[Mature] Lilian's Herbal Shop

After the death of her grandmother, a well respected herbalist and healer named Lilian, Katarya must take over the shop, and still keep her secrets.

Fellsgard is the foundation of Khy'eras' history and through reconstruction, it is now a vibrant and lively city. People reside here due to mild climate, opportunities, and safety and stability. Adventures often start from Fellsgard. Read more...
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Katarya Frost
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[Mature] Lilian's Herbal Shop

Post by Katarya Frost »

Katarya did not weep as her grandmother’s coffin was slowly lowered into the grave. She watched with a tired, red eyed stare.

She had done her crying alone; cursing and wracked with sobs when Lilian had breathed her last breath. When Lilian lay still in her bed, her grandaughter had clung onto her hand and cursed the disease that no amount of herbs and potions had been able to heal. She also cursed the city's stupid ban on magic, as she could not help wondering if someone with powerful magics in healing might have saved the person she loved most in the whole world.

But it was not to be. Her grandmother had died, and now she was being put in the ground.

The turnout was large, but not unexpected. Lilian had ran her little herb-shop, offering medicines and such to those in need, always kind, always patient, and never turning anyone away, even if they couldn’t afford what they needed. She would always accept whatever offerings were given in exchange for her help. Though the shop had been small, located in the south of the city, business was always good. The poor needed medicine just as much as anyone, and Lilian had been staunch in her view that everyone should get aid, should they need it.

Katarya could almost hear her voice now: “Oh, don’t worry Mister Garth! Let’s get a poultice on that leg and you can pay me the rest when you can afford it. And make sure to pop in with the little ones soon. Such a delight, they are! Now come, take a seat and we’ll get you sorted and back to work in a wisp’s minute.” The thought nearly broke her, and she took a deep slow breath to keep the tears at bay.

“Kat?”

She turned and took her eyes from the grave. She blinked and cleared her throat. “Sorry Cora; What did you say?”

Cora had been her friend since she was a little girl, and now, both women were twenty two. Cora was married and currently very much pregnant. Katarya had never even given much thought to a family of her own, something that Cora was always going on at her about. Also, Cora was the only person who knew what she was, now that her grandmother had passed, that is.

Pregnancy suited Cora. The young woman and her husband had been trying for a child for a full year before she had come to see Lilian for help. With some herbs and potions (not to mention a little magic), Cora had been overjoyed when her monthlies had stopped. The short young woman wanted nothing more than a whole brood. Right now though, she looked concerned. “Mister Cale suggested some drinks to toast your grandmother.” Cora’s own face was streaked with shed tears. “If you’d like, that is.”

Katarya’s head turned back to the grave. “Yes,” she said, after a while. “I suppose we should.”

***

It was a long walk to Mac’s from the graveyard. Cora had linked arms with Katarya as they walked. Around them, people were trading stories of their visits to Lilian’s shop (simply called ‘Lilian’s’), and the kindness of the woman in general.

Katarya would have given anything to break free of this little crowd and go back home, but even then it would be a home empty of the only mother she had ever known. Instead she focused on Cora’s chatter as they strode through the city, their small heels tapping along the cobbles.

“I see Karl is behaving himself, for once.” She said to Kat, motioning slightly to the young man who walked a few steps ahead.

“Thank Ny’tha,” Katarya muttered back. “I couldn’t handle him fawning over me today.”

“Well, at least it shows he has some tact, after all. Maybe you should reconsider him, Kat.” Cora gave her a small smile.

“I’d sooner not.” Katarya said, with a role of her eyes. “I doubt the man has a brain in that head of his!”

“He’s very handsome, though.” Cora countered. “And he’s been crazy about you since we were in our teens! My Bart could do with muscles like that!”

They turned a corner and Mac’s came in to view. Katarya just wanted to get this day over with, but also she felt guilty for even feeling that way. All these people were mourning, and their constant “I’m sorry for your loss’ and ‘if there is anything I can do’ was kind, but it begun to grate on her.

When they entered, Mister Cale spoke to Mac and then announced that the tavern owner had allowed them to sit upstairs on the second floor, so that they might have a quieter space for the informal wake.

***

“ … and just know that if you need anything, anything at all, then you just let me know, dear.”

Katarya managed a smile as the old woman patted her arm. “Thank you, Mrs Slate. That’s very kind.”

“Oh, not at all!” Mrs Slate responded. “Dear Lilian … she was such a kind soul, and here you are left with no one at home. I shall be so worried about you, having lost your poor mother and grandfather so early … and now Lilian.” The woman’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I don’t know how you’ll manage, all by yourself.

‘Thank you for the reminder.’ She thought, sardonically. But instead gave the woman a kind (if a little forced) smile. “With friends and neighbours like you, I am sure I will have no time to even worry about such things.”

Mrs Slate gave a smile, even if her face was a little puzzled at the statement. “Well, yes. And as I say, if you need …”

“If I need anything, I will be sure to stop by.” Katarya cut her off. “Thank you, Mrs Slate.” When the older woman left the table, Katarya winced as Cora pinched her arm. “What was that for?!”

Cora gave her a stern look. “You might as well have just told her to ‘bugger off’!” She sighed. “Really, Kat! These people are just here to honour your grandmother, and they are offering their support. You might even need it, sometime. Try and be nice.”

Reaching for her wine glass, Katarya took a good drink, then shrugged. “But, I’m not nice, Cora.”

“Then fake it.” Cora commanded, then gave her friend a nudge. “Here comes Karl; I’ll give you some privacy.”

Katarya turned to Cora with a scowl. “Don’t you dare!”

But Karl had just reached the table, and Cora was already on her feet. “Oh, hello Karl. I was just going to get a drink. Back in a moment.” Her blue eyes fixed Katarya with a look that had ‘be nice!’ etched into it.

Katarya took a slow breath of frustration, but turned to look at Karl who had taken a seat at the small table Katarya had specifically chosen so that she wouldn’t be surrounded by too many people. “Good afternoon, Karl.” She said, with some resignation in her voice.

Karl Hobson was the son and assistant to Master Hobson who ran a smithy. Because of his work, Karl was well built and his muscles strained at the shirt he wore (which Kat assumed he did on purpose, to show off). Couple that with a very handsome face, full of boyish charm, and that he had a trade, and many a young lass would give their right hand to be his wife. He had set his sights on Katarya since she was 14 and he 15, and had tried (and failed) many times over the years to ‘woo’ her. At first it had been amusing, then it had become irritating. “Hello, Kat.” He said, placing his tankard on the table.

She glanced at the mug with annoyance. ‘Oh please, do take a seat!’ She thought.

“It was a lovely service,” he said; another phrase she was sick of hearing. “It’s strange to think Mrs Lilian is gone. I thought she’d live forever.” He shook his head. “I’ll miss her giving me a ticking off for hanging around the shop.”

Kat smiled a little, despite herself. Memories were conjured in her head at the words he spoke, memories of Lilian shooing Karl out of the shop. “You can leave your attempts at romance when my granddaughter isn’t busy. Come on! Off with you now!”

After getting no reply, he simply carried on. “Will you be keeping the shop?”

She blinked at the question. “Of course! Why wouldn’t I?”

Karl shrugged. “Well, you were always talking of taking off on adventures; visiting Ajteire and all that. I reckoned you might do it, is all.”

It was true: she had always talked of leaving the city when she had got together enough coin. But now … leaving the shop her grandmother had ran for 30 years to go to some stranger … it seemed unthinkable. “No, I will keep it open and run it. Maybe not as well as her, but I’ll do my best.” She wondered if her best would be good enough! She was only 22, and though she had worked in the shop all her life, and could think of a hundred different potions and medicines off the top of her head, she had nowhere near the skill and knowledge her grandmother had possessed. “I will do my best with it. Lilian’s will reopen after I see out the mourning period.”

Karl nodded. “Well, I am pleased you’re staying. And if you need anything fixing up or …”

“I’ll be fine.” Kat said, quickly.

“There’s no need to be so proud,” he said. “Things fall apart, and I’d never charge, of course. Since we’re close friends and all that.”

With a raised brow, she gave him a pointed look. “‘Close’?” It wasn’t really a question. “I doubt we’d be called ‘close’, Karl.”

“Ah, come now, Kat. We’ve known each other since we were both kids! I’d say that would make us pretty close.” He sat forward a little. “How abouts I walk you home, when you’re ready?”

Kat rolled her eyes, turning away from his gaze. “I think not, Karl.”

***

“Oh, Ny’tha … what have I done?” She said, to herself, glancing at Karl’s slumbering (and very naked) form beside her. She had regretted it as soon as it was all over. There was no denying his stamina, at least, and she had found some relief through the release that their coupling had given her.

To view this content, you must log in.  ] But there would be no denying that he would now assume she was ‘his girl’, and his pestering would only increase. Also, she didn’t really want the whole city knowing about this mistake, for she had no doubt that he would brag and tell all that he had managed to catch the famously stand-offish Katarya Frost.

Moving slowly, she swung her legs out of bed and reached for something to cover her naked form. The candles were almost completely spent, and for a moment she watched him with her deep brown eyes. He was handsome, and kind, and she didn’t even doubt that he did love her … could she see a future with him?

No. She could never be his wife. She couldn’t imagine ever being anyone’s wife!

Moving softly she made her way downstairs to the shop, holding a candle to light the way. She modest place was stacked with herbs of all kinds. She needed a particular one, for tonight …

It took a little while. She placed a mug on the floor and poured in the liquid into it. Taking a slow breath, she closed her eyes and held her hands over it. As she spoke the words of the spell, a soft glow grew around the mug. When the spell was complete, the glow faded, and Katarya nodded in satisfaction. “This’ll do, I think.” She said to herself.

Back upstairs, she poured the liquid into the mug of wine that sat on the bedside table, next to Karl, who was still snoring softly in the dim light. When she did, she hesitated a moment … it would take an hour or so for the spell-infused potion to take effect, so …

Slipping her night-dress off, she sat on the edge of the bed, running her hands over his muscled chest. She dipped her head down and kissed him, drawing him out of his slumber.

“Mmmm,” Karl opened his eyes, looking sleepy but pleased. “That’s nice.” He said.

Kat smiled taking the mug and offering it to him. “Drink up,” she said. “I’m not done with you just yet.”

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***

Closing the door to the shop, and the cold night air the night had brung, Katarya had watched Karl stumble off into the darkness, rubbing his head. She was sure he would get home alright; the spell had been a simple memory erasing one, so he would have no idea what he had been doing with Katarya.

She was now physically exhausted, as well as being emotionally and mentally beat. She got back into bed and collapsed, falling into a deep slumber.

***

The next day, she slept in. No one would expect her to open up the shop for at least two weeks, so she could mourn. They probably assumed she would be a sad, weeping young woman who would spend time taking tea with various people who had been insistent she shouldn’t be alone during this time. But that was not Kat’s plan, at all.

Of course she was sad; almost unbearably sad at times, but she had some work to do.

As she made her way into her grandmother’s bedroom, which she assumed she ought to move into since it was the largest of the two, the scent of lavender and chamomile filled her senses; two herbs Lilian always had hanging in her room to help her sleep. Katarya fought back tears and focused on what she was in there for. The chest.

It was nothing fancy, purposely so as not to draw attention to it. It was locked, but no key would open it. Reaching into her pocket, Kat pulled out the parchment her grandmother had given her on her deathbed. It was instructions to open this very chest.

Placing her palm on the lock, Katarya began to chant the words on the parchment. It took a while to get it right, and she wondered if her grandmother had written it wrong due to her bad health, but at last it clicked. Kat opened the top, and looked down at the thick heavy book within.

It was the Frost family’s very own Book of Shadows; a tome of spells, potions, instructions … dating back four generations. She had only ever seen it once before, but now it was hers.

“I wish I had had time to show you how to use your power, my darling girl.” Lilian had said, as she lay dying. “But my heart is failing fast. You’ll have to use that bright mind of yours, and also caution; keep it secret and keep it well.”

Lilian died later that day, no more than an hour after she had managed to write down the incantation to open the chest.

Katarya ran a hand over the book’s solid cover. It had symbols on it; wards mostly, wards that would ensure it would keep it’s secrets if it were to fall into unwanted hands. But as Katarya was a Frost, she opened the book and there was the patchwork writings of her family members, witches and wizards who had preceded her. Now it was hers.

***

Opening the shop for the first time, Katarya turned the sign to let people know they could come, and dreaded at the inevitable visits from people wanting to wish her well. She still wore black, though only a simple dress and black ribbon in her braided hair. It suited her well.

Now … who would be her very first customer?
Last edited by Katarya Frost on October 10th, 2019, 2:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Word count: 2706
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"Now is the Time, now is Hour, mine is the Magic, mine is the Power"
Val Bellamy
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Re: Lilian's Herbal Shop [open] (Some Mature Content)

Post by Val Bellamy »

The shop had been difficult to find, which was to say nothing of the building proper; rather than being a criticism of the herbal shop's advertising capabilities, it was more a commentary that early morning, half-hungover stumblings with a scarf thrown about one's head and shoulders, with a suddenly adopted hunch of a wobbling gait - complete with improvised cane! - and a feigned scratchy voice and identity to avoid the Bartlemere Twins left navigating a very cleanly laid out block of city as a bit of a migraine-inducing challenge.

Indeed, Val had to hobble down at least three streets to make sure that she hadn't accidentally fallen back into view of the deplorable duo, and by that point she had found herself on the doorstop of the shop - and what was she to do then, doff the disguise right then and there and hope they wouldn't see her? No, naturally, Val stayed perfectly in character, appearing to windowshop a bit, scuffling outside the front a while longer, fiddling with an imaginary purse, and then finally bothering to drag herself through the threshold and enter the herbal store proper. Or was it an apothecary? Whatever, point was her mum had wanted a few things and she had finally found the blasted place.

Never mind that the very first thing she did never included greeting the merchant, nor even browsing any displays. For that matter, she didn't bother digging out her list, either! 'Productive', to Val, meant shrugging off the scarf and replacing it back around her waist - she was doing a pirate thing today, thanks - and stretching her back, grumbling all the while that she "would actually be a hunchback at this rate." And of course, she performed a quick once over of her outfit, straightening her white undershirt, "resituating" her russet corset, and re-fluffing the bandana that was arguably the only part of her getup that actually hinted at her design influence that morning and distanced her from a tip-seeking barmaid. Then, and only then, did she bother to swagger over to the nearest counter and person-looking thing - mindful that she was still a bit wobbly and trying very hard not to bump into those expensive-looking vials piled up on the side, mind - and slammed the paper down, addressing, "Yes, this is, uh- th'flowery'n'panty place, yeah...?" She was off to a great start. Just look at her - she was still standing!

"Oh, silly me - I mean planty place! Ha, ha, try sayin' that one six times fast!" she laughed at her own faux paus, stupid grin and all as she slumped down, elbow on counter and face in hand. The other still lingered on the paper as she finally remembered that she did, in fact, have more to say and do here. "Ahem, right - Sorry I ain't Fennel and all, I know he's the usual, uh.... ........ wait, you are Lilian, right...?" Things to say and do that she would get to, in time. For now, she was scrutinizing the person she blabbered at extra closely. Val wasn't the one to usually run these errands, her older brother the responsible soul who normally did all those tasks, for obvious reason - but something about her memory and the current herbalist didn't seem to match up. Had she any glasses, she'd be busy fiddling with them to see if the prescription was off.

".... Anyway," dropping the subject as quickly as she introduced it with a literal handwave, "How-zabout you go on an' get me some, uh... ah, crap - what's that uh... the planty-stem-y thing-y, you know, with the thin leaves, and... pink flowers...?" She had shifted posture again, hands poking out of her neck like fins, because evidently her best impression of a plant would help the herbalist's memory. "Or are they purple..?" She squinted at the words on the paper, struggling both to read and comprehend what any of the letters meant next to each other. Her mother always had rushed handwriting; the absolute nonsense words scribbled on it now did nothing to help her understanding. "Okay, do you just have, like, a Bellamy Order on hand to give me or something...? You know, all the stuff for inks and burns and engine lubricants. The kind of shite tinkerers would need." Hopefully that made sense. Val really didn't know the interpretive dance for 'oh god oh god my pants are stuck in the steam-powered cogs; help!' "Y'know, whatever you'd normally give Fennel is prolly good enough.
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Katarya Frost
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Re: Lilian's Herbal Shop [open] (Some Mature Content)

Post by Katarya Frost »

Katarya Frost's first day as owner of Lilian's had supposed to have been sombre, but pleasing. She was to carry on the legacy of her late grandmother, and be a healer, trader, nurse, confidante ... she was surprised at just how intimate people could be, when describing their various ailments. "It's gone all red and swollen!" A man had said; a sailor who had requested a private consultation (nothing new there), and when they were in her little treatment room, had, to to answer her question of what he needed help with, had promptly dropped his trousers and shown her ... she had hoped her face had not betrayed too much of the shock she had felt. After making up some ointment (which she added a few extra coppers to the cost for ... she had had to look at his privates, after all), she had sent him on his way and made a mental note to be ready for anything!

The young lass she had hired to help her was proving to be a real help; she didn't really know much about herbs or medicine ... in fact, Kat was seemingly training her from the ground up! But her cheeky and cheerful demeanour made her a hit with the customers. Maybe they'd be less inclined to be so chatty with the girl had they been aware of her being a slum resident.

When a most peculiar figure hobbled (or even staggered) into her little shop, her heart had near missed about when the woman missed her expensive glass vials by a hair's breadth! And as she rambled on, Kat watched her closely. Something was ... off. I am Katarya Frost, Lilian's granddaughter. I own the place after she passed." She still wore the black clothes of mourning, but she felt they suited her well, so kept it up, earning her some unwanted sympathy from others.

As she tried to describe the flower she wanted, Kat fought down a smile, though she could hear a slight giggle from the back as Lily no doubt was listening to ever word. At the name Bellamy, she gave the woman a pointed look. "I've never seen you before,"she pointed out. "You're not the usual person who take's the brothers' orders. Would you care to introduce yourself, before we continue?" She asked, then leaned over the counter a little, lowering the voice. "I'd also advise on maybe rethinking the limp ... it's not very consistent." She looked at the woman and raised a questioning brow.

As she waited for a response, she took out one of her books titled 'Orders', and brought up the Bellamy account. There was an order; just the regular, and everything the woman had described
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"Now is the Time, now is Hour, mine is the Magic, mine is the Power"
Val Bellamy
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Re: Lilian's Herbal Shop [open] (Some Mature Content)

Post by Val Bellamy »

The first thing Val noticed about Katarya was that she listened. Now, she didn't know if that was a 'waiting for this stranger to say something incriminating' thing, an 'I don't want any trouble, Miss, so here's my best demeanour' thing, or even just an herbalist thing. Shit, knowing Val's luck, it was probably all three. But the point was, the pale brunette was listening, and she had a name.

"... Katarya Frost, whazzit?" she parroted as the woman explained the current ownership of the shop and how it came to be that way, foretelling yet more condolences: "Well, can't pretend I ever knew Lilian all that well, but I dare to say you're far more of a looker than she ever was; if you're still needing comfort in the dead of night, I've received splendid reviews about my bedside~" Was it inappropriate? Maybe. Would Katarya disapprove of Val leaning over the counter with far more spirit than before and eyeing her black outfit up and down? Almost certainly, but try explaining good manners and empathy to a bard.

Either through rejection or sheer professionalism - and let's be real, the only possibility was that Katarya there was such a grand shopkeeper, she couldn't possibly muddle her personal business while on the clock - they moved onto the subject of Val's visit, and with a bit of charades and name-giving, they finally managed to piece two and two together, albeit with the smallest inquiry to these odd conditions. "Mmm..." her amused grin faltered a bit, the smallest of coughs as Fennel's absence was pointed out, but she refused to be put on the backfoot with such an easy opening provided.

"Yes, I bet you've never seen me before - and now that you have, what do you think...?" And with those simple words and a daring twirl of her form, Val had successfully redirected back into grins and bright eyes. "Be honest: Do you like the frontside or the backside more..? And that's Val Bellamy, I know I look nothing like Fennel and all... would you like to see again to confirm?" The whole 'adopted' thing could be a pain sometimes, but hopefully Katarya had interacted with the rest of her family just enough for her to be memorable. Extending a hand for the glamourous greeting, hoping that at least her behaviour would conjure memories, and Val was instead met with criticism about her limping gait. The tension returned to her shoulders at once, not that she was aware of it, nor that she was going to let herself drop the posture besides.

"Yeaaaaaah, about thaaaat...." Trying to keep direct eye contact was suddenly so hard! Val tried, but her green eyes flit nervously to the shop's front door out of concern anyway, and it slowly dawned on her that just maybe she needed to take this whole encounter a little more seriously than she had expected.

"Look..." dropping her own voice as well, hoping to settle this discreetly, "The limp's, ah, well you've met the Bartlemere Twins before, yeah?" Evidently, she really did think that sufficed for an explanation, moving onto a new subject completely: "Look, I've got mum's list here, and I'd like a few extra things on the side, if you wouldn't mind - paid-in-full of course! Just... not on the books..? I'm sure someone of your stature could find it in your heart to be generous - what with your enchanting personality, and all." The smiles and eye contact before had been flirty. Val was still certainly having fun and all, but this was less about her planned evening and more about the way the atmosphere swirled about Katarya in that dizzying, heavy haze that some people seemed to have more than others. She had finally realized why the gal seemed so similar to Lilian, now. "You're not like most other people, are you?" That was as direct as she could be about it. Any more, and it'd simply be easier to show her what she meant.
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Katarya Frost
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Re: Lilian's Herbal Shop [open] (Some Mature Content)

Post by Katarya Frost »

Kat's expression took on one of the sardonically amused, as Val's eyes slid over her body, looking at her just as the brazen men who would leer and cat-call women did. If it had been one of those men, now leaning over her counter, she might have slapped his face. But Val's confident drawling words had a certain charm to them.

"I'm sure your bedside manners are exquisite," she said. "But, alas, my bed side is heavy with books and I'm afraid there'd simply be no room for you attendance." She gave the woman a deeper smile. "If they ever see fit to give me some peace, I will keep you in mind.." As the woman twirled around, Kat even managed a small laugh. "I'll be diplomatic and say both your front and back are as as equally pleasing ... Miss Bellamy." She nodded in confirmation, making a note in the 'Orders' book.

Val Bellamy ... Kat knew the Bellamy family ... everyone knew the Bellamy family ... everyone with a business at least. "A Bellamy boy will charm the leaves out of the trees, if you let him." Her grandmother had once warned, when she had discovered Katarya had been spending time in circles which the Bellamys moved in. "But you keep your wits about you and your legs crossed, you hear?" The teenage Katarya had been mortified.

"My apologies for not recognising you," she said, though there was no real hint of it in her eyes. "I will, of course get you everything you need." She reached out and took the list. When Val used the term 'enchanting' and remarked on how she was 'not like other people', her own cool persona seemed to falter a little. "Well, I am certainly a bit smarter than the idiot girls I grew up with, if that's what you mean." She said, after a moment. What was she too say? 'Oh yeah; I'm a Witch! Now be a dear and help the guards throw me into prison forever'?

Instead, she glanced to the side. "Lily? Mind the counter while I take Miss Bellamy for a consultation." She raised the counter top, and after placing it down, took Val's arm, keeping her face in a fixed, neutral smile. "This way." She said, her voice might be bright, but it was not a request.

The consultation room was where Kat endured the moans and complaints of the sick and needy of Fellsguard. The scent of fresh herbs filled the room (this was necessary, as some of the conditions people came in with, sometimes often ... well, they stank!). As the door closed, Kat turned to Val. "I thought a little privacy might be the order of the day." She said, taking a seat and offering the other to her visitor. "You're right, of course. I'm a little 'different' from most people." She wasn't going to come right out and spill her secrets just yet, though. "As to your requests for anything 'on the side', I would be happy to oblige ... if they are legal of course." She glanced down at her nails, casually checking them. "If not, then I am sure we can come to some sort of understanding. My little shop is not quite up to the challenge I face having to help the sick and needy. Any avenues for extra income would be most welcome, and perhaps being part of such an ..." she glanced up with a half smile. "Illustrious family ... we could be of some use to each other." She sat, perfectly composed, head held high, with the demeanour something akin to a particularly arrogant cat!

Inside however, her heart was beating fast and her mind was racing. One thing was completely obvious, and she didn't need any magic to know it for sure, Val Bellamy looked at her and, somehow, was seeing what everyone else in Fellsguard did not even suspect. This woman knew.

And Katarya was extremely nervous.
Word count: 655
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"Now is the Time, now is Hour, mine is the Magic, mine is the Power"
Val Bellamy
Character
100% Guaranteed Not Her Fault
Level
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20 / 20 MP
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Re: Lilian's Herbal Shop [open] (Some Mature Content)

Post by Val Bellamy »

Somehow, Val managed to maintain her smile as the herbalist turned down her very generous offer. It wasn't much work; she had expected an outcome like this, one way or another. And now with the added problem of her non-obvious parentage sorted through, another distraction soon came along to preoccupy her from her rejection woes: the backroom, and the secret consultations they would have within.

Because, Val totally knew their conversation would go like this. Mmhm. She dropped those hints about Katarya, absolutely as witty and convincing as the Bellamy belle normally was about such scrupulous matters, and... somehow, she wasn't dismissed out of hand? All right, that part had surprised her, fully expecting the would-be enchanter to take the usual route of 'deny everything,' prompting Val to urge again in the name of decency and discrepancy - considerate bugger that she was - all for yet another round of insistent "By our Saviour Cecilia, I have no idea what you're trying to imply!"s, which inevitably wound up with a trickle of magic. As she stole it from them. And the stern glances and steely resolves of unspoken "We can do this the easy way or the hard way"s.

So yeah, imagine Val's surprise when that didn't happen! Katarya just... cleverly called for a private meeting, and zip they went to the backroom, nary a bad thought on her mind.

...

Okay, nary a bad thought that she was going to suggest out loud on her mind. Satisfied?

A pungent scent not unlike soap hit her first, the bard's nose crinkling and knocking a bit of gravitas into her as she folded her arms and calmly regarded what Katarya had to say, declining the offer of a seat. Her silence at the woman's confession and offer to provide on-the-side legal items was not an accident; Val patiently waited for the woman to be entirely done, and then let the tension hang a moment longer just for good measure.

"Groovy, toots-" oops, that wasn't quite the tone she was going for, now was it? With a quick head-shake and a slump against the nearest wall for added posterity, Val reminded herself that she was a pirate today, damnit, and she was on the prowl for booty one way or another!

"'Legal' is.. a flexible point we can work on - I wouldn't ask this of anyone other than my trusted friends, and you're certainly a friend, yeah?" she tried again, feeling more confident this go around. "I mean, what are friends, other than people who can hold each other's dearest secrets? Particularly when we both seem to have such illustrious families." The smile that followed wasn't like her previous expressions. Before, they had been jaunty and bacchanalian; this was now the other side of Val Bellamy, the quirked smirk of a pointed blade knowing exactly where to aim.

"So yes, I'd like a few things... and in exchange, I can more than pay you - I might, if you're so inclined, be able to point you towards others who are as similarly enchanting as yourself...?" That was an offer for her consideration, should the magician be interested in it. Val had met plenty who would much prefer the coin, however, so she assumed the latter and moved to the point: "I'm interested in sleeping tonics, the kind that might act a little bit faster than whatever you'd sell me over the counter. I'd also like.... uhm." A furrow of the brow, straining for words all of a sudden. Surely, it couldn't be for lack of courage - and her ensuing antics proved it. As articulate and eloquent as she may have been before, Val simply didn't have the vocabulary for her next request.

"Those, uh... for when you're tired, but not in the physical sense..." Surely, if she glanced elsewhere and spun her hands in circles enough, the herbalist would understand her meaning? "So that thing I said before about you, yeah? Can you... can you sense it too? Because I'd like some of that stuff, in bottle-form, please. ... If you have any. ... And can spare it. ... And maybe have advice on what it's supposed to do or how I'm supposed to use it." Perfectly cogent request. Val was making perfect sense; who didn't understand that?
Word count: 717
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Katarya Frost
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Re: Lilian's Herbal Shop [open] (Some Mature Content)

Post by Katarya Frost »

'She's a very talkative creature!' Kat thought, with some amusement. Though she found the young woman's enthusiastic nature to be quite endearing. Though the word "friend" had been mentioned so quickly, Kat couldn't deny her eagerness to engage with her. "I'd like to think of us as friends, yes. Friends who could be very helpful to each other.

As to her offer of introducing her to other magic users, Kat was hesitant in her reply. "I've spent my whole life making sue I steard well clear of any other witch or wizard, but maybe it's time to change that. Do you know many? She asked. Were the Bellamy family in league with rogue magic users?

Sleeping tonics! Kat was quite adept at sleeping tonics, as well as memory charms. She was still young, and the vast amount of things one could do with magic were either beyond her skill or she simply didn't know how to do it; that sort of thing came with experience. "Yes, most sleeping draughts can take a while to work." She lowered her voice. "But with the right ingredients ... some of which are a little in the grey area of legality, and some spellwork, I can have you a potion that will knock out a horse for 8 hours straight! And since we're friends, I can have a small batch - enough - for maybe 4 or 5 doses, made up by tomorrow morning."

As Val Bellamy stood, essentially rambling on about Ny'tha knew what, Kat tried to make sense of it. "I'm not exactly sure I follow!" She said. Are you wanting some sort of stimulant? Those are easy done, but I have a feeling you're looking for something a little extra ... though I need a bit more clarity if I'm going to make something special. I assume it will involve magic, whatever it is you want me to cook up for you?
Word count: 317
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"Now is the Time, now is Hour, mine is the Magic, mine is the Power"
Val Bellamy
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Re: [Mature] Lilian's Herbal Shop

Post by Val Bellamy »

Of all the traits that composed Katarya, 'perspicacious' was Val's current favourite, and the herbalist agreed quickly enough to the mutual understanding that they'd both remain quiet on the matters that involved discretion. She even had an interest in meeting others like her, albeit her response was far too open. Silence-lovers the world over groaned at the omen to come, but Val just smiled and repeated the error back to her, "Do I know many?!"

Her eyes were positively twinkling at the suggestion; somewhere in Khy'eras, there was an alchemist who had misplaced an emerald transmutation. "Darling, I know everyone worth knowing, and if I don't know them already, I know if they're worth knowing. The guards could only wish they had a soul like me." A wink solidified the sentiment as names raced across her mind, but she knew better than to out another; this was no evening gossip to share. Her compromise thus far had been one of passive connectivity, suggesting instead, "Are there any particular sorts you're interested in, a set of spells you'd seek to skill? Most in your position have a... kind of focus in mind, and not just any old social visit." Indeed, most didn't exactly share Val's gregariousness, and would have told her to shut up by now! That Kat had lasted this long was a miracle in and of itself. "Anyway, I can send them your way, always asking for cures for headaches, always with an allergy to king's peace blossoms," the Bellamy bard finalized with a coy grin.

And then came her requests, and the first item caught on well enough. Katarya urged tonics of varying effectiveness, and didn't even ask what they were for - they were friends already, it seemed. The pirate-dressed booty-finder relaxed against the wall at the ease of such information, nodding eagerly at the first offer proffered. "4 or 5 doses would be splendid; does it normally take a day or so to make them? Meaning, how fast could you put out a rush order?" That was more curiosity than urgency speaking, the gal still relaxed and not tensing at shifty plans. Cementing it, she added, "I can be back in three days to pick up the first batch, with orders placed down the line as I need them. Leave the burn ointments out of today's order. How much extra coin should I mysteriously overpay next visit for the tonics?" It almost frightened her, how easily she slipped into such subterfuge and planning. And had she always been a Bellamy, it might have.

The last item to discuss was her less than decipherable description of... something. Truth be told, Val herself wasn't quite sure what she was after - and yet it was something about Kat's phrasing that made it click. "No, it will more than involve magic - can you bottle it? Like, just straight up, don't even bother distilling or preserving it or whatever. I want that, however it can be done. And yes, I know that's like asking you to bottle sunlight and make sure it's still warm and vibrant after sitting on my shelf for Cecilia knows how long." 'Bottled magic,' had a nice ring to it. Maybe that would be the cure that could finally stop her restlessness? Assuming she hadn't just asked the impossible of Katarya, that is.
Word count: 557
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Katarya Frost
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Re: [Mature] Lilian's Herbal Shop

Post by Katarya Frost »

Kat turned and fished out a book amongst a very large number of books. She began writing down the order ... "I should be able to have everything ready for you by tomorrow." She said. It would mean a late night, but it wasn't as if she had anything better to do.

But Val's request still left her perplexed. "I can put spells in bottles ... there is a trick to it, but you must only take the cork out when you want the spell to work. Either that of I can use other methods, but still ... what exactly do you want me to do?! I appreciate you want to keep this on the down-low, but I can't start unless I know what you want me to do! Also, I feel I must tell you; I'm still learning; I'm not my grandmother, who had years of experience, so I probably won't be able to pull off any spectacular!" She wondered what nefarious reasons Val might have for bottled magic ... perhaps it was best not to ask!

As to Val's offer of meeting other magic practitioners ... "Witchcraft is more a jack-of-all-traders, and a master-of-none, but what i want most is the ability to influence people ..." She gave Val a small grin. "So no one who shoots fire and calls down lightning; nothing like that."

Katarya wondered what she was getting herself into. "I have to ask; are you working on behalf of your family, or is this more a private endeavour?"
Word count: 248
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"Now is the Time, now is Hour, mine is the Magic, mine is the Power"
Val Bellamy
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100% Guaranteed Not Her Fault
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Re: [Mature] Lilian's Herbal Shop

Post by Val Bellamy »

They were in agreement about the easy parts of her order, and thus was the story of how Val found a supplier of soporifics. "I'll drop by for 'em when I next can, much obliged." Even the offered people-directing went smoothly enough: Katarya was interested in mesmers, and not any run-of-the-mill fire breathers, cloud-whisperers, or fountain-springers, all the sorts that were a touch more common in Fellsgard. She nodded, confirming, "Might be a small club, but aye, I can send any your way. Expect someone in the following week." There was at least one chap she already had in mind - a half-dwarf, if she was recalling correctly, by the name of Warliff. He was a genius in addition to an ensorceror; people already wouldn't believe a dwarf with magic - all his spelling and casting made free cover on top of it.

And of course, she had a personal opinion to share about Katarya's proposed school: "But if you ask me," which absolutely no one had, not that it could ever stop the dear, "Isn't it easier - and much less dangerous! - to influence people the old-fashioned way? You're already a head above the rest, what with those twins you're hiding behind the stage curtain for whatever reason, and any bit o' coin a place like this might net you." Profuse eyewaggling followed, the green-eyed bard making it very apparent exactly what twins she was complimenting.

"Do you have a pressure thresher yet? We've sold 'em to other shops in the area, could help you out too. Anyway... If you ever need me, swing by Bellamy's Blueprints, and request the delivery. If I'm not the one workin' the desk, then I'm at least the one runnin' about houses." And now they even had a vague sort of meeting worked out, given that Val knew where Katarya would normally be and all. Not like something as cherished and sentimental as her own gran's herbal shop was going to up and disappear any time soon! No one could possibly be that unlucky.

The only confusion that remained was... the obvious one. The one she had been babbling ineffectively about all this time, impotent hand gestures and all. "No, no - I'm not looking for a spell in a bottle, I want the magic itself- ... Mm, this isn't actually helping any, is it?" She caught on to her own problem mid-sentence, assessing the room's ceiling and walls once more in ardent concentration. She sighed, brushing her hair off her shoulder and re-tightening the bandana, a shifty-eyed twinge of a moral dilemma flitting across her features momentarily as the last idea possible crossed her mind.

Honestly... it wasn't as if Val wanted trouble; through whatever quirk of circumstance, her path simply entwined with it all too commonly. That, or she had a knack for getting into trouble, and this Katarya was simply the latest chapter. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all, and the inordinantly silent Bellamy finished up her inner pep talk and smiled with the fixed grin that spoke of a world of mistakes adding one more to the pile.

Val Bellamy left the wall and moved for Katarya, one hand tilting her chin to maintain equal height, the other snaking about her waist, absolutely crossing a line and pressing lips against hers with only a warm exhale inbetween. As pearl-clutching as it might be for the poor assistant to walk in on, however, the kiss wasn't the purpose - it was the distraction. The bard had learned a long time ago that it flustered people, and flustered people were far less likely to react to the actual aim of her actions: the one that dipped into the wizard's energy, and stole a bit of her mana for herself.

Not lingering too long, Val broke from the embrace with a thin smile and twinkling eyes as if they were sharing condolences on a dead goldfish and not an act of theft, dropping her voice for her own secret: "That's the kind of magic I do, Kat. I can't cast spells or conjure elements or turn my adversaries into arthritic newts - I can only take and move the magic from other people. I'm looking for a bottle of it instead, and I don't need it spelled or enchanted or any particular shape or calling card - I want the magic itself, pure and unfiltered and all its sparkling green sunshine, so that maybe, just maybe, I can do that again, but without having to do that. Savvy?"

Cecilia help her if she had to explain it again.

Or, wait, no - please require another explanation!
Word count: 774
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