Gela has to think for a moment. Then she recites slowly, with a few pauses in-between as she remembers, "It was black tea leaves, flower petals—rose, to be specific, a nice pink one from the gardens—a pinch of dried elfroot... pine needles, mint and dandelion root.
"You have to promise you won't tell anybody. The recipe is secret."
"Just a pinch," Gela repeats, but she's smiling. They both know what the pinch of elfroot is for.
"It's a secret because if everybody knew it, they would also make it, and then I'd never come across the ingredients as handily as I usually do." And because it would keep her from gifting it to anybody, but she won't say that. It would sound awful aloud.
Something occurs to her when Lia asks her next question. Gela's smile drops off. "Are you worried about the taste? I promise it isn't so bad. You get used to it."
And that way she can talk more about how it all works and how she made it... really, this is her ideal outcome. She says, "Come to the dining hall with me, and we can take some cups and hot water."
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"Yes." She nods. "That you said. What is it a blend of?"
She invents something plausible:
"My stomach doesn't always agree with every plant, so I like to keep track of what I consume."
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"You have to promise you won't tell anybody. The recipe is secret."
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"Elfroot?"
She has heard tell that has potential properties, but not for poison.
"I shall not tell. Why is it secret?"
Lia, still a little wary, makes an offer.
"Perhaps you'll have some with me?"
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"It's a secret because if everybody knew it, they would also make it, and then I'd never come across the ingredients as handily as I usually do." And because it would keep her from gifting it to anybody, but she won't say that. It would sound awful aloud.
Something occurs to her when Lia asks her next question. Gela's smile drops off. "Are you worried about the taste? I promise it isn't so bad. You get used to it."
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"Maybe a little." She says shyly as if admitting something very embarrassing. "I didn't want to be rude."
She takes a breath.
"If you showed me how to brew it properly, it would help!"
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And that way she can talk more about how it all works and how she made it... really, this is her ideal outcome. She says, "Come to the dining hall with me, and we can take some cups and hot water."