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]

"Ah, this is not a place I go to for enjoyment, I assure you. Only for work when my help is needed."

Once inside the lavish room the courtesan ceases to matter, now that there is a patient to attend. He goes to the side of the bed, leaning over the Duke, hands with fingernails long enough to appear almost clawlike going straight to work. He takes in the pale, clammy skin, feeling the pulse, and when gently lifting an eyelid and leaning in to study the pupil's reactions he also breathes in deeply through his nose, smelling the poison on the man's labored breath as his body metabolizes it.

"Ah, yes..." His tone is grave, but there is also some satisfaction there at being able to identify the issue. "You. Young man." He snaps his fingers at the courtesan. "Bring me a pot of boiling water. Then we will need ice, as much as you can find."

[fadingworld]

Mal hides his amusement at being ordered around with a sweeping bow. In this room he's used to being in sole charge of what is going. "I will be right back."

He rumples his hair and steps into the corridor going to attend to it personally. This would not be his most unusual request. He is soon back, taking it from the servant at the door and imperiously requesting for ice to brought until he says otherwise.

Careful not to spill a drop he brings it to the bed. "How is he?"