MHOS Part 40: Harvesting Common Mullein

It's morning and I'm staring at the bite marks in the mirror that Alastor had commented on the night before and all I can think about is the way Alastors cheek felt pressed against mine. As I slide my shirt on properly to hide the marks, shake my head and make breakfast as I flip through my book on deals..

Loopholes:

Words have very specific meanings, so when you are making a deal, really take the time to look at it from every angle. A loophole when used intelligently enough can destroy any contract. Creating a loophole using wordplay can be the most important play in your deal making arsenal.

I closed the book, unsatisfied with its finish. I had already used wordplay in the deal Husk had tricked me into. I watched the deal rise around us as he kissed me, I witnessed it return to the earth when we closed the deal with another kiss. it doesn't feel advanced, it feels basic. Nevertheless I am finally done with my first book. Now that I have finished with Deals, it is time to study up in Seduction class demons again the way I was meant to before I was so rudely interrupted by Alastors deal. I go to put the book on deals back on the shelf when I notice the Siren Lore book is missing.

I grab the Seduction class book and carry it with me as I search the house. Not at Gary's. Huh.. I travel a lot so I will have to keep an eye out for it. I'm not worried about it right now I have the Seduction class to learn about. Maybe it will explain why I can't seem to stop thinking about Alastor. Maybe it's a Seduction Class Demon thing. Peaches being a woman in white shares some similar characteristics, perhaps the book will help me learn a little more about her as well. Varieties of Seduction class maybe? Their skills? How to Hone them? maybe not.. not of it lists many types of Seduction class.. I will find out tonight. For now the book will stay on me, I already lost one book. I will return to the archives for another Siren Lore book later, when I search Pride Lake.

I go to leave to meet Alastor at Murdertropolis and my heart starts pounding, anxiety is rising Nope, no early mornings for me. I think. Yesterday was quite enough Then I think about Husk. He's reacting, he's upset, Alastor enjoys making him jealous. He didn't deserve to get left out last night, I just needed to breathe.

So I pack the warmed breakfast cube instead, I wrap it in flatbread and pack them for a breakfast out. I grab a sketch book and some basic art supplies and a large paper bag for harvesting, a spare change of clothes & a toothbrush.

Once I am done gathering what I need I get in the car & head to Husks cottage. It's still early, he's still sleeping, I don't care. I want one morning of peace. I know this is hell but there has been far too much drama. I need a break & so does Husk. I knock on his door lightly knowing he is probably still asleep & proceed to walk in.

I don't wake him up right away, I make 2 cups of coffee first, place the sketch book and art supplies on the dining room table. I slip into the bathroom and place my toothbrush. I finally make my way to the bedroom and place my spare set of clothes on the empty side of Husks bed as he sleeps. I walk over to his side of the bed and run my hands through his hair gently saying "Good morning" and he opens his eyes and a sleepy relief washes over his face.

He tries to pull me into the bed for morning cuddles, but I hand him his coffee instead and he sits up to drink it. "Field trip today Husker" I say as I drink my coffee sitting beside him dressed in full length quick dry pants, a long sleeve shirt & his tie on my hair. His eyes brighten. "Oh yeah? What are we doing?" My smile widens "We are going to study my favorite plant today. I need to harvest some more." I get up sipping my coffee and say "As soon as you are ready I will be downstairs." and walk to the bar in the kitchen and light a preroll and finish my coffee waiting for him to meet me.

Meanwhile Husk sitting upstairs alone in bed, finishes his coffee and puts the cup on the nightstand to go get ready for the day and as he does, he notices a perfectly folded set of spare clothes. He freezes and gently places his hand on it. She brought a change of clothes he thinks. He picks up the clothes and empties out a drawer on the nightstand on her side of the bed and places the clothes there. He stands up, looks down at the clothes sitting in the drawer, smiles once more, and gently slides the drawer closed with his foot.

Husk heads to the bathroom to get ready for the day and as he reaches for his toothbrush, he sees a second one in the cup. Purple, like her siren glow. He brushes his teeth as he holds her toothbrush and examines it with a gentle pride, a soft love, a little reassurance. He finishes getting ready for the day and goes downstairs to meet Ella. The Ella that is waiting for him. The Ella who belongs to that toothbrush.

He gets to the breakfast bar to see me sketching in a sketch book. He walks up behind me as I sit on a barstool and he wraps his arms around my waist and says "I put your clothes in your nightstand." I stop sketching and look up at Husk "My.. nightstand?" Husk hides his face behind my ear he can't look, he's flustered, I can feel the glow rising in his cheeks. I put the pencil down and put my hand on his cheek and say "Thank you" and I feel Husk relax. He replies "And I still wouldn't have minded you stealing my toothbrush" he says, letting me know he saw that too.

After a moment of just sitting with that settling between the two of us, Husk looks down at the sketchbook and sees what I've been sketching. In the bottom corner a large leave, thick, fuzzy, with a spine down the center of the leaf and even branches on either side. Beside it, a large fuzzy rosette made of those same leaves, and sketches of little yellow flowers that resemble buttered popcorn. I notice Husk looking and say "Common Mullein"

Husk picks up the sketchbook intrigued. "So we are off to the woods?" and I reply, "Nope, we are off to Chaos Crescent. Common Mullein grows best in gravel and untamed terrain." We don't need to travel far, just far enough away that Alastor won't find us until I am ready to see him again.

We make it down to Chaos Crescent and Husk says "Lead the way!" because Wrath lake is right, I take Husk left, and we leave Gary at Husks. When Alastor shows up like we know he will, he can search Husks, he can search Peaches, he can wait by the lake for me to emerge from the depths, but he can't follow because we're in none of the three places he would think to search given where Gary is.

As we walk down the road Husk gently places his hand between my shoulder blades as he asks me about Common Mullein. His hand feels warm, and grounding, we're suddenly no longer fleeing Alastor in the morning, we are just two people, talking about plants.

I say "Because I smoke, I harvest Common Mullein for respiratory health. I blend it in with my smokables as I roll them myself. It does more than just that tho. It helps lubricate the lungs & joints, and is good for digestion, cramps and headaches. People who don't smoke it can be made into a tea. Oh! and it can be made into a healing salve." Husk smiles listening to the passion in my voice as I continue "And that's just the medicinal effects, we haven't even delved into the magical properties! Oh look!" I cut off my passionate little impromptu speech and walk ahead. "Mullein!"

Leaping over the gravel ditch in one smooth motion landing just a few feet away from the plant. "It's taller than you are" Husk chuckles "And thick too, how are you even going to harvest it?" I simply say, "Pull" and I do.. straight up, and the plant comes out with surprising ease. The base of the root is thick, but short and the off shoots are delicate making for easy removal by plucking.

Husk leaps beside me to examine the terrain the plant grows in.. a healing plant growing in a neglected ditch in unforgiving territory. He asks about the magical properties as I clean off the dead leaves and begins peeling the leaves off the stalk. "On earth I used it to ward off evil spirits, my intuition tells me that means it's related to cloaking magic here in Hell. I plan on getting a few books on plant life in Hell and the differences between planes." Husks ears perk "Warding magic! That's interesting, are there any other properties it holds?"

I peel the leaves off one by one from the bottom up shaking off dust, rehoming bugs, and gently laying the leaves in the paper bag as I continue "It's said to aid in spiritual connection & cleansing as well as dream work and divination, and give courage. I could really use the insight right now and who wouldn't benefit from a little more courage?" Plucking the flowers off one by one and places them on top of the leaves and finish with, "and the flowers are for future offerings." Husk looks in the bag and is satisfied with the haul, and stories, and I interrupt his daydream as he stares into the bag by asking "Do you need a torch?" Offering Husk the stalk. He touches it, examines it, and nods no, appreciative off the offer. As I fling it into the gravel field he watches it "Ella!", he says surprised. I laugh and say "It's literally going back into the earth." and he shakes his head chuckling.

We check the time.. It's already Noon. We spent the entire morning, in the sun, talking about plants, and medicine, and magic, and it was wonderful. I walk Husk back to his place and see no sign of Alastor.. Interesting.. I kiss Husk on the cheek and tell him I have work to do. He promises to see me later & we part ways at his front door. I bring the Mullein back to Gary's and begin sorting.

Flowers - Dehydrating

Leaves - Scrubbed of fine hairs & sorted

Leaf piles - larger leaves to dehydrate for smoking, smaller ones for tea, broken ones for salve.

All laid flat waiting to dry for the next step in the process.

Now that I feel centered again, it's time to go face Alastor. Murdertropolis here I come.