ways_infirmary | (no subject)

Asher's mouth turns down into a soft moue of displeasure as Teja's hand drops away; he misses people touching him, it is not something that often occurs these days. But he can sense Teja's skittishness, and doesn't wish to presume.

"And did this Merlin speak to you the same evening I did?" He asks, wondering who else in the bar has been affected. Whether it is something from his world, or another, causing such horror.

"No, he did not," Teja says. "He spoke to me a few days before, in the forge. Before I ever had my vision. I do not know had they started then for any others."

Pause.

"But Merlin Sawall is very powerful; he is an Amberite that goes from world to world the way other men go from village to village, and a shape-shifter in addition."

"I have not heard the term, but surely, then, if he met you before your nightmare, you could not be the cause of his pain or mine?"

"It does not mean that the being that causes them could not have seen Merlin, and his power, through my eyes when it rode me through my own nightmare," Teja says. "That would be part of the danger - it might know what one it has touched has known before."

"Perhaps you should find out," Asher trailed off as he tried to move, hiding a wince. "When these visions and nightmares began. You and I, and this Merlin, cannot be the only people who have had dreams that have intruded into reality."

"Oh no, there were more - this is an attack on all of us, by an entity of ill will, a Doctor Gottreich, who as I understand is a spirit, and who wishes to try out his methods on us, as we are all so out of the ordinary," Teja says. "That much is already known. And people are finding out about it, and finding an answer for the question how to stop him. No, I am merely wondering if he has taken his route to you, and maybe to Merlin, over me."

"And what will become of this doctor?" Asher nearly growls, finding out that it is one man responsible for the pain caused him, and others.

But mostly him. He refuses to go back to St Louis with his scars fresh and new, and so it seems as if he may be stuck here for a very long time. Unless, that is, he can regain his strength by feeding, or through magical means.

"If that was known," Teja says, "or even how to get at him, it would already have happened. There are enough bold men here" -- short pause -- "and women, to make an end of whoever does this to us, were it but known how to reach him, where he is, and how to end it."

Asher does not like to be helpless. He sighs, head falling back against the pillows. He's ill-tempered, today, and as good a friend as Teja is quickly becoming, Asher's patience is worn to shreds.

All he wants is Jean-Claude to hold him, soothe him as he had attempted to hundreds of years before. But here, he is more alone than he has ever felt, not even a familiar voice in his mind to keep him company.

"I need to rest," he murmurs shortly, turning his face away from Teja.

"You do," Teja says. "I will leave you, then."

But before he gets up, he reaches out again to once more stroke the tumbled golden hair on the pillow.

He hates to be helpless jusut as much.

Asher closes his eyes, sighing softly at the light brush of fingers against his hair, not daring to move as Teja stands.

"Thank you, Teja," he murmurs.

Teja resist the pull to slide his fingers in more deeply, to touch as he has not touched in -- how long? But this is another.

Instead, he stands and strokes again, and quietly says, "I would come again and see you, in a day or two, if I may?"

Asher nods.

"Come tomorrow night, I would be glad of the company." Perhaps, or at least in a better mood than he is now.

"I will. Sleep well," Teja says, taking his hand away reluctantly. He turns, and manages to suppress his sigh until he has closed the door of the healing place behind himself.