InWhichTheDuchessExperiencesTrumpAndTheInfirmary

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He reaches to his belt and selects a card from a case. He concentrates on the card for a few moments in silence. Then he speaks to it. "Of course it's me," he sighs. "Yes, I am. No, I'm not going to climb all those stairs. Bring us through."

Eric turns to Juliana and extends his right hand. The left holds the card before him. The air shimmers near the card. "Take my hand. You will feel a pulling sensation. Do not fight it."

Eric sighs again. "Of course I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to her."

Juliana laughs (she's laughing at what he's saying to Deirdre, because what he's saying so obviously has to be to her, even if she doesn't understand this magic thing that's happening.) She says, "Okay, my prince. I'm ready," still smiling with much amusement, and takes his hand.

The air shimmers about Eric. As he takes her hand, she feels another hand grasp hers and pull gently but firmly. There is a scent of medicine and blood.

Then, she is in what can only be the palace hospital. Gerard releases her hand. He is wearing blood covered surgical scrubs.

There is another shimmer of rainbow lights and Eric is there as well.

She's going to show up in the room with some color because #1 - she's been around Eric (I touched his arm and managed not to rip my clothes off. whew.) #2 - she's had a little bit of exercise, with the stairs, and with talking to Eric, and #3 - because the way he is with Deirdre, or the way she is with him, I should say, really does amuse her and she's holding some of that in.

She colors up some more, just for a second, when she realizes it was Gerard he was talking to, and not Deirdre. That is even funnier, but then the full impact of where she is hits and all her amusement, and some of her color, fades away.

She curtsies to Gerard, and says, "Your Highness. Thank you for the transportation." She is just a touch wide-eyed about this moving about with the cards thing. Phillip had just been talking earlier about how big magic, like teleporting, didn't work in Amber. So obviously this is something else. Or, it's big magic, and they can do it because they're the royal family. So these scrubs are blood covered, not just blood stained? Oh-boy.

"Hm? Oh, yes. you're welcome," Gerard says. Looking at himself he frowns. "Hrm. Sorry 'bout the mess."

She waves it off, like it's no big deal, although it doesn't comfort her.

Juliana can see that areas have been partitioned off to give patients privacy. She sees various personnel scurrying back and forth about their business.

"Has anything changed since I last spoke to you?" Eric asks.

"Hm? Well, the Major has regained consciousness, but I think she's gone back to sleep now. Which is good because otherwise I might have had to clobber her myself to get her to rest. She's stubborn." Gerard scratches his chin then adds, "Deirdre and Carlisle have been poking about. I think they're with Madeline Dumas. She may be awake again. She was earlier."

Juliana looks at Eric, looks back to Gerard. "How bad is Captain O'Donovan?" Juliana is starting with him, because he's the one she knows the most and feels the most affection for.

Gerard frowns. "He's doing none too well, I'm afraid. First and second degree burns. Multiple lacerations. A broken rib or three. Concussion. Then there's the eye."

She tries not to look stricken. "I..." She just stops. She looks stricken. She looks up at Gerard, "What does it mean? What are his chances?"

"He's a strong lad," Gerard says. "He's been through bad scrapes. He's a survivor. But he has been gravely injured. That's not even talking about there being some sort of complications from all the bloody magick that was being tossed about. Not my department, I'm afraid."

He reaches out toward Juliana. Huge hands clasp her on her shoulders. "I do think he'll make it, lass. I'll do my best to make sure it happens."

She looks like she might cry, for just a moment. She quickly gets it under control, and smiles a thankful smile (full of total confidence that Prince Gerard can do this thing) at him. "I'm so glad he's here," she says. "He doesn't have any family in Amber, does he? Will I be allowed to come read to him?" she asks, and adds quickly, "To them... everyone."

"Erm. I suppose so." He looks to Eric for confirmation and Eric nods.

She throws beaming smile at Gerard, and leans up and kisses him on the cheek. "Thank you," she says quietly, ignoring the fact that Eric had to confirm. "Is there any way I can see him now, or is it too soon? I would do nothing to endanger him."

"Hrm. I suppose so. He's not looking all that dashing today, I'm afraid. Come with me," Gerard says and leads Eric and Julian to O'Donovan's bed.

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"Very well," Eric replies. "Have a servant notify me if you have need of me."

"I will, your highness. Thank you." She smiles at him gratefully and gives him a proper curtsy.

When Eric leaves she turns back to Sean and says, "They've cleaned you up pretty well, Captain. I didn't even feel faint. I've got to go find Reggie now and try to threaten him into waking up. I'll be back in the morning."

She will wander out and ask one of the staff to point her toward Reginald Bayle.

Juliana is taken to Reggie. Other than a few cuts and bruises, he looks to be simply sleeping.

She does the same thing she did with O'Donovan with Reggie, although finding undamaged skin seems to be much easier with him.

"Reggie, there is no good reason you haven't woken up yet. And I'm warning you right now, if you haven't snapped out of this by the time I'm back up here in the morning, I'm going to start bringing all the eligible young women I know up here to read you bad poetry. And you know there will be no way to be rid of them but to wake up and scare them off by, well, just being yourself, love."

She smiles, but it is very sad and frightened. She says more quietly and a little shakily, "This isn't funny, Reggie. So much is happening. Your sisters are going to need you. Please try to wake up soon."

Reggie simply sleeps peacefully.

She sighs, and brushes a lock of hair back from his face. She goes looking for Dane - who she'll just look in on, and move on. She doesn't really care for Dane. Then she'll go look in on Genvieve.

Captain Dane is in traction. All four limbs have been broken and his entire body is bandaged including his face and head. His breathing is weak.

Then she'll go look in on Genvieve.

Genvieve is heavily bandaged. Her left hand has had surgery. It is completely hidden from view and the arm is immobilized. Like most of the others, she has a bandage around her head and is badly bruised and lacerated. She looks, in some ways, worse than O'Donovan.

For some reason this hits Juliana much harder. Perhaps because it's a woman she can identify more closely. [Liz isn't really sure why Juliana is having this reaction. I'll let you know when/if I figure it out.]

She pushes her hand over her mouth to stiffle her gasp. Her eyes fill with tears. "Holy Mother, Genvieve," she whispers, and steps a bit closer, but still not very close to the bed. She's afraid to get any closer. She stays where she is and starts praying. It's a whispered, under the breath praying, along the lines of, "Please don't let her die, she's so young, please don't let us all get run over by this darkness, please protect us..."

She's trying not to really break down and cry, but the tears and trickling out... slowly.

No one disturbs Juliana's vigil. All around Juliana, the hospital staff scurries about, but none interrupt her. She hears the occasional familiar voice. Gerard consulting with the staff. Deirdre. Phillip. Possibly Madeline.

That'll do it, she'll try to clean herself up and go find Phillip. She wants nothing more at this moment than to just be close to him, to lay hands on his person. She follows his voice.

-- Main.LizTrumitch - 21 Aug 2004