[o] [SE] Changes in the morning

Panacea

Panacea steps out of her home taking in the sun and water in front of her. The island has shifted again while she was sleeping. Her yellow horned poppies are no longer just down her path and has been replaced by her costal lupine, that she had on the other side of her small island. 

"Fuck me." she breathes out. She needed the poppy for the next time she visited Kaiholo Port to hand out for those who continued to suffer through pains. She covers her eyes and glances towards the sun in the East. It is early morning, and she will have time to wander around her small chunk of land to see what was still growing, and what she needed to replant. 

Panacea goes back inside to grab her hand-woven basket. It was a gift from a mother who had little money, but needed medicine for her young son who had a terrible cough. 

She starts down her path, and the sand is cool under her feet, and her linen pants ruffle with the wind, providing cooling relief on a hot day, her tank top allows the sun to warm her skin, and she thinks how she really needs to replace the hat she lost to the last gust of wind that blew through.

// He who has health, has hope. He who has hope, has everything. //
// Take a breath and let the rest come easy //

flora

Above Panacea glides the Sugartide. She’s a sailboat, technically, but only in the loosest sense. Her stained-glass sails shimmer with every tilt of the sun, casting kaleidoscopic colour across the water below—blush pinks, pale jades, honeyed ambers—all dappled and bright as a cathedral of light. Lavender vines curl lovingly up the mast and railings, thick with blooms, and ivy weaves its way along the sides of the hull like it’s been coaxed there by song. She’s beautiful in the way dangerous things are—lovely, fast, and just a little too alive.

At her helm stands Flora, the Queen of Torchline in all her breezy, salt-washed splendour. Her sundress is white and loose, cinched at the waist with gold thread, the hem dancing high in the wind as the sea teases at her legs. Her curls are swept up messily, pinned by sea-glass combs, and her skin glows bronze from days spent beneath the sun. Rings glint on her fingers as she steers, though one hand is lifted now in lazy shading from the light, squinting down at the islands below.

Spice flits beside her in a trail of shimmer and frost, the little white dragon darting ahead in playful spirals, occasionally pausing to snap at a rogue gust or trail her breath in cold curlicues over the rails. It’s Spice who draws Flora’s gaze downward—first with a chirp, then a looping dive over a figure moving across one of the larger islands. A woman, barefoot and basket-laden, her clothes rippling with the wind. Alone.

Flora frowns lightly, then angles the Sugartide down, letting her drift lower until her shadow glides over the shifting sand below. The sails catch the sun and send rainbow flecks scattering across the island as she slows to hover. "Hey!" Flora calls out, one hand raised to wave, the wind tugging playfully at her dress. "You good down there?"

My house of stone, your ivy grows
And now I'm covered in you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Panacea

Panacea blinks in confusion. A splendor of rainbows dance through her vision, quickly followed by a shadow. A voice catches the wind calling out "Hey! You good down there?". Panacea glances around in confusion, until she looks up. Standing at the bow of a, well a sailboat, is a beautiful woman, with hair in an updo Panacea could only dream of attempting, a beautiful loose dress and Is that a dragon?. 

"Uh, yah! I'm good!" Panacea scrunches her face and glances around to make sure she isn't being tricked or dreaming. Her hair whips around in the wind, and she uncouthly spits her hair from her mouth "The damn island changed again! So I am starting my morning chores by trying to find my morning chores.". The sun shines in such a way, that Panacea cannot see the woman's face, but tales of a woman in Torchline with a dragon nips at the back of her mind. She not only sells her healing abilities while in Kaiholo Port, but she also takes advantage of the local dive bars and street food. Her anxiety spikes with an overwhelming feeling that she should know who this person is, and that she probably shouldn't be so crude about her little (though sometimes large) plot of land. 

Trying to gain some composure and hopefully come off as a little less rude she calls out again, "How are you this fine morning? Is there anything I can help you with? My name is Panacea, I am a healer. May I ask your name?"

// He who has health, has hope. He who has hope, has everything. //
// Take a breath and let the rest come easy //

flora

Flora chuckles, the sound light and musical as it tumbles down through the wind. "That rounds rough," she calls down, amusement curling at the edges of her words. "Doing chores twice sounds like the absolute worst."

She adjusts the wheel with a flick of her wrist, and the Sugartide obliges like a well-trained cat, dipping lower with a slow, graceful tilt until her lavender-draped hull hovers just above the shifting sands of Panacea’s little island. Rainbow light still dances across the water and dunes as the sails catch the sun, and Spice flutters down to perch lightly on the edge of the deck, her little claws clicking as she peers curiously at the woman below.

At the mention of the name Panacea, Flora lifts her brows in recognition, brow furrowing thoughtfully as if flipping through a mental catalogue. "Healer, huh?" she calls, shading her eyes with a hand. "Yeah, I think I’ve heard of some of your work." Something about a tea that fixes hangovers comes to mind.

There’s a glint in her aqua eyes as she leans casually against the railing. "I’m Flora," she says simply, offering no titles, no elaborate introductions. "Not in need of healing, but figured I’d check before you got swept off to a new island and found yourself accidentally halfway to the Maw." She gestures at the archipelago with a loose flick of her fingers. "These islands’ve got more mood swings than a bar full of exes."

My house of stone, your ivy grows
And now I'm covered in you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Panacea

Panacea is taken aback. So this is Queen Flora. She is as beautiful as the other lost souls at the local bars have described. She is amazed at all of the colors that seem to be swept up in a wind that seems to be its own being. Though Panacea's eyes keep flitting back to the little dragon that seems to be as curious of her, as she is of it.

"For all the peace and beauty this island gives me, I don't mind it much. Until the things I urgently need are no longer where I left them, or I have spent too much time and money at a bar full of exes and suffer the consequences during my morning chores." Panacea quips her brow. "I do wonder then, Ma'm, if not for healing, what brings you to this patch of sand?" Though not one for people, Panacea was raised to be respectful. "May I offer you a drink? I am afraid I do not have much in the way of food just now, I will be heading to Kaiholo Port later today."

The Queen of Torchline had taken it upon herself to visit her home, and Panacea wanted to make a good impression. She was not going to alter who she was, but wanted to take the time to be a hospitable host, if the Queen decided. Her home was humble and her cotton clothes hung off of her body, and on the clothes line just to the side. Panacea was proud of what she had and what she had done. She was also proud that Queen Flora had recognized who she was, based on her profession. She wanted to stand on her character and her pride. She also wanted to try and get a better look at the small dragon if possible. It probably wouldn't hurt to get to know the woman who was in charge of her home, and all that she could see.

// He who has health, has hope. He who has hope, has everything. //
// Take a breath and let the rest come easy //

flora

Flora laughs, the sound sun-warmed and unapologetic, like the tide teasing a sandbar. "Honestly? I can’t even find things on my boat half the time, and it doesn’t usually move on its own." A quick glance toward the helm dares Spice to disagree, the little dragon preening under scrutiny. "Except when someone decides to reorganize the rigging with her claws," she adds dryly, wrinkling her nose.

At the “ma’am,” her expression shifts into something exaggeratedly horrified. "Oh no. Absolutely not. Just Flora is fine," she calls, wagging a finger with mock severity. "If I ever start answering to ma’am, I expect someone to throw me off the nearest pier."

The sails flutter overhead like they’re laughing too as she adjusts the tiller and reaches to anchor the Sugartide. The ship dips obligingly, trailing rainbow ribbons across the surf before settling just close enough for Flora to sling the trailing down. Her sandals are already in hand—gold-trimmed things she barely bothers with—as she hops down onto the cool sand with practiced ease, curls loosening in the wind.

"I didn’t know anyone lived out here," she admits, brushing her hands on the sides of her dress as she looks around. "Just wanted to make sure you weren’t stranded or something. Lotta folks tether their boats to the shore and then turn around to find the island’s wandered off without ‘em. I’ve seen more than a few very confused sailors yelling at the horizon like it’s personal."

She turns to face Panacea properly then, one brow lifted and a hint of curiosity flickering beneath the easy smile. "But I’ll never say no to a drink!"

My house of stone, your ivy grows
And now I'm covered in you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Panacea

Panacea nods her head. She has seen plenty of pissed off sailors, and she does enjoy the site of their frustration. The day the lands truly bends to man, is a day that she prays she never sees. Smiling Panacea says "I apologize. Despite my rough living, I am afraid some niceties and courtesies were drilled into my head as a child.". Panacea prefers less formalities when dealing with the general public. She feels that it is easier to be honest and to know when she is being tricked. 

Flora walks closer as she speaks, and Panacea glances around with her taking in a view that she knows will be different tomorrow. "Oh, I definitely find myself in strange places from time to time. On more than one occasion I have found myself floating on my mattress in the middle of the ocean."[/says] Panacea chuckles [says]"Mostly the island enjoys warping itself around me. It may enjoy all the flora I help to bring to it, or maybe it enjoys my company. I do hope I never learn the true mystery behind why it does what it does. I also hope it never stops messing with the sailors who wander too close. I really enjoy their frustrations."[/says]. Shaking her head and continuing to laugh, she thinks of more than one occasion where a sailor has lost their boat, or has spent days lost trying to reach the mainland. 

Panacea smiles again as Flora reaches her [says]"Well [i]Flora[i], I have plenty of drinks to go around, if you would like to come in. It is a nice day, I have floral teas, drinks, or if you are more like me, something a little stronger. I would apologize for the mess inside, but I feel that you may appreciate what use I make of this ever changing land."[/says] Panacea gestures for Flora to follow behind her into her small home. 

Once inside the single story home, Panacea takes a deep breathe and fills herself with the sometimes overwhelming smells from the plants she keeps inside. Hanging from the rafters are plants that she has grown and harvested, now drying to be used at a later time. There is a small fire going in her hearth, with a chipped and well loved large pot hanging over it. Panacea always has boiled water, both to make her remedies but also for hygiene. On her work bench are books, tools, mortars and pestles with a plethora of plants in various forms from being whole to being worked into dust. 

Panacea guides Flora over to a table made of drift wood and offers her a seat made of the same worn material. She props open the small square window above the table to allow for the sea air to join them, and turns back to Flora. "Well then. Welcome to my home. What can I get you?"

// He who has health, has hope. He who has hope, has everything. //
// Take a breath and let the rest come easy //

flora

Flora laughs, bright and unbothered. "I’ve heard stories," she says, stepping into the home and slipping her sandals neatly beside the door. "That the islands are actually one big sea creature—some ancient leviathan that dreams itself into different shapes. Or that they’re made up of thousands of little fish who just...push them around for fun." She shrugs, curls bouncing as she grins over her shoulder. "Either way, I figure it’s a sailor’s rite of passage to make it through without getting hopelessly turned around. So your enjoyment of their suffering is totally justified."

She follows easily, bare feet silent against the floor, and her sea-glass eyes roam the space with undisguised interest. "This is gorgeous," she says honestly, no performative politeness in her tone. She turns in a slow half-circle as she takes it all in—the herbs strung like garlands overhead, the fire bubbling gently in the hearth, the scatter of tools and plants across the workbench. "You’ve made it feel like it’s alive in here. My brother would love this—he’s a botanist. Can’t pass a sprig of moss without giving it a name and writing it a love letter."

Settling at the driftwood table like she’s done it a hundred times before, Flora leans her elbows lightly on the worn surface, fingers tracing the grain with idle affection. Her dress pools softly around her, sun still warm on her shoulders where it filters through the open window. "Tea would be perfect," she says, eyes gleaming as she glances toward the hearth. "Especially if it smells anything like this place. Gods, I could bottle this and make a fortune just selling it as perfume."

My house of stone, your ivy grows
And now I'm covered in you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Panacea

Panacea lets out a tittering of a laugh, while shaking her head. "I don't think I have heard that story before. I have to say, I don't think I mind the idea of living on a great beings back." She begins to move around her well loved home, grabbing a few items off of her table, and searching her ceiling. "I also don't think I mind the idea of playful fish having fun with those who invade their home."  

Panacea makes her way to the small kitchenette that she rarely uses. She spends most of her energy and resources at her work bench, that most of her foods are prepared there as well. She keeps specific cookware for certain preparation, to mitigate cross contamination, but also to prepare foods and drinks for the occasional visitor's loved one who may be waiting patiently while Panacea works. "Your brother sounds like an interesting fellow. I do love my plants and all the wonders that they can provide, but I don't think I could wax poetic about the dandelions that pop up where I did not plant them. Or the infernal weeds that I can never seem to get rid of." She takes another look around her home. She does love what she has created, and takes great pride in it. Her heart swells at the complement. "Thank you for thinking so of my home. I am very content here."  

With a smile, Panacea begins to tear apart and grind up what she has gathered. "If you enjoy the smell of my home, then hopefully you will enjoy this brew." The grindings are placed in two of the many mismatched and well loved mugs that she loves to collect (or take as payment from those of lesser means), and heads to her cauldron to pour in the warm water. "I absolutely love lavender. The smell, the color, and the calm it brings."  Panacea walks towards the table with the mugs, placing one in front of Flora, watching the steam rise, carrying the wonderful aromas up and all around them. "I enjoy mixing a few of the herbs for myself and those I treat, to help cure the body, mind a heart. I added just a little Dandelion, for some vitamin fortification, and Chrysanthemum, to aid the headaches we get from those obnoxiously lost sailors." Panacea holds her mug up for a cheers, and smiles at her new friend through the dancing twin steams.

// He who has health, has hope. He who has hope, has everything. //
// Take a breath and let the rest come easy //

flora

Flora grins, tipping her head in easy agreement. "Same," she says, the word warm with amusement. "If I could live on the back of something huge and mysterious, I think I’d sign up in a heartbeat. Beats paying rent, anyway."

Her lips curve in a knowing smile as Panacea admits she can’t wax poetic about plants, and she lets out a soft snicker. "Yeah, my brother’s got a gift for it. I swear, if you gave him five minutes, he’d make a sonnet about your most stubborn weeds and somehow make them sound like tragic, misunderstood heroes."

At the mention of lavender, Flora hums in agreement, the sound low and pleased. As Panacea sets the mismatched mug in front of her, she leans in to inhale deeply, the steam curling against her face. "Ohhh," she sighs, eyes closing briefly in contentment. "That’s heaven."

She lifts her mug to meet Panacea’s, the soft clink of ceramic punctuating the moment before she blows lightly across the rim to cool it. The first sip brings her brows up and her smile wide. "Gods, that’s good," she gushes, glancing from the tea to Panacea with genuine delight. "You could make a fortune selling this in Haulani. Half the city would give up their bad habits if they knew they could trade them for this in the morning."

My house of stone, your ivy grows
And now I'm covered in you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Panacea

Panacea lets out a low chuckle. "Ah yes, the dreaded rent, the true enemy of us all."

Panacea lets a corner of her mouth lift. She would love to see someone try and create something that would make her change her mind on the weeds. "I am not sure if that makes me never want to meet your brother, or if it makes me want to meet him even more, just to see him try." .

After the pair clink their mugs, Panacea also takes a sip. She lets the floral aroma and taste wash over her. Even on warm days, her hot teas bring a sense of calm and ease, and never seem to cause her to be too hot. "I am glad you enjoy it. I love spending my time coming up with recipes that are beneficial. I can't say they always taste good." Panacea laughs at the memories of nights spent over her cauldron fixing flavors, and the faces of those who have to drink concoctions that will never like anything other than dirt or something as terrible, for the sake of maintaining the healing properties needed. "I must admit, I do not spend much time in Haulani. I do sell most of the things I make in Kaiholo Port. I have started to become well enough known in that area to keep me busy. Maybe I'll find some time to make my way to Haulani to see what good I can do." Panacea raises a brow at Flora. "Or maybe I'll find some fun trouble of my own."

// He who has health, has hope. He who has hope, has everything. //
// Take a breath and let the rest come easy //

flora

Flora grins, her eyes bright with amusement. "Oh, he’s definitely a character. If he couldn’t talk your ear off about plants, he’d definitely find some other way of keeping your interest." She laughs into her cup, the sound warm and fond.

At the mention of selling in the port instead of the city, she wrinkles her nose. "Haulani’s markets not only pay better, but the customers are waaaaay better than the ones in the port. Fewer hagglers trying to trade you a busted compass and a half-eaten sandwich for something worth actual coin." She takes another sip of the tea, her expression melting into bliss for a moment before she tips the cup slightly in Panacea’s direction.

"If you ever make the trip, feel free to drop my name if you need anything. Might even make the hagglers behave." Her lips curve in a smirk as she gives her mug a little shake. "It's the least I can do given how good this tastes."

My house of stone, your ivy grows
And now I'm covered in you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Panacea

Flora sounds fond when she speaks of her brother, it is times like this and when Panacea sees families come together around a sick loved one, that makes her wish that she had siblings growing up and to call on now, as an adult. "He sounds wonderful, and you are clearly very fond of him." Panacea smiles and takes another sip of her tea.

"I remember that distinction when I last went, but it was so long ago. I have to admit, I like some of the haggling and mess that comes with the port. I do want to gain more of a reputation though, and I do love to travel." Panacea considers her ever expanding to do list, and all of the plans she has up and coming. She could take some extra time off when she travels for the masquerade to stop by the city. "I may take you up on that offer, sooner rather than later. I plan on being gone for a few weeks to travel to the masquerade, maybe I'll spend some extra time in the city and drop your name then."

// He who has health, has hope. He who has hope, has everything. //
// Take a breath and let the rest come easy //

flora

Flora perks right up, sitting straighter in her chair, aqua eyes catching the light with sudden sparkle. "Ooooooh, the masquerade," she breathes, the word drawn out like a promise. "Have you made your outfit yet?"

She leans in across the driftwood table, excitement spilling over as she continues, "I made mine with a friend just the other day—still have a few extra supplies on the Sugartide if you need them. Some ribbon, beads, a ridiculous amount of silk, some feathers...the works."

Then she flashes an almost sheepish, unapologetically conspiratorial smile. "I might have gone a little outside of Ludo’s brief, but I'm hoping it won't mind." The way she says it makes it clear she’s more entertained than worried about the possibility of divine disapproval.

My house of stone, your ivy grows
And now I'm covered in you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!