A medical emergency

[fadingworld]

A deep navy cloak hides his features and the more ornate tunic the courtesan usually wears to greet his clients. Mal hunches his shoulders and slides through the crowds hoping to avoid notice. He keeps his head down until he reaches the home of the doctor and wraps smartly on the door. "Open up," he calls in a voice that expects to be listened to.

How much time did he have? He could not have a client bleeding out. Not this one. Not one who had come to him for help, to be treated privately.

Comments

[mandragoraspiritus]

"It admittedly is." Regis confesses with a bit of a smile. It has helped him to get into more than a few places.

He watches Mal fiddle with his hair and wonders quietly if it will get in Mal's way. Hair like Mal's is often a sign of status. Only people living a life of leisure can really manage to keep hair like that. Those in the working classes need to be more practical. But, for now he will leave Mal to figure that out on his won.

[fadingworld]

For now, Mal thinks nothing of it. Tidyng his hair up is second nature to him. "How much money should I take out with me?" ke asks. "I don't plan to buy much."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"If you aren't planning on buying much then don't bring much," Regis advices, gesturing for Mal to follow him so they can keep talking as he packs up his satchel with the materials he will need today while visiting his patients. Then from his own pockets he counts out ten crowns which he hands over. "That should cover the baker and the butcher just fine."

[fadingworld]

"Alright, thank you," Mal darts to add a little extra coin to an inside pocket just in case he sees something (or finds a small gift for Regis).

He perches to watch what Regis is packing. "What basics do you always carry with you on visits just in case it's needed or someone else calls for you?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

This is something that could be useful for Mal to get aquatinted with so Regis gestures him over once they have entered the room where Regis had examined Mal that first day when he fell ill. On a table he starts laying out the various things he has in his satchel.

"Most of what I always carry with me are focused on first aid," he begins to explain. First comes some vials of medicines and packets of dried herbs, each neatly labeled. "These are mainly for pain management, to lower fever and to promote blood clotting in wounds."

Then there are tightly wound rolls of bandages and rolls of string. Upon unrolling a leather case he displays a small surgeon's kit with small, sharp and utterly spotless blades, as well as needles and neat little rolls of thread.

"I also always carry alcohol with me," he goes on, indicating to the small flask of boiled, hardened leather he keeps attached to the strap of the satchel. "For disinfecting wounds."

[fadingworld]

Mal studies the items intently. Then he turns his back of Regis and the table. This is one of his tricks to remembering new information. He shuts his eyes and goes through what he can remember seeing.

"Did I miss anything?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

This is where Regis gets a sign that he's not done wrong in taking Mal on. It seems the young man really does have a way of retaining information and that will do him well in his studies. If he will be able to take studies and put them into practice remains to be seen, but it is a good sign.

"You did not," Regis says, smiling at him. "We shall see about making a basic set for you as well, to be expanded upon the more I teach you."

[fadingworld]

Mal grins pleased at the praise. Gracefully he pivots around to face Regis again. "I would love that." He runs his hands over the case. "I have a good memory for which I count myself lucky." He taps the side of his head, "I will be glad to replace some of the more ridiculous poems and ballads with more useful things."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Ballads and poems have their place as well, I would not discount them," Regis says easily as he starts repacking his things into his satchel, then going around the shelves to supplement with additional things he will need for the day. "But you will indeed need to lean many new fact and skills. Along with the anatomy of the human body, first aid needs to be one."

[fadingworld]

Some were only useful for Coutesans and he will be glad to forget some of the bedding ones. " "Does that mean I will get to practice bandaging on you?" That could be quite entertaining as well as instructful.

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Hah. Yes, well, for practice purposes I suppose it does." He hadn't thought of that He does fully intend on having Mal take care of minor injuries under his supervision, but it will make sense that Mal gets some practice in before he gets to see an actual patient.

[fadingworld]

Mal grins, he thinks he can have a little fun while he studies. "Practical purposes," he agrees. HE closes the case up for Regis.

"I will be back in time for lunch. I promise I won't be late for my studies."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"No, I trust you won't be." Regis does trust that Mal's enthusiasm is genuine and he doesn't think his excitement about being able to roam the streets freely will make him irresponsible.

Regis hangs his satchel across his body again. All set for the day eh makes a small little bow, more like a nod of the head. See you in a few hours, then."

[fadingworld]

Mal's bow is much more sweeping. He heads out the door ahead of Regis, taking a right and then a left to see what he will find. And that is how he proceeds over the next hour, peering down small alleys and chatting with vendors.

He does not forget Regis request and makes sure that he gets some change. His problem is what to get Regis. Eventually, he comes across a leather notebook with herbs embossed in the leather. There, that would be nice. He buys it and borrows ink to write a note to Regis on the side ,

'For making dreams come true. I hope someday I can bring you some small joy.'

Regis is back before him, and comes in to find him, holding the book out the second he sees him.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis' morning has gone much as he had expected. Wounds have been cleaned and redressed, cough has been treated, and expectant mother has been seen to. Se still have ab out a moth to go, poor thing, though he is hoping the labor will start prematurely. She is under much stress as it is.

Mal has yet to return when he comes back but that is no matter. He doesn't think his apprentice has ever leaned to cook so in order to feed the man he ought to see to it himself.

He has just gotten the fire relit in the stove when Mal returns and practically even before there can e any form of greeting there is a book held out. "What is this?" he asks wondering as he takes it from Mal's outstretched hand.

[fadingworld]

"A gift for you," Mal murmurs a little shyly as he places the errand purchases and the change on the counter. "I hope you like it." Maybe he was a little over zealous in how quick he gave it after coming through the door but it had been on his mind to give.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis turns properly away from the chores of getting a meal going to give this his full attention. He studies teh tooled leathe rin the front first. It really is beautiful work. Opening it he discovers thick, high-quality paper. And, of course, the little message written there.

He blinks a few times before his somewhat bewildered expression softens into a smile. It isn't wide enough to show teeth but it doesn't need to be. "I'm touched, Mal. Thank you," he says looking up, and so the apprentice will find himself drawn into a hug by his master.

[fadingworld]

Mal hugs him back, he's smiling away. "I..." He looks up. "I just wanted you to have something to remember meeting me." It seems important. Maybe centuries later, Regis might look back at the book, and hopefully, it will make him smile.

[mandragoraspiritus]

For being a man of so many words, there are times when Regis is at a loss for them. This is such a time. In the end he clears his throat, slipping the book into his satchel.

"So then. How was your morning?"

[fadingworld]

"Entertaining," Mal says, "I've spent the day talking and listening to people, learning a little more about life in the city. It was interesting. There is so much going on.

How was the pregnant girl?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Rather miserable, I fear," Regis says as he returns to getting food to the table. A simple meal of soup, bread and cheese is his plan. "Some women will carry a pregnancy without pain or issue. She is not one of those women. By now she must stay in bed as much as possible."

[fadingworld]

"Oh that must be awful," Mal says with sympathy. "I remember when one of the girls was kept to bed for three weeks. She was going mad. Is it possible to ease her discomfort any?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"I have some few things I dare use, to at least help her sleep somewhat. But in the end, she has to endure. I hope for her sake that the baby comes early."

He carries on with his cooking, a bit curious to see if Mal will set the table without prompting.

"With that in mind, I should pack up a bag with supplies specifically with her in mind."

[fadingworld]

"If you tell me what you want, can I try and prepare it for you? You will have time to fix it if I don't put it in right." He does sit there for another minute before he begins to feel restless. Hesitantly he gets up to start poking around for what had been on the table before.

"Will it damage the baby if it comes early?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"We can look into preparing the supplies, certainly." He approves of Mal's willingness to learn.

"It can damage the baby if it comes too soon, yes, but so can the mother's stress damage it. By now it is near enough that it should be fine if the baby were to come, tough it would be good if it delayed another couple of weeks."