Herb Women

December 20th, 1000

When Mila opened the door candlelight flooded into the dark street. Mistress was talking to herself, mumbling about herbs and theories for medicines. The young queen took a deep breath. If she failed at this there would not longer be a queenship to fight for.

“Mistress Adie?”

Mila asked. The woman turned and grinned. Her hair was blond and the only bit of color in her dress were flowers embroidered on her hair covering.

“Right on time, I’m glad to see that you’ll not be one of them lazy sorts that I seem to always get.”

Adie grabbed the Mila’s hand and pulled her deeper into the tiny, crowded room. A large table was in the middle, a worktable in the right-hand corner, and a door leading to Adie’s home in the left wall.

“We’ll take it easy today so that you have time to memorize all the plants and so forth. Can’t have you poisoning people, can we?”

Mila gulped. If she were to start killing people- there would be no hope for her, even if she did manage to make it a year.

“I’m guessing you ain’t got much muscle on those arms? Well- you can stir that pot in the corner for starters. A few days of that and you should have some nice hard arms- and sore hands.”

Mila nodded. Her lips were pressed tight together and her cheeks red from the cold. Adie stepped about the table that huddled in the middle of the room to the worktable. Mila stood before the pot. She grinned.

 It was just soup! Soup was manageable. Soup wouldn’t kill anyone, perhaps burn it but nothing worse than that. Mila grasped the large wooden spoon and stirred. The soup was thick with flour and chunks of things. After just a handful of minutes her upper arms burned and her back ached.

All there is to do is think of other things. I wonder what my parents are doing. I hope they’re happy with all the problems they’ve made for me to clean up. Nobody trusts me… used to be everyone did. Mom, what would you think knowing that I haven’t a single guard watching over me? Not even maids. I’m the maid now. One for someone poorer than I used to live. I ate more at one sitting than she does in an average day.

Mila glanced at her mistress. This woman’s hair was pulled back under a brown handkerchief with embroidery about the front edge. Her dress matched the kerchief in color but not in anything else. She wore a small apron and on her belt hung the tools of her trade, herbs, knives, and other things. Mila willed her arms to keep going. It was her first day… first hour. She couldn’t give in and say it was too hard. Not now with the entire country looking on, waiting for her to give up.

“Arms aching yet?”

Adie asked. Mila glanced over her shoulder. This woman! She seemed to know a lot about how a person was feeling than most. Mila shook her head.

“Your cheeks are getting red from heat now, I do believe. You can let it stew while you watch me put together this brew here. It’s simple enough and you need to learn sooner rather than later.”

Mila slid around the center table to the work area. It was littered with numerous dried and fresh plants. There were also vials of powders and liquids. On one shelf a human skull resided and grinned at them both.

“All my customers already knows a new girl is here. Their waiting for you to mess up once. Now my last girl, she was a real clumsy lass! My, I think the poor man she gave her first batch to has yet to recover.”

Adie chuckled as her hands moved so fast Mila could hardly see which herbs she was assembling.

The young woman watched and her heart fell into her stomach. This would take longer than learning to read had. How the battles were waged when she was small and found it so hard to memorize things!

“And there you have it. Ready to help an elder with their aches.”

Adie turned and Mila jerked upright to hide her expression. The older woman frowned. She sighed.

“You didn’t get down a single thing did ya? All you girls is the same.”

Mila shook her head, mouth so dry she feared to speak but knew something had to be said.

“I’ll get it, I promise. Please, just give me some… time. I need time to get things together.”

Adie nodded and pointed to a pile of dried leaves.

“This is the first thing you add. Only put one leaf- more than that and you’re liable to upset some poor old woman’s stomach for a week.”

I can do this. Not only to prove myself to Ponia but Jia needs the income to keep paying the rent and for my portion of the food. I won’t let her and those babies go without a roof because I wasn’t able to step forward and do what must be done.

Mila nodded, her brow furrowed and she bit her lower lip in the attempt to memorize the first step before the second came.

“This one here,” Adie pointed to a white flower, fresh. “You add two buds then mash it all until it’s a fine powder.”

Mila watched the older girl’s deft movements. It seemed absurd to assume she would one day be able to mix things so quick and without mistake. There was just so little possibility of it.

“The last thing is to add one pinky size vial of this mustard seed for taste.”

Both leaned over the small potion. Adie stirred in the mustard seed in two twists of the wrist.

“Once done all you have to do is pour it into a small wooden box and mark it with a bone symbol so the old folks will know what in Itad it’s for.”

Adie turned to Mila. The girl was unable to hide her falling face.

 Her eyebrows were going together and her large lips turned down.

“How many potions are there?”

She asked. Her hands were tingling and she could feel her knees trembling.

“Many. You’ll only be doing about twenty though so don’t worry. You’ll get this in time, you’re an apprentice remember! I get you for a year, at the least.”

Mila nodded. A year. A lot can happen in a single year. Too many things. She stared at the wooden floor. She was exhausted and it was just past six. Could a queen survive working as a labi?

If my Mom was here there would be no need for any of this. I will never forgive her as long as I live!

The sun had started to rise, noises outside ceased to be animals and became people opening their shops and market stalls. Mila nodded to Adie. Time for her to try it. She grabbed the herbs that looked to be the same as Adie had used. She then mixed it together trying to mimic the same movements. When done she presented it to Adie who glanced at it.
"Decent for a first try but you got two herbs wrong and it ain't ground fine enough. See? Compare it to mine. Yours be the wrong color."
Mila sighed and tried again. Her heart thumping in her chest. Everything was at stake with this job, the entire kingdom. How stupid the world was! Her thoughts turned to her younger siblings and parents. Wherever they were she hoped they had it easier than she. Much easier.
"Have you heard the latest news from the front, yet?"
Adie asked as Mila mixed. The younger girl shook her head.
"Messenger came through late last night. Told me all his news afore he moved on to tell the Council, you bein' included in that."
 Mila stopped and turned to the woman.
"Honey, you're parents were killed a short time after they fled. We don't know what happened to your siblings."
 Mila's mind went blank. Adie patted her shoulder.
"I'm right sorry if it be that you still love them, though I don't see how you can. Your sisters and brother are probably still alive though so buck up!"
Mila stared at Adie. Dead. Still alive. It all muddled for an instant then cleared.
"I have to go. I'm sorry but I have to find my sisters and little brother."
 Mila yanked the apron off and handed it to Adie.
"Thank you for your time."
Mila dashed out the door and to the nearest Council member's home. No matter what she would find her siblings and keep them from getting killed. Even if it meant losing everything.