It Started with Slime - Part 1

Interlude XXVI - Haemish, Experimentation

Bonus Chapter for Review (1 of 2)

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"Marasa, I would very much like you to meet someone. A new apprentice, if you will." Haemish said to the young woman standing in front of him. He had scoured the palace in search of her, not that he would tell her that. It wasn't becoming letting a woman know how much you wanted to see her. It was purely for academic purposes, but then they would hold all the power in the relationship going forward.

"Haemish, I am a little busy at the moment. Can it wait?" Marasa said, turning from the wounded man to whom she was administering healing. He hadn't hurt himself badly, just a few scraps, and she healed him in an instant. But Haemish was hovering, and it was a little grating.

"I understand and know that you are indeed a very busy person, but I assure you that this is something that will intrigue you greatly. I would not call on you if I did not think it to hold interest." Haemish replied, eyes bright with excitement.

The look Marasa gave him said all men were children with a new toy when they got excited. But she also could not deny the burning curiosity building in her. Haemish had never come to her like this with something new, so it was safe to say it had piqued her interest.

With a sigh, she said, "very well, Haemish, I have finished here anyway." Marasa said, then turned to the man getting up in front of her, "and you need to take care of that knee. I don't want to see you here with the same injury again. It is the third time this week!" The man winced but nodded as he left.

"You treat the same people even if they come back with the same injury?" Haemish said in wonder. He would have sent the man on his way. Each time one conducted healing, it was a strain on the person doing the healing and the victim. Eventually, attempt to heal enough people, and you would find yourself in dire circumstances yourself. Haemish was again in awe of the woman. If she was the primary healer of the capital, then she must attend to hundreds of patients a day. Seeing how clear the clinic was now, it seemed perhaps the city was devoid of serious injury.

"I am a Healer by trade, you know. I do not have to suffer from the strain you would normally deal with, though the Mana expenditure can be a little taxing if I have to refill it with potions too often. Otherwise, it's hardly worth worrying about." Marasa affirmed. A few strands of hair escaped her bun as she stood and went over to the washbasin nearby to clean up.

"Oh, I did not know that was a perk of your profession. That is interesting. Would you let me study-" Haemish cut off abruptly as Marasa turned and raised an eyebrow. Then she laughed, a light musical chime.

"Ever the scholar Haemish, come, what would you like to show me." The laugh caught Haemish off guard. She had always been so strict and poised and composed, apart from that singular moment of weakness he had witnessed. She was the model of a court healer.

Haemish smiled in reply and shrugged. What else could he say? Sometimes he did put scholarly pursuits over the mundanities of life, and he couldn't help himself. He would not apologise for what he thought was a character trait, not a flaw. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, no, not at all. I quite admire that about you, Haemish. You can look past what most people see and look at the world through very different eyes." Marasa said at his side as they began the steady walk back to the lab.

"Thank you, and I appreciate the compliment," Haemish said before turning right at an intersection, and Marasa followed. "You will find this discovery of ours quite unusual, I believe."

"So tell me more about it. I can't help but be curious at something that you are quite obviously so excited about."

"Trust me; the seeing will be worth an hour of explanation from me."