• Mature • [Treth] Lost Loved Ones Who Aren't Lost

[Tei'serin Nji'ryn]

40th Vhalar, 717


"Sorry Tei'serin."

Strong calloused hands held her down as the red hot brand was pressed firmly against her skin. She screamed.

Tei'serin's eyes flew open in panic, and she sat up in bed. The sudden movement cause pain to flare through her healing brand. Although the burn was healing as well as could be expected, it still pained her, especially if she moved too quickly. Lingering images from her nightmare continued to haunt her as she got dressed. She needed to calm down, and she knew that chamomile tea could ease the stress caused by nightmares, so she found one of her recipe books, and flipped through the pages until she found the tea section. The tea recipes were listed in alphabetical order, so it didn't take her long to find what she was looking for.

Chamomile tea has a pleasant mildly sweet flavor that has notes of crisp apples. To make it, fill the kettle with eight ounces of water, and begin heating it. Then put three or four tablespoons of chamomile into the bottom of a tea cup. The fourth tablespoon will result in a stronger tea if desired. Add a sprig of mint or some lemon for added flavor. When the water comes to a boil, pour it over the chamomile flowers and mint, and let it steep for five bits. Sreeping it for longer will result in a stronger tea. she read.

That sounded easy enough, so she began to get out the dishes she would need. Then she hesitated. Hadn't she read a warning about using the herb when you were pregnant? Tei'serin reached for her encyclopedia on herbs and looked up chamomile. She was right about the warning. Using chamomile when pregnant would increase the risk of miscarriage, and Tei'serin wasn't about to take that risk. While she had the book open, she decided to see if there were any other potential problems with the herb.

People who are allergic to flowers such as chrysanthemums, daisies, marigolds, asters, and ragweed may also be allergic to chamomile. Potential allergic reactions to the herb include skin irritations, and in extreme cases, breathing difficulties. Those who have asthma should not take chamomile because it may worsen their symptoms.

Tei'serin made note of that. It was good to know who she shouldn't administer the herb to. But she still needed something to help calm her nerves after her nightmare. She felt jittery, and her hands trembled as she held her book open to the right page. Tei'serin thought that she remembered that lavender was good for stress too, so she decided to look that herb up as well while she had her book in hand.

Lavender is an herb that has a wide variety of uses. It can be used in many different ways, including teas, infusions, essential oil, tinctures, salves, and muscle rubs.

Tei'serin was was familiar with teas, infusions, tinctures, and salves, but she had little knowledge of essential oils, or muscle rubs. So she made a mental note to read up on them when she got the chance.

The scent of lavender has a very calming quality. When diffused, it can calm coughs and colds. It is also an expectorant, so it can aid in coughing up mucus. Lavender can also be used as a treatment for flatulence, colic, insomnia, nervous stomach, anxiety, depressive headaches, and the migraines that women get in menopause. The herb is good for relaxation, relieving stress, and is thought to be an aphrodisiac.

Tei'serin shuddered at the thought of the herb being used as an aphrodisiac, but the part about relieving stress was exactly what she had been hoping for.

When used as an essential oil, or dried and added to pillows, it can promote restful sleep, and is often used as a sleep aid for that reason. As a dried herb, the flower heads, can be used to make a relaxing herbal tea that is often mixed with chamomile, oat straw, or both by steeping it in water that is hot, but not boiling for a few bits. If desired, honey can be used as a sweetener for the tea.

Tei'serin already knew one recipe for lavender tea, but this one looked promising as well, so she marked the page for future use.

The essential oil has even more uses. Adding a few drops of the essential oil, or a cup of strong brewed tea, and a cup of epsom salts to a bath will help relax sore muscles and aching joints. It can sooth sunburns and other burns if a few drops of the essential oil are added to a bottle of cool water and rubbed onto the burns to offer relief. The same effect can be achieved if the dried herb is brewed into a strong tea and rubbed on instead. Smelling lavender oils or rubbing them into into the temples will often help to relieve headaches. The essential oil can be used topically to help with acne and skin irritations.

Tei'serin stared at the page for a few trills in amusement.

I remember a few girls from my class who would have been happy to know that last bit she thought before she continued reading.

A few drops of lavender essential oil put into a warm foot bath will help to ease your child into a peaceful sleep; this also helps them go to the bathroom before they go to sleep, so they won't wake up as often at night. Lavender infused oil can help with dry, itchy skin; it is especially good for children.

Tei'serin made a mental note that lavender was safe for children.

A few drops of lavender essential oil rubbed into the skin can help soothe bug bites. Sprinkle lavender essential oil on your pillow at night for a peaceful night’s sleep; this is even safe for babies and toddlers. Adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to a carrier oil such as light olive, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil and massaging it over the lower abdomen will help relieve menstrual cramps. Lavender water makes a refreshing facial tonic.

Tei'serin didn't know how to make lavender water, and she wasn't sure she would find much need for it here in Treth, but she took note of the information.

Lavender has many non medical uses as well. A few drops of lavender essential oil rubbed into the skin can help soothe bug bites. Its pleasant scent makes it great for making soaps, candles, perfumes, lotions, and massage oils. Simmering dried lavender herb in a pot of water with some citrus peels makes a wonderful air freshener. Pouches of dried lavender can be used to freshen rooms, and clothes. The dried flowers can be infused into vinegars for use as a skin toner when diluted. A strong tea can be cooled and used as a scalp rinse to remedy dandruff. Finally, crushing fresh flowers and spreading the pulp on your arms and legs will help to repel flies and mosquitoes

Having confirmed her belief that lavender could be used to relieve stress, Tei'serin put her book away, and headed into the kitchen to make herself some lavender tea.

Off Topic

Bonus experience approved by Harpy, to be given to the following character(s) involved in this thread, only upon the completion of the review, where the character(s) demonstrated celebration of the holiday, Spirit Festival, on 40th Vhalar, Arc 717.

Bonus Experience Upon Review Completion:
Knowledge
Ne'haer Holiday: Spirit Festival
+2 Bonus Skill Points
Free Item: A brooch which seems to shimmer when looked at. Clearly imbued with magic, this brooch will bring upon touch memories of your lost loved ones.

[Tei'serin Nji'ryn]

Once she was feeling calmer, Tei'serin turned her attention towards the festival she was planning to attend. The Spirit Festival was a festival of memory. It was also held to honor Famula. The Willow Woods Outpost might be too far for people around here to travel to release floating candles into the sky to represent the departed souls that were in Famula's care, but the citizens of Treth had a spot in the woods where they could release their own candles.

Tei'serin had three people that she wanted to light floating candles for; her mother, her father, and her birth father...a man she had never had the opportunity to meet. But she had heard enough stories about the man that sometimes it felt as if she knew him despite never having met him. As it started to get dark, Tei'serin headed out to the clearing where the others would gather. She was one of the first ones there, so she pitched in to help dig the fire pit and build the camp fire where everyone would be eating and telling stories later. Others who had arrived at the same time as she had put all of the candles in one area so that people could get them quickly when the time came.

Once she had finished with the fire, Tei'serin made her way over to the candles, and picked three to represent her loved ones. By then, more people had arrived, and the celebration was starting in earnest. They showed up by themselves, and in small groups, each getting their candles before gathering around the camp fire. When the sun set, and everyone had arrived, the candles were lit. The oldest person among them was the first to release their candles into the sky. He had fifteen, having outlived most of his family. Then the next oldest released theirs, and so on.

After the youngest child in the gathering had released her candles with the help of her mother, it was time to eat and share stories. This time, the order was reversed, with the youngest child being the first to share her stories with the others. Everyone was respectful of the person who was speaking, listening to them in silence until the story was over. If anyone else knew the person who the story was about, they would offer stories of their own about the person who had died.

[Tei'serin Nji'ryn]

When it came to Tei'serin's turn, she knew just which stories she wanted to share.

"My mother's name is Dae'nira. She was a beautiful woman. But she was far too modest to ever say that herself. She grew up in Desnind, and married her best friend. When I was little, she always told me that you should always be best friends with the man that you marry. Friendship creates trust, and best friends form the closest bond you can have with another person outside of your family. And trust is an important part of marriage. You can love someone that you cannot trust, but you cannot rely on them the way a married couple must depend on each other. I was very young when my mother died, but I remember the important lessons she tried to teach me clearly. And that was one of the most important lessons she had to teach."

Several people nodded in agreement.

"I never knew my birth father. He died before I was born. But I know that he loved me. My mother told me many stories about him; so many that it feels like I do know him sometimes. And above all else, she made certain that I knew that he loved and wanted me. That he was looking forward to getting the chance to meet me. Loosing him nearly killed my mother. I think the only things that kept her alive were the fact that she was pregnant with me, and that she started having dreams about her ose-bori."

The mention of osi-bori seemed to confuse a lot of people, so Tei'serin gave them a brief explanation about the familiar spirits before continuing.

"While she was on her journey to find her ose-bori, she met a very kind Biqaj named Randar. He helped her when she found herself in trouble, and the two of them quickly became friends. They became so close that he offered to help her find her ose-bori. And on that journey, they fell in love. When my mother finally did find her ose-bori, Randar offered to return to her to Desnind. But my mother could see how much he loved the sea, so she decided to stay with him instead. I was born on his family's ship."

Tei'serin paused when she heard two girls giggling. She looked up to see two of her students standing nearby. Several of the others were frowning in disapproval at the disrespect. Keiaris and Meiarin were good children. Tei'serin had no idea why they were misbehaving now. Nor did she know why they were here. As their teacher, she would have been told if they had lost anyone. Maybe they were here with their guardians?

As she watched, Sorin hurried over and hushed them. He offered Tei'serin an embarrassed look as he scolded the two young girls. Satisfied that the interruption was over, Tei'serin started to speak again. But before she could do more than take a breath, a ghost appeared at the edge of the clearing. She was very solid and real looking for a ghost, but a ghost she had to be. Her mother was dead, and had been since she was five arcs old.

Was she seeing a memory brought to life by the story she was telling? Tei'serin was about to ask if anyone else could see what she was seeing, but Thorin's appearance at her mother's side made her unasked question die in the throat. Thorin gestured for her to come, and his expression warned that it was an order, not a suggestion. Her master was not a man to tolerate even the slightest hint of disobedience, so Tei'serin quickly made her apologies to the group, and all but ran over to where Thorin and the ghost of her mother were standing. Sorin and the two girls followed.

Once she was standing a few feet away, Tei'serin dropped her gaze to the ground.

"Yes?" she asked softly.

The master was left unspoken, but she knew that Thorin would hear it anyway.

"Hi Mommy!" Meiarin exclaimed happily.

"Mommy, you came!" Keiaris cried at the same time.

"Hello, Mother." Sorin said softly.

Tei'serin stared at her students in shock. How was this possible? Were the three of them siblings, then? That did make some sort of sense since Sorin had taken such an interest in Keiaris and Meiarin when they'd joined her class. But Thorin was Sorin's father, so if Keiaris and Meiarin were his younger sisters, then...

"I think we had best continue this discussion at home." Thorin said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Tei'serin could only nod numbly in agreement. She was desperate for answers, but this was clearly a matter that the rest of the village didn't need to know about...at least not until she knew what was going on herself.

[Tei'serin Nji'ryn]

The walk back to the cottage had never seemed so long before. No one said a word during the trip home, but Tei'serin couldn't help but steal glances at the ghost...no. At her mother. When they reached the cottage, Tei'serin opened the door, and let the others in. Then she led them into the living area, and asked if anyone wanted something to eat or drink. She herself had eaten at the festival, so she wasn't hungry, but she didn't know how long the others had been there before she saw them. Fortunately for her nerves, no one wanted anything.

"As you can see, your mother isn't as dead as I have led you to believe all these arcs, Tei'serin." Thorin began.

Tei'serin stared at her master in uneasy silence. He seemed to be expecting some kind of response from her, but she had no idea what to think never mind what to say to that.

"She's been serving me in the Hotlands for the past nine arcs. Before that, I was keeping her in Athart."

Tei'serin's heart sank at the implications of that.

"Is she...is my mother a slave, then?" Tei'serin asked quietly.

She glanced at her mother, but did not speak to the woman directly yet. Thorin hadn't given her permission to do so yet, and she didn't want to risk getting them both into trouble. Thorin nodded.

"Until recently, yes. But as you know, slaves aren't allowed in Ne'haer. So your mother is like you; free on paper, but in reality, well..."

Tei'serin nodded. She was painfully aware of what her master was hinting at. She shifted position, and as she did so, her clothes rubbed against her healing brand painfully. The pain was yet another reminder of exactly what her place in life was. She might not be registered as a slave legally, but as far as Thorin was concerned, he was her master.

"You may have guessed that you have three younger siblings. And yes, they're all mine." Thorin said, indicating Sorin and the two girls.

Tei'serin nodded again. It felt strange to know that she was teaching her own siblings.

"You have two more siblings as well. While your mother was living in Athart, I paid to have her trained in the same program they train the slaves they sell in. For someone who wasn't born a slave, they told me she learned her place quite well. So much so that they were interested in using her in their breeding program. I agreed."

Tei'serin felt bad that her mother had had to live through that. She also couldn't help but wonder where her other siblings were, and how they were doing...if they were even still alive.

"From now on, your mother and siblings will be living here with you. Sorin may come and go as he likes so that he may continue to spend time with the couple who have been raising him You will find that you have visitors more frequently than you have in the past, but some will be coming to see your mother instead of you. Others will be visiting both of you. Do you have any questions?"

Tei'serin shook her head. Her master's tone implied that she better not have any questions, so she didn't ask any.

"Good. I'll leave you all to get to know each other again then."

With that, Thorin left.

[Aegis]

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Thread Review

This was a nice thread, I enjoyed the balance of Tei learning new stuff in her crafts as well as learning things from her past/about her mother. Well done.

Tei'serin

• Skill Points - 10 (+2 for event)
• Renown - 5
• Skill Knowledges
  1. Cooking; Recipe: Chamomile tea
  2. Medicine: people who are allergic to flowers like chrysanthemums, daisies, marigolds, asters and ragweed may also be allergic to chamomile
  3. Medicine: possible allergic reactions to chamomile include skin irritations, hives, and in severe cases, breathing difficulties
  4. Medicine: people who have asthma shouldn't drink chamomile tea because it may worsen their symptoms
  5. Medicine: Chamomile tea can be strengthened or weakened depending on how much of the herb is used to make it, and how long the tea is steeped
  6. Medicine: uses for lavender as an herb
• Non-Skill Knowledges
  1. Chamomile: the tea has a sweet, mild, pleasant flavor with notes of crisp apple, and can be drunk plain, or sweetened with honey
  2. Lavender: can be used for making soaps, perfumes, candles, lotions, and massage oils
     for making soaps, candles, perfumes, lotions, and massage oils Lavender: can be used as an air freshener when simmered with citrus peels
  3. Lavender: when dried it can be put in pouches and used to freshen up clothes or rooms
  4. Lavender: the dried flowers can be infused into vinegars that make a good skin tonic when diluted
  5. Lavender: when made into a strong tea and cooled, it makes a good remedy for dandruff
  6. Lavender: the pulp of the flowers when crushed will repel flies and mosquitoes if rubbed on the skin
  7. Ne'haer Holiday: Spirit Festival (part of the holiday reward)
  8. Spirit Festival: is on the 40th of Vhalar
• Items and Other Rewards
  1. A brooch which seems to shimmer when looked at. Clearly imbued with magic, this brooch will bring upon touch memories of your lost loved ones.

Player 2

• Skill Points -
• Renown -
• Skill Knowledges
• Non-Skill Knowledges
• Items and Other Rewards

Final Notes

If you have any questions, please PM me. Also please add the provided stamp to your review request found here and please update your CS with all of this information.

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