Blooming between Stones

Choices Seen

The years glide through and Ainsley is no longer an apprentice girl as she walks up to Gen Anda's apothecary for the thousandth time since he's taken her in, hair a shade darker than it used to be, still petite but finally grown into herself and not nearly as rail thin as she used to be, freckles all but faded and eyes filled with the sheen of a young woman who people go to for help.

She brushes her hair back, the continuously growing wisps refusing to cooperate with the rest of her hair and enters, the clay bell chiming cheerfully as it always does.

"About time, I couldn't stand the tears anymore." Gen Anda's gruff voice, cracked at the edges greets her like it always does, dry and unmoving. Ainsley smiles at him and he tilts his head toward the back where the sniffling was coming from "Drat it all if they don't' want me to treat them, there isn't anything I can do. Besides, I think you're better equipped for this." He admits, he's not so stubborn as to deny the fact that his Apprentice has nearly surpassed him in all genre's except surgery, she never could quite deal with things more difficult than stitching and child birth.

"Don't' worry, I'm sure it isn't much." She's sure because she can tell it isn't.

"Shh - don't cry Joey." Ainsley hears the familiar tone of her old friend inside as he tries to calm the small child on the cot in the back, Bajo looks up with relief when she come in and smiles at him. "Oh thank goodness, he's been crying since last night, his mother's exhausted and she can't find what's wrong with him."

Ainsley looks down at the pudgy little boy, a shock of red curls reminiscent of his father beside him , eyes large and brown like his mothers'. Bajo had married the Bakers daughter, Selene, Ainsley knew her name, she'd helped her give birth to Joey here.

"Sh, there now, what's the matter Joey? Can I see?" She coaxes him and the little boy shakes his head. Ainsley frowns when she sees the red splotches on his face. "It seems he's a bit feverish." She's seen children get this fever. It's normal but should be taken care of. "Here Bajo, give him this in drink twice a day and watch his heat. If it gets worse come back, alright?" She instructs, clipped and firm to instill confidence in her friend.

Bajo nods, "Of course, alright, so - he's just feverish? Then why's he crying so?"

"His body must ache." She clucks at sniffling Joey and reached into her frock pocket, taking out a small round of chocolate she saves for children. "Here you go Joey, no more tears alright, this will make you feel better. I promise."

Joey nods and stops sniffling, remnants of large tears still on his pudgy face as he takes the chocolate and his father lifts him up.

"Thank you Ainsley, Selene says to come for dinner sometime if you like." Bajo offers with a smile, lines showing at the corners of his face, he's barley twenty or so years but work outside tends to age the skin faster.

"I'd love to. Good bye Bajo, and good luck Joey!" She smiles as they head off and Gen Anda grunts something after them.

"Honestly, I don't understand that boy, already a son and his wife's pregnant again, because that's all we need more troublesome Bajo children and - "He stops and Ainsley's heart stutters when his withered face wrinkles up in pain and he bends over to grasp the table top.

"Master?"She steps forward and helps him hobble half bent over to a chair where he sits with an irritated huff.

"I told you not to call me that anymore. You've long since passed your apprenticeship days." Two years long it happens.

Ainsley shakes her head and gives him his medicines for his joints. He gets them more and more as he ages. Gen Anda waved off her concerns and said it was high time anyway, nobody dies in perfect health at this age. "I couldn't call you anything else." She says, and they've had this conversation so many time's it's ridiculous.