They passed through the cobbled courtyard slowly enough, hobbled as she was by her injury. True, she did rather emphasis it. If she was likely to need to escape it would be advisable to seem less capable than she was...and besides, making sure these young men felt somewhat guilty for marching her around might be to her advantage.
If they did feel guilty for relocating her though, they gave no sign of it. The large building she entered was evidently well guarded. Soldiers could just be seen on the ramparts above, keeping a careful watch on all who passed. They were allowed to pass by the guards manning the doors, and waved in through a small postern in the eastern wall.
She was marched through a maze of corridors, or so it seemed to her. Soldiers were patrolling regularly, though from the sounds coming from a nearby room there were several enjoying themselves in the mess hall. Up a flight of stairs – now that took time – and another. A length of carpet down the corridor denoted the status of these rooms, even if the height of the ceiling or the stern guards hadn’t been a clue. Eventually she was brought before a specific wooden door. A salute, an exchange. The new guards escorted her in.
The man she was brought in front of seemed harassed, but nodded to her politely enough after a mere moment’s scrutiny.
“Ah, Miss...Bartlett, was it? Please, take a seat.”
So far so good. This wasn’t going to be the old-fashioned military interrogation...at least, not yet anyway.
“Now, what am I to do with you?” he said with a sigh. “Let’s start with the simple questions. Where are you from, Miss Bartlett? And please don’t presume to insult my intelligence by mentioning the village. It’s quite clear that you are certainly not from these parts.”
She hesitated. “I...can’t tell you.”
“That’s a pity. You do understand, Miss Bartlett, that this is a city in the midst of a civil war? An unidentified agent from an unidentified region... it would hardly be unreasonable to suspect a foreign spy. Or indeed, a rebel spy.”
“With this leg?” Rhiannon raised an eyebrow. “I have no – ”
“An injury gained during nefarious activities, perhaps,” he said, interrupting her. “Why don’t you tell me what you are doing here? And by here I mean in the environs of the city.”
She had to admit, it looked bad. She also hated being interrupted full flow. “As I was about to say – I have no interest in your city’s politics, save for the people that may end up being killed because of it. Those I will treat. I swore an oath – ” – her Physician’s Oath – “ – to respect human life. To save it, not to destroy it. Why your idiot leaders don’t just mud wrestle for the issue to be resolved, I don’t know.”
The man frowned at her, though a quirk at the edge of his mouth indicated just a faint hint of amusement. “As to why I can’t tell you why I’m here,” she went on, “The answer is simply – I arrived by accident. I’m hazarding a guess that your superiors – the ones who wanted me brought in – might well know more than I do. As for why I was near the city... I was injured during my arrival.”
“Magic then,” he said with a sigh. “You see, Miss Bartlett, you pose a problem. I have been advised – discreetly – to watch for... anomalies. Especially anomalies that seem out of place. As far as I am aware, you have committed no crime. You have assisted my soldiers and I find it hard to believe you are a spy. Certainly you lack either the subtlety or the diplomatic skills of one. Nevertheless.”
He tapped his fingers on a ledger for a few moments. “I feel it would be advisable for me to keep you under surveillance. If for no other reason than that if my superiors ask why I let you go, I need an answer to give them. So. I would like to keep you in the infirmary, but it appears that Master Ezar strenuously questions your methods... where did you train, by the way?”
Rhiannon sighed. “UCL,” she said, though she regretted the flippant comment moments later.
The tapping stopped. “Indeed. Well. I will permit you to remain in the infirmary tonight. Tomorrow you will be assigned as medic to the Twenty-first Foot. There is to be a festival, as I’ve no doubt you’re aware, and they will be patrolling the streets to provide...extra security. You will be there to treat any injuries that may arise, and so that your conduct can be examined. Incidentally, I will also be arranging for some members of the Mage’s Fellowship to speak with you. Perhaps they can learn more about this ...accident.”
“I can however confirm that you will be renumerated for your services and allocated lodgings. In the circumstances... I feel that this is more than fair, don’t you?” He sat back, waiting.
“I ...suppose so. Yes,” she said, reluctantly. She was rather less than happy about it, to be honest. Serving as a medic for the Union was hardly ideal. It indicated partisanship for one, and she had a distinct feeling that there would be rather more danger involved than she liked. Not to mention that she had no official ground to fall back on. Still, given that she had no citizenship or rights here at all, he could have opted to put her under lock and key. It was even possible that her strange contact – that fellow Londoner – would be able to locate her again.
“Excellent. In that case, I suggest you go with Private Ryckel here, and quarters will be found for you. Do speak with me again if you feel a sudden return of memory, won’t you?”
*
The quarters were simple but clean. Rhiannon permitted herself just a few moments to enjoy the rest before getting back up again. There were still people dying in the infirmary, and the longer she was gone the more likely it was that someone would try to cup and bleed them...