makesthings | (no subject)

Entry tags:

milliways,
nick

(no subject)

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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Nick's eyes go wide with shock.

"Yesterday?!"

"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.

"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."

"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.

"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.

"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?"

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--"

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.

"--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--"

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."

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.

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?"

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."

"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.

"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?"

"Where should I start? Well, I work here in the forge sometimes, its nice. This can be an afterlife for some people here, the man who runs the forge is actually dead. That takes getting used to."

Nick still looks too pale, but Sam's just going to keep talking.

"Is actually--"

Nick breaks off there and for an instant looks as though he's going to start coughing again, but manages to choke it back.

He stares at Sameth in something approaching disbelief.

"Thought that sort of thing was not on?"

"Not at home, but here its not too weird. Though I did once meet and fight without someone who's a lot like the necromancers at home. I'm okay, just made a fool out of myself."

He doesn't want Nick to run into Blowden, that would just be horrible. Though he's not sure how he's going to explain Mogget or Kait.

Nick stares, and stares some more.

"... by yourself?"

"I lost badly,"

Then Sameth looks at Nick and tries to sit up straighter,

"I am Abhrosen-in-Waiting, its what I'm supposed to do."

He shakes his head, and then claps Sameth on the shoulder.

"Good thing I found a way to catch up with you here. No telling what trouble you'd be in by the time I got to Belisaere!"

"You're the one who's going looking for a trouble. Traveling with a guide that you don't know anything about through the Old Kingdom. I'm glad you're on your way, but you need to be careful."

Sam would much rather try to figure out what Nick's thinking than anything to do with being Abhorsen-in-Waiting.

Edited 2010-07-04 02:54 (UTC)

"I am being careful," Nick argues. "And he's a fine guide, couldn't have found a better one -- former Crossing Point Scout, you know."

"I know you told me. Did you have anyone check his Charter Mark for corruption? Tell me you'll do that at least. Also I'm going to find a way to meet up with you."

"Not everyone has those marks on their foreheads," Nick points out, gesturing at his own.

Does Hedge? He can't say he's ever noticed; odd, that...

He rubs absently at his chest, over his heart, as he continues,

"But by all means come meet up with me! I'd be delighted to see you there -- can show you all the operations at the Trap, and more--"