I was thankful that Antony's shop was on the way back into the heart of the capitol where Willow and I were staying. Though how we would afford our modest rent now I had no idea. The stalls on the way to the apothecary were some of my favorite in the city. Usually, I took a simple pleasure in wandering the street, smelling the freshly baked bread, and enjoying the colorful new textiles being peddled that day.
Today, however, I could swear that the air only smelled of charred goods and the walls seemed to be lined with dull sheets. It felt as if the city itself knew my despair personally. Jobs for a disfigured monster such as myself were so few and far between that, I hadn't the faintest idea where the next one would come from. The shipyard was one of the few places where a person was only valued for what they could produce. Being ugly was somewhat expected. Missing fingers or limbs weren't all that uncommon; so in a way, I fit in. It was unfortunate that I couldn't keep pace with the other men.
While I was lost in thought, I rounded the final corner to arrive at the apothecary's storefront. Pushing open the dark, heavy door, I entered the shop. The apothecary was bathed in the warm evening light, scattering where it hit the hundred of individual jars each shone a different color. The different tonics and oils created beautiful air. The smell of fresh herbs was so inviting that I almost was able to cast my worries from my mind.
The light ring of the bell seemed to of alerted the older shopkeeper, Antony of my presence. A soft shuffling from the back of the shop told me that the kind man would be with me in a moment.
I took a few more steps into the shop and took notice of the flowers drying above the counter. I gently reached out and touched the dried petals. The once bright red poppies were now a pale beige.
"Quite the blossoms aren't they? You should see the field the day they bloom. Ruby red as far as the eye can see. Breathtaking." Antony interjected, following the line of my thoughts perfectly.
I looked down to meet his gaze, light blue eyes steady and clear. Antony greeted me with a warm smile on his face, a white beard neatly trimmed close to his face. I'd been coming to Antony every couple of days since I recovered enough to walk on my own accord. He and his wife were two of the warmest people whom I had ever met.
"What brings you in today Dorian? Same old pain in your cheek and leg?" He asked brows furrowed. I suppose I complained enough he had my ailments memorized at this point.
I nodded my eyes wandering to the squat ceramic jars he kept his teas in. While my old injuries ached, my mind was much more concerned with what Willow and I would do to survive.
"Alright let me just mix something together for you." As he pulled open a drawer, delicate glass vials tinked together. "I'll include some poppy seed concentrate, milk thistle, willow bark, and lavender" as he said each ingredient he added it to his mortar. His practiced hands then used the pestle to grind the ingredients together before pouring the oils into the stone bowl and combining the components.
"Thank you, Antony, I appreciate it" I sighed turning once again to face the friendly shopkeep. I noticed, however, that his hands had become still, steel blue eyes appraising me.
"Your old injuries aren't the only thing bothering though" he spoke, but it wasn't a question. Antony always did have this sense with people, he could tell what was hurting his patrons before they even spoke. And he was right every time of course.
"I was laid off from the shipyard today. Couldn't keep the pace," I admitted, shame burning in my face.
"Ah and what will you do now?" he asked
"I have no idea," I answered, truth be told I couldn't feel more lost. "Not many places want a worker that looks like I do"
"Well, now that is the predicament you've got there Dorian. I suppose you might be interested in coming here? I could use the help. I couldn���t offer you much but you and your sister could stay here, room and board free of charge," And just like that, Antony offered me a way out of my problems.
"Antony, I would love to of course, but you must know that I don't really know the first thing about medicinal studies," I answered, despite the fact that doing so could cost me the only chance at employment I currently had available.
"You can learn, I sense that you have a keen mind, and those hands of yours are as good as the next man's. I imagine that you'll pick it up as quickly as I once did," Antony answered "And you'd be honest even when it could be to your detriment, I could use you if you'd be willing"
"I'd be more than willing. Thank you, Antony, truly. I don't know what my sister and I would have done without your generous offer. When should I start?" I asked
"You can move in tonight with your sister, Violet will have something for you to eat and some fresh beds made up for you" He handed me the small vial of oils with a smile on his face.
"Why is it that I always find what I'm looking for when I come into this stall, even when I don't know what that is?" I asked, and it was true Antony always had some willow bark prepared for me to alleviate a headache I didn't even realize I had, or some other tincture for my chronic issues.
The older man simply smiled, his steel-blue eyes taking on a mischievous glint as he shrugged. This was his response every time I asked him. I suppose he'd just seen enough broken people in his time that he had a sense for it. A true healer, down to his core.
"I'll go get Willow and be right back," I said, "thank you so much, Antony, for everything," I turned and walked out of the shop, standing tall for what felt like the first time since that day with my family. There was still the consistent scraping sound of my bad leg, but somehow it felt lighter as if a weight had been lifted from me. Somehow I'd stumbled my way into a better life than I could have imagined.
The crisp, fall air swirled around me as I strode down the street towards the small one-room shack that passed for our living quarters. Pushing open the door I slowly looked around the room we did our best to form into a makeshift home. In the corner two cheap bedrolls were rolled out onto the dirt floor, a poorly constructed table stood in the center of the room with chipped plates and cups comprising the table setting. Overall the room could only be described as depressing. Our father might not have been the most forgiving man, but he provided a comfortable life for all of us as a merchant for the royal family. The life we have built since then was anything but comfortable.
Willow made a paltry take as a tavern performer and I worked any job that would take me. On any given day we were a few measly coins away from spending the night hungry. There was little we could do to control it though, we were largely at the mercy of circumstance.
My sister would be back any time now to eat and change before her performance tonight, I'd tell her then.
Slowly I lowered myself onto my bedroll to wait.