#theapothecarydiaries — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #theapothecarydiaries, aggregated by home.social.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 12 Blood, Wine, and Steel
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 BreadChue watched as Mao entered a room with a low table containing the remains of a meal and scattered flasks. There were no screens, curtains, or furniture in the room large enough to hide behind. Besides the table and a few cushions, the only outstanding feature was a painting in the style of the crucifixion depicted in their cell. This one was of a chalice brimming with light. Over it, the artist had written in sanguine letters, “As #bread and wine, share my flesh.”
“More like ‘blood and wine,’” Chue muttered eyeing the crimson runes.
With the sound of fighting so close, Chue decided they didn’t have time to find a better hiding spot. She moved into the shadows just inside the room’s door, where she could ambush anyone trying to enter.
“Pile the cushions in the corner. Hide in them,” she said, glancing at Mao, who was staring at the table.
Chue returned her focus to the passageway only to have it snap back to the apothecary when she heard Mao say to herself, “You’re a fool, but this is what I have to do.”
Mao bent, picked up a knife from the table, and turned toward the door. Her face was flushed with fever, but the look of grim determination stopped Chue from clicking her tongue.
“Don’t waste your time. I’ve decided,” Mao told her. The resolve in her voice matched her expression.
“Then stand behind me and keep your fangs sharp. I’ll be the bear and you the serpent. Strike fast, sly, and deadly.”
The two fell silent as the sound of fighting died and running footsteps approached.
First, The Mad Frank sped past, a look of terror on his face, then a shadow of a man wielding a sword appeared, creeping along the hallway. The bearer paused, then sprang into the room, weapon raised. Chue barely had time to raise her club to block the blow. The shock of the sword meeting the parry ran through her arm. The blade sliced through the wood, leaving only a stump in her hand.
“Steel!” Mao gasped seeing her mercenary guard about to decapitate Chue.
“Chue, Mao,” the skirmisher responded, her sword stopping barely in time.
“How…” Mao began. Then, overcome by fever, she slumped to the floor.
“Followed The Mad Frank,” Steel replied. She smiled, winked, and picked Mao up like a sack of rice.
Chue smiled back, thinking, “If only the prince were so bold.”
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 12 Blood, Wine, and Steel
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 BreadChue watched as Mao entered a room with a low table containing the remains of a meal and scattered flasks. There were no screens, curtains, or furniture in the room large enough to hide behind. Besides the table and a few cushions, the only outstanding feature was a painting in the style of the crucifixion depicted in their cell. This one was of a chalice brimming with light. Over it, the artist had written in sanguine letters, “As #bread and wine, share my flesh.”
“More like ‘blood and wine,’” Chue muttered eyeing the crimson runes.
With the sound of fighting so close, Chue decided they didn’t have time to find a better hiding spot. She moved into the shadows just inside the room’s door, where she could ambush anyone trying to enter.
“Pile the cushions in the corner. Hide in them,” she said, glancing at Mao, who was staring at the table.
Chue returned her focus to the passageway only to have it snap back to the apothecary when she heard Mao say to herself, “You’re a fool, but this is what I have to do.”
Mao bent, picked up a knife from the table, and turned toward the door. Her face was flushed with fever, but the look of grim determination stopped Chue from clicking her tongue.
“Don’t waste your time. I’ve decided,” Mao told her. The resolve in her voice matched her expression.
“Then stand behind me and keep your fangs sharp. I’ll be the bear and you the serpent. Strike fast, sly, and deadly.”
The two fell silent as the sound of fighting died and running footsteps approached.
First, The Mad Frank sped past, a look of terror on his face, then a shadow of a man wielding a sword appeared, creeping along the hallway. The bearer paused, then sprang into the room, weapon raised. Chue barely had time to raise her club to block the blow. The shock of the sword meeting the parry ran through her arm. The blade sliced through the wood, leaving only a stump in her hand.
“Steel!” Mao gasped seeing her mercenary guard about to decapitate Chue.
“Chue, Mao,” the skirmisher responded, her sword stopping barely in time.
“How…” Mao began. Then, overcome by fever, she slumped to the floor.
“Followed The Mad Frank,” Steel replied. She smiled, winked, and picked Mao up like a sack of rice.
Chue smiled back, thinking, “If only the prince were so bold.”
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 12 Blood, Wine, and Steel
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 BreadChue watched as Mao entered a room with a low table containing the remains of a meal and scattered flasks. There were no screens, curtains, or furniture in the room large enough to hide behind. Besides the table and a few cushions, the only outstanding feature was a painting in the style of the crucifixion depicted in their cell. This one was of a chalice brimming with light. Over it, the artist had written in sanguine letters, “As #bread and wine, share my flesh.”
“More like ‘blood and wine,’” Chue muttered eyeing the crimson runes.
With the sound of fighting so close, Chue decided they didn’t have time to find a better hiding spot. She moved into the shadows just inside the room’s door, where she could ambush anyone trying to enter.
“Pile the cushions in the corner. Hide in them,” she said, glancing at Mao, who was staring at the table.
Chue returned her focus to the passageway only to have it snap back to the apothecary when she heard Mao say to herself, “You’re a fool, but this is what I have to do.”
Mao bent, picked up a knife from the table, and turned toward the door. Her face was flushed with fever, but the look of grim determination stopped Chue from clicking her tongue.
“Don’t waste your time. I’ve decided,” Mao told her. The resolve in her voice matched her expression.
“Then stand behind me and keep your fangs sharp. I’ll be the bear and you the serpent. Strike fast, sly, and deadly.”
The two fell silent as the sound of fighting died and running footsteps approached.
First, The Mad Frank sped past, a look of terror on his face, then a shadow of a man wielding a sword appeared, creeping along the hallway. The bearer paused, then sprang into the room, weapon raised. Chue barely had time to raise her club to block the blow. The shock of the sword meeting the parry ran through her arm. The blade sliced through the wood, leaving only a stump in her hand.
“Steel!” Mao gasped seeing her mercenary guard about to decapitate Chue.
“Chue, Mao,” the skirmisher responded, her sword stopping barely in time.
“How…” Mao began. Then, overcome by fever, she slumped to the floor.
“Followed The Mad Frank,” Steel replied. She smiled, winked, and picked Mao up like a sack of rice.
Chue smiled back, thinking, “If only the prince were so bold.”
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 12 Blood, Wine, and Steel
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 BreadChue watched as Mao entered a room with a low table containing the remains of a meal and scattered flasks. There were no screens, curtains, or furniture in the room large enough to hide behind. Besides the table and a few cushions, the only outstanding feature was a painting in the style of the crucifixion depicted in their cell. This one was of a chalice brimming with light. Over it, the artist had written in sanguine letters, “As #bread and wine, share my flesh.”
“More like ‘blood and wine,’” Chue muttered eyeing the crimson runes.
With the sound of fighting so close, Chue decided they didn’t have time to find a better hiding spot. She moved into the shadows just inside the room’s door, where she could ambush anyone trying to enter.
“Pile the cushions in the corner. Hide in them,” she said, glancing at Mao, who was staring at the table.
Chue returned her focus to the passageway only to have it snap back to the apothecary when she heard Mao say to herself, “You’re a fool, but this is what I have to do.”
Mao bent, picked up a knife from the table, and turned toward the door. Her face was flushed with fever, but the look of grim determination stopped Chue from clicking her tongue.
“Don’t waste your time. I’ve decided,” Mao told her. The resolve in her voice matched her expression.
“Then stand behind me and keep your fangs sharp. I’ll be the bear and you the serpent. Strike fast, sly, and deadly.”
The two fell silent as the sound of fighting died and running footsteps approached.
First, The Mad Frank sped past, a look of terror on his face, then a shadow of a man wielding a sword appeared, creeping along the hallway. The bearer paused, then sprang into the room, weapon raised. Chue barely had time to raise her club to block the blow. The shock of the sword meeting the parry ran through her arm. The blade sliced through the wood, leaving only a stump in her hand.
“Steel!” Mao gasped seeing her mercenary guard about to decapitate Chue.
“Chue, Mao,” the skirmisher responded, her sword stopping barely in time.
“How…” Mao began. Then, overcome by fever, she slumped to the floor.
“Followed The Mad Frank,” Steel replied. She smiled, winked, and picked Mao up like a sack of rice.
Chue smiled back, thinking, “If only the prince were so bold.”
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 12 Blood, Wine, and Steel
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 BreadChue watched as Mao entered a room with a low table containing the remains of a meal and scattered flasks. There were no screens, curtains, or furniture in the room large enough to hide behind. Besides the table and a few cushions, the only outstanding feature was a painting in the style of the crucifixion depicted in their cell. This one was of a chalice brimming with light. Over it, the artist had written in sanguine letters, “As #bread and wine, share my flesh.”
“More like ‘blood and wine,’” Chue muttered eyeing the crimson runes.
With the sound of fighting so close, Chue decided they didn’t have time to find a better hiding spot. She moved into the shadows just inside the room’s door, where she could ambush anyone trying to enter.
“Pile the cushions in the corner. Hide in them,” she said, glancing at Mao, who was staring at the table.
Chue returned her focus to the passageway only to have it snap back to the apothecary when she heard Mao say to herself, “You’re a fool, but this is what I have to do.”
Mao bent, picked up a knife from the table, and turned toward the door. Her face was flushed with fever, but the look of grim determination stopped Chue from clicking her tongue.
“Don’t waste your time. I’ve decided,” Mao told her. The resolve in her voice matched her expression.
“Then stand behind me and keep your fangs sharp. I’ll be the bear and you the serpent. Strike fast, sly, and deadly.”
The two fell silent as the sound of fighting died and running footsteps approached.
First, The Mad Frank sped past, a look of terror on his face, then a shadow of a man wielding a sword appeared, creeping along the hallway. The bearer paused, then sprang into the room, weapon raised. Chue barely had time to raise her club to block the blow. The shock of the sword meeting the parry ran through her arm. The blade sliced through the wood, leaving only a stump in her hand.
“Steel!” Mao gasped seeing her mercenary guard about to decapitate Chue.
“Chue, Mao,” the skirmisher responded, her sword stopping barely in time.
“How…” Mao began. Then, overcome by fever, she slumped to the floor.
“Followed The Mad Frank,” Steel replied. She smiled, winked, and picked Mao up like a sack of rice.
Chue smiled back, thinking, “If only the prince were so bold.”
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 11 Steel on Steel
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 PaceChue picked a random direction and set off, listening all the while for signs of danger. Hampered by Mao’s condition, the #pace was slow. Things didn’t improve when Mao gathered herself together and said, “I can walk on my own,” pushing Chue away.
Mao received a dubious look, but her rescuer stepped away. This freed her hand to wield the cudgel if necessary. Against a well-armed foe, it would be useless, but it was all she had.
After only a few steps, Chue halted. “Listen!”
At first, the sound of clashing metal was faint but grew louder as they listened. A scream sounded, followed by the sound of running feet that stopped moments later with another crash of steel on steel.
“Hide!” Chue said, pointing to a side room. “I’ll hold them off.”
Mao hesitated.
“The prince needs you, and the emperor needs the prince. Chue is nothing but a one-handed clown. Go!”
….
“Go! Don’t let Chue’s death be in vain!”
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 10 How the Bones Fell
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 litterSoon after, the last of the light disappeared, leaving the cell in darkness. Mao lay down to sleep, only to toss and turn with fever.
“I hear something,” Chue said after a while, and Mao roused herself with difficulty.
Chue moved to where she could ambush anyone entering the room, and Mao readied the blanket.
When the door opened, the two brothers stepped in, one carrying a torch. Chue had her cord around Cudgel’s neck before he knew what was happening. Mao was slower. She stumbled toward the second man and missed his head with the blanket. Instead, the torchlight vanished as the blanket enveloped it.
Mao’s opponent swung blindly, landing a glancing blow to her shoulder. Mao spun, fell, and dropped the blanket on the floor, where it lay smoking amid a #litter of dishes.
With one savage kick at Mao, her opponent turned to help his brother, who was desperately pulling at the tightly wound cord around his neck.
Mao grabbed at her attacker’s ankles only to be kicked aside again. She landed, face pressed against the blanket. She coughed, inhaling the smoke from the smoldering wool. The embers burned her cheek. Half-rising, she grabbed the torch and swung at her opponent.
The embers flared as they whistled through the air, and flames licked up through holes in the cloth.
The blow landed just below the man’s knee, and he staggered.
“Jese, bitch,” the man swore, kicking at her once more.
Behind him, his brother slumped soundlessly to the floor. Chue scooped up his cudgel. There was a sharp crack, and the second man toppled, joining his brother on the ground.
“Chue thinks we should go before someone else comes,” and with those words, she helped Mao to her feet.
Mao staggered, then reluctantly allowed Chue to help her move out into the hall.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 10 How the Bones Fell
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 litterSoon after, the last of the light disappeared, leaving the cell in darkness. Mao lay down to sleep, only to toss and turn with fever.
“I hear something,” Chue said after a while, and Mao roused herself with difficulty.
Chue moved to where she could ambush anyone entering the room, and Mao readied the blanket.
When the door opened, the two brothers stepped in, one carrying a torch. Chue had her cord around Cudgel’s neck before he knew what was happening. Mao was slower. She stumbled toward the second man and missed his head with the blanket. Instead, the torchlight vanished as the blanket enveloped it.
Mao’s opponent swung blindly, landing a glancing blow to her shoulder. Mao spun, fell, and dropped the blanket on the floor, where it lay smoking amid a #litter of dishes.
With one savage kick at Mao, her opponent turned to help his brother, who was desperately pulling at the tightly wound cord around his neck.
Mao grabbed at her attacker’s ankles only to be kicked aside again. She landed, face pressed against the blanket. She coughed, inhaling the smoke from the smoldering wool. The embers burned her cheek. Half-rising, she grabbed the torch and swung at her opponent.
The embers flared as they whistled through the air, and flames licked up through holes in the cloth.
The blow landed just below the man’s knee, and he staggered.
“Jese, bitch,” the man swore, kicking at her once more.
Behind him, his brother slumped soundlessly to the floor. Chue scooped up his cudgel. There was a sharp crack, and the second man toppled, joining his brother on the ground.
“Chue thinks we should go before someone else comes,” and with those words, she helped Mao to her feet.
Mao staggered, then reluctantly allowed Chue to help her move out into the hall.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 10 How the Bones Fell
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 litterSoon after, the last of the light disappeared, leaving the cell in darkness. Mao lay down to sleep, only to toss and turn with fever.
“I hear something,” Chue said after a while, and Mao roused herself with difficulty.
Chue moved to where she could ambush anyone entering the room, and Mao readied the blanket.
When the door opened, the two brothers stepped in, one carrying a torch. Chue had her cord around Cudgel’s neck before he knew what was happening. Mao was slower. She stumbled toward the second man and missed his head with the blanket. Instead, the torchlight vanished as the blanket enveloped it.
Mao’s opponent swung blindly, landing a glancing blow to her shoulder. Mao spun, fell, and dropped the blanket on the floor, where it lay smoking amid a #litter of dishes.
With one savage kick at Mao, her opponent turned to help his brother, who was desperately pulling at the tightly wound cord around his neck.
Mao grabbed at her attacker’s ankles only to be kicked aside again. She landed, face pressed against the blanket. She coughed, inhaling the smoke from the smoldering wool. The embers burned her cheek. Half-rising, she grabbed the torch and swung at her opponent.
The embers flared as they whistled through the air, and flames licked up through holes in the cloth.
The blow landed just below the man’s knee, and he staggered.
“Jese, bitch,” the man swore, kicking at her once more.
Behind him, his brother slumped soundlessly to the floor. Chue scooped up his cudgel. There was a sharp crack, and the second man toppled, joining his brother on the ground.
“Chue thinks we should go before someone else comes,” and with those words, she helped Mao to her feet.
Mao staggered, then reluctantly allowed Chue to help her move out into the hall.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 10 How the Bones Fell
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 litterSoon after, the last of the light disappeared, leaving the cell in darkness. Mao lay down to sleep, only to toss and turn with fever.
“I hear something,” Chue said after a while, and Mao roused herself with difficulty.
Chue moved to where she could ambush anyone entering the room, and Mao readied the blanket.
When the door opened, the two brothers stepped in, one carrying a torch. Chue had her cord around Cudgel’s neck before he knew what was happening. Mao was slower. She stumbled toward the second man and missed his head with the blanket. Instead, the torchlight vanished as the blanket enveloped it.
Mao’s opponent swung blindly, landing a glancing blow to her shoulder. Mao spun, fell, and dropped the blanket on the floor, where it lay smoking amid a #litter of dishes.
With one savage kick at Mao, her opponent turned to help his brother, who was desperately pulling at the tightly wound cord around his neck.
Mao grabbed at her attacker’s ankles only to be kicked aside again. She landed, face pressed against the blanket. She coughed, inhaling the smoke from the smoldering wool. The embers burned her cheek. Half-rising, she grabbed the torch and swung at her opponent.
The embers flared as they whistled through the air, and flames licked up through holes in the cloth.
The blow landed just below the man’s knee, and he staggered.
“Jese, bitch,” the man swore, kicking at her once more.
Behind him, his brother slumped soundlessly to the floor. Chue scooped up his cudgel. There was a sharp crack, and the second man toppled, joining his brother on the ground.
“Chue thinks we should go before someone else comes,” and with those words, she helped Mao to her feet.
Mao staggered, then reluctantly allowed Chue to help her move out into the hall.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 10 How the Bones Fell
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 litterSoon after, the last of the light disappeared, leaving the cell in darkness. Mao lay down to sleep, only to toss and turn with fever.
“I hear something,” Chue said after a while, and Mao roused herself with difficulty.
Chue moved to where she could ambush anyone entering the room, and Mao readied the blanket.
When the door opened, the two brothers stepped in, one carrying a torch. Chue had her cord around Cudgel’s neck before he knew what was happening. Mao was slower. She stumbled toward the second man and missed his head with the blanket. Instead, the torchlight vanished as the blanket enveloped it.
Mao’s opponent swung blindly, landing a glancing blow to her shoulder. Mao spun, fell, and dropped the blanket on the floor, where it lay smoking amid a #litter of dishes.
With one savage kick at Mao, her opponent turned to help his brother, who was desperately pulling at the tightly wound cord around his neck.
Mao grabbed at her attacker’s ankles only to be kicked aside again. She landed, face pressed against the blanket. She coughed, inhaling the smoke from the smoldering wool. The embers burned her cheek. Half-rising, she grabbed the torch and swung at her opponent.
The embers flared as they whistled through the air, and flames licked up through holes in the cloth.
The blow landed just below the man’s knee, and he staggered.
“Jese, bitch,” the man swore, kicking at her once more.
Behind him, his brother slumped soundlessly to the floor. Chue scooped up his cudgel. There was a sharp crack, and the second man toppled, joining his brother on the ground.
“Chue thinks we should go before someone else comes,” and with those words, she helped Mao to her feet.
Mao staggered, then reluctantly allowed Chue to help her move out into the hall.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 9 Of Garrotes and Battle Plans
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Hinge #MastoPrompt MendMao eyed the garrote in Chue’s hand, then the cell, and finally Chue herself. Mao waited for her companion to explain.
“I’ll strangle the one with a cudgel while you throw the blanket over the other. Hold on to him and don’t let go. Everything #hinges on whether you can keep him busy until I've dealt with the first one. Can you do it?”
Instead of answering, Mao nodded and asked, “How long until they come back, and what if there are more than two?”
“Who knows how the bones will fall, but the moon hasn't turned its face from us yet.”
Mao clicked her tongue at the courtly language but said no more.
With the plan settled, the two waited. Mao held the blanket in her lap while Chue pretended to entertain her with the flags or to #mend the pennants. Each of them listened and watched the door, waiting.
The hours crawled by, and the light that crept through the boarded window dimmed. Mao had slumped, and her face had turned a sick green. Another one of Chue’s candies helped, but Mao’s hands still shook, and her eyes were dull. When Chue felt her forehead, it was hot, and her hair was damp with sweat.
“You should sleep,” Chue said.
Mao shook her head. “If they come, I need to be ready.”
“As you will, but only until there is no light. Then, go to sleep. I'll wake you if I hear anything.”
Mao nodded again. As much as she hated to admit it, sleep was the only reliable remedy for a head injury like hers. She would just have to hope there was no internal bleeding.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 8 The Robe of Wonder
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 SpatMao scanned the small room, taking in the boarded window, the heavy door, and the image of the Crucifixion on the wall. Her gaze lingered on the latter for a moment, then she refocused on Chue.
“What do they want?” she asked.
“The Shaoh wish to make trouble, while The Mad Frank dreams he can use you to bring down fire and destruction upon Li.”
Mao lay back down, muttering. Chue couldn’t make out most of what she said, but picked out “wind in his head,” “apocalypse,” and “mushroom princess.” Then, with a sigh, Mao began breathing evenly, asleep.
When she awoke, she looked at Chue and said, “I’m glad you’re here. What are we going to do?” Her voice was uncharacteristically feeble, and Chue reproached herself once again for failing to protect the Prince’s favorite.
“First, eat and drink. You’ll need energy,” she said.
Mao looked at the cold, congealed millet and turned green. She pushed the bowl away but took a swig from the gourd, #spat, and then took another swallow. “Maybe I could eat something salty.” Nodding at the congee she said, “That would just make me sick.”
Reaching into her robes, Chue pulled out a golden crystal. "Honey candy. I was saving it for you." Her eyes fixed hungrily on it, but she handed it to Mao.
Mao put it in her mouth and then, speaking around it, said, “What else do you have?”
"They took most of my things, but they missed this." She pulled out her flags with a flourish, grabbed the far end of the braided silk cord, and snapped it as if wrapping it around something. It was a remarkable feat done with only one hand.
“Miss Chue has been practicing.”
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 8 The Robe of Wonder
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 SpatMao scanned the small room, taking in the boarded window, the heavy door, and the image of the Crucifixion on the wall. Her gaze lingered on the latter for a moment, then she refocused on Chue.
“What do they want?” she asked.
“The Shaoh wish to make trouble, while The Mad Frank dreams he can use you to bring down fire and destruction upon Li.”
Mao lay back down, muttering. Chue couldn’t make out most of what she said, but picked out “wind in his head,” “apocalypse,” and “mushroom princess.” Then, with a sigh, Mao began breathing evenly, asleep.
When she awoke, she looked at Chue and said, “I’m glad you’re here. What are we going to do?” Her voice was uncharacteristically feeble, and Chue reproached herself once again for failing to protect the Prince’s favorite.
“First, eat and drink. You’ll need energy,” she said.
Mao looked at the cold, congealed millet and turned green. She pushed the bowl away but took a swig from the gourd, #spat, and then took another swallow. “Maybe I could eat something salty.” Nodding at the congee she said, “That would just make me sick.”
Reaching into her robes, Chue pulled out a golden crystal. "Honey candy. I was saving it for you." Her eyes fixed hungrily on it, but she handed it to Mao.
Mao put it in her mouth and then, speaking around it, said, “What else do you have?”
"They took most of my things, but they missed this." She pulled out her flags with a flourish, grabbed the far end of the braided silk cord, and snapped it as if wrapping it around something. It was a remarkable feat done with only one hand.
“Miss Chue has been practicing.”
-
The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 8 The Robe of Wonder
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 SpatMao scanned the small room, taking in the boarded window, the heavy door, and the image of the Crucifixion on the wall. Her gaze lingered on the latter for a moment, then she refocused on Chue.
“What do they want?” she asked.
“The Shaoh wish to make trouble, while The Mad Frank dreams he can use you to bring down fire and destruction upon Li.”
Mao lay back down, muttering. Chue couldn’t make out most of what she said, but picked out “wind in his head,” “apocalypse,” and “mushroom princess.” Then, with a sigh, Mao began breathing evenly, asleep.
When she awoke, she looked at Chue and said, “I’m glad you’re here. What are we going to do?” Her voice was uncharacteristically feeble, and Chue reproached herself once again for failing to protect the Prince’s favorite.
“First, eat and drink. You’ll need energy,” she said.
Mao looked at the cold, congealed millet and turned green. She pushed the bowl away but took a swig from the gourd, #spat, and then took another swallow. “Maybe I could eat something salty.” Nodding at the congee she said, “That would just make me sick.”
Reaching into her robes, Chue pulled out a golden crystal. "Honey candy. I was saving it for you." Her eyes fixed hungrily on it, but she handed it to Mao.
Mao put it in her mouth and then, speaking around it, said, “What else do you have?”
"They took most of my things, but they missed this." She pulled out her flags with a flourish, grabbed the far end of the braided silk cord, and snapped it as if wrapping it around something. It was a remarkable feat done with only one hand.
“Miss Chue has been practicing.”
-
The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 8 The Robe of Wonder
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 SpatMao scanned the small room, taking in the boarded window, the heavy door, and the image of the Crucifixion on the wall. Her gaze lingered on the latter for a moment, then she refocused on Chue.
“What do they want?” she asked.
“The Shaoh wish to make trouble, while The Mad Frank dreams he can use you to bring down fire and destruction upon Li.”
Mao lay back down, muttering. Chue couldn’t make out most of what she said, but picked out “wind in his head,” “apocalypse,” and “mushroom princess.” Then, with a sigh, Mao began breathing evenly, asleep.
When she awoke, she looked at Chue and said, “I’m glad you’re here. What are we going to do?” Her voice was uncharacteristically feeble, and Chue reproached herself once again for failing to protect the Prince’s favorite.
“First, eat and drink. You’ll need energy,” she said.
Mao looked at the cold, congealed millet and turned green. She pushed the bowl away but took a swig from the gourd, #spat, and then took another swallow. “Maybe I could eat something salty.” Nodding at the congee she said, “That would just make me sick.”
Reaching into her robes, Chue pulled out a golden crystal. "Honey candy. I was saving it for you." Her eyes fixed hungrily on it, but she handed it to Mao.
Mao put it in her mouth and then, speaking around it, said, “What else do you have?”
"They took most of my things, but they missed this." She pulled out her flags with a flourish, grabbed the far end of the braided silk cord, and snapped it as if wrapping it around something. It was a remarkable feat done with only one hand.
“Miss Chue has been practicing.”
-
The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 8 The Robe of Wonder
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 SpatMao scanned the small room, taking in the boarded window, the heavy door, and the image of the Crucifixion on the wall. Her gaze lingered on the latter for a moment, then she refocused on Chue.
“What do they want?” she asked.
“The Shaoh wish to make trouble, while The Mad Frank dreams he can use you to bring down fire and destruction upon Li.”
Mao lay back down, muttering. Chue couldn’t make out most of what she said, but picked out “wind in his head,” “apocalypse,” and “mushroom princess.” Then, with a sigh, Mao began breathing evenly, asleep.
When she awoke, she looked at Chue and said, “I’m glad you’re here. What are we going to do?” Her voice was uncharacteristically feeble, and Chue reproached herself once again for failing to protect the Prince’s favorite.
“First, eat and drink. You’ll need energy,” she said.
Mao looked at the cold, congealed millet and turned green. She pushed the bowl away but took a swig from the gourd, #spat, and then took another swallow. “Maybe I could eat something salty.” Nodding at the congee she said, “That would just make me sick.”
Reaching into her robes, Chue pulled out a golden crystal. "Honey candy. I was saving it for you." Her eyes fixed hungrily on it, but she handed it to Mao.
Mao put it in her mouth and then, speaking around it, said, “What else do you have?”
"They took most of my things, but they missed this." She pulled out her flags with a flourish, grabbed the far end of the braided silk cord, and snapped it as if wrapping it around something. It was a remarkable feat done with only one hand.
“Miss Chue has been practicing.”
-
The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 7 Mao Dreams No More
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Boring #MastoPrompt VisitorBy the time Chue stirred, the simple millet congee prepared with ample, if common, vegetables had grown cold. It wasn’t prison slop. They evidently were going to treat their prisoners humanely.
She attempted to rouse Mao, who only groaned in response. To Chue’s relief, Mao’s eyes now reacted normally to light, and she drank a trickle of water poured into her mouth.
Having done everything she could to help the woman, Chue sat down and inventoried the items hidden in her robes: her flags, some candy, and a few coins. She unfurled the string of pennants and began playing with them to keep herself entertained, while thinking about how to use what she had found the next time she had #visitors.
When that grew #boring, she took a nap.
A groan from the bed woke her, and she was at Mao’s bedside in an instant.
Mao stared up in a daze, then asked, “What happened?”
“Chue thinks The Mad Frank kidnapped us. He’s been seen with Shaoh agents. The Shining Prince thought I should keep an eye on you. Chue has failed.”
-
The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 7 Mao Dreams No More
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Boring #MastoPrompt VisitorBy the time Chue stirred, the simple millet congee prepared with ample, if common, vegetables had grown cold. It wasn’t prison slop. They evidently were going to treat their prisoners humanely.
She attempted to rouse Mao, who only groaned in response. To Chue’s relief, Mao’s eyes now reacted normally to light, and she drank a trickle of water poured into her mouth.
Having done everything she could to help the woman, Chue sat down and inventoried the items hidden in her robes: her flags, some candy, and a few coins. She unfurled the string of pennants and began playing with them to keep herself entertained, while thinking about how to use what she had found the next time she had #visitors.
When that grew #boring, she took a nap.
A groan from the bed woke her, and she was at Mao’s bedside in an instant.
Mao stared up in a daze, then asked, “What happened?”
“Chue thinks The Mad Frank kidnapped us. He’s been seen with Shaoh agents. The Shining Prince thought I should keep an eye on you. Chue has failed.”
-
Huh! Seems The Apothecary Diaries is a far different show than I was lead to believe! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guDNZbbtEB8
-
Tutti i volumetti di Il monologo della speziale sono di nuovo disponibili sul sito di Dokusho.
Io ve l'ho detto... :blobcat_reading:
#LightNovel #IlMonologoDellaSpeziale #TheApothecaryDiaries -
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 3 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.Mao took a sip under Lakan's watchful gaze.
“What’s that?” he asked.
Clack!
“Is it good?”
Mao shot En'en a piercing look. “Come on, woman,” she thought. “Tell him.”
Clack!
Onsou leaned down and whispered, “It’s a scholar’s elixir.”
The relief Mao felt didn’t reach her face. Her ally had failed her, but the enemy had come to her rescue.
Lakan watched as she took another drink. “Can I try some?” he asked.
Mao hesitated, then pushed the juice toward her father, and finally beckoned to En’en.
When En’en leaned down, Mao said in a stage whisper, "Tell him he shouldn't drink that."
“That should placate Grams,” she thought. “I tried to warn him, as if the Freak would ever listen.”
En’en repeated, “She says not to drink that.”
“Anything my daughter can drink, I can,” Lakan said, taking a swallow. “Ahg! What’s in there?”
“Sweet flag, polygala, and ginseng,” Onsou said.
Lord Kan took another sip and made a sour face. “One more,” he said, taking a gulp, then stuffed a large handful of sugared walnuts into his mouth.
Clack… Clack… Clack…
“Lord?” Onsou said, frowning at his lord’s last move.
Clack!. Mao captured Lakan’s pieces, breaking his formation.
Lord Kan blinked, picked up a piece, and then set it down again. “I need to take a nap,” he said, his head sinking to the table.
“Then I am no longer needed,” Mao announced, rising.
Once they were out of the room, Yoa asked, “What happened?”
Mao smiled. “Onsou forgot to mention the alcohol from the ginseng tincture.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
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Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 3 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.Mao took a sip under Lakan's watchful gaze.
“What’s that?” he asked.
Clack!
“Is it good?”
Mao shot En'en a piercing look. “Come on, woman,” she thought. “Tell him.”
Clack!
Onsou leaned down and whispered, “It’s a scholar’s elixir.”
The relief Mao felt didn’t reach her face. Her ally had failed her, but the enemy had come to her rescue.
Lakan watched as she took another drink. “Can I try some?” he asked.
Mao hesitated, then pushed the juice toward her father, and finally beckoned to En’en.
When En’en leaned down, Mao said in a stage whisper, "Tell him he shouldn't drink that."
“That should placate Grams,” she thought. “I tried to warn him, as if the Freak would ever listen.”
En’en repeated, “She says not to drink that.”
“Anything my daughter can drink, I can,” Lakan said, taking a swallow. “Ahg! What’s in there?”
“Sweet flag, polygala, and ginseng,” Onsou said.
Lord Kan took another sip and made a sour face. “One more,” he said, taking a gulp, then stuffed a large handful of sugared walnuts into his mouth.
Clack… Clack… Clack…
“Lord?” Onsou said, frowning at his lord’s last move.
Clack!. Mao captured Lakan’s pieces, breaking his formation.
Lord Kan blinked, picked up a piece, and then set it down again. “I need to take a nap,” he said, his head sinking to the table.
“Then I am no longer needed,” Mao announced, rising.
Once they were out of the room, Yoa asked, “What happened?”
Mao smiled. “Onsou forgot to mention the alcohol from the ginseng tincture.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
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Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 3 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.Mao took a sip under Lakan's watchful gaze.
“What’s that?” he asked.
Clack!
“Is it good?”
Mao shot En'en a piercing look. “Come on, woman,” she thought. “Tell him.”
Clack!
Onsou leaned down and whispered, “It’s a scholar’s elixir.”
The relief Mao felt didn’t reach her face. Her ally had failed her, but the enemy had come to her rescue.
Lakan watched as she took another drink. “Can I try some?” he asked.
Mao hesitated, then pushed the juice toward her father, and finally beckoned to En’en.
When En’en leaned down, Mao said in a stage whisper, "Tell him he shouldn't drink that."
“That should placate Grams,” she thought. “I tried to warn him, as if the Freak would ever listen.”
En’en repeated, “She says not to drink that.”
“Anything my daughter can drink, I can,” Lakan said, taking a swallow. “Ahg! What’s in there?”
“Sweet flag, polygala, and ginseng,” Onsou said.
Lord Kan took another sip and made a sour face. “One more,” he said, taking a gulp, then stuffed a large handful of sugared walnuts into his mouth.
Clack… Clack… Clack…
“Lord?” Onsou said, frowning at his lord’s last move.
Clack!. Mao captured Lakan’s pieces, breaking his formation.
Lord Kan blinked, picked up a piece, and then set it down again. “I need to take a nap,” he said, his head sinking to the table.
“Then I am no longer needed,” Mao announced, rising.
Once they were out of the room, Yoa asked, “What happened?”
Mao smiled. “Onsou forgot to mention the alcohol from the ginseng tincture.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 3 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.Mao took a sip under Lakan's watchful gaze.
“What’s that?” he asked.
Clack!
“Is it good?”
Mao shot En'en a piercing look. “Come on, woman,” she thought. “Tell him.”
Clack!
Onsou leaned down and whispered, “It’s a scholar’s elixir.”
The relief Mao felt didn’t reach her face. Her ally had failed her, but the enemy had come to her rescue.
Lakan watched as she took another drink. “Can I try some?” he asked.
Mao hesitated, then pushed the juice toward her father, and finally beckoned to En’en.
When En’en leaned down, Mao said in a stage whisper, "Tell him he shouldn't drink that."
“That should placate Grams,” she thought. “I tried to warn him, as if the Freak would ever listen.”
En’en repeated, “She says not to drink that.”
“Anything my daughter can drink, I can,” Lakan said, taking a swallow. “Ahg! What’s in there?”
“Sweet flag, polygala, and ginseng,” Onsou said.
Lord Kan took another sip and made a sour face. “One more,” he said, taking a gulp, then stuffed a large handful of sugared walnuts into his mouth.
Clack… Clack… Clack…
“Lord?” Onsou said, frowning at his lord’s last move.
Clack!. Mao captured Lakan’s pieces, breaking his formation.
Lord Kan blinked, picked up a piece, and then set it down again. “I need to take a nap,” he said, his head sinking to the table.
“Then I am no longer needed,” Mao announced, rising.
Once they were out of the room, Yoa asked, “What happened?”
Mao smiled. “Onsou forgot to mention the alcohol from the ginseng tincture.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 3 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.Mao took a sip under Lakan's watchful gaze.
“What’s that?” he asked.
Clack!
“Is it good?”
Mao shot En'en a piercing look. “Come on, woman,” she thought. “Tell him.”
Clack!
Onsou leaned down and whispered, “It’s a scholar’s elixir.”
The relief Mao felt didn’t reach her face. Her ally had failed her, but the enemy had come to her rescue.
Lakan watched as she took another drink. “Can I try some?” he asked.
Mao hesitated, then pushed the juice toward her father, and finally beckoned to En’en.
When En’en leaned down, Mao said in a stage whisper, "Tell him he shouldn't drink that."
“That should placate Grams,” she thought. “I tried to warn him, as if the Freak would ever listen.”
En’en repeated, “She says not to drink that.”
“Anything my daughter can drink, I can,” Lakan said, taking a swallow. “Ahg! What’s in there?”
“Sweet flag, polygala, and ginseng,” Onsou said.
Lord Kan took another sip and made a sour face. “One more,” he said, taking a gulp, then stuffed a large handful of sugared walnuts into his mouth.
Clack… Clack… Clack…
“Lord?” Onsou said, frowning at his lord’s last move.
Clack!. Mao captured Lakan’s pieces, breaking his formation.
Lord Kan blinked, picked up a piece, and then set it down again. “I need to take a nap,” he said, his head sinking to the table.
“Then I am no longer needed,” Mao announced, rising.
Once they were out of the room, Yoa asked, “What happened?”
Mao smiled. “Onsou forgot to mention the alcohol from the ginseng tincture.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 2 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.The room looked much as it had in her recent dream. Courtesans lounged on pillows while Joka played the erhu, looking bored. The air was thick with the scent of high-quality incense. While not as expensive as the frankincense and myrrh in her dream, it was still too costly to waste on this guest. He probably didn't even notice it. There was no wine present either. At Verdigris House, it was well known that Lord Kan was allergic to alcohol; the slightest amount would render him comatose.
Mao wordlessly sat down at the Go board across from Lord Kan. Her father had already placed nine black stones on the board. Mao studied them as if they would reveal her opponent’s strategy rather than merely representing the handicap he had given her.
“Evening, daughter. I'm pleased you joined me,” Kan began.
.…
"As you can see, I have given you a full handicap. If you want more, you can rearrange them.”
With a sharp clack, Mao placed a black stone on the board.
Kan nibbled on a lotus seed cake, crumbs dropping onto the Go board. He silently placed a white piece on the board.
"The cakes are excellent. Would you like one?" Lakan offered.
Clack!
“Or some sugared walnuts?”
Clack!
This went on for minutes on end, with Lakan placing his stones and chattering at Mao. The only response he received was the irritable sound of Mao placing her pieces.
This went on until the lord captured his first group of Mao’s pieces.
“This won’t do,” Mao muttered. She looked at En’en. “My drink.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
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Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 2 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.The room looked much as it had in her recent dream. Courtesans lounged on pillows while Joka played the erhu, looking bored. The air was thick with the scent of high-quality incense. While not as expensive as the frankincense and myrrh in her dream, it was still too costly to waste on this guest. He probably didn't even notice it. There was no wine present either. At Verdigris House, it was well known that Lord Kan was allergic to alcohol; the slightest amount would render him comatose.
Mao wordlessly sat down at the Go board across from Lord Kan. Her father had already placed nine black stones on the board. Mao studied them as if they would reveal her opponent’s strategy rather than merely representing the handicap he had given her.
“Evening, daughter. I'm pleased you joined me,” Kan began.
.…
"As you can see, I have given you a full handicap. If you want more, you can rearrange them.”
With a sharp clack, Mao placed a black stone on the board.
Kan nibbled on a lotus seed cake, crumbs dropping onto the Go board. He silently placed a white piece on the board.
"The cakes are excellent. Would you like one?" Lakan offered.
Clack!
“Or some sugared walnuts?”
Clack!
This went on for minutes on end, with Lakan placing his stones and chattering at Mao. The only response he received was the irritable sound of Mao placing her pieces.
This went on until the lord captured his first group of Mao’s pieces.
“This won’t do,” Mao muttered. She looked at En’en. “My drink.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 2 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.The room looked much as it had in her recent dream. Courtesans lounged on pillows while Joka played the erhu, looking bored. The air was thick with the scent of high-quality incense. While not as expensive as the frankincense and myrrh in her dream, it was still too costly to waste on this guest. He probably didn't even notice it. There was no wine present either. At Verdigris House, it was well known that Lord Kan was allergic to alcohol; the slightest amount would render him comatose.
Mao wordlessly sat down at the Go board across from Lord Kan. Her father had already placed nine black stones on the board. Mao studied them as if they would reveal her opponent’s strategy rather than merely representing the handicap he had given her.
“Evening, daughter. I'm pleased you joined me,” Kan began.
.…
"As you can see, I have given you a full handicap. If you want more, you can rearrange them.”
With a sharp clack, Mao placed a black stone on the board.
Kan nibbled on a lotus seed cake, crumbs dropping onto the Go board. He silently placed a white piece on the board.
"The cakes are excellent. Would you like one?" Lakan offered.
Clack!
“Or some sugared walnuts?”
Clack!
This went on for minutes on end, with Lakan placing his stones and chattering at Mao. The only response he received was the irritable sound of Mao placing her pieces.
This went on until the lord captured his first group of Mao’s pieces.
“This won’t do,” Mao muttered. She looked at En’en. “My drink.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 2 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.The room looked much as it had in her recent dream. Courtesans lounged on pillows while Joka played the erhu, looking bored. The air was thick with the scent of high-quality incense. While not as expensive as the frankincense and myrrh in her dream, it was still too costly to waste on this guest. He probably didn't even notice it. There was no wine present either. At Verdigris House, it was well known that Lord Kan was allergic to alcohol; the slightest amount would render him comatose.
Mao wordlessly sat down at the Go board across from Lord Kan. Her father had already placed nine black stones on the board. Mao studied them as if they would reveal her opponent’s strategy rather than merely representing the handicap he had given her.
“Evening, daughter. I'm pleased you joined me,” Kan began.
.…
"As you can see, I have given you a full handicap. If you want more, you can rearrange them.”
With a sharp clack, Mao placed a black stone on the board.
Kan nibbled on a lotus seed cake, crumbs dropping onto the Go board. He silently placed a white piece on the board.
"The cakes are excellent. Would you like one?" Lakan offered.
Clack!
“Or some sugared walnuts?”
Clack!
This went on for minutes on end, with Lakan placing his stones and chattering at Mao. The only response he received was the irritable sound of Mao placing her pieces.
This went on until the lord captured his first group of Mao’s pieces.
“This won’t do,” Mao muttered. She looked at En’en. “My drink.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 2 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.The room looked much as it had in her recent dream. Courtesans lounged on pillows while Joka played the erhu, looking bored. The air was thick with the scent of high-quality incense. While not as expensive as the frankincense and myrrh in her dream, it was still too costly to waste on this guest. He probably didn't even notice it. There was no wine present either. At Verdigris House, it was well known that Lord Kan was allergic to alcohol; the slightest amount would render him comatose.
Mao wordlessly sat down at the Go board across from Lord Kan. Her father had already placed nine black stones on the board. Mao studied them as if they would reveal her opponent’s strategy rather than merely representing the handicap he had given her.
“Evening, daughter. I'm pleased you joined me,” Kan began.
.…
"As you can see, I have given you a full handicap. If you want more, you can rearrange them.”
With a sharp clack, Mao placed a black stone on the board.
Kan nibbled on a lotus seed cake, crumbs dropping onto the Go board. He silently placed a white piece on the board.
"The cakes are excellent. Would you like one?" Lakan offered.
Clack!
“Or some sugared walnuts?”
Clack!
This went on for minutes on end, with Lakan placing his stones and chattering at Mao. The only response he received was the irritable sound of Mao placing her pieces.
This went on until the lord captured his first group of Mao’s pieces.
“This won’t do,” Mao muttered. She looked at En’en. “My drink.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 1 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.As soon as Mao and her party were out of the madam's earshot, Mao said, "I need to stop by the apothecary for a moment. There's something I need."
Onsou raised an eyebrow, so Mao hurried on. "If I am to play Go with that goblin, I need every advantage. I wish to fetch a 'Scholar's Tonic.'”
Onsou nodded.
“And I need fruit juice, not wine. We’ll need to stop by the kitchen.”
“I’ll see to it,” Onsou said, summoning a girl to fetch it.
Once in the apothecary, Mao announced what she was getting, making sure Onsou heard.
“Scholar’s tonic: sweet flag to clear the mind and polygala to open it. And a vial of ginseng tincture for clarity.”
“And juice,” Mao said as a girl entered with it. “Not wine, which would cloud the mind.”
She took the bottle, added the Scholar’s Tonic and the ginseng tincture, then said to En’en. “Give this to me when I ask for it.”
En’en glared but took it. Ignoring the look, Mao said, “It’s a mental stimulant. If the Freak complains, just tell him that.”
She turned to Onsou. “Since I'm forced to, I’ll play Go with the Freak, but I won’t talk to him.”
He nodded, looking troubled, but turned and led the way to the main guest room where Kan Lakan waited. No one heard him mutter, “#Cruel, cruel woman.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
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Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 1 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.As soon as Mao and her party were out of the madam's earshot, Mao said, "I need to stop by the apothecary for a moment. There's something I need."
Onsou raised an eyebrow, so Mao hurried on. "If I am to play Go with that goblin, I need every advantage. I wish to fetch a 'Scholar's Tonic.'”
Onsou nodded.
“And I need fruit juice, not wine. We’ll need to stop by the kitchen.”
“I’ll see to it,” Onsou said, summoning a girl to fetch it.
Once in the apothecary, Mao announced what she was getting, making sure Onsou heard.
“Scholar’s tonic: sweet flag to clear the mind and polygala to open it. And a vial of ginseng tincture for clarity.”
“And juice,” Mao said as a girl entered with it. “Not wine, which would cloud the mind.”
She took the bottle, added the Scholar’s Tonic and the ginseng tincture, then said to En’en. “Give this to me when I ask for it.”
En’en glared but took it. Ignoring the look, Mao said, “It’s a mental stimulant. If the Freak complains, just tell him that.”
She turned to Onsou. “Since I'm forced to, I’ll play Go with the Freak, but I won’t talk to him.”
He nodded, looking troubled, but turned and led the way to the main guest room where Kan Lakan waited. No one heard him mutter, “#Cruel, cruel woman.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 1 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.As soon as Mao and her party were out of the madam's earshot, Mao said, "I need to stop by the apothecary for a moment. There's something I need."
Onsou raised an eyebrow, so Mao hurried on. "If I am to play Go with that goblin, I need every advantage. I wish to fetch a 'Scholar's Tonic.'”
Onsou nodded.
“And I need fruit juice, not wine. We’ll need to stop by the kitchen.”
“I’ll see to it,” Onsou said, summoning a girl to fetch it.
Once in the apothecary, Mao announced what she was getting, making sure Onsou heard.
“Scholar’s tonic: sweet flag to clear the mind and polygala to open it. And a vial of ginseng tincture for clarity.”
“And juice,” Mao said as a girl entered with it. “Not wine, which would cloud the mind.”
She took the bottle, added the Scholar’s Tonic and the ginseng tincture, then said to En’en. “Give this to me when I ask for it.”
En’en glared but took it. Ignoring the look, Mao said, “It’s a mental stimulant. If the Freak complains, just tell him that.”
She turned to Onsou. “Since I'm forced to, I’ll play Go with the Freak, but I won’t talk to him.”
He nodded, looking troubled, but turned and led the way to the main guest room where Kan Lakan waited. No one heard him mutter, “#Cruel, cruel woman.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
-
Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: April Fools Edition 1 of 3
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Fool / #AprilFools #MastoPrompt Cruel #WordWeavers April Fools.As soon as Mao and her party were out of the madam's earshot, Mao said, "I need to stop by the apothecary for a moment. There's something I need."
Onsou raised an eyebrow, so Mao hurried on. "If I am to play Go with that goblin, I need every advantage. I wish to fetch a 'Scholar's Tonic.'”
Onsou nodded.
“And I need fruit juice, not wine. We’ll need to stop by the kitchen.”
“I’ll see to it,” Onsou said, summoning a girl to fetch it.
Once in the apothecary, Mao announced what she was getting, making sure Onsou heard.
“Scholar’s tonic: sweet flag to clear the mind and polygala to open it. And a vial of ginseng tincture for clarity.”
“And juice,” Mao said as a girl entered with it. “Not wine, which would cloud the mind.”
She took the bottle, added the Scholar’s Tonic and the ginseng tincture, then said to En’en. “Give this to me when I ask for it.”
En’en glared but took it. Ignoring the look, Mao said, “It’s a mental stimulant. If the Freak complains, just tell him that.”
She turned to Onsou. “Since I'm forced to, I’ll play Go with the Freak, but I won’t talk to him.”
He nodded, looking troubled, but turned and led the way to the main guest room where Kan Lakan waited. No one heard him mutter, “#Cruel, cruel woman.”
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife #FathersDay
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 6 Chue’s Con 2 of 2 parts
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Rack #MastoPrompt Volume“How much do they pay you?” Chue asked. Her voice was still hoarse, but her words were clear, the #volume steady.
“What’s it to ya?” the elder said.
“Because whatever it is, it’s not enough,” Chue said. “Take us out of here, and you can claim a reward for the lady over there. Then take your money, go to another city, and live like nobles for the rest of your life.”
“Ya turn us in and get the whole reward. Hah! Serpents, that’s what Prophet calls ya jeses,” Cudgel said.
“You can collect it all. Once we get out of here, I’ll vanish if you want. The Moon Prince will pay you a fortune to get her back. Why settle for a few spilled grains when you can have the whole harvest?”
“Juda Prince,” the first man laughed. “He’ll pay, oh, he’ll pay—pay in lamb’s blood, that’s what the pilgrim said. Fire and brimstone, aye, he’ll bring it down. Burn out the serpents, the dogs, all of ’em. Prophet says so—us clean ones take what’s left.”
He pulled a wooden crucifix with a crude iron nail hammered into it from under his robes. The tip was bloody where it had gouged its bearer. His brother produced a similar one.
Since she couldn’t convince these two zealots to help, she decided to gather what information she could. “This prophet, he wouldn’t be The Frank?” She omitted the word “mad.” It wouldn’t do to antagonize them.
“God speaks to that one. Promised to bring down fire on the land,” Cudgel said while the elder nodded.
“Been here too long,” said the one with the tray, putting it down on the floor. “Ya be feeding the jese princess when she awakes.”
With that, the two departed, while Chue slumped against the wall.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Post 6 Chue’s Con 1 of 2 parts
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Rack #MastoPrompt VolumeSince it was pointless #racking her brains for an escape plan, Chue went to sleep.
She awoke to the sound of the door scraping open. Her head still hurt, but when she opened her eyes a slit, the room didn’t spin. In the doorway stood two burly men, brothers by the look of them. The elder held a tray in his hands, two steaming bowls balanced on it. Bile rose in her throat as the sour smell of boiled millet reached her.
The other man had a cudgel by his side, but Chue didn’t think she could wrestle it away from him in time to use it. She might take one down, but the other would easily defeat her in the process. So she would have to out-talk them.
The first man spoke, “Told ya you hit the yese too hard. Prophet wants her alive.” He nodded toward the bed. Chue didn’t recognize the term “yese,” but it sounded like a foreign slur.
Her thoughts were still slow, but she worked on understanding, knowing that any clue might be important. The Mad Frank sometimes called the courtesans “yesebel” when he was in a foul mood. But even if they were the same, that didn’t help her.
The second man toed her. “Wake up, honey child. The prophet says, to eat.”
She opened her eyes fully. “Water.” The words came out as a raspy whisper. Food sounded revolting, but she thought she could manage a drink.
The water from a gourd she had been given tasted wonderful. She sipped it while examining the two men. Their worn clothes marked them as poor. Hard muscles indicated individuals who did manual labor. Scars made by fists, not edged weapons, marred their faces, so they weren’t mercenaries. Ears in good shape meant they weren’t professional brawlers either. However, they held themselves with the assurance of men accustomed to getting their way through brute force: enforcers, perhaps, mercenaries of a different type, hired from the underworld.
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Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: Father’s Day Edition (2 of 2)
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Father #FathersDay #MastoPrompt #Rocky[Continued from previous post]
Mao’s eyes narrowed when her former bodyguard Steele met her, En’en, and Yao at the medical room’s door.
The mercenary addressing Mao said, “I have orders to guard you.”
Mao assessed her: “Brigandine, recently cleaned; no bow, but she still carries a short, curved scimitar; and new boots. She’s doing well for herself.”
The skirmisher still had the tan and tousled look of someone more accustomed to riding a horse than being a bodyguard, though.
Mao grimaced; "healthy too." She would have loved to dose the woman, but there wasn’t the slightest sign of ill-health.
“This way, Lady Maomao. Dr. Liu’s orders are that you are not to bother him.” The gleam in Steele’s eye did nothing to diminish Mao’s resentment toward her.
“These are for you,” her guard said, handing Mao a bundle of sky-blue clothes. At least she attempted to hand them to her.
“Are these from ‘him?’” Mao asked, refusing them.
“They are from Lord Kan.”
“Then you may have them. Sell them if you can’t wear them.”
“And if they say I stole them?” the mercenary said.
“Then burn them! I don’t care.”
“Very well. I'll tell them to talk to you if there are any concerns.”
Mao's brows puckered with annoyance, but she said nothing, while the other two women watched with both sympathy and amusement.
[Continued on #AprilFools]
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife
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Least Kan Lakan be Forgotten: Father’s Day Edition (1 of 2)
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Father #FathersDay #MastoPrompt #RockyIt had been a while since Maomao had worked with Yao and En’en, but an overnight fire in a barracks meant that every available hand was needed. Dr. Liu has set Maomao to making salve while the other two women rolled bandages. Chaos reigned around their busy island of work. Doctors and other staff flowed in and out of the medical room, constantly demanding more salve, bandages, and other supplies. Screams of soldiers lying on the ground outside rent the air.
This was the scene that greeted Dr. Liu when he entered the room. He cast his eyes around and lit on Mao, fixing her with a #rocky stare usually reserved for Tianyu. She wanted to cover her head in case he tried thumping her head or boxing her ears.
“Here,” he said, thrusting a paper at her. “And take those two,” he said, gesturing toward Yao and En’en. “You’re to be attended like a proper lady!” He nearly spat the last words. Then, without explanation, he turned and left the room.
Maomao clicked her tongue. Having Dr. Liu upset with her would be nothing but a pain. Then there was the paper. She looked at it. On the outside was Onsou’s chop. That meant it was a directive from her unspeakable progenitor. No wonder Liu had taken it seriously, and so he should have. Thwarting Lakan was signing your own death warrant.
She opened and read it. Her tongue clicked again, and her face grew grim: a day with her unspeakable—his birthday.
“It’s an invitation to Verdigris House for this evening,” Mao told the two women who were looking at her curiously. “Due to my ‘status’ and recent events, I am to bring two attendants.” The tone of her voice made her displeasure apparent.
En’en interrupted, “It is not fitting that Lady Yao should act as your attendant!” Daggers couldn’t have been sharper than her words.
For the third time, Mao clicked her tongue. “Tell that to Dr. Liu.”
“It’s okay,” Yao said. “I'm sure it’s the Moon Prince showing his favor for her.”
En’en didn’t look convinced, but there was no disobeying the doctor’s instructions.
“I could use less favor,” Mao thought.
“It’s not from the prince, it’s from that offal that calls himself my #father,” she explained.
"Come," Mao said, grabbing En'en's arm. "Let's tell Dr. Liu we're needed here."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #ApothecaryDiaries #NMFic #SliceOfLife
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Part 5 The Room
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 FeatureDizziness overtook Chue, and she sank back down onto the straw mat. She began breathing the way she had been taught: in and out, focusing on a point in the center of her belly.
The pain in her head ebbed until it was a dull ache she could ignore. “Things are never as hopeless as they seem,” she reminded herself. True, The Mad Frank’s friends had kidnapped both Maomao and her, but Mao was still alive, and their captors had placed them in the same cell. Surely those were omens of good fortune. The gods must have been smiling on her.
She climbed to her feet and checked on Mao. Lifting one eyelid, she saw that the pupil was dilated. She hoped it was due to drugs, but the gash on Mao's temple made that seem unlikely.
Next, she examined the door. It was solid, and even if she forced it open, she would only escape into hostile, unknown territory. Next came the window. Three meters in front of her was a #featureless wall. Peering up, she could see the sky deepening into darkness. Below, she could see the edge of a rubbish-strewn alley.
Examining the boards followed. They groaned and gave slightly when tested. If she used her full weight, she should be able to remove one and then use it as a lever. That would be noisy. She wondered how long it would take the guards to arrive. Probably not as long as she’d need to make her escape.
She looked back at Mao and abandoned the idea of escaping through the window. The chances of success were slim to begin with, but they vanished if she had to carry an unconscious person.
That left her with only two options: out-talking or overpowering her captors. It was in the hands of the gods, she thought.
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My serialization of #TheApothecaryDiaries keeps doing well on PIXIV. So, so on AO3. I keep thinking I'm going to run out of ideas, but been 10 months and I'm still going.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Part 4 Kidnapped
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Gape #MastoPrompt LooseThe beggar awoke thinking, “Chue’s head hurts.”
Stars danced at the edge of her vision, and her head pounded while nausea clawed at her belly. “She’s lucky, that’s all it is!” Being hit in the head was no joke.
She opened her eyes a slit. She wasn’t sure it would be wise to let people know she was awake yet. The room was dim, with the only light coming from a gap in the boards covering the window. She thought she could pry the boards #loose, but that would make a racket.
Dust danced in a light beam that pierced the gloom. The straw mat under her was old but dry. When she moved her head gingerly, an explosion of pain shot through it, the world spun, and she nearly vomited, but she remained conscious.
#Gaping, she saw a crude drawing of a man being crucified on the wall. A glow surrounded his head, while celestial women heralded his death. She recognized it as a religious drawing from a foreign land. “Chue remembers! The Frank raves about how ‘he’ died for our sins.” It was a sluggish thought, but it made sense under the circumstances.
Below the painting was a bed, but from her angle, she couldn’t tell if it was occupied.
Another painful motion of her head brought the opposite wall into view, a bare wall with a door in it.
“No one,” Chue said, sitting up.
Now, she could see that there was someone in the bed, covered by a thin blanket. "Chue knows who this is," she said, clicking her tongue. "Chue has failed."
“But I should check.”
There were no surprises under the blanket, only Maomao breathing shallowly, a gash in her forehead.
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Three Kings and a Princess 三人の王様と一人の王女
#FanFiction #TheApothecaryDiaries #TearMoonEmpire
Everything is not as it seems, as Mao has a series of visitors. -
The Mad Frank's Dreams: Part 3 Street Trouble
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 DerelictNeither the sun nor The Frank's hyperbolic ranting could explain the traffic on the street the next day. Flag had an uneasy feeling about the thugs who hung out on one corner and the #derelicts who chose that section of the street to pass out on.
Verdigris House would clean them out before opening for business. In the meantime, they smelled of trouble. She considered going to the brothel, but that would blow her cover, or leaving to get help, but what if something happened while she was gone? In the end, she stayed put, keeping watch.
Noon came, bringing the promise of the morning’s leftover rice or perhaps even a steamed bun, should a courtesan feel generous. The brothels were preparing for the workday to begin, and soon they would sweep the street of riffraff. Part of what she paid the street steward earned her the right to remain.
A figure wove in and out of the crowd, then darted down the alley next to Verdigris House that led to Maomao’s apothecary shop.
Flag stirred uneasily, then stood up when the drunkards rose suddenly in unison. Jinshi had been right to worry that a plot aimed at Maomao was afoot.
She had barely taken three steps when a hand landed on her shoulder. “My, my, isn’t the Flag Lady suddenly spry?”
She turned and grabbed the hand of a pale-haired foreigner. He screamed; his wrist now bent at an obscene angle.
At the edge of her vision, she saw Mao exit the alley with the stranger who had gone in.
The man’s companion reached up a sleeve. The blur of a sap was the last thing she saw before pain exploded in her head and darkness descended.
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The Mad Frank's Dreams: Part 2 Coin Trick
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Forlorn #MastoPrompt MushDays passed. Rumors that the Moon Prince had been ill arose and then subsided. On this particular day, a #forlorn rain fell. Few people were out to tread the #mushy churned road, yet both Flag and The Mad Frank were plying their trade. The former sought aid from passersby, while the latter sought to save their souls. Neither was having any luck.
Late morning came, and one of The Frank's few "regulars" stopped to speak with him. Soon after, The Frank disappeared, and then the beggar vanished as well.
She was back by evening to do tricks for the street steward’s son. Among these, she extracted a larger coin than usual from the boy’s ear. “Ah, Flag sees you’re holding out on the boss,” she said, and passed the coin to the father, being careful not to reveal the note hidden behind it.
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Dreams of The Mad Frank: Part 1 The Flag Lady
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Flesh #MastoPrompt InadaquetThe beggar woman sat in a shaded corner. Her cheeks were sallow from her #inadaquet diet of rice, wild grasses, and scraps that people left her. Years of poverty had eaten away at her #flesh until she appeared to be little more than a skeleton under many layers of her tattered robes.
As people walked by, she held out a bowl containing a few stray coins. Accustomed as they were to beggars, her missing arm evoked little sympathy. It was better not to notice beggars.
Her eyes remained dull until children happened by, and then she came alive. From her robes, she would produce bright strings of flags with a dexterity that belied her emaciation. If the parents looked to have money, she produced a dove to delight the child. This might secure her a few more coins, which she would carefully hide to avoid being robbed. The courtesans of Verdigris House and neighboring brothels called her The Flag Lady or just Flag.
Truthfully, she did well at her trade—both of them.
All the time she sought alms, she kept a close watch on “The Mad Frank,” noting anyone who spoke to him. But when Maomao appeared, Flag lowered her head and ceased performing. “Alas, I am too feeble,” she would moan.
In the evening, a man who was half-jokingly referred to as the street steward and his son came by to collect his share. The beggar would perform a few tricks for the son and conclude by saying, “Nothing more.” If anyone had cared to watch closely, the sum she passed the father had little to do with the amount she earned: one, two, three, or four coins. The amount varied not in proportion to her income, but to the number of visitors The Frank had.
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Dreams of The Mad Frank: Part 1 The Flag Lady
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Flesh #MastoPrompt InadaquetThe beggar woman sat in a shaded corner. Her cheeks were sallow from her #inadaquet diet of rice, wild grasses, and scraps that people left her. Years of poverty had eaten away at her #flesh until she appeared to be little more than a skeleton under many layers of her tattered robes.
As people walked by, she held out a bowl containing a few stray coins. Accustomed as they were to beggars, her missing arm evoked little sympathy. It was better not to notice beggars.
Her eyes remained dull until children happened by, and then she came alive. From her robes, she would produce bright strings of flags with a dexterity that belied her emaciation. If the parents looked to have money, she produced a dove to delight the child. This might secure her a few more coins, which she would carefully hide to avoid being robbed. The courtesans of Verdigris House and neighboring brothels called her The Flag Lady or just Flag.
Truthfully, she did well at her trade—both of them.
All the time she sought alms, she kept a close watch on “The Mad Frank,” noting anyone who spoke to him. But when Maomao appeared, Flag lowered her head and ceased performing. “Alas, I am too feeble,” she would moan.
In the evening, a man who was half-jokingly referred to as the street steward and his son came by to collect his share. The beggar would perform a few tricks for the son and conclude by saying, “Nothing more.” If anyone had cared to watch closely, the sum she passed the father had little to do with the amount she earned: one, two, three, or four coins. The amount varied not in proportion to her income, but to the number of visitors The Frank had.
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Dreams of The Mad Frank: Part 1 The Flag Lady
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Flesh #MastoPrompt InadaquetThe beggar woman sat in a shaded corner. Her cheeks were sallow from her #inadaquet diet of rice, wild grasses, and scraps that people left her. Years of poverty had eaten away at her #flesh until she appeared to be little more than a skeleton under many layers of her tattered robes.
As people walked by, she held out a bowl containing a few stray coins. Accustomed as they were to beggars, her missing arm evoked little sympathy. It was better not to notice beggars.
Her eyes remained dull until children happened by, and then she came alive. From her robes, she would produce bright strings of flags with a dexterity that belied her emaciation. If the parents looked to have money, she produced a dove to delight the child. This might secure her a few more coins, which she would carefully hide to avoid being robbed. The courtesans of Verdigris House and neighboring brothels called her The Flag Lady or just Flag.
Truthfully, she did well at her trade—both of them.
All the time she sought alms, she kept a close watch on “The Mad Frank,” noting anyone who spoke to him. But when Maomao appeared, Flag lowered her head and ceased performing. “Alas, I am too feeble,” she would moan.
In the evening, a man who was half-jokingly referred to as the street steward and his son came by to collect his share. The beggar would perform a few tricks for the son and conclude by saying, “Nothing more.” If anyone had cared to watch closely, the sum she passed the father had little to do with the amount she earned: one, two, three, or four coins. The amount varied not in proportion to her income, but to the number of visitors The Frank had.
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Dreams of The Mad Frank: Part 1 The Flag Lady
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Flesh #MastoPrompt InadaquetThe beggar woman sat in a shaded corner. Her cheeks were sallow from her #inadaquet diet of rice, wild grasses, and scraps that people left her. Years of poverty had eaten away at her #flesh until she appeared to be little more than a skeleton under many layers of her tattered robes.
As people walked by, she held out a bowl containing a few stray coins. Accustomed as they were to beggars, her missing arm evoked little sympathy. It was better not to notice beggars.
Her eyes remained dull until children happened by, and then she came alive. From her robes, she would produce bright strings of flags with a dexterity that belied her emaciation. If the parents looked to have money, she produced a dove to delight the child. This might secure her a few more coins, which she would carefully hide to avoid being robbed. The courtesans of Verdigris House and neighboring brothels called her The Flag Lady or just Flag.
Truthfully, she did well at her trade—both of them.
All the time she sought alms, she kept a close watch on “The Mad Frank,” noting anyone who spoke to him. But when Maomao appeared, Flag lowered her head and ceased performing. “Alas, I am too feeble,” she would moan.
In the evening, a man who was half-jokingly referred to as the street steward and his son came by to collect his share. The beggar would perform a few tricks for the son and conclude by saying, “Nothing more.” If anyone had cared to watch closely, the sum she passed the father had little to do with the amount she earned: one, two, three, or four coins. The amount varied not in proportion to her income, but to the number of visitors The Frank had.
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Dreams of The Mad Frank: Part 1 The Flag Lady
#FanFic #TheApothecaryDiaries
#Wss366 Flesh #MastoPrompt InadaquetThe beggar woman sat in a shaded corner. Her cheeks were sallow from her #inadaquet diet of rice, wild grasses, and scraps that people left her. Years of poverty had eaten away at her #flesh until she appeared to be little more than a skeleton under many layers of her tattered robes.
As people walked by, she held out a bowl containing a few stray coins. Accustomed as they were to beggars, her missing arm evoked little sympathy. It was better not to notice beggars.
Her eyes remained dull until children happened by, and then she came alive. From her robes, she would produce bright strings of flags with a dexterity that belied her emaciation. If the parents looked to have money, she produced a dove to delight the child. This might secure her a few more coins, which she would carefully hide to avoid being robbed. The courtesans of Verdigris House and neighboring brothels called her The Flag Lady or just Flag.
Truthfully, she did well at her trade—both of them.
All the time she sought alms, she kept a close watch on “The Mad Frank,” noting anyone who spoke to him. But when Maomao appeared, Flag lowered her head and ceased performing. “Alas, I am too feeble,” she would moan.
In the evening, a man who was half-jokingly referred to as the street steward and his son came by to collect his share. The beggar would perform a few tricks for the son and conclude by saying, “Nothing more.” If anyone had cared to watch closely, the sum she passed the father had little to do with the amount she earned: one, two, three, or four coins. The amount varied not in proportion to her income, but to the number of visitors The Frank had.