Mature: Desert Moon

[Emora Deen]

The startled nurse stumbled over her words before finally getting them straight. "He's walking. Lady Dracul tried to get him to rest, but he only did it long enough to hold the child... He will hurt himself if he continues on his path. I'm sorry, I've spoken out of place." She tucked her head down and moved to scurry off.

Inside Tenara was sleeping in her bassinet, and Tenele was trying to convince Atul to take another rest. The man struggled with each step, having little enough energy to continue, but too stubborn to stop.

"Atul, please," Tenele muttered, placing a hand on his shoulder. He pressed onward, a few more steps. "Atul, stop. You'll wear yourself out and have little energy to work at it tomorrow. Please, call it a night. I'll help you bathe and then you can eat some super and sleep." Tenele followed after him and grabbed him firmly by the arm. "That's enough."

Atul jerked his arm away from her, stumbling on his feet. He barely caught his balance with the crutches. "I will decide when I've had enough!" he glared at her, his voice echoed off the stone walls. He heaved air into his tired lungs.

Tenele jerked back, and Tenara started crying. Tenele opened her mouth to say something to him, but instead clamped her mouth shut and went to console their startled child.

Regret immediately washed over Atul's features and his lips parted with an apology. His brow furrowed, and he turned back to his task.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad listened through the conversation quietly. Finally, he pulled the curtain aside and entered the makeshift ward. One look at Atul made his stomach knot. He studied the man a moment and walked to Tenele's side, pausing to kiss her on the cheek and give their child his finger for a few moments. "I'm going to check on him," he murmured to her quietly.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded, leaning in against her husband for a moment. "He's in a mood," she whispered as she pulled Tenara in against her and rocked the child. "Maybe you can get him to stop, because he doesn't seem to want to listen to me. I'm going to bathe Tenara since she's awake." Tenele stepped off towards a wash room just off towards the patients washroom.

Atul took several distancing steps from them, trying hard to fight off the shame for yelling at Tenele when she was only concerned about him. At the same time his pride wouldn't let him. His pride was also the thing keeping him from sitting down that very moment.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad stood slowly from where he'd crouched next to Tenara's crib and turned to Atul. A few calm steps brought him to the king's side. "You look awful," he greeted.

[Emora Deen]

Atul scowled at him, he paused for just a moment, and then kept going. "I'll look better when I'm strong enough to walk without these fucking crutches," he muttered. He stopped after a few steps and hung his head. "I yelled at Tenele..." He glanced back at Vlad. "I'm frustrated. I'm not used to this... I'm not used to being this hurt. I've got to keep working at this..." He started up again, turning for another pass.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad looked unmoved by the king's justification. "You can barely stand. You're done for today," he said, stepping in front of Atul and blocking his path. He met the man's eyes with a challenging gaze, seeing the anger kindle in Atul's expression. "You want to snap at me, too? You can go ahead, but it won't send me running. I'll throw you into that bed if I hve to."

[Emora Deen]

Atul smirked. "Throwing an injured man seems counter productive," he muttered. He skittered sideways around the vampire. "Just a few more rounds and then I'll be done." Atul limped another step, and his crutched slipped against the flooring. He managed to catch his balance, but not before putting unnecessary strain on his leg. He let out a frustrated growl, and through the crutch across the room.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad ported back in front of the king. "Atul," he reached out to frame the man's face tenderly in his hands. "Stop."

[Emora Deen]

Atul huffed, glaring at Vlad. Slowly his expression softened, and the exhaustion that was so evident in every move the king made bore heavily on is face. He nodded slowly, slumping in defeat. "Stop," he agreed. He looked at his crutch lying broken across the room and then turned his blue gaze on Vlad. His vision had returned relatively, except for the left eye. He couldn't see very well out of it, mostly just faintly detailed blurs, which distorted things. He hadn't mentioned it yet... not when Tenele was so happy that he could see.

"Would you mind throwing me in bed gently?"

"You need a shower," Tenele, clothed in a robe, whispered heatedly as she passed them with Tenara wrapped in a towel. The baby had a firm hold on her long hair.

Atul smirked. "Insufferable."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad let his guard down a bit at the sight of his friend's warm smirk. "Shower first?" he offered, careful not to do anything the man could perceive as condescending. He knew how quickly they'd both be shut out if they pitied him. "I am rather excellent help when it comes to those, if I do say so myself." Arrogance took no acting.

[Emora Deen]

Atul sighed. "I guess she won't be pleased if I get in bed a sweaty mess," he admitted. "Shower first... But, I'm going to need you to help me there. I seem to have broken my second crutch."

[Soran Nightblade]

"You're not walking," Vlad ordained. "Carry, or teleport. You choose."

[Emora Deen]

Atul sighed. "Teleport," he muttered. He didn't care what it did to his equilibrium. He looked at the fabric tent that surrounded where they slept. He could just make out Tenele's shadow as she rocked Tenara back to sleep.

[Soran Nightblade]

"She will get past it when you smell less like an overworked camel," Vlad reassured. He stepped in close to Atul and looped his arms around him. Contrary to his statement, Vlad seemed relieved to be this close to the king. Atul hadn't been in any condition for much, if any, contact since Vlad had carried him here. Vlad pressed his face to the bend of the man's neck, taking in his scent and the warmth of his pulse jumping beneath his skin.

A moment later, they were standing in Atul's ensuite. Vlad took a very slight step back and watched Atul like a hawk. Even a small jump could be a strain for an injured person. It was as if injured bodies just didn't transfer well through the portals, whereas whole ones were quite resilient.

[Emora Deen]

Atul blinked his eyes to steady his vision, his knees quivering. He reached out to hold onto Vlad, grasping at the vampire for a better hold. "Arrrrgh.... I hate this," he growled. He lifted his gaze to Vlad before leaning to rest his head on the vampire's shoulders. "A bath is probably safer than standing in a shower."