Herbalism

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 4th August 2015

Characters: F'lin, Lanniya
Description: Lanniya helps F'lin with some herbs
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 6 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Rhosyn, D'lorn

Lanniya

Humming softly, Lanniya left the dining cavern, oblivious to the eyes that now followed her. Since Anaeryth had /betweened/ eyes followed her more eagerly, but Lanniya rarely noticed. When not with Anaeryth or training, she spent her free time in the gardens, enjoying the scent of earth and herbs and that was where she was heading now.

It was also where F'lin was returning from, with a large handful of fresh cut herbs. He turned a corner of the path that led from the herb garden and was surprised to see the red-headed weyrling approaching him. "Lanniya?"

She drew up short and blinked, immediately smiling. "Hi, F'lin!" Her eyes went to the herbs in his hand and back to him. "What do you have there?"

"Ah--" He held up the bundle, looking a little sheepish. "Just a gift. Where are you headed?"

"Oh, I'm headed to the gardens." She peered at the herbs, blinked and then blushed a little. "It's great that you're trying to get your girl to be careful and all, but the infirmary has a good stock of that dried already."

"What?! Oh-- that's not... flame it!" F'lin put a hand to his forehead in embarrassment. "I must have picked the wrong thing again. It's for my Grandmother. I gave her the wrong thing last time, too..."

She couldn't help it; she began giving a giggling laugh at his predicament and took the herbs from him. "What were you looking for?" She looked at the herbs and shrugged. They would have to be discarded; he'd picked them at the wrong time. Her eyes sparkled as she looked back at him. "You know, you could just ask. I don't know everything about the gardens, but I do know some."

"That would be so great," the bronzerider said with relief. "I don't want to get in trouble again. I need lemon verbena. She likes it for the biting bugs, and says that the quality is better when it's grown here."

"I know where it is." Lanniya tucked her arm in F'lin's and led him back to the gardens. "It wouldn't do for your grandmother to use those herbs for bugs." One the way, she tossed the ones she held into the compost pile. "Oh, did you hear? Anaeryth and I finally /betweened/." She sounded rather proud of herself and the look on her face matched her tone.

"The whole Weyr's talking about it." He grinned at her expression. "That's what happens to goldriders. They get talked about."

She shook her head. "That's silly. We're people just like everyone else. A whole bunch of others /betweened/ too. They're just as important."

"I know. But how many greenriders are there at the Weyr? How many browns?" He paused. "And just how many people ride gold?"

Lanniya shrugged. "Not too many," she admitted as they got to the gardens and she let him go. "But they'll be in a lot more danger than I will be." She stepped between rows and finally bent, bottom waggling as she picked the herbs that he wanted.

He watched her for a moment. "Yeah. Because it's practical. But it doesn't change the fact that there are only three gold dragons in a Weyr of thousands, and I hate to break it to you but you kind of stand out."

She stood, handfuls of verbena in her hand and faced him, head tilted. "I stand out?" She blinked and handed the herbs to him. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

**Rhosyn should be having this conversation,** F'lin thought as he accepted the citrus-scented bundle. He felt ill prepared, and tried to channel what his grandmother might have said. "It's up to you. Depends on what you do with it."

Brow furrowing, Lanniya just looked at him. "You're not making any sense, F'lin. What do you mean when you say that I stand out?"

"Well..." He opted for the easy out and gave her a crooked smile. "Between Anaeryth's hide and your hair, you're kind of a walking sunset!"

"Awww, that's so sweet!" Lanniya beamed at him, then stepped forward, lifted on her toes, pecked his cheek, and stepped back. "Thank you."

"Aw. Just saying what's true..." F'lin's smile faded as D'lorn's request floated to the top of his mind, and he suddenly wished he could take the complement back. D'lorn had made things so complicated. "Well... I should probably go meet my Grandma before I'm late again like last time," he said. "Thanks for helping me find the lemon verbena. I'm sure she'll be happy I actually found the right thing this time."

"You're welcome." She didn't understand why his smile had went away; maybe he just didn't want to face his grandmother. She shrugged it off. "If you need any more herbs, just let me know, okay? I don't mind helping out."

"Thanks. I'll probably take you up on that. And you let me know if you ever want another swimming lesson-- we can trade." F'lin found his smile again as he saluted with the fragrant bouquet.

"I'll hold you to that, F'lin." Glad to see his smile back, she waved good bye and hurried back down the path to the Dining Hall, and her dinner.

Last updated on the September 6th 2015

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Herbalism