We Are The Cure : The Plague Doctor's Tale.

Chapter 17

When Rosalynn opened her eyes, she was lying on the ground. She felt a terrible pain in her rib cage which is why the first thing she has done was to curl in pain into a ball. The two shadows which were bending over her moved nervously. By the sound of their voices, Rosalynn could tell they belonged to Malie and Jyne. She couldn't see their faces well as the sun already went down. 

"Is she dead?" Asked Malie scared.

"I don't think so. She is still moving." Answered Jyne shaking Rosalynn's arm carefully. "Hey, girl. Wake up. A fine lady like you shouldn't be lying in dirt like that." But Rosalynn still needed few moments for the pain to go away. 

"See what have you done?" Malie spoke to the third shadow which suddenly appeared. 

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to squeeze her like that!" This voice definitely belonged to drunk Arran as he was pronouncing the words much longer than before. 

"Look. You're twice her weight and height. I have no idea what were you thinking, man. Poor girl." All three people were looking at her as she was lying there. None of them knew what to do nor how to help Rosalynn. 

"Maybe we should call a doctor?" When Rosalynn heard Malie asking this question, she tried to get up but the pain was still too great for her to move.

"No doctors, please." Rosalynn squeaked half sitting, half lying. 

"Oh, so she IS alive!" A smile appeared on Malie's face. 

"Girl, you are no good. You better lay here and I will get-" 

"No doctors!" Rosalynn repeated herself but more serious. She sucked it up and get up despite the pain. The only thing she didn't predict was her physical state. Right in the moment she stood up, she stumbled and was about to fall when Arran caught her. Seeing Rosalynn again in Arran's arms, Malie and Jyne squeaked in fear again.

"Worry not. I got her." He hiccuped and the girls shook their heads in disbelief and disgust. 

"Thank you so much." Rosalynn tried to smile but it was rather a twist than a smile. She tried to ignore the fact that he was drunk.

"Don't thank him." Jyne crossed her arms. "It was Arran who caused you to faint." Malie nodded and Arran frowned irritated. 

"I've already apologized! It wasn't my intention to cause you any harm, Rosalynn." When he was looking at her, she noticed that he truly meant what he said.

"I know, don't worry. And as I said, I'm perfectly fine!" She tried to stand up by herself and she managed to do so. 

When girls were sure that Rosalynn shows no signs of harm, the four came back inside the pub and joined Giovanni and Doctor who were conversing passionately. As they were getting closer to the boys, Rosalynn heard that they were talking about plague. When the two noticed them, they immediately changed the topic.

"What took you so long?" Asked Doctor with his serious voice.

"We were just talking!" Answered Jyne quickly. She glanced at Rosalynn and Rosalynn knew what she meant. 

"That's true, it was a nice talk." Rosalynn tried to smile but Doctor didn't seem to believe her. However, he didn't say anything, just nodded and then the whole group got back to their previous conversation about Baltane festival. 

...

When Rosalynn started yawning, Doctor asked her whether she wants to leave. She nodded so they thanked their companions for the meeting and promised to meet again at the festival. Jyne and Malie were looking carefully at Rosalynn. Their gaze meant more less "Please, don't rat us out." 

As they were coming back home, Rosalynn tried to walk as straight and freely as she could. The pain in her rib cage was unbearable. From time to time she was looking at Doctor who must have been thinking about something important due to the silence between them. 

Rosalynn fell on the bed as fast as they entered their room. It was the moment Doctor finally spoke to her after his intense thinking.

"Are you that tired?" He took off his hat and put it on the bed side table. "At least change your clothes." 

"Can I do it when I wake up?" She didn't even bother to open her eyes which is why she didn't notice when he approached her. 

"Does it hurt here?" Doctor touched her right rib carefully and Rosalynn groaned in pain. "And what about here?" He examined her left side in the same way and the result was identical. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?

"There was no need..." Rosalynn answered after a short moment of silence. When she opened her eyes, she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed looking directly at her. 

"Of course there WAS a need. If you have told me sooner, then you wouldn't be in such pain now." Doctor got annoyed and stood up slowly. He approached his bag and picked a small jar with some kind of slime.

"What is it?" She couldn't recognise that jar. 

"It's mushed calendula, arnica, and chestnut bark. It helps to ease injuries." When he opened the jar, Rosalynn could smell these tree ingredients. 

"I have never done such ointment before. You need to teach me how to prepare it-" Seeing him standing in front of her made Rosalynn silence. 

 "May I?" Doctor asked a bit timidly, which wasn't typical of him. She nodded reluctantly and he lifted her blouse hesitantly. There was a perfect silence between these two except for their  quiet breaths and pounding hearts. 

Doctor did what was in his power to not cause any more pain to Rosalynn and did what he had to as swiftly as he could. After that he left the room without looking in her direction. He went downstairs and outside the inn.

It was the first time he was that close with anyone in his entire life. Of course, he was treating the sick and putting an ointment on their bodies, but this time with Rosalynn felt whole way different and he couldn't understand what was the reason behind that strange feeling. She was the same flesh and blood as the sick. Her skin was no different than other people's skin. So why touching her skin felt... so strange and unusual? He kept thinking about that for a while and when he came back to their room, he found out she fell asleep. And yes, she still didn't change her clothes. He sighed and covered her with a blanket and he himself sat on the chair by the window and would have fell asleep if it wasn't for his intense thoughts. 

He was still thinking about Giovanni. This young man was so clever and knowledgeable. During their talk, Giovanni told him that he had wanted to contact Doctor but didn't know how. As he later mentioned, he wanted to become his apprentice and to study plague under Doctor's supervision. However, Doctor must have disappointed him as he already had an apprentice, Rosalynn, and he couldn't handle two people under his supervision. Giovanni suggested that Doctor should consider his offer and answer him during Baltane festival. Ever since, Doctor was thinking intensively about that conversation and trying to collect as much arguments for and against that idea as he could. 

And now, that strange case of Rosalynn and the weird pain in her chest. He knew that something in her posture and the way of her walk was different but couldn't guess the reason behind that. All he knew was that it must have came from her chest, ribs to be more precise. Did somebody hurt her or did she fall or hit something? He promised himself that he will ask her that tomorrow. 

He didn't even notice when he fell asleep as well.