OPEN: To see a perfect forest through so many splintered trees

[pinprick]

WHO: Nathaniel Howe and visitors
WHAT: Nathaniel's rocky convalescence in the weeks after the defeat of Vengeance.
WHEN: Justinian 19-Solace 17
WHERE: Skyhold healing tents + Camp Shady
NOTES: Illness/fever, blunt trauma to the chest, close brush with death. Options inside.

Shallow Breaths - Justinian 20-28

Nathaniel is in and out of consciousness for the first few days. There are many breaks in his sternum and ribs, and some sort of bruise on his lungs. Something of that sort. The point, to him, is that he can hardly breathe. The healers have him sleeping on the wounded part of his chest every night, and despite the pain, it does seem to help him breathe without fighting against gravity. Abrasions and burns are healed quickly, but the bones are taking time to mend even with magic, and the cartilage is damaged for good. His face is white, his lips bloodless, his eyes dazed when you come to visit. Speaking is laborious, but he will try.

Peak - Justinian 29-30

For a time, Nathaniel seems to be getting better. The pain is lessened, and he is conscious more often. He is also hungry, eating everything offered to him and practically licking the plates clean. It's less difficult to breathe, though deep breaths are all but impossible. For all appearances though, the worst is behind him.

Fever - Solace 1-5

Weak lungs develop pneumonia even as the bones are on the mend. The coughing is weak, but the wet sound of it is unmistakable. Three days in, Nathaniel suffers delirium, muttering inanely and sometimes writhing in pain. It's impossible to sleep long in this state, though he never seems awake. His face is grey, and at his worst, he is too weak even to speak or move, but watches the world through half-lidded eyes, helpless but to see the things that his mind creates.

The next day, he is lucid again, though still feverish and desperately weak. That night, he falls asleep and doesn't wake until morning. His fever breaks the next day.

Awakening - Solace 6-12

Breathing is labored still, but there is a light in his eyes now. He can take visitors and have a conversation, but not for too long. He still can't leave the cot, but he slowly starts to sit up a little more, and his appetite is coming back quickly. Sleeping through the night now speeds his recovery.

Recovery - Solace 13-16

These days Nathaniel is taking slow, short walks, each day with more exercise and less support than the last. He has trouble with shortness of breath, and pain in the tendons of his ribs when he moves too much, but he is determined to get out of here. Color is returning to his face. His feet and hands are swollen from so little exercise early on, but the swelling goes down as his circulation improves. When he is not exercising, he is permitted to sit outside on a nice day, drinking in the sun and breathing the clear air.

Home - Solace 17

Today, Nathaniel is sufficiently recovered that he may spend the remainder of his convalescence in his own bed in the Warden camp. He requires help getting down there, but once he's there, there's a triumphant smile on his drawn face. Lady, his miniature mabari, yaps excitedly and kisses his face when he lies down in his own bed. And snuggles hard against him, and growls at anyone who disturbs him when he sleeps.

But now Nathaniel is well enough to be restless. Late at night, he wakes and steps outside, wrapped in blankets and watching the stars.

Comments

Justinian 21

[justice_is_blond]

As soon as he could move at all he'd taken up position near Nate's bed. Anders had conceded a little, he's spending most of his time on a makeshift pallet, but he's not going anywhere. One friend is dead. Nate's in bad shape. Others are hurt. He's not leaving the healing tents and he's not going to stop helping in little ways as he recovers as well.

Hearing Nate stir, Anders uses the table to pull himself up off the ground. His touch is gentle against Nate's cheek, his voice quiet for both their sakes since his head won't stop pounding.

"Would you like some water, love?" He's pale as well, cheeks blotchy due to tears from the random mood swings he doesn't have under control yet, mouth open as he breathes as if it will help cut down on the throb of his head and the ache in his bones. He didn't go through half as much as Nate did, physically, which means it's entirely fair that he's here helping.

[pinprick]

Every movement is paid for with pain. Nathaniel's eyes swerve up to Anders, and he wishes raising a hand to touch his cheek wasn't so costly. But he can nod a little, and rasp out a few words.

"How do you feel?"

[justice_is_blond]

Slowly he steps back to the table and fills a glass, bringing it over before trying to answer.

"Glad you're alive." What else is there to say? Guilty, upset, free, hurting... the list of accurate answers is a mile long. There's a twitch of a cheek muscle as he tries for a joke while gently holding the cup to Nate's lips. "Better than you look."

[pinprick]

Nathaniel sips, though it's hard to do so and breathe as often as he needs. Once he has swallowed and caught his breath, he rests. He's on his side at the moment, propped there by pillows. A wan smile flutters over his lips.

"You know...what I mean." His speech is broken by little shallow breaths.

Justinian 29 - for Anders

[pinprick]

Nathaniel is sitting up now, propped up by pillows. He still has to be careful about bending, but at least the healing magic has made it so part of his chest isn't moving independently from the rest. Someone donated a little paper and charcoal and now Nathaniel is drawing very carefully. He's not particularly talented, but he can draw recognizable things. This recognizable thing is a cat. A black cat, cleaning its paw, clearly Purrelden. He pauses every so often to cough weakly and wince with pain.

[justice_is_blond]

He'd needed to take a short walk; sitting and watching over people hurt for him was not helping him deal with the mess that was his head. Returning gives him a pleasant surprise - Nate upright and drawing - and Anders comes over to peer over Nate's shoulder.

"Would you look at that. Who's the prettiest kitty?" There's an answering, sleepy, meow from near the foot of Nate's bed where she's made her own nest of blankets, but Anders stays near Nate's shoulder. If she wants to get up, she can come over. "Should I be proud you've chosen to draw her before Lady?"

[pinprick]

It hurts too much to laugh, so Nathaniel merely smiles. "I wanted to make something for you."

Thinking about getting out of this tent, out of this bed, and starting a new chapter with Anders has given him hope. Something to look forward to, and recover for. He has been impatient for it, yearned for it, and every time he sees Anders' face, he knows it's within reach.

[justice_is_blond]

Nate's made something for him, when it's Anders' fault he's hurt so badly. Anders glances down, smile dimming momentarily, before it's back and he's leaning in to kiss Nate's temple.

"It's far better a piece than I ever did. Thank you, love. I like it." His drawings tended to be far more silly than anything else, comical work. Not portraiture. Purrelden streeeeeetches where she's at and only moves enough to just barely out of reach of Anders' hand from here, draping herself on Nate's legs.

"How are you feeling?"

Justinian 29 - for Herc

[pinprick]

Nathaniel is pale and weak, but awake and slowly eating a bland but nutritious stew with black bread. He looks like shit, but he's able to hold a conversation, which is better than before. He sees Herc enter and offers a nod to his superior.

"Sir," he rasps.

[twelvelabours]

He's checked in here and there. Mostly bothering the medics when Nathaniel was asleep, more interested in letting him rest up and heal than draining his energy and attention with a visit when there were others who needed to see him more.

All told, though, he didn't want to leave without seeing Nathaniel again. Wouldn't sit well.

"Well," he starts, stepping forward and canting his head, "How you holding up?"

Max remains obediently outside, though his head sticks through a flap in the canvas, grinning his broad mabari grin, drool and all.

[pinprick]

"Better." It was touch and go for a bit, but Herc knows that. "Lady's kept me company."

One fold in the blankets starts to wag its tail at the sound of its name.

[twelvelabours]

"The--" and there is a conspicuous pause where he doesn't say widdle, because Alistair and Kaisa are tyrants and he can't help thinking it, "-- puppy, huh. How's this mongrel treating you, little one?"

The question is to Lady, while Max makes a happy grumbly whine. Friends!!!

"Good to see you looking a little more lively. I need you back on your feet to keep camp in line."

Justinian 22

[fleurdesel]

Now that she doesn't have to move- it's difficult to occupy her time. Reading does so much, writing is awkward without a lap desk of some sort and twisting to try to use a side table aggravates some of the bruising to her ribs- but she has work and will work through this. Her leg is immobile, held in place by two splints bound with cotton to prevent the bone from shifting as it mends. The first week is difficult.

More so when she spares time and energy by reaching over ever so often to rest a hand on Nathaniel's shoulder and offer a surge of rejuvenation or restoration. Healing him first as part of this is, in fact, her fault. If she'd landed elsewhere-

It does not matter. What matters is that she helps mend him.

[pinprick]

Inflammation and pain ease with each spell, but it's a temporary relief. Bones are knit together more quickly than if they had been left on their own, but it is a precise business, and there is more to it than merely making several things into a single thing again. Without magic, Nathaniel would have died. With it, it still takes time to recover.

"Thank you," he wheezes as his breathing starts to come a little easier.

[fleurdesel]

"You are welcome, Nathaniel." She offers a gentle squeeze. "Rest easily, yes? You have a long way to go."

Before he is well. Before he can wander about without assistance and perhaps she could bear this guilt were it not for her own leg. Were it not for the demon that so dearly wished Nathaniel dead. The fault lies with Vengeance, now slain.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel's eyes close briefly. "Nothing's easy." Least of all talking, breathing, or resting. "Am I going to live?"

Around Solas 9-ish

[justice_is_blond]

He comes in hastily, looking around, nervous. Of course he'd be nervous. Nate got worse and Anders wasn't here and he can't stop feeling guilty about leaving his love behind. Thankfully, Nate's up. Awake. Eating, even, and Anders feels a little relief mixed in with the guilt.

"You're up. You're up and..." And he doesn't know what to do with himself. Nate needs to keep eating so Anders can't take his hand or snuggle close, but oh, how he wants to do both.

"May I?" He holds up a hand, letting it glow a familiar green. He wants to feel for himself how Nate is doing.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel is weak and drawn, pale, but he's eating with an appetite, and he smiles like the sun came in when Anders appeared. He sets aside the bowl of stew, now mostly empty, and reaches for the hand that isn't glowing green.

Anders' magic will find him desperately weak, but not feverish. There is still weakness in his lungs, wounds to be healed, but they are clear of phlegm. The bones have knitted together with the help of the magic of the healers, but there is inflammation and therefore pain in the cartilage connecting ribs to sternum. The greatest permanent damage has been done to the spaces between the bones, for once the cartilage is damaged, it never repairs itself.

[justice_is_blond]

Nate's smile feels like heaven, and Anders starts to return it. Anders threads his fingers through Nate's, holding tight as he examines. His smile fades a little. Some of the damage will never be healed again. Nate will forever bear injuries from helping Anders.

Sinking down onto the cot next to Nate, Anders exhales and leans in close, being careful.

"I've put you through so much and you're still smiling at me like that."

Solace 10

[lifeofendurance]

Up until now, Aleron's come by every few days to check on his old friend, only to be shooed away by healers. He's calmly taken what status update he could get before leaving and patiently waited to be told that his friend may finally have visitors. Only very briefly. There's been a stern enough look about that point. He has no doubt he'll be run out with a broomstick at his backside if he wears Nathaniel out.

When he does make it in, he remains quiet and nods hello in greeting. He's brought a book, something he finds thrilling, but guaranteed to make any sane and recovering soul fall asleep for some much needed rest: a book of sermons by Divine Somethingorother the Third. He's trying anyway.

"I was beginning to wonder if your healer didn't have designs on you. Everyone's been kept out."

[pinprick]

Nathaniel is pale, clearly very weak, but mostly alert. He offers a wan smile.

"I had the winter fever. My healer didn't want it to spread." There's an appropriately-timed cough. "It's good to see you."

[lifeofendurance]

"I'd say the same, but you look terrible." There's the hint of a quirked smile. Aleron is absolute shite at cracking jokes, but he tries them nonetheless. He settles back into stoicism quickly enough. "Does your sister know about this yet?"

He's pretty certain the last thing either of them want is an upset Delilah here, but if things are as serious as they appear, she probably ought to at least have a letter.

Solace 17

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Nathaniel?"

Comes the sleepy call from Bethany's tent, as she pushes aside the flap to peer out at him. She yawns, ducks back in and pulls on her own blanket, shoving on a pair of slippers so she can join him outside.

She still moves a little slowly, but the wounds were finally closed and healing the way they should. The scars wouldn't even show, thanks to the thorough healing. Bumping up next to him, she looks up.

"Copper for your thoughts."

[pinprick]

He's sitting on a log by a dying fire. At the sound of her voice, he scoots over to give her a place to sit.

"It's good to be back," he says quietly. There's a but hanging at the end there.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

She takes the seat, then scoots right into him. They've been traveling together too long as siblings for her not to help him stay warm by close contact.

A light nudge, for both of their sake's. "I hear that 'but' lingering there."