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.

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[fadingworld]

Dreams where herbs come to life and talk to him fill Mal's dreams. His heart races in the dream as they tell him he can't be cured and he comes to with a gasp.

He blinks, the surrounding is all wrong. "Where..." he pushes the blankets back feverishly with a sense that he must get out.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Then Regis is there, almost as if he's come from nowhere, gentle but firm hands pushing Mal back to remain in bed, touches on his forehead to soothe him. Then those thin but strong arms lifting Mal, propping him up as a glass of cool and slightly bitter drink is held to his lips.

"You are still with me," he says softly. "The fever still has you but I shall keep you safe. Here, drink."

[fadingworld]

Mal's breathing steadies. It's the smell that reassures him first. That clean smell of herbs that he's quickly associated with Regis. "Sorry," he swallows the drink with difficulty. "It felt wrong. But it smells right."


He leans back, letting himself feel supported and after a moment he stops trying to make the position look good and simply flops. "Is this your room?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

The moment where Regis can feel Mal's body giving in and simply relaxes honestly makes him smile. Good.

"It is," he confirms, letting Mal stay leaning on him for a moment longer, though he does take the time to again assess his vitals. He's still getting worse. "It was more conductive to proper rest, I felt. Is your throat giving you problems?"

[fadingworld]

"Swallowing isn't pleasant," Mal says with a faint grin thinking fleetingly of how that could be taken in another setting.

"I apologise for kicking you out of your own bed." He swallows, feeling like his throat is closing over. "I'd offer to share, but I don't think now is the time."

[mandragoraspiritus]

This time there is actually a slight chuckle in response to Mal's flirtations. "No, no it most certainly is not. Rest easy, Mal, I shall take my rest elsewhere when I need it."

Carefully he lays Mal back down again after having puffed up his pillow for him and then straightens out the rumpled covers. "Go back to sleep, if you can. I shall remain close by."

[fadingworld]

Mal is not going to forget that chuckle and he will try to produce it again later. His body and mind do feel heavy and shutting his eyes again does seem like all he is fit for.

It feels like someone walks over his grave as he shuts his eyes and he shivers. "I don't like my body disobeying me," he mutters as he drifts off to sleep.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis knows that even asleep the mind will respond to outward stimuli. He does remain close by as he had promised, preparing his remedies. When he notices that Mal's rest becomes uneasy he might reach out for a soothing touch or he might simply talk, sometimes reading from one of his many books or he might just tell some fantastical tale or other.

[fadingworld]

Occasionally Mal stirs enough to be aware of the light touches or the story. Regis is his sole comfort in the agonies his body puts him through.

He rambles as he stops shivering, pushing his leggings and sheets away to cool down. He rambles about his training, how he'd never known what it was like to loved. His desires to do some good, to have a simple embrace of love.

[mandragoraspiritus]

In those moments when Mal is sweating out the sickness rather than shivering in its grasp, when he's rambling in delirium, Regis is glad that there is no-one else here. He feels sorry for the young man, of course he does, and feels it is a shame or even outright waste for him to remain in the profession he's been raised into. It was never his choice, was it?

He does what he can to help him cool off, helping him strip away his clothes and pulling the sheets back, and with cloths dampened with cool water he wipes him down head to toe. Perhaps Mal himself would be awkward to be seen in such a state, or be touched in such a way, but Regis is a man of medicine and the human body holds no secrets from him.

[fadingworld]

There comes a time, a moment of lucidity when Mal reaches out and puts a hand on Regis' arm. He's not sure if it is day or night. He feels weak oh so weak.

"Have you truly been at my side day and night?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

It has been a time when Regis has simply been in a chair by Mal's bedside, reading silent just to himself while Mal sleeps. When Mal awakes he leaves the chair for the edge of the bed, once more gently lifting Mal into a half-sitting position with himself as the support behind the other man's back. Once again there is a herbal-tasting drink offered, this time sweetened with honey to ease Mal's sore throat.

"I have, yes," he confirms. Mal's health has not allowed otherwise. "We are in the second night now."

[fadingworld]

The smile Mal gives Regis isn't practiced or perfect, it's sweet and genuine. No one had ever done that for him before.

He sips at the tea. "I feel incredibly lucky despite the circumstance," he says softly.

[mandragoraspiritus]

"You had certainly managed to take yourself to the right place to fall so ill, intentional or not," Regis agrees with a smile, tone light. The honest smile the young man gives him does tug on him a bit, it's one he would like to see more of rather than the practices and pleasing smiles.

[fadingworld]

"You were the person I thought of," he said softly. He barks out a laugh, made harsh by the sore throat. "I was thinking we could talk while I got the tonic."

The fever has stripped him of many of his practicsed acts and he feeling pretty vulnerable. "You are not easy to forget."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"I would venture a guess that it isn't often to sneak a physician through hidden passages to your chambers," he replies, half joking but soon reverting to a more sincere tone.

"I shall take that as a compliment."

[fadingworld]

Mal bites his lip to prevent a story or two spilling out about people who he has sneaked in.

"It was meant as one," he murmurs. But he shies away from saying anymore, "Is there any word from the Rose Thorn?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

Satisfied that Mal has drunk as much as he's able, Regis again carefully slides out from behind the other man and gently lays him back down to rest.

"Some, and not much good, I fear. A young girl has succumbed to the fever and many more are still struggling with the illness."

[fadingworld]

There is a sharp intake of breath from Mal. He shuts his eyes and says a quick prayer for the dead. Could the House ever recover from this?

He shakes his head dully. "The girls are known for their delicate beauty." He shuts his eyes. "I'm lucky I am here, with your sole attention."

[mandragoraspiritus]

A comforting hand comes to rest on Mal's shoulder, then. Even with his love of words, for once Regis doesn't say anything. Yes, Mal is lucky to be here, to not have to share a physician's attention and to have a physician that actually knows what he's doing. Regis knows of some of the doctors attending the courtesans and doe wouldn't give much for their supposed skills.

[fadingworld]

There are silent tears, reading into Regis' silence. "Do you ever think things happen for a reason?" he asks after a little.

[mandragoraspiritus]

"I do not know," he replies somberly. "I do not know if there are any Gods, or if the universe has a reason for us. Perhaps the purpose is no more than what we make for ourselves."

[fadingworld]

"Today, I like to think there is a purpose," Mal says after a moment. "That if I survive this...its because I can make a contribution some day."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis hand squeezes gently down on Mal's shoulder, the tips of those sharp nails just barely coming to touch skin. "You will survive it, have no fear, he assures. "You will find your way to make your contribution."

[fadingworld]

Mal thinks that Regis does not like losing anyone he works on. And yet...he feels that the touch on his shoulder feels like it is just for him.


He looks up at Regis, "You have confidence in me," he says with some wonderment.