Keeping an act up for so long was part of his job. Sometimes though, that act would slip. To keep a mask on for so long, especially when he didn’t have to during that time, felt exhausting. Leon was familiar with the festival, but he never took interest in it. Other things always seemed to take priority unless duty called for him to show up.
He understood now what they meant by what a joy this festival was for those who attended. No one seemed to care about anything or anyone, and there were smiles and laughter all around. Leon on the other hand did not feel that. When the blonde turned her head to greet him, he all but shot her a confident smile in return. “It would be much more festive with another drink, and merrier.”
The gentleman’s joke made the blonde mistress giggle slightly. “Of course, life is always more festive and certainly merrier when drink is involved,” Panacea said with a small smile still plastered across her face. “Isn’t that the reason we tolerate the unsavory beverage...to have a bit of fun?” Pan wasn’t a fan of the average burgundy wine typically served at other festivals or celebration, but she could down cup after cup of the mead. She enjoyed the concoction so much that she had even begun making her own special meade infused with wildflowers.
Perhaps the gentleman would enjoy a taste, Pan thought to herself as she glanced back down to watcher her fingers continue sifting through the pile of freshly-picked wildflowers. She was nearly done with her final chore, but it wouldn’t hurt to take a rest and share a glass of meade with the man standing in front of her. Panacea dropped the flowers she was working on and turned to the chest sitting to her right to grab the bottle of mead and two glasses. “Would you care for a glass of my own special mead? I make it fresh each harvest season with flowers from the forest.”
“ evening, ” stark replies, settling himself down across from pan. catching sight of her had brought stark a relief he didn’t know he needed. attending events like these had never been on stark’s list of enjoyable things to do, but he always felt compelled to join in for worry of a 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧. so far, it seemed like his worries had been misplaced. but seeing a familiar face allowed him to relax, even if it was only for a little while.
“ it is, i hope you’re enjoying yourself, ” he said, offering panacea a small smile. his eyes fall to the flowers she was working with, and his smile grew just a little wider. even when she was supposed to be relaxing it seemed like she could not stop working.
“ have you gotten a chance to dance ? ” he asks, eyebrows raising. “ or be chased by a man ? ” he laughs a little, turning to scan the tree line.
Panacea’s ear perked up immediately upon hearing the tone of Stark’s voice when he responded to her greeting. While they had only met once when Stark was wounded, the moment they spent together hadn’t left her mind since it happened. Being in Stark’s presence effected a serene feeling in the blond, something not many people could do for Panacea since her mother passed.
“Stark, how lovely to see you,” Panacea looked up and smiled at the tall, dark figure. “I’m enjoying myself very much...I was just finishing up some of my remaining work before joining the celebration festivities.” While her tone was chipper and her posture relaxed, the words that flowed from her lips constructed an outright lie. She was avoiding the festivities he spoke of and desperately wanted to be anywhere other than a crowded clearing on an otherwise beautiful summer evening. “I was planning on joining the next dance...were you looking for a partner?” Panacea mused as she finished up her work. “I would be happy to help you find someone deserving of a dance with you!”
location: celebration site || status: closed ft. @wiickedhearts
The sweet melody of simple instruments flooded Javier’s ears as he sipped on his fifth drink of ale. While he didn’t consider himself a traditional person, there was something about a pint of ale, a beautiful festival evening, and even more beautiful women dancing that made his body feel electric. The half-elf was craving someone with whom he could share this joyous moment, but no one came to mind. It had been a while since the scoundrel had the pleasure of company, but what better night to chase some tail than that of the festival of light and harvest?
Casually, Javi let his deep burgundy-colored eyes sweep across the clearing crowded with plainly-dressed people until someone, anyone caught his eye. It took a few more seconds of scanning until he came upon an elf sitting on the other side of the festival. Ah... now there’s someone who looks like they could use company, Javier thought to himself as he raised his pint glass to his lips once again and downed the warm liquid. Wiping the drops of ale from his lip with the back of his sleeve, Javier stood up and sauntered over to the exquisite elf and slumped down next to them. “Is’a great night for a party... don’t you think?” Javier asked with a dumb smile as he reached behind himself and exchanged his empty pint for two full ones. “At least it will be... here, take this.”
“ of course, ” stark says. “ may i say that that’s quite optimistic of you ? ” he raised an eyebrow, head tilting ever so slightly as he looked down at her. “ not many others think the same way that you do, i’m afraid. you are certainly the first to give me such an answer, so forgive me for thinking the worst. ” he shakes his head, turning away when she presses the salve against his skin. he does his best to hide the pain on his face, but he’s certain that it must be 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 regardless.
“ i have … run into so many that despise me simply for being a templar. even if they know not of my status and my command, just the simple fact that i am one of them is enough to get a sneer from plenty of people. and then, of course, there is the 𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐, but i will not disclose anymore of that to you, my lady. ” he shakes his head, waving a dismissive hand in the air. he’s still trying to be on his best behaviour. he can’t help but think deeply about his actions. he’s so often around unruly men and women that it was a d̲r̲a̲s̲t̲i̲c̲ c̲o̲n̲t̲r̲a̲s̲t̲ being in the presence of a lady.
“ but, i thank you for helping me today. and for keeping an open mind, ” stark smiles, finally turning to look at pan directly now. suddenly, he doesn’t want to leave, but he can’t quite figure out why. “ is there anyway i can repay you for this ? ”
Panacea couldn’t stop the flush of blood from settling in her cheeks upon hearing Stark refer to her as a lady. It was a title bestowed upon her from her time at the Circle and after taking over her mother’s role as the head apothecary, but for some reason, it felt different hearing the simple title come from the gentleman’s lips. “I appreciate you sparing me the gorey details, Sir...” Pan said in a musical tone as she concentrated on placing swaths of clean cloth over the salve-covered wound on Stark’s side. “But I have seen many battles myself... or at least the aftermath of such battles. This isn’t the first time I’ve had the blood of a templar on my hands.” She was referring to her past work with her mother, treating those wounded defending the mages of the Circle.
“You are quite welcome, but please, there’s no need to compensate me for the care,” the blonde said cooly as she finished the final layers of the dressing and reached for one more long piece of cloth. Carefully, Pan leaned closer to Stark and threaded the strip of cloth around his back before tying it off center to secure the bandage on his wound. “Just promise me you’ll seek more prompt treatment the next time you find yourself injured, yes?” Pan said as she recentered herself on the bench next to Stark and looked into his dark eyes. Her work was done and the templar was good as new.
location: celebration site | | status: open to anyone
The blonde’s soft, golden locks were pulled back from her porcelain face and plaited with yellow and white wildflowers gathered from her garden; she wore a simple, pure white dress with a high neck and voluminous sleeves fitted at the wrist with a cream-colored apron wrapped around her waist. It had been ages since Panacea felt that little spark of joy— dare I say excitement in her chest. While it was more like anxiety, it was a welcome change from the heavy grief she had been carrying since her mother passed merely a month ago. The standard side of loneliness was also lessened thanks in part of the crowd of happy and joyful people celebrating the festival of light and harvest. It seemed to be contagious.
Pan was busy sorting out small stacks of wild flowers traditionally used to decorate one’s hair or lapel in recognition of the fertile season of early Summer when she noticed someone approach her table out of the corner of her eye. “Merry meet,” Pan said warmly as she raised her head to gaze at the person who came to a stop. “It’s such a lovely and festive evening, isn’t it?”
“Hmm. I don’t suppose I’ll get a discount for giving up this nice little spot.” Viserys joked, watching as she began to prepare to dip her feet. The basket full of plants should have given him some sort of clue had he been paying more attention. If anything, he would have guessed she was some type of gardener. He wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d ever stumbled into that shop in the past.
Reaching for his boots, he began to slip into the remaining articles of clothing that sat waiting for him. For a moment, he couldn’t tell if she was just a nosy person or unsure of how else to make conversation with him. “About the same route you came from, I’d say. I am to stay in Elysia for the night. I’d ask you where you’re heading to, but I think we both know the answer to that.”
The stranger’s joke made a smile flicker across Panacea’s face as her bare feet finally met the warm waters of the healing spring. There were so few pleasures in life similar to the first dip into a hot spring after a long day of forging. “I’m sure we could work something out. After all, you did give up this wonderful hot spring so kindly and without question,” Pan said with a glance toward the stranger.
She didn’t mean to pry, she was simply curious where the stranger was headed, particularly if it was somewhere beyond Elysia. “Have you secured boarding yet? I could recommend some options if you’re in need,” Pan glanced back down toward her hands holding the hem of her skirt above the water. “There’s a wonderful inn just a ways from my apothecary.”
something was terribly wrong with him. his area of work was very unpredictable and extremely dangerous, so he was used to getting hurt, but the wound across his arm was completely eating up his senses. his skin was covered with cold sweat and he was seeing dark spots, caused by the dizziness. he was absolutely sure that he had completely underestimated his victim. he had predicted self defense, but weapons covered in poison? hell. how hadn’t he seen that in his victim’s mind? malakai was a skilled mage, having perfected the ability to see one’s thoughts if he wished to, he should have seen this coming.
his thoughts were a muster of disappointment in himself, agony and urging himself to stand straighter and move faster through the street toward that apothecary, while holding pressure on his wound. it’s sign was starting to become blurry and barely visible to him as he took deep breaths to focus himself on getting there. he knew there was a high possibility that he would die. poisons have always been his weak spot because he was never able to memorize the plants. he trusted his senses more than memory. so it would only be fair if his death was brought by it.
kai tried to open the door once he reached the apothecary, but it didn’t move. “ for fuck’s sake, ” he swore immediately, a slight bit of panic creeping into his mind. it was fair to say he was barely standing and seeing the image of his face in a thought of a common passerby had frightened him. he banged on the door with some bit of strength. “ hello ? is anybody in here ? i really need help. ”
The soft sound of a fist banging on the door awoke the sleeping blonde and filled her with worry. It wasn’t often that Panacea was awakened by another needing immediate medical attention, but when such patient would arrive it was typically serious. Quickly, Pan pushed off her bedding, slipped out of bed and wrapped a crochet rectangle of cloth around her shoulders before descending the stairs. Her bare feet padded against the smooth tile floor, carrying her to the shop’s locked door and the stranger slumped over beside it.
“I am here,” Panacea said as she opened the door and pulled the man inside. She guided him hastily to a bench against the wall of the apotek with a tight grip around his uninjured arm. “Tell me, what happened to your arm and why do you smell of something foul?” Pan questioned as her fingers began prodding at the Stranger’s festering flesh wound. Something wasn’t right about the way the skin was folded, and the color of the blood was far too dark to be human.
“ thank you, ” the words are barely out before stark is clamping his mouth shut. the pain of his wound being tended to is much worse than the pain of the sword slicing through his skin. one is quick and easy, the other is long and 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐. unfortunately, he knows this is not the last time he will have to endure such agony.
his eyes fall shut as panacea works the area. he breathes slowly through his nose, doing his best to calm his pounding heart and to ignore the pain of his nearly infected wound.
finally, he manages to open his eyes and look at his healer. he picks up on the way she speaks about her family, if only because it is so similiar to the way that he speaks about his. the tone is enough to give it away, despite what little is said. 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥.
“ ah, was it so obvious ? ” stark asks, eyebrows raising in question. he isn’t sure if he wears the title with pride any longer, but it is his title to hold regardless. “ that’s commander to you, ” he jokes, offering a gentle smile. it isn’t so often that he’s smiling in the company of a stranger, but he feels comfortable now that she’s had her fingers 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 inside his skin. “ i guess we are opposites, then. i hope you do not think of me less because of it. ”
A sting of regret pierced Panacea’s heart as she finished dabbing around the roughed-up skin on Stark’s side. She didn’t mean to strike a sore spot inside the gentleman, but clearly she was prodding Stark in more ways than one, so she let a brief pause clear the air between the two of them before her she responded. “Why would I think less of you?” Pan said as she looked up from the wound and locked eyes with the Templar. There was a hint of curiosity in her gaze.
While Panacea never truly agreed with the need for fighting and bloodshed, she understood that without harm one cannot heal. Of course, there would always be sick children to care for and small injuries to mend, but no one really needed Pan for those things. They simply required the tinctures and salves she produced, innocent commodities that any abled person could create given the materials.
Trying hard to ignore the throb of loneliness in her heart, Panacea placed the bloodied swath of cloth away from the clean ones and reached for a small, gold tin. “We may be opposites, but one cannot exist without the other, yes?” Panacea smiled at Stark again and glanced down to watch her own hands twist off the top of the tin. It revealed a smooth salve nearly as golden as the fine locks that sat upon Pan’s head and smelled of sweet garlic. Her delicate fingers retrieved a small glob of the magic balm and began to coat Stark’s wound to begin the healing process.
“Ah—so you work with healing herbs, or something of that sort. I’m not sure I’ve ever spoken to someone else who works with this type of stuff outside of… well, purchasing anything I needed.” After finishing mostly dressing himself, he turned to look at her with an amused smile. The complete opposite of what he was coming across as just a moment ago. All things dealing with medicine had always interested him, but due to his unfortunate upbringing he never quite found the chance for indulging himself in books. With so much blood on his hands, he felt he truly didn’t deserve such a position. His past and current would forever haunt him, staining him completely.
“No need for that.” Viserys sat himself, reaching for his armor as he continued to dress himself. “This is all yours now. I’ve no need to stay here much more longer than a couple of minutes. Please—be my guest.”
Panacea watched the stranger begin to reattach his armor to his person for a brief second before she bent down and placed her basket full of medicinal plants on the ground. “Yes, I’m the keeper of the apothecary within the walls of Elysia,” the blonde said with a slight apprehension in her voice. The stranger’s shift in mood confounded the young woman, but she tried not to bring attention to her confusion.
“Thank you,” the blonde said with a small smile. With her hands free of gathered materials, Pan once again bent down and began to untie the laces of her leather shoes. She slipped them off with ease and started removing her thin knitted stockings so she could dip her feet into the water. “Might I ask where you are traveling to after this?” Panacea inquired as she gently lifted the hem of her skirt and moved toward the spring.
-Panacea Arudstrand was born in the forests circling the back half of Elysia during the late spring, just before the flower moon. Mother was fleeing something that had been lurking in the woods for days after she was exiled from her village in Frosthold. She had fallen pregnant without being married and was shamed until she closed up her apothecary and left. Mother had been camping in the forest on her way to Elysia when she encountered the creature that sent her sprinting over the damp moss-covered ground.
-Not long after Pan’s seventh birthday, her gifts borne of earth magic began to show. The power became evident to Mother in small, subtle ways. Dying plants reborn after the touch of Pan’s porcelain fingers, perfectly-produced herbal tinctures from a child who could not yet read, and insights that could only be known with a form of divination using flora and fauna.
-When Panacea turned thirteen, Mother took her to be educated by the Circle of Magi in the ways of magehood and manners. Her wish was for Pan to rise above the stature of apothecary and reclaim her ancestors’ rightful place as royal advisors by making use of her strong magical abilities. Small in stature, Panacea was bullied relentlessly by her peers during her time in the Circle for how flamboyant she could be, so she learned again to reign herself in and make herself small around others.
-Panacea returned to Mother’s apothecary after a decade in the care of the Circle of Magi. Just a fortnight from her final examination to leave the Circle and be released to a vacant court posting, Pan received word that her mother fell ill with unexplained paralysis. The young 23-year-old mage made the decision to abandon her court-bound track and return home to care for Mother and Arudstrand Apotke. The young blonde happily relearned the ways of the healer Eir for which Panacea was named. It wasn’t until the eve of Panacea’s twenty-six birthday when Mother’s paralysis finally consumed her entire body and left the young blonde on her own.
RIGHT NOW, Panacea has just returned from mourning Mother’s loss and is starting to restock the apothecary so it can reopen to the people of Elysia. She feels lonely and lost, and she’s trying to figure out her place in the world without Mother by her side. So, she continues to do the only thing she knows: using her magic and her skill to heal those who cross the threshold of Arudstrand Apotek, while dreaming of a life only lived in her wildest dreams.
𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘
-Panacea is above all else an introvert and prefers to do her medicinal work alone without company to distract her. Years of torment left the petite blonde with a harder exterior that often manifests as a serious, but feminine bravado.
-You will not find Pan to complain about anything, not the poor weather, not the food, not even when she feels down. Panacea reserves her energy to solve everyone else’s problems instead of seeking out others to solve her own problems. She is first and foremost a healer, as both her names suggest.
-Pan enjoys working hard and getting her hem dirty, whether its working the garden, foraging for rare ingredients in the woods, or helping save the lives of brave and injured warriors. She understands her duty and executes it like a soldier trained for battle.
-SECRETLY, Panacea is a soft and optimistic being longing for a connection that grounds her to this Earth. She feels as if she has no purpose or path before her, only the routine and mundane life of a shopkeeper.
𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒
* Panacea’s father who coerced Mother into having an affair while she worked for a noble family in the Frosthold region
* Sigrid the nasty apothecary assistant who thinks she should have been the one to take over the apothecary after the death of Mother
* A stranger to take her on an adventure and show her the world beyond the walls of Elysia, while helping her loosen up
The tight leather boots squeezing a juvenile Panacea were brand new and issued by the hell-hole where she'd be spending the next several years learning the art of magic. "Hurry up, Pan... you can't be late. What will we do if you cannot learn to utilize your gifts," Mother said in a hushed but vexed tone. The wind was blowing the skirt of Mother's smock around as they hurried toward the Circle of Magi that lay just outside Elysia.
It was time for Pan to go away and learn to wield the magic of her ancestors, but what the small blonde wouldn't give to remain by her mother's side in the Apotek. "Must I go away, though?" Pan asked as she hurried to catch up to Mother. The two finally reached the door on the outside of the Circle's compound. Quickly, Mother bent down, pulled a small Panacea into her cloaked arms, and squeezed tight.
"Yes, you must," Mother hushed Pan and squeezed even tighter. "This is where you must be for now, but we will see each other again. Don't worry, Älskling." Mother pulled away and kissed Pan on the forehead before standing back up and pounding on the large door. Suddenly, a loud churning noise began behind and the door started to pull upwards. Panacea's stomach began filling with butterflies as the gate withdrew higher and higher into the stone wall. This was the last place the blonde thought she would remain.
stark gives a brisk shake of his head when the word ‘ 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚜 ’ come from panacea. he is the last person she should be apologizing to for a lack of something he didn’t quite have a grasp of on his own. he was, after all, the one who had barged into her shop despite it being the crack of dawn.
“ yes, well, if you don’t mind panacea, i may be coming back to see you more often than you would like … under these 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭 circumstances, ” he confesses. there are simply some things he cannot do himself, that much is clear. at the very least, the next time the wound will be looked after immediately instead of when stark is on the brink of 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚.
“ please, go ahead, ” he motions for her to begin, turning his head away so that he can busy himself with their surroundings.
“ is this shop your own ? must be hard to run. ”
”You’re welcome to come back anytime,” the blonde smiled as she moved forward and tipped the bottle of witch hazel onto the open wound. Panacea watched as the clear liquid cascaded down Stark’s side and settled into the puffy folds of the injured skin.
After a good five seconds, Panacea’s hands pulled back from the wound and set the bottle of witch hazel back down beside her on the bench. She then picked up one small swath of gauze and lightly dabbed around the redder portions of Stark’s wound. Luckily he came in when he did. Any later and the infection would have spread, Pan thought to herself as she continued mopping up the tonic.
“This is my family’s shop, and I oversee it now,” Panacea said with a lonely twinge in her tone. By family she simply meant mother, the only parent she had ever known. “And it’s not such hard work when you enjoy what you do.” Pan smiled and pulled her hand away again, dropping the damp and bloodied cloth to her side. The damaged flesh on the left side of the man’s torso looked better already. “I’m sure you understand that, Templar.”
stark is thankful for the haste the woman makes. the wound isn’t so terrible, although the way it is healing certainly is, but it gives him some form of comfort to know that she takes it seriously without even seeing the damage he’d been dealt.
“ of course, ” he mutters, gaze moving from her face to the back of the shop where he can see a shadow of movement from another presence. he settles himself down in the nearest seat and rolls up his shirt gingerly. stark winces as the fabric catches against his wound and he does his best to not move around too much as she gets a look.
“ wrapped it myself, no wonder it looks so awful, ” he jokes. “ thank you for your time … ” he paused, turning his attention back to her. “ forgive me, i didn’t get your name yet and you’re tending to my wounds. i’m 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐤. ”
The petite blonde sat down beside the man on a bench flanking the side of the apothecary. She could see the pain in the man’s face as he peeled away the blood-soaked cloth from the twisted skin. It was bright red and oozing— a sign of a rash patch job. What is it with men and their inability to ask for help when first wounded, Panacea thought to herself.
Sigrid soon appeared at Pan’s side with materials needed to make a proper wound patch. She placed the ground yarrow, a basket of bandages, a small astringent concoction, and a bottle of liquor beside Pan before gliding back into the shadows to finish her work.
“I figured as much,” Pan smiled softly as she reached for the astringent, but soon paused to answer the man’s question. “Oh dear, of course. Where are my manners? My name is Panacea, and I’m the keeper of this apothecary. It is a pleasure to meet you... despite these circumstances.”
“I’m going to clean the wound now with some witch hazel,” Pan looked up at Stark as she reached for a piece of bandage with her other hand. Her ivory-colored hands gripped the bottle of astringent and moved toward the wound once again. “It will feel uncomfortable at first, but we must clear whatever’s trapped inside the wound to reduce the chance of an infection.”
She was not who he expected. Typically, he was wary of all company, but she seemed all too innocent to cause any harm. It came as a surprise to find she wasn’t all too alarmed from his presence. Most of all, she seemed apologetic on having disturbed his solitude. Viserys felt a wave of guilt wash over him at her response. To feel such a thing for a stranger… perhaps he was starting to soften over the years.
“That’s… quite alright. I should be leaving soon anyway, so this’ll be all yours.” Soon after, he rose from the warm water, reaching for his clothes. As he began to dress himself, he turned over to look towards the younger woman, unsure if this was even a right time for a conversation. “Are you not afraid to be out too late?”
The stranger's question made her giggle quietly to herself as she again turned away to give the dressing man privacy. Panacaea knew these woods all too well, or at least well enough not to fear them during the twilight hours.
"My work requires me to venture into these woods at all hours of the day and night," the blonde spoke in a matter of fact tone. "When one is tasked with saving lives and treating aliments, one cannot afford to be afraid of these woods." She was sure the stranger had already tuned out her soft, husky voice as she gushed about the wonders of the medicinal plants found across every inch of the woodland. Not everyone enjoyed getting their hands dirty.
"Please, don't let my presence or my ramblings hurry you from enjoying the healing waters," Pan said as she turned to see if the stranger had finished dressing. "I can always return another time."
The sweet scent of fresh rainfall radiated from the damp ground that Panacaea walked on. Each step of her boots ended with a soft squish as she made her way out to the garden behind her shop. The sun had barely peeked over the horizon, and Pan was already preparing to open the apothecary for the day’s patrons. As the blonde approached the raised garden beds containing her herbs and vegetables, her eyes came upon a family of deer munching away on her spinach. What magnificent creatures, the blonde thought to herself as she slowed her walking pace and settled on the side of one of the beds. She could wait to collect today’s herbs if it meant feeding a hungry family of three. After all, what good is a garden if the bounty isn’t shared?
