27 Cross Referencing the Herbs

Amelia looked up at Gabriel slightly shocked and placed her hand over one of his hands that were cupping her cheek. "I really appreciate you, Gabriel. I am nervous when you are around me and at the same time, I feel safe. I am not used to feeling this way."

Gabriel hearing her slight confession almost leaned over and kissed her pink lips but he did so in his mind because at the moment he was going to lean over the door opened. As Aiko was back with the tea and she brought some honey. He walked over, took the tray from her and placed it in the table and made Amelia a cup of tea.

Amelia hid her blushing face and slightly shook her head to get the thoughts about Gabriel kissing her out of her mind. 'I thought that he was going to kiss me for real.' She sat up and positioned the pillow against the headboard and waits for the tea.

Aiko watched the reactions and giggled inside. "You two are acting like you are hiding something. What did you do Gabriel?"

Gabriel looked at Aiko and glared, "I did nothing immoral. I was cooling down her forehead and her cheeks with my hands as they were cold." He puts a little honey into the tea and carries it over to Amelia. "Here is the tea for you."

Amelia took the teacup and bowed her head. She looked at the color, "it's a beautiful pink color." she lifted the cup to her lips and sipped on the tea. "Oh, is that Satonishiki cherries?"

"Yes, I dried some previously as I thought that I could use them to mask the bitter taste of some of the medicines I make. Do you like it in the tea?" Gabriel sat on the edge staring at Amelia as she drank the tea.

"Like is not even the way I would describe it. I love it. Thank you so much, Gabriel. I could see this going well in a medicine." Amelia finished off the first cup and handed it back to him. "May I have some more please?"

"Of course," Gabriel leaned forward and kissed her forehead and went back to make more tea. Like last time he added the sleeping aid and stirred the tea and gave it to her.

Aiko watched the interactions and sighed quietly. 'I knew that they were in love and all I can sense is pure and sweet love between them but Gabriel is a guy and laying next to the one you love would be difficult.'

Amelia took the tea and drank it almost as fast. "Thank you, Gabriel and Aiko." She felt the room start to spin a little bit and handed the cup back to Gabriel before she started swaying and passed out.

Gabriel took the cup and lifted her up. He laid her back down on the bed and covered her up properly. "Now that she is back asleep. I think that it was a bad idea to lay down next to her but at the same time she looked so cold." He sighs and finishes tucking her in so that she would be warm.

"There is nothing that can be done. You are young and in love. You would not be able to control your emotions. I will not judge you as I really do not have the right to do that as I did not help you in any way. Do not worry about your natural reactions. That is part of being a man." Aiko grabbed the other teapot and poured two cups and gave one to him and poured a cup for herself.

Taking the teacup he sat down in the chair. "I understand what you are saying, Aiko. I just can't forgive myself as now is really not a good time." Gabriel pulled out the book that he had bought in town and the recipe that his father left behind. He started to cross-reference what they had in stock and what they would need to replenish. 'So we have enough of this but this is one that we will need to acquire more and fresh will not be an issue as I can dry it out. What is this one? I don't think that I have seen this one before.'

Aiko cleared the table and went to grab a piece of paper that he could use. She came back with a calligraphy pen, ink, and a piece of paper. "Gabriel I may not be able to help you with your research but here are some writing utensils to write out what you need." She handed it to him and went and sat next to Amelia and felt her forehead and felt it recede again. 'Damn that boy for being so smart. That powder he mixed in was a sleeping powder that I didn't even know that he had on himself.'

"Thank you, Aiko, for the supplies. I bet you are wondering where the sleeping powder came from. I sometimes will not sleep properly and laying next to Amelia was one of the most refreshing rests that I have had in a while. So I am grateful that she let me sleep next to her." He picked up the ink and added a little water and rubbed the two stones together. He watched as the water turned into the black ink and then dipped the pen in and started to write out everything that was needed and if he was unsure of what it looked like he made a page reference.

Aiko placed her hand on Amelia and started to feel sleepy. She leaned, sat on the floor, and placed her head near Amelia's before passing out.

Gabriel heard the soft snores coming from behind him and went out in the hallways. He found the blankets and brought one and wrapped it around Aiko's shoulders. "You deserve a short rest as well." He sat back down and kept writing until everything was done he got up and stretched. He looked at the sunrise and sat in the window. 'It is almost time to get ready to leave.'