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]

Regis sits down as he's bid, then waits for Mal to do the same before tucking in.

"Some repetition of the bones in the spine, pelvis and ribcage, but after that I think it is time to move on to the internal organs." Not as easily traces out on the body, perhaps, but certainly fascinating.

[fadingworld]

Mal settles down opposite him and nods his approval at the plan of work. "I've been studying the spine when I go to bed," he confesses.

He looks amused at himself. "I started to dream of dancing spines."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Truly? That must be some medical condition I have not yet heard of," Regis jests.

[fadingworld]

Mal's eyes dance, "Perhaps you should make a study of it and write a medical entry on it. I am sure it would make on or two publications."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis laughs. "Oh yes, I would love to see what the scholars of Oxenfurt academy would make of that." Some of them might actually take it seriously, which says a lot about the state of higher education.

[fadingworld]

Mal's eyes are merry as he considers the conversations that it might start. "Have you ever sent anything to them in the way of new research?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"No, I haven't. Perhaps I should some day, though I am not sure how serious they would take a mere wandering barber-surgeon who has never attended their academy." OH well, perhaps some day.

After their meal has been eaten, Regis uses a bit fo the now hot water to wash up the dishes but after that he turns to see to his bath. Hot water from the cauldron to the tub with some cold water for a pleasant temperature, and more cold water to heat in the cauldron for Mal.

Then to quickly fetch a towel, some soap and a washcloth, and soon after Regis sinks into the tub with a pleased sigh, his clothes folded up all nice and neat on a chair.

[fadingworld]

Mal decides in the future that he may send something in on Regis' behalf. The man has so much knowledge. Knowledge that might have been lost over the centuries.

He tidies the kitchen and straightens his room while Regis gets into the bath. Once Regis has had time to settle, he rolls up his sleeves and brings a stool close to the bath.

"Let me know when you like a hand," he says softly.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis only hums, content to only enjoy the warmth of the bath for a while, even if the tub isn't large enough to stretch out in. He can have his head resting on the edge, and with his ankles resting on the edge on the opposite side.

"Sis you really use to have milk baths every morning or was that only a jest?"

[fadingworld]

Mal has been lost in thought, and it takes a moment for him to process the question. "No," he says honestly with a grin. "It was once a month but I did have a bath with scents every day I worked."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"It seems to me that bathing in milk would smell rather... Odd." But what did he know about all the various beauty rituals that people had come up with?

[fadingworld]

"It is different," Mal says with amusement. "But it is supposed to do wonders for the skin." He shakes his head. "I truthfully do not feel any different now that I have stopped it. The Madame did love to boast that we used all the best treatments to keep ourselves fresh looking."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis snorts where he lays, eyes having drifted closed. "Yes, well... The Madame seem to have some peculiar ideas about that." Regis had been in the Rose Thorn before he met Mal, for the sake of other patients. The House may have displayed a polished surface, but scratching that surface just a little could show all sorts of unpleasantness beneath.

[fadingworld]

"She did," and for the first time there is a hint of bitterness rather than the calm acceptance. Mal runs a hand through his hair. "Some I have only realised are very strange now I see how you work and interact with me."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis looks up then and reaches out a wet hand to Mal.

"You grew up in it, naturally it woudln't seem strange while you were in it." He sighs. "If I could think of a way to close down that house without those living in it coming to harm of being put out on the streets, I woudl in a heartbeat."

[fadingworld]

Mal takes the hand and leans forward to kiss the back of it in thanks. "It's awful," he says softly, "But I do not know who could survive away from what they know. They would turn to whores or find a lesser House to work for and be worse off."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Yes, that is the concern," Regis agrees, giving Mal's hand a squeeze. Not everyone in there even wanted to leave. Many didn't.

[fadingworld]

Mal smiles sadly. "I wish they wanted saving. But.." he sighs. "If she ever does anything truly terrible...."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"If she does and we learn of it, then we will take action." That much he can promise.

But this is not the mood he wishes for this day to start with so he tugs gently on Mal's hand. "May I ask for that back scrub now?"

[fadingworld]

Mal will brood on this a little but he nods and a smile eases the tension from his face. "But of course." He takes the cloth and soap and comes to kneel by the tub.

"Lean forward," he requests and drops a kiss on Regis' shoulder.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis draws himself up to sit, knees pulled up and his arms wrapped comfortably around them, leaning forward to give Mal the space to scrub away.

[fadingworld]

Mal trails his fingers down Regis back first, naming off parts of the spine before he turns to the task at hand. He has made an art form of it over the years, soothing and relaxing and thorough.


"I am glad you do not scent your baths, I do not believe it would mix well with the smell of herbs.

[mandragoraspiritus]

"You may find that particular smell missing soon." And indeed, scrubbed away by the soap and rinsed away by the water the scent of herbs is fading and that peculiar scent of wet earth and something like metal growing stronger as it is no longer being masked by the herbs.

"The herbs are useful to hide my own scent. If I didn't I dare say that dogs would be howling at me in the streets."

[fadingworld]

"I do not mind this smell either," Mal murmurs, "It is part of you after all. Though the herbs are very pleasant."

He shifts his attention to Regis' sides and chest. 2

[mandragoraspiritus]

The offer had been to have his back scrubbed, but he won't complain about some extra attention. As Mal's scrubbing goes more to his front, Regis leans back against the rim of the tub again, his head coming to rest on Mal's shoulder.