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]

"I am always trying to refine the various cures I have on hand," Regis begins to explain. "A herbal tea is one thing, a tincture another, a distillate yet another. Through studies of the various natural compound around us, as well as a fair deal of old-fashioned trial and error I must admit, I am trying to increase the potency of known treatments and cures, and perhaps find new aporoaches to the illnesses that plagues our world."

[fadingworld]

"That is an impressive goal," Mal says. "And one that will do a lot of good." He tucks his legs under him, curling up into most comfortable position he can manage.

"Did you use any of your recent new ones on me?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Nothing recent, but a few of my own designs, yes. You were not in a state fit to be my test subject, I felt." It is said jovially, but Mal really had been in very poor condition for a time.

Once again Regis is walking the shelves of his library, browsing the books to pick one or two for Mal. With an amused quirk of his lips he picks out an old vampire novel, one of the more absurd takes on his species in his own not so humble opinion. Glitter in the sunlight? Whatever had the author been thinking.

[fadingworld]

"Maybe, I could help you out another time, by taking some preventative remedies." Mal reaches for the books and tilts his head on one side as he reads the cover.

"A love story? Hmm," Mal flicks it open with a chuckle. "It sounds a little less absurd than clients who want to play pretend at being a vampire themselves."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis lets out an amused snort. Whyever do some humans fetishise the idea of vampires so much? "And that is common, is it?"

He gestures at the book. "It is a rather silly story, but mindlessly entertaining."

[fadingworld]

Mal hums, "It is a fad that comes and goes. They like the idea of having control over the blood in veins, holding a fainting virgin in their sway." He laughs, "I think they would wet their pants if they met a real vampire."

He skims the first paragraph. "It takes everything in my power not to laugh when they put the fake teeth on.

[mandragoraspiritus]

At that Regis actually barks out a laugh though he quickly turns away and covers his mouth with a hand. "Indeed?"

Perhaps is is best that he sees to getting them some food, and it is high time to get some more strengthening tonics into Mal.

[fadingworld]

"Once," Mal says, "The teeth fell out when they tried to bite me." He is still amused by that memory. "Poor man, I could have overpowered him. I wonder what a real vampire would think?" He looks up at Regis. "I've wondered if they would take offense or be flattered."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Oh, this is a discussion he has trouble resisting.

"What would a vampire think? Well, let us then consider the vampires through various stories. What they generally have in common is that they are often old and cunning, often powerful and views humans as their prey, yes? If we imagine such a creature, I should say it doubtful that they would be flattered by human's imitations for sexual gratification." At most, merely amused by it.

[fadingworld]

"But are they always prey? Most stories come from some basis. If I was one," Mal pauses thoughtfully. "I would take the play thing away to show what real power was." He pauses and grins ruefully. "I would probably have offended a hundred vampires by that thought."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Perhaps a few," Regis muses, still seeming rather amused. "Perhaps others would agree with you. There are, after all, stories where a vampire might become rather attached to a human. But if we toy with the idea, let us say that you one day met a real vampire. What would you wish of them? More than, I'm assuming, to not become their meal?"

[fadingworld]

Mal laughs at that, "I would certainly love to survive the encounter." He rests his chin on his arms and looks thoughtful. "If I could have anything, it would be the chance to learn from them. Tales of times forgotten."

He pauses. "Annnnd, I would have to admit, I am curious as to what it would feel like to be snacked on. Men play so much at power, I wonder what it would feel like, just once to experience something real."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"I have a hard time imagnining that it would not hurt," Regis muses more seriously. "Skin broken and flesh torn to sever the large blood vessels, then the pull as blood was sucked out. No, I imagine that it would hurt a great deal."

He then suddenly smiles again. "And with that less than appealing thought, I shall do brew up your next dose of medicine and see to our dinner."

[fadingworld]

"Then that is fantasy that will stay just that," Mal says with a laugh. "I had never thought about it so clinically." He waves Regis on to see to dinner. "It makes sense that they could only ever make it pleasurable in a story."

He opens the book back up and settles down to the somewhat silly and whimsical tale.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis leaves Mal where he is to get on with his tasks. It doesn't take him long to brew the medicine, and the dinner is simply more of the soup from before, this time served with some good bread and cheese to go with it.

During the meal Regis decides to bring up a serious topic. "Can I ask, what will you do if the doors to the Rose Thorn has yet to open by the time you are well again?"

[fadingworld]

Mal takes a bite out of the bread. "I will take direction from the Madam. More than likely I'll go the Briar and work from there." Mal dislikes that establishment but he was under contract.

"I don't think I'll be left to prance around the city as I fancy."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"A shame," Regis comment, not pleased and not bothering to hide it.

"How is your contract structured, if I may ask?"

[fadingworld]

"It isn't so bad these days," Mal says. "I've paid off my debt for all they've paid for me over the years." He taps his fingers against the bowl. "There is a fee to pay to break the contract, and that isn't a problem either. But," he looks frankly at Regis. "I have no other skills to support myself with so I stay."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis quietly takes in this information. "If you did have other means to support yourself? Other skills? What then? Would you leave the trade you have known all your life?"

[fadingworld]

“In a heartbeat,” Mal says honestly. “The more I see of the world around me, the more I want to be a part of it. It ...terrifies me, but then it terrifies me to stay where I am at the whim of other people.” He puts a hand over his mouth but it’s too late to stop the words from spilling out.

“It’s the first time I’ve said that out loud.”

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Then perhaps it was high time that you did," Regis says, looking at him with a mild expression. "Well then, you will need to figure out what set of skills you would like to acquire that could support you."

[fadingworld]

“One I can acquire while I work.” Mal half rises off the sofa and takes an unsteady step towards Regis. “You said becoming a healer would take a long time. How long do you think I’d need to become an assistant? Could I find a role like that somewhere?”

[mandragoraspiritus]

"I dare say that you could," Regis honestly answers. He for one would take in a young man who showed interest and willingness to work and learn. "But not while you still work at the... Establishment. To be an assistant or rather an apprentice would take up much of your time. And I doubt many would take on an assistant taught by studies alone but without any practical experience, if any at all. An apprenticeship is another thing, however, and something you could venture into without much previous knowledge at all as long as you could show willingness."

[fadingworld]

“An apprentiship.” Little money. Harsh living conditions. Mal closes his eyes for a moment. Did he want it badly enough? He stays still struggling with himself. If it failed, he would be back on a much tighter contract. There would be no second chance of escape.

He makes a decision and half stumbles towards Regis, going down on one knee at his feet. “Will you help me and prepare me for one?”

[mandragoraspiritus]

Right away Regis is there, hands reaching out to cushion Mal's drop to the floor, half believing that the man is falling rather than simply kneeling. "Of all the dramatic gestures..." he mutters, quietly chiding but trailing off with a somewhat frustrated sigh.

"If you would be so kind as to get up off the floor and let me lead you back to the couch, then yes, certainly." Of course he will help. More likely than not he will take the man on as his own apprentice, at least for long enough that Mal will be able to make it under someone else's tutelage.