(no subject)

[makesthings]

Since he's found a door to Milliways again, Sam's days have been full of the forge and Kait.

At the moment, his major project is the soldier for Tavi, which is going slowly due to the joints and detail work.

So to put his thoughts in order, he works on the simpler things that need to get done, arrow heads and horseshoes.

The forge is hot and the glow of the Charter adds another layer to the fire.

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[wordofa_sayre]

Dream or not, Nick's still determined to explore as much as he can of this wonderful, impossible place while he has the chance.

His peregrinations having led him to the lake door, he opens it and steps outside, beaming in exuberant delight as he glances around.

The glow from the outbuilding draws him like a moth to its flame, and Nick promptly starts across the grass toward the forge, calling out,

"Hello? Is there anybody there?"

[makesthings]

Sameth is working on a tricky part of a knee joint so calls out,

"Yes, come in. I'll be with you in a moment."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Brilliant, thanks, I've been wanting to see in here--"

Nick jerks to a stop as he enters the room, and stares.

"Sam?"

[makesthings]

It takes a moment for Sam to register Nick's voice and then he burns his finger when he looks up,

"Nick! When did you get here?"

[wordofa_sayre]

"Took the words right out of my mouth--"

He dashes across the room toward Sameth, heedless of heat or coals or sparks.

"--what are you doing here? How did you find it? Did you get my letter?"

[makesthings]

The forge is fairly neat at the moment, but still a forge, "Slow down, don't step there,"

Sameth says as his work is set down and he comes around the anvil to Nick,

"I've been coming here for a while. I didn't have a door for a few months, but its back and I did. How are you?"

So much has happened since they last actually talked and letters don't get across all that's missing.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Brilliant," Nick exclaims. He looks absurdly pleased, his face lit with his exuberant smile.

"Kept it a secret, did you, old chap?"

[makesthings]

"Who would I tell? Ellie wouldn't believe me and Mother comes here so she already knows,"

Sameth's smiling too just not quite as much as Nick, this is good and odd all at once.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Could have told me," he points out. "But never mind, I bet you were keeping it as a surprise for when I got there, right?"

[makesthings]

"I only got your letter yesterday at home and I haven't had a door for three months. I guess. It really doesn't matter, we're both here,"

This back and forth is so nice, Sam feels kind of out of practice with it.

[wordofa_sayre]

Nick's eyes go wide with shock.

"Yesterday?!"

[makesthings]

"At home, yes. I mean I've been here for a while but the letter only arrived before I found my door again. It took me half an hour to just put it together and that was kind of late at night after a family meeting."

The construction of the letter was annoying work, but Sam's gotten better at it.

[wordofa_sayre]

"The postal service up in your Old Kingdom really leaves something to be desired, old chap," Nick tells him.

"Good thing I didn't wait for a reply before heading out."

[makesthings]

"Well, we don't really have one. That's because its so dangerous as I've told you before. I mean you saw what happened at the cricket match. Where are you now?"

Sam's sleeves are rolled up due to the heat and he looks at Nick as if he can somehow just prove to him how hard the Old Kingdom can be. The look he's giving Nick is one that he's seen his father use before in court that works there.

[wordofa_sayre]

"The match, right--"

He sobers very quickly.

"-- I do remember, and you--"

That's as far as he gets before he begins to cough; deep, tearing coughs that seem as though they're going to choke him before he can get another breath.

[makesthings]

"Nick?"

He's close enough that he can easily get an arm around Nick and get him sitting down. Then Sameth takes a breath and tries to figure out the best way to find out what's happening,

"Do you need water?"

[wordofa_sayre]

He can't speak, but he shakes his head and flaps one hand in the air, still coughing.

"--bronchitis," he manages to wheeze. "--can't seem to shake it-- happens sometimes--"

[makesthings]

This close Sam can feel something off and looks around the forge, Mogget must have been in here while he was away,

"Just rest. I know some basic healing spells if you'd like me to try."

There must be something he can do, after all his father was able to almost heal him and Sam tries to not touch his wrists.

[wordofa_sayre]

"--oh no, you don't--"

He gasps for breath, and starts coughing harder as his vision blurs.

"--not your Charter stuff, not without -- I have to -- ready to measure first -- "

Nick presses one hand to his chest as though it pains him and gasps in another breath.

"-- blast it all anyway I hate being sick-- maybe that water's a good idea after all--"

[makesthings]

Sam can't see anything wrong, but his mother hid her injury and a doctor in Ancelstierre wouldn't know what to look for in terms of something from the Dead.

As he tries to think, he grabs the water from near the fire and hands Nick the tin cup,

"You can't measure anything if you're coughing your lungs out. Charter, just let me try something. Just a spell to relax your lungs."

[wordofa_sayre]

He shakes his head again, stubbornly, and clutches the cup in shaking hands as he downs half of the contents in one swallow.

"Probably -- just overheated-- get out--"

The cup hits the ground as he starts coughing again. Nick shoves himself to his feet and staggers toward the door.

[makesthings]

When Nick stands up, Sam gets an arm under him and helps him outside, there's a small bench near the forge,

"Here, sit. Does being out here help?"

[wordofa_sayre]

He nods, and takes a few gulps of air before trying to speak.

"Like I-- said in the letter," Nick tells him, finally. "Clean air, that's the ticket. Must have just gotten overwarm in there, or something."

[makesthings]

"Yeah, it does get kind of close in there sometimes. I'm just used to it. Do you want some more water?"

Now Nick looks more like himself, but Sameth just can't believe that simply going outside helped that much.

[wordofa_sayre]

"No, it's all right."

He turns a little on the bench, so that he can better face Sameth, and grins.

"So? Tell me everything! What have you found out about this place?"