Marasa walked out of the room and down the hall, those last words fading from her mind as she refocused on what she needed to do next. Mentally she worked down the list. The conversation had been a delightful distraction for a while, but she had things to do.

Right, I need to make sure all the beds are cleaned and prepped for tomorrow. Marasa raised a finger for the first task marking it off. Then I need to address the team to ensure the roster is appropriately in hand for the next few weeks. Marian is very professional, so I doubt there will be a problem. She also has more experience than me. But her whole team had more experience than her, so that wasn’t saying much. She raised a second finger nonetheless. Somehow she had been thrust into this position, and for some unfathomable reason, they listened to her. She had expected to be ousted the moment she started, but it hadn’t happened yet, and she had work to do. There is no point in worrying about something that may or may not occur in the future.

Then once I have done that, I need to spend five minutes with each of the individual Healers and see what is happening with them. I didn’t get a chance earlier, thanks to Haemish and his little friend. Marasa smiled at the thought. It was nice to take a few minutes with those two. I can’t believe I let Haemish pull me away; he has a natural way with words. Also, he wasn’t wrong that Re-Aarav, I keep doing that, is a fascinating creature. Able to speak Darfan almost as well as most citizens, like he was born to it.

It wasn’t Haemish’s words that had convinced her, though. She knew it was his genuine nature and utter fascination with the world despite being in it for so many centuries. How does he maintain that child-like curiosity through the years? Surely most people that old would grow tired and bored with the world. But she had seen it and been drawn in like a moth to the flame.

After I check with all the Healers, I will need to think about what new project or technique I want to teach. I need to find a new process first, though. Perhaps Haemish would allow me to analyse Aarav. He got the name right this time. He would be a fascinating specimen to work on with the rest of the team. Of course, I will need to ask Aarav if we can study him. But it is all for the advancement of medical technology, after all! She raised a third finger and, unbeknownst, had started muttering under her breath.

Then I can go home and find out what Haren has been doing since his rejection. She scowled a little, and by coincidence, a palace servant who was walking past caught the brunt of it. He paled a little and bowed to her, waited for a split second just in case she had any instructions and then rushed down the corridor away from her. Why can’t things just be smooth sailing? But Marasa knew that working in the face of adversity was what made life exciting. Not only that, but misfortune gave the best growth. Just look at Resh. Oh, I did it again. Aarav, it is Aarav. Haemish had introduced her today, and he gave both names, but somehow the first one stuck much more strongly than the second. Oh well, it wasn’t worth the worry; both were his anyway.

Marasa continued walking at a speed that would be a jog for most citizens. Her stamina and speed had improved gradually over the years of doing this job. Many of the Healers under her tutelage had done the same. Unsurprising with the amount of running around they did. The Head Healer revelled at the Speed she could achieve now; a value of 154 was impressive by anyone’s standards.

Five minutes and she was back at the clinic, considerably less time than when she had strolled the other way with Haemish. She immediately began making a cursory inspection of the beds and stands to ensure everything was in its place. “I have inspected everything, Head Healer. All is in its place.” An aged female voice came from the far side of the room, grabbing Marasa’s attention.

“Ah, Marian, thank you so much,” Marasa said, stopping her inspection immediately. “Sorry I was not around for the close of the day.” The older woman smiled at her and waved it off.

“You work too hard, Marasa. Sometimes it is okay to have a stroll with a man. Goodness knows you deserve it more than anyone!” Marasa blushed at the comment. Get it together, Marasa, your not some girl. You have been around long enough not to blush at something like this. Marian just laughed at her reaction. “In all our years of working together, I have never seen you with a man unless it was work-related. It is okay to enjoy yourself once in a while.”

“Marian, I am not a young woman. I have been around long enough, and the sick isn’t going to tend themselves, you know.” She said, trying and failing to calm the heat in her cheeks.

“And you don’t have to do everything yourself, neither do you have to miss out on everything else to do this. It is possible to do both, you know?” Marian had a husband and has been happy with him for over sixty years. She might not look it, but Marasa was sure the woman was over a hundred years old, senior to Marasa’s seventy-six. She had not met or had time for a man in all that time.

But what was the rush? People regularly lived past one hundred years, and it wasn’t uncommon, only unlikely. More people died from monsters and other activities than old age. That particular affliction could be countered with physical stats and, to a lesser degree, by mental and ranged. If one could live two hundred years, why worry about a love life, which could happen whenever you wanted. It wasn’t as though people ran out of time.

“Marian, stop getting into my head. Haemish is someone I met recently, and we are friends now. He showed me an interesting new specimen he had acquired from the forest. I should say sentient, not specimen. A new sentient that he found from the forest.” Marasa said, finally regaining control of her emotions.

“The Great Forest?” Marian said in awe. “Pleutr?”

“Is there any other?” Marasa said with a smirk and raised an eyebrow.

Marian returned the expression. “If that man ventured in there, then there is a lot more to him than that belly he was sporting. Pray tell what he found.”

Marasa adopted an air of mystery, “If I have my way, then I will be able to show you what he found. We could potentially study it, most fascinating!” Then she registered the first sentence the woman spoke, and her face turned a little more stern. “Marian, that is very rude of you! I can’t believe you said that.” she spoiled it with a laugh. Marasa could never keep up the charade with Marian. They had been together too long. Marian knowing long, said a little too much as Marasa was concerned. Can’t a woman have a friend that happens to be a man without everyone getting all crazy about it?

“Hmph, anyway, Marian, I would like to speak to all the Healers. I can still do something here.” Marian just laughed and handed Marasa a piece of paper covered in a neatly written script.

“I already spoke to all of them. I have seen you do it at the end of each day, and I know how to get it done. You really should rely on your team more.” Marian said she was still smirking. Ugh, the woman is infuriating, and I love her like a sister. Maybe the two feelings were more related than she thought.

“Oh, right, thank you, Marian. I’ll be off then.” Marasa said stiffly, caught off guard at all her tasks already being completed. “See you tomorrow, Marian!”

“You can do it tomorrow, you know. One day is not going to make a massive difference. I know you like speaking with them, but the information is all there on the paper. I just asked them to jot down their thoughts and told them I would let you know. I think them seeing each other’s comments helped. Lucky they didn’t say anything bad about each other!” Marian laughed again as she started walking out of the clinic. “The roster is in those papers as well, all done for the next few weeks. I have a couple of the new ones taking care of the clinic at might for the time being!” She took a few more steps before yelling, “And I have already briefed them!”

“Urgh!” Marasa couldn’t be frustrated with such efficient work, but she couldn’t help it. She was a hands-on person, but Marion was already showing her that she was not needed after only an afternoon out. Marasa sighed. She shouldn’t be annoyed. Wasn’t this what she had been trying to achieve at the clinic? That it should not rely on any single person? That was a recipe for disaster. “Thank you, Marian!” She yelled at the woman’s retreating back. Marian raised a hand to her and did not slow in her stride.

“Well, since there is nothing more for me to do here, I guess I can head straight home.” Marasa walked out behind Marian.

Two interns sat in the corners unseen and unheard by both senior members of the clinic, smiles on their faces and warmth in their hearts. It was good to work in a place where everyone appreciated what you did, and everyone seemed to get along.