Istanbul, 1580
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Miray was not in a good mood.

 From the dark night outside sounds of laughter and partying drifted into her small house. Almost everyone in the city was out or with family, celebrating Bayram. And here she was, on her own, sorting her collection of medicinal herbs because-

A knock on the door interrupted her thought process. Miray sighed and went to open it, finding two young women in front of her, one supporting the other. A blush bloomed on her face. The girl before her was rather pretty. Smooth skin with some dark freckles, big brown eyes, a bit stout. Exactly Mirays type.

She must have been staring a bit, because a cough sounded from the girl's friend. It was only then that she noticed how weirdly twisted the woman's arm looked. She quickly took a step back and gestured inside.

"Go sit down in the chair next to the table, I'll be back in a bit."

Some shuffling was heard as they got situated while Miray went to retrieve her things. When she came back the girl was indeed sitting. Miray put her gear on the table, immediately starting a conversation. It wasn't a good idea to leave people alone with their pain.

"So what's your name?"

The girl replied in a voice that Miray couldn't help but notice was rather musical.

"I'm Gülden."

Miray started quickly soaking the wound bandages in the needed poultice.

"Let me guess, you were at the swings?"

Gülden nodded. Miray wasn't surprised, really. Every Bayram large swings were set up accross the city and there were always some who tried to do dumb stunts on them. Someone had to treat the inevitable injuries.

And that's why Miray always spent Bayram alone, instead of with family or friends.

At least the girl had the decency to look a bit guilty as she nodded in response to the question. Miray sighed.

"If it makes you feel any better, you're by far not the only one who has this happen. Now, give me your arm, please."

Gülden extended her arm a little, wincing slightly as Miray felt up and down for the location of the fracture. The healer idly noted Güldens arm felt rather strong, despite its soft appearance. Maybe something to do with her family's business?

"Right, I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt. You," she looked at the other girl who had come in with Gülden, who was still looking rather concerned, "hold her tight so she can't move too much, and once I've pushed the bone back together, hold them together while I get the bandage, understood?"

The girl nodded immediately, grabbing Gülden from behind. To Gülden's credit, she gritted her teeth and didn't let out more than a pained groan as the bones were pushed together. Miray quickly grabbed the bandage and started wrapping the arm up tight. She quickly started talking again to distract her patient.

"So, how did it happen anyway?"

Gülden gave a pained sigh but inclined her head towards her friend, who was looking away rather guiltily.

"She challenged me to go on those swings that are opposite of each other, to try and see if we could touch hands in between. I leaned too far forward and, well...."

The sultan really should outlaw those things. Still, Miray kept her disapproval quiet. A broken arm was quite enough of a punishment already.

"No boys you were trying to impress?"

She'd expected some blushing and quick denial, but instead Gülden just shrugged and smirked, though it quickly turned into a grimace as the movement aggravated her arm a bit too much.

"Not really. What would the use of that be?"

Well, that was an interesting response. Perhaps... Miray quickly shook her head. This was no time for such speculation. She focused on the bandage once again, trying to ignore how smooth Güldens skin felt.

Once the wound was wrapped Miray quickly retrieved a splint, one of the many she'd prepared that evening, just in case. The rest of the procedure was spent silently, as Miray did her best to focus on the wound wrapping and not the pretty girl that needed it. Eventually the splint was put on and secured with another bandage.

"Right, well, that should do it. Just make sure to not strain it too much. Too bad it's your dominant hand..."

Gülden sighed, though it sounded a little bit fake.

"Too bad, there's a lot of things I'm good at with that hand."

Miray felt her face heat up. Was that-? She quickly coughed.

"I uh, I will need to check the wound over the next coming days and reapply bandages. Where do you live? We can also discuss payment then."

Gülden let out a light giggle at the reaction, her friend batting her arm lightly.

"I live two quarters away. The neighbourhood with the old mosque? If you stand opposite it it's the second house on the right."

She was helped up by her friend as Miray nodded.

"Well, uhm, I'll see you then."

Gülden and her friend walked over to the door, turning her head to smile at Miray at the last minute.

"Well, have a happy Bayram!"

Miray managed to stutter out the words.

"Yeah, happy Bayram..."

When the two had left Miray just put her head against the closed door and groaned.

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