Chapter Text
The Riverlands were famously considered to be Orsterra’s bread basket. The temperature was almost always pleasant, warm enough to send a trickle of sweat down one’s brow, but cool enough to refresh both mind and spirit. As the name suggested, rivers and tributaries meandered across the land, delivering fresh water to lush fields. The region was blessed with nutrient rich soils, fertile enough to support 75% of the entire continent. Much of the land was squared off into fields for cultivating crops and pastures for grazing livestock. The hills were dotted with cows and horses. Chickens and their chicks bopped around town relatively stress free. Old farm dogs lounged on their families’ porches when off duty from herding sheep. Cats kept the barns and streets rodent-free.
Two well-known, distinguished sister cities- Saintsbridge and Riverford- were bustling, industrious, and thriving. However Clearbrook was more like the lesser-known, quirky sibling. It was inaccurate to say that Clearbrook was an extraordinary town. Besides it’s scenic and peaceful setting, it was hardly anything special. Travelers didn’t often stop in for a visit, nor did they stay for very long. But the town had acquired a reputation for being pleasant enough in passing. Most of the residents were farmers and fishermen who lived simple lives. Although money wasn’t particularly plentiful, there was a certain friendliness imbued in the hearts of most everyone. Small town manners permeated every social interaction. There was no shortage of “how do ya do’s”. At the crack of dawn, Clearbrook denizens stirred awake and began their daily routines. At the hush of dusk, they laid their heads on chicken feather pillows to rest. It was as if everyone adhered to an unspoken curfew out of respect for their neighbors. Folks in these parts slept soundly at night. With two exceptions, barkeeps and apothecaries.
In this age, the arts of medicine and healing are still in their infancy. With disease and illness rampant, the people rely on salves and tinctures fashioned by apothecaries. The apothecary profession was in high demand all over Orsterra, some willing to pay top dollar in exchange for the health and safety of their family. With the role being so coveted, many would assume that more people would pursue the medical fields. On the contrary, the ways of medicine weren’t often taught to common folk. Family secrets were passed down from one generation of apothecaries to the next. Some people were suspicious about the lack of transparency in the medical occupation. But most were too reliant to argue with the system.
The swirling orange hues in the sky intermingled with shades of pink and blue. The faint hints of light shined in through a glass window of a small house and over a sink. A young man stood amongst a variety of glass containers littering an old wooden countertop. Hands busied themselves rolling chamomile blossoms around in a marble mortar and pestle set. Almond brown eyes glanced down at those steady hands. Golden rays had just begun to peek out from over the horizon. Radiant and beautiful. No matter how many times I’ve seen it before, it’s still amazing. Letting out a relaxed sigh, he set down his tools and shuffled over to the bookshelf. Well, would-be bookshelf if it weren’t crammed with jars and bottles. Peering up at the top shelf, he wrinkled his nose and tossed tweed brown hair away from his forehead.
Stupid, tall shelves. I’d better reorganize these soon before... He stood up on his tiptoes to grasp a nearly empty mason jar off the top shelf. The lid gave a little pop noise as it released, dumping its contents into his hand. He rolled the lavender spike back and forth along his fingers to feel for moisture before nodding. Fully dry and ready. The lavender was rolled into the mortar and was steadily ground into a powder, mingling with the remains of the chamomile. He unceremoniously poured a bit of the powder into a small purple dropper-styled bottle. A small pot on the stove simmered evenly. There was quite some time before the solvent of his concoction would finish curing. A young girl with matching hair colour to the man began to stir in the bed by the far wall. He walked over and placed a hand lovingly on her head.
“Morning Nina.” Matching almond brown eyes blinked back at him.
“Good mornin’, brother!” She smiled before hopping out of bed to get ready for her day. She excitedly pressed two white ribbons into his palm and bounced over to the mirror. The older brother smiled gently before kneeling down behind her. “I’m going to go play with Lily today!”
“How exciting. What are you girls planning on doing today, Nina?” He gently combed back the young girl’s long brown hair into two matching pigtails with practised ease. She puffed out her cheeks.
"Nuh-uh! It’s a secret, I ain’t gonna tell you!”
“Alright, alright. Just be careful out there y’hear?” Nina twisted her head in the mirror to check out her look.
“Maybe I should ask Alfyn to braid it again sometime… and okay, I will Zeph, I will!” Zeph quickly helped her straighten out her clothes. The girl snatched an apple from the bowl on the dining table before bounding towards the door. She slipped on her leather shoes, tapping her toes against the floor. Seeing her cheerful smile, Zeph felt a tiny smile tug at his own lips. She waved her hands excitedly “See ya!”
“I’ll see you around, Nina. Don’t get into any trouble today!” Zeph thought he heard her blow a raspberry at him the moment the door swung shut. He snorted and smiled to himself. So sassy, that one. His father always told him that Nina was a parting gift from their mother who had died due to complications during childbirth. Although the medical field was growing with the emergence of clerics and apothecaries, birth-related mortality was still exceedingly high.
Glancing out the window, he noticed the orange tints had vanished, making way for a blue cloudless sky. It was about time to start making his rounds. Zeph loved his job. As an apothecary, he made sure to keep the townsfolk happy and healthy. A lfyn will be checking up on old man Alek so I should start with…
...
After finishing his morning rounds, Zeph decided to take a stroll. With Alfyn around, his workload was much lighter in recent years. Speaking of, he hadn’t run into his best friend today. He’d made the trip over to old man Alek’s place to check if Alfyn was still over there and needed any help. However the granddaughter informed him that Alfyn had already finished brewing the cough syrup and left hours ago. The town was very small, so Zeph made quick work of searching the area. He had a sinking feeling he knew where his friend might be. A gray tabby cat basking on a bench by the river eyed him curiously as he passed the docks.
The Clearbrook Cemetery sat high on a plateau above the rest of the town. The soles of leather boots knocked loudly against the wooden plank stairs. The area was fenced off and tended to frequently. Tiny flowers dotted the perimeter. The sun was directly overhead at this time of day. Just a few feet ahead, a young man with soft blonde hair hunched over a small grave in the back. A handful of white carnations lie upon the spot. As Zeph approaches, he overhears him talking quietly to the headstone.
“Mama… Did you see me, ma? I whipped up an antitussive elixir like you wouldn’t believe! ...Can’t believe it’s already been a year already… Am I any closer to being the man I want to be? The man he was...”
“Alf! I’ve been looking all over for you!” The blond straightens up and wears a shy smile, perhaps embarrassed of being found in such a state.
“Heya, Zeph. Done for the day?” Alfyn raises his hand in greeting.
“Yes, only two patients today. Having you around sure eases the burden.” Zeph turns and glances down the hill at their tiny town. “If only I could convince you to quit giving out discounts…”
“Aw, c'mon” Alfyn sighs and crosses his arms. “The poor gal has enough trouble looking after old Alek. I can’t very well take what little she has.” Zeph just chuckles and rests a hand on his friend’s shoulder. Almond brown eyes met cognac eyes.
He hasn’t properly looked at Alfyn like this in a while. Alfyn used to be such a runty little kid... Now he had to be six feet tall at least. His chest and shoulders had also broadened considerably. His voice deepened as his Adam's apple developed. I think this is the longest Alfyn has ever worn his hair before. It’s fastened with a red tie at the back of his head. His jaw was sharper and a bit scruffy as small hairs tried to poke their way out. In short, Alfyn had developed into a rugged but handsome adult. But his eyes still looked the same as they did when they were little. Zeph coughed and scratched the back of his head after realizing how blatantly he was staring at his childhood friend.
“Hah. I’m just teasing. You know that’s what I like about you.” Zeph smiles brightly and nods his head. “If the villagers are happy and healthy, that’s more than good enough for me.”
Alfyn chuckles. “Haha, couldn’ta said it better myself.”
Zeph always found himself admiring his friend’s charitable and generous nature. He offered his heart and soul to people and asked for nothing in return. Behind the scenes, Zeph saw to what lengths Alfyn would go to for his work. After Ms. Greengrass died last year, Alfyn lived alone. However, instead of mourning for long, he began working even harder. The Greengrass cabin began to look more and more like a greenhouse with each passing day. Every morning, Alfyn would tend to planter after planter of ingredients. Since he insisted on not accepting payment, he couldn’t exactly buy ingredients from the market. So he ventured out with one of Zeph’s father’s apothecary journals and looked for plants to bring back home. He’d dry and preserve them all on his own.
While Zeph also kept an ingredient garden for his concoctions, his collection was nowhere near as extensive as Alfyn’s. His friend was constantly finding new plant species and trying new recipes. Although Zeph had more experience under his belt, Alfyn was quickly outpacing him. His concocting methods were becoming more effective. His tinctures and elixirs were becoming more refined and potent.
They both had learned the pharmaceutical arts by studying under Zeph’s father who had been the town’s apothecary. However, he passed away four years ago and the boys were left to pick up the pieces on their own. Zeph stepped up to become the official local apothecary and carry on his father’s work. However at the rate that Alfyn was improving, it was clear who was superior. Perhaps Zeph would be jealous if he weren’t so amazed by his closest friend.
“We may be new to this, but between the two of us, this village is in safe hands.” Zeph declared matter of factly.
“Sure is. Plagues? Epidemic? Bring your worst!” Alfyn balled up his fists, looking like an overly eager child.
“I’m counting on you, Alf. We all are.” Zeph closed his eyes, letting nostalgia wash over him. He gave his friend a playful grin. “Who’d have thought that little troublemaker would turn out to be a top-notch apothecary, eh?”
Alfyn balked at that before putting on a theatrical accent and rolling his eyes. “We can’t all be born with a silver pestle in hand, Master Zeph.” The two friends had a good laugh at that.
Feeling more at ease, Zeph approached the tiny plot. “Your mother would be proud.”
“Maybe…”
Zeph took note of the time and figured it’d be best to go. “Anyways… I should be getting back to Nina.”
“Yeah, beat it. Head on home, Big Brother.” Zeph smiled and turned to leave before stopping in his tracks.
“...Hey, Alfyn?” Zeph’s voice was a little huskier and deeper. “We’ve been friends ever since we were small, right?” He took a deep breath and glanced over his shoulder at his friend. “I know you better than anyone. So be honest…” Are you unhappy here? Am I the reason you don’t want to stay here anymore? He shook his head to clear it of complicated thoughts and settled on “You’re keeping something from me, aren’t you?”
Alfyn kept his back towards him and didn’t reply.
“I’m right, aren’t I? Alf, the truth is-” The truth is I’m sorry.
“Master Zeph!”Their next door neighbor was sprinting up the cemetery stairs. “Master Zeph, you must come quickly! It’s- it’s your sister!” Suddenly all the words in his head melted away. Nina!
Both apothecaries hastily ran off back towards the village. Upon returning home, Zeph kneeled down next to his sister who was clutching her leg on the bed and moaning in agony.
“These look like bite marks… Alfyn, could you take a look as well?” He looked perplexed that he was being asked for his input.
“Hmm? You got it buddy.” Alfyn kneeled down as well. He looked closer and noticed that the girl had fallen unconscious. “She’s fallen into a deep trance. This is worse than we thought.” Zeph nodded and knitted his eyebrows. He wore a lost expression on his face.
“Indeed… Nina’s the family I have. If I lost her, I’d…” I’d have lost everything. I’d have nothing left to live for.
“Wish she could tell us what happened…” Alfyn crossed his arms, thinking over all the different venomous creatures that resided in the Riverlands. There were at least five species that come to mind. But they couldn’t very well just pick one at random.
“It’s safe to assume she was bitten by something venomous- but what? Without knowing the nature of the venom….”
“Yeah, the wrong medicine could make things worse, and quick.”
“Damn it all!” Zeph cursed, feeling this horribly familiar sensation crawling up his spine. Helplessness. It was the same feeling from when his father walked in the house with a whimpering newborn in his arms and shook his head sadly. It was the same feeling from when he felt the strength leave his father’s body as he succumbed to liver cancer. I’ve devoted my life to a career that saves people but I can’t help anyone! I’m such a weak, pathetic failure! He was shaken from his breakdown by a hand on his shoulder.
“Let me ask around. Maybe someone saw something.” Alfyn spoke softly as if he were trying not to spook a child. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. For now, stay by her side.” He then dashed out of the house.
Less than ten minutes later, Alfyn sprinted back in and explained what Lily had informed him.
“Good Gods... a blotted Viper?”
“A nasty critter is there ever was one. This ain’t good...” Zeph reached out and grabbed his friend’s forearm. Alfyn could see the gears turning in his head.
“Time is of the essence. The venom is spreading through her veins as we speak. I must prepare an antidote with all haste. But I need to get my hands on the original venom. There’s supposed to be a nest of vipers in the cave of Rhiyo, yes?”
“Give me a break, there’s more dangers than just snakes in that cave. Zeph, if you go, you’ll suffer the same fate as Nina.”
“I know. But what choice do I have?” He glanced at the still body of his sister. “...I’ll leave at once. Look after Nina for me.” Alfyn intercepted Zeph’s path to the exit. Being almost chest to chest, he began to see just how large his friend had become. He had to crane his neck to make eye contact. Alfyn wore a resigned smile.
“Hold on, Zeph. You look after her, I’ll go.”
“Alfyn, are you mad?” Zeph could help himself from raising his voice in indignation. “I’m responsible for Nina- I won’t let you risk your life like this!” Alfyn gave him a sad smile that hurt to look at.
“Don’t worry about me…” He then turned on his heel and marched out the door. Just as Zeph was making to follow after him, Nina called out.
“Uhh… Zeph… Where are you...?” His heart shattered. He turned back to his bedridden sibling and clutched her hand desperately.
“Nina! I’m here.” He stared out the window above Nina’s bed, watching Alfyn’s bright green vest march out on the streets of Clearbrook. It was nearly evening. The sun was going down and nightfall was approaching. Fighting off animals in the dark was a losing battle for a human. However, as it stands, Nina wouldn’t survive until morning.
What he then saw surprised him greatly. Two strangers approached him. From a distance, Zeph could only make out so much. The two seemed to be flocked by two strange looking dogs as well. After what appeared to be a short conversation, the three banded together and headed off towards the cave.
Zeph sighed and planted his face in his palm. Alfyn was always a talker. He often joked that it was his second super power after medicine making. Of course, he’d be able to befriend out of towners in five minutes flat and convince them to go on a quest with him. Alf, just come back safe, y’hear?
...
Cursed waterblooms! Cursed vipers! They’ve taken my Nina… And now they might take my Alfyn… Zeph felt hot and cold all over. What are you saying? No, I have no right to claim a stake on Alfyn, he’s just my friend. He… Zeph sighed long and heavy.
He quickly returned to Nina’s side with a wet cloth to wipe her forehead. She was suffering from the symptoms of the snake venom. Her hand was viciously red and swollen. The bruising around the puncture marks had turned the surrounding skin black. Sweat beaded along her face as her body desperately tried to rid itself of the poison in her bloodstream.
“Zeph please… I don’t feel good…” Zeph felt new adrenaline pump into him every time she vocalized her pain. Being a family of apothecaries, in most cases, an answer or a cure was easily within arm’s reach. This time, Zeph was powerless and he hated every moment of it.
“Nina, please hang on. Alfyn is going to fix this! He’ll be back before you know it and you’ll start feeling all better.” Zeph held her hand and lowered his head. “So please… don’t leave me.”
From the outside view, Alfyn’s and Zeph’s friendship had always been cut and dry. They were neighbors, their houses separated by only a cobblestone bridge. But what no one knew was that there were cracks in it. Parts where the seams didn’t quite align.
Alfyn was born premature. This caused him to be a bit frail and he got sick more easily. The other villagers kept him at an arm’s distance. Parents didn’t want their kids to catch anything from him or give him anything by accident. Others simply didn’t want to associate with someone so small and fragile. This deeply bothered a young Alfyn to no end. He ended up becoming a bit of an attention seeking troublemaker and often worried his poor mother sick. He’d play harmless pranks on other villagers, try to sneak into places he wasn’t allowed, and came home way after curfew. Sometimes he’d try to bring home cats and dogs to be his friends. His mother promptly made him return the animals to their rightful owners.
It wasn’t until he had survived a life endangering illness that Alfyn began to clean up his act. He became inspired to become an apothecary and became close friends with Zeph. His father accepted Alfyn as if he were his second son.
“Papa, aren’t you scared that Alfyn is sick? Or might make me sick?”
“I’m an apothecary, son. I don’t fear the sick, I heal the sick. If there were something wrong with any of you kids, I’d take care of you until you were all better. Your mother and I assisted his mother when he was born and I’ve watched him grow up ever since. There’s nothing wrong with that young man. But you know what, son?” His father had leaned in close to him. “He could really use a friend, Zephyr.”
And that was all the convincing, Zeph had needed. He couldn’t count all the times they’d sit by the fire and leaf through his dad’s apothecary tomes. Or would go out and collect ingredients for his dad’s medicines. Sometimes they would just sit on the docks and wonder what life was like outside of the Riverlands. These joyful and worry-free days died out. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but Zeph truly regretted how it played out.
“ Hey, Alf?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you like girls yet, Alf?”
“What do ya mean?”
“I mean girls, Alf. My dad says liking girls is a normal part of growing up as a man. I’m eleven now so I think it’s time I start liking girls. Do you like girls yet?”
“Um, well, how can I tell if I like girls, Zeph?”
“ I think if your heart speeds up then you like girls. When I see that new girl, Mercedes, my heart speeds up.”
“Huh. I guess I never notice my heart.”
“How fast is it going right now, Alf?”
“...Fast.”
“That’s pretty weird, Alf.”
“Oh, uh sorry. I guess I don’t like girls yet then. My mama tells me I develop slower than others. Maybe I’m just slow.”
Maybe it was after this conversation, that things began to change. Alfyn had always been a bit of a puppy. He was constantly following Zeph around. It never bothered him before, but all of a sudden it wasn’t fun anymore. It started to really annoy him. Even his sister didn’t follow after him the way Alfyn did. Sometimes he could feel people’s eyes lingering on them when they’d spend time together. Suddenly everything felt magnified and it bothered him. Alfyn would lean in too close, Alfyn would look at him too much, Alfyn would smile too much. He was always trying to touch him. He’d put his arm around his shoulder or try to hug Zeph in front of the whole town. Now it was messing with HIS heart rate too! Everything about Alfyn was too suggestive and it made his stomach flutter uncomfortably. So he began to push him away.
“Leave me alone, Alfyn, I don’t want to play with you anymore...”
“Stop touching me so much Alfyn, it’s not normal.”
“I’m a guy, Alfyn. Don’t you get that?”
“Alfyn, just go away! There’s something wrong with you!”
God, Zeph regretted treating Alfyn the way he had. When Mercedes began to pay more attention to him, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. His nights were no longer spent looking through the medicine books. He found himself reading novels and short stories with Mercedes. The feelings he felt around Mercedes were similar to those he felt with Alfyn. Except, he didn’t feel like the village was watching him or criticizing him anymore. This non-judgement from his community allowed him to breathe easy for once. The time he had stayed away from Alfyn transitioned from weeks to months to even years.
The day before he had turned thirteen, Mercedes had moved away. On his birthday, it was Alfyn who’s shoulder he’d cried into that night. Despite his rudeness and almost two year long abandonment, Alfyn was there for him when he needed him most. He’s always been selfless, he thinks nothing of himself.
After that, Zeph began to not think about those feelings anymore. He buckled down and began to relearn medicine. Alfyn had become his cheerful best friend again and they both acted like nothing ever happened for years after. There was a noticeable uncrossable distance between the boys after that however. Around two years after Mercedes left, Nina was born and his father became a widower. His father spent too many nights in the taverns after that. It was another two years later that the alcohol took him away as well. Zeph not only had to step into his father’s shoes but he also had to take on raising his two year old sister at just seventeen. Old enough to handle the physical demands of the job, but not old enough to handle the emotional ones. There was an unspoken resolve on both their ends to put aside their past and step up as adults. Ms. Greengrass also stepped in to help raise little Nina when she could as well until she, too, passed away. Alfyn and Zeph became a duo who both looked after Nina and studied hard to quickly advance their careers. They were Clearbrook’s heroes and their relationship had vastly improved over the last four years. As an adult, Zeph had gained more confidence. He found that for once, he didn’t care if the other villagers gossiped about them. He had more important things to worry about.
Alfyn’s always been a good friend. Even when I rejected him… He still accepted me back into his life. Even while I was busy falling all over myself for Mercedes, he never lost focus of his studies. He kept thinking about all the people he wanted to help, all the lives he wanted to change. No matter his feelings, he’s always dedicated. And now he’s even better than me. In fact, he’s brilliant.
After checking on Nina again, Zeph sat near her bed dutifully. She stared up at him with red rimmed glossy eyes. He clutched her hand.
“Forgive me, Nina… when father died and left the two of us alone, I didn’t know what to do. The truth is, I didn’t think I’d be able to raise you and protect you on my own. But Alf was always there to lend a helping hand” He smiled fondly at the memories. “When he told me he wanted to study together and become an apothecary himself… He gave me the strength to carry on. He’s always so humble, apologizing for being a burden on me… But the truth is, I’m the one who’s been relying on him all this time. If only I could be more like him...”
“Brother…”
“I’ve been a terrible friend, Nina. I’ve hurt Alfyn in ways that can’t be apologized for. But I don’t care what people think anymore. I’m not ashamed anymore. He’s my best friend. I’m gonna be better now, Nina.”
“I know.” Even as exhausted and sickly as she was, she smiled and softly squeezed his hand. Her eyes gently lulled shut again and Zeph gently set her hand back down on the mattress. He quietly stepped away from her bed and sat at his desk.
At this point, there was nothing left for Alfyn in Clearbrook. His talents were wasted in a town this small and sparsely populated. It wasn’t big enough for all the goodwill he had to offer the world. For him to improve, he’d need to venture out and see what Orsterra had in store for him. It was only a matter of time before Alfyn came to this conclusion too. Zeph felt something settle within him. Spurred by his newly found conviction, he went to quickly fetch a feather pen and a piece of parchment.
“To my Dear Friend Alfyn...”
...
Zeph saw a green figure outside his window. He stood up and sprinted to the door.
“Alfyn!” He felt the sting of tears as his eyes flooded.
“Did you miss me? Heh, sorry it took so long.” Alfyn returned with the out-of-towners in tow. He looked exhausted but he wore a huge smile on his face.
“Oh, Alfyn! Thank the gods you’re safe...” Zeph quickly pulled his friend in for an embrace. Alfyn was the one to pull away first. He gently placed a corked vial into Zeph’s hands.
“I trust you can take it from here, eh?” Zeph nodded his head now smiling as well.
“I’ll get started at once!” He nodded at Alfyn’s acquaintances and took mental note of them. “Thank you for all you help as well.” As he turned on his heel to speed back to his medicine station to begin the antivenom, he heard Alfyn’s voice just barely above a whisper.
“Hang in there, friend.”
...
It was dark out when they met outside on the little cobblestone bridge dividing their homes.
“Thank you Alfyn, for everything. You’ve been the best friend I never deserved. And now you’ve saved my sister’s life. After all these years and all the things you’ve done for me, how could I ever repay you?” There was renewed excitement inside those cognac eyes that Zeph hadn’t seen in at least a decade.
“Don’t even mention it. I helped out someone in a bind. Simple as that.” Zeph sighed contentedly. I remember the origin of those words… You’ve worked your damnedest to become just like your hero. Way I see it, you’re already there.
“Alf… We’ve been together forever now. So I can tell… You want to leave this place, don’t you? You want to travel the world and help as many people as you can. Just like him.”
“Heh… You knew.” Zeph chuckles softly at Alfyn's sheepish expression.
“I’m not daft, you know.” Alfyn glances back and forth across the bridge to the two houses, his eyes slightly sad.
“But still, you-... this is my home.”
“I’ll see to it that the villagers are happy and healthy. I swear it on my life.” This is the role I was born to fulfill. “So go out and see the realm, Alf. Do it with your heart at ease and your head held high.” There’s nothing wrong with you, Alfyn. His face was bright red and he looked overwhelmed by the sentiment.
“Shucks…”
...
Zeph grabbed his letter and quickly slipped it into the bottom of the satchel. He was never good with words, but he hoped it would get his feelings across. He thought about Alfyn’s new companions. The girl looked strong, like she could definitely hold her own. That young man however… Zeph picked up a small purple dropper bottle and slipped it into the satchel as well. Couldn’t hurt. He didn’t want to miss his friend's departure, so he’d better hurry.
Leather boot soles thudded against wood stairs. Shades of orange and blue swirled in the sky overhead.