The Basics of Botany

[kayleth]

22 Frost, 4623

Kayleth woke up early, as he always did. The quiet hours before the rest of the world began to drum on allowed for quiet self-reflection. He folded the two linen blankets he owned before moving his bedding back to the normal place. You see, it was the thralls of Frost and the only thing preventing him from freezing to death was the large hearth in the center of his home. He was diligent about keeping it going and at night it provided enough warmth to last into the morning when embers would be waiting for new breath to roar into a sturdy flame once more. He grabbed a few logs from the sparse pile of twigs and wood he had left over from the previous day to coax it to life. Warm water was a must in the morning. If the God’s were kind, it would include some type of herbs to flavor. Lately, they were not. Without other assets to acquire arcanacrags there were not many skills he possessed to make a living. He was working on artificing but, that would have to come with time and money.

He looked at the pantry which was just a small shelf along the edge of his stone wall. There was enough bread for breakfast and he even had a few eggs from his last trip into town. He put some lard into a pan and melted it while smearing the bread across its surface and cracking the last two eggs next to it. Basic survival needs become a regular problem for him and he grew tired of the long trips to and from Nurin. There were plenty of ways to make a living outside of the academics he studied. Nurin boasted a hearty agriculture and timber export trade. Taking the time to learn those would prove beneficial to him in the grand scheme of things. He grabbed the hot toasted bread and plated it along with his eggs as he reviewed the previous day's notes from his study in entomology.

The organization of hive insects fascinated his logically thinking brain. The world would be a better place if the perfect structure of things was followed. Then again, some places have their own structure and it is followed so perhaps Kayleth just wanted things his way. Ant colonies were monarchies after all and everyone served for the prosperity of the queen. The young artificer did not agree with that sentiment which is why he supposed that sentience and free will prevented such organization among the mortal races. He spent some time reviewing his drawings and the few insects he was able to catalog around his home before washing his plate and locking him in the cottage to head for Nurin.

It was colder than normal today and the thin clothing he owned even layered barely kept the biting cold at bay. Despite having thought the same thing many times over perhaps his choice in learning how to make bread to feed himself was chosen too hastily. Things like agriculture, tailoring, mining, and even lumbering were all skills he would need to fully function as someone who lead a life unattached to any one kingdom. Learning agriculture from Bain would be the easiest step forward and would allow him to expand his knowledge to perhaps grow is own things much closer to his own home instead of making the few hour-long trips to and from Nurin. The usual smell of fields filled the air as he got closer to Nurin. This late into Frost meant many of them were being replenished with table scraps, manure, and any other biodegradable trash that could help reintroduce essential minerals and nutrients after a long harvest year. The fires of many homes in the village were already billowing out of the chimneys as everyone began to take on their day. Kayleth made his way to the market to resupply some essentials before heading to Ciara and Bain’s.

Nurin never had anything extravagant with the exception of the Reeve’s house. Kayleth had walked by it several times and noted its sturdy construction with a combination of matierals like stone, wood, and glass. Kayleth was on his way to a nearby home of a fisherman who usually was willing to sell him a few salted fish at a fair price. The closer her got the brinier the air was. He rounded a corner and to his surprise Ciara was out running her morning errands.

She lit up excitedly and let out a squeal. “Well, if it isn’t my wee elf son! Why have you not been to see us in a full week?” She scolded him in a motherly fashion and tussled his hair. Quite possibly the only person in the world capable of such a feat.

The elf brushed her hand off like a younger brother would an older sister. “Oh, has it been that long already? I must have lost track of time studying.”

She shook her head in disbelief, “That is all you’ve done since I knew yah. Look at you, nothin but skin and bone. When are you gona learn to provide for yurself, eh?”

Oddly enough she did not know Kayleth had desired to do just that today or at least start. “Funny you should mention that, Ciara. I was thinking about asking Bain to teach me how to farm and take care of the animals.

Ciara bent over in laughter drawing the attention of others for a moment. “You poor sop, who do you think taught Bain what he knows? Shur as shit wasn’t himself. Ai, the man knows how to harvest some wheat but carin for it, and the animals, or for that matter what plant will kill yah if you eat it. That was me you silly little elf.”

He pushed the bridge of his glasses up his nose. “The Path be praised. It looks like my relationship with you has been fortuitous. I have a few more things to pick up today but, I will head over to your home after quickly.”

She smiled with excitant and waved goodbye to him. “I’ll tell the kids you’ll be over to do their chores for them later, love!”

She really is a woman with one string short of a whole script.

He picked up the last of his things and headed for Ciara’s home. The massive stoves glowed from within like a beacon of hospitality. The familiar smell of freshly baked bread seeped out the windows and front door beckoning people to wake up and start their day with the Breck family’s bread.

Kayleth pushed open the door and announced his entry. “Ciara, I’m here!”

The kids swarmed him with affection. Something he was starting to get used to. Being on his own so long these familial emotions felt foreign to him but, not unwelcome.

“Give the elf some space you mangrals. Shoo, off with you. You go help your father feed the animals and yous two go and fetch some fresh water from the well. Kayleth, I am so thrilled to have yah in me home once again. You’re making quite the name for yourself around town yah know.” She walked up to him barking out orders and gave him a nudge with her elbow.

He furrowed his brow as confusion shot across his face.

“Aye, everyone seems to be talking about the wee mysterious Sil’norai that does nothin but eat and doodle in his books.

With that, he could tell very easily that she was being sarcastic. She probably did not know the meaning of the word. She shuffled him along to a medium size open-faced hutch along one of the walls in the home. Various bottles of different sizes all with varying contents in them. A multitude of dry flowers and other flora hung in strings along the wall.

“This right here is the stash or at least that’s what I call it. We’ve got your different bits and bobs for this and that. Coughs, aches, nightmares, spirits, you name it and I’ve forged it or at least heard of it. If you want to take care of animals and yourself for that matter you should start here. Knowing what you can eat in the forests of the land we live in and what you can’t.

The smells felt nostalgic. They all competed for one another like that of old books in a large library. There was history and power in them and Kayleth could sense it from an ethereal point of view. Logically, he was very surprised by the skill Ciara showed in this area. He thought her to just be good for breeding and bread making.

“Ciara, you truly are full of surprises. If you would, please start going over a few of the essential ones you would want just starting out and I will write down the information in detail.”

She slapped her hand across her own face, “Always written stuff down… one day you’ll just know it boy.” Now, let's start!”

She excitedly talked about a handful of herbs that she commonly used for taking care of routine ailments that seemed to affect her family and livestock. Kayleth could barely keep up as she went into detail jumping from one plant to the next with no pattern at all. This would take the rest of the day and did indeed as the sun set and Kayleth made his way to the town inn where he would rest until the next day.