Carliene Stark

Chapter 46

Carliene

After a night of dreamless deep sleep I was awoken rather roughly by the shaking of my shoulder. I raised my head in confusion, almost unable to see through the tangles of my hair.

"What?" I groaned still disoriented.

"Its the maester's here to see you" Iris said as she stepped back. 

I sat up, pushing the first from my body and freeing my face from my untamed hair. "Now? Why?" I demanded confused, but the door was already opening.

Maester Creylen came waddling in though the door. Already breathing heavily with a hint of sweat on his bald brow. "Good morning my Lady" he greeted, setting down a leather bag on the small table, his chain clinging slightly. 

I got up, hugging myself as I felt a bit exposed in my night gown. "Is this about the incident last night?" I inquired as he looked through his bag, placing a couple of unlabelled flasks onto the table.

"I feel all better now" I assured. "And still no rash or fever, so I don't think it is the pox"
If it was they would lock me up for good and that would be the end of me.

"Calm yourself my Lady, I am simply here to make a few tests" he explained as he turned to me.

I looked to Iris, who had stood herself against the wall, her hands folded and looking to the floor obediently. 

"Stand straight for me please" he gestured with his hands and straightened his back himself to get me motivated.

A bit reluctantly I followed his movements, raising my shoulders and stretching my neck. 

"Arms to your side" he stepped towards me, slightly circling me. 

If he tells me to take off my nightshirt as well I'll scratch his eyes out. 

He studied my profile for a moment as I wondered what kind of symptoms he was probably looking for. I never seen maester Lewin just stare at his patients.

"I am going to touch you now if that is ok, remember it is all part of the examination. 

"Touch me where?" I burst out a bit enraged. Was this some kind of revenge for throwing up in Lady Dorna's vase?

"On your stomach" Creylen answered calmly, placing his hands on his own abdomen. "It is what's been troubling you isn't that so?"

"Yes but.." I trailed off as I couldn't really think of an excuse of keeping his sausage fingers away from me.

But they were placed on me anyways, and he started stroking my stomach like it was the most normal thing to do in the world. 

I wanted to flinch and scream, to slap his hands away and crawl back under my blankets.

The maester didn't seem to realise my discomfort, he was too concentrated on pressing and probing at me.
"Does that hurt?" he asked as he increased the pressure on my lower stomach, placing his other had on my back. 

"No, but it doesn't feel comfortable either"

He nodded, mumbling something to himself as he de- and increased pressure again and again, feeling around day stomach.

I had seen that with maester Lewin once before. Where he had diagnosed an ill kidney, but only because the knight he was examining suddenly bellowed in pain and nearly swung at him.

Its not my kidney then.

"Have you relieved yourself this morning?" Creylen finally took his hands back and walked over to his bag.