(HIATUS) A THOUSAND YEARS ✶ druig

⒈⒈⒉ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒛𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏

ACT ONE. CHAPTER TWO,
THE BRONZE SUN

━━━━━ ʚ ♡⃛ ɞ ━━━━━

The following days, Druig would find himself visiting the little farmhouse at the edge of the city, just to say hello to the amateur sorceress who housed it. He was just wandering around the outside of the city walls, when he came across an old woman sitting just outside her cottage, a cane in her hands as she stared at the children playing in the middle of the alley. At first, Druig paid no attention to her; the lady minded her business, and he minded his. With his hands in front of him, Druig walked past the old woman, until he heard her tender voice.

"Excuse me, young man."

He intended to keep going, until he realized that despite living longer than she did, he still kept his youthful glow. Druig stopped in his tracks, turning around to face her. "Yes?"

"That's a lovely tunic you have there. You seem like a patrician, but they rarely go about outside of the walls, so you must be one of the fancy outsiders that saved us with your powers," she commented gleefully. He opened his mouth to speak, perhaps to say this isn't a tunic, but he didn't have the heart to tell her, and so she continued. "I know this is too much to ask, but do you know about Vita?" she inquired with a tilt of her head.

"Yes, we spoke for some time yesterday," replied Druig.

She nodded thoughtfully, then looked back up at him, "Are you on your way to her?"

"Yes." Why did I say 'Yes'?

"My son is supposed to run an errand to get my antidote from her at the edge of town, but he is so busy working the land for the harvest," the old woman explained while a sigh escaped her lips. "Do you mind filling in for him, just for today? I am weak, my legs aren't as good as they used to be," she requested.

Druig let out a huff, bowing his head at her. "I'll do it," he replied curtly.

The old lady grinned widely, "Ohh, thank you young man! Tell her it's for Lucretia. She'll know."

With a mission at hand, Druig ventured to the edge of the city. Along the way he was met with stares and murmurs, mainly about his team's defeat of the Deviant, but also questions of where he got clothes made. It was fashionable! He sent them short, awkward smiles as he proceeded through the road. Druig finally stopped in front of the farmhouse, seeing Vita crouched down in the dirt to inspect the herbs in her garden.

Vita, sensing a presence behind her, turned around abruptly. She grinned cheekily while squinting at Druig, who stood just where the sun would hit her eyes. "Ohh, it's you! To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting you again?" she asked him as she stood up from her crouching position. "You know, usually my customers don't see me another time until a few weeks after their first visit since they don't really need anything for a while, but you're a strange case."

"Honored," Druig quipped, though his lack of expression made Vita wonder if he was being sarcastic. "A kind woman made me run an errand for her. She goes by Lucretia," he explained.

"You've met her! She's so nice, is she not?" She asked him eagerly. Vita dusted her hands off on her dress. She took her shawl off and began to exit her garden. "I have her antidote on my table. Come with me."

Druig trailed behind her as she led him inside the farmhouse. Just as she said, the antidote was on the table. It was bright pink in color, and was encased in a tiny vial. She picked it up, gave the vial a good shake, then handed it to him. He held it gently in his hand, careful not to drop it.

She walked him over to the entrance, leaning her shoulder against its frame. "Since you're becoming a regular, I suggest that you take something with you," said Vita.

Druig shook his head, " I don't have your currency on me," he replied.

"Who said I do this for currency?" Vita asked while tilting her head, "I mainly do farmwork for Decimus, and this on the side."

Druig straightened his posture, fixating his eyes on the vial, "I see, I just assumed you did."

Vita bursted into laughter, bringing confusion to his face, "You, you think I can run a business? I can't even negotiate work days with Decimus and you think I can run a business off these amulets and potions?" she questioned through her stifled chuckles. Vita wiped the tears that threatened to escape her eyes before she continued. "But it's not just that, I also prefer not to burden them. They tried to offer me money, but they have enough to worry about, like providing for their families and paying off debts."

Druig nodded his head, listening intently to her words. He thoroughly appreciated her kindness and consideration. "Right, of course. I'm sorry," he replied quietly while tucking the vial away into his pocket. "I just believe that you are deserving of your own field of work."

Vita smiled at him, "You're so persistent, you could be my apprentice," she joked. Druig let out a huff, a closed lip smile showing only for a second. "But seriously, Druig. Please take this as a gift from me," she insisted while rushing to the table. On the table was a wooden bowl that held piles upon piles of strings, gems, and stones. She carefully pulled out a necklace with a tiny bronze charm in the shape of a sun.

"An amulet," he voiced with a hint of surprise. "What does it do?"

Vita placed the necklace around his neck, fixing the sun charm's position on his chest, "It… it looks great paired with your shiny tunic," she replied teasingly. Druig raised an eyebrow and Vita rolled her eyes. "It's not under a spell or anything of the sort. I'm just giving it to you. I've had it around for a while, and it reminded me of your eyes when they glowed-- if you don't want it, I can take it back and give you a new one."

Druig stared at the pendant intently, admiring the bronze shimmer in the sunlight. She reached out to take the amulet off, but placed a hand over the charm. Her fingers grazed against the back of his hand, and she searched his eyes for an answer. "Thank you. I'll keep it," he responded curtly, taking a step back. "I'll see myself out now."

"Will you walk to my place, peek through the door, and pretend that you just happened to come by my house again tomorrow?" Vita asked him with a grin on her face. Druig froze in his place, his face contorting into confusion and panic. Vita chuckled again, "I'm joking. You should go now, though, Lucretia doesn't like to wait," she continued. Vita walked past him, offering Druig a smile before continuing to her garden.

"I'd blame you if she's angered, you kept me here," Druig insisted.

"Had you not rejected my gift, you wouldn't have been kept here," Vita responded. He remained silent, nodded his head as a farewell, then left without another remark.

He found out about Lucretia's impatience the hard way. Never in his immortal life had Druig felt the impact of an old woman's scolding. But he almost paid little to no attention to Lucretia's ramblings, for the only thing his eyes fixated on was the bronze sun on his chest, and Vita's everlasting grin was etched into his mind.