From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
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Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
After meeting Abasi out in the fields and helping the other man get settled, Loren knew he had to follow up about the sickness Abasi had complained about. However, the only lead he had was a name, Evie, and the color of the healer’s hair, red. Then he’d been too busy preparing the manor before Deepfrost, helping with LongNight tests, and combating the blight to do much investigating. However, he hadn’t forgotten about it, and had kept asking around in the hope that something would turn up sooner or later. Eventually, he had gotten lucky and someone mentioned there was a red-headed healer woman named Evie who had an apothecary shop in the Settlement.
So he—and Astra, his precious luxere companion—had set off to find the woman and see if she could confirm Abasi’s condition. While the Launceleyn was fully committed to helping the other man, even offering up his own home, there were others relying on the summoner, and so he needed to know exactly what he was dealing with. Especially because the blighted had grown, well, erratic and dangerous of late, the librarian wanted to know if he needed to worry about Abasi doing the same. After all, Beatrix and Jace were at the manor (presumably, though Loren barely saw them as they were still apparently avoiding him) and their health and safety obviously came first.
It didn’t take long to find Evie’s shop, a pleasant looking store. Loren entered, his eyes taking in the herbs and salves approvingly. While he was hardly a trained healer—he relied mostly on his magic when it came to that—he could tell Evie knew her craft well, having seen similar items in the Grand Healer’s office back in Northaven. ”Hello? My name is Loren. I’m looking for Evie, if she's here.” He peered into the shop, and Astra did the same, eyes half dazzled from the sun reflecting off the snow outside. So he couldn’t see much of the dimmer interior just yet. Hopefully she wasn't standing right there, staring at his obviously stark cheekbones and too thin frame, visible even under his cloak. While he looked better than when he had first come back, the summoner still looked slightly unhealthy, the result of having to fend for himself for far too long.
The apothecary had been operating on bare bones for a while now, as she had been hiding away and grieving in the Wordsworth manor. However, after her encounter with Abasi in the Infirmary, Evie had fiercely devoted herself to getting the shop back into pristine shape. Sometimes it hurt, running her fingers over the familiar inked labels or dusting off the shelves. It reminded her of Maea, of one of the few semi-positive encounters she'd had with Sam outside of their childhood home. There were a few ghosts to contend with, but Evie had soldiered on beneath the weight of the memories. Until finally, as charming as it had been when they first set about building it up, the Apothecary was open once more.
Evie finds herself sleeping on the cot in the back more than at the manor. It gives her a crick in her back sometimes, but the independence it gives her is worth the aches and pains. Her anxiety lessens with each day she spends outside the oppressive walls of her former home. There is nobody to lie to here, as most people come looking for extracts and ointments, not the healing she has to conceal when she works in the Infirmary. Though many know her to be capable of diagnosing and healing, if only by word of mouth and the intrinsic knowledge of those born and raised in Caido, they usually sought out the College, Phoebe, or the publically aware Abandoned with healing magic.
Evie did her best to ensure that would never be her. Even if it meant holding this secret until her dying day.
It's a new day in the shop just like any other, grinding up herbs and stockpiling as much as she can in a fever-state before LongNight. This certainly wasn't her first rodeo, and she was mostly focusing on poultices for wounds and tinctures to keep them healthy with rations and weather against them. A voice calls through the doorway and startles her, nearly dropping the little bowl in her hands before thrusts it back onto the counter. Sweeping the vibrant red strands that had fallen from her bun back out of her face, Evie wipes her hands on her apron and turns to inspect her newest customer. Loren. The name is vaguely familiar, in the way a neighbor can sort of recall the name of someone down the lane.
"I'm Evie," she confirms, smiling welcomingly and waving him inside. "Come on in, what can I help you with?" Curiosity gnaws at her, wondering why her brain is nagging at her that something is kind of familiar, but she'd rather take care of whatever business Loren needed than start interrogating him about his life. For now.
Smiling at Evie, Loren stamped the snow off his boots before fully entering the orderly and organized shop. The last thing he wanted to do was make a mess for her to clean up, especially because they were total strangers and he was still trying to rehabilitate the image of the Launceleyns in the Hollowed Grounds. It was slow going, but he was making some progress. ”Thank you.” Astra, for her part, bounded forward to give Evie a closer inspection. ”Oh, and that’s Astra. Sorry, I should’ve introduced her earlier, since she is clearly more important than me.” The luxere nodded her head haughtily, almost as if she could understand him, then gave the summoner an adoring look before returning her attention to the red-headed woman.
Staying near the entrance, the librarian took a closer look at the shop. It was legitimately impressive. ”I haven’t seen an inventory like this since my very brief apprenticeship with a Grand Healer.” Shaking his head, he gave Evie an apologetic smile. ”Sorry. I won’t take up too much of your time, hopefully. I met someone named Abasi, who was, well, new to these parts and was complaining about feeling ill. He mentioned that he came to see you, and you couldn’t help him.” That was the easy part of the conversation.
Pausing, he gave the red-headed woman another soft smile, wondering how to phrase this next comment without offending her. ”I have absolutely no doubt about your abilities. However, I have some small skill with healing magic myself, and so I just wanted to check in to see whether there was anything I could do to help him.” Hopefully she would understand, one healer to another. And hopefully Abasi wasn’t blighted, because then there was nothing anyone could do except hope the plan the gods had set in motion worked.
He's kind enough to kick the snow off his boots, which Evie appreciates. Keeping the shop clean by herself was hard enough without DeepFrost making her tasks even harder. She'd have to find some sort of textile to place before the door because the eternal dampness was driving her crazy.
Evie startles a little as the luxere comes bounding closer, clacking on the well-worn wooden planks beneath, and can't contain her endeared laughter at the intense inspection she is placed beneath. She flashes a mischievous grin at Loren as she lifts a palm for Astra to sniff at her leisure. "How she hasn't trained that fact into you already is beyond me," she teases. Companions were so much better than people sometimes, they certainly judged - and talked - a lot less.
Of course, the man is there to do more than stand there and look pretty. Evie can't help how her pale cheeks flush warm at the compliment - and such a great one at that. "Thank you," she murmurs, her words coming out on a breath in her sincere appreciation for it. She had worked hard to acquire what she had. Being a Natural was certainly a big help, considering she'd had her apothecary for a few years and had collected a modest collection in the Wordsworth manor in her youth. "I was lucky enough to have an early start." It's the simplest explanation she can offer, trying to redirect from the compliment and give herself the confidence she needed back.
Hearing about Abasi is certainly not what she had anticipated, and though she is automatically insulted at the implication that she hadn't helped him - he had said himself he felt relieved! - she bites her tongue and tries not to let it show on her expressive face. It's quickly smoothed over by his professional inquiry, though her heart stutters fearfully at the mention of magic. "I-It wasn't magic," she denies quickly, immediately. It's a little too telling, but her heart feels like it's in her throat. Turning to shuffle a few jars around and collect herself enough to hide her shaking hands, she clears her throat and lets her mind focus on Abasi instead.
"Yes, I did what I could to help him. Is he...that is...does he have the Blight?" she asks quietly, turning to peer at Loren from the corner of her eye. Evie can't help but feel concerned for Abasi at the implication that her magic couldn't heal him. "I can't treat that, it's far beyond my scope of healing. But I can tell you what I gave him that did help? Keeping up on it may at least take off the edge, especially combined with your...your talents," she stumbles a little at the end but brings up a smile to combat it. She suddenly wants him out of her apothecary, away from her entirely, because she is terrified at the idea of being outed. Especially by someone who seems so familiar to her, who may have connections to her family. But...her concern for Abasi, her desire for information, keeps her feet stuck fast to the floor.
”Well, she’s new in my life and I’m particularly thick, so it’ll take a while to sink in. I’ll get there eventually though.” Loren gave the luxere one of those rare secret grins he used to reserve for special and intimate occasions; it transformed his whole face, making him younger and lighter, nothing like the dark brooding Launceleyn he'd been for so long. Astra, for her part, sniffed Evie’s palm then licked it. Apparently that meant the two were best friends now, as the luxere trotted forward and pressed herself lovingly against the apothecary’s side.
At Evie’s blush, Loren looked away, suddenly shy and more than a bit embarrassed himself. He hadn’t intended to do anything more than pay her a well-deserved compliment. Still, when she mentioned she started early, he gave her a curious look. She was older than he was, but not by much. ”You’re welcome. And early start or no, it’s impressive. Actually, it might even be more impressive if you started young.” Medicine and herb lore were not easy subjects to master; Loren himself was barely a novice in both of them, and he was pretty well educated in a wide array of topics.
Unfortunately, despite the care with which Loren tried to choose his words, he managed to offend Evie. She did her best to hide it, but he was hyper aware of other's reactions to him these days, so he picked up on the subtle signs. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. However, his chagrin about his uncanny ability to annoy people was quickly supplanted by confusion at the way Evie denied that her skills came from magic. Giving her a curious look, he wondered why she would say something like that. ”I never said it was. And I’m sorry if I upset you. I was simply relaying what Abasi told me. I have no doubt you were incredibly helpful. He ah...seems used to a higher quality of life than what we have here.” Hopefully that would smooth over any lingering awkwardness, and it wasn’t as if the other man didn’t expect the finest life had to offer.
Loren couldn’t help but slumping when Evie admitted she didn’t know if Abasi had the blight or not. ”I don’t know. I was hoping you could tell me, actually. Have you, uh, had much experience with it?” At her offer to at least tell the summoner what she had treated the other man for and with, the Launceleyn gave her a grateful nod. ”I would very much appreciate that, thank you.” He smiled at her then, since she seemed to be quite confused about his healing magic. ”And my magic only takes me so far. Sometimes there’s no substitute for more tried and true methods.” It was part of the reason he’d decided to enroll in the College of Medicine.
Seeing the clear bond between the two brings a spark of warmth to the woman's chest. At times it makes her lonely, wanting that closeness, the tie of her soul to something that will know her deeply and love her all the while. When her gaze moves towards Loren, she can't help how her own countenance softens. He holds himself so regally, it's nice to see him radiating joy and affection. It brings out his best features, and Evie can't help but smile at the sight.
A little laugh escapes her at his insistence at complimenting her, face warm and flushed with color. He's younger than she, but he has such a control over the conversation that she can't help but feel girlish as he showers his sincerity upon her. "You're too kind," she says instead, hands fussing at her apron as she valiantly tries to keep eye contact. Evie may put up a bold and confident front, but her self-doubt can be crippling. Of course she'd been praised for her talent with herbs and healing, but only by those she'd essentially grown up with. It's different, coming from a total stranger.
Her joy fades a little at the sting of his words, but she can't fault him for her own insecurity. She waves away his stiffness, the rictus of his features even as he says nothing, and her smile is more natural when it returns. Even though it immediately tightens at the mention of magic. "No, I...I apologize I shouldn't have been so hasty. I'm glad he spoke so kindly of me, especially since he does seem of a finer breed," she laughs softly, leaning her hip against the nearest counter to force herself to relax. He wasn't prying, so for now her secret was safe. There is a small table further in, but few chairs. Not conducive to great conversation, especially with a luxere in the midst.
A frown pulls at her mouth, and she habitually lifts a hand to twirl a lock of hair thoughtfully. "I have a decent amount of experience with it. It comes on so slowly at first it can be hard to catch, he didn't seem to have the apparent symptoms...but he didn't have a fever, even though his skin was chilled. If the infection was spreading it may have weakened him, drawing on his natural bodily energy by giving him chills..." she realizes she's going on a bit of a murmured tangent and jolts out of it with a shy grin.
"Ah, sorry. What he came to me for isn't a common symptom, but it adapts so quickly that it could have been." Part of her regrets not catching it sooner, if it was the Blight, but it had seemed so benign...
Sighing she turns and begins gathering her ingredients, glad she had already put the kettle on. She pours the same mixture as what she gave Abasi, only in a much larger jar. She would give it up willingly to help him, even if the glass was rather valuable. An apology of sorts, for not being able to help the last time he had come to her. As she mixes it, she speaks over her shoulder to Loren as she goes. "It has echinacea extract for cold, chamomile leaves for relaxation and inducing sleep to help the body heal, and oregano for internal discomfort." Turning, she screws on the top and presents it to him with a lopsided smile, listening as he mentions his magic.
"It's good to know and utilize both. They interact well, and fill the gaps where the other can't reach. Are you studying under someone?" Curiosity fills her at who would be such a teacher now. The medical college was an option, but she had stepped into the Infirmary in the first place due to lack of hands on deck. Amalia's mother had been her own teacher, and she missed those days at Amalia's home, soaking in information like a sponge.
Astra remained by Evie, the luxere looking expectantly at the healer for scratches. Loren didn’t mind in the slightest: he knew Astra would eventually come home to him, and that was all that really mattered. Besides, his companion deserved all the attention she could get. At the red-headed woman’s compliment, the summoner blushed slightly. ”I think you might be the only person in the Hollowed Grounds who thinks that.” Though his tone was completely serious, the slight smile lurking at the corner of his lips belied his amusement. Granted, she actually was probably the only person who thought that.
Well, this was not at all how he’d been hoping this conversation would go; Loren wished there was some way to make Evie feel better about Abasi’s words and the way in which the Launceleyn had relayed them. ”Hey, no, none of that. You don’t have anything to apologize for.” If anything, the other man owed the healer an apology: even in this short interaction the summoner could tell she wouldn’t give anything less than her best. Her incredible shop and her reaction to criticism reminded him a little bit of his own perfectionist drive and his own reactions once upon a time, where every unkind word would make him shrink in on himself. He still got like that sometimes, though nowadays he had at least one person who would always pull him out of his funk.
Listening raptly as the red-headed woman explained the early onset of the blight and how it progressed, Loren found himself going over how well that matched with his own understanding of the cursed disease. When she paused, however, he shook his head. ”No apologies, remember? And that’s all really good to know. I never saw the early stages of it, just the later symptoms. Is there anything else I should look out for?” Most of the blighted were far past a slight fever and some exhaustion, but none of them knew how the illness worked, not really. It was entirely possible that new cases would crop up, even now.
As Evie prepared the medication, the Launceleyn paid close attention to both the ingredients and the way they were combined. While he didn’t know if he could make it on his own, every little bit of information helped. He took the jar from her with a nod, and tucked it under one arm. ”Thank you. This is really a huge help.” Seeing as folks mostly bartered around here—or just helped one another as needed—Loren wanted to repay her somehow. So he concentrated briefly, brow furrowed, as he called upon his magic. Two jars, identical to the one she’d stored Abasi’s salve in except that they were empty, appeared in the summoner’s hands, and he held them out to her. ”So you’re not out a jar because of me. And since I can’t replace the ingredients, I figured an extra jar might always be useful to have around.” Actually, it was more than a fair trade; Loren knew how difficult it was to find glass. However, given how little this had cost him and how much effort Evie had put into this, it was really the least he could do.
When the red-headed woman asked about the college, the summoner frowned. ”I’m not sure, actually. I enrolled towards the end of Leafchange and, well, Phoebe…” Loren trailed off, not sure how much he should say about the blonde woman. The Dean of the College of Medicine had been blighted, and if she was anything like the others the Launceleyn had encountered, he figured there wouldn’t be any classes for quite a while.
Evie grins at the expectant stare from the luxere, graciously stepping closer to let her hands fall upon the soft fur to scratch and pet to Astra's contentment. It brings her peace, though she's not surprised. Whether the creature is using its powers or not, it is soothing just to interact with animals at all. She looks up from caressing the adorable ears and arched neck at Loren's serious tone. The twitch of his mouth belies his true feelings, but she can't overlook the implication of the truth beneath. "Don't worry, I'm infamous for my ridiculous opinions. I'm sure it won't kill me to add you being kind to that list," she assures with a sly grin. Evie believes the opinion of the general masses is overrated, to say the least. She would judge Loren on her own time, in their own interactions. He'd have to deal with that as much as the vague "they" would have to as well. For all her proper upbringing, Evie wasn't exactly a rule-follower.
Then he turns the tables on her, comforting and gently chastising her in turn. There is familiarity there, a sense of understanding that softens her face and brings her vulnerability to the surface where it so rarely sees the light of day. "Thank you," she says softly instead, because there's little else to say. Her parallel perfectionism would not let her forget, but it did soothe the sting of her blindness with Abasi to hear him speak the words aloud. Instead she gives him a little smile, but one that is far more sincere than any of her previous ones.
"Oh yes, I've seen how it starts I just haven't treated anyone for it directly. Lethargy, chills, undue irritation or moodswings. Some seem to experience what appears to be normal winter sickness, coughs and wet noses. Others seem discomfit with their own bodies, phantom sensations. Does that help?" Part of her is curious what his aim is. Was he researching the Blight as Phoebe had? Or merely looking out for his own flock, in hopes they would all make it through the season without the affliction? Still, it's not truly her business, no matter how kind and accepting he'd been with her previous questions. If he has further questions for her, he will ask it, and she will answer. Simple.
When the drink is ready and handed off, she waves her fingers idly to dismiss his thanks. "It's no problem, I'm glad to help him as much as I can." She still yelps softly in surprise at his magic, unable to hide the raw, almost hungry awe in her gaze. It is a freedom she does not allow herself, and his practiced motions, his easy summoning of the objects, hurts her in ways she knows she cannot heal from. Not for many, many years to come. If ever she is able to come to terms with her Abandoned nature. Instead she reaches out a gentle hand to trace along the lip of the jar, marveling at its perfect replication, the sturdiness beneath her fingertips. Evie scarcely hears what he says, turning her dazzled eyes to him only when his voice peters out.
"Thank you, this is...truly helpful, you didn't have to go to such lengths. But it was beautiful to witness," comes out softly at the tail end, perhaps a note of longing in her voice if he were to listen carefully. She distracts herself by picking up the jars to place them with the others standing empty and waiting, brushing her palms over them as she puts them in place. She wouldn't deny his gift, not when social grace dictated it was an equal trade in his eyes, but the gesture impacted her nonetheless.
The maiden turns with a soft sigh of understanding at the mention of Phoebe. "Yes, that's...a rather unfortunate turn of events. As I understand she put up a notice about professors, however. Perhaps you can seek them out? I didn't put my name to the task, but you're always welcome here for questions. Or company," she offers with a wink, though there is nothing romantic about her implication. The apothecary was not as well-visited as the College, it at times grew lonely. Evie had enjoyed his presence, even if it had been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster on her side.
Astra closed her eyes with pleasure and gave a contented bleat as Evie began to pet the luxere. Loren grinned at the sight. ”Well you’ve made a friend for life. And you’ve got quite a knack for this. You should come out and feed the herds when they arrive in earnest.” Right now, there were a few full-sized luxere, but not nearly enough for LongNight, and Loren seemed to be the only one qualified to go out there and coax them closer to the Hollowed Grounds. It was a stark reminder of the dangers they were facing, and his smile faltered at the thought.
However, it returned when the healer spoke about her reputation and his kindness. He wasn’t sure about either of those statements. Running a sheepish hand through his hair, he shrugged. ”I don’t know about any of that to be honest. First, the only thing I heard about you was your healing ability. Second, if people start hearing that I’m kind from you, they might worry that you’ve taken a blow to the head.” Loren was infamous for many things in the Hollowed Grounds, but being nice wasn’t one of them. Polite and courteous yes, and helpful, but kindness seemed to be beyond him. ”But thank you for saying so anyway.”
”You’re welcome.” Although he wasn’t really sure what she was thinking at the moment, the Launceleyn hoped that she would take his words to heart. He was certainly listening to everything she had to say about the blight. He nodded when she finished. ”It does, thank you.” Those were admittedly disparate and seemingly unrelated symptoms, but at least he had some idea what to look for.
He was about to respond to her comment about helping however she could when she made a startled sound as he created the jars. Giving her a curious look that quickly turned to embarrassed at the look in her eyes and the sound of her voice he shrugged. ”Oh. Uh...thank you. But really, it was nothing, especially considering all the work you did to make the medicine.” Honestly, the minor effort of will and the tiny amount of energy he’d expended (which would come back on its own rather easily) was a small price to pay. And he still wasn’t used to people praising him for his magic, after such a long period of his family ridiculing it.
Holding the full jar in his hands, Loren’s brow furrowed as Evie spoke about the college. At least the red-headed healer seemed to know about Phoebe’s condition, so the summoner wouldn't have to explain that mess. Regardless, he would take a look to see who the other professors might be. ”I might just take you up on the offer of information and company, so thank you. Though I will confess that I’m curious to know why you didn’t sign up as a professor yourself, I’ll definitely see who else might be available to teach me, so thanks again.” Evie seemed far too knowledgeable to be a student if she did end up wanting to join.
An eager smile lights up her face at the idea, the proposition, the invitation to see the luxere herds. She never has, but they delight and comfort her as equally as they do others during the approaching days to LongNight. "I would love that, I never have before," she admits, recalling days of preparing the manor and hiding away until the sun returned. Their family was not one to risk much, to breed adventurers or soldiers. In many ways Evie had fallen into that particular trap, not that she was proud of it. But perhaps with someone else to guide her she would not need to fear her own inadequacy for one night. Turning her eyes to Astra she smiles and strokes a gentle hand against her soft fur. "If they are as kind and beautiful as you, I'm sure you won't be able to get me to leave!" Spoken directly to Astra instead, Evie can't help the joy in her breast at the mere idea of seeing more of the beautiful hope-bringing creatures.
Still, Astra seemed far more receptive of compliments than her bonded. Evie conspicuously rolls her eyes, cocking a hip and staring Loren down. He is young and anxious, and perhaps a little wet behind the ears. She's not much better for her age, but she also won't be told how to feel about somebody. "I'll give them a blow to the head for saying I keep bad company," she declares firmly, a sparkle of challenge in her blue eyes. "I can heal it, after all." A wink here, a tad teasing. Evie would hate to hurt somebody, but she wasn't beneath bopping someone on the head for badmouthing someone she deigned to call friend. And not even that, just friendly.
It seems neither of them are very good at compliments though. Clearly Evie is getting better at dismantling Loren's objections though, because she laughs brightly and waves away his words. "Creating something from nothing may seem small to you, but to me it's quite the feat. I'll cherish them," is finally conceded, a soft look on her face. Glass jars would always be treasured for their worth and sanitation powers, but she would keep them all the safer knowing they had been a gift.
It's not quite discomfort that falls upon her as the conversation moves onward to the College, but it's not quite shyness either. "It's a long story..." she ekes out, eyes falling to her hands. They're innocent enough on the surface with little burns and cuts. But she can see beneath, to the magic that she wields. "But you're always welcome here with any questions you may have." That, at least, she could do.
”Great! It’d be nice to have someone go with me for once.” Loren’s encounter with the blighted Melita hardly counted. ”And while of course none could rival Astra for kindness and beauty, they’re nice enough. As long as you bring them apples and hay. And uh, sing to them.” That last part came out a bit embarrassed and he ran a sheepish hand through his hair; his singing voice was nothing to write home about, but at least the luxere liked it. And they also liked his magic, though obviously that wasn’t something Evie could help him with.
Grinning at Evie's response to his self-deprecating humor the summoner held up his hands in a sign of surrender. ”Alright. If only to protect those poor innocent people from head wounds, and make less work for both of us, I will let you tell them I am kind.” Loren liked this woman, he decided. They had similar temperaments, it seemed, and anyone who was both a healer and treated Astra as well as the woman did was good people in his book.
It really was literally nothing to him, or close enough to make no difference. ”Well. I guess I’ll just have to make you more jars then, just so you can see that I am telling the truth. Wouldn’t want you to go around telling people I’m kind, but also kind of a liar.” Plus, if she cherished them, it would be good for him to make more. Besides, it would help her help other people. As she went on to speak about the college, he tilted his head and gave her a curious look. While he would’ve loved to know the story, he wasn’t going to pry. ”Alright. Well, thanks for offering up your expertise! I’ll try not to badger you too much.” He figured he’d probably just get most of the answers about medicine at the college, but maybe he’d swing by just to say hello every once in a while.
"Oh?" Evie's smile takes on a mischievous edge, the cobalt of her eyes asparkle with tittering amusement with the image Loren makes, shy and embarrassed at having to sing to the Luxere. She lets him hang for a moment, though she wouldn't be so crass as to outright tease someone who has been so kind. "Well I'm sure they'll appreciate your familiar vocals over my own screeching. But I'd love to accompany you nonetheless. I'll even bring earplugs," the apothecarist grins, a sassy wink thrown his way for good measure.
At least the man knew when the battle was futile, and she dramatically waved her arm in acceptance of his acquiescence. "See how much faster this goes when you simply agree with me?" The copper-haired girl can't help but to poke and prod at him, like an amusing little brother that she'd never been given. It's cute to see him fluster and bluster. Even though his own witty tongue sparks a laugh from her moments later.
"I'm not so humble as to turn away free gifts." It would certainly be a huge help, at least. She leans her hip against the counter, smiling and shooing Loren out the door. "You're a badger at heart and you know it," she calls after him, sure that he will close the door behind him as he wanders out with his prize. "Say hello to Abasi for me!" She prays he will not hold it against her, that she had so deeply failed him in catching the Blight.
Yes, the idea of Loren singing was hilarious, he’d be the first to admit that. Granted, he wasn’t a bad singer, per se. He just hated how he sounded. At Evie’s comment about earplugs he smiled briefly. ”Oh, so you’ve heard me then.” He waved vaguely to show that he was simply making a joke and his smile turned into a grin when he realized that he’d now have some company next time he went out to feed the herds. ”Thank you. I would appreciate both the help and the company.” Weirdly enough—well weird considering how antisocial and unwilling to accept support he normally was—he found that he meant it.
”Faster, yes, but I don’t know about easier.” Still, he was very slowly learning that sometimes he could just admit that other people were right and that he didn’t have the answers to everything. While he might slip up every now and again, surely this had to be a positive development.
At the very least Evie would accept the summoner’s help. He gave her a grateful grin; few in the Hollowed Grounds were quick to trust him. For someone who really only wanted to help people, that was a hard pill to swallow. As she called him a badger, he tilted his head. If she meant that he was belligerent persistent and prone to sticking his head and nose where he shouldn’t, then yes, he agreed with her assessment. ”If you say so. And I’ll tell him you said hi.” With a cheerful wave, the Launceleyn and Astra set off, medicine held carefully in his hands. Hopefully it would be enough to cure Abasi, or at least help mitigate the symptoms.
Of course, if it was the blight, nothing might help them.
