(Untitled)

[princeinexile]

Secreted in a common room, among the Friend's wing, Zuko -- slept poorly, as those in pain are wont to do. His head ached where River had kicked him and his flesh still crawled with the weaving of Semirhage's working of the One Power

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[not_only_wisdom]

Nynaeve looks up from her desk, rubbing at her forehead for a moment before standing, one hand tugging hard on her braid.

"Light, boy, you shouldn't be up yet."

She can only imagine how much moving around hurts.

It turns her face a little gray at the edges, just thinking about it.

[princeinexile]

"I told you, I'm fine. Apparently kidnapped, but fine," Zuko -- Li, whoever he is -- replies.

He doesn't sound just a little raw around the edges; he sounds outright irritated. This is not what he wants, or what he asked for, or-- anything. But...

Sigh.

"Who are you, anyway?"

[not_only_wisdom]

She scowls at him.

"Nynaeve Sedai. And I wouldn't leave a dog in such pain as you're in."

Again she looks like she's about to be very ill.

"How did that happen?"

[princeinexile]

Strange, but he keeps most of it off his face.

"Nothing happened," he says, persisting in his badly told lie. "You're mistaken. I'm not sick or unwell."

[not_only_wisdom]

"Light, boy, I've been Healing almost as long as you've been alive, and I've seen whatever was done to you."

She scowls at him, jerking on her hair.

It looks like it hurts.

"I just--can't fix it yet."

Give it time.

[princeinexile]

"My name is Li, not 'boy'. There was nothing done. As you can see, I walk and talk and smile and deny your accusations. THere is nothing wrong with me."

That an iron will cannot overcome, anyway.

...except the hollowness of his cheeks and the shadows around his eyes says he's not overcoming enough.

[not_only_wisdom]

Nynaeve's mouth narrows to a tightly-pressed line.

"Li, then."

Light, but she wants to box his ears.

"And I'd think you clever enough to realize your one statement has nothing at all to do with the other. I can walk with a blinding headache, too, but that has no bearing on the pain itself."

[princeinexile]

Folding his arms, he looks away. "I do not consent or approve of whatever you're doing. You should just leave me alone. Nobody asked for your misguided help, and when I return to Milliways and have River reprimanded. She is sick, but this is not acceptable."

...he shouldn't sound so petulant, should he?

[not_only_wisdom]

Nynaeve snorts.

"You're a bloody fool, Li. Or are you one of those who are convinced you deserve every hurt that comes your way?"

She may be thinking of Rand, at this point.

Or Lan himself.

Bloody idiots, the both of them.

[princeinexile]

"Nobody deserves unnneeded suffering," he replies easily. Lies easily.

His suffering doesn't matter anyway; he's not needed, not wanted, so... who is going to care? His father, who will never know? Iroh, who is so consumed with his new joy that he can't see his nephew's pain?

[not_only_wisdom]

Nynaeve just glares at him.

"Then why are you so resistant to being Healed?"

If she were less in control of herself she'd stamp her foot in vexation.

As it is, her color is certainly very high.

[princeinexile]

"Why must you insist I'm sick?" heasks, his eyes narrowing a fraction before he smooths into his smile. He can't lose it. IF he starts now, he'll never get back. He's cobbled himself together a nice life, a nice lie, he has to maintain it.

He looks at her, approaching the desk slowly. "Please; I don't want to be here and I Don't want your help. Just let me go home."

[not_only_wisdom]

"I insist because I know."

She tilts her chin up, scowl smoothing away into what might almost pass for Aes Sedai serenity.

"And you'll go home after you're well. I'm researching it now."

[princeinexile]

"You aren't being asked. You're directly going against my wishes! Can you not understand I don't want this, and thus you have no damn right?"

He's starting to fragment. It's harder to keep smiling when he's hurting like this, when he's weary and hungry and now kidnapped.

The smile has slipped.

[not_only_wisdom]

"I understand that you're in pain, you thrice-blinded fool, and that even the most hardened of men can't think well enough when they're hurting all the time."

Her fists clench in her skirts, though her face remains composed.

Well, maybe there's a slight scowl, at least for a moment or two.

"When you're well again, that will be time enough to decide what you truly want."

[princeinexile]

"I am not blind! I know very well what I want, what I feel, and what I think. I do not want to be healed!" he snaps again, control fraying.

It is getting remarkably warm. But the fire is buried deep, and he dares not touch it.