backdated to mar 15
with ruenna having given him a welcome and
@Wylla bringing word of a possible alliance, mahler had shifted himself into a more diplomatic air. he departed the hollow and passed through the changing territories until the stone began to shade toward red.
at the borders, he called politely for an escort, and was met by the pale
@Kallik. mahler conveyed that his visit today was for the purpose of exchanging medical knowledge. he was summarily — and silently — escorted to a place called a
tablinum, which turned out to be a den bordered by crisp sand and a water source.
there he was left, though no doubt beneath the soldier's watch. mahler chuffed to announce his presence and waited patiently for the one called
@Aquene to take or refuse his offer of help.
with him he had brought a small bundle of raspberry leaf, blue cohosh, peppermint, and dandelion root. it was a small fraction of what mahler had once possessed, but he had faith that the hollow would provide.
Aquene was settling in with the weight of her new reality. Some might argue it was too soon to tell, but a mix of the realization of her own miscalculation and the weird stirring nausea that had settled in quite stubbornly had convinced her otherwise. She was pregnant. She had told Kallik as much, the Matrona, and Towhee. The nausea had been accompanied with the inability to keep food down which had resulted in a sap of her usual energy. Even now, she found herself in the tablinum sorely seeking a nap instead of once more sorting through and pulling brittle herbs to dispose of.
It was only a chuffed announcement at the door from a voice she did not know that caused her to push back onto her paws. Her head tilted to the side as she came across the man… large much like her husband but much older, scars on his pelt. Perhaps a new soldier? She did not know the comings and goings within Mereo as much as she would like anymore. “Greetings.” She offered simply with a respectful dip of her head before she caught sight of the bundle, a whiff telling her some of the contents inside. It piqued the curiosity in her gaze. It was not often she encountered someone knowledgeable enough to bring her such a gift. “Please, come inside.” She offered realizing she had made no move beyond saying hello to welcome the peculiar man in front of her.
the woman who moved to greet him was polite and young, with dark fur and shadowed chestnut eyes to match. "good afternoon. i am mahler. my vife and i have settled in the hollow south of your canyon."
most telling was the other's scent, which he caught as he moved past the woman to enter her den. or perhaps it was not her own. there were a series of pelts upon the floor and the heavy, familiar fragrance of many herbs.
only because he had applied himself to midwifery could he detect any chance in her own personal aura at all. it seemed that ruenna was not the only one who would bear children in this place called mereo.
"i have known your matrona a long vhile. it vas good to find her here, and happy." but he would not wax on.
"by trade i am a midvife, and i vould like to offer my education to you as a show of goodvill and alliance."
leadership may have no longer suited mahler, but diplomacy remained a part of him. he sat gingerly upon a blanket and waited for her to answer.
Mahler. His accent brought her some comfort, and was easy for her to understand. It brought resemblance to her homeland without being so strikingly similar as to spook her into instant distrust. He and his wife had settled south of the canyon, making their home there… and he was a friend of the Matrona. Truthfully, it was all she needed to know of him. If the Matrona trusted him, then she would place her trust in him as well until she gave him reason to otherwise believe he might cause her harm.
She offered a nod to his statement, listening with more intrigue as he stated he was a midwife. Her eyes widened in surprise. She had taken him for a soldier, perhaps a Pakhan… but a healer? A midwife? She had never seen a man take on such duties before. “I would eagerly seek to learn.” She answered, clearing her throat for her own introduction. “My name is Aquene. I am a medicus by trade… I’ve learned the basics of midwifery but my training was focused in the healing arts, healing wounds taken in fights and on the battlefield. I will always welcome any lessons to help expand my knowledge of my craft.” She knew some things, but she knew she had much to learn from the man as well.
mahler believed that medicus was the same as doktor. there was nothing to suggest that the titles were divided in any way, including by gender; he did not believe that ruenna would have tolerated living in such a world. aquene took warmly to his offer, which tugged the craggy edges of his face into something like a smile.
"so you are an herbalist and a field medic. i learned field medicine first and herbalism later. i only learned the former to patch myself after ill-won battles i had no business fighting."
he opened the bundle and began to lay out its contents in small, neat piles. "ve vill just get into it then, ja? very good." he pointed to the first. "red raspberry leaf. this begins contractions and can start them again if a mother has ceased her contractions. if this happens, vait three hours. get her to drink vater and perhaps valk around a bit. often the body vill begin them again, but if it does not, it is this herb that you should use."
he paused, not wishing to overload aquene during their first lesson.
The man seemed to understand, offering a nod. It was strange to hear of someone learning about first aid before the herbs which could assist, but then she supposed perhaps some of his scars were scars for such a lack of knowledge. “Yes, precisely.” She confirmed with him. “I learned herbology first. My mother drilled me on plants until there was not a single one that we utilized I could not identify on the spot.” She missed her mother much, and in moments like this it reflected briefly on her features before she schooled it away on the basis of professionality.
She nodded as she settled down across from him, eager to learn what he might have to share. Raspberry leaf. She had known it as a conception aid but did not realize it could also act during the birth to help move things along. “With the Matrona’s injury, should it be taken sooner? I worry of the weight on her back while she walks and the strain it could all place on her heart during an already laborious time. She was already handling her pain before becoming pregnant, but now it adds strain.” She posed, wondering if the same remedy should be used when chronic pain such as Ruenna’s was brought into the picture.
aquene posed a bright question and mahler considered it. the fact that she had been so roundly educated by her mother meant that these herbs would be committed to an organized memory, he felt. "you may use them early to begin contractions, though not outside a week of suspected delivery. starting the labour yourself may give you more control over it."
ruenna's injury concerned him; birth was as much an effort of the hips and the spine as it was all the muscle between. "you might have her stretch in her den instead of valk, or take different positions that elevate her pelvis since there is a concern for extra strain." the gargoyle motioned to the pile of grey powder. "i have used dandelion root, vith good effect upon the anxieties of vomen in childbirth, and i have used it in connection vith lavender, catnip, or chamomile for the pain itself."
"this is blue cohosh." he motioned to the next pile. "given at the beginning of pregnancy, it can end it. and given at the end of pregnancy, it can cause the heart to beat faster in an unborn child. for this reason, blue cohosh is only to be used if you have exhausted all other avenues of inducing labour."
he allowed aquene to look it over, prepared to speak again when she had answered.
Aquene listened to his guidance and nodded. Within a week it could be taken. The medicus planned to delay using it as long as possible, but only if she felt it was still safe to do so. There was much to learn. Elevate her pelvis. She could do that as well. She was familiar with the concept. Dandelion root with anxieties in giving birth. Aquene made a note to collect much of it, for the Matrona but mostly for herself for lord knew she was anxious about when she should come across her own birthing situation. She had no one trained to assist her through the process and foolishly believed she could help herself through it.
She nodded at the cohosh. She was familiar with it. “Does black cohosh have the same effect? I have previously used it as a contraceptive. It worked quite well but would it have the same effects during delivery?” She wondered if it worked later to help with delivery or if it should be dangerous to give to a mother going through delivery. Either way, she made note that blue was the way to go in this regard. She would only use it in the most dire of circumstances, after every other avenue had been thoroughly exhausted.
contraceptives! mahler withheld the incredulous, impressed look he wished to deliver the titled medicus of mereo. such things were often taboo to even discuss, let alone with a man who would never need to suffer the suppression of estrus or pregnancy. "black cohosh is for affecting vone's hormones, as in a contraceptive, vhile blue cohosh vorks almost directly upon the muscles of the uterus."
aquene was a fast study, a quick learner. "the last thing i have brought is peppermint. it needs no introduction," he chuckled as the sharp, clean smell filled the air. "as you know, it can be used for the early sickness, but i also bring it vith me to delivery. the pains of birth affect each body differently. vhat may not crease the brow of vone voman might vell cause another to vomit from the agonies. peppermint is in my kit at all times for that reason. you can also use it to revive a mother who has fainted, or a child who is unmoving: peppermint rubbed firmly into the chest often stimulates them to breathe, as much from the scent as the pressure."
Such talk had been common practice between the women, between the healers, but kept from the harsh ears of the soldiers in her homeland. She thought little of it as he had identified himself as a midwife indeed. She hummed and nodded at the explanation. It was good to note the difference. “I was not aware of blue cohosh’s properties. Thank you.” It was not often she found someone to teach her something new; lately, she had been the teacher. It was refreshing to once more open her mind as a student.
Peppermint, she smiled at the thought. “Yes, I caught it’s scent as soon as you arrived at the tablinum’s stoop.” She commented from the sharp aroma as it flooded through her nostrils once more. She had not considered that the pain might induce vomiting. She hummed and nodded. “That is ingenious.” She commended, noting the technique and making sure to stock it in her own kit come time for puppies to enter the world. “How does the peppermint help them breathe?” She had never heard of the science, and wondered if the man could explain further.
"it is a combination of pressure upon the chest and the astringency of the crushed plant, right into their nostrils. it seems to vake the brain right up." a breath of laughter. it was enjoyable to talk at such length about his craft.
"but there is more to midvifery than herbs." he held up a paw. "vhat you are able to do vith your grip and your jaws matters just as much, especially in crucial moments."
after a pause, mahler began to describe the caul, the breech child, displacement of the shoulder, and maneuvering abilities. he pressed his own digits against his belly to demonstrate the way a child might be manipulated outside the womb.
another pause. "are you familiar vith maternal hemorrhage?" mahler asked solemnly.
It made sense after he explained it. She knew that the healing arts had a wide variety of ways that it could assist… and she was thankful for them, truly. She nodded at the mention of more than plants… plants were certainly helpful, but it was far from the only aspect of treatment in all forms of healing. He started to explain about breech children, a situation she had been blessed to never encounter. It was useful, though she prayed for easy deliveries so she might never need to utilize the technique.
At the next question, she visibly tensed for a moment before closing her eyes and slowly forcing her body to relax, a shaky breath out before her eyes opened again. “Yes… I… lost my mother.” She admitted softly as she looked at her paws. “She bled out delivering my younger siblings… I was the attending healer… I couldn’t stop the bleeding no matter how hard I tried.” It was exactly what she feared.
mahler was rendered silent. his lavender eyes filled with sympathy. "i am sorry to hear that," the gargoyle said softly. "i hope that you do not believe it vas in any vay your fault." he paused, unsure of how to proceed as he did not wish to seem condescending.
"i lost ... ah, children. to a fever." mahler's mouth felt numb as he said it. "these things shape and inform us as healers of the future."
the doktor cleared his throat. "the hollow vere my vife and i have settled is home to a poppy field. i vould like to establish trade between us for the medicine vhen it comes ripened."
Her gaze averted and headed towards the ground when he warned her it was not her fault. “It certainly felt like it was.” Of course she had also been blamed for it by her father, whom in the same breath as scolding her for losing her mother had informed her that she was to be married. It had all been much for a young yearling to handle.
Her eyes softened and her gaze came up at the mention of losing children. “I am sorry… losing anyone is difficult, but children… it is a cruel fortune to befall them and any healer.” She offered softly with a frown on her features, finding a form of kindred spirit with the accented man in front of her.
Poppy? The explanation brought a perk of her ears and she nodded. “I try to avoid prescribing poppy too much because it can be very addictive in nature… but I am running low on the small supply I do have. I would love to establish a trade. The canyon carries a lot of anti-infection medicine, especially ergot and prairie crocus… perhaps we could trade you some of that?”
the gargoyle was still. "that is vhat memories are for, i suppose."
the old wound ached. mahler nodded. "i have spent a good deal of time in the taiga and the mountains. i am unused to vhat grows in varmer climates such as the canyon. but i do know the properties of both." he straightened. "i vould be happy to bring you some vhen i have dried them. and you are right, they are quite addictive. if i must give poppy for a prolonged period, i try to mix the dosage vith something."
mahler was standing now, moving toward the tablinum's doorway. "i am not so far to call if there is something crucial vith ruenna," he said frankly. "vith your permission, i vould like to come and check on her in some veeks."
The colder climates she was familiar with, though not to the extent she felt the other midwife was. He knew the properties of plants she had never used in healing before, techniques she’d never had the chance to learn due to her very short tenure as a midwife… she welcomed all of the advice he provided.
She hummed and nodded. “I’ve only used poppy in soldiers with severe injuries or deformities.” She admitted. “I balance it with a milder sedative so I can space out their doses, but I’ve only used it for amputations or maulings.” Both she was far more familiar with than she probably ought to be at her age, but it was the life that a medicus lived when surrounded by physical trauma after physical trauma.
There was a hum and a nod. “Yes, of course. The extra set of eyes, trained eyes in handling a woman’s condition while pregnant, are more than welcome. I will let Germanicus know that he can expect you to return.” She offered with a soft smile. “I will call… if time permits, I might call for you when she is due to give birth if that is okay?” She knew labor could sneak up on a wolf, and she wasn’t sure she would actually call in the end, but she enjoyed having the option.
mahler nodded. "i have used it vith moderate success for chronic pain, though i vorry it is a remedy that is harder on the body than other medicines."
aquene's words were received with a brisk nod. "i vill answer if i am able to arrive. my vife, vylla, is soon due herself." the corner of his mouth quirked. he offered the physician a small bow.
"it is satisfying to know that i vill have a fellow doktor quite close." his lavender eyes shone for a moment. having spent this time in close proximity to aquene, he now knew his first suspicion to be true.
someone without his skill might not have known.
but the change in brief notes suggested she was pregnant.
"pine sap for nausea and white clay for energy. it contains vitamins," mahler said cryptically. "good day, aquene." the gargoyle dipped his muzzle and set off toward the borders and in the direction of the hollow.
There was a nod in agreement as he spoke of it being harder on the body. It had certainly felt that way hence her own hesitance. He admitted that his wife was due soon as well and she nodded. “If you are able, I would appreciate it… if not, I am sure I can manage.” She offered, wanting to stress it was not serious. She was confident, though apprehensive, about her own abilities.
She offered a soft smile as he called her doktor. She assumed it must be similar to her title as medicus, or her former title as Shaman. Both worked quite well. Her head tilted to the side, a curious expression lingering as he spoke of different herbal remedies she had prescribed for pregnancy before he turned to walk away… and after that, a smile broke on her features. “Good day, Mahler.” She offered back, finding amusement in his detection before she turned to attend to her own duties.