Tale Thirty-Five, An Unexpected Reunion
"Alright, ya should be good for the next few months," Alfyn reported positively.
The apothecary stood up from the bed he knelt beside. It held an ailing woman that appeared much better than she had minutes ago.
Tentatively, and with her son's help, she sat up in her bed. Her eyes widened, speaking volumes as she realized how quickly the medicine had made her illness wane.
"Oh, my…" she mumbled happily. "I haven't felt this spritely since the day I met your father."
"You look it, ma," her son replied with choked words. Then, he turned to Alfyn. "How much do we owe ya, Alfyn?"
The blonde apothecary waved his hand dismissively. "Think nothin' of it. Gotta help folks when I can. Just remember to take the medicine I've left on your table every night before bed. It'll get ya on your feet in no time."
"Thank you, Alfyn. Truly, thank you."
Growing bashful at the praise, Alfyn rubbed the back of his neck and excused himself so that the woman could rest. In such a small house, it didn't take him long to find the door and make his exit. Once he passed the house's threshold, Alfyn stood straight, hands at his hips as he inhaled the crisp air deeply.
Exhaling, he exclaimed, "Ain't nothin' like a Riverlands autumn."
Then, the apothecary walked the stone path leading to his most recent patient's home and strode down the dirt road bordered on both sides by waves of tan grass. Interspersed splatterings of color weaved together in the form of aging oaks showing off their orange, red, and yellow leaves. Children played games around him and adults tended to their jobs for the day or whispered harmless gossip between each other. The joy filling the air like a comforting blanket rubbed off on Alfyn as he strode through his childhood home of Clearbrook.
Many familiar faces greeted him - unfortunately, Zeph wasn't amongst them as he had his own patients to tend to in Saintsbridge. It didn't bother Alfyn too much, as he could see the others in the village he cared about. Besides, he'd be seeing Zeph in Flamesgrace sooner rather than later.
Of that, the young and bright apothecary knew.
Funnily enough, as if he were still traveling with the Octopath Travelers, Alfyn found himself subconsciously opening the door of the Clearbrook Tavern. As he passed into the establishment, he caught what he was doing and shook his head with a chuckle.
"Old habits die hard, I guess," he mumbled to himself.
Continuing his subconscious habits, he adjusted the strap of his satchel around his shoulder and scanned the room for members of his traveling family. Of course, Alfyn didn't think he would find them here of all places, yet he couldn't help scrutinizing the backs of the spare number of patrons that had flocked to the tavern in the late afternoon.
Yet something seemed oddly familiar about a man wearing a purple cloak with white hair sitting at the bar. Next to him was a woman donned in thicker leather clothing, the product of a successful hunt turned into a tunic fit for the colder weather. Odder enough was the snow leopard lying at the base of the woman's stool, eyes trained perfectly on Alfyn.
Then, snapping out of his daze of disbelief, Alfyn's eyes widened.
He couldn't believe it.
"Therion? H'aanit!?" Alfyn exclaimed.
The two Travelers' heads perked up at hearing their names out-of-the-blue. They turned around in their seats, looks of surprise donning their faces similar to Alfyn's.
Before they knew it, the apothecary had descended upon the pair, engulfing them in a group hug.
"Knew it was you guys!" he exclaimed, hugging them for a few seconds before breaking apart. "Could spot Therion from a mile away! Pretty bad for a thief of your caliber."
Therion raised one eyebrow in amusement. "Haven't seen me in a year and that's how you greet me?"
Alfyn nodded with an excited smile.
The thief sighed, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Guess that's fair. You're as loud as ever, though."
"Right? And H'aanit, it's good to see you and Linde healthy."
"Thanken in part to thou's teachings," H'aanit replied gratefully. "As thou can seest, I hath continued mine training quite successfully."
Alfyn's pupil produced a satchel from her side similar to her teacher's. Removing the flap of the pack for her companions to see, it contained an array of herbs and bottles - both empty and full. It seemed H'aanit had continued perfecting her skills as an apothecary after the Octopath Travelers had completed their journeys.
Alfyn chuckled. "Seems we've all changed and mastered our new crafts a bit, huh?"
The apothecary, apprenticed as a warrior to Olberic, rose his tan tunic to reveal a shirt of chain mail under it. A few chinks in the knitted armor showed H'aanit and Therion Alfyn had put his training to use. He turned around briefly and used his thumb to point at a double-bearded ax sheathed along his back.
Facing them again, Alfyn stated, "How 'bout you Therion? Putting your new talents to good use."
"One moment," the thief interrupted.
The white-haired man turned to the barkeep and rose three fingers. While the conversation between the two stayed between them, Alfyn and H'aanit saw Therion shaking his head twice before nodding once. Finished, the barkeep sighed and walked away, returning to the Travelers not long after with three new mugs filled to the brim with mead.
Alfyn took this as his invitation to join his former traveling companions, sitting between H'aanit and Therion at the bar. Immediately, he downed half of his mug of mead, relishing in the honey-sweet taste.
"Got all of these for the price of one and a half - negotiated a bit, reminding the barkeep it's too early for full-priced drinks and the crowds here are thin in the noon hours," Therion explained proudly.
"Thou hast been keeping with your teachings. Tressa shallst been proud," H'aanit said in wonderment.
"An honest thief now, huh? I remember when we first met ya, ya would've just swiped some poor sods' drinks right from under their noses," Alfyn jabbed.
"Yeah, well, like I told H'aanit, that's on you guys."
Alfyn's grin only widened. "Guessin' Philia sent out the letters?"
"Indeed, that ist why we art traveling again," H'aanit answered.
"Well I've finished up with some patients back here and I figure you're goin' to get Olberic next?"
"That ist the plan."
"Great! Then we'll be headin' in the same direction back to Flamesgrace. Guess I'll be taggin' along."
Therion took a sip of his mead and rolled his eyes goodnaturedly at the apothecary. "Guess so, thanks for inviting yourself."
Both Alfyn and H'aanit laughed at the honest reply, noticing the small smile Therion had on his face that betrayed his true feelings. The Octopath Travelers were slowly coming back together.