Crimson Threads ♡Sinbad X Oc♡

Chapter twenty: Medicine

Staring at the vast mountain range in front of her, Yunalesca traced the edge of the mountain line with her eyes. The rocky slopes were lined with bright yellow and white flowers with the occasional dappling of purple, blue and green.
She wasn't thinking about anything in particular, but her mind kept wandering all over the place, drifting back to her conversation with Hinahoho.
Yunalesca exhaled, long and winding, finally turning her attention back to the mortar and pestle in her hands.
"Jealous? Please." She muttered under her breath, the pestle scraping against the bowl, crushing the herbs beneath it.
The only sound surrounding her as she sat with her back against a tree was the rustling of the leaves overhead, as well as the continuous scraping and grinding of her pestle as she pounded the plant in the bowl to mush.

"Grind those arnicas any harder and you'll have nothing usable left for that poultice you want to make."
Startled, Yunalesca jerked back so hard she almost spilt the contents of the mortar bowl all over the book she had open in front of her.
"Ahh... hello, sir. I didn't realise you were next to me." Yunalesca smiled awkwardly, shifting her weight to sit comfortably again. When she turned to look at the man, her eyes widened for a split second. It was the doctor she went to the previous day.
The man just narrowed his eyes, his wrinkles crinkling together as he frowned.

"When you came begging for an apprenticeship yesterday, I thought you'd at least have the sense to not waste your ingredients."
Yunalesca felt her eye twitch. "First of all, I didn't beg. I just asked enthusiastically. Second, I was a gifted herbalist's apprentice back in Narpolia, so sense, is something I have." Her voice was tight in that polite way Rurumu taught her. She looked up at the man. His hair was completely grey and his hands were stained with age and the greenery she'd seen growing in the cracks between the rocks. "And thirdly, I..." She trialled off when she met his eyes. They weren't cold, but they lacked the warmth of her master's back in Narpolia. Where would she even begin to describe how she felt to a complete stranger? Would he even understand?

The man stood there watching her, his eyes flitting between her face and the pestle in her hand, her fingers tightening and loosening around the wooden tool.
"You say you've worked under a skilled herbalist and yet you don't even understand one of the most crucial parts of medicine preparation." The man scoffed, taking the mortar and pestle from her hands. "And what's that?" Yunalesca bit back, unsure where her irritation flared up from. She reached up, wanting to take her things back but the man stepped away, dipping his finger into the mush.

"That our emotional state shapes the medicine just as much as our hands do."
The man didn't even spare her a glance as he said that, but rather inspected the pulp on his finger. It was chunky at best, with small pieces of the leaves completely uncrushed. Yunalesca saw him glance at the book as he rubbed his fingers together. Hesitantly, she reached for the book, her eyes hovering over the page. She took care while reading the instructions, making sure not to skip anything over. When she first opened the book, she'd barely skimmed it, flipping through pages for something to help with the bruises she'd noticed on Sinbad and Ja'fars arms from sparring on the boat. Her chest ached as she thought of Sinbad, and her fingers gently touched the page. "I just wanted to start making something to get my mind off some things," Yunalesca admitted, almost to herself, as she got to her feet.
"I'm... sorry. For snapping at you, sir." She felt a twinge of embarrassment as she stood in front of the man, hoping her apology would be accepted.

The man narrowed his eyes for a slight moment before handing her tools back. He seemed annoyed, but Yunalesca saw his expression soften slightly.
"Just as a knight spends years training, we too must take care to perfect our craft. A properly prepared ointment or salve can mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield." The man's voice had softened now compared to when he first spoke. It was somewhat comforting to Yunalesca, but before she could respond a massive crash of thunder erupted from within the city. She recognised the power humming through the streets instantly, that familiar feeling resonating through her bones just as it did when she and Sinbad first performed in Narpolia.

Without another word, Yunalesca bottled the mushy herbs, sap dripping down her fingers and stuffed everything in her satchel. Slinging her bag around her shoulders, Yunalesca took off running. She could hear the doctor calling for her, but she refused to stop, her sandals hammering against the stone paths of Sasan.
She took stairs two by two, cutting corners and weaving through crowds, following the residual murmurs of thunder bouncing off stone.

Just as she reached the central plaza, another boom of thunder echoed through the city, stopping Yunalesca in her tracks.
"That sounded like it came from the Citadel! Sinbad, you idiot! What are you thinking?" Yunalesca pressed her lips together, unable to keep the thought from tying a knot of worry in her stomach.
Somewhere along the way she'd picked up a few guards as she wove through the crowds, all of them yelling at her to stop.
Continuing her mad dash through the city, Yunalesca skidded around a corner, slamming face-first into someone, toppling both of them onto the ground.
Dazed for a few seconds, Yunalesca looked at the person she crashed into.
In front of her sat the most beautiful man she'd ever seen, with long blonde hair and eyes so green they made Ja'fars seem dull in comparison. She'd easily have mistaken him for a woman. The only thing that gave her pause was his clothes. He wasn't from Sasan, that she was sure of, his floppy, green pointed hat made that very clear alongside his green and white tunic.

Another crash of lightning reverberated through the city snapping Yunalesca out of her daze. "I'm really sorry for crashing into you!" Yunalesca apologised as she jumped up stumbling back into a full sprint leaving the man on the ground. "I have to get to the others!" The thought burned more than her lungs did, her concern for her friends growing with each step she took.
Another boom filled the street followed closely by the crashing of stone. "Is he levelling the building?!" Yunalesca felt panic begin to bubble as she rounded the last corner to the main staircase leading to the Knights' headquarters.

Just as she took the first step, her breath ragged, a hand clasped over her shoulder. Spinning around she saw the man she'd crashed into, also out of breath. "You shouldn't be here." He managed through huffs as he tried to catch his breath. A creepy feeling crept up Yunalescas's spine, telling her he wasn't talking about the Citadel.
Before she could ask what he meant a bolt of lightning crashed through one of the Citadel walls.
"Damn it, Sinbad!" Yunalesca shouted as she pulled free from the man's grasp, rushing up the final flight of stairs.

She didn't look back as she ran, her lungs feeling like they were on fire. Finally reaching the top, Yunalesca pushed past the crowd of guards staring at something in the middle of the hall.
Following their gaze, Yunalescas's blood ran cold. In the middle of the ruined hall was the boy who'd helped her carry her books, bloodied and curled up against a wall, Ja'far and Hinahoho not far from him. But it wasn't them that made beads of sweat pool at her temple. Rather, it was Sinbad. Scaled and clad in his full Djin armour.