Pretty Deadly [fanfic]
Posted: April 23rd, 2016, 11:44 pm
Angelique al'Chan / Nani Hatherton
Angelique was quietly studying herbs and their various uses, to keep it fresh in her mind, when a book was dropped in front of her. The red haired novice glanced up and saw the very familiar face of a Gaidar in front of her.
“Angelique al’Chan correct?” The Gaidar asked curtly.
“Yes Gaidar, I am she. What is the problem?” The novice asked as she watched the woman in front of her.
“I heard you were sniffing around Elisha Gaidar’s greenhouse looking for her knowledge on herbs.”
“I was Gaidar, but she never seems to be around then I am free.” Angelique replied as she patiently waited for the reason behind the Inquisition.
“I have time now, if you cared to learn.”
Angelique’s eyes narrowed, and she really looked at the Gaidar in front of her. No visible weaponry which spoke of a moderate skill in unarmed, or weaponry that was easily concealed. The Gaidar had auburn hair, and a pair of violet eyes. The colour was not very common, and Angelique thought hard about who she could be. “Forgive me Gaidar, but I don’t believe I caught your name.” She said politely although there was a slight tone of being completely unimpressed with the other woman for not introducing herself.
“I’m Nani Hatherton Angelique. And in Elisha’s absence I run her greenhouse. The herbs in there could kill you, hence why it’s locked all the time.” The Gaidar responded.
Angelique’s eyes went slightly soft as she realized who it was she was receiving an offer of a lesson from, Garren’s new friend, a Borderlands woman of exotic skill.
“I’d love a lesson Gaidar, where should we begin?”
“Since you clearly know the basics, we’ll go right to the deadly herbs and plants.” The Gaidar said as she sat down across from Angelique, pushing the book dropped earlier towards her.“Every herb you’ll need to know about is in this book.”
Angelique carefully took the book in hand, and flipped through the pages. “Are all of these in the greenhouse?” She asked, getting a fresh piece of parchment to write on, while she carefully listened to Nani and her instruction. “Most of them. Some of the more common ones we get shipped in, but a lot of the rare herbs we grow here.” The woman replied, before she leaned back and watched the Novice make her notes.
“The other reason I’m approaching you about this, is because while I understand that you would prefer to merely use these herbs to help people, you have to understand that there are more uses for them then just to help people. You may have to poison people to get what you want. Sometimes there’s nothing more effective than someone who’s been poisoned believing that they won’t be getting a cure. Believing they’re about to die will give you an edge since they believe that they have nothing left to live for.” Nani continued, before she grabbed pulled her two poisons fans out. “I carry two sets of poisoned fans with me at all times. Red means crimson thorn, and blue is Belladonna. Both poisons will reach the same effect, but with different cures, and different routes to death.”
The Novice’s eyes went wide when she looked at the other woman. “Why are you telling me this? I understand that poisons are deadly, but should you really be telling me about the poisons in your fans?”
“Likely not, however it’s the best way to learn. If you know that the danger is around you, you know how to guard against it. I would suggest, when you get to being an Accepted that you start dousing yourself with these poisons to build an immunity. There’s maybe one poison that will actually cause me harm, and by the time we’re done in the next couple weeks, you will also have a high tolerance for them so that you can work with them. After all, a little poison can actually be good for the body. For example, belladonna could be used for muscle relaxants, which is good for the infirmary. You will want to learn the proper proportions to properly use them in the way you need to.” Nani said, as she watched the young woman. Angelique nodded, before she flipped to the entry in the book for Belladonna.
“Fascinating.” Angelique said quietly, while she wrote down her notes.
“If I were to display a white silk fan to you, what Poison do you think would be used?” Nani asked after a moment.
Angelique flipped through the book, before turning the book around to Nani. “Grey Fennel or Peach pits.” Nani smiled softly and nodded. “Well done. White is usually a combination of both.” She said, before they continued on with their lessons.
Once they were done with the Theory, Nani stood up, and gestured for the Novice to follow. “It’s time for you to learn about what they look like.” She said as she lead the way out of the library, and headed for the green houses. Angelique was quick to grab her things and follow the Gaidar, jobbing slightly to catch up. She was anxious to learn more, and be as knowledgeable as she could be. The Novice acknowledged the need for poisons, but she didn’t like them.
Once the pair reached the greenhouse, the Gaidar let them in, and both took a moment to inhale the aromas. Not a deep inhale for some of the herbs and flowers in the greenhouse were toxic scented as well as toxic to consume, but just a soft inhale to make sure everything was as it should be.
They were quick to enter, and Nani set her books and notes down on a clear table. “Now, given the knowledge that I just imparted to you, what is this herb?” The Gaidar asked as she pointed to one of the potted plants. It was a beautiful white flowered plant, with small thorns on it, and small curling vines. “Crimsonthorn, used in your red backed fans, causing heavy paralysis in large doses, but can also be used in very small doses as a painkiller.” Nani smiled at the Novice and nodded. “Well done. This is one of the herbs that you can’t build a tolerance to because of the fact that it will shut down your breathing, and your body’s ability to function.”
And so the rest of Angelique’s free period went, identifying all the plants in the greenhouse, while she jotted down any notes that she needed to add to her notes. “Alright Novice, off you go. It’s time for your next class. If you have any more questions, you’re better off to come to me.” She said, dismissing the young woman.
“Thank you Gaidar Nani. I appreciate this more then you can know.” She replied, bowing low and then headed to the door gathering her things and heading for her next class, her mind full again of the herbs she knew and the ones she had learned of that day. She would do more research, and perhaps become more known of poisons then even Nani, and help her keep her weaponry up to date.
“Angelique al’Chan correct?” The Gaidar asked curtly.
“Yes Gaidar, I am she. What is the problem?” The novice asked as she watched the woman in front of her.
“I heard you were sniffing around Elisha Gaidar’s greenhouse looking for her knowledge on herbs.”
“I was Gaidar, but she never seems to be around then I am free.” Angelique replied as she patiently waited for the reason behind the Inquisition.
“I have time now, if you cared to learn.”
Angelique’s eyes narrowed, and she really looked at the Gaidar in front of her. No visible weaponry which spoke of a moderate skill in unarmed, or weaponry that was easily concealed. The Gaidar had auburn hair, and a pair of violet eyes. The colour was not very common, and Angelique thought hard about who she could be. “Forgive me Gaidar, but I don’t believe I caught your name.” She said politely although there was a slight tone of being completely unimpressed with the other woman for not introducing herself.
“I’m Nani Hatherton Angelique. And in Elisha’s absence I run her greenhouse. The herbs in there could kill you, hence why it’s locked all the time.” The Gaidar responded.
Angelique’s eyes went slightly soft as she realized who it was she was receiving an offer of a lesson from, Garren’s new friend, a Borderlands woman of exotic skill.
“I’d love a lesson Gaidar, where should we begin?”
“Since you clearly know the basics, we’ll go right to the deadly herbs and plants.” The Gaidar said as she sat down across from Angelique, pushing the book dropped earlier towards her.“Every herb you’ll need to know about is in this book.”
Angelique carefully took the book in hand, and flipped through the pages. “Are all of these in the greenhouse?” She asked, getting a fresh piece of parchment to write on, while she carefully listened to Nani and her instruction. “Most of them. Some of the more common ones we get shipped in, but a lot of the rare herbs we grow here.” The woman replied, before she leaned back and watched the Novice make her notes.
“The other reason I’m approaching you about this, is because while I understand that you would prefer to merely use these herbs to help people, you have to understand that there are more uses for them then just to help people. You may have to poison people to get what you want. Sometimes there’s nothing more effective than someone who’s been poisoned believing that they won’t be getting a cure. Believing they’re about to die will give you an edge since they believe that they have nothing left to live for.” Nani continued, before she grabbed pulled her two poisons fans out. “I carry two sets of poisoned fans with me at all times. Red means crimson thorn, and blue is Belladonna. Both poisons will reach the same effect, but with different cures, and different routes to death.”
The Novice’s eyes went wide when she looked at the other woman. “Why are you telling me this? I understand that poisons are deadly, but should you really be telling me about the poisons in your fans?”
“Likely not, however it’s the best way to learn. If you know that the danger is around you, you know how to guard against it. I would suggest, when you get to being an Accepted that you start dousing yourself with these poisons to build an immunity. There’s maybe one poison that will actually cause me harm, and by the time we’re done in the next couple weeks, you will also have a high tolerance for them so that you can work with them. After all, a little poison can actually be good for the body. For example, belladonna could be used for muscle relaxants, which is good for the infirmary. You will want to learn the proper proportions to properly use them in the way you need to.” Nani said, as she watched the young woman. Angelique nodded, before she flipped to the entry in the book for Belladonna.
“Fascinating.” Angelique said quietly, while she wrote down her notes.
“If I were to display a white silk fan to you, what Poison do you think would be used?” Nani asked after a moment.
Angelique flipped through the book, before turning the book around to Nani. “Grey Fennel or Peach pits.” Nani smiled softly and nodded. “Well done. White is usually a combination of both.” She said, before they continued on with their lessons.
Once they were done with the Theory, Nani stood up, and gestured for the Novice to follow. “It’s time for you to learn about what they look like.” She said as she lead the way out of the library, and headed for the green houses. Angelique was quick to grab her things and follow the Gaidar, jobbing slightly to catch up. She was anxious to learn more, and be as knowledgeable as she could be. The Novice acknowledged the need for poisons, but she didn’t like them.
Once the pair reached the greenhouse, the Gaidar let them in, and both took a moment to inhale the aromas. Not a deep inhale for some of the herbs and flowers in the greenhouse were toxic scented as well as toxic to consume, but just a soft inhale to make sure everything was as it should be.
They were quick to enter, and Nani set her books and notes down on a clear table. “Now, given the knowledge that I just imparted to you, what is this herb?” The Gaidar asked as she pointed to one of the potted plants. It was a beautiful white flowered plant, with small thorns on it, and small curling vines. “Crimsonthorn, used in your red backed fans, causing heavy paralysis in large doses, but can also be used in very small doses as a painkiller.” Nani smiled at the Novice and nodded. “Well done. This is one of the herbs that you can’t build a tolerance to because of the fact that it will shut down your breathing, and your body’s ability to function.”
And so the rest of Angelique’s free period went, identifying all the plants in the greenhouse, while she jotted down any notes that she needed to add to her notes. “Alright Novice, off you go. It’s time for your next class. If you have any more questions, you’re better off to come to me.” She said, dismissing the young woman.
“Thank you Gaidar Nani. I appreciate this more then you can know.” She replied, bowing low and then headed to the door gathering her things and heading for her next class, her mind full again of the herbs she knew and the ones she had learned of that day. She would do more research, and perhaps become more known of poisons then even Nani, and help her keep her weaponry up to date.
| Written for Herbcraft Mastery - Wordcount 1169 |