A Visit to the Sick

Keldean might have been recovered by now. Unfortunately, not only did he make that stupid excursion down to the stable the other day (while feverish and pukey) but Cordelia also stopped taking care of him, completely. The poor teen doesn't know the first thing about caring for himself while sick and it's been a rough few days. He's laying on the bed, sprawled out in nothing more than his skivvies with a blanket, staring in the direction of the staircase as if doing so were to suddenly will Cordelia into existance. He's pale, and still recovering, but at least the fever has finally passed.

[Nob(#16122)] Soft - but not silent, Nob is not trying to pass unnoticed - footsteps sound on the stairs, and finally Nob's head pokes over the top. He pauses, looking towards the boy, then comes the rest of the way up. "Feeling better are you?" he asks, "Up for a bit of something to eat?" The hobbit is a brave fellow, as hobbits go, but the plague!! He waits at the head of the staircase, looking nervous and trying not to.

Hearing the footsteps was cause for excitement, and the teen lifts his head with a smile. Nob.. is not who he expected. Still, the hobbit visitor is better than none at all. "Yeah.. better. I.. don't know if I could eat anything. Maybe.." Keldean has that wary tone of someone that hasn't been able to keep much in the way of food down for the last few days. "Where has Cordelia been? Is she mad at me?" The last he saw the woman, she was yelling at him in the stable.

[Nob(#16122)] "Well," Nob says, sounding greatly relieved. Surely, people with plagues wouldn't be hungry! Would they? He bends down and hauls up a basket covered with a cloth. "Bread?" he asks. "Some tea? And... let me see here... hm. Chicken, I think." He looks up interrogatively.

Keldean sits up, pulling the blanket to wrap around his midsection. He looks little more than skin and bones, likely from a growth spurt combined with not eating for the last week. "Bread maybe.. and tea." Tea is what's kept the teen alive, he's sure of that. "So she -is- mad?" The hobbit's silence can only indicate as much. "You're not angry are you? I didn't mean to get sick.." Keldean has this lingering fear that Nob might fire him as soon as he's well enough to move about again.

[Creban(#22423)] "Mister Nob?" a familiar, gruf voice comes from the bottom of the stairs, oddly accented "Tis I, Creban! I was told you'd be up here..."

[Nob(#16122)] "Mad?" Nob asks, startled. He stops rummaging through the basket, and looks up. "Who's mad? Oh... " For a minute, there is an expression of sadness on his face, then he shakes his head. "Of course not, you could hardly go and get sick on purpose, now could you? Don't you worry, lad, I'll be ordering you around soon as you get a bit more meat on those bones of yours." He pulls out several generous slices of bread, busies himself pouring tea from a steaming pot, and bringing them both towards Keldean's bed.

"Eh? Oh, Creban, yes indeed, come up, come up. Boy won't bite you. Not that he could... thin as he is!"

[Creban(#22423)] "Oh so he looks like me then." Creban jokes as he starts up the stairs, dipping his head a little as he steps up , careful of the low roof even though he was shorter than most "Keldean right? How're you feeling?" the bearded man asks, peering over the boy.

Keldean looks relieved when Nob eases his fears about sudden unemployment. He sits up more comfortably, lifting the blanket to muffle a sudden cough. (The lovely next stage of this sickness he's been battling) His auburn curls are a tangled mess, in serious need of attention, but otherwise the teen looks like he'll probably survive. When Creban pokes his head up into the attic Keldean looks confused. "Do I know you?"

[Nob(#16122)] "Here then," Nob says fussily, "You just eat some of this you're going to waste away." He pushes the plate of bread and cup of tea towards Keldean. "Yes, this is Keldean, poor lad, he's been sick for quite a while now, haven't you? A week or more?"

[Creban(#22423)] "I've heard of you is all. " Creban admit as he kneels beside the bed, brow furrowing in sympathy, remembering his own long illness "Well, I hope you will get better soon. Many will. I'm Creban. I work for Mister NOb as well."

Keldean takes the plate from Nob, setting it on the bed next to him. "Thanks.." He takes the mug next and slowly sips the tea, sighing in relief as the warm liquid soothes his throat and begins to clear his sinuses. "I guess a week.. I'm not sure." It's hard to keep track of time when you're sleeping entire days away. He studies Creban curiously as he picks up a slice of bread and takes a small bite. "What do you do?"

[Nob(#16122)] Nob watches the boy, nodding contentedly as he starts to eat. He returns to his basket, fishing through it more as Creban and Keldean talk.

[Creban(#22423)] "I clear tables, wash dishes and ensure the safety of the bar patrons, and whatever else Mister Nob has me do." The man states, glancing to his shorter employer with a smile, and then back once more

Keldean is eating very slowly, too worried about being ill again to risk his usual pace of inhaling his food. "Oh.. " He takes another sip of the tea, "I don't clear tables or wash the dishes.. "

[Nob(#16122)] The rest of the bread is packed up another pot of hot water, and several tea bags. The chicken is carefully wrapped and all of this is brought over to Keldean's bed.

[Creban(#22423)] "What do you do for Mister Nob then?" the older man asks, still on one knee as they talk, he himself not partaking in the food.

"Umm, whatever he tells me to do?" Keldean shrugs, not having any specific title to his employment. He looks at Nob questioningly, seeing if the hobbit will supply more details. The teen is far more subdued than his normal chatty self.

[Nob(#16122)] "Oh, brings in wood, sometimes," Nob says vaguely. "You know. Same as yourself," he gives Creban a sly grin. "Whatever I need him to."

[Creban(#22423)] "Ahh." he chuckles and grins at Nob, standing "Speaking of duties..." he calleed them duties, for some reason "I should get back to mine. Take care and get well soon Keldean. And I will see you later Mister Nob." he bows his head to both

[Nob(#16122)] "Eh? Oh, yes. Yes, indeed." Self-consciously, Nob looks around, then shakes his head vexedly. "I must get back to the Common Room," he tells Keldean. "You eat up and get well I'll bring more up for you in a bit." He nods to Creban and follows the man downstairs.

Keldean thanks them both and busies himself with eating as much as he dares of the food offering. He's not the most polite, but seemed appreciative enough for the visit.