fire behind the blue, "Why couldn't you all just… let us be?! Why'd you have to come and kill everyone?" Veski gets a look, a frown too, for that matter, then back to Shorynia. Call this kid confused.

Veski just smiles lightly at Valkin, squeezing the boy a little. Hey, he's going to use him as a large stuffed animal when he can, lightly resting his head on a shoulder. It's comfy! "Now now, Valky.. They intend to keep you. She's your keeper." Well it's certainly the truth as far as he's heard! "Me..mm. I believe the general consensus is making a vain attempt to use me as they did you. And then, when I'm of no further use to Ysa, they'll play up a fun little trial, and then kill me." He lowers his lashes just a little bit at that, smiling softly at Shorynia. "Am I wrong? ..Mm..I doubt that. You'll be fine, Valkin." He laughs though, watching the girl. "It's nothing that you don't do yourself, little girl. Many times over. …Really now, we're not /fighting/." Well. Maybe she is. Veski's just..taunting.

Shorynia shakes her head, "Faranth I wish I knew, Valkin. I wish I knew. All *I* want is a proper trial, but Ysa has the control, not me." She sighs, "I suggested one rider to keep noble and chivalrous over there," she indicates Chaton, "Under watch so he wouldn't get himself killed. Next thing I know the weyrleaders are sending every one they can muster and storming the camp. I only went to keep Chaton from getting his foolish body taken apart. He just *had* to accompany you and make sure you got back safe. We both nearly died for our troubles. All I want now is for this to be over, but being across the isle from someone determined to get a rise out of you doesn't lend itself to calm." She sighs, "Yes, I'm your keeper. Yay me." She wiggles her fingers sarcastically. "*I* have to be the bad guy if it needs to be done. Like that was what I wanted when I suggested Ysa let you two talk since it would make you both happier." She eyes Nornon, who looks about as confused as Valkin. His sister could do no wrong, right? His eyes plead with her for a moment and she nods, allowing him to bolt back out of the room. All I want is to be safe. I think that's all you wanted too. I wish I could have found a way for us to be safe without having to kill eachother. There's enough death in this world without us trying to do eachother in."

Valkin is drawn backward until his body bumps against Veski's cot, at which point it's easier for Veski to use him as a stuffed animal, the kid merely letting it be so. Veski's words of 'them' intending to keep him makes him flinch, eyes flickering over to Shorynia, a slow acceptance trickling into his features. "Oh…" he murmurs, eyes fluttering back over his shoulder to Veski, "Sort of like.. when Merrick told me that he kept girls as his for a while after he was a victor over the family?" Prize of war now, is he? Something like that. There's a look of understanding then, remorse really. Suddenly things weren't in his power of control - he was on the bottom of the totem pole as it was, and really had no say what was to happen. This is evident in his posture among all things. To Veski he turns and hugs him quickly, whispering something before he steps away from the cot and from Shorynia. His eyes draw up at the guard with a distant gaze, but it seems the guard reacts to it nevertheless. Both start to head back the way they came, with the guard nodding to Shorynia.

"Not exactly." Even Veski has to detest some of the things that Merrick had done. But still, in a way, it was rather accurate. There's a frown though as Valkin deflates, fingers grabbing slightly at the boy as he's hugged. Anything said only gets a nod from the renegade though, simply watching the boy go with a faintly furrowed brow.

Shorynia sighs softly, "Not so much like that… more like making sure you eat and are given good food and allowed to clean and, so long as no one gets hurt, can visit your family. It's my job to keep you as safe and healthy as I can… hopefully happy too, but that's up to you… not to use you… You're no more a drudge here than you were at Veski's camp."

Valkin frowns a bit, muttering something along the lines of 'I was happy' before he continues out, the guard right there behind him because he's known to be prone to bolting off from time to time, in attempts at escape.

Veski growls a little under his breath once Valkin disappears from the infirmary, and just snorts, turning to lay back down on the cot again. "It's a little late for all of that."

Shorynia chuckles humorlessly, turning back to her paperwork, "Here's what you don't understand, Veski. Even if I knew then what I know now, I couldn't have stopped Ysa from doing what she did. Even then he was her prisoner, not mine. To me he's just a kid and I wish I could give him what he had, but I can't. So all I can do is try to make his stay here as unthreatening and safe as possible. He's been through a lot, and for once I blame you for none of it."

Veski laughs softly, giving his head a slight shake. "Yes, I'm here simply /aching/ to have /your/ blame taken away from me. That's what I've been longing for all this time."

Shorynia cocks an eyebrow at the man, still calm, "Didn't say it was. Just keeping you from claiming I was blaming you. Especially since you've pulled similar twists of my words in our joint tenure here. All I'm saying is that I can't make things all better for either of you," she casts Veski a sidelong look, "Not that I'm sure there's an 'all better' for you that would end well for me and mine."

Veski rolls his eyes somewhat, and just sighs, pushing himself up onto his elbows just a little. "Yes, yes. Save yourself from my horrible persecution of your /completely/ pure intentions." There's a sneer though, after a moment. "All better for me would involve a nice, sharpened pole going up under your jaw and straight out an eye socket, actually."

Shorynia clenches her teeth, "And that… that's why you're chained to a bed and most likely will never be released back into the wild." He was an animal now? wow. Turning her attention from the unnerving renegade to Chaton, focusing on someone she liked for her own sake, she brushes his hair gently from his face, tracing the outline of one of his many new scars, and sighs again, "Can't deny things would be easier if you were dead or I'd never heard of you or Valkin. Why'd you have to come to the auction? We'd both be happier if you hadn't come that night."

Chaton blinks a soft eye open, the green iris unfocused, then the lid slides shut and a small snore sounds.

Veski just smirks a little bit. "Nobody was ever held prisoner for their fantasies. And I'll fantasize about you all I want." There's a laugh at that then, and he slides back down onto his back once more, folding his arms across his stomach. "I go where I please. I don't need a reason. Though there were plenty of interesting supplies at that auction. Why /wouldn't/ I want to get my hands on them?"

Shorynia chuckles, "Oh, yeah, fine china and handmade furniture were definitely things needed in a Renegade camp." Her voice drips with sarcasm even as she scooches down on the cot until she comes even with Chaton and curls up against him, eyes closing. Is she asleep? Hard to say, but either way she's not responding.

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