[Scalvoris Town] Nature's Bounty

[Faith Augustin]

20th Cyclus, Arc 717

He'd been at the University all morning, but he'd come home with a note. Faith had raised her eyebrow, looked at it, then grinned. "That sounds like fun! I've been to the library this morning and got books." Not a surprise to anyone who'd ever met her, certainly. "Did you go before you went to the university? There was a very nice woman there who was very helpful. Loud, but helpful." Rose, the librarian, was certainly both of those things. Faith moved over to the shelves in the living room and she picked one of them, "This was the only specific book they had on medicinal herbs and plants. I mean there were others, but they're the general texts that everybody's read." She chuckled slightly as she admitted. "The librarian wasn't impressed when I asked if she had more advanced books, started muttering about it being good enough for charter students, whatever they are. I nearly whipped out a 'my boyfriend' speech. Then I thought I probably shouldn't." Plus, she never would be that argumentative, either and they both knew it.

But she put together some things, supplies that they might need and she pulled on her coat against the cold she didn't feel. "It's warmer here than the rest of the island, you know. The volcano runs under the town and that's why there's a jungle just over to the left on the map. West." She grinned at him as she slipped her arm into his. It was like they were going out for an evening stroll considering the lack of light but of course it was just mid afternoon. Scalvoris Town also might be warmer than other places on the island, but it was still freezing. Not that it bothered her, but she was happy to wrap up against it.

"So, we're hunting plants. Flowers, shrubs, bushes. Things which aren't usual, I assume? Who are these people, do you know?" She pointed to the name 'Intelligentsia' on the notice. That wasn't a name she recognised. "Are they a bunch of very clever people who promote cleverness?" She was teasing when she said that, although it was what it sounded like. Immortals, she thought, she hoped not. As far as she could tell, though, on first glance Scalvoris seemed to be a place filled with scholars and academics. Judging by the collection in the library, he would be right at home here and she had a very good feeling.

"Where shall we go?" Faith hadn't really gotten her bearings yet, finding her way around places was really not her strong suit. "If we can, I'd like to find out as much as I can about the local foodstuffs. I imagine they have a lot of fish dishes here, for example. But fruits, vegetables, berries and pulses, that sort of things. Herbs for food and medicine. I wonder if there's anything unique here." From what she'd seen so far, she really thought it likely there would be.

[Padraig]

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"I did," Padraig confirmed when Faith asked if he'd gone to the library. The professor he'd spoken to had given him a list of books, he explained, that he'd need to begin his lessons.

"She was nice, and helpful I agree. But I also got the impression that she's on the hunt for a husband." Or so he assumed, based on the way the woman presented herself, and the way she'd checked herself and smoothed her hair when an older gentleman had wandered in.

"And it only confirms what I've told you already," he pointed out, regarding what books were available. "You're smarter than the lot of them together. You don't need me to convince them of that."

The volcano itself fascinated him. From a physicist's point of view, or that of any scientist or alchemist for that matter, it would seem a great deal could be discovered, so far as the thing's influence on its surroundings. Still cold though, no denying.

"The intelligentsia?" he asked when she mentioned the group, and he shrugged. "A faction of some sort. Learned scholars, deep thinkers, a bunch of smart people that like to associate with their own and impress each other with all of their learning, I imagine," he reasoned with a grin.

Teasing aside though, he might like to learn more about them, maybe sit in on one of their gatherings. "From what I've read so far, there seems to be a lot of flora here in Scalvoris, fauna too, that you won't see anywhere else on Idalos. Some of it might be useful for my lab too,"[/i] he considered. "Some out in the open, others in wooded areas, some on Faldrass. Should we start there?" he suggested.

[Faith Augustin]

Faith's expression darkened unlike any he'd seen before and, in fairness, it mirrored the quite unfamiliar emotion which welled up as he oh-so-casually mentioned that the librarian was on the hunt, so to speak. "Is she now? Well you tell her you're taken. Hunt for a husband indeed." She looked quite put out for a moment before she realised that she was and her facial expression changed to a wry grin. "You probably don't need to tell her that. I'm sorry, possessiveness is very unbecoming." She stepped into his arms and hugged herself against him with a smile coupled with a rather shamefaced yet amused expression.

When, however, he pointed out that what the librarian had said confirmed his stance on things, Faith shook her head. "Just because the books I've read are good enough for the beginning students of medicine doesn't mean I have enough of a general knowledge." She was entirely serious when she spoke, having no idea what level 'charter students' were. "Besides, no one's asking you to convince anyone of anything." Lifting herself up on her toes she kissed him gently. "I love you. I know I don't say those words enough, Padraig, but I feel them." Looking at him with an earnest gaze she lifted her hand to stroke his cheek. He believed in her and her abilities no matter what. It was more than enough.

The conversation moved, though, and they got ready to leave. "Are you going to join up?" Faith wondered, as he explained what he thought the Intelligentsia was. "If that is what they are, it makes sense, doesn't it? Working collaboratively with others, that sort of thing." As to where they started though, he listed a few options and then suggested Faldrass. "The volcano? We'll need to take a boat, it's... hang on." She'd collected a few pieces of information from the library, which she lay out on the table. "Here, look. It's a boat ride but there's a resort on there, a spa?" Faith had limited ideas of what that might actually mean, in truth, other than one thing about it. "Apparently that's a place where you can pay people to massage you. Why would you do that? There are hot springs and mud treatments and all sorts of things." It sounded dreadful, that bit of it, but if he wanted a massage or to dip in a hot spring or be covered in mud, she'd give it a go.

"We could rent a cabin for a few trials, apparently. It's very isolated, apparently, the .. well, it says here that it's the ultimate exotic island retreat to heal mind and body." She frowned slightly, not entirely sure that she bought it. However, it sounded exciting. "Do you want to? We might want to pack for a few trials, that being the case. Is that alright? Can you take the time? I mean, you can study there, can't you?" She grinned at him and read something then let out a snort.

"Whilst I can," picking up a leaflet she read from it with an increasingly amused expression on her face. " 'be sure to bring a bathing costume so you can luxuriate in the hot springs as our waiting staff tend to your every whim.' Oh, I don't think I'd like my every whim being tended to whilst I was luxuriating. I can make us bathing costumes if you want, but you might get a little chilly, frankly. If we rented a cabin, I could cook and apparently, look, it says here that they have all sorts of unusual foods there and a small market." Concern about luxuriating notwithstanding, Faith looked excited at the idea. There was no doubt, though, what the icing on the was cake for her. "Can we go exploring? Mountains and caves and all the bits in between, too?"

[Padraig]

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"Not completely," Padraig countered, and grinned a little when she referred to jealousy as unbecoming. He liked that tenacious streak in her, and wasn't ashamed to admit it.

Still, when she stepped into his arms, he was quick to reassure her. "You've seen her. She's at least twice my age if not more. And I tend to think it's a more mature, preferably more wealthy prospect she's after. I don't think I'm her type," he teased and chuckled while pulling back in the embrace and kissing her.

"And for your information, charter students are not beginning ones. A charter is a degree that follows the earning of a diploma. They're far from beginners."

Would he join them, this group of scholars and thinkers? Maybe," he considered. "I might think about it." It did make sense, so long as they weren't just a group of men and women showing off for one another. There might be something to gain from collaborating with other learned individuals in their fields.

But yes, Faldrass was its own island, which meant they couldn't simply hike there overland. He frowned though, at the mention of a spa. "I wasn't aware, but I can't imagine wanting to do that." Soaking in a hot pool of water? That had a certain appeal. But massages and mud baths, complete strangers wanting to indulge his every whim. No, he decided. No interest in the least.

"If we're to be there more than a trial, then a cabin seems reasonable. No bathing costumes though," he told her and grinned, chuckling a little. "I can get some studying done while we're there. And so long as we're back before my next tutoring lesson, then no harm done. We can browse the market all you like. Explore to our heart's content. Who knows? Between the two of us we may discover some marvel never seen before on Idalos," he told her.

[Faith Augustin]

When he said that a possessive streak wasn't completely unbecoming and he did so with that expression on his face, Faith looked at him in surprise. "Really? You are an odd man, you know." When he said he wasn't the librarian's type though, Faith let out a laugh. "And that's the decision-maker for you, is it? That she wouldn't want you? I'm flattered beyond measure." She knew full well that was not at all what he was saying so she had no problem teasing him about it. She'd torment him further if she could, but his kiss silenced her.

"What?" Faith frowned, still somewhat distracted by his embrace as he talked about charter students and she frowned. "But that's the one after what you're starting now? Don't be silly." She searched his face and realised that he wasn't being silly. "Are you sure, Padraig? I..." Faith looked up at him with an earnest gaze and a frown creased her brow. "When I'm here, like this with you, I feel like I could do anything." Faith breathed in slightly and cut to the absolute bottom line. "I'm afraid that they'll tell me no again. That if they do, that sours it for you as well as me and spoils your experience. It's what you've dreamed of all your life." That was the simple truth of it; she could add all she wanted to it, but that was the crux of the matter. If they said no it would hurt them both.

She thought the Intelligentsia sounded like a fine idea and told him so. It was certainly worth a look, and he had nothing to lose, after all. He liked the idea of the island, too, though they felt very similarly about the hot and cold running beautiful people all trying to thrust a massage on to you. Faith couldn't resist a raise of her eyebrow though and in a move quite unlike her she asked, all wide eyed innocence. "But if we don't have bathing costumes, whatever will we wear in those hot pools?" The distance that she had travelled was enormous in terms of her confidence and the ability to be so flirtatious was part of that.

It sounded lovely and she told him so. She was excited at the prospect and when he said that they might just discover a marvel unknown to Idalos, Faith smiled and leaned to kiss him. "I think we already did that, you and I. There's nothing we can't..." Well, if that was true, she thought and then she realised what she was doing. "By avoiding this, I'm creating what I'm trying to avoid and that might just ending up souring the whole thing for us both. I want to, I do but there is a lot of fear. Can we go now? Go to Faldrass tomorrow, but just go, now, and I'll try?" She looked up at him and lifted her shoulders slightly. "Because then, we'll know what we're facing and once we do that? Well, as I was saying. We already discovered a marvel unknown to Idalos. There's nothing we can't face." So, before she lost her nerve, if he was game, then it was time to stop hiding. As they got ready to go she'd tell him that it was the academic equivalent of throwing herself at an Immortal or hitting a zombie with a frypan. Which probably meant it wasn't the brightest idea she'd ever had, in fairness.

[Padraig]

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"You know what I meant," Padraig said and grinned in response to Faith's pretended outrage. Regarding the librarian, that was. "You know full well that I only have eyes for you, even if I don't say it as often as I should. Or for that matter, well when I do."

And yes, he was sure, Padraig reassured her regarding the books and the charter students. "I've studied many of the books the professors assign to charter students, but haven't officially been assigned them yet. They are considered by many to be too advanced for letter or certificate level students. Even some diploma level ones."

And of course she could do anything she set her mind to. With or without him, but it went without saying. "It wouldn't spoil a thing for me. But I don't believe for a moment that they'll turn you away."

At least he hoped they wouldn't, if their refusal was only based on her past. He was a scholar himself and liked to believe that the more studied and learned of those in the land, were somehow more evolved than others. Surely it would do the academic world no good at all to reject genuine talent, thus cutting off it's own nose in spite of it's face.

"And I maintain," he added with a grin that undeniably revealed some of what he was thinking, "That if those hot pools are private ones, then there'd be no one the wiser should we forego the bathing costumes." But she was right, and he told her so. So long as she avoided discovering whether she would, or wouldn't be accepted at a university, she'd never know, she'd always wonder, and that in itself would be the real shame.

This outing of theirs could wait a trial or two, he reminded her. There was nothing compelling them to immediately climb aboard at the docks and depart for Faldrass. Besides, he needed to make sure that his tutoring sessions were arranged in such a way that he wouldn't miss any while they were gone. He suspected his professor wouldn't take kindly to his absence. "No time like the present," he told her. "Let me get my coat and gloves, and we'll go now."

And so they did, and things went as they would. And when they returned, was there a spark of panic in Faith's eyes, a bit of nerviness about her way of moving. Padraig thought yes. But then there was good reason to be.

[Faith Augustin]

"There's something I need to say," she said, as they walked back in to the house they had just purchased. Her eyes looked panic-striken, it was true. Yet, in fairly typical Faith fashion, it wasn't that which she spoke about first. "It's been hard and we nearly lost ourselves back there in Rharne. We both said and did things we regret. We both didn't say or do things we wish we could have, but simply couldn't. But Padraig, you say it plenty and you say it well." When he'd said that, before they left, it had struck a note with her which she couldn't ignore. "If you didn't, I wouldn't be so sure of how much you love me, would I?" It was simple logic to her and it made absolute sense. It also had the added advantage of being completely true.

"I know that every step forward I've taken myself, but you have walked every step with me, my hand in yours. Maybe I could have done it without you." Faith didn't believe it for a bit, but that wasn't the point here. "But if you weren't there, I wouldn't have wanted to. You say it plenty and you say it well." He'd carried the books from the library, which he'd picked up whilst she was in the university and she looked at them as though they were a foe to be conquered. That she'd already read most if not all of them didn't seem to matter. This was different

They'd gone to the University and Faith had done her best not to hesitate, but she had. However, she'd slipped her hand into his and kept putting one foot in front of the other. The receptionist had been somewhat dubious, but when she found out that Faith worked in the Order of the Adunih, she'd agreed to see if the Dean of the Faculty was available. The short version of the outcome was that the Dean was, he had spent ten bits talking to Faith about medicine, asking her questions and so on and had then come out to the reception where Padraig was waiting to tell him that she was undertaking an exam and would be a few breaks. He'd given Padraig a list and told him that these were the books that she'd be needing, he might want to go and get them from the library.

Three breaks later, she'd come back out and said that she needed to pop to the bank to get the money to pay for her exam and tuition fees, with that look of terror on her face. She'd promised him that she'd tell him everything as soon as they were home, but she was in and she was enrolled. Then, when she paid the receptionist, who seemed somewhat surprised by the turn of events, handed her a piece of parchment which had some class dates and other information. Faith didn't look at it, just slipped it in one of the books.

Moving over to the stove, she put the kettle on and spoke whilst preparing a cup of tea for them both. "I'm in, this season. I spoke to him and he asked me some things, we talked about what I'd done, what I'd learnt." He'd seemed pleased, she explained, but she'd been honest with him about her lack of formal schooling. "It didn't put him off at all." Faith seemed genuinely surprised at that, not seeing that it made what she knew more impressive not less. "I didn't tell him why, he didn't ask. He asked me if I'd be prepared to sit an entrance exam." She'd said yes, of course and he'd ushered to into a small room and put it in front of her there and then.

"He marked it straight away, with me sitting there like a lemon," she rolled her eyes as she put the two cups of tea down on the low coffee table in the living room and she breathed in. "He didn't tell me that it was an exam to determine my level of study. You can skip up to the first two levels if you have sufficient know-how, apparently. So I start my Diploma this season." She looked at him with fear on her face and then it shifted to terror. "Does that mean I've got to teach people too? What does that piece of paper say?" She wasn't quite sure she could face looking.

Off Topic

Money deducted from ledger for
House purchase (details in Pad's next post) (983gn)
Furniture (details in Pad's next post) (164gn)
University Exam Fee (200gn)
Tuition for 2 x seasons study (200gn)

[Padraig]

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Did they both have regrets about things that had happened in Rharne. Of course they did. Both. Even though Padraig would have said she didn't have reason to, but he did. Would have, but didn't since he knew she'd have disagreed. And what was passed, was passed and they'd moved on to better things.

"The one thing we can agree on, always," he'd told her after they returned to the house, "Is that we came out of it all the stronger, and loving each other more." Was it possible to love her more than he already had. And if there were things she wouldn't have done without him, without her, he'd still be alone back in Viden, with little but study to occupy his mind and coming home to a lonely, empty house at the end of each trial.

They'd returned however after a long three trials. Maybe, longer for him than for her. The interviews, the quick trip to the bank, the exams for Faith might have passed like a nerve wracking whirlwind. But for Padraig, there was time spent waiting and wondering how she was doing, time spent in the library or sitting alone in a hall or waiting room, reading over the books he'd gotten her just to fill the time.

She hadn't talked much when she was done. But he knew. He had all the confidence in the world in her and knew she'd done well. He'd always known she would. And so he didn't ask, and waited until she was ready. Padraig had wondered if they might ask her to wait till next season to begin. So when she told him otherwise, he took the tea with a wide grin. "That's very good news. You're going to be very busy." They both would.

"There was no doubt in my mind you could do it, Faith," he told her. "Now they know what I knew already. I've very proud of you and what you've accomplished. To pass by the first two levels like that...Well, I couldn't be prouder. And yes," he confirmed with a grin as he looked over the paper she handed him. "You'll have to teach, and you've got a very busy class and study schedule ahead of you." He didn't think she'd object though. And he couldn't have been happier for her.

Off Topic

Sale of starter house in Andaris with 1 room addition (+536)
Co-purchase of home in Scalvoris (-983)
Home furnishings (-350)
Tuition for two seasons of study in Scalvoris (-200)

[Faith Augustin]

"Agreed." Faith's voice was full of the emotion she felt, but she said just that word and let the subject drop. They didn't need to keep going over and over it, that wasn't helpful to either of them. It was done, they were here and he was right; they stood stronger now and even more sure than they had been before. There were so many words which could have been spoken, one to the other but there was no need for them. They were here together by choices made and that was more than enough.

She knew, though, that it had been a longer time for him than her, the last three breaks had flown by in an instant to her perception. To him, though, they must have dragged. Sitting on the couch, she cradled the cup in her hand and looked at his response to her news. He hadn't doubted, she knew and he was proud of her. That, in and of itself, was more than enough for Faith and her gaze met his as she let herself give an excited grin, biting her lower lip in nervous delight. However, as he told her about what was written on the piece of paper, delight fled and nervous took a very firm hold.

"What? No, I can't." Teach a class? Oh, no one had told her that, she'd only thought of it because it was something he'd have to do. "Padraig, I can't. I mean... " Desperately, she searched for a reason that made sense other than 'because I'm terrified' and then her eyes widened with success. "I haven't got a name! You call a professor or an associate professor or whatever that silliness is suggesting, you call them by their last name. I don't have one." She was aware that she was starting to actually squeak with nerves, but this seemed like a perfectly reasonable excuse to her. Or, at least, the best one she could come up with on such short notice.

"I left it blank on the enrollment form, so he'll have worked it out. I mean, that's a ridiculous notion. No, no. What was I thinking?" She glared at him, quite genuinely. "This is your silly fault, you know. Teaching? In those big rooms full of people looking at me? No, no." She unceremoniously took the cup out of his hand, not noticing that he was in fact still drinking as she used it as an excuse to retreat to the kitchen. Except, of course, she got two steps and then turned back and sat back down, handing him back his cup. "I'm not doing it. I'll sit in on your class, come to your graduation parties and we can have one academic in this family. I'll get a job as a cleaner, pretend to be unable to speak, fake my own death, claim temporary insanity or something. I don't have a last name, I can't be associate assistant professor no name and I'm not making one up, that would be dishonest." Whereas pretending to not have the ability to talk, faking her own death or any of those other things would be fine, of course.

Faith sighed a deep sigh and put her cup down on the table with careful movements. Sitting, she clasped her hands together tightly, almost prised together. "What am I supposed to be teaching, when?" She breathed in and then out again, slowly as the idea of teaching anything (turned out it was 'An Introduction to Diseases') started to permeate into her mind. Looking somewhat dejected, she came back to her first thought, clutching on to it like the straw she knew it to be. "What will they call me?"

[Padraig]

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It did him a world of good to see Faith so excited about this new course she'd set for herself. Since he'd had first met her, she'd wanted to learn. That as much as anything else. But she'd also wanted to attend a university and earn a degree. It had been forbidden then, but not now. Padraig had always known she could do it, and that she could excel. Now that the moment had arrived, what was forbidden was now possible, and it was only natural that she'd feel nervous and overwhelmed.

He also knew that the thought of teaching a class might send her into a panic. In truth he was a bit nervous about having to do it himself. Still, he smiled as he handed her the paper to confirm it, and sat back to sip his tea secure in the knowledge that as soon as the panic had passed, all would be right again. "Of course you can," he told her. "Same way I can, and will."

"And you'll be wonderful at it." But she didn't have a name? "Is that the best excuse you can come up with?" he teased her and grinned as she took his cup from him. "If that's the best you can do, you'll be up front of that class, wowing them before you know it." She would not consign herself to mopping the halls, he told her, and she definitely wouldn't be faking her own death. If it was important to her, then surely there was a solution, he considered.

Padraig's first impulse was to offer his own name. She could adopt it and no one would truly object. But it would give rise to questions, not only for others but for her, and them. It was one of those rare times he stopped himself before speaking bluntly. Offering his name would give rise to a new wave of panic, and a discussion that neither of them were prepared for. At least, not just yet. Better one source of nerves at a time.

"Surely you could apply for a surname of your own?" he suggested. In fact, he thought that a name of her own, all her own to start with might do here a world of good. "There must be some sort of city employee, some office you could speak to about it?" But, he added, he didn't think any of her students would object to calling her professor Faith. If they thought it unusual at first, he assured her, they'd forget it soon enough once she showed them just how learned and capable she truly was.

"Medicine, of course," he added when she asked. "to lower level students. Don't worry, they won't be tossing you into that until you've got some of your own classes under your belt." He hoped not anyway, since he'd be faced with the same situation himself, soon enough.