If she could find some, brew a tea, time it correctly... she might buy herself more days. Perhaps even weeks.
But where would she find pennyroyal in a strange castle?
The healer's chamber, of course! Every keep had one, and healers always kept pennyroyal on hand for various ailments.
Liliane dressed quickly in a simple day gown, braided her hair with trembling fingers, and slipped into the corridor. She had to find that chamber before Tòrr returned and started asking questions about how she'd spent her morning.
"Liliane?"
She spun to find Alyson approaching from the opposite direction, her face bright with morning cheer.
"Oh, good, ye're awake." Alyson linked her arm through Liliane's as if they'd been friends for years. "I was just comin’ tae check on ye. How are ye feelin’ this mornin’?"
"I'm..." Liliane seized on the opening. "Actually, I'm nae feelin’ entirely well. I think I may have had a slight fever last night.Naethin’ serious, but I wondered if ye could tell me where the healer’s chamber is? She came tae me the day I arrived fer an ailment, but I dinnae ken where tae find her?"
Alyson's expression shifted to concern. "A fever? Did ye mention this tae Tòrr?"
"I didnae want tae worry him."
"Well, ye should have. He'd want tae ken if ye're unwell." Alyson squeezed her arm. "But let's get ye tae the healer first. She's wonderful, kens more about herbs and remedies than anyone in the Highlands."
"Aye, she seemed tae ken her job."
" Her chamber is just down this way." Alyson guided her along the corridor, still chattering. "Though sometimes she goes tae the village tae tend tae the crofters. She daesnae believe in lettin’ people suffer just because they cannae afford tae travel tae the castle."
They reached a heavy wooden door, and Alyson knocked briskly. "Moira? Are ye in?"
Silence.
"Hmm. She must be out." Alyson tried the latch, and the door swung open. "But we can wait fer her in here, or at least see if there's somethin’ simple that might help."
The healer's chamber was exactly what Liliane had hoped for. Walls lined with shelves holding dozens of jars, bundles of dried herbs hanging from the rafters, a large wooden table covered with mortars and pestles. The air smelled of lavender and sage and something sharper, more medicinal.
"What are yer symptoms exactly?" Alyson asked, moving toward the shelves. "Headache? Chills?"
"A bit of both." Liliane's eyes swept the jars, searching for labels. "And some... stomach unease."
"Weddin’ nerves, most likely. Perfectly natural." Alyson selected a jar and held it up to the light. "This is chamomile. Good fer settlin’ the stomach and calmin’ nerves. We could brew ye some tea. "
"That's kind, but perhaps I should wait fer the healer." Liliane moved closer to the shelves, pretending to examine the various herbs while her gaze darted from jar to jar. "I wouldnae want tae use somethin’ incorrectly."
Found it.
Liliane noticed a jar of pennyroyal but didn’t take it in Alyson’s presence. She couldn’t risk her knowing what she was truly there for.
"Nonsense. Chamomile is perfectly safe." Alyson said, but set the jar down anyway. "She might nae be back until this afternoon."
"I can wait," Liliane said quickly.
"Are ye sure? If ye're truly unwell, I could send someone tae fetch her."
"Nay, nay. It's naethin’ urgent." Liliane forced a smile. "Just wanted ae be cautious."
"Well, come down tae the hall fer breakfast then. Food might help settle yer stomach." Alyson took her arm again, gently steering her toward the door. "And I willnae hear any arguments about nae being hungry. Ye barely ate at the weddin’ feast yesterday."
"I wasnae particularly hungry yesterday."
"Understandable. It was rather overwhelmin’, wasnae it?" Alyson's voice was kind. "But ye're part of the family now. We take care of our own."
