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

[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.

[fadingworld]

Mal smiles up, and it's a smile as warm as the sun. "I don't think anyone will be able to train the habits of a courtesan completely out of me," he says slowly rising to his feet. He embraces Regis before he will permit himself to be led back.

"Thank you," he says tilting his head up to whisper his thanks in the man's ear.

[mandragoraspiritus]

The whisper right close by his ear send a little tingle down his spine though he doesn't let that show in the least. He simply returns the hug briefly, patting the man on the back before gently but firmly steering him back to the couch and placing yet another cup of tea into his hands.

"This will take up a great deal fo time and effort from you, though. Are you then ready to break your contract?"

[fadingworld]

He is going to reach a point of tea saturation during his stay. "I am," he says cupping the mug with both of his hands. He stares down into the cup. "There will be a notice to work out no doubt which will give you time to help me fins someone."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"There is no need to go on a search. I myself will take you on. I already know the situation and the limits of your current learning, after all." It makes sense to him and he rather likes Mal, is fond of his company.

"If during your studies you find someone you would prefer to study under, then we can make arrangements at such a time."

[fadingworld]

"You..." Mal trails off in honest surprise. "I....I couldn't imagine finding anyone better for me than you." It is with an effort that he does not upset his tea or get up to embrace Regis again.

It dawns on him that he has made a friend. A friend whose worth would be very hard to measure. "Thank you." His smile threaten to split his face in two. "If you find it does not work for you, I would look elsewhere but otherwise..." His eyes glow and he runs out of words.

[mandragoraspiritus]

"You may wish to suspend your overflowing gratitude until you find out the sort of taskmaster I will be. I will have expectations of you." It is said lightly, though, and Regis does think they will get along well as long as Mal puts honest effort in.

"This is not glamorous work. More often than not it is long days for not much coin, as many of the people in this part of the city doesn't have much to begin with."

[fadingworld]

Mal smile is a private little smile, in some ways it was not so different from what he is used to. The difference was he would be helping the people who needed it.

"I don't need glamour or jewels," he says easily. "And I am told I take instruction well. I will adjust."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis nods. He wonders what he's getting himself into by taking Mal on like this, but he thinks it will turn out well.

"Then over the next few days we should start working out the details of this arrangement, such as where you will live and your payment."

[fadingworld]

Mal nods, "If I could have enough to board in a room, feed and clothe myself with the basics I will be content." He knows that with his knowledge, he could really expect no more.

His heart is beating a little fast, excited and nervous to find his escape from his cage. "In fact, you should pay no more, you will be taking a risk and I will have some funds to keep me going for a little for things that aren't a necessity."