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]

"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."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"No, I will not be paying more than that. For an apprentice, that much would actually be rather steep. Many masters will in fact charge coin from their apprentices rather than pay them." He holds up a calming hand to halt any protests.

"That si not what we will do, however, that I can promise you. A cheaper solution, however, would be if you can to live under my roof. I have a small room I currently use for storage that I can empty and put a bed in."

[fadingworld]

Mal lowers his eyes. "I would offer to share your bed as part of payment but somehow...somehow I think you would find that repulsive. I am sorry that I have nothing else to offer in exchange for the apprentiship. "

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis gets a more steely look in his black eyes, then. "I would not wish you to share my bed," he says very firmly, weight in every word. "Such a transaction is not one I would ever wish to make." Though now that it is brought to mind, he suspects that the rumor mill will surely say something like it. Oh, no matter.

"No, Mal, I expect you to repay me by working hard, by applying yourself to your studies."

[fadingworld]

Mal flexes his fingers around the cup. It is very strange to find someone who wants nothing in return. He glances up into those steely eyes and away again.

"I will work, I promise. You are an honourable man and I am lucky to have met you."

[mandragoraspiritus]

When Regis goes on to speak it is in the same calm but firm tone of voice. "I would like to make it a part of our agreement that you do not make such offers ever again. Not to me, not to anyone else." Not when the whole point of this is to get Mal away from such things. "Let it be that the next time you bed someone, that it is because you truly and honestly want to."

[fadingworld]

Mal's heart skips a beat. He nods wordlessly. "I will not, once I am away from the Rose Thorn."

He sets the cup down and curls his hands around his knees drawing them up. "I promise." It is harder to say than he would have thought, battling against years of conditioning and training.

[mandragoraspiritus]

A notice period, Mal had said, but he hadn't said how long that would be.

"Could you use me present when you express your wish to break the contract? Or would I do better to simply wait for such a time that you are able to leave?"

[fadingworld]

"I think I would like you there as a witness," Mal says slowly. "When we agree on a date, I don't want there to be any wiggle room to allow them to change it later or make things difficult. And if you know when to expect me, you'll know if something has gone wrong."