sophistication surprised Medb. She sometimes wondered, like now, if the girl's wide-eyed innocence was not just an act, but she always decided in the end that she was actually mature beyond her years, just inexperienced.
In response, Medb launched herself at Laylina in a counterfeit attack. The girl was a quick learner, and in a short time had become quite advanced for a beginner. Why, just the other day, Medb watched with pride as she disabused an inebriated patron of getting too familiar with her, leaving him soberly surprised and contrite without actually hurting him, and in a manner that was humorous rather than violent. Medb planned to start her on working with a knife when they returned from their respective trips.
But she still had a lot to learn. She fended off Medb's initial attack well, and the two women circled each other warily. Then they rushed at each other and grappled, each trying to force the other off balance. It wasn't long, however, before Medb had Laylina face down in the straw, her knee in her back and her hands on her shoulders, pushing her face into the bedding. She waited until the girl stopped struggling, then sat on her hips. "Well, my lecherous child," she said, crossing her arms over her chest, "what do you have to say for yourself now?"
Laylina raised her head and spit out a mouthful of straw bits. She then propped herself up on her arms and turned as far as she could to look up at Medb. "If one day I want to be as good as you, in everything you can do, I'll have to get a great deal of practice," she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Medb burst out laughing and removed herself from atop Laylina. The girl, also laughing, rolled over onto her side.
As soon as Medb got control herself, she sat cross-legged, cocked her head, and said, "Very well, what do you wish to know?" She then spent the next couple of hours describing her experiences in the Pleasure Quarter of Drinen.
Eberhard, Anglid, and Laylina had accompanied her as far as Hatheg, where they all spent the night. Laylina and Medb shared a room, but the girl was too excited to sleep and kept Medb up with inane chatter. The former queen finally had to enchant her asleep to get any rest herself. The next morning the three went on to Drinen while Medb took care of her business in the town, and that was the last she saw of them for nine days, nor did she expect to see any of them for at least another four. Anglid's return, early and alone, did not bode well.
"He was found," Bofland replied, "in front of the north gate at dawn two days ago, more dead than alive. When the guard brought him back to the inn, all he said was that they had been attacked. He then fell unconscious and has been that way ever since."
Graym came into the room, carrying Medb's bag in one hand and a roll of bandages in another. Teehar flew in above his head and settled on the back of a chair in one corner, while Conaed and Crèmedevoyageur followed him up the stairs. "I put the zebra in the barn and unpacked it, but I left your other bags there," the dwarf said.
Medb took the bag and the bandages without reply, then opened the former.
"Go check on your brother," Bofland ordered.
"No, wait," Medb countermanded. She then took out a roll of paper and a graphite stick. She quickly wrote out a note, tore it off the roll, and handed it to Graym. "Take this to Mephitis the Apothecary. If she complains about payment tell her I'll pay her double tomorrow."
Graym stuffed the note down the front of his shirt and sprinted off.
"What's the matter?" Bofland demanded.
"He has a massive infection; there may even be blood poisoning. We need to get that under control and get his fever down before it kills him. The concoction I asked Graym to fetch from Mephitis will do both, assuming it is not too late. Creme!"
The cat came over to her side of the bed.
"We need to find Eberhard and Laylina --"
"Her Most Serene Feline Majesty has already sent out searching parties," the tomcat said quietly.
"The city emptied the same day," Bofland confirmed.
Medb gave her a sharp look. Startled, Bofland took a step back, but then she shrugged and smiled with mild embarrassment. "I understand the speech of cats, though I cannot speak it."
"Are the people out searching as well?" she asked as she retrieved a thin-bladed knife from her bag.
Before Bofland could answer, Gimpel appeared, carrying a steaming teapot and a bowl, with a bottle under one arm. He was sniffling, but he had managed to get himself under control.
"Put it over there," Medb instructed, nodding her head towards a small table on the opposite side of the bed. When he had done so, she said, "Go down and brew some tea; make it weak, but add a spoonful of honey and some lemon juice. Hurry now." Gimpel nodded and left.
By this time Conaed had crawled up on the seat of the chair below Teehar. As Medb began cutting away the bandages, he asked, "Lady, is there anything we can do?"
Medb shook her head. "Not now, but later, yes. Bofland? What about the people of Ulthar?"
"Anglid was delirious when he was brought into the inn. Arollo was in the common room, along with a dozen of his friends. When Anglid cried out that they'd been attacked, Arollo followed us up to this room. He then questioned Anglid as we cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Anglid described their attackers and Arollo went back downstairs, and he and his friends left. Later that day, Kranon came to inquire after Anglid, saying that Arollo had alerted him. He then organized search parties and led them out the day after. There's been no word since."
"Some of these wounds are still infected," Medb mused, "though it may be seepage from the surrounding tissues. Who stitched up these wounds?"
"Aescalypses."
"Ah, good. He's the only physician in this town that knows his business. Did you recognize the raiders from their description?" she asked as began cutting away the stitches.
"What are you doing?!" Bofland shouted as she moved to stop her.
Medb whirled around and stopped her in her tracks with a finger pointed at her face. "Do not interfere!" Her voice cracked like thunder and its sound reverberated around the room.
When Bofland backed away, Medb turned back to Anglid, but explained, "These wounds need to be cleaned thoroughly and any necrosis cut away. It won't do any good to eliminate the infection from his body if we leave pockets of it that can re-infect him. I have a cream that will fill and protect the wounds and heal them with no need for stitching, and no scars will be left. Bring the brandy over."
For the next half-hour, Bofland watched in silence as the former queen bathed each wound in brandy followed by hot water, then applied a generous smear of a grayish-green cream from a ceramic jar from her bag. Some of the wounds that had closed by themselves she deliberately cut open, cleaned thoroughly, and bled before creaming them. Finally she wrapped new bandages around them before standing up. She tied the bandages just tightly enough to hold the wounds closed.
"Fortunately there was no new dead tissue, so as soon as Graym returns with the medicine, we can dose him. Bring me the tea, Gimpel."
Gimpel had returned early in the operation, but stood off to one side to stay out of the way. Now he approached with a brimming mug. Medb took the mug and instructed him to sit Anglid up. "Bofland, tilt his head back slightly and hold his nose; I'll try to get some tea down him."
"While he's unconscious? He'll choke."
"Not if you hold his nose. He will not be able to breath and will swallow out of reflex. Now, do not argue."
Bofland sighed with exasperation, but she complied. As soon as she had a hold of his nose his mouth drop open, and when Medb spooned a small amount of tea into his mouth, it closed and he swallowed on cue.
"We will do that every quarter-hour," Medb stated. "He is in danger of dehydration and we have to get his fluids up; it will help break his fever. Where's Graym with that medicine?"
As if her impatience conjured him up out of thin air, he appeared in the doorway, carrying a small leather bag.
"What kept you?" Bofland spat; her nerves were beginning to fray.
"That bloody druggist took her sweet time, and she complai
ned throughout about how expensive these ingredients were, and how much trouble she would have replacing them. Cor, but that place smells!"
Medb took the bag from him and poured out a small handful of its dried, flaky contents to check the preparation. Satisfied, she then dumped it into the mug of tea and stirred it around with a clean knife. "I will make good on all her expenses. Bofland, hold his nose again."
From "The Adventure of the Alien Husbandry"
Eile sat in the waiting room, thumbing through a magazine. But she didn't really pay attention to its contents. She had too much on her mind to concentrate. Even at this late hour, she continued to debate the wisdom of her decision, and each round ended with same conclusion: it wouldn't hurt to look into it, and she could still say no.
She remembered Medb's reaction when she first broached the subject to the massive woman. They were in a bar, sharing a drink; Eile had arranged to meet with her in private while Sunny was off having a clandestine reunion with her parents. Not that Eile wasn't invited; they would meet for dinner that evening. But Eile wanted her to have time alone with them, since she so seldom saw them anymore.
"What would you say if I told you I wanted ta have my breasts enlarged?"
Medb gave her a look that couldn't have been more astonished if Eile had asked her to have sex there on the table.
"I hope that is a rhetorical question."
Eile shrugged, feeling apprehensive.