[SEASONAL EVENT][OPEN]Herbs and Spice and All Things Nice

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you Flowerbirth was here and that meant Phoebe had the opportunity to really get herself set up for a much better year over all. Deepfrost had been very difficult as far as some of the basics were concerned, and though she was certain Emmett wouldn’t let her go hungry again, she still wanted to be better set up. Speaking of Emmett, he had very kindly built her some planter boxes in the space out behind her clinic and home, as well as some on her window sills. It wasn’t very much, but it would be more than enough for what she needed it for. Already the midwife had planted pretty honeysuckles in all of her window planter boxes. They smelled nice and paid homage to the deity who so far had taken a better sheen to her than most others in town. Why Frey had decided to be so kind and think as fondly as they did of her, she couldn’t really figure that out, but she wouldn’t disregard it as the blessing it was. But now she was out back, planting more useful plants. She had the seeds she aged from her foraging in the fall. Various herbs that she could use in her teas and tonics, as well as some aromatics that made good incense and salves – all of which were targeted towards her practice as a midwife. Then there were a few foodstuffs that didn’t need a lot of space that she knew would grow well. Tomatoes, green beans, peppers, some varied greens, things of that sort. Those seeds Emmett had gotten her when she expressed interest in growing some. But now came the actual work, planting things. She stared at all the seeds she had and the little planter boxes her boyfriend had built…and realized she wasn’t even sure where to start.

Sam did not often walk by the clinic; after all he had little reason to, not knowing any pregnant women nor ever likely to impregnate someone. But the sight of the little planter boxes, a surprisingly delicate sign in the currently ruined town...it attracted him. It seemed like hope, like a flash of optimism in the rubble. Phoebe was stood outside; he didn't know if he knew her well enough to call her a friend (the first time they'd met he'd awkwardly gushed about Remi and said far too much, and the second time she hadn't been pleased with him) but he felt comfortable enough to approach, especially with the added confidence of his new voice. "Hello, Phoebe." He greeted with a smile, nodding at the seeds in her hands. "Are you planting some new things for Flowerbirth? Flowers would look nice in these boxes, I think. Did you make them?" SAMUEL Another little digit on my lifespan, what a bore And what once was fresh and green Now marches in the ranks of the obscene This whole transfiguration thing is such a chore

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you Phoebe looked over when she heard a familiar voice and smiled. ”Oh, hi Sam!” she said brightly. She was glad to see he had made it through Long Night alright. Well, then again Remi had and she doubted Sam had strayed too far from him. ”How have you been?” she asked in a friendly manner. She glanced down at her hands with all the packets of seeds, then looked back at him with a smile. ”Yes I am. Some herbs for my medicines for my practice as well as some food stuffs in these boxes out here. Well…I am trying to anyways. I am not really sure where to start.” she said, looking at all the planter boxes Emmett had made her. She really should have asked him to help her with this part. Brown eyes glanced towards the house at the window sill boxes and she grinned. ”They will soon! I planted some honeysuckle in those already.” she said. He asked if she made them and suddenly she realized how few people actually know about Emmett and her. Her cheeks flushed a little. ”O-oh, uhm, no I didn’t make them. My boyfriend did.” she said, cheeks turning a little redder. ”His name is Emmett Palmer…he is a Natural too, maybe you know him?” Of him was more likely but a connection was a connection all the same.

How had he been? Was such a monumental question that Sam didn't know how to answer it. He had been happy, thrilled, desperate, ruined; he had been on top of the world and at the bottom of deep valleys. His life had changed five times over in the space of a month and he was exhausted. All he could give as an answer was a vague smile and shrug. Luckily, she moved on. Sam didn't know much of how to grow food or herbs, but he was interested in her attempts; it was the kind of simple and domestic challenge he enjoyed. "What foods are you growing?" "Boyfriend? Oh." He smiled and raised his eyebrows, curious to find out more about this mysterious man. The last time he'd met her, Phoebe had been sure she would be alone forever. "Palmer...oh, the farm stall in the market? I...have never spoken to him, but I'm sure he's lovely. How did you meet? ...Is...he alright? I know the farm was...affected in the Longnight." His choice of words made it clear he knew more than that, but Sam wanted to give Phoebe the chance to tell it herself. SAMUEL Another little digit on my lifespan, what a bore And what once was fresh and green Now marches in the ranks of the obscene This whole transfiguration thing is such a chore

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you Hmmm. Something about that didn't seem right. It wasn't like Sam not to...gush. Just a smile and a shrug? That seemed terribly out of character for him. She made a mental note to come back to it. "Well these are tomatoes, green beans, and some greens here...and these ones are for herbs for my tonics for my practice." she said, showing him the different bags of seeds. She looked out at the planter boxes, considering them. "I suppose I should separate them like that...maybe put the medicinal things in those boxes there and the foodstuffs in those ones?" she said, pointing to the different rows of planter boxes that were set up. That way medicinal things wouldn't get mixed up with food things on accident. "What do you think?" she asked Sam, looking back over at him, genuinely interested in his input. She didn't think he necessarily knew anything about planting gardens but it would give her some direction. "Ah...yes." she said, blushing at bit at the way his eyebrows rose when he affirmed that she had said boyfriend. It was still something that she needed to get used to, telling people about it. She nodded as he mentioned the farm stall, that indeed he had the right Palmers in mind. But the mention of Long Night had her frowning and she looked down at her feet. "U-uhm...well...yes it was...we were both there when it happened." she said quietly. "It's been very hard for him. I'm doing everything I can but...well there are just some things that can't ever be fixed."

Sam looked to each bag of seeds with a nod, wondering if he should start gardening. It seemed a good hobby to him, suddenly. The chance to bring something to life without responsibilities like fatherhood. "I think...you should keep the medicines by the door, just in case you need to run out and grab them one day. Food you could keep further away because you'll be getting it ahead of time." Perhaps this was a perspective borne of his own paranoid nature, but it was the only answer he could think of. We were both there when it happened. His face immediately turned to one of concern and he took a step towards Phoebe but stopped short, too shy to offer any potential physical comfort. "Are you...alright? Were you hurt? I'm amazed you're out here planting, after something like that." SAMUEL Another little digit on my lifespan, what a bore And what once was fresh and green Now marches in the ranks of the obscene This whole transfiguration thing is such a chore

phoebe Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and annoint you Phoebe considered the planter boxes as Sam spoke, breaking down his logic. ”That’s very true and quite a smart observation. I think I’ll do just that.” she said with a smile at him. She stepped towards one of the boxes then, pulling out the packets of seeds she would need for that particular box as she knelt in front of it. Gently she began to push aside the dirt with her hands to make little trenches. It had been awhile since she had a garden, but she did remember a few things. ”I’m fine. Physically anyways.” she said quietly as she worked, a slight frown curving her lips. ”Emmett was hurt though and unconscious so I had to drag him from the Outskirts to the Rathskellar. But the soreness from that has finally gone away.” It didn’t take a lot of knowledge to know that that had been quite a feat for her. She was tall, but she was delicately built, willowy, dainty, breakable. To drag a young man all that way through the snow had only been within her abilities because fear had been driving her, and it had taken a toll on her body for some time after. ”Well…I have to keep moving don’t I? Life doesn’t stop just because things aren’t well. The days still pass. The seasons still change. If I just wallow in that moment I will forget to live.” she said quietly.

Sam smiled when Phoebe took on her advice and watched her plant, wondering if he should be helping. Walking up to the box he held out a hand to offer to take the seeds while she moved aside the dirt, wanting to help somehow. Phoebe was not a large person and Sam immediately began to wonder how she'd managed to carry Emmett all that way. They said love could give you strength you'd never imagine yourself to have otherwise...he'd seen that in himself, he supposed. "Well...no, you shouldn't wallow, but..." Sam chewed at his lip. He really was the least qualified person to give emotional advice, but he felt like he had some kind of experience here. He knew what it was to experience trauma and stay in it. "Sometimes, Phoebe, I think you need to let yourself feel bad things before you move on. Longnight was not so long ago. Emmett isn't here now, right? Why not give yourself a day to feel your feelings? Be sad. I think...it can help, sometimes." SAMUEL Another little digit on my lifespan, what a bore And what once was fresh and green Now marches in the ranks of the obscene This whole transfiguration thing is such a chore