For the Witch's Brew.

[Eitan Angevin]

"Aye, and we still hunt the shadows lest they hunt us," he acknowledged.

"The structure of the Order has changed somewhat due to the exigencies of our time. I went from Aspirant, an apprentice, to Watcher, which is the rank-and-file. I was promoted to Seeker, and reported to a Vigilant. The Vigilants are the greater powers in the Order, at least in the Watchers of Purity, who were the active branch, while the College of Minders were the scholars and sages. The Vigilants reported to Sentinels, who oversaw the Order in a city, all subject to the High Sentinel, who is the Sentinel of Zaichaeri proper. I now have that honor.

"So, I was a mid-level Watcher, but... as you say... trial by fire. The new structure is more of a web, but with better delineation of roles for better efficiency."

As for menageries, "Some eccentric bluebloods did have menageries in the past. We had to focus on the preservation of livestock, however, and so pets, especially exotic ones, have become more rare. Thankfully, this valley seems to have recuperated from the long night."

Angevin took a broader view for a moment before returning to his observation of her work.

His nose wrinkled obligingly when she alluded to the Orkhan. They weren't a particular problem in Zaichaer, but he was also too polite to cast more aspersions at Kalzasi, where the Orkhan had lived long before their new Avialae masters had come. She knew his prejudices, at least in broad strokes, and he knew hers. Belaboring them was unnecessary.

When the time came to isolate the roots, he crouched down beside her so he could better observe his work.

Dark eyes intent, he wove a fine mesh of aether around the entire plant, not only its roots. Layers upon layers with different tasks, molded and anchored cleverly such that they would move with the plant, protecting it without risk of strangling it or preventing necessary things from flowing in or out of the wards.

He was neither a sembler nor an elementalist, but he had worked with both. Still, he wasn't entirely certain how a Vastian mage would describe things in the Common tongue.

"Do you see?" he asked. "Here I have left a sort of, hm, permeable bit whereby you can make magical adjustments without breaking the ward?"

[Hilana Chenzira]

She listened as he explained the ranks that he had climbed to get to where he was now, and that did seem to her to be a tangled web indeed. She imagined that he might find the different ranks and orders in Solunarium to be confusing, because she did find this to be confusing. When she got back to the apartment she was in for the night, she would have to diagram it and web it out to better understand it, but she was interested nevertheless. This culture was decidedly different from her own, and while she had heard no real stories of this place aside from Arvaelyn and Finn, she was here now, and she was keen to learn. It did seem to her that that was a step or four.

"That does make sense," she nodded thoughtfully. She understood, too, the need to prioritize livestock. She was lucky to not be in that position, given her own considerable menagerie... dozens of reptiles and a trio of cats, plus her very large camel, though he certainly counted as livestock. Most of her snakes were for work at both of her jobs, though her pythons were more companions than anything else. "The needs of the many come before the wants of a few." She was realistic enough to know that, at least - that the greater, overarching community goal was what was needed to be focused on for the survival of all.

Hilana shifted over, her eyes changing once again as she focused on Eitan's work. She could observe it through Semblance - she wasn't a Negator, and while she knew a few, this was well and above her head. Fascinating. She paid close attention to the layers and weaves that he was creating, seeking to follow along through Semblance. This might well help, at least until they wanted to recreate it in its own little greenhouse - the spores would need to be able to pass through, but there would be time enough for that. "That is some finely composed artistry," she was admiring. "That will be perfect, Sentinel, thank you." It was through the little window that she threaded her Elementalism, the rune on her right hand glowing beneath the glove, to draw the roots of the vine in to make it a better size for transport. She drew the sack into position, and brought her hands up to coax the root ball, soil and all, from where it had been in firmly in the ground. It wasn't fancy, but it was a smooth transition and careful, easing it up just enough so that it could get wrapped up and prepared to go into the satchel.

If he was amenable, Hilana would be delighted if he would repeat the process on the second one, but if Eitan decided one was enough, the Vastiana would not press her luck. "Thank you very much, Sentinel. Etzalal, come on," she encouraged the winged snake as they descended upon the pair of them in a steady spiral.

[Eitan Angevin]

Angevin nodded.

"I also left parts of the weave temporarily tied, so any competent warder can undo the work rather than break it with brute force. That way, once you plant them, there will be no wards to impede growth. You are quite welcome."

As for her work, he didn't fish out an aura glass to observe, but she had the literal quirk in her eyes indicating she was up to some magic. He wasn't worried; one of their recent innovations was weaving arcane protections into their uniforms. That way, he could feel more secure that nobody was tampering with his mind even if Lessnau were not on hand to stand guard.

He was silent while she worked. As he could not observe the actual weaves, his eyes did take in their surroundings. He considered using it as a training ground for Zaichaeri troops. There was enough danger to challenge them, but it was a danger they could learn to adapt to.

Dark eyes returned to her when she was finished, and he nodded acknowledgement of more thanks heaped upon him. The biome had bounced back rather robustly, no doubt due to less infringement by humanity, and so he did not limit her to the one seedling, but kept pace with her and her work.

"Etzalal." He tasted the word. "Does it have meaning?"

[Hilana Chenzira]

That meant that Lia would likely be able to pick it apart after she studied it with her aura glasses. That was quite thoughtful of him. "Thank you, Sentinel. That will be helpful," He likely knew from her visa application that she didn't possess that Rune, and considering she had behaved so far, she likely wasn't going to be to try to attempt to unleash the plants in the city where it might harm the citizens. Not that it mattered; the amount of plants she was carrying away with her from this pocket of the valley was not enough to do much damage. With all of the care that had been taken to make sure that the plants were wrapped up and would make it home safely, she wasn't about to do something so reckless and stupid. She and Vasilei had plans for these lilies, and truthfully, Hilana wanted to make the most of her visit. She didn't know when, or if, she would be allowed back. Hopefully.

With Eitan's assistance, she packed up three more in the same manner with his wards and her elementalism and botany, and placed them one after another inside the glowing satchel. With those, she was done here at last, putting away the assortment of tools and cloths and sacks.

"Etzalal is part of their name. In some of the nomadic dialects of my tongue, the root of that word means 'noble one'," Hilana explained, smiling at the winged serpent that spiralled back down to her, wrapping around her wrist and fluffing their wings. Apparently, the spirit knew that she was talking about it, and the tone of her voice was admiring. She wasn't about to explain to Eitan that she had seen Etzalal and their full splendour. That the spirit so big, their mouth so cavernous that they could swallow a camel easily without ever having to chew. But that would take time before they got to that size again, where Hilana could support them. But they would get there. Or the legends of the rainmaker that some clans spoke of, though it had been questionable if it was a storm dragon or a spirit like Etzalal. But her fingers caressed the shimmering, scaly side of the spirit, and its forked tongue flickered out to touch her skin. She tickled their jaw.

"Oh, solidago," she pointed to a plant suddenly. "Goldenrod," she translated to Common. "The leaves are good for sore throats, if you chew them, and you can add the young flowers to tea. Filipendula ulmaria. Meadowsweet, have you ever tried it?" Hilana wanted to know, pointing at another one. She made a few steps over, and inhaled the fragrance of the flowers. "Smell," she encouraged him, gathering one of the remaining fresh bags from her satchel. "The whole plant is good for you. You can use it to help remedy an acidic stomach. If you make tea from it, from the leaves and the flowers, it can help with inflammation, infections, gout, and fever. If you add it to jams or jellies or desserts, it has an almond flavour. If you dry it, you can grind it and use it as a spice for food." She paused for a moment. "May I ask if you are married, Sentinel?"

[Eitan Angevin]

"Etzalal," he said again, trying to incorporate the nuances of her voicing of it into his own. He offered the little creature a bemused smile. "Welcome to Zaichaer, noble one."

While he was aware that some spirits were a great deal more intelligent than pets, he refrained from reaching out to Etzalal, even though the boy he had once been had certainly dreamed of riding dragonback before he had been trained to eschew fantasy for airships.

When she called to his attention more mundane herbs, "Hm? Oh, aye. We cultivate many of these on the grounds for herbal remedies." He paused. "After the rift and before the eclipse, the grounds of my townhouse were outfitted by my brother-in-law and the other geniuses at the Windworks to rise into the air, much like an airship. Between my wards and the efforts of some patriotic Kindred, we managed to make a farm of the place to help feed the people while the sun was hidden behind the new moon.

"It has since been scaled back into more natural beauty now that sheer productivity is no longer its sole raison d'être. But the herb garden remains robust." He did lean down, rather elegantly gathering a cluster of white flowers to scent. "How do you know about goldenrod and meadowsweet? Surely they don't grow in the desiccation of the desert or along the flood zone of the Vasta?"

A dark brow arched curiously. Botany was not his forte, but he was well educated and had learned quite a bit he hadn't thought to learn during the crises of '22 and '23.

"Ah, yes," a broader smile flashed at mention of marriage. "I have the honor of being married to the most beautiful woman in Zaichaer. Just don't tell my sister I said that. Luca and I married in Frost '21, and have two beautiful sons. And you?"

[Hilana Chenzira]

Etzalal looked from Hilana to Eitan, as if wanting permission, and Hilana assured the spirit that they could. The winged spirit left the young woman’s wrist to launch itself back into the air, and flew around the Sentinel, curious now that they had been given permission, forked tongue tasting his scent as it hovered there at eye-level, perhaps a foot away. "They say thank you, they are enjoying it here," the Vastiana smiled at the spirit. "They were very fascinated by the airship - it's another way of flying, like on a wyvern."

Etzalal didn't talk as much as Sviras did, it was more a sensation of feelings and she had to sort through those. But she knew with time... they would get there again. It took her growing so that they could grow once more, rediscovering the world as they must have in another time. And as she grew, so would they. They would get there together once again.

She added some of the meadowsweet to the bag, along with some other herbs before tucking that bag into her featherlight satchel as well. “They do not, no. Not even in the marshy areas along the Delta where my father's estate is. I grew up in the sands, and among the nomadic people, knowledge of plants is vital. It is passed down, generation to generation, so that we know what will harm and what will cure. What can be eaten and what can't. I’ve always enjoyed botany and herbalism, as did one of my paternal great-aunts. She and many of my father’s clan settled in Tertium, the big coastal city on the Crystal Sea, and my grandparents built a rather robust trading company there. When my father took it over, he expanded it with a number of other entrepreneurial ventures... but they imported books from other realms on their plants for her, and I have had the opportunity to read them as well. My present mentor and employer in Solunarium proper traveled the world and made his own massive book on the plants he found out here before returning to the capital and opening his own shop. Meadowsweet and goldenrod are in it,” she explained.

“He’s built a number of greenhouses and imported quite a few plants from all over Ailizane and even Ecith from travelling traders. We’ve got another one planned just for these. He did try to import some a while back but they were too far gone even for the elementalists to save. So these ones should do well. We have healthy plants, healthy soil, you wrapped them up beautifully so that they will be perfect for transplanting when I get them home. Between Semblance and Elementalism, and everything we know about plants... they're going to do well this time," Hilana was smiling. Without failure, one might learn to appreciate success, but these lilies were going to thrive.

She was beginning to build a bouquet, then, collecting multiple plants and herbs out here as he spoke of his wife and children. Meadowsweet, cornflower, honeysuckle, forget-me-nots, lupine, and an odd pink poofy one with plenty of small flowers. "Filipendula rubra venusta," she murmured, pleased with it. "I would never tell your sister, and I am certain that she is stunning, too," Hilana's eyes twinkled as she looked back up at him. "But I'm not, no. It's complicated," Hilana smiled a little at that, selecting some grasses to help round out the bouquet. "Normally, in my culture, it is up to the parents to arrange, and I am difficult," she laughed. "Back when my father tried a few years ago, it ended unsuccessfully, but that had more to do with his family than anything else, and it would have been a whole scandal. I would have gone through with it if it wasn't for that because it was duty and expected of me, but my father ended it, thanks be to the Founders. I ended up going to the capital to make it clear that our families had nothing to do with each other when some secrets were found out. For the better, really, he was the only person my oldest python has ever bit, and Tiaz is an excellent judge of character."

Etzalal did a loopy-loop in the air above her, spouting sparks as if to remind their summoner about them.

"And you are, too, yes," she straightened, and pulled a red ribbon from her rucksack to tie the bouquet together. "Here, for you to give to your love." It was colourful, full and robust. Hilana didn't know how often he gave his wife flowers, especially considering Zaichaer's state of hardship, but what woman didn't like to receive them?

[Eitan Angevin]

"He is quite welcome," he said, offering a faint smile to the creature.

There was a part of him that wanted to delight in the strange thing, but another part of him shuddered away from the faint sort of gossamer touch upon his mind. It had been a long, long time since he had learned coping mechanisms to bind those black Dratori rages; in his mind, they were inextricable from the spirit-speaking that such elves did.

She might have noticed how air elementals had caressed him as they flew up where the air was rarefied, how occasionally, some little wild thing would try to get his attention until his willful ignorance proved too much. He had made himself deaf to such things so long ago that he barely recognized the feelings and then only on the odd occasion.

"So you seek to steal our natural resources rather than trade with them..." But he was smiling. If the vines had been a viable commodity, they would have become one before the rift and all that followed.

As for her more personal stories, he nodded thoughtfully.

"Our parents have a great deal of say in who we marry as well, although that might be changing. My wife and I made our own decisions. My sister was on-again-off-again betrothed to my brother-in-law for as long as I can remember, largely due to the whims of our parents. Finally, though, I believe she informed the First Minister that he was to propose to her properly, he did, and the rest is happy history."

When she held out the nosegay, he could only accept it.

"Oh, thank you. You are too kind. Although... as an honest man, I will be compelled to tell her I didn't pick it myself." He chuckled. And he was an honest man when he could afford to be. With his life, that was the vast majority of the time.

[Hilana Chenzira]

Hilana did notice the way the spirits had attempted to engage Eitan. Etzalal was relatively friendly to everyone as a rather curious spirit, but their reaction to the Sentinel was something more akin to how they had acted around Sivan. She wondered about it - it wasn’t because they were in the air often, either. The spirits were not hanging around other members of the crew; so it wasn’t about that. But she figured it was best not to say anything, and if she tried to Semble him, he would likely know and it would cause problems that Hilana really did not want to make.

“I’m happy to pay for them, actually. My employer gave me some funds. I did exchange them for the normal coins rather than our Solunarian avens. I figured that they would probably be easier to trade with given your proximity to other places?” she offered. He may have been in jest, but she didn’t want to come across as stingy or just helping herself to Zaichaeri resources in a place that definitely needed what they had. They were being generous with their time and vines, and they were worthy of reimbursement. "He didn't come by visa back then, I will admit, I think it was some twenty-plus years ago that he traveled through Ailizane. How traders get them up here, I don't really know - either they buy them or trade for them from botanists and ship them south. Some collect on their own, if they specialize in it."

She nodded he explained about how marriage worked there. It was nice that some of them had the choice - some did at home, but that was more for plebeians. Anything above the commoners, their family had a lot of say in the matter. Hilana just needed to get herself to a position where she could make some choices on her own. "Your sister had the right idea," she smiled at that. Sometimes a lady just needed to take a firm hand and take charge. There was nothing wrong with that, after all.

At his words about being an honest man, the young woman laughed. "Well, you did make the journey here and you were thinking about her when I was picking it, and that is being honest," she grinned at him. The world survived on pretense. It was best to help it along. Some more plants went into her last sack, and when it was tucked away, the young woman was well-satisfied with her collecting of this place, and they could head back to the airship. No tigers, but perhaps that was for the best. Even if she had secretly hoped to see one. Still, it was best not to trouble trouble until trouble troubled you.

[Eitan Angevin]

In the time remaining her for her visit to Zaichaer, if she had any social skills at all, she could likely find someone to tell her more about Eitan Angevin. His mixed heritage had never been a secret, but whereas he had been well-known among the blue bloods when he was only proof of his father's peccadillo, now he was known by nearly everyone in Zaichaer. What had been a mark of shame was now reinterpreted as proof of what human will could achieve, how he had mastered his baser nature and proven the power of humanity.

It had begun as an honest sentiment. Now, perhaps, it was encouraged and fostered. A leader couldn't be popular at all times, and so banking goodwill for the future seemed only wise.

"Consider them a gift from the people of Zaichaer, please," he said. "You are welcome to spend coin among the shopkeepers in the city, but this is also a precursor to reestablishing relations with Solunarium. They sent an envoy before the Eclipse. Soon, I hope we shall be returning the favor. If I must don my coldly practical politician's hat for a moment, it were better we have allies against Gelerian aggression. And so the good graces of an important Solunarian citizen is well worth the sacrifice."

He offered her his arm, a Zaichaeri gentleman, though he didn't know how such things were handled in her homeland.

As they walked, "The Rift, the Eclipse, and the threats from without have forced us to be more diligent about defending our borders. Your employer would have had an easier time of it, although I hope our red tape didn't prove overly taxing for you. We welcome guests. We just have house rules."

And, "The cold realities of the day are changing our culture. Adaptability is important. My sister has three small children now, and serves as Minister of Welfare besides—the Mother of the Nation, some call her." He laughed. "My wife has two, and is completing her studies at the Institute with an eye on work in the Ministry of Science. Thankfully, we have a staff at White Knight Hall to help with domestic duties as the four of us are spread quite thin. There is no longer a leisure class in Zaichaer."

After a brief inhalation from the bouquet, he said, "Luca does deserve flowers."

[Hilana Chenzira]

She likely could, and she likely would, when she descended on the marketplace to go shopping. Hilana was sure, however, that if she as a foreigner started asking questions about various people, it might look like she was attempting to dig for information. That might set off alarms or trigger interest in her for asking, even if the questions were innocent and she was an intensely curious creature - something that she and Etzalal had in common. It was just a matter of small talk here and there, and how she couched it.

"I thank you, and I would be delighted. I do enjoy shopping," she smiled at him, accepting his arm. Etzalal flew above and around them, the spirit diving down and flying back up. It seemed to know that soon, it would have to hide itself away again soon rather than upset the populace. She wasn't sure she qualified as important - there were a great many gifted and powerful people in her Kingdom, and she was an up-jumped shop girl with energy that didn't quit and the memory of a steel trap. Her knowledge of the world around her, in terms of plants and animals, at least, was encyclopedic, she supposed that that skill was useful, depending on what one needed. And the fact that she was human - Vastii, really, but that kind of counted - was probably preferable to dealing with the elves in a place like this. While she was continuing her education in alchemy, a great deal of her work in terms of herbalism was quite mundane, and it was knowing how to mix and blend and what to mix and blend certain plants to achieve certain effects in treating ailments and wounds.

She did want to find things to take back with her as gifts, and she knew that since they were being generous with the plants and vines she had collected, she could instead help circulate that money into the economy here and help the folk who relied on their businesses to put food on the table. She didn't know if they had larger investors and conglomerates like the merchant princes of Tertium, including her father with his many businesses, or if such a thing was less likely in this recovering economy. "Would you say that the economy runs more on smaller businesses and individual shop owners, or is there more of a few that invest and run many?" the young woman wanted to know.

"The paperwork was not difficult, fortunately, considering the importance of what I was tasked with collecting. The Silver Sentinels are quite helpful in that regard - they tend to help with diplomacy and arranging things on an international level if there is a good reason for it, and my purposes were considered good enough when my employer put in for the paperwork. I am glad I could come and see Zaichaer for myself - I've only ever heard stories. But I feel that that view is quite reasonable, and so are the rules that were laid out." She had only ever just acquired her first rune a few short years ago, unlike some that got them much sooner, and so to her, not using them willy-nilly was not an issue. There were many rules in Solunarium, and she was used to following them. This was just a different set of rules, and the only thing that she did really worry about somewhat was her lack of her traversion ring - but she knew that if she just followed the rules, she would be fine. No one wanted international accidents, though she was hardly only worth causing one over.

"That's a lot for anyone," she agreed solemnly. "But I think if there's one thing women do well, it is knuckle down and get on with it when there's something for us to do. When it has to be done, we get it done." She was admiring, at least - she didn't dismiss motherhood and what it took to get there, on top of juggling everything else. "I am the black sheep of my elder sisters in that regard; all of them had at least three by the time they were my age." Her father was probably concerned about her womb withering and turning to sand in that regard... but she would get there when she was good and ready. There may have no longer been a leisure class in Zaichaer, and she had a feeling if he should ever visit Solunarium, he would be in for quite the culture shock in that regard.

"Everyone does," she smiled up at him. Some people might have felt they were overdone, but as far as Hilana was concerned, there was no such thing. Then again, she greatly appreciated them, and never got tired of them. But it was easy to forget the little touches, sometimes, when one lived in survival mode for so long. "Etzalal, if you could..." she smiled at the serpent, and the winged spirit coiled around a white flower on a rocky outcropping, bringing it back to her for the young woman to set beside the bouquet in Eitan's hand. It wasn't one of the lilies, but a much sturdier edelweiss. "For you, Sentinel." Strength and resilience, something that he and the rest of the survivors had in spades.