Doctor, DoctorIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | Doctor, Doctor (Branched from Government from Flora's Chambers)
"Doctor," Morgan said quietly. "From everything I've ever heard, you're a man of honour, and not really interested in politics all that much. But I'm sure a moment's reflection will let you see how dangerous Mandor's position is right now. He's helpless, and a helpless bishop is nothing but a pawn. If the lords of your House think that selling him to his enemies will buy them some additional safety in these times of 'real trouble,' then don't you think they're going to do it? Reluctantly, perhaps, but real politik has to trump ethical considerations for an outsider in times of war." He smiled. "At least, I'm willing to bet that's the way they'll see it." The doctor looked even more unhappy. "Snap decisions," he muttered, half his attention on the other, inaudible conversation. "I don't even know what came over me." Then he looked at Morgan. "Why do you assume his enemies will benefit? Surely he has some friends, or at least relatives. Or do you know something in particular about how the war started? All I know is that that Ishtar and Sawall have started fighting." "All I know are the vaguest of rumors,"Morgan answered. "I'm sure you have better sources of information about Chaos than I do. But I know my Aunt Fiona was badly injured, I know something happened in Chaos that upset Solitaire a great deal, and I know that the king's brother Jurt has just vanished during Duke Helgram's attempt to destroy the city in the sky. So while I don't know for a fact that Mandor's in danger while lying helpless in Chaos, you can see why we're concerned. If we're wrong, no harm done, we're bringing him back here where the Princess Flora can see to his care, and she knows a lot more about this sort of thing than any of your Chaosian doctors. But if we leave them in your house's care, and there really is a danger, then he's not coming out of it alive. And the king doesn't have any brothers to spare right now." Delluth listened closely, his dark eyes intent, and his anxiety mostly subsiding, though Morgan's remark about Solitaire provoked a brief spark of new concern. "I promise you," he said, beginning slowly, "I do not believe Lord Mandor is in any danger from my House. He needed expert medical care and that's what I expected him to get. And still expect. I don't, I'm afraid, think of Amber as a good place to get that sort of care." His expression lightened, though he was still too worried to smile. "Apparently you people keep useful Shadows in your back pockets or something - that's not something I'm used to, you know. And my professional pride balks at the notion that any place, however advanced, could do as well at medicine as any of several Houses I could name. "But ... I also have to admit that I haven't seen a case exactly like this one before, and I don't know if anyone else has, either. That's one of the things that worries me. Perhaps I should consult with the Princess before I go back ..." Morgan nodded. "Yes, that's an excellent idea. Your first-hand observations on the Prime Minister's condition should help my aunt determine how serious his condition is, and she should be able to give you an idea of whether your facilities can treat him effectively or not. We need to determine that before we move on the question of whether to move him or leave him where he is. And Aunt Flora knows more about politics than I'll ever be able to imagine. She can let us know whether our concerns about Mandor's safety in your house's care are warranted or not." He smiled at the doctor. "Can we meet there in the middle, Doctor? We'll have you give the Princess full information and your professional opinion right away, and then we can discuss what's best for the patient?" "If you want to put it that way," Delluth said uncertainly. "I'm just trying to find my way through this ... series of small disasters. A big disaster," he hurried to add, "being something like the Duke succeeding in what he obviously intends. "Speaking of which, how was he foiled this evening? I missed everything except the barrier and the uncomfortable fact that someone on the Queen was flinging Pattern around like he'd just invented it." Morgan's smile changed to a wide grin, "Careful, Doc," he warned. "You just came out and openly spoke against the Duke's plans. Since he's certainly here with the Emperor's blessing, that treads dangerously close to treason. Now, while I'm delighted to see that you care for our beloved Amber so much, are you really certain you're willing to throw in with us against your homeland?" The doctor stiffened. "I think you mistake me," he said. "To the best of my knowledge, the Duke has not received permission to destroy anything, so I'm still free to object to that notion." He frowned slightly, reviewing that statement, then added, "Or maybe I should learn to keep my radical opinions to myself." Morgan's grin didn't fade a bit at the doctor's rigid demeanor. "Don't get your stethoscope up your arse, Doc," he said. "I'm not accusing you of anything. Just pointing out what I meant earlier about you being just a tad naive, politically. And that's why I worry about Mandor, I'm willing to bet your house boss doesn't share your radical opinions. Hmm?" Delluth's gaze flickered toward Merlin, then back to Morgan. "Probably not," he conceded. "And that's why we're worried about it," Morgan repeated. He winked at the doctor, then took his arm and linked it through his. "Let's go play nice with the king now, shall we?" Delluth resisted a little, but only out of surprise. Back to being just worried, he asked quietly, "Is his position really that precarious?" Equally quietly, Morgan answered as they walked towards Merlin, "Amber was supposed to have been destroyed, Doctor. Mandor took it upon himself to conquer it instead, in his brother's name." He gave a careless wave with the arm that wasn't linked with Delluth's arm. "What larks, eh?" And as Vikund and Islain vanished in a rainbow shimmer Morgan and Delluth, still arm in arm, stood waiting for the king's attention. (Merlin comes in from Government from Flora's Chambers)
Merlin turned and looked at them. A slightly raised eyebrow for Morgan - and then the King's attention was on Delluth. "Doctor," he said politely - and waited. Delluth attempted, also politely, to detach himself from Morgan. "I'm going to have to go back home to sort this out, your majesty," he said simply. "It just can't be done by Trump. There's a lot of confusion there, and I've gathered this is an increasingly bad time to be making such contacts at all." Morgan seemed not to notice the doctor's efforts to remove his arm, and kept it firmly linked with his. Delluth gave up immediately. He paused briefly, then continued, "But first, Lord Morgan has suggested that Princess Florimel might be able to offer useful advice about your brother's condition. And may even have a better idea of how he should be treated." The last idea clearly did not altogether please him, but neither did he seem to resent it. "Yep," Morgan said. "We agreed he should consult Auntie Flo before we do anything. Could be dangerous to move the patient. Could be dangerous to leave him where the local docs don't know much about his condition. But two brilliant people like Doc here and our aunt, they should be able to consult and decide what's best for the patient. And that's what's important, right?" He smiled lazily. "Oh, and Doc, we still need to get you your hound back, unless you snuck in here earlier when no one was looking. Zhenechka, isn't that his name? Gorgeous animal. He'll be missing you." "Yes, and we wouldn't want him to get bored," Delluth said absently, looking at Morgan as if he'd never seen anything quite like him. Then he faced Merlin again. "If Lord Mandor would most benefit from being here - or in some Shadow the princess knows about - then I would have to insist that he be transferred back." Merlin nodded. "We need also to consider not just whether treatment here will benefit him - but also his protection. I grew up in Chaos, Delluth - do you know how many times someone tried to assasinate me before I was twenty-five? Not counting the two when I was still in the womb, of course. "There were thirty-five. More of them when I was a boy. Vulnerable. Of course, I expect you had your own experiences. Most Chaosians do, don't they? Four or five attempts is the average, I believe. But ... thirty-five. And that was before I was old enough to make any real enemies. "Mandor, of course, has had more than enough time. If word of his presence - and his condition - were to leak out ... well, the queue from House Hendrake alone would doubtless stretch out longer than the Serpent itself. "The treatment he's receiving in Chaos is going to have to be pretty bloody special to outweigh the risks. "Let's get someone to find Flora." Delluth couldn't argue with any of this, and didn't try; but 'thirty-five' seemed to startle him, and recollecting certain incidents from his own youth put a measure of sympathy into his steady gaze. Morgan dropped Delluth's arm and stepped past Merlin. Leaning out into the corridor he shouted, "Hey! You! Yea, you with the pretty uniform. Go find Princess Flora. Tell her the king has chocolate, and she should come as quick as her pretty arse can move. Be sure to get that right, it's a criminal offense to misquote a member of the royal family." He turned back to Merlin and Delluth. "Right, then," he said. "That's that taken care of." The doctor watched this with bemusement. "Now," said Merlin, watching the hurried departure of the page with a certain unease, "might be a really good moment to relocate to the throne room." "Yeah, good idea," Morgan agreed. "And bring along the soldier Ingrey sent. He can give his report again, about how Jurt and the general have vanished, Chaddie's playing paddycake with the soldiers, and the Duke has adopted Jurt's new girlfriend." Delluth looked (if the others were watching) surprised and concerned by much of this, but he seemed to have given up asking questions. (Continued in Meeting in the Throne Room)
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