And All the World's A Garden... - Herb Lesson (Attn Jade)

[Taymist]

Rhya took the responsibility very seriously having once offered to teach Katrina but luckily herbs had been something she already had some knowledge of prior to her life in the Stedding and that knowledge had only expanded since. Her time spent with Aislyn sorting the Infirmary’s stores and the work she’d put into her own herb garden merely emphasising the interest. In truth, Rhya was rather proud of her little plot and tended it regularly like a mother hen concerned for a chick’s safety.

 

She eyed the sky balefully as she waited for Katrina to arrive, her hands resting lightly on the rail that ran the length of the balcony. She hoped there would be no more snow for a few days at least to give her a chance to gather the last of the herbs left in the ground. She planned to pot several and keep them in the kitchen until the spring came again.

 

The weather was nice enough at present, however, so Rhya had chosen to set out the herbs on a tray there on the balcony where they could sit and enjoy the fresh air. She was rather looking forward to having a visitor and had already boiled up some tea in preparation. There was no harm in being comfortable while learning after all.

 

At the thought, she caught sight of movement below and looked down to see the petite Cairhienin girl arriving in the clearing.

 

Rhya waved and called out, pointing to the right, “Good morning, Katrina. Just grab the end of that rope over there and come on up.”

 

Some people found the climb to the tree house rather daunting but Katrina looked agile enough to manage it with no problems and the strategic knots in the rope provided enough convenient footholds that it wasn’t too strenuous.

 

[Jaydena]

Katrina pushed her black hair out of her eyes and secured it into a pony tail, it wouldn't do for it to get caught on briars or anything else while she was in the woods with Rhya and she couldn't only assume that they would be going out into the woods to study herbs. She put a coat on over her shirt and pants that was about midthigh in length. Her shirt was a lightweight fabric of a dark green, her pants with a light tan color, and her jacket with a deeper shade of brown. All meant to blend into the woods easily. She made her bed quickly and then walked from the room, her thoughts on what she would learn this morning. Herbs had always been important to her and had been a way for her to survive after she had been kicked from her childhood home into the cold. The book her Mother had added to that secret bag, had saved her life out there alone, it had taught her how to find food and how to prepare it, what was dangerous and what only looked dangerous. It also made her life better as she was able to season the trout she learned to catch or the venison she eventually learned to kill. In fact as soon as she had a place of her own here in the stedding she fully intended to transplant herbs and vegetables into her own garden. At this point in time she shared a room with her Sisters and it was quite cramped and of course winter was coming so it would have to wait until spring for her to do. Maybe by then she would have her own quarters and be a full wolfkin.

 

She walked toward the quarters of Rhya and saw the woman standing outside on her balcony. The woman waved at her and then pointed to the right of where she was standing, “Good morning, Katrina. Just grab the end of that rope over there and come on up.” She nodded at the other woman and offered a tentative smile before heading over to the rope. Reaching her hand out she carefully touched the rope with it's knots. Giving the rope a good yank she put both her feet on it and jumped up and down to test it's secureness. After deciding that it was safe to climb up, she quickly pulled her way up the rope and reached the balcony. She glanced around and then spoke, "Wow this place is very neat, how long have you lived here, did you build it yourself, or was it already here, did someone help you build it?" She blushed as she realized how fast she was talking and then spoke again, "I am sorry I am nervous, I tend to talk to much and to fast when I am." Rena looked around and saw the herbs sitting out on the balcony as she waited for Rhya to speak...

 

Katrina Candarr

 

Some people found the climb to the tree house rather daunting but Katrina looked agile enough to manage it with no problems and the strategic knots in the rope provided enough convenient footholds that it wasn’t too strenuous.

[Taymist]

Rhya grinned at the barrage of questions from Katrina as soon as she stepped onto the balcony.

 

“I’ve lived here for about a year now,” she answered. “Owen’s my mentor and I asked if I could live here since I didn’t really like the idea of staying at the Infirmary and this place is far too big for just one person. So no, I wasn’t here when it was built and it doesn’t belong to me although it’s definitely my home now.”

 

Rhya led the way over to the seats, and continued with a laugh, “Ice would of course dispute that the place belongs to Owen. She is quite adamant that the tree house is hers.”

 

Pouring mugs of tea for each of them, she handed one to Katrina and explained the point of the day’s lesson. They would start by studying the herbs on the tray and later she would send the girl out into the Stedding for the second part of her task.

 

She lifted the first herb on the tray and passed it to Katrina. “Just get a feel for each one. If you have any herb knowledge, you’ll know they have their own scents and textures, which help to identify them if you have two that are similar. This one is Grey Fennel though some refer to it as Powdered Peach Pit. It’s very poisonous and should not be ingested in any form. Chances are that you won’t ever have need of this one but it’s important to be aware of it. Not everyone has good intentions when using herbs.”

 

Rhya wiped her hands on a cloth that she’d placed nearby and sipped at her tea while Katrina had a good look at the plant. “Now this one,” she said handing over another, “is Flatwort. It works best when mixed into a drink of tea and is used to relieve fatigue or clear the head in cases of headache. If you can’t find any of this, then Andilay Root is another one that has the same properties and it can be used instead.”

 

She sat back, cradling her mug and watching Katrina look the plants over. Many people learned only the bare basics of herb lore, taking what they could use and ignoring the rest, finding such lessons boring. Katrina, however, seemed to be genuinely interested which would make the lesson go far more smoothly.

 

 

[Jaydena]

Rena rubbed one of the herbs gently between her fingers as she waited for Rhya to speak, the other woman laughed softly and then began to speak, “I’ve lived here for about a year now, Owen’s my mentor and I asked if I could live here since I didn’t really like the idea of staying at the Infirmary and this place is far too big for just one person. So no, I wasn’t here when it was built and it doesn’t belong to me although it’s definitely my home now.” She nodded, and looked around. What she wouldn't give to have a place of her own, one that she could plant a garden at and not be surrounded by other people all the time. Maybe then she would have a wolf companion come to her. As it was, one probably wouldn't with her and her two Sisters sharing that cramped room. Wolves were pack animals but they didn't spend a lot of time with more than one human. Rhya led the way over to the seats and then continued, “Ice would of course dispute that the place belongs to Owen. She is quite adamant that the tree house is hers.” She glanced around, Ice must be the other woman's companion but she had yet to see her. In fact she wasn't sure how a wolf would get up into the treehouse, that must be a sight to see. Rhya poured each of them a mug of tea and then handed one to her as she began to talk about what they would do that day. Rena sipped her tea as she listened to the woman talk. It was a good blend and she would have to ask if they woman had grown the mixture herself.

 

The woman picked up one of the herbs from off the tray and handed it to her, “Just get a feel for each one. If you have any herb knowledge, you’ll know they have their own scents and textures, which help to identify them if you have two that are similar. This one is Grey Fennel though some refer to it as Powdered Peach Pit. It’s very poisonous and should not be ingested in any form. Chances are that you won’t ever have need of this one but it’s important to be aware of it. Not everyone has good intentions when using herbs.” Rena nodded and carefully looked the herb over as the woman across from her wiped her hands off and began to sip the tea. Finally she handed the plant back and wiped her own hands off. She looked up at Rhya and the woman handed her another herb, “Now this one, is Flatwort. It works best when mixed into a drink of tea and is used to relieve fatigue or clear the head in cases of headache. If you can’t find any of this, then Andilay Root is another one that has the same properties and it can be used instead.” She picked the herb up off of the other woman's hands and began to look it over, carefully turning the leaves over and looking at the bottom of them as well as examining the root. There were times when a herb like this would come in very handy. She could use something to deal with fatigue after dealing with her Sisters all day long. Her lips curved up into a smile as she carefully sniffed the herb, memorizing it's smell. Her nose was much keener than it had been before her eyes had changed colors, and it had often come in useful, although not so useful when some of the younger members of the Stedding believed they should back to nature and never bathe. She wrinkled her nose and then let out a small laugh before handing the herb back to Rhya. "Both very useful herbs to be sure, I haven't seen Andilay Root yet, I will have to keep an eye out for that one, do you have of it here so I can see what it looks like?"

 

Katrina Candarr

[Taymist]

Rhya nodded and pointed to a herb sitting at the far end of the tray. “As it happens, I do. That’s Andilay Root. Owen didn’t have any on hand when he was teaching me so I thought I’d be a little better prepared.”

 

After giving Katrina some few moments to look the Andilay over, she moved onto the next batch of herbs on the tray.” This is called Worrynot Root and this one is Feverbane. They’re both very good for treating a patient with fever and they should recover fully if there are no other complications.”

 

She handed them over for closer inspection. When Katrina had finished, Rhya picked out yet another herb and proceeded to explain its use too.

 

“This is Sheepstongue Root and the only practical use found for it is that it helps with eye pain. Other than that it can be used as a threat against unruly children.”

 

Rhya noted Katrina’s querying look, and just as Owen had done to her, she mashed up the root and immersed it in a mug of hot water sitting to one side. Once it had all dissolved, she passed it to Katrina with a word of caution.  “Take a drink... but just a small one.” She was not quite so mean as her mentor had been but still could not help laughing at the woman’s disgusted reaction.

 

“You will not forget what it tastes like this way but I am sorry. Take a drink of tea to get rid of the taste.”

 

Quickly moving on Rhya proffered another herb. “This is Chainleaf. It’s an excellent aid for queasy stomachs and nausea. This is also prepared in a drink, usually a hot one but it can be cold if necessary.”

 

She paused again, allowing her student time to become familiar with the plants and as she did so, Shadow joined them. “Ahhh finished your nap have you? Katrina this is Shadow. Ice, whom I mentioned earlier, is Owen’s companion.” She watched with a smile as the dark wolf stuck his muzzle close to the woman and sniffed at her hand.

 

“Now, I want you to go outside to the forest and find as many of these herbs as you can. This will allow you to imprint them in your mind and help you better to recognise them in future. When you’re done, bring them back here and I’ll check them over.”

 

At least it’s dry today and she won’t get soaked like I did!

 

[Jaydena]

Rhya nodded at her question and pointed to one of the trays on the ground as she spoke, “As it happens, I do. That’s Andilay Root. Owen didn’t have any on hand when he was teaching me so I thought I’d be a little better prepared.” Rena picked the tray up off the ground and began to look over the root in front of her, checking the size, color, and smell of it, so that she could recognize it in the forest. After she had spent some time looking at them, the woman motioned for them to move forward and they headed for the next set of herbs. ”This is called Worrynot Root and this one is Feverbane. They’re both very good for treating a patient with fever and they should recover fully if there are no other complications.” She looked the herbs over, picking them up and turning them over, memorizing them so she could gather them herself. Rhya picked up another herb and handed it over to her. “This is Sheepstongue Root and the only practical use found for it is that it helps with eye pain. Other than that it can be used as a threat against unruly children.” Arching her eyebrow she looked over at the woman and wondered what she was talking about. Rhya smiled at her and picked the root up, she quickly and with ease mashed the root and put it into a mug of hot water that sat near the tray.

 

 

The woman passed the mug to her and said quickly, “Take a drink... but just a small one.” Rena took a careful drink of the liquid and pushed it away from her body with a disgusted look. She even stuck her tongue out and wrinkled up her face, it was a natural reaction to the worst thing she had ever tasted, worse even than her Sisters cooking. “You will not forget what it tastes like this way but I am sorry. Take a drink of tea to get rid of the taste.” Katrina picked up the second mug and took a careful sip of it before she spoke, "You can see why it would be used as a threat against children for bad behavior, it's quite the worst thing ever." She smiled as Rhya nodded and moved onto the next herb, “This is Chainleaf. It’s an excellent aid for queasy stomachs and nausea. This is also prepared in a drink, usually a hot one but it can be cold if necessary.” She picked up the herb and looked it over, sniffed it carefully, and touched the leaves on it. Rena looked up as she felt the presence of a wolf, the wolf stood not far from them and Rhya was looking over at it. “Ahhh finished your nap have you? Katrina this is Shadow. Ice, whom I mentioned earlier, is Owen’s companion.” She nodded her head respectfully at him and started as he put his muzzle near her hand and touched it to her. Rena smiled at him and then turned as Rhya started to speak again.

 

“Now, I want you to go outside to the forest and find as many of these herbs as you can. This will allow you to imprint them in your mind and help you better to recognise them in future. When you’re done, bring them back here and I’ll check them over.” Rena nodded and went carefully down out of the tree house. She made her way out into the woods and began to look around carefully, she was sure that Rhya would have picked this area fairly clear and she didn't want to risk something not growing back by taking the last of it. So she walked further out and began to look for the herbs she needed. It didn't take long for her to find some Worrynot Root, she found her digging stick inside of her waist pouch, and quickly dug up as much of the root as she dared take. She walked carefully around as she put the herb into the pouch, and located two more of the herbs she needed. It took her some time but eventually she found all but the Andilay, and finally after more than an hour, she located a crop of the herb underneath a large overhang. Once she had gathered it she headed back to the tree house with a jaunt in her step, happy that she had found all the herbs she needed. When she reached the tree house, she knocked on the bottom of it, and waited as the woman told her she could come up. Rena stepped up the ladder and spoke, "Sorry it took so long, I had some problems finding the Andilay Root and I didn't want to take from your area so I walked fairly far." She pulled the herbs out of her pouch and put the digging stick back in, as she laid the herbs on an empty tray...

 

Katrina Candarr

[Taymist]

When Katrina returned Rhya looked over each of the herbs and finally smiled, nodding her approval. The girl had obviously listened closely to the descriptions of the herbs and committed them to memory. She wouldn't forget them now.

 

“That's all we have to cover today. I know you'll find these herbs will serve you well when it comes to basic ills but there is one last task to be undertaken.” Rhya noted with pleasure that Katrina didn't seem at all bothered at being given something else to do and was glad she'd offered to teach her.

 

“What I need you to do is start a small herb garden, something that contains the herbs we have talked about here. These herbs are not always easy to find, as you discovered with the Andilay Root, and the Sages always need more supplies. To aid in that, every student is asked to plant a small herb garden of their own. Given the weather, you may not be able to plant all of them immediately of course but if you find a sheltered spot, they should thrive well enough. If there are any others you'd like to grow, feel free. I must admit my own garden grew rather rapidly once I started and Aislyn's glad of the extra when I can't use it all myself,” Rhya paused, mentally checking that there was nothing she'd forgotten to pass along and finished, "Any questions? If not, we're all done."

 

 

 

 

OOC: Jade one last post from you and this lesson is finished. Doesn't have to be long... up to you if you just have her planning her garden or actually starting work on it. Choice is yours and I'll get your points updated when you've posted. 

 

[Jaydena]

ooc- Dang topic replies getting buried. *mutters* Sorry about the late reply sweetie.

 

Rena waited anxiously as Rhya looked the herbs over, she was worried that she had gotten something wrong and was about to be told that she had no idea what she was doing, but finally the other woman smiled and spoke. “That's all we have to cover today. I know you'll find these herbs will serve you well when it comes to basic ills but there is one last task to be undertaken.” She nodded and returned the woman's smile, waiting for the next task in this lesson. “What I need you to do is start a small herb garden, something that contains the herbs we have talked about here. These herbs are not always easy to find, as you discovered with the Andilay Root, and the Sages always need more supplies. To aid in that, every student is asked to plant a small herb garden of their own. Given the weather, you may not be able to plant all of them immediately of course but if you find a sheltered spot, they should thrive well enough. If there are any others you'd like to grow, feel free. I must admit my own garden grew rather rapidly once I started and Aislyn's glad of the extra when I can't use it all myself. Any questions? If not, we're all done."

 

She nodded and thanked the woman for her help, gave a nod to the wolf standing nearby, and than headed down the ladder. Thinking quite deeply she wondered where she was going to plant a garden. She didn't have her own quarters and so many of the good spots were taken. Finally she decided to look around the Stedding some more. It took her most of the afternoon but she finally found a spot that wasn't attached to someone's home, and didn't seem to be used for anything. She began to work the ground with her tools, it took her most of the rest of the day but she finally had the ground ready for the next day, and had planted the herbs she found that day. The following day dawned sunny and bright and she set out into the woods to pick some more herbs and had them ready to plant. She headed back to her garden and planted those herbs, and than hauled water to give her new garden some much needed moisture. The spot she was picked was in the shade of an unused building, part of it was shade and part was sun. She had put the herbs that needed shade in one area, and the ones that didn't in the next. When she was done with all of this she added some of the horse manure they had in the stedding and than began work on a small fence to keep people from stomping on her flowers. She had it most of the way finished that day, and finally at the middle of the next day she stepped back to look at her new garden with it's fence, she felt a sense of accomlishment and excitement. In addition she had planted a bunch of vegetables that one of the Sages had given her and so she would have some vegetable before the harvest ended all the way hopefully.

 

Katrina Candarr

[Taymist]

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