A fight erupts in the clinic waiting room, but neither Bloodletter Gavin nor nurse Jolene are there to break it up.
Gavin stands at his craft table feeling sorry for himself. He can hear the brawl, but chooses not to intervene. “Maybe if they kill each other, they will be two less patients that die at our hand,” he says irrationally.
Gavin drags himself upstairs to prepare a meal. “Do you want any stew?” He asks Jolene.
“Nay,” she whispers in a voice that sounds as pitiful as Gavin feels.
Gavin wants more than anything to be there for his friend, but he cannot get past his own troubles. He feels as though he is letting her down.
Gavin has a decision to make. He can wallow in pity, or make some changes. He decides to start with a change in his appearance.
Immediately he looks and feels more professional. He goes back to the craft table and swiftly chooses the correct combination of herbs.
He creates a perfect salve.
Gavin delivers the salve to a waiting patient; earning 40 gold simoles for his work.
He applies first aid to another waiting patient; totally curing him of his injury.
Gavin goes to his garden to look for herbs to replace his stock.
As he picks a few wild flowers, he thinks of Chalyela and the time they spent together. He misses her smile so much.
As Gavin is gathering his herbs, he hears music and laughter, carried by the wind from the tavern below. He had forgotten that the tavern was scheduled to open today. A goblet of ale amongst strangers sounds most appealing.
Gavin gathers a few last herbs and decides to visit the tavern.
In his experience, the quickest way to heal pain and hurt is a goblet of ale. If that does not work, then he can at least feel good for a few moments.
The pit of sadness that has made a home in his stomach deepens as he glances up at the castle; standing as proud as its queen up on the hill. He sighs and continues walking.
He walks on until he arrives at the spot where he held Chalyela for the first time and more recently saw how conflicted her face appeared as she broke off their courtship.
He recalls the emotion in her voice and the tears that threatened to fill her eyes. He also recalls his own stubbornness, refusing to really listen to what she had to say.
He passes the spot that holds so many memories, yet the memories continue to follow him as he walks on.
Finally he is within feet of the tavern. The sounds of laughter and music gives him hope of a good time.
As he gets closer, his ears are filled with the song of an angelic voice kind enough to sing directly to his soul.
