Chapter Five Yocasta the Healer
Magnus hurried through the dark streets away from the docks, heading into a maze of narrow cobbled streets leading further into the city, followed closely by Callixtus, whose feet slithered on the damp and sharp cobblestones. Within a few minutes they arrived at a doorway set into a stone built terrace along a narrow alley. Magnus hammered the door with his staff, and it opened to reveal a homely looking middle aged woman swathed in a dark robe. Her eyes opened wide with astonishment as she beheld the trio, but she quickly beckoned them inside and bolted the door.
"Thank you Yocasta, I apologise for calling on you for assistance unannounced, and at such a late hour."
"You know I am always at the service of a fellow healer, Magnus. Come in by the fire, and let me see what you have brought."
In the interior of Yocasta's small and sparsely furnished inner room she took the injured boy from Magnus and laid him on a sheepskin rug before the fire.
"What happened?"
"Raped by a crowd of Imperial marines in an Inn by the docks. I struck the perpetrators temporarily blind and cataleptic in order to rescue him and make our escape. As you see from his collar, he is an Imperial slave, so no doubt he is a prize taken by the marines in their recent victory over the pirates."
Yocasta called out "Maeander!", and a thin and gawky girl appeared, clothed in a similar gown to her mistress. Now that they were inside, where there was more light, Callixtus noticed that their robes were of a rich dark green, and not black as he had originally supposed.
Yocasta rattled instructions and the girl left to fetch a bowl of warm water and a towel. Meanwhile, she muttered a healing incantation, and gently sponged the youth clean from the sweat and grime and sex of the brutal marines. She spoke gently to him, trying out a few words in a number of languages, till finally the boy he spoke to her in a thin, soft voice. She had a brief conversation with him in his own language, then hushed him quiet and wrapped him in the towel. She also moved her hand over his throat, muttered another incantation, and then pulled off the slave collar which suddenly came loose in her hand.
The girl approached and helped the boy to his feet. Yocasta's healing magic was working quickly, and he limped out of the room with the girl's arms around his trembling shoulders.
"He was no slave, Magnus" said Yocasta. "He is a Fennec - they are a small nation living on the northern shore of the Inner Sea, beyond the boundaries of the Empire. His people are fisherfolk; he was at sea when their fishing boat was taken in a raid by pirates from the Black Islands just over a week ago. When the pirates were destroyed by the Imperial Navy he was taken prisoner again. He should never have been enslaved by our people a second time."
"Don't call them our people" said Magnus bitterly.
Yocasta said, "Had he been a subject of the Empire, or even the slave of a subject, he would have been liberated or returned to his master. But as an alien, he has no rights here, and would technically have been considered part of the booty lawfully seized from the pirates and subject to distribution amongst the victors as part of the spoils of war. But even though the treatment he received was legal, it is still shameful."
"What will happen to him now?" said Magnus.
"We will keep him here as long as necessary, though he was not badly injured, all things considered. At least he would not have been badly used by the pirates: the Black Islanders would not risk damaging his sale value, and in any case they abhor sexual relations between persons of the same sex - one of the many ways in which their peculiar customs differ from those of more civilised peoples. Though in this case, for once I find some sympathy for the pirates. Once he has recovered, I will try and find a way of delivering him home to his people. Until then, he can stay here with me and assist us with household tasks. I will find some clothes for him, for I will not have him here as a slave. That would be unjust, and besides Magnus, as you know I disapprove of slavery." Here she shot Magnus a hard look, and he had the grace to look awkward.
Yocasta continued, " It will be good for Maeander to have some relief from menial duties while she concentrates on learning more of the healing art." Then, seeing that Magnus still looked somewhat embarrassed, she spoke in a softer tone: "You did well to save him, Magnus. I know you are inclined to be selfish and somewhat frivolous, but I believe your heart to be in the right place. Thank you."
Magnus said, "You are the one to whom we owe our thanks, Yocasta. Perhaps you will permit me and my...ah...companion to stay with you for a few hours. We will leave before dawn, as I have secured passage on a Cheskan ship which leaves on the morning tide. We should be safe enough at that hour, although I will take the precaution of disguising ourselves in the hopes of avoiding detection. I am sure the city guard will be searching for us after tonight's adventure."
Yocasta's house was small and only had two bedrooms. The healer occupied the main room while her girl assistant and the rescued Fennec youth had the other. Magnus and Callixtus both lay down to sleep on the rug by the fire in the sitting room. Tired and dispirited from the night's events, Callixtus fell asleep almost instantly.
Callixtus felt that he had only been asleep for moments when he felt himself shaken awake. He was startled and disoriented to see a clean shaven face staring intently at him. It took him a while to comprehend that this was in fact Magnus, his beard gone, and his hair changed in colour from grey to dark brown. Only the mage's penetrating grey eyes remained the same. The mage's appearance was considerably altered - at least twenty years seemed to be taken from him. "Don't be alarmed, Callixtus. It is still I. I have the power to shape change, though most of what you see is the result of natural practice in the arts of disguise, rather than magical power. But come, we must be on our way, for soon the sun will rise, and we must make our way to the harbour."
Magnus gave Callixtus a pair of sandals which were rather too small and pinched his feet - the boy had never worn footwear of any kind before. He also wrapped him in a voluminous dark green hooded cloak belonging to Yocasta. Underneath it Callixtus was still naked, but anyone who saw them would not realise this. The mage was dressed as before, but his sea green cloak seemed to take on the hues of the early morning light and blend and absorb them in a curious way.
Raising his hood, Magnus beckoned Callixtus to follow, and they left the healer's house. Outside, the sky above the narrow cobbled streets was just beginning to take on the tinge of a grey, cool dawn. It was dry, but the cobbles were still wet with last night's rain. A light mist rose around them as they threaded their way silently, through deserted streets, down towards the harbour.