'The lower floor of the building is dedicated to treating and housing patients,' Indria told them. 'We can't expect sick people to climb up and down stairs, can we?' She smiled at Sonea, who managed a bemused shrug in reply.
'The upper floor has rooms for lessons and for the Healers who live here. Most of us live in this building rather than in the Magicians' Quarters. It allows us to respond quickly to an emergency.' She gestured to her left. 'The patients' rooms are those which have nice views of the gardens or the forest.' She waved to the right. 'The interior rooms are our Treatment Rooms. Come, I'll show you one.'
Following the Healer through one of the open doors, Rothen watched as Sonea examined the room. It was small, containing only a bed, a cupboard and several wooden chairs.
'We do minor healing and simple treatments here,' Indria told Sonea. She opened the cupboard to reveal several rows of bottles and boxes. 'Any medicines we can prepare quickly or mix beforehand are kept in easy reach. We have other rooms upstairs where more complicated preparations are made.'
Leaving the room again, Indria led them to a passage entrance next to the Treatment Room. She pointed to a door at its end. 'At the center of the building are Healing Rooms,' she said. 'I'll just check this one's empty.'
Hurrying down the passage, she peered through a glass panel on the door. Turning to look back at them, she nodded.
'It's free,' she told them. 'Come in.'
Moving down the passage, Rothen smiled as Indria held the door open for him. The room they stepped into was larger than the first they had seen. A narrow bed stood in the center and the walls were lined with cupboards.
'This is where we perform major Healing and surgery,' Indria told them. 'No one is allowed in here during treatment except Healers - and the patient, of course.'
Sonea's eyes roved around the room. She moved to a gap in the far wall. Indria followed.
'The medicine preparation rooms are right above us,' the Healer explained, pointing up into the alcove. Sonea leaned forward and peered up to the room above. 'We have Healers who specialize in making medicines. They lower freshly made mixtures down these chutes as we need them.'
Her curiosity satisfied, Sonea moved back to Rothen's side. Indria moved to a cupboard. She opened it and took out one of the bottles.
'We have the greatest store of knowledge on medicine in the world here in the Guild,' she said with unconcealed pride. 'We don't just cure people with our Healing power. If we did, we wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand for our services.' She shrugged. 'Not that we do anyway. There just aren't enough Healers.'
Opening a drawer, she pulled out a small piece of white material. Turning to Sonea, she paused, then looked up at Rothen questioningly. Realizing what she was going to do, he shook his head. Indria bit her lip, looked at Sonea, then down at the objects in her hands.
'Ah, perhaps we'll skip this part of the tour.'
Sonea eyed the bottle, her eyes afire with curiosity. 'What part?'
Indria turned the bottle so Sonea could see the label. 'It's an anesthetic cream,' she explained. 'I usually spread a little over a visitor's palms to demonstrate the potency of our medicine.'
Sonea frowned. 'Anesthetic?'
'It makes your skin go numb so you can't feel anything. The effect wears off after an hour.'
Sonea's eyebrows rose, then she shrugged and held out her hand. 'I'll try it.'
Catching his breath, Rothen stared at Sonea in surprise. This was remarkable. Where had her distrust of magicians gone? Pleased, he watched as Indria unscrewed the bottle and poured a little of the paste onto the square of material.
Indria frowned at Sonea anxiously. 'You won't feel anything straightaway. After a minute you'll feel as if your skin is really thick. Do you still want to try it?'
Sonea nodded. Smiling, Indria gently wiped the paste over Sonea's palm.
'Now be very careful not to get any on your eyes. It won't make you blind but, believe me, having numb eyelids is a
Sonea smiled and examined her hand. Returning the bottle to its shelf, Indria dropped the cloth into a bucket inside one of the cupboards, then rubbed her hands together.
'Now let's go upstairs and have a look at the classrooms.'
She led them out of the room and back to the main corridor. They passed several Healers and a few novices as they walked around the building. Some regarded Sonea with curiosity. Others, to Rothen's dismay, frowned with disapproval.
'Indria!'
The Healer turned, her green robes flaring out at the abrupt movement. 'Darlen?'
'In here.'
The voice came from one of the nearby Treatment Rooms. Indria strode to the doorway.
'Yes?'
'Give me a hand, will you?'
Indria turned and grinned at Rothen. 'I'll ask if the patient minds having an audience,' she said quietly.
She stepped into the room and Rothen heard several voices talking quietly. Sonea glanced at Rothen, her expression unreadable, then looked away.
Indria appeared in the doorway and beckoned. 'Come in.'
Rothen nodded. 'Give me a moment.'
As the Healer retreated, Rothen looked at Sonea closely. 'I don't know what you'll see in there, but I don't think Indria would invite us in if it was anything ghastly. If the sight of blood bothers you, however, we probably shouldn't enter.'
Sonea looked amused. 'I'll be fine.'
Shrugging, Rothen gestured to the door. Going through, she saw that the room was set up the same as the one they had previously entered. On the bed lay a boy of about eight years. His face was white and his eyes were red from crying. The voice that called for assistance belonged to a young man in green robes, Lord Darlen, who was gently unwrapping a blood-soaked bandage from around the boy's hand. A young couple sat on wooden chairs, watching anxiously.
'Stand over here, please,' Indria instructed, her voice suddenly stern. Rothen backed into a corner, and Sonea followed him. Darlen glanced at them, before turning his attention back to the boy.
'Does it hurt anymore?'
The boy shook his head.
Rothen looked at the couple. Despite signs they had dressed hastily, their clothes were opulent. The man wore a fashionable long coat with gemstone buttons and the woman wore a simple black cloak with a fur-trimmed hood.
Beside him, Sonea made a small sound. Rothen looked back to the bed and saw that the last of the bandages had been removed from the boy's hand. Two deep cuts crossed his palm and blood was dripping from the wounds.
Darlen pulled the boy's sleeve up and grasped his arm tightly. The flow of blood stopped. He looked up at the parents.
'How did this happen?'
The man flushed and his eyes slid to the floor. 'He was playing with my sword. I forbade it, but he ...' The man shook his head, his expression grim.
'Hmm,' Darlen turned the hand over a little. 'He should heal well, though he'll have scars to treasure for the rest of his life.'
The woman made a small choking noise, then burst into tears. Her husband put an arm about her shoulders and looked at the Healer expectantly.
Darlen turned to Indria. She nodded and went to the shelves. From a drawer she produced more pieces of white material, a bowl and a large bottle of water. Moving to the bed, she gently bathed the hand. When it was clean, the Healer carefully placed his palm over the boy's and closed his eyes.
A stillness followed. Though the mother made the occasional sniff, all sound seemed to be muted. The boy began to fidget, but Indria leaned forward and lay a hand on his shoulder.
