Valley of Aram

TRIGGER WARNING: Threats of violence; pretty sedate otherwise

Even in a city as large as Aram there could be found quiet places. The library wasn't hushed, but was calm, leisurely, somewhat stuffy with the amount of people who went about their business. One studious subject was being greedy about it, already carrying nearly more than he could hold.

A long red braid draped over his shoulder. He was wearing his usual hood down, now, trying to get himself used to the sun- and also in an attempt to show off what he believed to be an adequate attempt at makeup. He walked carefully, balancing the stack of papers.

She'd been a regular sight for years in the library and around the city, and so the stares she received, walking down an aisle, hand firmly on the harness on a carefully-stepping bear, were few and far in between. At first, this had caused quite a ruckus, but these days, it was only foreigners who ever said anything...and this was often to the amusement of those around.

The tiny woman herself, velvet furred and with dark red hair, was finely dressed in a manner incredibly out of place, and very possibly familiar to the man who walked straight into the small silvery bear at her side. And of course she was startled, for she could hardly see what'd happened, her spectacles hanging from her neck by a golden braided necklace.

Clutching scrolls to her chest, she let out a string of curses, likely expecting to not be understood by the locals: "You useless, worthless, clumsy imbecile! Watch where you go, or I will have Nosewise eat you!"

The bear was immediately attempting to sniff at the man's face.

Andrei gasped loudly, dropping his books with a loud 'thud' and backed away from the bear that he'd thought was a large dog moments before. He answered back automatically in the same language. "What kind of mad idiot drags a wild animal into a place of learning? Get it away from me or both of you will burn like paper."

He brandished his staff at the seemingly docile bear, and almost felt foolish for allowing himself to be intimidated by the pair. He quickly scooped up the books and held onto them almost reverently, as if he'd almost apologize to them for dropping them.

There were snickers coming from around them. Patrons had stopped to watch, many making quick exchanges to their neighbours about the silly man. Masha, herself, couldn't quite tell what the man had threatened her with - the animal watched him warily, now, but returned to its attempts at sniffing him once he'd ceased his threatening pose.

"Fool." But still, her expression had changed. Perhaps a bit guarded, but certainly surprised. She was squinting, pulling up the rather goofy spectacles over her snout. She was quietly staring for more than a moment; their audience slowly filtered away. "You understand me."

Andrei gave a baleful glare to anyone around to watch. For most of them, it seemed to be enough to convince them to move on. He turned to face the stranger with dawning realization. "Yes. I did, and you understand me."

His expression softened. Her speech and dress were familiar. "You've come a long way, haven't you?"

"And why are you here?" For a moment, she sounded almost suspicious.

The bear lost interest in him. Soon enough, it'd sat down, its great head soon pressing its nose into the tiny rodent woman's head hair. Masha, for her own part, leaned rather heavily on the beast.

"I am here... to help." He said plainly. "I am a physician, a scholar, a mage... there were more opportunities here to learn things nobody back home knew." He tucked his reading material under his arm.

"With time and patience and hard work, I hope to accomplish incredible things." He watched the bear warily. "What are you... and that, doing here?" He asked with the same amount of suspicion.

There was a visible twitch of her nose at the mention of being a mage. Perhaps her lip even curled. But it was hard to read such a face as hers.

"I am but a scribe. I am here at my husband's bidding. Nosewise is here as my guide." It was all stated very matter-of-factly, as if it was all obvious and normal. It was also incredibly simple, almost vague. "I've no choice but to follow where he leads, hm?"

The bear leaned in to Masha, as if sensing she needed more support.

"I would think someone who walks a bear like a dog would be able to go wherever she pleased." He smirked. "A scribe, you say? Are you employed by the library, then? Or do you come here for a bit of pleasure reading?"

He set the heavy stack of tomes aside with a sigh.

"She affords me certain freedoms, yes."

As unreadable as her face was, she hard a hard time reading his, with the space between them. "I work on commission, usually to the colleges, yes. There is much to be translated."

Nosewise seemed well behaved, yes, but there wasn't much time that the animal stayed still. She seemed to always be sniffing one thing or another, now paying attention to a shelf beside the pair. But soon jerked back to attention as the tiny woman finally gave in, hoisting herself from leaning into the beast to walk over nearer the man, climbing - with some assistance, into a seat, setting scrolls down upon the table.

"You must be very well read, by now, then." He bent down nearer to her, now seemingly offering her more respect than before. "What sorts of things do you translate the most? Do you know much of the rifts? Or the gods?"

He set one of his larger books on the table. Its dusty cover was embellished with the sigil of a vulture.

"I have always been, yes." A subtle correction. The bear had moved, taken a place under the table. How did it manage even to fit there? Practice. Nosewise lay there, head on the ground, quietly sniffing as people walked by.

"I've translated some research regarding rifts, yes, but not much - it is a local problem, there is no need for my work." Flat blue eyes briefly glanced at the book, but came back to his face. While she was a bit annoyed at him leaning down, as it was insulting - she didn't yet complain, taking the time to study what she could of his face.

"It is mostly incoming works from the west that I translate. There is much exchange between the colleges here and there. What is your name?"

"Andrei" He said with a subtle bow. "I do hope I am not being too forward by asking, but you did say you worked on commission, yes?" He raised an eyebrow.

"The Aramian language comes difficult to me. If I am to trust that my notes are accurate, a translator could be of great service." He flushed a bit. Wasn't it just a few minutes ago he'd threatened to set this creature on fire?

"I am not expecting you to go at it merely because I asked. I am sure I could offer you something in return, if you felt up to the task."

Yes, he had threatened her. But the woman seemed to completely ignore that fact. Or was it that she chose not to think about it, especially in light of him revealing his magic habits?

"My services come at a price. I really do not care who buys them. What is it you offer?" An incredibly small hand came up, adjusted the glasses as she sat up straighter, apparently now at attention.

"I could not help but notice, so I do hope this isn't rude, but, it is clear from how heavily you rely on the uh... the bear here." He motioned to the calm animal. "-That you probably deal with your fair share of aches and pains. Perhaps the joints are stiff, perhaps the eyes are cloudy. Common enough ailments to be sure." He shrugged.

"Common, but fixable. Easily fixable. I propose a barter. My services for yours."

"If it is so easy fixed, I would hope the workload you offer me not heavy." The hamster's look had hardened, as if immediately lacking an interest. She elaborated: "And what have you to offer, your own brand of oils? I value my services greater than whatever new 'cure' is offered me."

Stout, she had power to her voice, even as she kept it quiet to respect the establishment. She was not one to be trifled with.

"Oils are fine but they are too temporary. I do not deal purely in painkillers, ma'am. I deal in cures. Anything else is just kitchen work." He grinned. "Perhaps you would like to try before you buy? Maybe a treatment to one knee, or one hand, for you to feel the difference for yourself. If you are sufficiently satisfied then you help me with these books." He patted the stack.

"And if you find me to be more talk than good use, I wander off to struggle with them myself." He held out a hand, as if to shake hers. "Or if gold is more your preference, I am sure I could work something out there, too. I am no prince, but I can manage."

There was the shortest grunt from her, her nose slightly wrinkled. It was a poor gesture. But that incredibly small hand allowed itself to sit in his, claws around his thumb as they shook.

Her manners were perhaps poor; she'd focused quickly, forgot to even give him her own name. "You will call me Mariya Pisetsova, not 'ma'am'. Your cure had better truly be worth it. My time is valuable, too valuable to waste needlessly."

"Very well, Mariya Pisetsova. I am ready to begin when you are. The only question remains, where does it hurt?"

He leaned casually against the table. To be sure, he had no problems working in public, but his patients didn't always have the same attitude. "Do you wish to wait for a more convenient place for the procedure, or shall we do it now and get it over with?"

"What is my business is no one else's." It was a bit curt. "I discuss with you here only because no one else could possibly understand." She barked a quick word at the bear, and it managed to crawl out from under the table while causing no fuss; her hand found the sling on the harness, and slid with some trouble from her seat.

She sighed, left the scrolls on the table; they belonged to the library, after all.

"Do you have a place of practice?"

"Technically, that would be the temple. If you wish to walk there with me we may go at once." He nodded. "I admit that I am a newcomer to the city, and my own place of study may be less than private. The temple though, will have rooms enough to choose from."

He got up, avoided the bear. "And of course, at the temple there is supervision from my superiors, if you distrust me."

"Of course I do."

And so the older woman followed him to the temple. The entire way, they were given room to walk on their own - a huge difference to Andrei's usual walks, surely. And it, of course, was no wonder. Outside of the colleges, the bear did get more looks, more curious questions. Masha ignored people in general - but, at least once, snapped a barking annoyance.

They had to stop a few times; she was easily fatigued in her age and ability, after all.

But they made it; and the bear was, yet again, allowed to simply walk in to the temple. It was clear that Masha was not unknown here, either.

Andrei ushered her into a room quietly. "Sit and make yourself comfortable. This will take a moment or two of prep." He pulled out a mortar and pestle from a nearby cupboard, but chose ingredients for his concoction out of his own bag. Whatever he was making didn't involve the temple's official instructions.

He tossed a few small things together and began to grind, and then, to add some 'oils'. He grinned a bit. "So, Mariya Pisetsova, please tell me what we should test this on? The left knee? The right hand? Perhaps the back? I am not picky."

Where did she sit? Upon the bear, of course. After such a long walk, the woman had hardly the energy to climb onto a too-high bench once more. She slowly stroked the coarse fur of the animal, squinted after Andrei with suspicion.

"It is my writing hand that pains me the most."

"Very well." He took the oily substance- and quickly drank it himself. He licked his lips and spat a little. It seemed less than pleasant. He took his staff and held the tip out to her. "Place your hand here."

His hair began to stand on end. "You may feel a pins and needles sensation, for a little while, fair warning. But this should not hurt."

Had this been a decade earlier....

Her eyes were wide - the bear suddenly more alert. But the tiny paw of a hand was held out, quivering - to the point of almost jerking violently. And then her eyes closed tight, and she cringed away, barely managing to keep the hand in place.

Nosewise's eyes were intent on Andrei, her expression confused but concerned.

There wouldn't be any pain. But there was, as the "physician" had said, the tingling sensation. Her own hair would stand on end as well as the circuit completed itself. Purple electricity arced and spat across the wooden staff, but its owner held firm. He began to shake, and finally pulled away.

He stood up very quickly and grabbed a nearby cup, spitting the spent regents into it. He wiped his mouth and made a face. "Better? I told you it wouldn't hurt."

There was a low growl - but a short, though high pitched, order from Masha cut it off quickly. It was very clear, though, exactly how uncomfortable the scribe was.

Even when it'd stopped, she still shook, and opened her eyes finally with a wince, continuing to eye him with the same suspicion as before. But she flexed her hand, squirming uncomfortably with that pins-and-needles feeling he'd described.

Finally: "...And how long before it wears off?"

"It varies, from person to person. Usually not more than an hour." He found water and drank it greedily. "I really must find a more pleasant way to do that." He mumbled.

"Water?" He offered her the pitcher.

"I mean the relief." She shook her head at the offered water. In fact, with her great fear, she was surprised she'd not needed a change of clothing, and wasn't willing to test that. "Am I going to be coming to you for the rest of my life?" Short as that was.

"Oh, that?" He smirked. "The pain in your hands came from the years of work you put it through, yes? How many years was it before you felt that pain?" He stood up, looking very proud of himself. "I would say a little less than that long, then. I told you I work in cures and not painkillers."

He brushed his hair over his shoulder. "Of course, everyone is different. If some ailment is what caused the pain and not age- or if you injured it, but that is neither here nor there. The point is that I am not satisfied with merely being a physician. And that is why I need your help."

She nodded, quietly watched him. It was only after a moment that she finally got up from the bear (with some help from said beast), blinking to clear some dizziness caused by her fatigue.

"Answer me: I would like to see my children fall in love. But...I've only a few years left. I only want another decade." It was a very abrupt thing, willful, of its own origin. Perhaps silly and immature. She appeared to regret having even said that within moments of it leaving her lips.

Raced on: "..I will translate your texts. Tell me what you wish clarified, I do not have the time to do more than sections."

"A decade I think I can do. Granted, there are limitations, and because there are so many different bodies the results can be hard to predict." He looked a tad regretful, himself. "But, if these texts prove to be as useful as I think, you will have your decade. Perhaps more."

He sounded hopeful. "But lets not get too ahead of ourselves. I will take notes, and I will bring you what I need fixed. In return, you have the gift of healing. I hope this is a fair trade."

"...It is." Her voice was quiet; she was thoughtful. Looking again at the man, she finally reached into a pouch on the bear's harness, removed a scrap piece of parchment; checked over the few scribbled notes on it to make sure nothing was of import. Finally, with a piece of charcoal, scratched down a few things, and handed him the scrap.

"If you do not find me as I work, or if I am too busy, you may visit me here in the mornings. Beware, Nosewise is the kindest creature there."

"Thank you. I think it is very fortunate that we have crossed paths, Mariya Pisetsova. I will be returning to the library in three days time, I think then I will have enough to get started with. Until then, you may put my work to the test, and see if your hand does not tire so easily." He nodded.

"I do look forward to working with you. It has been very nice to speak to someone who does not consider me an idiot because of my accent."

Masha nodded. "I have work to return to. Thank you." And just as curt as almost everything else she seemed to do, she left, leaning much more heavily on the bear then before - but using her right hand to hold on.