Doctor Abbott

Untitled Part 35

The clinic proved to be quite successful from the opening. Humans came by for long overdue checkups for themselves and their kids and warriors came in looking for relief from old wounds. He treated any number of ailments from the common cold to a foot that needed to be rebroken and set again.

He found people paid well for his services. Everything from deer meat to clothing. He didn't turn away anyone regardless of what they had to pay with but did find himself turning down certain forms of payment just to keep his house livable.

At night he would cuddle up with Lúta and they would read a book together before making love.

One night he was called to the palace late in the evening. He arrived in his night clothes to find Genevieve leaning over the table in the great hall brushing the hair back on a man who was laid across it.

"What do we have here?" Ben asked as he started checking for vital signs.

"He is a human. The guards found him on the beach as they were coming back from a trade run. Will he live?" She continued stroking the man's hair as if to soothe him. But the guy was out cold.

"You mean he is not from here?" Ben had asked the question but immediately knew the answer based on the man's clothes and clean cut hair. "Was there a boat or just him?"

"The guards said there was a vessel stranded on the rocks out in the water. But when they returned to check on it, it was gone already. The sea claimed it."

Ben pulled the pillow out from under the man's head and rolled a rag up to stick under his neck allowing the head to roll back and his mouth to drop open. With his airway cleared he took out his pocket knife and cut open the man's shirt to see several wounds and his skin was a pale blue, nearly dead-looking despite the fact that he was still alive and breathing.

"I'll need some blankets, he's hypothermic. I'll need to get him warmed up as quickly as possible." The doctor set about to cutting the rest of the man's clothing off.

Genevieve took off to the hallway and ordered the guards to bring her blankets and skins. She returned to the table pulling her shawl around her tighter as she watched Ben work on the wounds sewing up what needed to be closed. The man was so cold that very little blood flowed from the wounds as he worked. He honestly wasn't even sure the man would survive the night.

He worked feverishly to get the gashes closed up nonetheless; and the queen covered the man's legs and torso as Ben finished with each injury. Genevieve nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard Mâvis enter the room.

"What is going on here?" The rumble in his voice got Ben's attention right away.

"I'm sorry, sir, I thought it was you who summoned me here."

Mâvis locked eyes with his wife, "Why is there a human on the table, woman?"

She backed up and stood defiantly glaring up at him, "He was found on the beach. I sent for Abbott."

"So are we to take in every stray animal the seas toss on our shores?" Mâvis pointed at the creature laying there. "I will not have this island over run with these things. We have more than enough as it is." He was furious with her but he snapped at Ben next. "I do not care who summons you here human you are to check with me from now on before you do anything. I will see to it that this does not happen again."

"As you wish, sir." Ben cleaned up his tools and gestured to the guard. "Can you bring him to my cottage?"

Mâvis was on his way out of the room when he stopped short, "For what?"

"I was going to let him recover there."

"You will do no such thing, this is Genie's mess. She will take full responsiblity for it." He proceeded to leave the room tossing back over his shoulder, "The next one you bring home, woman, you will find with his throat cut in the courtyard."