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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[mandragoraspiritus]

The door is opened at the request by an older man and a scent of herbs wafts out into the air. Graying hair, pale skin and dressed in clothed that while being of a good quality and cut were also well worn he made for a somewhat gray-looking figure. Except for a pair of very dark eyes, dark enough to appear outright black. They have a mild expression to them, though, and focused.

"Yes?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"In need of some tea, I think." Truth be told the man is in rather poor shape, but he remains somewhat conscious so that shouldn't be said out loud.

From his satchel he pulls out two packets made of paper, one containing a mix or dried herbs and one smaller with a colorless powder, which he hands over to the younger man. "Put this to steep for five minutes, please. Now, is that a tub over there, behind the partition? Good. Please see to it that it is quickly filled with cold water, quick as you can."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Days turned to weeks turned to months, passing much in the ways of learning for Mal and Regis. Not without some bumps and complications, but with more progress than not.

One fine autumn day they left the city for the countryside on Regis' prompting. Late spring and early summer was often best for gathering herbs. but there were other things that needed autumn to come about. Certain berries and fruits, mushrooms. Regis planned for them to be out a couple of nights and luckily he knew of a hunter's cabin that stood empty in the general area he wished to gather in.

"Come, it is't far now," e calls back to Mal as he leads the way across a clearing, both of them carrying packs of what supplies they themselves will need, as well as baskets and bags to store their harvest in. "The cabin is just inside the line of trees ahead."