Black Thumbs and Basil {Sereda and Ryleigh}
“Sodding mud splasher!!”
Sereda glared down at the drooping green tendrils that seemed to be shriveling up before her eyes. It was no good. She just didn’t understand how to make things grow. It wasn’t something you had to worry about much in Orzammar. Stone, metal, gemstones…these she could turn into something beautiful. Before all her time had been consumed by assisting her father in the administration of their city she had spent many of her free hours at her workbench. Even as a girl her tutors had been impressed by her ability to spin the most rigid of materials into something soft and delicate. Jewelry she understood.
Flowers and herbs? She didn’t have the slightest idea where to begin. It wasn’t that Neria hadn’t tried to prepare her, the elf had left a copious amount of detailed instructions, but maybe that was the problem. It was just too much to stuff into her brain. She knew both basil and borage needed partial sun, but basil wanted one more cup of water…or maybe that was the chervil…no it was the chamomile. The chervil hated too much sun and needed a special food mixed into its water. Or was that the salvia? On top of her apparently deadly black thumb she’d spent the entire morning trying to sort out the drying racks only to realize halfway through that she was doing it backwards and had to start over. It was the first time in all her months working in the shop that she felt truly out of her element. It almost felt like the building itself was cranky that Neria had left it in such lackluster hands. At least it gave her a new appreciation for her friend.
“How she manages to keep all this straight in her head I have no idea!”
Sighing in frustration she snapped the instruction book closed and began to plead with the listless plants in front of her.
“Its only been 24 hours.” She said plaintively “I can’t have screwed up this much in just 24 hours. We still have 48 to go! I am absolutely not explaining to Neria why all her plants are dead, so get it together!” Her not so peppy pep talk was interrupted by the chime of the front door.
Eyeing the offending plant she said,
“Look, just try not to do anything drastic while I’m out front alright?” The she hurried through the back room (wasn’t there something she was supposed to do with that last potion too? She’d have to look that that up when she had a moment.), catching sight of herself in the mirror she rolled her eyes. She looked about as frantic as she felt, her face flushed and her hair escaping it’s braid in all directions. Great. Way to be professional Sereda. She griped at herself, stepping through the beaded curtain with a little apologetic wave.
“Sorry for the delay.” She said to the woman standing at the counter. “It’s a bit hectic today. What can I help you with?”