Hemlock

*He turns around and the effects vanish* "Sorry, I have yet to get used to my magic"

"Hemlock, poison mage" *He holds out an hand with charcoal like fingers*

"Right now all I can do is what you expirienced. Pleasure to meet you too" *He doesn't smiles, though the dragon purrs from ontop his head now*

"That's true, I'm sure I'll get more spells. I did get here late, I only left about a month ago"

"No, I came straight here"

"I- don't really know. To help I guess"

"Not much, searching books about poison and their lasting effects"

*He holds up his hand and pushes back his sleeve revealing weird spots* "I worked with them, just know the effects"

"I don't think you will, will you?" *He tilts his head in an imitating way*

"Good, I would prefer being allies" *He smiles*

"I just came here"

"That's fine. Me neither, I lived with people with the same personality all my life"

"Bad people, reason for my scars"

"Technically, as poison taster"

"It is, happy to be here" *He doesn't look happy*

"I am happy"

"That's true, some of us are childeren. Myself included" *He murmers*

*The man looks up and sighs* "Foxglove... Hello"

*He stands up and takes his hand with charcoal like fingers* "Hemlock. Yes, her name is Foxglove"

Pleasure to meet'cha. Are you new around ere? Or have we just never bumped into eachother?

"I'm just new, a couple days now"

"Poison, you?"

...Corruption. Sort of. I promise I won't hurt'cha, though.

"I trust that, you don't look like you would"

"So are they of me" *He holds up one of his hands* "This, my hands, isn't normal"

*He makes fists while staring at the hands* "Poison, lots and lots of poison"

"Poison taster, I was and still am a child"

*The man looks up and sighs* "Foxglove... Hello"

*He stands up and takes his hand with charcoal like fingers* "Hemlock. Yes, her name is Foxglove"

Pleasure to meet'cha. Are you new around ere? Or have we just never bumped into eachother?

"I'm just new, a couple days now"

"Poison, you?"

...Corruption. Sort of. I promise I won't hurt'cha, though.

"I trust that, you don't look like you would"

"So are they of me" *He holds up one of his hands* "This, my hands, isn't normal"

*He makes fists while staring at the hands* "Poison, lots and lots of poison"

She smiles. "I'm Nem! What's your name?"

"Hemlock" *He says simply, holding out a hand with charcoal like fingers*

Nem shakes Hemlock's hand. "Where'd you get the axe? It looks so cool!"

"Stole it"

"From who? A rich person? Also, what kind of magic do you have?" Nem asks.

"The noble I worked for. Poison magic"

"Ooh, poison?! That's so cool! I have paper magic." Nem looks excited. "What can you do with poison?"

"Right now, just this" *A shimering fog appears around Hemlock and Nem begins to lose her vision and suddenly feel tired. It doesn't last long*

"Also blinds. Or choke when I want it to. I can't use it on myself"

"Wow." Nem pulls out a flask from her bag and drinks from it, perking up almost immediately. "'S impressive, I haven't been that tired in... a while."

"Was that coffee?"

"Just sleep?"

"Train"

She blinks at the matter-of-fact answer. "Uh- okay, that makes sense. Do you do anything else?"

"Read"

Nem brightens. "I like reading too! I'm a paper mage, by the way—I've been trying to duplicate some of the books in the library!"

"Fun. I read about the lasting effects of poison"

"What did you find?" Nem tilts her head, curious. "I haven't really read into poisons all that much."

"This" *He holds up his hand* "Is because of Thalium"

"What's thalium? And how'd it do that?"

"It's the no feeling in the fingertips. Comsuming it too much"

"You were eating poison and it numbed your fingertips?" Nem looks concerned. "Are you okay? There's an infirmary here that you can go to..."

"I didn't want to" *He snaps*

"Someone forced you to eat poison?"

"Isn't that what a poison tester is for?!"

"People have you test their food for poison by having you eat it yourself?!" She looks appalled. "That sounds horrible!"

"Unfortunally" *He snaps again*

"That's just- ugh!" They throw up their hands. "Why would someone do that?!"

"I don't know!"

Nem looks livid for a split second before she calms down. "That's a terrible thing to do to anyone... is there anything else you've learned about poisons?"

"Just the names"

"Oh, okay." Nem nods. "I've been researching more on theology—Double mentioned something about a Hand, but I haven't found anything on it yet."

"Hand..? The doublesoul?"

"Yeah, but 'the doublesoul' is such a mouthful, so I just call it Double." Nem says. "It said 'By the good Hand's grace, won't you shut your trap'."

"You hangout with it?"

"Not really? I ask it questions when I see it, then it curses me out and vanishes."

"Why would you?"

Nem shrugs. "Eh. It's weird. I want to know things about it. I have a new thing to research now, so that's cool, I think!"

"Okay, sure" *He's looking at her like she's crazy*

"Oh, don't give me that look- I know it's weird!"

"Then why do it?"

"Who else would?"

"Ever thought that it just wants to be left alone?!"

"Why would someone ever want to be alone? It's terrible."

"Did you ask it?"

"It doesn't like answering any of my questions, though."

"Then leace it alone!"

"Okay..."

"Why do you even want to talk to it that bad?"

"It's been around for a long time, so it's probably seen some stuff, right? Wouldn't it be interesting to know?"

"Just don't" *He pinches the bridge of his nose* "For your own good"

"...okay."

"Thank you" *He starts walking away*

She smiles. "I'm Nem! What's your name?"

"Hemlock" *He says simply, holding out a hand with charcoal like fingers*

Nem shakes Hemlock's hand. "Where'd you get the axe? It looks so cool!"

"Stole it"

"From who? A rich person? Also, what kind of magic do you have?" Nem asks.

"The noble I worked for. Poison magic"

"Ooh, poison?! That's so cool! I have paper magic." Nem looks excited. "What can you do with poison?"

"Right now, just this" *A shimering fog appears around Hemlock and Nem begins to lose her vision and suddenly feel tired. It doesn't last long*

"Also blinds. Or choke when I want it to. I can't use it on myself"

"Wow." Nem pulls out a flask from her bag and drinks from it, perking up almost immediately. "'S impressive, I haven't been that tired in... a while."

"Was that coffee?"

"Just sleep?"

"Train"

She blinks at the matter-of-fact answer. "Uh- okay, that makes sense. Do you do anything else?"

"Read"

Nem brightens. "I like reading too! I'm a paper mage, by the way—I've been trying to duplicate some of the books in the library!"

"Fun. I read about the lasting effects of poison"

"What did you find?" Nem tilts her head, curious. "I haven't really read into poisons all that much."

"This" *He holds up his hand* "Is because of Thalium"

"What's thalium? And how'd it do that?"

"It's the no feeling in the fingertips. Comsuming it too much"

"You were eating poison and it numbed your fingertips?" Nem looks concerned. "Are you okay? There's an infirmary here that you can go to..."

"I didn't want to" *He snaps*

"Someone forced you to eat poison?"

"Isn't that what a poison tester is for?!"

"People have you test their food for poison by having you eat it yourself?!" She looks appalled. "That sounds horrible!"

"Unfortunally" *He snaps again*

"That's just- ugh!" They throw up their hands. "Why would someone do that?!"

"I don't know!"

Nem looks livid for a split second before she calms down. "That's a terrible thing to do to anyone... is there anything else you've learned about poisons?"

"Just the names"

"Oh, okay." Nem nods. "I've been researching more on theology—Double mentioned something about a Hand, but I haven't found anything on it yet."

"Hand..? The doublesoul?"

"Yeah, but 'the doublesoul' is such a mouthful, so I just call it Double." Nem says. "It said 'By the good Hand's grace, won't you shut your trap'."

"You hangout with it?"

"Not really? I ask it questions when I see it, then it curses me out and vanishes."

"Why would you?"

Nem shrugs. "Eh. It's weird. I want to know things about it. I have a new thing to research now, so that's cool, I think!"

"Okay, sure" *He's looking at her like she's crazy*

"Oh, don't give me that look- I know it's weird!"

"Then why do it?"

"Who else would?"

"Ever thought that it just wants to be left alone?!"

"Why would someone ever want to be alone? It's terrible."

"Did you ask it?"

"It doesn't like answering any of my questions, though."

"Then leace it alone!"

"Okay..."

"Why do you even want to talk to it that bad?"

"It's been around for a long time, so it's probably seen some stuff, right? Wouldn't it be interesting to know?"

"Just don't" *He pinches the bridge of his nose* "For your own good"

She smiles. "I'm Nem! What's your name?"

"Hemlock" *He says simply, holding out a hand with charcoal like fingers*

Nem shakes Hemlock's hand. "Where'd you get the axe? It looks so cool!"

"Stole it"

"From who? A rich person? Also, what kind of magic do you have?" Nem asks.

"The noble I worked for. Poison magic"

"Ooh, poison?! That's so cool! I have paper magic." Nem looks excited. "What can you do with poison?"

"Right now, just this" *A shimering fog appears around Hemlock and Nem begins to lose her vision and suddenly feel tired. It doesn't last long*

"Also blinds. Or choke when I want it to. I can't use it on myself"

"Wow." Nem pulls out a flask from her bag and drinks from it, perking up almost immediately. "'S impressive, I haven't been that tired in... a while."

"Was that coffee?"

"Just sleep?"

"Train"

She blinks at the matter-of-fact answer. "Uh- okay, that makes sense. Do you do anything else?"

"Read"

Nem brightens. "I like reading too! I'm a paper mage, by the way—I've been trying to duplicate some of the books in the library!"

"Fun. I read about the lasting effects of poison"

"What did you find?" Nem tilts her head, curious. "I haven't really read into poisons all that much."

"This" *He holds up his hand* "Is because of Thalium"

"What's thalium? And how'd it do that?"

"It's the no feeling in the fingertips. Comsuming it too much"

"You were eating poison and it numbed your fingertips?" Nem looks concerned. "Are you okay? There's an infirmary here that you can go to..."

"I didn't want to" *He snaps*

"Someone forced you to eat poison?"

"Isn't that what a poison tester is for?!"

"People have you test their food for poison by having you eat it yourself?!" She looks appalled. "That sounds horrible!"

"Unfortunally" *He snaps again*

"That's just- ugh!" They throw up their hands. "Why would someone do that?!"

"I don't know!"

Nem looks livid for a split second before she calms down. "That's a terrible thing to do to anyone... is there anything else you've learned about poisons?"

"Just the names"

"Oh, okay." Nem nods. "I've been researching more on theology—Double mentioned something about a Hand, but I haven't found anything on it yet."

"Hand..? The doublesoul?"

"Yeah, but 'the doublesoul' is such a mouthful, so I just call it Double." Nem says. "It said 'By the good Hand's grace, won't you shut your trap'."

"You hangout with it?"

"Not really? I ask it questions when I see it, then it curses me out and vanishes."

"Why would you?"

Nem shrugs. "Eh. It's weird. I want to know things about it. I have a new thing to research now, so that's cool, I think!"

"Okay, sure" *He's looking at her like she's crazy*

"Oh, don't give me that look- I know it's weird!"

"Then why do it?"

"Who else would?"

"Ever thought that it just wants to be left alone?!"

"Why would someone ever want to be alone? It's terrible."

"Did you ask it?"

"It doesn't like answering any of my questions, though."

"Then leace it alone!"

"Okay..."

"Why do you even want to talk to it that bad?"

She smiles. "I'm Nem! What's your name?"

"Hemlock" *He says simply, holding out a hand with charcoal like fingers*

Nem shakes Hemlock's hand. "Where'd you get the axe? It looks so cool!"

"Stole it"

"From who? A rich person? Also, what kind of magic do you have?" Nem asks.

"The noble I worked for. Poison magic"

"Ooh, poison?! That's so cool! I have paper magic." Nem looks excited. "What can you do with poison?"

"Right now, just this" *A shimering fog appears around Hemlock and Nem begins to lose her vision and suddenly feel tired. It doesn't last long*

"Also blinds. Or choke when I want it to. I can't use it on myself"

"Wow." Nem pulls out a flask from her bag and drinks from it, perking up almost immediately. "'S impressive, I haven't been that tired in... a while."

"Was that coffee?"

"Just sleep?"

"Train"

She blinks at the matter-of-fact answer. "Uh- okay, that makes sense. Do you do anything else?"

"Read"

Nem brightens. "I like reading too! I'm a paper mage, by the way—I've been trying to duplicate some of the books in the library!"

"Fun. I read about the lasting effects of poison"

"What did you find?" Nem tilts her head, curious. "I haven't really read into poisons all that much."

"This" *He holds up his hand* "Is because of Thalium"

"What's thalium? And how'd it do that?"

"It's the no feeling in the fingertips. Comsuming it too much"

"You were eating poison and it numbed your fingertips?" Nem looks concerned. "Are you okay? There's an infirmary here that you can go to..."

"I didn't want to" *He snaps*

"Someone forced you to eat poison?"

"Isn't that what a poison tester is for?!"

"People have you test their food for poison by having you eat it yourself?!" She looks appalled. "That sounds horrible!"

"Unfortunally" *He snaps again*

"That's just- ugh!" They throw up their hands. "Why would someone do that?!"

"I don't know!"

Nem looks livid for a split second before she calms down. "That's a terrible thing to do to anyone... is there anything else you've learned about poisons?"

"Just the names"

"Oh, okay." Nem nods. "I've been researching more on theology—Double mentioned something about a Hand, but I haven't found anything on it yet."

"Hand..? The doublesoul?"

"Yeah, but 'the doublesoul' is such a mouthful, so I just call it Double." Nem says. "It said 'By the good Hand's grace, won't you shut your trap'."

"You hangout with it?"

"Not really? I ask it questions when I see it, then it curses me out and vanishes."

"Why would you?"

Nem shrugs. "Eh. It's weird. I want to know things about it. I have a new thing to research now, so that's cool, I think!"

"Okay, sure" *He's looking at her like she's crazy*

"Oh, don't give me that look- I know it's weird!"

"Then why do it?"

"Who else would?"

"Ever thought that it just wants to be left alone?!"

"Why would someone ever want to be alone? It's terrible."

"Did you ask it?"

"It doesn't like answering any of my questions, though."

"Then leace it alone!"

She smiles. "I'm Nem! What's your name?"

"Hemlock" *He says simply, holding out a hand with charcoal like fingers*

Nem shakes Hemlock's hand. "Where'd you get the axe? It looks so cool!"

"Stole it"

"From who? A rich person? Also, what kind of magic do you have?" Nem asks.

"The noble I worked for. Poison magic"

"Ooh, poison?! That's so cool! I have paper magic." Nem looks excited. "What can you do with poison?"

"Right now, just this" *A shimering fog appears around Hemlock and Nem begins to lose her vision and suddenly feel tired. It doesn't last long*

"Also blinds. Or choke when I want it to. I can't use it on myself"

"Wow." Nem pulls out a flask from her bag and drinks from it, perking up almost immediately. "'S impressive, I haven't been that tired in... a while."

"Was that coffee?"

"Just sleep?"

"Train"

She blinks at the matter-of-fact answer. "Uh- okay, that makes sense. Do you do anything else?"

"Read"

Nem brightens. "I like reading too! I'm a paper mage, by the way—I've been trying to duplicate some of the books in the library!"

"Fun. I read about the lasting effects of poison"

"What did you find?" Nem tilts her head, curious. "I haven't really read into poisons all that much."

"This" *He holds up his hand* "Is because of Thalium"

"What's thalium? And how'd it do that?"

"It's the no feeling in the fingertips. Comsuming it too much"

"You were eating poison and it numbed your fingertips?" Nem looks concerned. "Are you okay? There's an infirmary here that you can go to..."

"I didn't want to" *He snaps*

"Someone forced you to eat poison?"

"Isn't that what a poison tester is for?!"

"People have you test their food for poison by having you eat it yourself?!" She looks appalled. "That sounds horrible!"

"Unfortunally" *He snaps again*

"That's just- ugh!" They throw up their hands. "Why would someone do that?!"

"I don't know!"

Nem looks livid for a split second before she calms down. "That's a terrible thing to do to anyone... is there anything else you've learned about poisons?"

"Just the names"

"Oh, okay." Nem nods. "I've been researching more on theology—Double mentioned something about a Hand, but I haven't found anything on it yet."

"Hand..? The doublesoul?"

"Yeah, but 'the doublesoul' is such a mouthful, so I just call it Double." Nem says. "It said 'By the good Hand's grace, won't you shut your trap'."

"You hangout with it?"

"Not really? I ask it questions when I see it, then it curses me out and vanishes."

"Why would you?"

Nem shrugs. "Eh. It's weird. I want to know things about it. I have a new thing to research now, so that's cool, I think!"

"Okay, sure" *He's looking at her like she's crazy*

"Oh, don't give me that look- I know it's weird!"

"Then why do it?"

"Who else would?"

"Ever thought that it just wants to be left alone?!"

"Why would someone ever want to be alone? It's terrible."

"Did you ask it?"

*He turns around and the effects vanish* "Sorry, I have yet to get used to my magic"

"Hemlock, poison mage" *He holds out an hand with charcoal like fingers*

"Right now all I can do is what you expirienced. Pleasure to meet you too" *He doesn't smiles, though the dragon purrs from ontop his head now*

"That's true, I'm sure I'll get more spells. I did get here late, I only left about a month ago"

"No, I came straight here"

"I- don't really know. To help I guess"

"Not much, searching books about poison and their lasting effects"

*He holds up his hand and pushes back his sleeve revealing weird spots* "I worked with them, just know the effects"

"I don't think you will, will you?" *He tilts his head in an imitating way*

"Good, I would prefer being allies" *He smiles*

"I just came here"

"That's fine. Me neither, I lived with people with the same personality all my life"

"Bad people, reason for my scars"

"Technically, as poison taster"

"It is, happy to be here" *He doesn't look happy*

"I am happy"

"What? Why?" *His voice is low and rough as he pushes past*

He grabs his arm and starts dragging him, “you are sick, that’s why dumbass” he grumbles

"No. Im not"

“Yes, you are” he opens hemlocks door and shoves him in. “No go rest, I’m making you soup”

"I'm not sick!"

“Uh huh, sure. Bed. Now” he points to hemlocks bed

"Fine" *He lays down beside Foxglove*

Mathew nods in satisfaction and starts making chicken noodle soup from scratch, “shoot, I need to go grab something. I’ll be right back” he says to hemlock then runs off to go grab celery

*He giggles and sits up, Fox on his lap*

He’s gone for a few minutes, his room a bit further

*He just pets the purring dragon*

He runs back in the door, “I’m back” he goes back to cooking

*He's sitting on the sofa now*

He grumbles slightly at him having moved but doesn’t say much

*He chuckles at him*

“What?” He looks over his shoulder

"Nothing"

“Alright” he grumbles, “stupid idiot getting himself sick” he mutters

"Whaaaaatttt??"

“Nothing hem” he replies, cutting the carrots

"Okay" *He shrugs, going back to the bed*

“Could you stop moving around so much?” He asks over his shoulder

"Okay..?" *He lays down*

He gets the carrots into the pot, “alright, now it just needs to cook” he sighs

"Alright" *His voice is still low and rough and he pets the purrijg Foxglove*

He sighs, “how’d you even get this sick in the first place?” He tilts his head ever so slightly to the side

"Dunno, was raining a couple days ago"

“Were you out in the rain?” He asks

"Yea, is calming"

“Gods youre such an idiot” he mumbles, he pinches the bridge of his nose

"It's one of the only quiet moments I get"

“Did you warm up after? dry off? Do anything as to not get sick??”

"You're supposed to do that?"

“Yes!” He throws his arms in the air, “… you probably wouldnt have known that…. Sorry” he grumbles

"No.... I didn't know that" *He shrinks in himself a bit*

He sighs, “want hot cocoa?” He asks, trying for a calmer tone, its softer and warmer

"No..?" *He says unsure if he can deny* "Tea.. Please"

“Sure, any kind in mind?” He asks, turning around to start the water

"Chamillomille"

“Alright” he goes to grab a few tea bags from his bag, can never be over prepared like that

*Hemlock is just watfhing*

He starts humming as he brews the tea

*He listens and watches*

The water starts to whistle and he pours it into mugs, then sets them to steep

*Hemlock moves to stand up and lays vack down*

It finishes and he brings him a cup, “here, careful, its still a tad hot” he warns

"Thank you Matt" *He smiles*

“No problem idiot” he grumbles, but smiles slightly

*He takes a sip and doesn't really feel how hot it is*

He blows on it first before taking a sip of his

*He smiles at the warmth it gives, he's quite cold*

He sits there for a moment, “soup should be ready” he sets hid mug down and heads to the stove

"Okay" *He smiles*

He scoops some into a bowl

*He watches intenselly*

He grabs a spoon and walks over to hemlock, “here” he holds it for him to take

"Thank you dear" *His original accent was coming out now, Brittish. He didn't even notice*

He blinks at him, “what?”

"What?" *Still the same accent*

“You called me dear…” he says slowly

"Did I?"

“Yeah… also your accent changed” he notes, almost as a side note

"Right, that happens when I'm sick or alone"

“And calling me dear?” He’s still caught on that, hed only heard mother and father call each other that

"Also part of the accent"

“Oh, alright” he nods, that kinda made sense, he sometimes slipped into a more German, even speaking it when he was tired

"Mhm" *He starts eating*

He sits back down and grabs his tea, taking a few sips of it

"Again, great food!"

“Thanks” he smiles slightly

"As always" *He nods*

He chuckles, taking another sip of tea as he watches hemlock eat

*He's clearly enjoying it, pausing after every bite though*

“I didnt poison it, dont even know where or how to deal with it” he chuckles, and its clear he isnt lying

"Habits" *He smiles*

“Fair” he shrugs

"I know you didn't, I watched"

“That’s why i feel so watched when cooking in here” he chuckles

"Yea, also a habit I picked up"

He just keeps giggling, “fair”

*He keeps eating, happy*

Ezerick comes out of Mathew’s bag and waddles over to lay next to him

*Foxglove lays next to it*

Mathew smiles at the two

*Hemlock finishes and puts the bowl aside, petting both dragon's*