Tale Twenty-Seven, True to Convictions and So Much More
Windy but pleasant would be how Alfyn would describe the site of Graham Crossford's grave. It overlooked the Cliftlands below and allowed the apothecary to gaze out far over the horizon. Alongside him stood Ogen, still coughing once every now and then as he still recovered from his ailment. Yet his skin, once so pale and flushed, had color to it again, so Alfyn would say that his fellow apothecary was on the mend.
Therion, Olberic, and Ophilia stood respectfully behind the pair of apothecaries as they bid their master and savior farewell after seeing all he had done for them.
The location served as a good spot for the memorial.
Alfyn told Ogen as much after he asked why he had placed it there.
"A damn good reason as any, lad," he replied, a grimace on his bearded face. "A toast."
Ogen produced a flask, taking a swig from it instantly.
Then, he poured a splash of the amber liquid onto the grave.
Finally, he held it out to Alfyn.
"Here. Join us in one last drink. His and mine's favorite. Should be yours, too."
Alfyn took the flask gratefully, before taking a quick swig of the liquor. He immediately blanched at its taste and strength before coughing his lungs out. In the background, he swore he heard Therion chuckling at him.
Recovering, Alfyn finally managed to get out, "Whew, strong stuff… what is it?"
Ogen took the flask back and drank from it again before stowing it away in his pack.
"Cliftland rye whiskey, a strong drink, but an expensive one, so don't spit that out again, you hear?"
The senior apothecary chided his junior playfully as Alfyn finally fully recovered from his coughing fit.
Peaceful quiet blanketed the serene scene as the two apothecaries watched the sunset in the distance, Alfyn's companions patiently waiting as he shared this moment with Graham - quite possibly the last chance they'd have to do so together. A coming together of minds, of sorts, was taking place, one not wanting for collaboration or sharing of ideas, but reminiscing and thinking of the path forward.
Those thoughts prompted Ogen to speak. "You… Lad, you still believe in his creed, Graham's, I mean."
Alfyn nodded resolutely. "Without a doubt. It's something every apothecary should think about when they wonder what they want to do." He turned his attention to Olberic, Ophilia, and Therion, smiling. "Helping those in need, bein' the best you can for them, that's the true goal of an apothecary. I can't forget that again." The apothecary returned his gaze to Ogen. "You shouldn't either."
"Then you still believe in me, too?" Ogen asked uncertainly, even after everything Alfyn had told him.
Once more, Alfyn nodded. "Of course. Graham saw somethin' in you, too. Just like he saw somethin' in me and we saw somethin' in each other. We're all connected and we all gotta pick ourselves up when we're down. Because if we don't who will?"
"Then I think I'll take some time, travel around, help those I can until I find my way back to the path of the apothecary. You helped me do that and talkin' with you here, in front of Graham's grave, helps me remember why I started and how I should act when caring for my future patients."
Ogen turned and held out his hand to Alfyn. "You're a good man, Alfyn, and thanks for not giving up on an old dog like myself."
Alfyn shook the man's hand. "You're welcome, Ogen. Thank you for tellin' me about Graham."
"A small price to pay in return for your help. See you around, lad."
With that, Ogen turned to leave the grave, passing by Alfyn's fellow Travelers as he did so. He nodded towards them and said, "He's a good one. Take care of him."
All the Travelers nodded in turn with small smiles.
Then, the grizzled apothecary left, ready to follow the path to where people needed him.
Not long after Ogen had departed, Alfyn's friends came up to the younger apothecary, who had decided to stay at Graham's grave to watch the sun fully set below the horizon.
"Save any of that for us, or did you leave us dry?" Therion jested, referring to the rye Alfyn and Ogen had shared.
Alfyn chuckled. "Sorry, Therion, got nothin' left."
"Shame that."
"Ah, we don't need alcohol, right? Got a good view and good friends here."
Alfyn shifted his gaze to Ophilia as he spoke, taking her hand in his as she stood next to him.
Olberic smiled approvingly at his apprentice. "A warrior poet we will make out of you, yet. A healer, a man of words, and a man of action. I believe you have the soul of a true knight in you. Too bad I could not take you on as a squire."
"Don't think I'd make it as a real squire, Olberic," Alfyn admitted sheepishly.
He brushed his hand through his sandy blond hair, laughing a bit self-deprecatingly at his admission.
"No?" Ophilia started. "You have the charm and the etiquette."
The cleric's words, as playful as they were, left Alfyn a blushing mess. She would never have been able to say such things when they had met all those months ago.
"Not to mention that annoying sense of chivalry that borders on a hero complex," Therion finished with a smirk. "But you wouldn't be you if you weren't."
The thief softly punched the apothecary's chainmailed shoulder, actually appearing as the friend that Alfyn thought of him. It brought an embarrassed smile to the blond man's face.
"Geez, careful with the praise there, bud, people are goin' to think you actually like me," Alfyn replied sheepishly.
Therion rested his arms behind his head. "That's why I said it was annoying."
"Fair point."
The group of Travelers settled into an easy silence as they continued watching the colorful sunset fade slowly over the distant horizon. As it did so, the halo of the sun outlined the grave of Graham Crossford, providing an ethereal glow like the soul of the famed apothecary had found its home in this rough slab of engraved granite. Such a view would serve as an appropriate home for the man who gave so much to save those many he met.
It touched Alfyn.
He sighed. "After all this, I finally found him, only to hear he's dead."
Alfyn's words came out choked while he tried to hold back his emotion.
"I set out on this journey to help people, but I always hoped I'd find him. There was a lot I wanted to tell him, how he saved me, how he taught me so much by doin' just a bit, but I really just wanted to tell him thank you. After all, he didn't need to do what he did for me, but because of some twisted luck and coincidence, he did. Just from that, I learned so much.
"And I never got to thank him for it."
Then, he broke down, crouching on the ground, his hand covering his face as he attempted to hide his tears.
Both Ophilia and Therion crouched down next to him, the cleric rubbing his shoulder and arm comfortingly and the thief watching his friend carefully. Meanwhile, Olberic stood over them protectively from a respectable distance, arms crossed and face stoic.
While Alfyn had found himself and saved Ogen (in more ways than one), he still could - needed to - rely on those around him, no matter what. They'd always be there for him, whether nearby or from far away.
As an apothecary, he had learned to help others no matter their creed, affiliation, or past. As a person, he had learned that others were there to help him.
And he couldn't have come to that warming conclusion without learning from those around him to remember his goal as an apothecary.
He'd be there for them, and anyone else who needed it, too.
Alfyn sniffled and moved his hand from his face. With teary eyes and a soft smile, he watched the grave again.
"Thank you, Graham."
The sun set, leaving behind a small sliver of horizontal light behind the watchful grave.
Olberic and Therion went on ahead of Alfyn and Ophilia, deciding to join the rest of the Octopath Travelers at the local tavern and wait for the couple there.
For the two, they decided to stay past the sunset and watch the purple of dusk fade into the deep blue of night. As luck would have it, the night remained clear of clouds, peppering the darkness of the evening sky with the twinkling images of light.
They laughed at a joke Ophilia told before settling into each other, sitting close together.
"My father once said that the stars above reflected the people below, that for every person born a star would appear. For every person that died, well…"
Ophilia stopped herself, remembering her family as she thought about her sister. But she wouldn't let the melancholy take her and before Alfyn could say anything, she shook her head. A silent testament to her strength despite the situation she had found herself in.
While the apothecary was there for her, she had her own laurels to fall back on.
"But that's why the stars are so numerous and rarely disappear or shine anew - one person dies, another is born. It's the same with the stars."
Briefly, Alfyn eyed Ophilia warily, watching for any signs of sadness. Yet, he saw none as she continued to stargaze with a small smile.
The apothecary smiled, too, before turning his own attention to the heavenly diamonds.
"That's what they say, huh? Wonder if one of the stars went out for Ogen," he murmured.
Ophilia brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear as the wind blew in response to Alfyn's thought.
They chuckled.
"I think that means 'yes,'" Ophilia suggested happily.
While it was potentially coincidental, it put their minds at ease about the famed apothecary. His star would burn bright for a long time now, if not for an eternity. Alfyn hoped for the latter. Forever, coincidently, was something the blond man had been thinking about for some time now.
He fiddled with something in his pocket before taking a deep breath.
"So, once we're all done here, I mean with everyone. After we figure everythin' out. Ya know, with all of us, um…" Alfyn stammered, trying to figure out his words, his fingers nervously moving faster in his pocket. "What do you think you'll do…?"
"What I'll do?" Ophilia parroted before thinking about the question.
A furrow came to her brow. "It all depends, honestly. We- I need to see if what my sister said is true, and… I pray to Aelfric she is wrong. After all, his Excellency needs to meet you."
"Me?"
Summoning her strength again, she breathed out and laid her head against the apothecary's arm.
"Of course. Whatever comes next, I want you by my side."
"You do?"
Without a pause, she nodded against Alfyn's shoulder.
"I do."
Alfyn rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, here's hopin' that ain't the last time you say that."
That caught Ophilia's attention. She lifted her head. "What do you mean?"
"Just um… this."
Swiftly jumping on the segway, and with a quick, reassuring breath to calm his nerves, Alfyn plucked the object he had been toying with out of his pocket. He unclenched his hand in front of Ophilia, presenting the object to her.
Ophilia gasped, placing her hand over her mouth.
There, in Alfyn's palm, was a small circular band made of intertwining silver and gold. A well-forged ring, one with a message easily shared through its simplistic design.
Forever together.
"Alfyn…" Ophilia managed to speak his name.
"Yeah, I figured there's no turnin' back now and you said all of that stuff and I just wanted to make sure that after all of this, no matter what, well, ya know… let me start over…" Alfyn rambled, his nervousness taking over.
Through his stumbled words, Ophilia was able to pick out his meaning. She smiled and repeated the apothecary's name to get his attention.
When he didn't stop, she tried again.
"Alfyn."
For good measure, she cupped his face in her hands, regaining his full attention.
"Y-yes…?"
She giggled at him. "Try again."
Trying one more time to calm himself, Alfyn steadied his nerves and began again.
"Everyone here is talkin' about what they're gonna do after we're, well, all done. After thinkin' about it some, I thought I'd wanna keep travelin' with everyone once I found the answer to why I wanted to be an apothecary. We all have stuff we need help with. But after that, when all's said and done, I realized I wanted to stay by your side as long as I could and I wanted to know if you felt the same. And if ya did, then… would ya take me as your husband? Someone to stand by your side and help make the world better?"
Ophilia's smile only grew. "We have so much left to do, Alfyn, and once this is all over, under Aelfric's Flame, I hope that his Excellency and my sister could meet you as my betrothed. Yes, I will take you as mine, if you would take me as yours."
"Ya would? Then, um, yeah, here. The ring!"
Even after Ophilia had agreed, Alfyn was still a rambling mess as he tried to put on the ring on his betrothed's finger. Missing a couple of times, Ophilia couldn't help but laugh. She gently grabbed Aflyn's wrist, helping him guide the ring onto her finger. Once secured, she lifted her hand to the stars, looking at the ring on her finger.
"Oh, Alfyn, it's beautiful."
"It's my mother's. She left it to me after she passed away and I wanted to give it to the woman I would end up marrying."
Ophilia's cheeks warmed and tears shone, like stars, at the corner of her eyes as she watched the heirloom.
"Thank you for sharing something like this with me."
Alfyn reached his hand up to grab Ophilia's, her eyes turning to his.
"Thank you for sharin' your life with me."
They laughed and then kissed, sealing a promise they wanted to keep for after their travels were over. They would share their love with each other and those they cared about.
To find someone one cares about is not a trifling issue;
To find someone to share one's life with is a miracle unto itself.
Marriage and vows of love are exchanged nearly every day by many people, but every one is unique - something crafted through the shared personal experiences of those in love.
Sharing such a unique feeling with those around one, or promises of such can make the darkest days of one's life more bearable.
Strength and courage one may have, but having the ability to share in another's strength and courage as support is the everyday miracle found within each other…