Bryce listened without interrupting her as she explained the herbs. More than that, he showed a level of retainment and possible interest as he posed another question of the subject. While Sanyi would sit and listen, she hardly asked questions at all. It was as if the wyvern was merely learning how to use the items in Raziel's bag to save people without an interest in furthering the field. Specifically Raziel so she could do the major healing without bungling things up.

Before she could answer, however, they were at the cafe. Sweet pastries almost covered the scent of the cherry blossoms. "Mikhail, best wait outside this time," she requested as Azula flew into the cherry trees. Inside, many more tantalizing aromas assaulted her nose, which was heavenly. "I can smell the croissants baking in the back. Their choices of meat are sweet and succulent, a perfect match for some of the bread they make here. And the sweets are… delectable. Is that chocolate I smell?" Raziel smiled as she ducked her head, tucking her staff into the crook of her arm to fiddle with the draconic icon on her necklace.

"Um… Those sandwiches, some of that sweet apple cider, and chocolate-dipped strawberries?" She honestly didn't mean to make it out that she was showing him up. "If, that is, okay with you?" Once everything was settled upon, she reached for her pouch to grab payment if Bryce would let her. After that, she returned to the subject before they entered. "You asked about the banshee tears causing amnesia and helping with memories, right? The potion is temporary, so the memories will flood back and be just as painful. It would be best for small doses in emergency situations so that the patient can be moved to a safe location to rehabilitate them, help them learn to deal with the pain. But if one consumes vast amounts… It has been recorded that the potion can permanently erase everything… Including long term memory."

He was surprised by her sense of smell. He could barely tell a croissant from a tart and yet she was able to tell every pastry just by one sniff! Bryce let her decide the recipe because he was treating her and because she would know the best things to get. The sandwiches looked appealing and so did the chocolate-dipped strawberries. It would be his first time trying sweet apple cider, but he was up for it.

"Yes, that is an excellent selection." Bryce said, "Lets divide up the price between us."

He did the math quickly and was able to divide the price between them easily. Paying for the entire thing wouldn't have been a problem. However, he didn't want to make her feel bad since he knew many people preferred paying. Splitting it up was usually the best option. After that, he waited with her for the food to be ready. Bryce gave them a little extra if they added packed it all in a picnic basket for them. It would make getting the food to the park significantly easier.

"Interesting. So the effects are usually temporary unless all of it is taken." He remarked, "So what about those elemental elixirs that you mentioned earlier? What is it exactly that they do?"

The cafe people were quick with getting their orders and had  a picnic basket ready for them. Bryce thanked them and carried the picnic basket on the other arm, the one that Raziel wasn't using. He escorted her out of the shop and watched as the animals went back to her side. The park wasn't too far from them now. All they had to do was take a beautiful boat ride to the other side of the river.

"You mentioned being in Zets'ki's Cradle earlier. I've never had the fortune of visiting there." Bryce said, "What is it like?"

He only just recently noticed how beautiful the day was. The wind was blowing softly and the temperature was heavenly. The trees were green and fresh while birds were soaring high above. Normally he was too busy with work to ever notice them.

Being with Bryce was easy, she decided as he tallied the price and allowed her to pay for half. It was simple, sweet, and pleasant. "Yes. And once you've lost everything… there is usually no return… All diety powers not included." She had heard of them performing their miracles. The goddess of life resurrecting the goddess of death, forging a powerful weapon to kill the eldritch creature and ultimately the goddess of death, making a man impregnatable.

"You know, I've never actually used an elixir myself. All I know is that they were created to give the imbiber a resistance against an element. But if the banshee tear can increase your resistance to ice, can it not be used to help reduce the heat of a fever, or soothe a burn? Numb pain even?" She gave the cafe employees a small bow of the head before allowing her guide to escort her out of the building. Once more, Azula and Mikhail returned to their places. To their benefit, neither made a play at the basket in Bryce's hand.

For once, someone inquired about her home. Her mother had made it a place of love and warmth. "It's cold. High up in the mountains, there is snow all year round. But the angels are so inviting. My mother described it as a city of living art. She said that most of the windows that line the street are stained glass murals of history, always shining to color the snow outside. But the temple… The temple for Mother Celestial is where all the beauty is. It houses Reverie and all her daughters hang above her. Mother said it looks like the night sky."

Deities always worked outside most regular rules so he wasn't surprised when he heard the potion's powers were ineffective against the powers of a deity. He listened as she explained her theory on on the the elixirs and specifically the banshee tear. Her words gave away to the intelligence hidden just beneath the layer of humbleness. And Raziel led him through the conversation in a way that made it easier for him to follow. Other healers and alchemists he'd listened to jumped straight into the technical details while she made sure he knew enough to follow along.

"That makes sense." He commented, "Well I hope your theory is correct. It would be a massive boost to the healing community's knowledge over medical practices."

Bryce listened to her describe her home as they drew closer to the boats. He could almost see the snowy mountains she described and the stained glass windows lining the street. The temple for Mother Celestial sounded heavenly and beautiful. However, there was something wrong with this description. It was all somebody else's experiences. A beautiful thing told to her by her mother but never taken in by Raziel herself.

"That sounds amazing." Bryce said politely, "But what was it like for you?"

He wasn't trying to be rude, he was trying to understand how the place was for her. As demonstrated earlier, Raziel seemed to take in the world in a different way. And there are different memories every person had with their hometown, not to mention every location had its own quirks and local behaviors. The visuals were nice but only one part of the world. Soon they came to the boats and he offered to help her onto one. The boats were large enough to hold up to ten people. There were larger boats down the river but they didn't really need any of those.

The couple made it onto a boat, a sudden sullen mood having descended upon the angel as she robotically accepted his aid onto it. Thinking about the things that made the place her home opened a fresh wound back up… The wound of saying goodbye to her mother for the last time. "Despite the freezing air that attempts to steal your breath away, there was always a cozy atmosphere. The greenhouses were always so warm and earthy, the underground storage smelled of herbs. I'm not sure how many people could tell, but when the skies were clear, and the sun high, I could smell the winterberries and the blue flowers that grew in the impossible conditions. That… That was the most heavenly."

As the boat gently swayed, gliding through the current, Raziel found herself fidgeting with her necklace again. "But I think the best part was coming home after a hard day of studies to my mother's cooking. It's about the only thing I miss." She gave a sad smile before wiping away at her eyes, dashing the tears away before they could grace her cheeks. "I'm sorry. It's hard sometimes, thinking about her." Mikhail put his head on her lap with a whimper, earning him a scratch behind the ears. "Don't worry, Mikhail. I'm fine." But he didn't believe her.

The boat made dock on the other side, allowing them time to depart from the water vessel. For a moment, Raziel closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself. "There's nothing like firm ground underfoot," she said with a giggle before hugging his arm a bit closer. There was something about sharing that little insight into her world that made her appreciate his company even more. "So, Adeluna? Let me think… You sound educated, listening to me prattle on with herbology. So you're not a son of a farmer. Normally, trades deals by merchants are done in town, if the angels taught me properly. I'd say you're either working for a noble, or you are one yourself. Am I close?"

Bryce could tell by the shift in her tone that he may have opened up some old wounds. Her description of her home was beautiful but there was a sadness underneath her words. Raziel's hands fidgeted with her necklace, showing her anxiety growing. Then she mentioned how she missed her mother's cooking. Only then did Bryce realize that is probably was a painful memory and now he'd just made the young woman cry! He quickly reached into his pocket and gave her a silk white handkerchief to help her dry her eyes. Mikhail, her timberwolf, seemed to catch right away the mood shift.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to bring up any sour memories." Bryce said earnestly.

He helped her out of the boat once they reached the other side. Her mood seemed to rise quickly and she began to guess more about Bryce. She was quick to figure out his position of being close to nobility. In fact he was a noble, but he was debating whether or not he should tell her. When he revealed his position, people shifted their views on him. They became kinder, nicer, and more likely to try to use him. It was why he normally didn't get this deep into conversation with most.

"You're very sharp. Yes, I'm indeed a noble." He confessed, "One of the many sons of a baroness. Though I must admit, my home is hardly as beautiful has what yours seems to be. To be honest, the best part about the place is the town. When I have time, I sometimes just like to watch the people go about their regular business. It's like seeing another world to me even though its right outside the manor."

They were drawing closer to the park. His eyes quickly scanned the area for a spot that would suit them best. Trying to avoid areas with other people or dogs, he spotted a place right underneath a weeping willow tree. Gently guiding Raziel, he walked towards the area and let her know when they arrived. Placing down the basket, Bryce realized they were missing some sort of blanket to cover the scratchy grass. Using his left hand he summoned a blue and white picnic blanket and gently placed it down on the ground.

"I think we're ready to bring out the food." He said.

He earnestly apologized, but he was also wrong. The memories weren't sour. She just missed her mother. For two years, she searched high and low for her sister and father, unaware of their relationship to her while her mother was in magical suspension. "No, you're fine, Bryce. It's just been a hard time for me since I left home." Raziel used the handkerchief and returned it with expressed gratitude. Then they were on land once again and Raziel turned her attention away from the past. Dwelling on it nearly killed her once, she won't do it again. So she began to make an educated guess as to Bryce's lot in life.

Raziel listened as he spoke. "I think your wrong," she began softly. "About its beauty. Your home has a lovely scent of salt that permeates everything. It has a lovely aroma of spices that are imported and peddled by your merchants. The gardens provide a floral scent and a cool place to sit and relax. Adeluna is a lovely city… When I'm not getting in people's way." Yes, she had been there once. Unfortunately, she was nearly run over by a cart. The stone pathway broke way to soft grass, announcing to her that they reached the park. Azula took flight and disappeared from Raziel's limited interaction with the world. "You have my permission to frolic, Mikhail." But he remained by her side.

Bryce told her they made it to the spot he found for their picnic. Long, leafy stems dragged across her wings, causing her to pause and grasp one. Her delicate fingers felt of the leaves, taking in the details. "It's a weeping willow. Decent for staunching bleeds, also reducing fevers, among other various ailments." Raziel stood patiently as she heard ripples of fabric in the air. She smiled gently in the direction of his voice and held out her hand toward him. After she was seated on the blanket, her legs daintily tucked beside her, Raziel found herself thinking about nobles in general.

Mikhail found a spot nearby in the shade to lay and spread out, his watchful gaze observing everything in the park. "You know… You are not what I expected a noble to be at all. I thought Amen-Ra and Zehrili were exceptions to the rumors and scorn of the commoners where nobles are arrogant, egotistical, rich… snakes." Raziel paused only to find a less offensive term than what she heard. "But you… You're kind, sweet, generous… Considerate. I'd say I was dreaming of an idealistic fantasy of them if I didn't know better." She blushed again.

Raziel mentioned how beautiful the city of Adeluna was and Bryce let her. The truth was, he was talking about the manor since as a noble, he couldn't always go out. Work filled his schedule and when there wasn't work, there were connections to build and many other things to do. She talked about the salt, aroma of spices, and floral scents. All things he didn't have time to indulge in. He was making time now for her but he would have to make it up later. Bryce began to unpack the food. He placed a plate in front of her then began to fill it with the food and fill a teacup with the sweet apple cider. She had a sandwich and some chocolate-dipped strawberries on her plate.

"A weeping willow can do so much? I had no idea." He said as he handed her the utensils.

Once he was done serving up her food, he grabbed a plate for himself. Bryce took the other sandwich and some strawberries along with a teacup of apple cider. Mikhail was cooling in the shade while Raziel began to talk about nobility. She talked about how there were rumors and scorn of the commoners who called nobles arrogant, egotistical, and snake-like. Bryce couldn't disagree with any of that. Even as she was complimenting him, he knew that he was a snake himself. He actively engaged in politics to bring more power to his province and benefits to his people. The only way to do that was to become a snake himself. Slither into the opponents den and strike them where it would destroy them. He knew how to tear someone apart using only a few words and how to earn people's trust.

"That's very kind of you." Bryce said, "You are very charming yourself. I daresay you are sweeter than these strawberries."

Around Raziel, it seemed he didn't need to be a snake. That ruthless part of him didn't need to be called out. He took a fork and knife and cut his sandwich into little bits. Using the fork, he at his sandwich. Holding things with their fingers were against the etiquette of nobility. Perhaps at personal parties they would intake on food with tiny sticks, but otherwise they would use utensils.

"If I may ask, why do you hold such an interest in medicine?" He inquired, "What is it about that field that draws you so?"

The utensils in her hand recalled some memories she had completely forgotten about. Memories of her mother teaching her how to be a proper lady. Raziel remembered wondering how her mother had learned the qualities that set a lady apart from most. ”You’d be surprised what each plant can do. It all can be used from its leaves to its roots.” The edge of her fork found the plate gently and slid until it found the sandwich. It guided the positioning of her knife before she gently pierced the sandwich to keep it all together as she cut.

His words complimented her, causing her to blush profusely as she forced herself to swallow her food. ”You flatter me, but you have yet to see my bedside manners with stubborn and difficult patients.” Ian had been one of the few to push her so far as to see that side of her, regardless of who the patient actually was. Raziel understood his pain in the moment, but his worry for the patient could not sway her decision. Her knife paused in cutting the next bit when he asked about her interest in medicine, something no one has asked her before.

The only way to explain it would have to start at the beginning. Raziel had a ghost of a smile as she thought fondly at the stories for the thousandth time. ”When I was small, my mother started telling me these grand, amazing adventures of an angel and a nymph. They traveled everywhere together. After harrowing battles against forces of evil, she would tend to his wounds, patch him up before the next battle.” A breeze gently whispered through the tree, almost as if her mother’s spirit was there with them.

”Soon, my imagination became greater than my ability to practice an instrument. The angels and my mother both believed it would be good to learn a skill that would better serve me more practically as well as keep me busy. So I chose to pick up healing to be like the nymph healer of my mother's stories.” Raziel sipped cautiously on her cider as she considered the next part. ”They taught me everything. Surgery, herbology… even magic. But even as the lands came to know me by my ability, it didn’t really help as they thought it would.”

A part of Bryce doubted that he would ever see that side of Raziel. She was sweet and nice and he wasn't planning to do anything to provoke her. Even then he couldn't imagine her saying any curses or even raising her voice. Then again, everybody had a side that they kept hidden. He continued to eat the rest of his sandwich as he listened to her explanation. Apparently it all started with her mother who told stories about herself and her husband, or at least that is what he assumed given the context clues. She also played an instrument, which increased Bryce's interest. A woman who healed and had talent in the musical arts.

"That's a lovely tale. And it would explain your dedication to your craft." Bryce commented.

For some reason, talking to her seemed to calm his mind. Bryce didn't have to worry about reading between her words nor about saying the correct things. And she enjoyed talking so he didn't have to worry about dodging uncomfortable questions. Suddenly he spotted a white butterfly fluttering in the air and landing directly on Raziel's nose. Bryce chuckled for a moment before waving the butterfly away. He realized that he had gotten a little close and quickly backed off. Bryce was trying to change the subject so he moved on to something strange he noticed.

"If you don't mind my asking, why did you decide on herbal medicine?" He asked, "I presume that's the path you've chosen since you haven't mentioned much about your magical abilities. Did I assume too much?"

The noble hadn't noticed any mention of healing magic so he had to assume she didn't know any. However, she had just mentioned learning magic so it was safe to assume it had something to do with healing. Yet she only talked about natural ways of healing.