Chapter 36: Alchemy
The two boys went home, with their herbs. Before they went into the hut, to start with the learning of the alchemical art, they went, and began to water Belle's tree. Something told the two, that it wasn't just any tree. After all, Belle had given them fruits from the tree. Those, as far as the two knew, didn't grow on such a tree.
When even the last sapling was watered, they finally went home. Lysander was giddy to try his hand at some of the potions. Sure, Crystargar won't accept them, until all was forgotten, but that didn't mean that they couldn't sell their potions.
The problem was, that the two didn't have a teacher. Only books. Which meant that they wouldn't be able to tell whether their potion was good or not. Maybe, if they asked right, Elias would look at their potions. It hadn't escaped the two, that he had potion's vials strapped to his belt. Even if he wasn't an alchemist, he'd still be able to tell a good potion, from the bad one.
The table was soon filled with the first bag of herbs, and the boys eagerly cracked open the beginner potion's book. They stared at the first page, and then shared a look.
"Ly, this just tells us how to cut things," Erin whined. He had been looking forward to making a potion.
"Maybe, we should begin with this? Let us see. It says here, that we have to cut leaves into ribbons," Lysander was more level-headed. He knew that mastery needed practice.
The wanderer took a leaf from the pile on the table, and then took a small knife. With deft hands, he rolled up the leaf, just as it was shown in the picture, and began to cut. Erin mirrored him, yet, he soon becomes impatient. He didn't understand why they needed to cut up 100 leaves, before they got to flip the page.
"Look, Rin, this is all, so we can get better," Lysander tried to encourage the young boy. "No one has become a master overnight. Just think how cool it would be, if we manage to sell potions?"
"I suppose," Erin said, but his heart wasn't in it. He did his best, but his ribbons didn't look as nice as Lysander's. He felt like he was wasting the herbs. When Lysander was done with the cutting of his 100 leaves, Erin was still at number 20.
"Ah, this is impossible," Erin huffed, and threw his knife down on the table.
"Nothing is impossible. Rin, you are smart. Let us see, what is holding you back," Lysander said. Erin blushed at the praise, and picked up the knife again. He rolled up a leaf, and then cut it. The ribbon was choppy, just like the other times he tried.
"Ah, I see. You give too much space for the cut. Let me help you," Lysander said, and then went behind Erin, and took a hold of his hands. "You have to give it a small space, ok?"
Lysander guided Erin's fingers, and the ribbon they cut, was as neat as those of the wanderer. Erin beamed at Lysander, and then turned around to look at him.
"I think I get it now. Can I try alone for the next cut?" Erin asked. Lysander nodded, but didn't let go of Erin. Instead, he hugged the blonde's back. Erin did a new cut, and then presented the thin ribbon to Lysander.
"I did it," he said, happy as can be.
"Well, I suppose I can go, and stock the fire," Lysander tried to let go of Erin, but the blonde gripped the wanderer's hands.
"No, stay! The hugs are needed for a better cutting of the leaves," Erin whined.
Lysander chuckled.
"I will be right back to give you a hug. But the fire needs more kindling," Lysander said. Erin sighs, and let go of Lysander. "Practice now, I will be back soon."
Lysander went to the fire, and saw that there were only three logs next to it. He threw them in, and then went, and picked up his cloak.
"Rin, I will be going out to collect firewood. If someone comes, don't answer the door, and don't open the windows," Lysander said. Erin whipped his head around.
"No, you promised you'll give me a hug," Erin said, with a pout on his lips.
"And I will. You don't want for the fire to go out, do you? Just keep on cutting. I will collect enough wood for the entire night, so, I won't leave again, until it is morning," Lysander promised. Erin pouted some more, but didn't argue. He had to be strong, and that included no whining.
For, he was a dragon, and there was no tale about a dragon who whined. Instead, all dragons were strong. Even those who were healers. Like Givontair the White. Erin really wanted to meet the white dragon one day. For him to have made friends with a dragon slayer, he must really be something special.
Erin kept on cutting, the time flying pass him. When he was finally done, Lysander was yet to return. That worried the young boy. It was dark out, and if the disaster with Goldana had taught him anything, it was that bad people were more active at night. He looked at his cloak, and wondered if he should go and search for Lysander.
Yet, Lysander had asked him to stay put. Even still, Erin couldn't just stand in the hut, and wait for Lysander to come back. So, he picked his cloak, and went out, to the big oak.
"Belle, Ly isn't home yet. Do you know where he is?" Erin asked, the only person who would be able to help.
"Ah, Erin. Do you know what time it is, my boy?" Belle rubbed her eyes, as she came out of the tree.
"Ly promised to be back, but he is not back," Erin insisted. Belle sighed, and then touched the tree.
"Let me check. If he is still in the forest, the trees will tell me," she said. Erin watched her with a bated breath, as the crowns of the trees whispered their message.
Chapter 36: Alchemy
The two boys went home, with their herbs. Before they went into the hut, to start with the learning of the alchemical art, they went, and began to water Belle's tree. Something told the two, that it wasn't just any tree. After all, Belle had given them fruits from the tree. Those, as far as the two knew, didn't grow on such a tree.
When even the last sapling was watered, they finally went home. Lysander was giddy to try his hand at some of the potions. Sure, Crystargar won't accept them, until all was forgotten, but that didn't mean that they couldn't sell their potions.
The problem was, that the two didn't have a teacher. Only books. Which meant that they wouldn't be able to tell whether their potion was good or not. Maybe, if they asked right, Elias would look at their potions. It hadn't escaped the two, that he had potion's vials strapped to his belt. Even if he wasn't an alchemist, he'd still be able to tell a good potion, from the bad one.
The table was soon filled with the first bag of herbs, and the boys eagerly cracked open the beginner potion's book. They stared at the first page, and then shared a look.
"Ly, this just tells us how to cut things," Erin whined. He had been looking forward to making a potion.
"Maybe, we should begin with this? Let us see. It says here, that we have to cut leaves into ribbons," Lysander was more level-headed. He knew that mastery needed practice.
The wanderer took a leaf from the pile on the table, and then took a small knife. With deft hands, he rolled up the leaf, just as it was shown in the picture, and began to cut. Erin mirrored him, yet, he soon becomes impatient. He didn't understand why they needed to cut up 100 leaves, before they got to flip the page.
"Look, Rin, this is all, so we can get better," Lysander tried to encourage the young boy. "No one has become a master overnight. Just think how cool it would be, if we manage to sell potions?"
"I suppose," Erin said, but his heart wasn't in it. He did his best, but his ribbons didn't look as nice as Lysander's. He felt like he was wasting the herbs. When Lysander was done with the cutting of his 100 leaves, Erin was still at number 20.
"Ah, this is impossible," Erin huffed, and threw his knife down on the table.
"Nothing is impossible. Rin, you are smart. Let us see, what is holding you back," Lysander said. Erin blushed at the praise, and picked up the knife again. He rolled up a leaf, and then cut it. The ribbon was choppy, just like the other times he tried.
"Ah, I see. You give too much space for the cut. Let me help you," Lysander said, and then went behind Erin, and took a hold of his hands. "You have to give it a small space, ok?"
Lysander guided Erin's fingers, and the ribbon they cut, was as neat as those of the wanderer. Erin beamed at Lysander, and then turned around to look at him.
"I think I get it now. Can I try alone for the next cut?" Erin asked. Lysander nodded, but didn't let go of Erin. Instead, he hugged the blonde's back. Erin did a new cut, and then presented the thin ribbon to Lysander.
"I did it," he said, happy as can be.
"Well, I suppose I can go, and stock the fire," Lysander tried to let go of Erin, but the blonde gripped the wanderer's hands.
"No, stay! The hugs are needed for a better cutting of the leaves," Erin whined.
Lysander chuckled.
"I will be right back to give you a hug. But the fire needs more kindling," Lysander said. Erin sighs, and let go of Lysander. "Practice now, I will be back soon."
Lysander went to the fire, and saw that there were only three logs next to it. He threw them in, and then went, and picked up his cloak.
"Rin, I will be going out to collect firewood. If someone comes, don't answer the door, and don't open the windows," Lysander said. Erin whipped his head around.
"No, you promised you'll give me a hug," Erin said, with a pout on his lips.
"And I will. You don't want for the fire to go out, do you? Just keep on cutting. I will collect enough wood for the entire night, so, I won't leave again, until it is morning," Lysander promised. Erin pouted some more, but didn't argue. He had to be strong, and that included no whining.
For, he was a dragon, and there was no tale about a dragon who whined. Instead, all dragons were strong. Even those who were healers. Like Givontair the White. Erin really wanted to meet the white dragon one day. For him to have made friends with a dragon slayer, he must really be something special.
Erin kept on cutting, the time flying pass him. When he was finally done, Lysander was yet to return. That worried the young boy. It was dark out, and if the disaster with Goldana had taught him anything, it was that bad people were more active at night. He looked at his cloak, and wondered if he should go and search for Lysander.
Yet, Lysander had asked him to stay put. Even still, Erin couldn't just stand in the hut, and wait for Lysander to come back. So, he picked his cloak, and went out, to the big oak.
"Belle, Ly isn't home yet. Do you know where he is?" Erin asked, the only person who would be able to help.
"Ah, Erin. Do you know what time it is, my boy?" Belle rubbed her eyes, as she came out of the tree.
"Ly promised to be back, but he is not back," Erin insisted. Belle sighed, and then touched the tree.
"Let me check. If he is still in the forest, the trees will tell me," she said. Erin watched her with a bated breath, as the crowns of the trees whispered their message.
