A House Call [D2 ME]

[Kaliya Redding]

"Of courrse, doctorr," Kaliya purred, amused. As she crossed the short distance from the table to the bed, she peeled away the ivory bedgown, leaving just her nightgown as she settled back amongst the pillows. The diaphanous chiffon left utterly no doubts, there were no more layers below that.

[Maester Oswell]

It took a few moments, Oswell was not the most agile of men given his condition but he made his way over to the bed as Kaliya lay luxuriating upon it. Pulling himself up with his arms he veritably stalked the young morsel from the bottom of the bed, inching higher and higher, closer and closer until he disappeared (head, shoulders and torso) beneath her voluminous nightgown.

/fade

[Maester Oswell]

/fade back

Oswell was exhausted, his flagging energy spent as he reclined beside Kaliya, his two hands gently brushing around the area of her bruise.

"I think we can fairly say we tested the range of motion and durability for your injury milady."

[Kaliya Redding]

"You are a man of many surrprrises, maesterr. But you have my grratitude." His caress is pleasant and she murmurs in soft contentment. "I hope that I shall not have to injurre myself just to see you again."

[Maester Oswell]

"As are you m'dear. I haven't experienced such an enthusiastic and talented partner in..." Oswell shakes his head to clear it and looks around for something to quench his thirst.

"You have more than my gratitude, you have my services at your disposal should you need any further...medical assistance."

[Kaliya Redding]

She easily rolled out of bed, her nightgown floating about her as she stretched languidly. She fetches a bottle of wine and brings it over, sitting beside the maester and offering him a drink. "I hope that offerr might extend beyond the end of the Tourrney, should I find myself in need of such?"

[Maester Oswell]

Oswell struggles to lift himself into a sitting position before accepting the cup and taking a small sip to moisten his lips and wet his throat.

"It would be a poorly skilled Maester indeed who failed to notice the hard work you have been putting in trying to win allies to our cause in just the short period of time we've been in Ashford. So if you need my assistance here, or at home, I would be beholden to such a dutiful member of our House to serve in any capacity she needed."

He waved a hand to his bag of supplies.

"For instance, if milady required more exotic concoctions than just a salve for a sprained wrist, such could easily be supplied."

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya raised an eyebrow, suspecting that he was making fun of her. Letting the comment pass, she rose again, fetching the wooden box she kept her teas in. Opening it, she showed the maester the contents. Aside from tea, there were numerous packets and jars and containers, each neatly labelled in high Valyerian: C. thalictroides, M. pulegium, D. carota, S. rebaudiana, P. olacoides, amongst others.

"I will not prretend that I know much at all about herrbalism, but I did brring some knowledge with me frrom Dorrne."

[Maester Oswell]

Kaliya's suspicions weren't far off, there was a certain good natured mockery in Oswell's words, but nothing malicious or harsh - at least not by intent.

The Maester recognised most of the herbs by sight and recognised the High Valyrian writings as well, his estimations of the young woman rising greatly at such revelations as the surprise on his face at the contents of her tea chest clearly showed.

"You brought more knowledge than likely half those who will be attendance at the upcoming Conclave if you know what all these are and how to prepare them correctly. You ARE a multi talented and complicated enigma aren't you."

[Kaliya Redding]

"Norrtherrnerrs assume that the Dorrnish arre simply a lascivious people. We arre not ashamed of ourr passions, and we believe that knowledge can only do more good than harrm. A Dorrnish woman is frrely taught things that would make most norrtherrnerrs faint."

She lightly touches some of the items, "many of these I only know the use of, how to take them, what they do. I would not begin to know how to crraft them."

[Maester Oswell]

"As someone who has some skill in several tongues," Oswell winks at Kaliya with a broad grin. "Including the High Valyrian these are written in, I start wondering if I should keep you closer. Teach you more about herbalism and their uses in both small and large quantities, if you were interested."

He taps one finger thoughtfully against the cup he held.

"Such learning in the hands of a woman is oft frowned upon by the Citadel, but what they don't know..."

[Kaliya Redding]

Her warm chuckle acknowledges his double meaning,"I should like to learrn. One might not need to know how to forrge the sworrd in orrderr to wield it, but I find the knowledge can imprrove one's skill. No doubt therre arre herrbs I am yet to learrn of, whose uses would be of interrest to me."

[Maester Oswell]

Healing an Injury with "strenuous" activity (4 successes)

"There's always more to learn, now that should probably hold up under whatever sort of stress you place it," Oswell instructed as he gestured to Kaliya's swollen wrist.

"The salve should numb most of the pain and you can't really damage it further. So when you're feeling up to it, I'd be glad to show you exactly what you can do with these, and with what I've brought along too."

[Kaliya Redding]

Closing the tea chest, she set it down, "I shall endevourr to pay you a call in the next few days, then."

[Maester Oswell]

"I shall definitely look forward to working closely with you Lady Redding on expanding our mutual knowledge." Oswell answered with an honest, if lascivious, smile.

[Kaliya Redding]

"As do I," her smile knowing and sly. "Would you take grreat insult if I offerred to help you with yourr chairr? Lest you think I'm kicking you out, I am, but I am expecting someone."

[Maester Oswell]

Oswell laughed lightly. "Not at all. Pride is not one of my personal failings." He replied as he slipped his chain back over his neck.

"If you just wheel it over here." He instructed his companion.

"Next time I'll just bring my crutches, might be easier if I need to be more...manoeuvrable."

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya brought his chair to the bedside, "it neverr hurrts to be prreparred."

[Maester Oswell]

It was no effort at all to lift himself into the chair, an oft repeated action that he had undertaken more times than he could count. Smoothing out his robes to offer some air of propriety on his exit, though an extended stay in another's tent may raise eyebrows anyway, Oswell was sure he could explain it away.

"Prior preparation and planning prevents piss poor performance," Oswell quoted out of habit. "As my father used to say. So if you'll pass me my bag, I'll give you a chance to freshen up before your next meeting."

[Kaliya Redding]

Kaliya fetched the bag and smoothed an errant strand of the maester's hair, "until next time, maesterr."

[Maester Oswell]

Oswell took the opportunity of the fleeting touch to pull Kaliya's hand to his lips and brush his lips across her knuckles.

"Until then m'dear." He answered with a smile before rolling towards the...

/exit