Word: vulnerary - adjective - used for or useful in healing wounds
A/N: AU because of Duodecim. Set sometime before cycle 13
The man was a danger to the team, Golbez saw it immediately. There were other weak links, his brother among them, but the rebel troubled him the most. His actions through the last war had been nothing short of self-destructive. The warlock feared that, without a guiding hand, a new purpose, the man might well disregard his crystal to a vent for an anger he knew not where to direct.
And so Golbez had gone to Cosmos. Though he held suspicions of his own about her method of keeping her warriors in line, in this their interests were the same.
"No," Cosmos answered his inquiry, hiding any surprise at his appearance and proposal behind tranquil eyes. "Had I any notion of what preyed upon his mind I would have corrected it long ago. It pains me to see my warrior suffer so."
"Then has he any aspiration, some goal that may take his mind off this unknown loss or wrong?"
Golbez saw it then, for the briefest of moments, something hard and sharp lurching beneath the serene pools of the goddess's calm. He gave no indication of seeing it, but nonetheless felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as she answered, eyes mild once more.
"He spoke, once, to one of his companions, of a world filled with flowers. This image seemed to hold for him a great sense of contentment, and peace."
"And," she continued, almost as an afterthought. "his purpose in his home world was symbolized in his Wild Rose Rebellion. He was quite dedicated to its cause...and its princess."
"A wild rose, then." Conjuring such a thing was barely the work of a moment for Golbez. It seemed such a fragile thing, dwarfed and muted as it was against the imposing coldness of his gauntlet, so small to hold such a grand dream. He held it out to Cosmos.
The rose levitated out of the warlock's hand before vanishing in a flash of light. With a nod to Golbez, the goddess turned to depart.
"One moment," Golbez said, careful to keep his voice devoid of emotion. "If you knew all this, why not create such a thing yourself?"
The goddess's voice was full of regret as she replied, but Golbez could not look past the cool stillness of her eyes. "Even a goddess has her limitations."
She was gone in a flash of light.
Which was it she actually desired restored, Golbez mused, Firion's purpose or his devotion to his 'princess'? He dismissed the thought as inconsequential. He'd accomplished his goal.