Meeting in the Herb Garden (Lilith)

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

It was early morning and Gill was determined to have a good and productive second day at work. She was tired from visiting Henry in the stocks that night, but had been eager to carry out errands for the kitchen staff in an attempt to make up for the mess she had made on her first day.

With a small knife, she cut small bunches of herbs that the kitchen had requested, stopping frequently to smell them before arranging them neatly in her basket. It was actually quite a difficult job, remembering the mental list she had been given, and correctly identifying which herb was which. She knelt on the dirt path, bum in the air, closely inspecting a small green plant and wondering whether or not it was Thyme.

[Lilith Blackmore]

Lilith had only woken up half an hour ago. After slipping on a blue work dress she ran over to Gaius’ chambers where he instructed her to gather some herbs. He pointed toward a list on the table and after grabbing the list and a basket, Lilith walked briskly to the herb garden.

When Lilith reached the small garden she saw that she would not be alone. "Hey-o!” Lilith said with a smile, recognizing the back of the girl’s head belonging to the servant girl Gillianne. On occasion Lilith would run into her in the herb garden where they would talk. Though Lilith had a friend in Merlin, she could not tell him everything, like her crush on Arthur or the fact that she was starting to feel something strange toward Merlin himself. Every time they were alone she would feel self-conscious of herself, though she could not imagine why.

"That is thyme,” Lilith said, pointing toward the bush. Gillianne had asked her about that the first time they had met. Lilith walked over to the lavender bush and cut off a few sprigs. One sprig she stuck in her hair as she loved the smell and the purple flower.

"How are you?” she asked.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

"Lilith!" Gill looked up from where she was kneeling on the ground with a smile, "Oh, thanks!" she replied appreciatively, looking back to the plant and cutting copious amounts of thyme, making a small mound beside her. Chatting to Lilith would make this errand a lot less boring, and a whole lot easier- she really knew her stuff about plants and herbs.

"I'm fine." Gill replied automatically to Lilith's question, then sighing, stood up. "Actually, not that fine! I had a very odd day yesterday..." she stifled a yawn, "And a late night, it's a long story though! How're you this morning? Gaius working you hard already?" She paused, one hand on her hip, "Hmm, where's the mint?"

She bent over, sniffing several of the small plants, hoping she could smell it out. Gill would have difficult remembering which was which even after she'd picked them and taken them back to the kitchens, why did they all look the same?

[Lilith Blackmore]

Lilith finished cutting off a few stems of lavender and then moved to the thyme. There were not too many herbs on the list, but now that she was here with Gill, she knew it would take a little longer.

"Late night? What happened?” Lilith asked. Her own day had not been that eventful, apart from signing up with the guild. "Of course. Gaius has been slowly making me wake up earlier and earlier. I am not fond of waking up before the sun,” she said with a sigh. "But he should be gone by the time I am back, meaning it will be just me and Merlin.”

Lilith walked over to the mint and tore off a few leaves to chew as she cut off two stems. "You can tell the mint apart from the texture of the leaves and the smell. It is slightly bumpy and the mint smell comes off onto your fingers,” Lilith replied, handing Gill a leaf.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill moved to one side to allow Lilith access to the thyme.

"Well... I met a boy." she began, "The same one who saved my life before. We went to the orchard last night and I fell out of a tree and then tried to kiss him and Arthur arrested him for trespassing; he called Henry a Low. I went to see him in the dungeons but he shouted and got angry- so then I went to town and drank a lot. I'm surprised I don't have a headache this morning actually!" the words tumbled from her mouth, it was a relief to actually tell someone. She laughed lightly and ran a hand through her hair getting up and moving around to the mint as Lilith explained where it was and what it looked like, then began cutting chunks for her basket, enjoying the fresh smell that lingered on her fingers.

"It was the first time I'd seen the prince in person..." she said, attempting to be casual, "He really is very handsome..." On the past occasions they had chatted, Lilith had spoken highly of the Prince, and Gill was just testing the water, to see if her friend was harboring a crush for him.

[Lilith Blackmore]

Lilith could barely keep up with Gill as she spoke. "Met a boy, tried to kiss him, got arrested, ok." Lilith continued to listen as she picked more herbs. At first when Gill mentioned Arthur she looked down at the rosemary very intently.

"I love rosemary! It can be put on anything. Bread or in soups. I think perhaps I should tell Gaius to put rosemary in the porridge. It is always so bland!" Lilith knew that if she avoided talking about the prince Gill would know that she had a crush, but if she talked about him, she knew her praise would cause suspicion.

"Yes, he is very handsome, though he can be somewhat of a bully when it comes to Merlin." Another subject she had to avoid! The prince was very handsome and his smile always caused butterflies in her stomach. She had healed him once or twice in the past, but when it came to her, she did not think he even knew her name.

"So, did you get drunk last night?" she asked, trying to take the attention away from herself.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill smiled as Lilith suddenly began talking intently about rosemary, but decided not to say anything. It was a little surprising when Lilith went on to mention him bullying Merlin, Gill didn't think that she would have a bad word to say about Arthur- perhaps she had it the wrong way around? She opened her mouth to ask, but Lilith spoke first.

"So, did you get drunk last night?" Lilith's distracting question worked, because at the mention of drink Gill groaned and dramatically pulled a face.
"Yes... I shouldn't have really," she replied, "I barely slept at all last night, getting up this morning was a bit of a struggle to say the least. I met a very nice man though, Dante. We chatted for a while, he told me that it was an assassin who escaped from the dungeons the other week, apparently he wounded Prince Arthur..." Gill paused, realising she had unintentionally bought the subject back round to Arthur, although it probably wasn't news to Lilith, perhaps she had even treated Arthur's wounds.

"Did you see him? Was he badly hurt?"

[Lilith Blackmore]

"Dante? That doesn’t sound like a nice man’s name.” Lilith looked up at Gill. Was she so innocent to think a nice man could be an assassin. "Did you believe that he really was an assassin, or was the drink getting to him?” Lilith asked. At the mention of Arthur being injured she turned white.

"No, I was not there when he was brought in. Gaius took care of Arthur while I was sent out to gather herbs and other items for Gaius. Though I am going to take over his position one day, he did not want me there for some reason.” Perhaps it was because Lilith had not had control over her powers and she was at risk of harming herself to help Arthur.

"He is better now,” Lilith finally said after a small pause.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

"Oh no, he wasn't the assassin!" Gill corrected, laughing. "I think whoever that was would be far away from Camelot by now, or at least not drinking in public! Arthur's knights must be on the lookout... He was foreign though, he had an accent. I forget where he said he was from..."

She stood up and dusted down her apron as Lilith explained about Arthur and Gaius. "Oh, well I'm glad he's better now. He seemed perfectly healthy when he hauled Henry away to the dungeons last night..." Gill realised she sounded a bit put out- it wasn't really Arthur's fault. He was just doing his job, and Henry had been trespassing.

"What have you got set for the rest of the day?" Gill asked, looking down into the basket and double checking all of the herbs to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. She couldn't have the kitchens angry at her today. "I'm helping prepare food for a feast, a knighthood or something..." she chattered. It was amazing how much went on at the castle, the servants always had different tasks each day.

[Lilith Blackmore]

Lilith thought about Gill's mystery Dante. "What is he doing here then?" she asked, still a little suspicious, though she tried to hide it. Lilith did not trust foreigners. She had never traveled from the castle and only trusted what was known and familiar.

"I am sure when it comes to keeping the castle safe Arthur is always feeling well." Arthur was the type who would fight to the bitter end to protect what he loved. He did not seem to realize that his life was more important than his death.

"I'm stuck in the tower working on medicinal potions. Probably will be alone with Merlin for awhile until he has to go run errands for Arthur." Lilith sighed. "I wish Merlin was around a little more often. It gets lonely being the only young one with an old man. I feel like I am growing old myself!"

Lilith had not heard of the feast and was probably not going to be able to attend, even if she wanted to. "That sounds exciting," she responded.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill thought back to the night before, trying to remember exactly what Dante had been like. Lilith was suspicious, and Gill wondered if there was reason to be, perhaps she had been especially naive because she was upset, or under the influence. She couldn't think of anything incriminating or unusual, the man had seemed perfectly commonplace to her.
Gill listened as Lilith explained the rest of her day, it didn't sound fun being cooped up in the tower all day, but Lilith's job was an important one. The castle always needed an apothecary on hand.
"...I feel like I am growing old myself!"

Laughing, Gill swung the basket over her arm. "Well, you don't look old!" she replied, with a smile. "But I know what you mean, working with the same people all day can really have an effect. I think I might take a ride out of the city this evening, take a break from everything."

It seemed Lilith hadn't heard about the feast. "Yes, it does sound exciting, although I'm not allowed to serve in the dining hall yet, I'm too new, just get to spend the day peeling onions in the kitchens!"

Gill had collected all the herbs she needed, and had loitered in the herb garden for longer than she needed to, enjoying Lilith's company.
"I should probably head back..." she cast a glance in the direction of the kitchens, "Thanks for your help, with the herbs." she continued, looking down at the neat little bunches in her basket. Without Lilith's instruction she knew she would probably have the wrong ones.

[Lilith Blackmore]

(((sorry for taking so long!)))

"I am old and worn! I have two men to take care of and no time to start and take care of a family! My life seems to have been passing me by so quickly!" Lilith exclaimed, though she was still smiling. "A ride does sound nice. Perhaps you'll meet your new friend again."

"I don't know if serving in the dining hall would be fun. Being at the beck and call of the nobles. Looking at delicious food that you cannot eat. It must be torturer!"

Lilith nodded. "Yes. Merlin might be awake by now," Lilith responded. "You're welcome! It is always a pleasure." With that, Lilith waved her friend good-bye, quickly finished picking the herbs, and went back up to the tower.