Nerluce made it through the rest of the day, despite his body's best attempts.

After Taayir dismissed the class, Nerluce intentionally stayed seated. He hadn't been asked to but Taayir had said - on multiple occasions - that it was alright for him to stay and talk to her about anything, especially if it was magick related. But, of course, Nerluce had never actually taken her up on the offer before and a part of him didn't want to even now. What if she had something important she needed to do? What if he was bothering her? What if she thought Nerluce was lying about how much this hurt?

It was safe to say that Nerluce felt as if his head was spinning so fast it might come flying off as he watched his classmates gather their things, get up, and then sift through the doors. Nerluce shifted in his seat as Taayir looked up from the papers she was sorting through, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Do we have a lesson I just forgot about?" Taayir asked.

"No- uh, no," Nerluce said. Unless... well unless he'd forgotten about it too. Or maybe Taayir was testing him? No- no- most likely not. "Um..."

Taayir sighed, knowing full and well she was going to need to pry Nerluce's confession from his clenched jaw. She set down her papers and strode across the room, sitting down on top of the desk in front of Nerluce's. Aristide's desk. He probably wouldn't appreciate knowing that his desk was frequently being used as a chair in these after-class meetings Nerluce had.

"What's the matter?" Taayir asked.

"It's- well it's not-" Nerluce swallowed, choking on his own words. He raised his eyes, scanning the ceiling as if some secret script might be written there for him to follow.

Taayir looked up as well. "There ain't nothin' up there," she said. "Unless yuh can see somethin' I can't."

"No!" Nerluce said, bringing his eyes back down. Focus. He needed to focus. "My back - well, actually my entire body but mainly my back - hurts." Not a good description but Nerluce could work with it. "Hurts like... really bad. I think... something happened. Yesterday. Um, because of how much- how much magick I was using."

"Yuh-" Taayir said, standing up much too suddenly for Nerluce to feel comfortable. She was nice enough to pretend she didn't notice the way Nerluce flinched back. "-are trouble, little Hebikoti." She turned and walked towards her desk, rifling through the drawers. "I was wondering why yuh looked so out of it - I would be too."

"I'm... sorry," Nerluce said, though he didn't know what he was apologizing for.

"No, no," Taayir said, apparently finding whatever it was she was looking for in her desk. "There's not much yuh can do but wait it out but..." Taayir returned, plopping down on Aristide's desk once more as she extended a small, green bag towards him, "these should help somewhat."

Nerluce took the bag, opening it cautiously. Inside, he found small, brown, sweet-smelling spheres. He frowned at Taayir. "Chocolates?" he asked.

"Yes..." Taayir said, though her expression said that chocolate was not the only ingredient in these small spheres. "Just... dissolve one on your tongue whenever you feel like your magickal pool is low - that's what this is, for the record, your body is just straining to refill your pool - never more than two, though."

"What are these, exactly?" Nerluce asked. "And why do I feel like carrying them might be against the law in several - if not all seven - kingdoms?" It was his turn to raise a brow at Taayir.

But she just smiled and laughed it off, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just don't chew them and don't take more than two a day. Got it?"

"Can I... take one now?"

"Yeah that should be fine," Taayir said, shrugging. "One now, one tomorrow morning, and you should be feeling better." She smiled at him. "All this will do is give your pool a little... boost refilling."

Nerluce didn't exactly feel confident in the healing abilities of these chocolates nor did anything that Taayir was saying relieve him of his concerns - if anything she was just making him feel more nervous - but he trusted Taayir. To some extent. He figured he trusted her as much as he could trust any adult. She had never hurt him - not physically and not intentionally - but she was still an adult.

Gods save Nerluce if he was swallowing poison.

He popped one of the chocolates into his mouth and was immediately taken aback by the taste. There was the normal chocolatey sweetness he had been expecting but underneath it there seemed to be a bit of spice? Peppers, perhaps? He sucked on the chocolate and the spicy flavor grew more intense but never to the point where it was overwhelming. In fact, Nerluce rather liked it.

"Are you sure I can't have more than two of these?" Nerluce asked.

"Do you want your magickal pool to explode?" Taayir asked.

And... well, Nerluce had to admit that having his anything explode did not sound like a pleasant experience. "N-No. I'll pass."

"Good," Taayir said, shaking her head. "And why are you asking if you can have more? I am certain the effects of the first one haven't even kicked in yet. Be patient."

"Oh no, I just like how they taste."

"Of course you would."

Nerluce laughed, feeling much better, though he wasn't sure if it had been the chocolate or Taayir herself. He stood up, back still aching, and stretched a bit. "How will I know if it's working?" he asked.

Taayir smiled. "You'll know," she said.

Which was... a bit concerning if he was being completely honest.

"How have your chores been going in the stables, recently?" Taayir asked. "The disciple that oversees the stables says you're a good worker, you just talk a lot which distracts the other workers."

Nerluce rubbed the back of his neck. "I... I work better with noise," he said before frowning. "Wait the Horse Man said I was a good worker?"

"The- the Horse Man?"

Nerluce flushed, dipping his head. "I'm... not good with names."

"Once again, you never cease to amaze me, Nerluce," Taayir said, shaking her head. "But - ehm - yeah, he said that yuh were one of his best workers. If only yuh could shut yer mouth for the time it takes an incense stick to burn."

"Is that why he stuck me with boring Aristide and Hamelin?" Nerluce asked.

"Most definitely," Taayir said. "They're odd boys, both of them. At least in my experience of dealing with yuh vermin." Nerluce snorted. "But I think it's good that yuh are talking to them, or trying at least. Aristide ain't got any friends and Hamelin only has that Corbett boy." She rolled her eyes. Corbett had that effect on people. "Besides, I can't stand them stoic types."

Nerluce laughed. It was nice to laugh. "I don't think either of them like me very much," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I don't make it particularly easy on either of them, though."

"I've seen yer mastery at work," Taayir said, shaking her head. "It seems a bit sad that yer forced to take two-thirds of yer tasks in that stuffy barn."

"No way!" Nerluce protested. "I'd rather be taking care of the horses all three tasks than ever have to wash another dish." He cringed at the memory of it. "I like it in the stables, anyway. Even if my company isn't very talkative, there's still the horses. I think I could spend all day with just Eden so there's no telling how long I'd spend there if I could take care of multiple full time."

Taayir smiled and gave a thoughtful hum. "Yuh like horses, eh?"

"Yeah, I guess," Nerluce said, lifting his chin to give his own smile. "I like most animals. Except for snakes." A shiver went down his spine.

"Snakes?" Taayir asked her expression half-smile, half knitted brows. "Ain't the white snake the symbol of yer clan?"

"Yes," Nerluce said. "And my grandmother - gods keep her soul chained in the earth so she will never be reborn - had this massive, albino boa constrictor that she wore around her shoulders." Even the memory of it gave Nerluce chills. "After she died the thing ended up under my bed and would not come out for anything or anyone so it died under there and I had nightmares about it for a year."

Taayir seemed torn between finding Nerluce's story incredibly funny and incredibly sad. Eventually, she just shook her head. "Gods, Nerluce, the more yuh tell me about yer family, the more I want to march over there and burn the place to the ground."

A dry laugh left Nerluce's throat.

"Regardless," Taayir said, straightening herself. "I was asking 'bout all of this for a reason, but yuh can't tell any of yer friends since it has to be a surprise." Her eyes were practically twinkling.

"What is it?" Nerluce asked, feeling suspicious.

"I got told by the Head Priestess that some things have been going on in the Ever Forest that needs to be taken care of." Taayir winked as if Nerluce should know what that meant. "And I figured... it would be a good learnin' opportunity for yuh vermin."

"We're- we're going to the Ever Forest?" Nerluce asked, eyes wide.

"Yes, but keep yer voice down." Taayir shook her head. "We leave two days from now, at dawn. I'm gonna burst into yer rooms - there'll be a lot of ruckus, shouting and banging and whatnot - but don't be surprised." She offered him a soft smile. "However, I do need to assign horses to the kids and I hate the stables so... I'm giving yuh another assignment. In exchange for those chocolates."

Nerluce rolled his eyes but nodded. "I'll make sure to give the worst horse to Aristide."

Taayir snorted. "Everyone with a personal mount just rides on that." Because, of course, Aristide had his own mount. He was a proper Seraph after all so it made sense he would have his own horse. And Nerluce was pretty sure that he knew which horse it was too.

Lilith was so mean she couldn't belong to anyone else.