Chapter 4: Remedy

As Lucius returned to the camp, he saw to his amusement that both Dorcas and Oswin had fallen fast asleep, sat upright, holding their weapons. He suppressed a laugh as he remembered their earlier conversation before focusing his attention towards Florina's tent. Walking towards it, he reached his hand into his satchel, feeling for the bottle inside. The remedy that would hopefully cure Florina.

Kneeling, he couldn't help but feel slightly nervous as he cast his gaze upon Florina, who appeared to be awake. She was shivering, and by the putrid smell within the tent, it was clear that she had thrown up and her tainted breath was condensing within the tent.

"…Florina" Lucius whispered. "Are you awake?"

"…Lu…Lucius…." Florina uttered, her shaky voice torn by her shivering. "I-It's so c-cold…what are you doing…i-in my tent?" Lucius moved into the tent, kneeling beside Florina. She was suffering from cold sweats and her eyes seemed to be staring somewhat blankly towards him.

"Oh my…you look horrible" Lucius said quietly. "I…I brought some medicine for you"

Lucius noticed Florina's expression change into one of slight hope.

"M-medicine?" she asked. "Wh-where did you…get it?" Lucius took the time to pull out the small bottle in his satchel. It was full of a clear, yet slightly foggy liquid. The bottle was the size of his palm as he held it for Florina to see.

"It's…something I've made myself" Lucius explained. "It's a remedy made from bergamot and vetiver"

Florina swallowed her saliva before reaching her hands to clutch the top of her duvet.

"What's that?" she asked.

"I'll explain to you now" Lucius said. "But first, I need you to sit up"

Florina understood the command and with Lucius's help, she hoisted herself up into a sitting position. She bent over slightly, holding her stomach and her head, her hair all messed up, dirty and uncombed.

"A-ah…" she wheezed. "I'm in…so much p-pain…"

"You'll feel better after this, I'm sure" Lucius comforted. "Maybe if I explain a little about this medicine, you'll feel more inclined to take it?" He watched as Florina clutched her stomach, breathing in sharply, clearly in pain. Wincing, she nodded vigorously. Lucius prepared the medicine.

"Now, bergamot is a herb that has healing properties" he begun, attempting to uncork the bottle It contains chemicals that'll reduce your pain and nausea. The vetiver is there for the taste really, because bergamot by itself doesn't have a particularly pleasant taste. I mixed it with a little water and I want you to drink some of this for me. That way it can enter your blood stream and begin its healing process"

"H-how sure are you that this…w-will work?" Florina asked.

"It's a medicine I learnt how to create when I was training to be a monk" Lucius explained. "With a few different ingredients and some hot heat, it makes a very nice medicinal tea as well. Here, please drink a portion of this for me…"

Lucius handed Florina the bottle, who took it and started to drink it without doubt or hesitation. She managed to drink a third of it before Lucius signaled for her to stop. She drank without difficulty, although she started to cough after she swallowed the last of what was in her mouth. Lucius handed her a towel to wipe her mouth before he helped her back into her resting position, listening to her exhale as she was lowered.

"That….tasted nice…" she said quietly, sighing. Already her shivers were reducing.

"I'm not sure how well this will work" Lucius said. "It might cure you instantly, or it might take a few doses. What's important is that you're well enough to make it to Ostia. They'll have top-of-the-range medicine for you there and you'll be better in no time"

"Lucius…..thank you" Florina said. "Y-you're…so kind…a-ah!"

Florina's face scrunched in pain as she jolted suddenly.

"Are you okay?" Lucius asked, flustered by the sudden movement.

"Nng….my leg….it really hurts…" Florina uttered. Lucius shot his gaze towards her leg, which was bare and exposed. He realized she was sleeping in her armor.

"In what way?" Lucius asked. He then realized something was wrong with her leg. He noticed the severe bruise on her leg, which had previously been partly disguised by the darkness of the night, and a slight deformity. Placing his hand softly against her shin, he could feel the abnormality. The surface of her shin was bumpy and uneven, as if something had snapped within. His knowledge of health, however limited, was enough to identify the problem.

"Your leg…it's fractured" he revealed. He saw Florina gasp in pain as he placed his hand upon the break. Lucius felt slightly strange at touching her leg, but the pure fact that it was for a medical purpose eliminated any doubt or thought in his mind.

"Please, don't move" Lucius asked, half pleading with urgency. "It'll only make the break worse. Stay completely still, and tomorrow morning we'll sort it out for you. I'm sure Serra can do something about it"

Florina laid her head back on her cushion, sighing.

"I'm sorry I'm such trouble…" she said quietly, somewhat upset by it all.

"Think nothing of it, Florina" Lucius whispered back. "I only want to see everybody happy and healthy. Good night, and rest well" he said. He placed the remedy back into his satchel before shuffling out of the tent and back out into the open.

As he stood back onto his feet, he noticed Eliwood standing outside, sat near the fire. Oswin and Dorcas were still fast asleep. As Lucius emerged from the tent, Eliwood noticed his presence at once and walked up to him.

"Lucius!" he said with attention. "What are you doing in Florina's tent?"

Lucius felt a pang of embarrassment as he examined the situation from another view, realizing how strange it seemed.

"I'm sorry, Lord Eliwood…" he said suddenly. "I was giving Florina some medicine…"

"Medicine?" Eliwood asked. "We don't have any medicine, what are you talking about?"

Lucius hastily pulled out the bottle of bergamot and vetiver, handing it to Eliwood to examine.

"This" he said. Eliwood looked at the bottle in confusion, lifting it up to his eyes, spying the strange liquid within. His face was a mixture of curiosity and a growing bother as he lowered and looked back at Lucius with a partially accusing stare.

"…You had this on your person all along, didn't you?" he asked, an annoyed expression creeping on his face.

"No, no!" Lucius protested. "I went to a farm house not far from here and they had a lot of spare herbs I could use. I…created the medicine there before coming back here and giving some of it to Florina" Eliwood continued to stare at Lucius, before looked back down at the bottle.

"…I trust you Lucius" Eliwood said kindly, his annoyed expression fading into a calm one as he looked back up. "…You made this? I'm very impressed!"

"O-oh…thank you, Lord Eliwood" Lucius responded, humbled by the comment.

"Actually…may I smell it?" Eliwood asked.

"Of course" Lucius replied, a little confused at the request. Smell it? He watched as Eliwood unplugged the bottle and took a deep smell of the tonic within, closing his eyes to focus on the aroma. A smile came across his face before he opened his eyes again.

"…Vetiver?" he asked. Lucius was impressed that he detected the smell.

"It is, Lord Eliwood" he confirmed. "But it's only the smell. The medicine is primarily bergamot, mixed with water"

Eliwood closed the bottle, looking at the medicine again.

"I knew I recognized the scent from somewhere…" Eliwood said, his face suddenly straining with sadness. "…Bergamot and vetiver. My father…he used to give me the very same medicine when I was feeling ill myself" he revealed.

"Truly?" Lucius asked, taking a step closer. Eliwood nodded in response, handing the bottle back to Lucius.

"Hah, I remember the first time I had it, when I was five…" Eliwood recalled. "I had a nasty fever and I remember seeing my father walk in with a bottle of the remedy and a spoon. He said 'Son, I brought you some medicine, and I want you to drink down every spoonful! No protesting!' and he would open the bottle. I cried a lot in protest before I had my first taste of it, but after that, my father had little trouble spoon-feeding me the remedy. Since then, every time I was ill, he would bring the medicine for me to take. Why, I recollect a few days before he vanished, I had injured myself sparring with Marcus…"

Eliwood's face turned into a wistful stare as he retold the fond memory.

"I had a vulnerary to heal the wound, but I felt a little dizzy from the pain, not to forget a little depressed from not being able to hold my own in a sparring session. I went to my father for some medicine and the attendants went to fetch it. Then…" Eliwood started to snigger, causing Lucius to chuckle a little as well. "When my father was given the bottle, as I reached for it, he grabbed my arm and pulled me onto his lap!"

"Really?" Lucius asked, stifling a giggle. Eliwood giggled as well, shaking his head.

"He pulled with such force that I fell right onto his lap. I couldn't believe what my father was attempting, but he readied the spoon he fed mw with as a child and begun to spoon feed me right there on the throne! My mother and all the attendants couldn't stop laughing, it really cheered me up! Ah, it will remain such a fond memory…"

His body drooped slightly in sadness. Lucius stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Eliwood's shoulder.

"I'm very sorry for what happened…" he said quietly. "It must be awful for you to go through such a tragedy" Lucius suddenly realized a connection between the two, and although the memory didn't seem to affect Lucius as much, he decided to divulge it for Eliwood's sake. "…If it makes you feel any better, my father is dead as well"

Eliwood looked up, a little surprised.

"Really?" he asked.

"It was awful…" Lucius recollected. "I remember finding him….dead. He had been murdered…"

"Oh Lucius, I'm very sorry" Eliwood said quickly.

"It's okay" Lucius responded. "It's been a very long time since then. My faith…it has soothed the painful memories. I can only pray you recover swiftly from yours"

"Thank you Lucius" Eliwood said, standing up straight. "I was hoping you wouldn't catch me out here. I couldn't show a weakened face to all of you here. It would hurt morale"

"It's okay, Lord Eliwood" Lucius reminded. "We're all a team, remember!"

"…I also want to thank you for your kindness towards Florina" Eliwood added. Lucius felt slightly hot under his collar as Florina's name was mentioned. Was he to become famed for this?

"It really is nothing, Lord Eliwood, I only wanted to see her pain eased" Lucius explained. "I would have done the same for anyone who had been hit by that arrow last night"

"I understand" Eliwood said, looking towards the horizon. A faint light could be seen rising.

"It'll be dawn soon" he said. "I'll wake up our 'night guards' and start preparing the convoy. Thank you for all of this, Lucius" he said, nodding before going to scold Oswin and Dorcas for sleeping on the job. Lucius nodded with a smile before turning to loom at Florina's tent. He wished quietly that nobody would make a big fuss out of his deed and went back to his tent to prepare for the continuing journey ahead. They would reach Ostia during their next day of travelling…