Solo Choosing Which Death

[Ruby Majalenka]

"So you mean to tell me that washing medical equipments with saline would be better than regular water, provided they're both on scalding temperature ?"
"Well, why not ? Salt water has an antiseptic trait, if I'm not mistaken." Ruby shrugged.

It was the usual banter between Ruby and her assigned doctor in Whitevine Healing Center's cafeteria when they had little to do. The glow stone perched above filled the place with a warm orange glow while specks of evening snow peppered the window.

"If you push aside the fact that spraying salt water on someone's wounds is a form of torture, you might have a point." The doctor laughed, while enjoying a late dinner of seaweed and blubber.
"But seriously though, we should test it out. You're a doctor, you're adept in bringing failed experimen- I mean patients back to life."
"And you little missy, as a doctor's assistant should know better than to-"

His words were cut short when a small group of men entered through the front entrance carrying a Snowsong dancer still in costume, groaning from pain. The splint on her lower right leg indicated it was a case of bone fracture, or somewhere along the lines. The doctor immediately got up and took the patient, sighing in resignation for his soon-to-be-cold meal.

In the treatment room Ruby examined the leg. The exact location of the bone dislocation was marked with a relatively small bruise, almost the size of a fist. After applying yellow nettle paste on the bruise to ease the dancer's pain, Ruby focused her attention to her fingertips and felt one little lump. From that she diagnosed it as a transverse fracture in which the fracture was at a right angle to the bone's long axis, not an oblique fracture in which case the lump would be bigger owing to the larger deviation angle of the fractured bone. Certainly not a multifragmented fracture either. The doctor did his own examination and confirmed Ruby's findings.

First she soaked linen in cerate, an oily gel-like substance made from wax (could be replaced by resin depending on availability) and oil. After the linen was soaked, the bones were pushed back together (the dancer gave a squeal despite the application of yellow nettle paste), then the linen was wrapped around the whole lower leg. In the process the doctor scolded her and ordered that the wrapping be redone since the first one wasn't tight enough. Afterwards the doctor delegated the task of moving the dancer to a ward and returned to his meal.

Just before Ruby left the ward, the dancer worriedly asked Ruby about her injury, particularly the recovery length and process.

"Expect three weeks. Afterwards there'll be a rehabilitation period, an estimated two months." Ruby smiled apologetically. "But the pain will go away long before that."
The dancer sighed resignedly. "That's not the case, but thanks for cheering me up."
"Is your inability to dance your biggest grief ?" Ruby pulled a chair and sat down. Maintaining a patient's mental health was part of healing. "It might not be my place to say this, but consider the break as a moment to appreciate dancing. For who lives the most of his life other than one who was barely spared from death ?" Seeing the dancer gave several thoughtful nods as a slight smile appeared on her lips, Ruby added. “Might I ask how you came to dance ?”
“It was… a recurring dream. The same every time. I’d wake up in the middle of a fog, with snow falling and under my feet. Then from inside the fog… Hands would come out and lead my body into a dance. A dance with the swirling winds. It was wonderful; I could trace my movements from the falling snow’s disrupted flow. My footsteps were a pattern; a story of its own. Sometimes the hands would act as if they were that of a man asking for a dance in a party.” The dancer recalled dreamily. “It wasn’t until after I tried my hands on dancing that the dream stopped coming. Having a supernatural reason is enough motivation for me to dance.”

[Ruby Majalenka]

Even after returning to the doctor’s company, the dancer’s story lingered in Ruby’s mind. The doctor noticed this and simply observed over tea.

‘What is my purpose in life ? I kept telling myself and others that I thirst for adventure and excitement, but was that really it ? It had been my way of life since birth, owing to mother. Though I scoff at the idea of settling down, it also has something to be desired; days could swiftly pass in bliss until Dira comes. But how would I want to live my life ?’ she pondered. ‘Rather, how do I find out ?’

Ask correctly and only then you’ll be answered accordingly, as her mother often said.

‘Why do battles strengthen bonds between acquaintances ? A part of everyone would question his companion’s motives and stay suspicious, but another greatly wanted that this trust be true. The first was what had been preached since the world began, yet many still submit to the latter to an extent, why is that ? Maybe… it is in the heat of battle that people are most honest to themselves. There’s no room for doubt in every swing of your sword, nor in your heart, in which your deepest desires lies.’

Her mind then wandered to those killed in battle.

‘Perhaps that is what I must seek for now. The glimpse of regret as my life flashes just before my death. And only then, will I know the thing I want most.’

Even after returning to the doctor’s company, the dancer’s story lingered in Ruby’s mind. The doctor noticed this and simply observed over tea.

‘What is my purpose in life ? I kept telling myself and others that I thirst for adventure and excitement, but was that really it ? It had been my way of life since birth, owing to mother. Though I scoff at the idea of settling down, it also has something to be desired; days could swiftly pass in bliss until Dira comes. But how would I want to live my life ?’ she pondered. ‘Rather, how do I find out ?’

Ask correctly and only then you’ll be answered accordingly, as her mother often said.

‘Why do battles strengthen bonds between acquaintances ? A part of everyone would question his companion’s motives and stay suspicious, but another greatly wanted that this trust be true. The first was what had been preached since the world began, yet many still submit to the latter to an extent, why is that ? Maybe… it is in the heat of battle that people are most honest to themselves. There’s no room for doubt in every swing of your sword, nor in your heart, in which your deepest desires lies.’

Her mind then wandered to those killed in battle, and she arrived at a conclusion any romantic would appreciate.

‘Perhaps that is what I must seek for now. The glimpse of regret as my life flashes just before my death. And only then, will I know the thing I want most.’

Her decision to leave Avanthal in the upcoming winter was set in stone.

~CONGRATULATIONS~ Ruby : Skills Medicine +1 Philosophy +1 Lores Salt: Antiseptic torture Patients are Experiments Setting a leg bone fracture Importance of mental health to healing Yellow nettle paste for pain relief Wrapping a broken leg Dancer patient: love of dancing comes from the wind Life Purpose: Adventure? Are you sure? Battles affect relationships Ruby is a romantic Decision: Seek death Comments: You focused on describing the treatment which earned you a point in medicine but further detail about what you are feeling and the process of treatment would earn you more points. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade please feel free to send me PM.