Fanfic:Dedication
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The room was dim, but not dark. At this time of the evening it was usually quiet in the infirmary, and for that Caddoc was thankful. It wasn’t his week for an overnight shift, but that didn’t matter. He normally volunteered for them anyway. Overnight gave him time to study and to practice, and they came with less instructions. During the first several years here at the Tower he had advanced quickly and quite well, showing his innate ability with Healing in a way that had impressed many of his teachers. However, his…extracurricular activities had not been pleasing to them at all. More than once he had found himself in hot water with this Novice or that Soldier (though normally it was the Novices) and would be sitting in the Master of Soldier’s office once again. That had not been impressive, not at all. During those years, he had told himself he did not care about the opinions of those above or below him. His skill would shine through and have him rising as quickly as he wanted…
Except, it turned out, it DID matter after all. He had been told time and time again that he was not ‘ready’ to raise. That he did not show the ‘qualities’ and ‘judgment’ that an Asha’man should. That his dalliances, and his refusal to stop getting into trouble, was not what exemplified a fully raised member of the Grey Tower and, as long as he continued to ‘act like a young stud’ he would not earn his dragon pin. He had made little response and, as usual, had shown nothing on the outside. However, on the inside he had been roiling with anger. How dare they pass judgment on him when his Healing was without reproach? Had he not worked just as hard as the others? Had he not surpassed their skill? However…he had been forced to concede. After all, there was nothing else that he could do.
And so, he had turned his mind fully to his study. He took almost no time for himself, unless it was to eat, after that. He eschewed his pleasant nights with the odd lady or lad for reading and practicing. And he took night shifts. The night shifts kept him away from people, other than the patients and the other Healers, and for the most part allowed him to study. Some of his teachers would even, when they worked with him, assist him in his Weaves, though he needed that less and less as time went on. Tonight there was only four people in the Infirmary. Two were mostly healed, and would be released once they woke. Another was quite ill and was off limits to any but the fully raised Healers, and a third had been sick for the last three days. Caddoc approached the last one, his step militaristic and sharp. He had been instructed to check on this one three hours, which he had done.
Moving to the edge of the bed, his eyes slid from left to right as he gazed upon him. Embracing Saidin, he wove thin threads of pure spirit out into the intricate net that he had been taught by Gareth Asha’man. He gently settled them over the body of the one in bed. Moving them from head to toe, and then back again, he let the weaves sink in deeper. As he did this, he lifted a writing board up and began to jot down the other’s vital signs. Fever still high, but not so high as to be worrisome at the moment, heart rate hard and strong, but fluctuating speed in a strange manner, and respiration faster than normal for one asleep. There was sweat upon the man’s head, however, and that indicated that his fever was close to breaking. He moved the net back to the man’s head, and continued to write what he found. He stayed in the room for perhaps ten minutes, and then withdrew again. He was not supposed to Heal without a fully raised member present, and at the moment they were both working. They would come in between his check ups and see if it was time to Heal the man yet or not. He hoped that he would be here when they were.
Returning to his desk, he reopened his books on herbs and started to study once again. He took notes quietly as he did so. He was not required to learn this, of course, but if there was anything he could use to make him a better healer he was intent upon learning it. After all, there were ways and places that robbed one of Saidin, and he would not be so stupid as to be caught unawares by them. Besides, Healing took his strength. Why waist that on something an Herb could just as easily handle? He was quiet, the sound of the occasional cough or the scratch of his pen upon paper filling the infirmary. Wrapped up as he was in this, the dawn surprised him with it’s morning light and bird song. He lifted his head, red rimmed from reading for too long, and gazed at the window. Soon enough a flock of Dedicated and Accepted came into the room, leading a couple of Novices and Soldiers. A moment later and the morning crew of Healers came in as well. Caddoc was released from his duties.
Gathering everything, he slowly placed it in his bag, taking the time to listen to the morning lecture as he did so. Every now and again he would hear something in them that he had not heard before. Finally, however, he left the infirmary and moved towards his hallway and his room. He would sleep for a few hours, and then take his afternoon classes. Dinner and a quick nap in the later afternoon, and then he would be ready for his shift the next night to begin his routine all over again. He would obtain that Dragon Pin. He refused to fail.
