[PRP] Return To Normalcy...? (Temp/Kaleb)

[The Semblance of Unity]

She digested his silence thoughtfully. "I won't force you, Kaleb. But... I think so long as you can try, it's worth it to try." Where there was life, there was a will, there was a way, and all that sort of emotional motivational stuff. Then again, Temperance was the type of person who when presented with a wall would find a door or make one.

"Next Thursday, are you free? I can meet you here, if you decide you want to give a try, and we can at least take a loot?"

grey dragon

if u wanna timeskip if he'd go, we can

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb's voice had failed him. He was suddenly very afraid... But he nodded again anyway.


On that agreed upon Thursday, Kaleb arrived at the park. He sat on the same bench, but with a different book this time. It never took him long to process even the dry knowledge in college textbooks. He wished it could take his mind off what Temperance had offered to help him with, but dealing with the true source of his anxiety lingered at the forefront of his mind and the words he skimmed were barely absorbed.

The Semblance of Unity

Okay!

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Kaleb," she called out. "I told Hart we'd be coming over." She gestured to a gate. To her, the colors looked slightly off, more saturated than they should. It was certainly a useful indicator of how to enter the other Ashdown.

"Oh, Hart's my... assistant. She wasn't around much during the casting, but she helped heal afterwards. Are you ready?"

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

"Yes!" He yelped in surprise, standing up and accidentally dumping his book onto the ground. Quickly bending over to grab it, his bag tipped off the bench and sent another three textbooks cascading into the grass.

Gathering up all four in his arms, he nervously hastened directly towards the portal he could feel nearby. It was strange, a few weeks back he hadn't been able to sense any magic on this side, but now he was often surprised by it's presence.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance darted back, scooping up Kaleb's phone from the ground. "Better to not lose this, too," she said, dropping it into his bag. She smiled and stepped through.

Hart was waiting to meet them in the court, which had, of course, changed their clothing dramatically. Temperance felt the familiar weight of the red choker at her throat, although the court had seen to clothe her in only one layer of seafoam-colored cloth, even if it dragged behind her in a wave. She turned to glance at Kaleb, lips twitching at the severe cut of his suit - high, mandarin-necked, in a dove grey, with a rather frothy cascade of white lace from his throat.

"Lady Temperance," Hart said, her skeletal gloves folded placidly across her abdomen. "Oh, this is Kaleb." The fetch raised one hand to waggle her fingers at him. "I wanted him to help out with some of the clinic things, so... even though it's not set up, yet, I was going to take him around there and to where you all had healed the others during the casting."

"Very well," she said, and Temperance could see the cogs in her mind turning. "Which first?" They both looked to Kaleb for an answer.

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb followed obediently, his cheeks already turning pink with embarrassment. The shift to the court didn't help, he was not very comfortable in the well-fitting formal clothes it had given him. At least he wasn't drowning in lace and ruffles this time.

Hart greeted them almost immediately, and for a second Kaleb was reminded of the first time he had met a fetch. This lady was definitely less frightening, and the shy teen offered a timid wave in return. Maybe this wasn't so bad...

But under the expectant gaze of both women, he seemed to grow a little more flustered. "Whatever is most convenient, I'm okay with anything!"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Hart's smile widened a bit. Kaleb looked like just the type who would be perfect to tease and bully. However, she was here with her Lady, and could not act untoward. Having a noble was kind of a drag, sometimes. The fetch straightened her wine velvet skirt, brushing off an invisible amount of dust.

"Perhaps, Lady Temperance, it would be best to start with the in-progress side." Temperance, meanwhile, had simply arched an eyebrow at Kaleb. Sometimes, their facial expressions mirrored and their body language was uncanny.

"I think that's best." And then they walked. "I don't know what will change with our casting, Kaleb, but I am hoping to use this room as a base." Temperance swung open a door. Inside was a larger room, possibly once a ballroom. It was ill-lit now and full of odd stacks of random furniture and knick knacks.

"We do," Hart intoned. "Have to request this space from Silk, but it does not hurt to hope and plan. The space, once clear should be able to accommodate at least 30 patients at a time. You see it, right?"

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Perhaps it was the instinct of prey to spot a potential predator, but Kaleb suddenly found himself hoping Temperance would not leave him alone with the fetch.

He trailed along afterwards, picking at the less obvious lace at the cuffs of his sleeves. "Thirty patients?" He murmured, peeking into the large room. "Would they be able to get here by themselves?" He paused for a second. "Is the Court even attached to anything? I've only entered through portals..."

It was clear he was able to envision the space as something other than a cluttered store room, but at the same time, was preoccupied with other concerns.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"The court is accessible - but I think I'd like to ask Silk if it would be possible for it to have another entrance, too. When I treated patients before, it was in Rabbit's demesne." Temperance was quite clearly excited by the prospect of a space dedicated to only patients.

Hart stepped forward and snapped and the lights extinguished. "Not much to see for now, really. Lord Rabbit I believe used a... table." It was said with faint distaste. "There used to be a sort of clinic set-up here, before." Temperance shot Hart a look that clearly said she didn't appreciate this knowledge kept from her. "Or so I'm told."

They began to walk towards the space most recently used to treat patients. "Kaleb, I think, if we can work on your phobia, or even if we can't you'd be quite useful. You could learn healing on your own terms or simply lend your magic to anothers'. Do... do you think you'd want to try?"

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

The concept of nobles having their own demesnes was something Kaleb hadn't understood until recently, most of the nobles he knew hadn't talked too much about it all. After the influx of information surrounding the charter renewal, he knew it was a painful subject in many ways. Hopefully now the nobles could be proud of what they were, and wouldn't have to suffer so much...

He nudged his glasses up on his nose, putting those thoughts aside. It all made sense though, having an easy way to get to a clinic meant those in need of help would be able to get there with fewer barriers.

And if he could help?

"Yes!" Kaleb blurted out rather abruptly, almost before Temperance had finished speaking. It was even a surprise to him, answering so quickly, without even a second thought. The blush began to creep back across his freckled cheeks. "I-I mean, yes, if I can be of any use, if I'm not a liability I would love to help..."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"If I didn't think you would be useful, I wouldn't have asked you to come, Kaleb," Temperance reminded him gently. She was pleased with his enthusiasm.

"Perhaps A.T.T. with exposure?" Hart suggested.

"I think so, and if that doesn't work, magic." Her shoes scuffed gently against the floor. They approached a set of large doors, only to find them closed.

Hart stepped forward and pressed an ear to them. "It looks as though the space is currently in use. A do not disturb kind of in-use," she said. "We'll have to visit another time. Do you want to see anything else of court, Kaleb?"

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb was curious about the door, but he wasn't sure what else was necessary to see while he was there, if the ladies had nothing further for him. All he knew was that stopping to seriously consider what he was going to do was a recipe for disaster, the promise of helping him brought as much fear as it did hope.

The worry crept up on him, until the thought of more court exploration was banished from his mind.

"Are we going to start today? With the training and... exposure?" He asked, uncomfortably picking at the ruffles on his court-created outfit.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"No," said Temperance. "I'm not going to just spring that on you. Plus, I want to do most of it here, and the magic probably needs time to settle." She glanced over at Hart, who gave her a short nod.

"Since we changed the charter we, um, don't know if things will change yet.." She shrugged. "But I have your number and you have mine. We can work things out. Does that sound okay?"

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb nodded. He felt... disappointed. Whether it was fear that drove him, or the prospect of redefining his limits, he wanted to get started. The sooner the better. Anything to move forward, and put some distance between his current existence and the worry that constantly crept up on him. If he was going to succeed he didn't want to waste any time, if he was going to fail... Well, he wanted to put the issue to rest.

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Is there anything I can do in the meantime?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Hart looked at him a little sharply, her pale eyes assessing him. "How about a little homework? Research the methods you have tried, compile them, list any partial effects - things like that, so we have a starting base. That is, if Lady Temperance is alright with that." She shot Temp a sidelong glance.

"Yes, that's fine, You didn't have to ask me, Hart. What do you think, Kaleb?" Temperance smiled at Kaleb. "Of course, I want you to watch me heal sometime, but it will have to wait a bit. Once we know what you've tried regarding the haemophobia, we can begin to work on it."

grey dragon