Paths of Green and Gold

Thoris - doctor

"Good afternoon, sir. I am... Thorn," he said quietly. The other name he had was long forgotten. "I feel great. Thank you," he added after considering his answer for a while.

How long did it take him to get to his current condition? Selena mentioned his clothes were still wet, so probably not that long.

"How long are you planning to keep me in bed, doctor?" he asked with an uneasy smile, running his fingers through his hair. "Maybe I could be of some use here? Idleness does me no good."

Doctor Tregarth observed the patient closely over the top of his silvery glasses. He had a penetrative gaze which always seemed to watch out for something alarming - a quality very usual for medics. The smile painted on his face didn't reach his eyes, which looked like belonging to a bird of prey - careful, fiendishly sharp, and reacting to the smallest change in the observed object.

"The length of your stay here doesn't depend only on me," even the medic's voice somehow sounded like a falcon's croak. “You have just as much responsibility for getting better, or rather your body does. And I'm afraid for now it's exhausted and needs a good rest. During the examination, we noticed that you have recently received multiple injuries in a fight; we cannot really rule out internal organ damage either. On top of that, your charming cousin informed us that you decided to quit intoxicating yourself with some herbal mixture, which could have serious consequences for your health as well. A body as damaged as yours, deprived of the drug it was used to, could rebel against the self that had been controlling it. Many lunatics," Tregarth's voice was filled with utter disgust, "think that this is the effect of demon possession or some other irrational banality that only individuals prone to religious hysteria can believe. We know that it's the result of long-lasting exposure to a stimulus that your body now considers indispensable to its proper function. Master Vardalien, whose skills are unparalleled in the whole Empire, prepared a medicine for you which is supposed to mitigate the effects of your decision. He only regretted your recklessness in getting rid of the remaining mixture. We believe that the infusion would be much more effective, if we knew the exact ingredients of the intoxicant you had been using."

Thorn's eyes were getting wider with each sentence of the doctor's speech. The priestesses he used to meet in similar circumstances usually limited themselves to whispering prayers or giving very brief comments about the patients' condition. The amount of information he just received was overwhelming, to say the least, especially in his weakened condition.

He vaguely registered the last part - regarding the herbs he had been smoking. He couldn't help the doctor with that. It was too risky. Some of the plants included in the mixture took a lot of effort to find even on the black market and came with a long stay in a dungeon if the law enforcement was to learn about someone having them in their possession. He didn't know if he could trust doctor Tregarth or master Vardalien. But he knew he didn't want to go back to prison.

Still closely watching the patient, the doctor slid his thumbs in the pockets of his white robe.

"The final decision regarding your release belongs to Master Vardalien," he narrowed his eyes. "Although I am in charge of the hospital, I have a lot of respect for his knowledge and ability to deal with cases surpassing my competence.”

"Yes, thank you... but..." Thorn started hesitantly.

"Oh, you're welcome," the doctor cut in. "It's our duty and calling. We are always trying to help those we can, as much as possible. The presence of master Vardalien does wonders to the level of curability of various wounds and ailments which have been bothering the citizens of the Empire for centuries. We consider ourselves really lucky that this esteemed sage decided to settle in our humble town in the middle of the wilderness, where so many dangers threaten the health and well-being of our people and where the interest of the magnates doesn't reach. Despite the difficulties the hospital is facing due to its remote location - being so far removed from scientific centers and the latest medical achievements - we believe that master Vardalien is our advantage over even the biggest cities of the Empire. I can assure you that you are in excellent hands and that the healing process will be concluded before you become bored with idleness."  Thorn listened to the doctor's words, but he was actually more absorbed by his own emotions. At first, there was a muffled impatience. Then, a pale flame of irritation, which was soon extinguished by bewilderment. After that, somewhere deep within, a spark of anger shed its light – foreshadowing what he was scared of all these years – but after a while, it melted in the general numbness.

The medication that they gave him must have been just as strong as the drug that always kept the bloodthirsty beast in its cage. Until now he avoided even admitting that monster's existence, but he would have to accept it and learn to live with it. Was he strong enough to do that?

Watching the speaking doctor, whose words had mostly no meaning for him, he started to realize one more thing. It didn't matter if he understood what Simon Tregarth was talking about. The fast-flowing rivers of words flooding his mind were a weapon - not so different from a blade – which the doctor used to defeat the resisting patients.

The warrior suddenly wished he could just get out, take his sword, and fight - even if he had to face ten or even twenty skilled opponents. The familiar sound of colliding blades or steel scraping a bone - those were the things he knew - weapons he could deal with, and enemies he could at least try to defeat. The current opponent rendered him completely helpless. It wasn't even that victory was out of reach – he couldn't even pick up the gauntlet. It wasn't the first time this happened to him - once before he conceded in the face of similar weaponry, but never did he think of calling that person an opponent.

[However, if you wanted to...]

He just had to get out of here as soon as possible. But this time, running away was out of the question. He couldn't cause any trouble to Selena. Not to mention he was indebted to both the doctor and the master he kept talking about.

[So if Master Vardalien decided to pacify me and my "sickness" with some herbal mixture, all I can do is make him believe I am getting well...]

He looked at doctor Tregarth and nodded.  "Yes, sir. I will try not to hinder the... umm... process."

He saw the expected triumph in the older man's eyes.

"Excellent. I'm sure you will get well soon and feel how amazing it is to be a healthy and strong young man. And free from the addiction that stopped you from using all your capabilities," the doctor smiled to his cooperative patient. "Our hospital occupies a building that used to be a palace belonging to one of the city's founders." He started again in his mentoring voice. "Most of the residence was taken down to make space for the developing city, but the central part of the complex was kept almost unchanged. Of course, we removed all the gaudy colors and most decorations, to provide our patients with peaceful surroundings. But you can still enjoy the austere charm of the columns and noble shades of the marble floors. Cleaning is a little troublesome, but fortunately, there are always many people willing to help. In the middle of the hospital, there is a small yard, a charming garden looked after by our gardener, whose hands brought this peaceful oasis to a state which the first owner could only dream of, as I suspect. In the pond, you can admire a few species of colorful local fish. Many patients really appreciate the opportunity to be close to nature during their convalescence. We noticed it does wonders for the wounded and suffering; Mother Nature heals deeper wounds than those caused by sharp swords and violent blows," he said sententiously, and Thorn realized if the speech continued he would fall asleep soon. "If you feel strong enough and, of course, if you promise not to strain yourself, you can go to our little garden and check how soothing some greenery and a gentle murmur of water can be.”  

Silent steps made doctor Tregarth look away from the warrior who was fighting to keep his focus. A woman wearing a grey dress approached them. She was carrying a wooden tray with a steaming bowl of food, a cup, and a round clay bottle.

"I brought dinner." She curtsied to the doctor.

Thorn wasn't even surprised that the angel who came to save him was, as usual, a woman. The lecture regarding the architectural and historical details was already too much for him. 

"Thank you, ma'am." He looked at the woman gratefully.

The medic raised an eyebrow and looked at the meal.

"I see our new helper is doing very well," he said satisfied. "Light poultry for energy, spinach with wild garlic for regeneration and to prevent infection, mint and sage infusion to cleanse the body and facilitate digestion. I don't know where you came from but that little brunette is very well prepared to work with the sick." He rubbed his hands together and looked at Thorn. "I won't disturb you anymore then. Please eat up and rest. You can go sightseeing around the hospital and I really recommend taking a breath in the garden. You will not regret it.”  The warrior was hungry. Really hungry. As if he hasn't eaten anything for a week. He actually couldn't remember such an intense feeling of hunger ever before. He didn't even hear the last lecture of doctor Tregarth. He didn't care about the ingredients of the food. Even if the stew was made of rat he would still eat all of it. 

With a tremendous effort of willpower he managed to look away from the meal.

"Thank you, doctor," was all he said before he focused on his dinner.

Despite the incredible hunger he tried to eat slowly, enjoying every bite. He was really amazed at the intensity of the flavors. Was that another sensation that he was deprived of for the last fifteen years?

He enjoyed this moment of peace, although his thoughts were already running into the future. How much time would he need to get back into shape after this luxurious lazy holiday? Where should he start searching after he left this place? Was this town at the end of the world significant enough that he could get some information here?

So many questions. But he knew that the answers would come in due time. He decided to leave them be for now and focus on getting out of the hospital as soon as possible. He would follow the doctor's recommendations for once.

After finishing his meal, he wiped his hands with the cloth lying on the tray and stood up to look around. The interior of the hospital was very clean. Light walls, high ceilings, impeccable stone floors, and orderly beds created an image of a perfect hospital – a spacious and really hygienic place, where people could get well in peace. However, there was something disturbing in the highly placed windows - something bringing to mind a quiet tomb. There was no smell of death or stale air of catacombs - just soap and herbal infusions, but the deafening silence broken only by the occasional sound of distant steps made the warrior shiver.

He ignored the wooden clogs standing by the bed and walked towards the exit which both Selena and doctor Tregarth used before. The smooth floor was pleasantly cool under his bare feet. The simple beds looked like roofs covered in snow - white, even, and silent.