• Solo • Simple Things

[Seira Shiryu]

25th Ashan, 721


Seira bustled about the kitchen, feeding the animals before getting a meal for herself and Seri. Seri watched her cautiously from the doorway.

"Any headaches totrial?" she asked Seira in concern.

Seira shook her head.

"Not yet, at least."

She looked at Seri for several trills.

"I'm fine, you know. They're just headaches. Everyone gets them from time to time.

But what about the blurred vision? And the dizziness? They don't happen as often as the headaches, but they do happen sometimes. Are they really "just" anything? Then again...each time I've had those were trials where I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. So it's probably that I was just overly tired.

"Not as often as you've gotten them since last Zi'da." Seri pointed out.

"And what about the time we went to Lake Lovalus? That wasn't "just" a headache..."

"It was a really bad headache. That's all."

"Are you sure?" Seri demanded.

And that was the real question, wasn't it? Because Seira couldn't be certain. Not beyond all doubt. She knew that some people had frequent headaches. One of their friends suffered from frequent headaches that were as bad as the one she had had when they were at Lake Lovalus. But...she herself had never had that problem. Not until recently, anyway. Was Seri right? What if something really was wrong with her? No. No, of course not. It was just headaches. Nothing serious.

Seri watched her sister for a few trills more before moving to help Seira gather some leftovers for breakfast. Lyra and the kittens walked into the room, and gathered around the bowls that Seira had set down for them. They dug into their own food while Seira and Seri ate their breakfast. When they finished, the kittens began playing with each other, but Lyra wound herself around Seira's legs purring. Seira smiled as she reached down to scratch behind Lyra's ears.

"You like that, don't you, Lyra?"

Lyra made a mewling sound that sounded very much like she was agreeing with her before she went back to purring. When the twins finished eating, they stood and began cleaning up after themselves.

"We should get going if we're going to go." Seri said at last.

She eyed Seira carefully, looking for any signs that her sister was in pain. Seira nodded, but when she started to leave the kitchen, Lyra stood in front of her, leaning against her legs to stop her from moving forward. When she had Seira's attention, she jumped up, forcing Seira to catch her. After a few trills of trying to rebalance herself with the extra weight in her arms, she looked down at the cat.

"What is it, Lyra?"

Lyra reached up and placed a soft paw on her face before licking her nose. There was a look in her eyes that would definitely be concern if Lyra was a person. It was almost as if Lyra was worried about her.

"You know that I had a headache last night, don't you?"

Lyra made a mewling sound that sounded as if she was agreeing with her. Seri stared at her for several trills.

"I swear, it's like that cat can understand us." Seri said.

Seira had to agree with her sister. Lyra was a lot smarter than Ryu was. Had she always been this smart? Seira didn't think so. At first, she had seemed like any other cat. What could have caused the change...if there really was one? Lyra distracted Seira by looking at Seri, and waving her tail once before turning back to Seira. The twins exchanged glances, then laughed.

"Well, I guess she told you!" Seira said with a grin.

Still...her sister was right. Seira had noticed it too. She had learned never to underestimate a cat from being Ryu's owner. But Lyra seemed to take it a step above that.

"I promise you that I'm okay, Lyra. My headache is all gone now."

Seri frowned.

"You didn't tell me that you had a headache last night."

"It wasn't a bad one, and it was gone when I woke up this morning. I didn't want to worry you." Seira said softly.

"I want you to worry me. I want you to tell me when you have a headache. I know that you think they aren't serious...but what if they are?"

Lyra patted Seira's cheek gently with her paw as if she was telling her to do what her sister said. Seira cuddled with her for a few trills before nodding.

"Okay. If it will make you feel better, I will." Seira promised.

"I would feel better if you stopped getting headaches." Seri said softly.

Seira wasn't sure what to say to that, so she changed the subject.

"We really should get going."

Seira cuddled with Lyra for a few bits more before putting her down. Then they headed to the Order clinic in the Dust Quarter.

When they arrived, one of the healers, a harried looking man wearing a blue cloak with no hood showed them to where their supplies were, gave them some paper and a pen, and asked them to count how many of each of their supplies and write it down for him. He explained that knowing how many supplies they had at all times let them know when they had to order more of something, and that it prevented them from running out of something. Then he was gone, leaving the twins to their work.

They had done the same type of thing at Storm's Edge, so it was a familiar task for them, and one that they didn't need supervision for. Seira started at one end, and Seri took the other. They they went shelf by shelf, starting at the top. When they were finished, they found the man who had asked them to count the supplies, and gave him their list. He sent them to a second supply room and had them count those supplies as well.

[Seira Shiryu]

Once they had finished counting the supplies in the second area, there was one final supply area that needed to be counted. The twins carefully counted eacy of the supplies that were there, and wrote the numbers down on the paper they had been given. Then they double checked and triple checked their numbers, wanting to be absolutely certain that they were accurate. When they were finished, they reported to the healer who had given them the task once more and gave him their findings. He thanked them for helping out, and told them that they could use some of the books that the Order clinic owned to study if they wanted to.

It was exactly what they had been hoping for. He told them where they kept the medical books, and they went off to see what they could find. They glanced through the titles of each book, and when that did not tell them what the book was about, they skimmed through the table of contents. Many of the books were about different diseases and injuries. While Seira wanted to learn some of that at some point, it wasn't something that she wanted to focus on right now. Instead, she and Seri chose books about herbs and herbal remedies. When Seira and Seri had each chosen a few books to study, they got some paper and pens to take notes with before finding an unused workroom where they could study without being in the way.

Herbal infused syrups are concentrated herbal teas that are preserved in either sugar or honey. They are used to sweeten the taste of bitter medicinal herbs in order to make them more palatable. By doing so, they are an ideal remedy to give to children who are often unwilling to take medicines due to their bitter taste. Herbal syrups last longer than herbal teas do once they have been made. Honey based herbal syrups can last up to ninety three trials. Sugar based herbal syrups can last even longer than that; they can last up to one hundred and eighty six trials. Brandy can be added to make the herbal syrups last even longer. Herbal syrups that have been laced with brandy may help to calm the patient who is taking it, but these syrups should not be administered to children.

Seira carefully took notes on what she had just learned. She knew that dried herbs could last longer than syrups could, so teas would have a longer shelf life in they were only made when they were immediately needed. But it was good to know that syrups would last longer once they had been made than teas would. It was also good to know that children were more likely to be willing to take herbal syrups when they needed them than herbal teas. But she added a reminder that not all herbs could be safely given to children and a question about whether such herbs could be used on them if administered in syrup form. It was something she would need to learn in case she ever she needed to give a child any medicine.

"Have you found anything interesting, Seri?"

"Not yet. The book I'm looking about discusses some of the remedies we've already learned about. There are a few tips and tricks that might be useful though, and there are some examples of different types of remedies that might be interesting. What about you?"

"I'm learning about herbal syrups. From what I've read, they taste better than herbal teas, so children are more likely to take them willingly."

"Can I read that book when you're finished with it?"

"Of course."

Seira double checked her notes, then went back to her reading.

Herbal syrups can be used in a number of foods as well. You can make a cup of tea by adding a spoonful of herbal syrup to hot water rather than tea leaves. They can be drizzled over foods like yogurt, oatmeal, biscuits, and ice cream, or used as a sweetener in desserts. You can even eat them by the spoonful as a treat.

Seira paused in her reading to take some more notes. As she did so, she wrote as carefully as she could so that Seri would be able to read them too.

There are a number of different ways to make herbal syrups. One way involves using an herbal decoction rather than fresh or dried herbs. If using this method, the general rule is to use two parts herbal decoction to one part honey or sugar. This means that if you start with your herbs added to four cups of water and simmer down the liquid until you have two cups of decoction, then you will need to add one cup of honey or sugar to create and adequately preserve your syrup. Some herbalists like to use one part decoction to one part honey or sugar. This makes the herbal syrup sweeter, and it will be better preserved so that it will last longer. Some people think that this will make the herbal syrup too sweet, however. You can experiment and find out what works best for yourself.

Once again, Seira paused to take notes on what she had just read. She likes the first method of making herbal syrups that she had read about because it would be easy to alter the amount you made to suit your needs.

There is also a basic syrup recipe that requires one cup of sugar, one cup of water, and anywhere from a quarter cup to one cup of fresh herbs that have been washed; the actual amount of herbs varies depending on the recipe. You need to combine the water, sugar, and herbs in a small saucepan. Then bring it to a boil, stirring the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Simmer the mixture for one bit. Then remove it from the heat and let the syrup steep for roughly thirty bits. Pour the syrup into a sterilized glass jar, using a mesh strainer to remove the herbs. Once this has been done, let it cool and store it in an ice box for up to thirty one trials.

Seira copied this recipe down as well. When she finished doing that, she added a question as to whether honey could be substituted for sugar in the recipe, and if so how that would change the recipe. Then she offered the book she had been reading to Seri. Seri took it with a smile and a quiet thank you.

[Seira Shiryu]

Seira chose another book, and skimmed through the table of contents. This one appeared to be about different herbs. Uncertain where to start, she opened the book up to a random page, and began to read.

Hyssop is known for its fragrant flowers and leaves. These flowers and leaves can be used to relieve chest congestion, and coughs, as well as to soothe sore throats. This herb acts as a mild sedative, so it can help people who are suffering from insomnia. It is also good for relieving gas and intestinal cramping. When used topically, it can soothe burned skin.

Seira paused long enough to take notes on the information she had just read.

"Are you finding the information about herbal syrups useful?" she asked her sister.

Seri nodded.

"I wish it told us if honey can be substituted for sugar in that basic recipe, though. And I wish it offered recipes for different types of herbal syrups. Some with sugar, some with honey. Some with brandy, and some without. That sort of thing."

Seira nodded.

"Maybe we can ask one of the healers sometime." she suggested.

Seri nodded.

"What are you reading about now?" she asked curiously.

"Different kinds of herbs. I just finished reading about hyssop."

"I haven't read about that one yet. I'll want to see your notes on it later."

Seirs simply nodded. Then she got back to her reading.

Licorice root is a good preventative. It is used to strengthen the body and shorten the duration of a cold. But it also eases congestion and coughing by helping to loosen and thin mucus in a patient's airways. It can also help with sore throats. This herb is good for healing ulcers. Licorice root can lower stomach acid levels, relieve heartburn and indigestion and it acts as a mild laxative. It is also helpful in relieving fevers and soothing pain such as headaches. This herb can also ease the irritability, bloating and breast tenderness that women suffer during their monthly cycle.

Seira took special note about the fact that licorice root could be used to treat headaches. As she took notes about the herb, she wondered if it would help with her headaches. She tried to continue reading, but the words blurred as her head started pounding. Seri noticed her rubbing her eyes and stood to go to her.

"It's happening again, isn't it?"

"Yes." Seira said softly, afraid that too much noise would make her head hurt even worse.

Before Seira could even think to stop her, Seri hurried away. When she returned, it was with a middle aged woman wearing a blue cloak with a hood. She had three white trims on the sleeves of her cloak. Her eyes were kind as she approached Seira.

"Your sister tells me that your vision is blurring, and that you are suffering from a headache?" she asked softly.

"Yes." Seira said quietly.

"This isn't the first time it's happened either." Seri said quickly.

When Seira winced, she lowered her voice as she continued speaking.

"Seira has had a lot of headaches lately. Sometimes they come with blurry vision, or dizziness. And sometimes the headaches are worse than other times."

"When did this start happening?"

"In Cylus." Seira said.

"And this is the first time you've spoken to a healer about them?"

"They're just headaches...usually."

"Have you had frequent headaches in the past?"

"No."

"Then it is possible that the headaches are a symptom of something else."

Seri gave Seira an "I told you so" look, but she didn't say anything.

"I'll give you some willow bark tea for your headaches. But I need you to let me know if your headaches get worse, or if the willow bark tea doesn't help. I also want you to keep a record of when you get headaches. Do they happen more at night than they do during the trial? Are you doing something in particular when you get them? Are you experiencing other symptoms as well? These are the things that I need to know. Hopefully that will tell me whether the headaches are a symptom of something else. And I would like you to keep us informed about your condition on a regular basis. Since you volunteer here frequently, you can tell us each time you come in to volunteer. But if your headaches get worse, or if they start happening more often, I want you to come in right away. And if you start experiencing any other symptoms that you haven't mentioned, I want you to come in right away."

"Thank you. I'll do that."

The healer left them to go get the willow bark tea. When she returned, she had a steaming hot cup of tea and several packets of dried herbs. When the older woman handed Seira the cup of tea, Seira sipped it slowly.

"These should keep you until the next time you come to volunteer. If they don't, come in and let us know."

"Okay. Thank you."

The healer simply nodded.

"When you finish that tea, I want you to go home and get some rest."

"I'll make sure that she does." Seri promised.

Seira finished her willow bark tea and handed the cup back to the healer. When she started to clean up the books they had been using, the older woman told her to leave them and go get some rest. Seira thought that the healer was making a big deal over what might not be anything at all, but at the same time, she knew that the older woman knew a lot more than she did about such matters. If the healer believed that there was a reason for concern, Seira would take it seriously, and do as she was told. Seri gave the healer a grateful look as the two of them headed home.

[Pig Boy]

Player Name: Seira

Points awarded: 10
Magic xp: none

Knowledge:

Cooking; Ingredient: herbal syrups
Logistics: knowing how many supplies you have at all times will help prevent you from running out of them
Medicine; Herbal Remedy: herbal infused syrups are concentrated herbal teas that are preserved in either sugar or honey
Medicine; Herbal Remedy: how to make herbal syrups
Medicine; Herbs: uses of hyssop
Medicine; Herbs: uses of licorice root

Renown: 0
Loot: A few written recipes.
Injuries/Overstepping: A slight headache and blurry vision. Cause unknown.
Wealth Points: N/a
Consequences: N/a

Skill Review: All Skills used appropriately to PC's level

Notes: I enjoyed the opening post to this thread. Where Seira is bonding with her little kitty. It's cute how our animals seem to be, sometimes without us even realizing it, so in tune with how we're feeling that we could swear they understand us or read our minds. That part of this thread was very well-written and sweet.

The rest of it, while a bit grindy, was an interesting look at certain facts when it comes to herbal remedies and syrups. I thought that might be useful knowledge to have, and am always pretty impressed with the amount of detail you inject into what otherwise would be a simple grind for knowledge about medicine or cooking or what have you.

Well done, and enjoy the rewards.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this review, feel free to PM. Enjoy your rewards!