white wall at the far end of the room. There hung a simple, burnished silver star. Below, an ornate carpet and cushions covered the floor. After her lessons at the tower, she understood why.
“So, Nin, if you would sit, I will show you how to make this brew.” Lady Cassandra indicated a stool. “This is fairly simple, but works well when the spirit has wandered and needs rest.”
Tab and Cecile opened small notebooks. After a few moments, they both moved away from the table and went to the cupboards. They brought back a large wooden bowl, a small cauldron, and then fetched jars of dried herbs from the shelves. Cecile went to pull down a large hanging bunch of fresh green leaves and placed them on the table with the other things.
The lady nodded with a pleased smile. “Well done, ladies.” She glanced across to Nin. “This brew is once boiled, no more is necessary. We make others that need far more attention.” Cassandra donned a long white apron.
“You look like a baker about to begin work.”
The lady laughed. A twinkle lit her glance.
Nin bit her lip, humiliated to have sent the thought at all, and using as much force as she could muster, tried to silence the words rampaging through her head. She concentrated hard.
“Oh, well done. Did the Mage teach you?” Cassandra asked.
“Yes, my lady.”
“Excellent, you must practice each day. Don’t allow him to fob you off and say he’s too busy or mustn’t be disturbed. This is important. Do you understand?”
She nodded, disturbed at the urgent force Cassandra had used for the last part of her thought instructions.
From the bemused expressions Tab and Cecile wore, she guessed they had not heard Cassandra’s silent words.
“Nin has a small problem with her voice to deal with, ladies. She is improving. Now, to work.”
Cassandra opened one of the jars. “This is hops to help the Mage sleep. He will need to rest deeply and for longer than normal.” She scooped up a palm full and showed them. A sharp pungent fragrance came from the powdery mix in Cassandra’s hand.
“Next, we add a measure of calming valerian to give him peaceful rest.” The thin roots broke into tiny fragments between Cassandra’s palms and joined the hops in the mix. “You see, we have two strong calming herbs together, yes?”
She nodded to Cassandra’s question. She’d learned from her aunt some plants could be useful, like nettles and rhubarb, but this was different and interested her so much, a part of her longed to find out more.
“To this, I add a portion of lemon balm to help his muscles relax. I like this herb. Its fragrance is wonderful and very good for headaches and emotional upsets.” Cassandra tore the fresh, green leaves in half.
The rich scent filled Nin, and yes, it soothed. She would remember this one. From the lady’s earlier words, she might need to use it.
Cassandra shredded the leaves to tiny sections and dropped them into the bowl. “We pour on a goodly amount of water to cover all the ingredients.” The lady tipped in water from a silver jug and tilted the bowl so Nin and the others could see. “The final step, we heat it up for a little while, not too long. Oh, and I forgot, though this is not a vital ingredient, but Thabit has a sweet tooth. Add a spoonful of honey to the brew.”
Yes, the Mage liked honey . Nin smiled wide.
Lady Cassandra poured the honey from the spoon and the liquid into a small black cauldron. Cecile took it to hang over the hearth.
“Tab, go fetch a jug of wine.” Cassandra glanced across the table to her. “Are you hungry, Nin?”
She nodded. Too fearful or too interested to take note of her stomach’s hungry growls since she’d arrived at the castle, she’d dismissed them, but now she longed to eat.
“Tab, please ask the boy to bring us a dish of fruit and a platter of bread and cheese. While the potion brews, we’ll eat and talk.”
Cassandra crossed the room and removed the white apron before she rinsed
“So, Nin, if you would sit, I will show you how to make this brew.” Lady Cassandra indicated a stool. “This is fairly simple, but works well when the spirit has wandered and needs rest.”
Tab and Cecile opened small notebooks. After a few moments, they both moved away from the table and went to the cupboards. They brought back a large wooden bowl, a small cauldron, and then fetched jars of dried herbs from the shelves. Cecile went to pull down a large hanging bunch of fresh green leaves and placed them on the table with the other things.
The lady nodded with a pleased smile. “Well done, ladies.” She glanced across to Nin. “This brew is once boiled, no more is necessary. We make others that need far more attention.” Cassandra donned a long white apron.
“You look like a baker about to begin work.”
The lady laughed. A twinkle lit her glance.
Nin bit her lip, humiliated to have sent the thought at all, and using as much force as she could muster, tried to silence the words rampaging through her head. She concentrated hard.
“Oh, well done. Did the Mage teach you?” Cassandra asked.
“Yes, my lady.”
“Excellent, you must practice each day. Don’t allow him to fob you off and say he’s too busy or mustn’t be disturbed. This is important. Do you understand?”
She nodded, disturbed at the urgent force Cassandra had used for the last part of her thought instructions.
From the bemused expressions Tab and Cecile wore, she guessed they had not heard Cassandra’s silent words.
“Nin has a small problem with her voice to deal with, ladies. She is improving. Now, to work.”
Cassandra opened one of the jars. “This is hops to help the Mage sleep. He will need to rest deeply and for longer than normal.” She scooped up a palm full and showed them. A sharp pungent fragrance came from the powdery mix in Cassandra’s hand.
“Next, we add a measure of calming valerian to give him peaceful rest.” The thin roots broke into tiny fragments between Cassandra’s palms and joined the hops in the mix. “You see, we have two strong calming herbs together, yes?”
She nodded to Cassandra’s question. She’d learned from her aunt some plants could be useful, like nettles and rhubarb, but this was different and interested her so much, a part of her longed to find out more.
“To this, I add a portion of lemon balm to help his muscles relax. I like this herb. Its fragrance is wonderful and very good for headaches and emotional upsets.” Cassandra tore the fresh, green leaves in half.
The rich scent filled Nin, and yes, it soothed. She would remember this one. From the lady’s earlier words, she might need to use it.
Cassandra shredded the leaves to tiny sections and dropped them into the bowl. “We pour on a goodly amount of water to cover all the ingredients.” The lady tipped in water from a silver jug and tilted the bowl so Nin and the others could see. “The final step, we heat it up for a little while, not too long. Oh, and I forgot, though this is not a vital ingredient, but Thabit has a sweet tooth. Add a spoonful of honey to the brew.”
Yes, the Mage liked honey . Nin smiled wide.
Lady Cassandra poured the honey from the spoon and the liquid into a small black cauldron. Cecile took it to hang over the hearth.
“Tab, go fetch a jug of wine.” Cassandra glanced across the table to her. “Are you hungry, Nin?”
She nodded. Too fearful or too interested to take note of her stomach’s hungry growls since she’d arrived at the castle, she’d dismissed them, but now she longed to eat.
“Tab, please ask the boy to bring us a dish of fruit and a platter of bread and cheese. While the potion brews, we’ll eat and talk.”
Cassandra crossed the room and removed the white apron before she rinsed
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