Dec nodded, still seeming a bit hesitant because they'd never exactly ridden anything like Breyze before... They'd never ridden anything in general, come to think of it. At least not anything alive. "The city," they answered quietly, knowing that it probably wasn't the best of answers but they didn't exactly know the name of the city they'd been trying to make a living for themself in. "But I was trapped in the school for a while. The teacher took out my eye when she found me hiding there..." Their voice trailed off and they touched their empty socket again. She probably still had it, just like she used actual organs for her scientific models. It wouldn't have surprised them.
No, 'the city' didn't tell Nec anything, aside from there not being a city on Teragaia as far as he knew. Closest was the weyr and those were called just that. Then his mind went in a completely different direction and his tone sharpened into flint. "What?" Quiet but intense, it demanded an answer before Nec could tone it down. He wasn't mad at Dec, but the idea of a teacher taking an eye for hiding? For anything?? That teacher should be very glad she was on an entirely different planet... "She did that because you were hiding? From her i suppose?" If so, he could understand that! And... The kid had been running from that when they got here. The wound was still bleeding, for gods' sake, how weren't they screaming in pain? "Seriously, how are you feeling? That has got to hurt." Understatement of the century...
Dec flinched at the tone Nec's voice had taken. "S-She probably would have done worse if I hadn't managed to run away..." they answered after a moment. "I was lucky to only lose an eye. It... It doesn't hurt as much as it did when it was first taken, and it's not bleeding as much." They shoved the memory of the scalpel digging into their eye as they screamed and begged and cried until they had passed out from the pain. While she had been occupied with putting the eye...their eye...in a jar filled with some strange liquid, they'd managed to grab the bloodied scalpel she'd used to cut through the ropes and flee, much to her fury.
But they'd gotten away. Not without injury, but they'd gotten away. That was the important part. "I'm still alive, so losing an eye isn't the worst thing in the long run...?" They sounded like they were trying to convince themself as much as Nec.
Nec started a low growl, but caught himself. That... Yeah, nope, Den was away from that place now, wherever it was, and from what Nec knew there wasn't really any way back. "Well, I'm glad you got away from that cacan. And chances are she won't find this place either, so you're safe." For now, you never knew. "Still need to have it looked at, you okay with doctors?" Looking up at the kid, Nec wondered how that might ho. Not like they trusted him yet, at all, so what about Larandaithiel or his staff? That... might prove a problem, depending on Dec.
Dec's good eye visibly widened and they began to shake their head. "No, no doctors! They'll take away the rest of my body parts and turn me into a monster!" They'd heard the horror stories of people who went to the doctor and never came back, who had their bodies twisted with metal and plastic and their limbs removed and replaced. "Please, please don't take me there..." they whimpered out, looking just about ready to jump ship...or jump Breyze, in this case, and run for the hills. But they might not have a choice in the matter, if they didn't want their empty socket to get infected.
"What? Nono, they won't! Look, Larandaithiel can be a grumpy arse, but her a good doctor. I've seen him fix-well, I've seen the result of his fixes on several serious injuries, he does good work." Not like Nec, or anyone else for that matter, was allowed anywhere near when the dictow worked. Which obviously was reasonable, but Nec knew the guy was good.
Breyze noticed Dec's fear too, and stopped, just in case he jumped. She didn't want him further hurt, and as Starmanes sometimes did, sent him calming feelings. Nothing specific, no images or words, just a sensation of safety and peace.
Nec knew what she was doing, and chanced stepping close to Dec. "Look, I won't take you anywhere you don't wanna go, but I can't do anything about your eye, and it's already on overtime for being fixed." Hmmm... Or he could bring them to Raf, but there were no guarantee the Lorekeeper was at the library, or even in the village. "I got a friend who'd be able to help you too, but I don't know if he's home and it's a roundabout way to stop by there before possibly having to go to the weyr anyway. But your decision."
As much as they didn't want to go see a doctor or any doctor, Dec had to admit that Nec had a point. "W-Will you..." Their voice failed them for a moment and they looked away. They were still just a kid after all, just a terrified kid who had been through more than any child should have ever had to go through. "Will you...h-hold my hand...?" It came out as a whisper, their voice still trembling. "I d-don't... I don't want to be alone in there in case something happens..." Though it was a small gesture it might get the child to trust Nec a bit more, to begin to believe that there was someone willing to be there for them just in case. "I'm not g-going otherwise."
They clearly seemed to think that visiting the doctor would do much more harm than good, but they knew that if they didn't get their injury treated they might as well just die as a result of the infection anyway. Their immune system was weakened from malnutrition and lack of medical care already, there was only so much more that their little body could take before it would inevitably give out from all of the stress that it had been put under.
Nec had expected a refusal, or at least a third degree about the doctor. He definitely did not expect Dec's request, so it took him a moment to actually answer. "If you want me to. Sure." Not like he'd planned on letting the kid be alone no matter which doctor was available, unless Dec had told him to, so Nec didn't mind. "Nothing will happen, aside from getting your eye fixed, but I won't leave you, unless you tell me to." Nec gave him a smirk. "Didn't think you'd trust me that much yet."
The longer the silence drew on, the more the kid's body tensed as though they expected to be outright rejected, perhaps even hit for asking such a question. But when he agreed, a wave of relief washed over them like they'd never felt before. They admittedly didn't trust him completely yet, but Nec accepting their request without protest made them think that maybe one day they might be able to. No one had ever actually been there for them, or wanted to be for that matter. It meant more to Dec than they could voice. Still, they wanted to be sure. "You promise...?"
Nec nodded. "I promise. And I don't break those." Which was actually true, Nec never broke a promise. Which was why he was selective with what he promised too sometimes, but once made he'd come through. This one was easy though, and not anything he had to think about. "And if the doc tries to do something you don't like, let me know."
Breyze had started walking again, plodding along through the forest while the two talked, but it didn't take long before the ground started rising before the foot of the weyr, starting to reveal the weyr through the trees.
Though he could have just been saying it to reassure them, Dec had the feeling that he actually meant it. "O-Okay." They were still really scared, but at least they wouldn't be alone this time. They did grip Breyze just a little tighter as the weyr came into view, trying their best not to become overwhelmed. They would be okay. They wouldn't have a panic attack. This wasn't the city.
But that doesn't mean there aren't monsters here.
They did their best to push that thought down into the deepest corners of their mind, though they buried their face in Breyze's mane to avoid looking at anyone. They were sure they would lose their nerve otherwise.
You barely had to be able to see to notice Dec's nerves, and Nec was still careful about getting too close. As they emerged into the open terrain below the weyr and the main road leading into it, he put a three-fingered left hand on Breyze's neck and mane, just ahead of Dec. An offer if they needed and accepted, since Nec knew they'd soon have to get down from Breyze. As much as Bondeds were welcome in recovery rooms most doctors preferred the larger ones to stay out of examinations, and Breyze wasn't even Dec's Bonded.
"Think you should get down now." They were getting close to the infirmary, and might as well get them down now. "You want Breyze to wait? They might wanna keep you here for a while."
Despite having never ridden anything like Breyze before, Dec was at least able to maneuver their skinny leg over to the other side and slide down as best they could from her back even without Nec's help. "If she's got somewhere else to be I would rather not have her wait for me for too long," they answered quietly, though they did give her a soft pat in gratitude for being so patient with them. Maybe they would be able to find an animal companion like her someday, when they were ready...but that time certainly wasn't now, not while they were so new to this place and in such awful condition.
They glanced up at the infirmary, trembling slightly but not running away. Instead they reached for Nec's hand in the hopes he'd be willing to meet them halfway.
Nec would steady them if they needed, but otherwise kept from touching. Didn't wanna scare the kid, they were nervous enough as it was.
Before Nec could even answer for Breyze the Starmane fixed it herself. Lipping at an arm with an incredibly soft muzzle, she sent a clear idea of not minding to wait for however long it took. If she was required elsewhere before Dec was released she'd happily return for him, both if he needed a ride or just for extra company.
He didn't hesitate when Dec reached for his hand, instead taking it and giving it a careful squeeze before pushing the door open to ask for a doctor.
Dec gave her one last hug before turning back towards the hospital. If they happened to hide behind Nec slightly, flinching whenever a doctor or nurse bypassed the two of them, then they weren't going to tell but Nec was most likely going to be able to feel it. It didn't take long for them to be whisked away into a room to be looked at, especially when the extent of the damage was glimpsed. Though there was no way to give them another functioning eye, the option of a glass eye was offered and refused. Dec would already have their hands full with taking heavy-duty painkillers and ensuring that the empty socket stayed clean and bandaged to ensure no infection. Not to mention the idea of having anything inserted into said socket seemed to make them anxious.