Firebrand

Chapter 485: A City Divided

A City Divided

By the next day, rumours were proven true. Master Basil and his acolytes returned from the copper lanes, where they and other earthmages had raised walls to block off all the streets and alleys that led in and out of the copper lanes. In addition, doors and windows of the buildings along this new inner fortification had been boarded up.

As for maintaining the quarantine, several cohorts of the First Legion had set up guard posts to keep constant watch along the entirety of the perimeter and created an improvised gate along the only road that remained open into the district. Should anyone try to use the cover of night, lightstones had been placed to create constant illumination; in some cases, plundered from streetlamps in the other districts to gather sufficient quantities.

"It still sounds mad to me," Martel mumbled after hearing Eleanor explain the precautions taken by the city guard. "How will all those people get food?"

"Shipments will be brought in and distributed. This has happened before," she claimed. "It is the only way to prevent the spread."

Martel could see the wisdom of containing the disease rather than allowing it to run rampant through every district; even so, he wondered if the same measures would have been taken had the illness been found in the nobles' quarter first. "How long will this last?"

"You know more about a physician's work than me, I should think. But it could last months if comparable to previous outbreaks," she speculated before taking a bite from her bread. They had taken seats on the steps up to the Circle of Fire, eating their dinner meal; likewise, small islands of students sat scattered around this and other hallways, the common rooms of either dormitory tower, and some of the empty classrooms.

"That's a long time. Mistress Rana ran herself ragged making cures just for forty people. There must be thousands living in the copper lanes."

"Tens of thousands, at least. But all the alchemists and apothecaries in the city are at work creating remedies too; you have already seen that. And both the Crimson Friars and the Daughters of Saint Alexandra are setting up wards inside the district to help."

Martel shot her a look. "Who, what? Oh, religious orders?"

Eleanor nodded. "Both of them with a duty to assist the sick and infirm. Do they not have any chapters in Nordmark?"

"Maybe, but if so, not anywhere near where I lived. But Nordmark is a huge province. Most of it is also empty land." Martel held out his hand. "I can take your plate. I have to get back to it anyway."

"Alright, thank you. I should get ready for my next class. Strange to go about the old routines when the city feels changed. Especially the Lyceum."

"That might be the case for you. I no longer have classes on Mandays, meaning I get to spend the entire day helping."

"Lucky you." She wore a wry expression, but her face quickly turned serious. "It is a good thing that you do. Helping out with all the remedies."

"That's why I learned how to do it." Martel had never felt more validated in his choice to pursue alchemy than these last few days; at the same time, he suddenly felt the burden of this responsibility as well. If he made a mistake, a faulty elixir would kill a dying patient, their trust betrayed. "I may regret it in the coming days, spending all my spare time creating potions."

"Well, tomorrow evening you shall have a deserved break." As he looked at her without understanding, Eleanor continued, "Maximilian told me you will attend the celebration at the palace. I am surprised he was able to wear down your resistance."

"I forgot about that, with everything going on. Well, he left me little choice." Martel glanced over the small groups of students in the hallway; a small sign of the unusual days they were living in. "It'll be strange to be surrounded by song and merriment, especially since I could spend those hours working."

"Well, in difficult days, we need music and joy all the more," Eleanor argued. "You shall be back here, toiling over cauldrons soon enough. Enjoy an evening away while it lasts."

Martel felt unsure he could relax given the company he would be in; from what recalled of the prince, he was a strange fellow and difficult to read. Last year, he had commanded Martel and Maximilian to fight each other for his amusement; who knew what he would come up with this year? "I'll try," he replied. "I better get going. I'll see you around."

With half a smile in farewell to Eleanor, Martel took the plates and went to the dining hall. He deposited the dirty kitchenware by the other stacks and glanced out at the many tables in the great chamber. Normally, there would be benches filled with students, and the tables would only hold food and drink.

Now, the former had been cleared away, and large bundles of apothecary remedies and alchemical reagents filled the latter. Scores of students and those from the city plying the relevant trades stood throughout the hall, working endlessly to prepare the mixtures that would help defeat this terrible illness that plagued the copper lanes.

After gathering prepared quantities of various ingredients, Martel left the hall to make his way to Mistress Rana's laboratory, where both the alchemist and her apprentice laboured to make cures for pestilence.

***

On the first night of the quarantine, more than sixty people attempted to flee the copper lanes. Most used ropes to climb down from rooftops; one man, lacking even that, lowered himself down from a window and fell the remaining distance, injuring himself to the point that further flight was not possible.

Lying in wait, the city guards apprehended the fugitives. Two died resisting; the remaining were marched or hauled to the gate into the copper lanes and thrown back into the district.