The seamstresses of Joth bring more designs and are intrigued by the examples of unusual attire the visitors show them. The following morning, Ursula leaves the mansion with Senia to visit the sick and injured. She learns some uncomfortable facts about city life and is involved in a tense confrontation.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

18 - Doctor's Rounds

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2019 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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"Senia, thank you for coming."

The healer curtseyed. "At your command, Your Grace." She added, "But I am not sure why I am here this afternoon, if it is not for an illness or injury. Am I interrupting something? You seem to have asked some seamstresses to come today, have I come at the wrong time, or on the wrong day?"

Fanis smiled. "It is true that we entertain the seamstresses this afternoon, you should know that between them, Her Highness and Tenant Maralin have designed many new items of clothing, some suitable for women to wear in the heat of summer, and some for Her Highness's men to wear as well."

"Ah?" Senia's curiosity was raised. "Would these items be of interest to such as myself, Your Grace?"

The smile of the Duchess became wider. "Indeed, they will be of interest to everyone, Senia. Now I have asked you here this afternoon to request a favor, but with your permission, we can deal with that after we have seen what the others have brought. You may, of course, join us, I can see that you are interested."

Fanis turned as five people came down the stairs, three of them carrying clothes over one arm. "Ah, Eriana, Maralin, Ursula, good. I believe that everyone else is here, we may begin. Do you mind if Senia joins us? Like any woman, she will be interested in new designs of attire."

Senia looked at the four women, who were all wearing ship dresses. "I am now! What an interesting design, and so cool! Who did - But I am interrupting the meeting, my questions can wait until later."

Eriana smiled. "Of course she may join us, there is nothing secret here. Fanis, we are ready, as you may see."

In the dining room everyone curtseyed to Fanis and then the meeting began. First, Eriana carefully laid out her riding gear on the table and the women all crowded round to inspect it.

"If we may take these away and examine them closely?"

"You may," Eriana agreed, "but I would ask that you do not keep them for too long. This morning we have ridden out on borrowed frayen, and I feel the need to do it again one day soon."

"I saw Her Highness," Melisent said, excited. "She looked so good, so natural sitting there!" She turned to the Duchess. "If I may ask, has His Grace yet given permission for the women of Joth to ride as Her Highness does?"

Fanis replied, "He has not had time to consider the question, Melisent." She rolled her eyes. "Even now, he is beset by all that has happened while he was away. If I were to venture an opinion, it is that he will probably grant to women a right like that which Her Highness tells me exists in Palarand, that women should be modestly dressed, be well protected against matters of concern to our kind, shall wear some kind of hat or helmet which is capable of protecting her head in the event of a fall or stampede, and that of course any woman must needs be accompanied by at least one companion of some kind. That might mean that personal maids would have to learn to ride and will require like attire to their mistresses."

The women looked at one another. Jorda asked, "Your Grace, if I may ask how certain you are that His Grace will grant this right? I ask because it is likely that we will be asked by customers for such attire almost immediately, many having seen Her Highness riding in the streets."

Fanis smiled. "I will ask him today, Jorda, and make the answer known to you all as soon as I can."

Jorda curtseyed. "Thank you, Your Grace. We know how busy His Grace is, we can expect no more."

Next came Bennet, who put down her palace uniform, that the women could examine the methods used, particularly the box pleats of the skirt.

Eriana said, "I do not anticipate that any of us will require our dress uniforms for a day or two, but of course there will be less to investigate than with the riding gear."

Jorda curtseyed. "As you desire, Highness. We will return all these garments as soon as we can, will we not, ladies?"

There was a mutter of assent and then all turned to Maralin, who had a single garment over his arm.

He smiled. "Ladies, this one is a little different. This is the pair of trousers which Mistress Ursula was wearing when we found her." He held up a hand. "Now, I know what you are probably thinking, but there is much about that episode that is unusual and I must request that you do not ask us questions about it. All I can say here is that, where both Ursula and I came from, the attire we usually wore was nothing like the clothing here. Just leave it at that."

He went on, "The reason I am showing these to you today is because I believe there are features that you might find interesting, although you probably won't be able to do some of them yet. You see..." He stopped and thought how to explain. "...there are certain things our people can do there because we have been doing them longer, I suppose. I will explain as we go along. Mistress Jorda, if you would look at the trousers first."

He handed them over and the seamstress opened them, holding them up.

"Why, they are a pair of... excuse me, I do not know what to say! Camouflage? Very well made..." She turned over the waist and looked at the stitching. "What is this? How can this be done? Explain, Maralin."

"All right. First, these trousers have a camouflage pattern because a lot of the clothing we wear does. Not because we are soldiers, warriors or anything like that, but because we... just like the patterns, I guess. Well, that's the way it started but now a lot of it is just decoration with no other purpose. It is what we call fashion, in a year or two it might be stripes, flowers, spots or something else. We have suffered a number of wars and when they are over there is a lot of surplus military clothing available for people to buy cheap. As you can see it is fairly sturdy and clothes like these are used by many for work purposes.

"Some of our people like to hunt, as I know they do here, and camouflage clothing means that you can get nearer the target animals without disturbing them. We also like to just observe animals in the wild, especially rare species, and camouflage again can be a help there. That, I believe, was the reason that Mistress Ursula wore them, that she could travel in areas with wild animals without being too noticeable.

"The stitching you see inside is all done by machines. I would bet that not a single stitch was made by hand." That produced a reaction and again he held up a hand. "The machines are complicated but can be made. I have seen some prototypes in Palarand when I was there, though they had yet to make one that could actually produce a row of stitches."

"Prototypes? But surely, with knowledge of how it is done, could not the machines be made?"

Maralin shook his head. "Mistress, those of us who have traveled here to the Great Valley, myself, Mistress Ursula and Princess Garia, had only on our bodies what we were wearing at the time. Everything we have thought to give to the people here is what we have remembered from where we came from. We have no samples, descriptions, drawings or anything else that could help. All we have is what is in our memories. For my part, I was a young cook. Princess Garia had not even finished her education when she came. Mistress Ursula is a healer and none of us would know of the mechanics of sewing machines."

"Oh." Jorda was taken aback. "We did not realize... Maralin, that makes your clothing designs even more impressive, if I may say so."

Maralin bowed. "Just trying to help, Mistress, in my new home. Now, if you would look at the front of the waistband, there is a big metal button. Try undoing that, if you can, and look underneath."

"Oh! What is this? Ladies, a wonder... Look! It is like tiny teeth, that all link together when I pull this thing. Maralin what is it?"

He grinned. "It is called a zipper, Mistress, and the bit you pull is the slide. I can tell you that, again, all the parts have to be made by machines, though it requires men - or women, indeed - to put the parts together. They are now making these in Palarand, though not as small as that one there, and you should be seeing some here in Joth in a year or so."

The women fussed over the zipper for a while and then began examining the rest of the trousers.

"What are these?" Jorda tugged at a flap on the side of the trouser leg.

Maralin smiled. "Try giving it a good pull."

There was a tearing sound and the seamstress peered at the result with confusion.

"I don't understand. This seems to be a kind of pouch, yet sewn to the trouser. This flap must be to stop the contents falling out... but what holds it together? Have I damaged it by pulling? I do not know what I am looking at."

Maralin grimaced. "That is something called Velcro, and I regret that it will be fifty to a hundred years before you will be able to make anything like that here. The flaps, though, can just as easily be held closed with buttons or toggles. These pouches are known as pockets, and you can see a different kind at the top of the trouser, by the waistband, and also behind. The behind ones have zippers too."

There was a close examination of the various pockets and much discussion among the women before they turned to Maralin.

"We can immediately see the utility of these pockets, Maralin. I know that some of our craftsmen have something similar on their work attire. Do you know if there are any Design Licenses on these kinds?"

"I don't think so, since they can just be part of an existing garment. Although... I know there are licenses on zippers, but that is because they take some trouble to make."

He turned to Fanis who replied, "I do not think we would require Design Licenses for pockets, Maralin. Even I can see how simple and how useful they might be. Tell me, you must have had an idea for using them."

"The side pockets are known as cargo pockets, for reasons I do not know. My thought was that you could put cargo pockets on the sides of the shorts you are making for Her Highness's men... and, perhaps for those you will make for His Grace's men."

Jorda considered and then nodded. "Done, Maralin. It will take only a square of cloth plus a strip for the flap. If I may consult with you about sizes and placement?" He nodded and she turned. "Ladies? Something extra for the men's shorts, I deem. Not too much more work, though I suspect everybody will be wanting pockets once they see them in use."

Maralin grinned. "Have no doubt of it, Mistress. But I also had another idea. It occurred to me that the lightweight dresses Her Highness and her companions are wearing have no waistband and the users would not normally wear a sash or a belt with them, so there would be nowhere to store anything. Highness, if you would not mind."

He walked over to Eriana and sketched a rectangle out on her stomach with a finger, without actually touching her.

"My thought was to have a cargo pocket here, placed so that it didn't get in the way when she sat down. It would be enough to hold a few essentials, that is all."

"That is an excellent thought, Maralin," Eriana said. "I am not as the ladies of the court, who always have a maid beside them, so I have wondered how I would carry the few small items a woman always needs, while wearing one of these dresses. Aye, a pocket there will work well on board, I deem. What about you, girls? Shall we make a pocket part of the design?"

"Highness, it is an interesting idea," Bennet answered. "Perhaps we should ask for such a... pocket? ...did you say? ...for one dress each only, then we may judge if they will be of use to us."

"As you wish. Fanis?"

"Yes, Eriana. It looks like pockets will be another thing that will be in great demand once they are seen in Joth." She frowned at Jorda, who was holding up the trousers thoughtfully. "Jorda? Have you some other idea?"

"What? Oh, I ask your pardon, Your Grace! I do, yes, I wondered how useful this trouser design would be to our menfolk, when they are working. Of course, we do not have those machines, it would all have to be sewn by hand, but... I wonder."

"Indeed. Present us, then, at your convenience, with a pair of trousers similar to this design. It might not be of a like material or patterned thus but it would be of interest to see if we can make something like this, and how useful it might be. What say you, Maralin?"

"It is probably worth the experiment, Your Grace, though personally I feel much more comfortable wearing tunic and tights - or shorts when it is warm. Since we do not yet have zippers, I suggest that you make the trousers with a drawstring waist for now. We would probably want to make a Design License on them, with the levy going into that special fund we talked about yesterday."

"As you say. Jorda, if you would proceed, but it is not to take precedence over the other work for Her Highness and His Grace."

"As you command, Your Grace."

Several of the women had brought new or adjusted garments to be tried on, so the meeting devolved into a fitting session. Pel was provided and drunk, after which the seamstresses curtseyed and departed.

"What did you think, Senia?"

"More interesting than I expected, Your Grace. I assume that these new designs will be made available to all?"

"Of course, once we have the designs fully worked out. As you will know, sometimes it takes a few attempts to get the cut or fall to be exactly right."

"And," Maralin added, "as the garments get simpler, like the ship dresses, getting the cut right can become very difficult, especially as every woman is of course a different shape."

Senia's gaze on Maralin sharpened. "If I may ask how you know so much of the seamstresses' business, Tenant?"

"I come from a family of tailors, Mistress. I know how these things are done, even though I can't do most of them myself."

"Ah. As you say." Senia turned to the Duchess. "Your Grace?"

Fanis smiled. "We have detained you long enough, I deem. Come, let us find a room where we can explain what is desired."

They used the small back meeting room once more. Just the four of them took part, Fanis, Ursula, Senia and Maralin. Senia was puzzled by the whole business and said so.

"Senia," Fanis addressed her, "some days ago I believe that you discovered that Ursula here was a healer, although not of the kind we have in Joth. Since she has knowledge she thinks it might be useful to share with us, she must needs first find out what it is the healers of Joth do, that she can plan how to add to your own knowledge."

Senia nodded. "I was of course interested to learn that Mistress Ursula was a healer, Your Grace, but we would have to spend some time together to understand what it is each other can do. What is it you desire of me?"

"Ursula?"

She licked her lips. "As I mentioned when we spoke, Mistress, the way we deal with medical matters appears to be completely different to what happens here. If I am to pass on some of my knowledge, I must first find out what you do and how you do it, what medications you use, what your procedures are for wounds, that kind of thing. From what I saw on previous days, I believe that you go around the city visiting patients in their homes each day?"

Senia answered, "Yes, that is so, mostly. Of course we may be called to some urgent case which requires our immediate attention but normally, we make rounds each day."

"That is what I thought. I wondered if I could accompany you as you did so, I would learn how you handled such matters and I could even be of some assistance."

The healer thought, then turned to Fanis. "Your Grace, I think that this would be useful to both of us, but I should ask if it meets with your approval."

"If you are happy for Ursula to follow you around the city, then I am content, Senia. You understand that you must needs come here first to collect her, and then again afterwards to return her safely to the mansion?"

"It will not take me too far out of my way, Your Grace. In fact..." Senia considered. "Yes. If I come here immediately after breakfast to collect Mistress Ursula -"

"Please. Just Ursula. If we are going to be working together we should not need to be so formal."

"As you wish... Ursula. Where was I? Ah, yes. I can re-arrange my round to start and end at the mansion, thus making it easy for Ursula to join me."

Fanis said, "That is good. Maralin, do you have any concerns?"

Maralin looked uncomfortable. "I think it would be a good start, Your Grace, but..."

"Yes?"

"I am remembering the incident at the market, Your Grace." He picked his way through the words with care. "I am concerned for Ursula's safety."

Fanis gave him a strange look. "You may have concerns, but the healers are known throughout the city, are they not? I cannot see what harm may come to Ursula while she is with Senia."

He looked defeated. "As you say, Your Grace. I am not yet familiar with all the customs of the city."

"Then that is settled. Ursula, you may go with Senia tomorrow. Senia, we will expect you here after breakfast and, when you return, we will invite you to stay for the evening meal."

So that she can have a detailed report, Ursula thought. And I bet Maralin was wondering if I would try to run away again.

"Done, Your Grace," agreed Senia, "and thank you for the honor."

"Then we are finished here," the Duchess said, rising. "Until tomorrow, then."

~o~O~o~

Eriana, Ursula, Bennet and Semma entered the dining room together the following morning. Maralin, already present, moved to intercept them before anyone else could start a conversation. He saluted Eriana the Joth way.

"Good morning Your Highness, Ursula, Bennet, Semma. I trust you all slept well?"

"Good morning Maralin," Eriana said for them all. "For myself, I was comfortable, aye. Girls?"

The other three muttered various light responses.

"I want to have a word with Ursula while I have the chance," he explained. "I need to do it before she goes out today. I should not take long."

Ursula looked at him with caution. "You have not changed your mind, Maralin? I will assure you, I intend to do nothing except what we spoke of yesterday."

He waved a hand. "That was not my concern, Ursula."

Eriana broke in. "Shall you have a private conversation, Maralin, or do you mind us listening?"

"I do not intend to discuss secrets, Highness, if that is what you are thinking. No, I am happy for you all to hear what I have to say, you all know the truth about Ursula, but that could be a problem for others."

Ursula was interested. "Oh?"

"Mistress, you are going to spend the day, as I understand it, walking around the city assisting Mistress Senia with her daily routine."

"Yes, of course, that is what we agreed."

"What you might not have thought of is that, like most women, she will be interested in you, and will likely ask a lot of questions as you go around."

"That is true, and I would expect her to." There was a question in her eyes.

"You will have to remember that, apart from the four of us here, plus the Duke, Duchess and Renita, nobody else knows exactly where you came from. Telling her the truth could prove awkward for you. I realized this last night, while reviewing yesterday's events. For example, you could tell her you came from Yekaterinburg, and that would be fine, until she asked how many people lived there. I don't know what the population is, what, a million? Two? More? I know nothing about Russian cities."

"I'm not sure. Probably nearer a million and a half, these days. Why? What is the harm in that?"

"Do you remember when we went up on the walls that evening? I asked the Duke what the population of Joth was, and he said about fourteen thousand. Now, the largest city I know of around these parts is Palarand, and they might have fifty to sixty thousand living there. Tell somebody your city has a million and a half and they are unlikely to believe you. More to the point, it would make them less likely to believe anything else you tell them."

Ursula frowned. It never occurred to me I might just be talking casually to this woman, but Maralin is right. She is not going to believe the truth.

"So, what do I say, then?"

"Well, I can only tell you what I did, when I first came here. I was terrified of being discovered, especially after it was pointed out that I could hold information that might be of use to the enemy. Since you and I both had memory losses to start with, I played on that. For all these fine people around us, my memory has returned - but not completely. There are certain facts that I have conveniently forgotten, like the fact I used to be a woman on Earth. I think you should make that your policy too."

Ursula considered. "I will do as you suggest, Maralin. As you know, my recent past has made it difficult for me to tell people very much anyway and I will probably have to make up a suitable past to satisfy questions." She grimaced. "Except when I must, I do not like lying. It will be too easy for me to be found out since I do not know this world. What did you do?"

Maralin grinned. "I let them make up what they want to hear, mostly. Like you, I had a strong accent when I first arrived and when I told them I came from Chicago, they immediately told me that I came from 'the deep south', wherever that is. I think my blond hair helps that origin. So, most people think that is where I came from, a city called Shicargo somewhere in the deep south."

"You did something different with the name there."

"I didn't, they did! It suits me and I'm unlikely to meet anyone who can contradict me, am I? I suggest you do something similar. Just let them assume whatever they want to, while you fill in a few necessary holes with the truth, or something close to it."

Eriana added, "Maralin is right, I deem. You, he and I all come from distant lands and the people here know little or nothing about them. If I told them of Jotlheim, I doubt many would believe me either. Tell them only what you must, though it could be difficult."

Ursula nodded. "Highness, Maralin, it is good advice. I will think carefully when I speak to anyone who does not know the truth."

* * *

"I like that dress even more today! It looks very cooling to wear. I wonder how soon the design will be made available. Do you know?"

Ursula followed Senia under the clock tower and onto the street. The healer carried a rectangular basket, which Ursula knew contained bottles of potions, jars of salve and similar ointments and pots that might have contained pills or something similar. Since she was officially helping, Ursula had offered to carry Senia's satchel, which held fresh bandages, splints and other dressings.

"From what I heard yesterday, it seems that everybody will want one, Senia, especially if the summer is hot. So yes, I believe the idea is to make it freely available."

"Will it only be in that material, do you know, or will there be a choice?"

"That I could not tell you. There is no reason I know that it has to be this cloth, this is just what... was picked for Her Highness and her crew."

"Ah, as you say! Now, our first call will be this way." Senia gestured. "We have a woman with minor burns to check. It will just mean replacing the salve and providing new bandages, that is all, unless there has been some complication."

Ursula followed Senia along the street and through an alley, arriving in another street. Across the road, the healer climbed some steps and used the door knocker of a substantial house. The door was opened by a young woman.

"Good morning, Healer Senia. Oh! Good morning..."

The woman tailed off as she waited for an introduction.

"Good morning, Daryl. If I may introduce Healer Ursula, she presently visits His Grace the Duke from a distant land and desires to learn more of our methods. How is your mother?"

Daryl made a face and lowered her voice. "Grumpy as usual, I regret to say. It seems to me that her wounds recover well, though, so not all is a trial today." She smiled. "If you would come inside? I'm sure that Mama will be pleased to see you."

Daryl's mother was seated in the sitting room of the dwelling, with her left arm in bandages and her left leg, also bandaged below the knee, propped on a small stool.

"Mistress Senia, how good of you to come again," she said. "Oh, I see you have brought a helper today. Is anything wrong?"

"Indeed not, Mistress Redmay. Good morning to you. If I may introduce Mistress Ursula. She comes from a distant land and is presently a guest of the Duke. As she is also a healer, she accompanies me today to discover how our methods may differ from those of her own lands."

"A guest of the Duke? My!" The woman fixed Ursula with a sharp gaze. "So you are of some importance, then, in your own lands?"

Ursula was at a loss what to say. "For what I do, Mistress, I could say that I have some importance, yes, but I will need many more years of experience before I could truly claim to be important." She tried to smile, as she might have done to a patient back home. "For now, I am merely an observer, and an extra pair of hands should Senia ask for them."

"Oh. As you say."

Senia asked, "Mistress, have you had any problems since I called last?"

"Just the itching, which I find to be very distracting, especially as I cannot scratch because of all the bandages!"

The healer smiled. "That means that the skin is healing well, which it would not," a brief stern face, "should you scratch it before it is fully healed. But you know this as well as I. Shall we unwrap you and have a look?"

Senia unwrapped the bandages to reveal red, blotched skin that had already begun to recover.

An aside to Ursula, "An accident in the kitchen, a pot was tipped, so I understand. Fortunately it was just water, so it should recover in time. If I may ask your own opinion?"

"Well, the scalding is obvious," Ursula replied slowly, "but it looks, as you say, as if the skin is recovering. Fortunately it isn't a true burn, where the flesh underneath would have been damaged as well."

"As you say! Fortunately for us indeed, we have very few injuries of that kind to attend to. Now, I would like to clean these wounds off before we apply more salve and fresh bandages. If I may ask Daryl to bring me a basin of water, not cold from the pump but not too warm either?"

"Yes, of course, Mistress. Daryl? Fetch some water, please."

"Yes, Mama."

While they waited for the water, the woman asked Ursula, "Your accent is unusual, I have not heard one like that before. You are not from one of the nearby countries, then? I wondered, when Senia first introduced you, if you were from Palarand. I have heard that remarkable things are happening there!"

"I have not been to Palarand, Mistress, I probably know less about what is happening there than you do. Where I come from is..." Ursula considered. "...much further away than that. Have you heard of Alberta?"

"I have not, Mistress. Is that not, then, in the Great Valley? More distant still?"

"So I have been told. Uh, I'm not sure I know how to describe where it is."

The woman waved a hand. "It is of no importance, at least to me. I did wonder, though, if the dress you wear was a style you brought with you from... Alberta, did you say?"

Ursula nodded. "That's right, Alberta... but the dress style is more local, so I believe. In this warm weather, I have found it very comfortable."

"Local?" The woman's attention switched to Senia. "I do not know of anyone in Joth who makes designs like that! Do you know, Senia?"

"This is only the second day I have seen someone wearing this style, Mistress Redmay. I was at the mansion yesterday afternoon and several of His Grace's guests were wearing similar dresses, as I recall, one of them being Princess Eriana. Do you know of her?"

"Well, of course, Senia! All Joth talks of Her Highness and her brave men, the very same who stormed that fortress and ended the rule of Yod. Do you tell me that it was she who introduced this style to Joth?"

"I could not say, Mistress Redmay, but I was assured that the design will be made available to all who desire it. I can tell you that similar styles will be much in demand when the weather becomes warmer, so you should speak to your seamstress immediately if you are thinking of one."

"As you say! I will do so immediately you depart, Senia. What a simple design, and yet so elegant! Is it only available in that material, do you know?"

Senia turned to Ursula, who answered, "Mistress, when these were brought yesterday it was said that they could be made in different materials and patterns." She thought of adding more but decided she had said enough.

Daryl appeared then with a basin of water, so the healers got to work. Senia cleaned the arm, and Ursula decided to help by attending to the leg. The limbs were soon cleaned and dried, after which a thin layer of salve was gently smeared over the wounds before a fresh set of bandages was wrapped around them and secured. Senia collected the used bandages and placed them in a cloth bag which she hung from the handle of her basket.

Senia stood up. "There! If the improvement continues, Mistress, then the next time I come we could try removing the bandages altogether and let nature do the rest. The weather continues hot, I would not like you to be uncomfortable in the heat." Senia considered. "Of course, the discoloration will slowly fade but it will be noticeable at first. Shall you mind others seeing the marks?"

"Of course I shall mind!" Redmay said. "However, such marks are to be found wherever someone has such an accident, or even worse, so I must needs put up with the unfortunate display." She grinned suddenly. "Mayhap I can use the marks to gain extra sympathy, do you not agree? It is only what anyone else would do, I deem."

"As you say, Mistress Redmay," Senia agreed diplomatically. "Three days, then, and you may say farewell to the bandages."

"As you wish. It was a silly accident, I must needs put up with the consequences."

"Then we will both leave you in peace. Ursula, shall we go? We have several others to attend to this morning."

"Of course, Mistress Senia."

Ursula picked up the satchel and secured the simple strap closure. The two walked to the front door, where the daughter let them out onto a street which was already much warmer than when they had gone in.

Daryl said, "Thank you for coming. I am pleased to hear that she is getting better." Her voice lowered. "It was not an accident, Mistress. There was an argument between Mama and Papa, but I had better not say any more."

"Ah? Very well, Daryl, we will see your mother again in three days. Come, Ursula. Our next call is just at the end of this street and on the right..."

* * *

The next two calls were almost exactly the same, the first a mason who had dropped a heavy chisel on his foot, luckily receiving only bruising that had kept him off his feet. The second was a cook's helper who had cut herself with a knife while peeling vegetables. Again, not a serious wound and both patients needed just some fresh salve, a change of bandages and some encouraging words.

The fourth patient of the morning was one that surprised Ursula.

"Mistress Tavia!"

"Mistress Ursula, and Mistress Senia, too! Come in, come in, both of you. I was expecting Senia today, to attend Taran, but what brings you to my door, Ursula? Have you recovered after that unfortunate incident? I see you still wear a bandage on your arm."

"Good morning, Mistress Tavia. The scratch is healing well, I think Senia might remove the bandage once we return to the mansion. As for what I am doing here, you know that I am a healer in my own country, so I am accompanying Senia on her rounds today to see how such matters are handled in Joth."

"Oh, I see. And you're wearing one of those new dresses!"

"She is!" Senia confirmed. "And do they not look so cool to wear? When summer comes they will be a boon to all women who have to live inside the city, do you not think?"

"I do think so, Senia! The way the air may flow, without restriction... Mistress Ursula, if I may impose, would you tell me what you are wearing beneath your dress today?"

Ursula was not used to being questioned in such a direct manner but recognized that it was what women often did when together.

"Um, I have a panty, of course, and a bodice, Mistress Tavia. Nothing else. I believe that some of the new bras are being ordered for me, but everybody wants them so I don't know when I will receive mine."

"Bras? Whatever is a bra, Mistress?"

Fortunately Senia had seen the new breast supports so was able to give enough of a description to pique Tavia's interest.

"And you say these will be available to all women?"

"Yes, but there will be a huge demand at first, Tavia. I suspect that, for the likes of us, we will be wearing bodices for several months yet."

"Oh, how disappointing! Joth has many seamstresses, it is true, but with all this new attire they shall be sorely stretched, I deem." She smiled. "Well, you did not come here to speak of sewing, but to visit Taran. If you would both follow me, then."

Tavia led the two through to a back room, where a boy lay on a couch in what was apparently a small sitting room. He appeared to Ursula to be about ten to twelve years old. His bandaged leg, visibly swollen, rested on some cushions.

"Taran, good morning," Senia greeted the boy. "How is your leg?"

"Mistress, it does not hurt so much as it did before," the boy replied. "I think the swelling might be a little smaller today."

"That is good news, the poultice must be working. Now, today I want to unwrap the leg, clean it off and examine it, and then put some fresh poultice on it." She gave him a reassuring smile. "It might hurt while we are doing that, you understand?"

"Aye, Mistress Senia. If it means that my leg will get better, and that I can go back to join my father, then I will bear it as I must."

The cushions were removed and replaced by several layers of cloth to protect the furniture. Senia carefully unwrapped the bandage strips and gently bathed the leg from a basin of warm water. Ursula noticed that the skin looked blotched and dark.

"It looks like there is extra fluid around the joint," she observed. To Taran she asked, "How did you do this?"

Taran stared at her for a moment and then replied, "I slipped off a ladder, getting more varnish to take up to my father." His voice became warmer. "He attends to the decorations in the Duke's Great Hall, Mistress. All men know that my father is very good at what he does, and I am determined to become as good a craftsman as he is."

Ursula was surprised by this bald explanation but the significance of it didn't hit her immediately.

"So you fell on the floor and banged your knee, is that what happened?"

"Aye, Mistress, did I not say?" He frowned. "Who are you?"

Tavia chided him, "Taran! Mind your manners! That is not the way to speak to a visitor. This is Mistress Ursula, who is a healer from a distant land. She accompanies Mistress Senia to learn the ways of healers in Joth."

"Uh, sorry, Ma. Sorry, Mistress. I was not thinking."

"And not thinking is what made you fall from the ladder, I deem," his mother added. "Now, let these ladies do what they are here for. Senia, shall you require anything else from me?"

"I do not think so, Tavia. If you could empty out the basin, please. Oh, and I'll need another, with a little fresh water, to make up the poultice."

"As you wish." Tavia stood and summoned a house servant, giving her instructions.

Ursula asked Taran, "How old did you say you were?"

"Mistress, I have seen eleven winters. Why? Does that make a difference?"

"It can do," she replied. "At your age, your bones are still growing and any damage can affect how the bones fit together when you are grown up. Tell me, do many boys your age work in Joth?"

Taran was surprised. "Why, Mistress, I would think that most of us do! What else is there for us to do but follow the work of our fathers, or to start work in some other trade?"

I am surprised but I should not be! I must stop comparing this world to places and situations that I have known on Earth, it could get me into trouble.

Now I understand what Maralin meant. I have to be very careful here.

"Um, where I come from children stay in school for more years than they do here," she said. "It would be unusual for someone your age to already be at work, though not impossible."

Tavia was interested. "Mistress, can this be possible? For such as myself, it is true, we are prosperous enough that Taran need not work, since his father is good at what he does. In Joth, as in many places, most do not have the coin to permit their sons and daughters to stay at home and do nothing. At these schools of yours, what is there to learn, then? Are they all so clever in the land you came from?"

Ursula grimaced as she thought. "Mistress, I do not know how to describe it. I would not use the word clever, but where I came from we all have to learn a great many things in order for our society to function properly. It is just the rule there. All children must go to school, all children must learn to read, to write and to do a certain amount of arithmetic. Once they have done that it means there are many other things they could learn."

Tavia's eyebrows rose. "To read and write? All of them? Boys and girls? Taran can read and write, of course, but then his father is an honored craftsman and an Alderman as well. I would not say that many in Joth can read and write well, though. There is not the need."

Stop now before you get yourself into more trouble.

"As you say, Mistress. I am learning that things are very different in Joth than they are in... Alberta. We just have different customs, that is all."

"I did not realize the place you came from was so different, Mistress Ursula. No wonder you accompany Senia, to discover what we do here! I hope your efforts will bear fruit, then, since healers are always welcome in our great city."

"Thank you, Mistress."

The servant brought a bowl and handed it to Senia. The healer found a cloth bag in her basket and poured the contents into the bowl. It looked somewhat like a porridge mix, with flecks of green and brown which were obviously chopped up herbs. The mixture was stirred into a smooth, thick paste, which Senia then began smearing over the affected portion of Taran's leg. Fresh bandages were then wrapped around the poultice, keeping it in place and protecting the furnishings from leakage.

"There!" Senia addressed Taran as she stood. "I will come back in two days and see how things are progressing. If there is any problem, I'm sure your mother will send someone to find me. Tavia, we have finished here, I regret we must move on, there are three more to visit this morning. I'm sure you understand."

"Why, of course, Senia. We all know how busy the healers of Joth are. If Mistress Ursula is to join your number, she can only make things better for all of you."

"As you say, Tavia! Well," Senia made sure the contents of her basket were properly secure and then pulled the cover over it, "we must go. I'll return in two days, Tavia."

As the front door closed behind them, and they stepped down to the street, Senia remarked, "It occurs to me that you have yet said little about the lands you came from. Perhaps it would be useful for you to tell me more of your life before you came to Joth."

Here it comes. What do I say now?

She remembered Maralin's words. Tell the truth, but as little of it as you need to.

"Um, Senia, that is true, but as I said inside, the lives we lead there are very different than what happens here. Uh, I have to be careful what I say, because I am a guest of His Grace and I do not want to be seen to abuse his hospitality."

"Abuse his hospitality! Ursula, whatever do you mean?"

She chose her words very carefully. "Where I come from, as I said, is very different than what you are used to in Joth. If I were to just talk, I might tell you things that you would find difficult to believe, or things that could alarm you." She shook her head. "His Grace knows this, so he has asked me to take care what I say to people. I'm sorry, Senia, but I have to be careful. There are things I can tell you, but you will know that I am not telling you everything. I don't like it, but I have little choice."

"Well! That is a surprise!" Senia gazed thoughtfully at Ursula as they walked along the street. "I thank you for telling me this, Ursula, but I do not know if I am insulted or not. Probably not, I deem, since it is the instruction of His Grace in this matter. Very well, what can you tell me?"

"I can tell you a little about myself, I think, about my family, and of course I can always talk about my work. I will tell you now that I do not intend to tell you anything but the truth, but that sometimes I may not tell you all the truth."

Senia indicated. "Ah. We have to cross the street and go along that lane there. Mistress, Ursula, I am impressed by your honesty in this matter. I do not think any of us realized the true situation. I take it that you would confide in me, but that you would rather I did not say anything to anyone else?"

Ursula thought for a moment. "I trust your judgment, Senia. I am sure you would not betray any confidence of mine."

"Thank you, Ursula! I will be most discreet, I assure you, as any healer must needs be. Shall we ever learn the whole truth in the future?"

"I cannot answer that, Senia. I think, probably, one day you will, but it will depend on what others permit me to say."

"I understand. So, tell me what you can about yourself, your family, your friends?"

* * *

It was relatively easy to tell Senia about her childhood, her upbringing, and so on, while carefully avoiding mentioning the fact that she had been male. Even though she had only been on Anmar a matter of days it already seemed like another life, a bad dream, so she could speak of those days with a certain level of detachment.

It had also been necessary to merge the countries she had been in under the vague label of 'Alberta', since one distant land was bad enough, attempting to explain multiple countries and an ocean would be considerably worse - not to mention air travel... She did mention that she had been chased from one place to another but explained that it was because of a 'local lord' who had become angry at the death of a son.

During the conversation they dealt with a girl with an infected ear and a house servant who had been bitten by a grenn. This was the first occasion that Ursula had a chance to see the local six-legged equivalent of a dog, and she was not impressed. The creature just looked plain peculiar and appeared to hate everyone but the master of the house, who owned it. Fortunately it was kept locked in the courtyard while the healers were in attendance.

The last call of the morning turned out to be more dramatic than expected. In a side street not far from the main market, they knocked on the front door and were admitted by a servant who showed them quietly upstairs to what appeared to be the main bedroom. One look at the patient, lying in the bed, told Ursula all she needed to know.

"Oh."

"You recognize this, Ursula?" Senia asked quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping woman.

"I do, Senia. How long has she been like this?"

"Some weeks, I deem, and probably some more before we were called to attend her. I must admit, a case like this is beyond our abilities -"

There was a bang from downstairs as the front door was thrust roughly open. Heavy footsteps could be heard on the stair.

"Ready yourself," Senia muttered. "There will be trouble."

A large man entered the bedroom. He was tidily dressed, but wore no apron so was not obviously a tradesman or stall owner. Ursula could not decide what he did for a living, but based on the state of the house, he was not short of money.

He looked extremely angry. "What are you doing here? I told you to leave us alone! All you've done is to make her sicker! We don't need your potions and powders here, be off!"

He pointed to the doorway with a jabbed finger. Ursula thought he probably weighed as much as both women together so if the confrontation became physical, things could get painful for them.

Senia stood her ground, however. "Master Sebris, you know the Duke gives us a duty to attend the sick and injured. If you desire to be left alone, you must attend His Grace and ask him for an Exception."

"I don't need no Exception to know your potions are harming my Hanisa. She has worsened after every visit one of you witches had made!"

Ursula bravely put a foot forward. "Master... Sebris, was that your name? You should know that your wife is dying, and that nothing any healer has done has made any difference to what has happened."

"What?" Ursula's blunt pronouncement had shaken the man but he was still defiant. "How can you meddlers know what is wrong with her? She gets sicker and sicker, and all you do is make her worse."

"She has advanced liver disease, Master Sebris. There is no medicine in Joth that will make her better, the disease is too far advanced. How it began I do not know. As a stranger I don't know what bacteria... viruses... diseases... exist in Joth, it could be something like that. Alternatively, it may be from drinking too much wine or beer, over a long period of time. All I know is that there is no way to cure her, not now. All we can do is to make her last days more comfortable."

Naturally the woman had been woken by the disturbance and now spoke.

"Sebris... listen to me."

"Hanisa, I told you these people are no good. Let me get rid of them and then I can look after you as best I can. It will be all right, my dear."

"No it will not, Sebris. The healer is right. While you have been busy in your shop, making more enemies and counting your endless coin, I have been here trying to raise our children and it has been too much for me." The eyes, sunken into a face that showed a strong yellow tinge, glanced at Ursula. "She knows. I have drunk too much wine for too long and it is the end of me. Liver disease, she said? I did not know that would happen but I am glad of it. Our children have grown up and left you to go to happier homes and now I will depart as well. There will be no need for you to ever leave your shop, will there? You can stay there forever and count your coin. Isn't that what you wanted?"

The man, stung by the bitterness in his wife's voice, sank into a chair and put his head in his hands.

"Maker, I have been a fool!" He looked up at Ursula. "On your oath, you are telling me the truth?"

"I am, Master Sebris. The liver is an important organ in the body but it can be abused by too much drinking, wine or beer." Do they have distilled spirits here? I have no idea. Nobody has mentioned any yet. "To get this bad, your wife has probably been drinking too much for tens of years."

"Is this true, Hanisa? That long?"

The woman thought. "I don't know when it started, Sebris, but, aye, it must have started soon after you took over that new shop so, probably twenty to twenty five years. In here on my own, what else would I do? Of course, it all began so slowly that I didn't think much of it, but then I needed more to dull the pain..." She sank back onto her pillow.

Sebris turned to Ursula, who in turn looked a question at Senia.

"I do not know, Master Sebris. Ursula knows more of this disease than I do."

Ursula said, "All we can do, as I said, is to make your wife's last days more comfortable. I do not know how long she might live for, it might be a month, it might be several, but she'll need some of Senia's potions later because the disease can become very painful towards the end."

The man cast a forlorn look at his wife and waved a hand. "Do what you can for her. Please. Coin will not be a problem."

Senia asked, "We may come and go?"

"As you wish. I have been so stupid, so blind. I must needs make amends for my blindness."

Senia turned to Ursula. "Come. I think it would be best if we left them in peace today. Master Sebris, I will return tomorrow, at about the same time, and we will discuss your wife's future needs. By your leave."

He absently waved a hand again. "Aye. I have ruined the one thing that could not be counted."

The two women followed the servant downstairs and outside onto the street. Senia breathed a big sigh of relief.

"Whoo. I did not know that she was dying, Ursula. You must tell me everything you know about the liver..." She looked at Ursula anxiously. "You are permitted to do that, are you not?"

Ursula tried a small, reassuring smile. "There would be no point for me to follow you around if I could not do so, would there? Of course I will, though I will tell you now that I do not know it all."

"Then that is settled. Now, I have not heard a bell for a while, but I am thirsty and I believe that it will soon be lunchtime. I live but two streets from here, along that road. Shall you join me at home, where we can eat and share a bell or so in conversation? We have much to talk about, do we not?"