Just Henchman Things - Tumblr Posts - Page 3
And you fell out of a tree. I understand, it happens. I’ll get you an apple - or perhaps it was a cherry? - so please don’t try to climb any more trees until you’ve regained your strength in other ways.
(Merchant tries to shoo Darkclaw out of the way to get a better look, and nearly gets bitten for his efforts)
Ah… It seems your new friend is feeling protective today. Would you mind showing me where you got hurt? I’m no cleric, but I can tell you whether a bone is broken and patch you up myself if it isn’t.
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
(Wary of the dog, Merchant approaches again and takes hold of DG’s arm, trying not to cause unnecessary pain as he turns it over to look)
Can you curl your hand into a fist? Just try for a moment - if nothing happens, or if it hurts too much, your arm is likely broken since your hand looks fine.
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
Ah, you don’t- if it hurts that much, please stop. Your arm is definitely fractured.
(Merchant lets go of DG’s arm slowly to avoid putting sudden weight on it)
I can’t fix this. You’ll have to find an actual healer. I’m sure we can find someone in town with the will and the means to help, and I can pay if it’s necessary. I don’t have anything but plant seeds and water to spend my gold on, and I’ve had… A very long time to amass it, so it might be good to get some of it out of the chest instead of letting it all sit for another decade.
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
My friend, Darkclaw is a remarkable dog, but she is a dog. You need a healer, physical or magical - if this heals on its own, it might not heal well. You know from experience how much more painful it is to leave serious injuries untreated.
I know you’re afraid of new people, and you don’t want to burden me, but I could retire now and live comfortably for the rest of my life twice over. I work because I enjoy it, and I demand compensation because it would be wrong of me not to.
This is not a business exchange. You are my friend, and this is a gift. Consider it… Alternate payment for the cloak you said you would make for me. It won’t be done if you can’t use your arms, now, will it?
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
No- no, no, it’s all right. Please don’t use your arm.
(Merchant tries to ease DG’s injured hand away from his face)
I’m not here because you’re useful to me. I said that because I assumed you would accept help more easily if you felt you were giving something back to me. Perhaps I haven’t adjusted as well as I thought…
Sorry, what? Have you been carrying this opinion of yourself the entire time? DG, my friend, I’ve known monsters. I’ve traded with monsters, and had to run from a few after a failed sale. You are a soldier defecting from a cause you didn’t believe in, and a person who wasn’t taught to be one figuring it out as he goes along.
Most people have had decades to feel out the world by the time they reach your age. You’ve had- what, three months? Four? Memory and knowledge can’t make up for experience.
Give yourself a little grace. A few years to settle in this world. Then come back and re-evaluate whether you’re a monster.
(Merchant is still almost entirely hidden by the cloak, but his posture wilts, indicating some level of self-consciousness.)
Ah… And there I go again. Forgive me, my people have an affinity for the dramatic and I doubt I’ll ever overcome it entirely.
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
(The Merchant reaches out again, giving DG time to back away before resting a hand on his non-dog-occupied shoulder)
You may have come into this world as a flickering shadow of another living being, but you became something more the moment you chose to abandon your masters and take on a name of your own.
Please let me help you. Let me try to prove to you that you’re worth the effort and more.
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
(The Merchant lifts his hand away, unsure, and resettles it.)
You’re hurt. You’re healing. You’re Triton. You’re a friend. You’re an aspiring fisher and cloak-maker. You’re a clone. Just because you were one of those first doesn’t mean none of the others matter, so tell me.
What else are you?
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
That you are.
I don’t expect this talk to banish your fears, DG; as convenient as it would be, that’s not quite how emotions and invasive thoughts work. They will come back. There may always be times when you think of yourself as a monster, but when you do, I want you to try to think of all these other things as well.
You’re not just a doppelgänger, though that is your origin. I myself came into the word as an entirely different entity with a given name I can’t quite recall.
Now… Please.
If I go down to the village and I find a healer willing to come back here with me, will you accept their help?
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
(The Merchant slumps in relief, and nods.)
I promise they won’t get the chance to. I can’t promise you that no one will try, but I’ll be there to prevent any… Uninvited conflict.
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
(The Merchant drops his hand and vanishes.)
(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)
DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?
MERCHANT!!!!!!
Yess :3
I’ve been assured that sie will not. May we come in?
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
(The Merchant leads a young adult Genasi into the room. The Genasi kneels in front of DG and holds out a hand, expressionless)
From what I’ve seen, he’s not the most… Talkative, but sie wants to help. Can you give him your arm? He’s going to set the bone and heal it enough for your own body to do the rest.
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
{The cleric Lays his Hands on DG’s arm, feeling out the fracture and pulling to set it back in place before sealing the bone back together}
(The Merchant stands just behind him, waiting.)
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
Seiche. {The cleric mutters under his breath as his hands begin to glow, and a warm energy that feels like water begins to seep under DG’s skin, soothing the pain of the bruises and fractured bone}
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
It’s done.
{The cleric’s voice is so soft it can barely be heard. Sie looks to the blanket hiding the rest of DG}
Anything else?
Are you hurt anywhere else? (The Merchant clarifies)
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
Perhaps we should listen to the dog. She seems to take offense to what you’re saying, friend.
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
(Merchant has seen most of this damage, but the missing ones are new. He calmly picks up the blanket and folds it, handing it back to DG as the cleric reaches out again.)
Missing fins will stay gone… I can fix these. {The cleric moves behind DG and touches an injured fin}
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
{A flash of pain, followed by the soothing feeling. Again and again, for each rip and bruise, delicate webbing knitting back together under guidance.}
(The Merchant stands and watches.)
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
Another minute or so, and this will be over. You won’t be in as much pain.
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.
(The Merchant waits for the cleric he found to stand up, then helps DG unfold the blanket and wrap it back around him.)
Any better?
DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.
Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.