Archive of Our Own

Lilith was pulled from a rather wonderful dream by... something. The sun was out so it wasn't too early. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but something inside her felt... off. More so than usual. Her... head feels funny she thinks? She could also feel a distinct pressure running from the middle of her nose to her forehead, and she felt MUCH colder than she should feel in the middle of autumn. As she began to gingerly stretch under her blanket she quickly found that her joints were... Not the kindest. They felt sluggish and ached tremendously, which forced her to bring her stretch to an abrupt halt. Sighing, she froze for a moment in thought. Her eyes went wide at the realization of what could be wrong. "Really?" She whispered to herself. She hasn't been sick in a LONG time. Why in Titan's name would she just suddenly get sick NOW. 'Perhaps I just... slept wrong?.' She thought in her still sleep addled mind. Logically, she knew sleeping the wrong way wouldn't explain the ill feeling in her head and sinuses. She had a suspicion of what was wrong with her, but she hoped she was wrong. She remembers waking up feeling... similar to this whenever she'd came down with that dreaded Gryphon flu. There was one way to know for certain. She held her breath as she raised her hand and drew a simple spell circle, only to watch it pathetically fizzle out. She let out a defeated sigh. There was no point being in denial. She had the Gryphon flu.

Lilith HATED being sick. Luckily it was a Saturday so she didn't have any work, but most days Lilith couldn't AFFORD to be sick. Not while she has a little girl to take care of and an important job to uphold. Lilith carefully shifted onto her back and was greeted by a familiar tangle of brown hair lying to her left. Amity. Upon having another nightmare, the girl had timidly asked Lilith if she could stay with her for the night. She had no problem with this of course; she has lost count on how many times Amity has had nightmares since she had chosen to leave that horrible manor to live with her permanently.

Lilith thought again for a moment. She and Amity were supposed to go out to the Carnival today. The Carnival, however, was staying for a few weeks, so Lilith figured they could go again another day. Hopefully tomorrow, if by some miracle she's better by then. She just hoped Amity wouldn't mind. Perhaps she could make it up to her with...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pressure suddenly arising in her abdomen. She let out a little whine as she folded in on herself. Her stomach had felt fine until now. Through the horrid pains, Lilith began to feel her jaw and tongue muscles contract and her head was quickly becoming increasingly more light. She felt the bile rise to her throat. "Oh, Titan." She whispered, quickly throwing a hand over her mouth and rushing across the room, straight into her bathroom. She tried to be as quiet as she could as she emptied the contents of her stomach. "Oh, heavens..." She sighed. She took deep breaths to steady herself. She could feel tears begin to well in the corners of her burning eyes. The full force of her illness was beginning to hit her now like a wave of despair. Her head was pounding, her eyes and nose felt as though they were on fire and her stomach was still in knots. She needed... to return to bed.

"Lilith?" She heard a small voice call to her from behind the door. "Are you ok?" She must have woken Amity with all her ruckus. She felt a small pang of guilt. Lilith's first instinct was to assure Amity that she was fine, but she couldn't bring herself to lie to her child. But she also didn't want to worry her. 'Be mature, Lilith.' She told herself. 'You cant hide this from her... and you don't have to hide this from her. Set a good example.' Lilith let out another sigh.
"One moment, dearest." Lilith did her best to sound relaxed but her voice was quite hoarse. She slowly pushed herself up from the floor and walked carefully toward the door. She opened it to find Amity looking rather worried, fidgeting with the hem of her lilac pyjama shirt, which matched Lilith's. Her auburn hair in a mess, just like Lilith's was. 'My poor girl..'

"Good morning, my dear." Lilith greeted as best as she could, looking into Amity's tired eyes.
"Um... good morning." Amity noticed right away that Lilith looked a little... off. Her eyes were very red and she was a little more... pale than usual. However, she still held that same, soft expression that the girl was so familiar with. She crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Lilith's middle. Lilith gratefully returned the embrace, planting a kiss on Amity's forehead, angry at herself for almost forgetting their morning routine. "Are you ok Lilith?" The 13 year old asked again, looking up to the raven-haired witch. Lilith let out a small sigh. Always so caring, her little witchling was.
"Unfortunately, I'm afraid I have come down ill, Little one."

Amity's eyes went wide at that. Her chest suddenly felt very tight. 
"Ill?" She sadly murmured up to Lilith, voice falling. Lilith immediately took notice that Amity was distressed. 
"Yes... But it is alright, my dear... I will be alright." Lilith reassured with a slight rasp in her voice, lovingly running a hand through the girls hair.
Amity still looked very panicked. 'How could she be sick? Lilith NEVER gets sick.'

"But... But you never get sick." The girl squeaked. Lilith smiled tiredly. Her knees were starting to ache from standing.
"How about we... go lie down, Dear?" She gestured to the bed. Amity nodded and took Lilith's hand to help her the rest of the way back. it was only a few steps, but Lilith adored the gestured. Lilith sighed as she tiredly slipped under her warm blanket. She did not particularly feel any better but at least she was no longer freezing and the risk of falling was eliminated. Amity walked around to the other side of the mattress and followed Lilith in getting under the covers. Lilith opened her arms and Amity shyly snuggled into her.

Lilith placed another kiss on Amity's forehead and began to speak.
"Yes, as you said, my dear, it is not often that I fall ill. But I suppose it was bound to happen again eventually." Amity looked at her with anxious eyes.
"Is it bad?" She asked in a small voice. Amity was sick very often, so knew what it was like to feel VERY sick. Sometimes it was nothing more than the sniffles and a slight fever but sometimes she was bound to her bed for days. One time almost a whole week! She just felt so lucky that she had Lilith to look after her then. And now. Even though she has been living with Lilith for a few months now, she still sometimes couldn't believe it. She would NEVER forget how lucky she is. Every aspect of her life was changed when Lilith took her in, and in the BEST of ways! Lilith actually CARED about Amity. She never once made her feel like she was a nuisance or a bother. Never once did she tell her that she was inadequate and to do better. She never denied her a meal if she did something wrong or lock her in her room for days if her grades were too low. When she was younger, Amity thought that was something all parents did to their children if they misbehaved. That was what HER parents constantly told her. They even insisted that other parents were WORSE and that she had it easy. She had believed that for a long time, until she began her mentorship with Lilith when she was seven, at the insistence of her parents. Overtime, thanks to Lilith, she began to see that the reality was not that every other kid went through what Amity did. She always had her suspicions of course, but when she took in the truth of her situation she... didn't handle it very well. Eventually, things started to get worse with her parents. A lot had happened. But in the end, Lilith had took her in. She SAVED her.

Lilith attempted to inhale through her nose only to find it blocked.
"Unfortunately, it is rather bad. I seem to have come down with the-" She was interrupted by a small cough. "Gryphon flu." She said in a strained voice. She cleared her throat. "Have you heard of it, dear?" Amity slowly shook her head. She had never heard of a Gryphon flu. "It is quite uncommon, as it only effects a small number of witches. It... targets the bile sac, making you unable to perform magic, and because it targets the bile sac, it effects every witch in... different ways." Lilith took a breath and swallowed, attempting to moisten her dry throat. She continued.
"I know I have it, of course, because I have had it many, many times in my youth. There is no known cure, really, though there are many remedies, but they are very... subjective. The only remedy that I have found effective for myself, are Honey Mushrooms. However, The most crucial thing for everyone with Gryphon flu, is rest."
Amity was silent for a moment in thought.
"Honey Mushrooms?" She slowly asked, gazing up at Lilith.
"Yes, Honey Mushrooms. They do not actually taste like honey, they are quite... disgusting in taste, honestly." Lilith let out a raspy chuckle followed by another small cough. "They are called that for their deep, honey-like colour. They can also be known as Golden Mushrooms and Sun-Shrooms." Lilith explained as she ran her hand through Amity's hair. "Then, can't we order some? Oh, I could go get you some!?" Amity offered excitedly. 'I can HELP her!'  Lilith smiled with heart.

"I wish it were that easy, dearest." Lilith gave her an apologetic look. "Honey Mushrooms are unfortunately a... seasonal thing. They only grow during the summer. Seeing as we are nearing the end of Autumn, I doubt there'd be any places in Bonesborough that would still have stock." Amity's face fell. "But it means... so much to me to see how much you want to help." Lilith placed a hand on Amity's shoulder. "You make me so happy, little one." Amity lightly smiled.
"So... you'll be okay? Your magic will be okay?" She asked in a soft voice.
Lilith looked down and saw the scared, concerned look written on her child's face.
"Oh, yes, my Dear." Lilith stopped herself to clear her throat. "I am certain I will be fine. The Gryphon flu just tends to make me feel... awful for a few days." Amity was slightly relieved but still felt... sad.

Lilith was the best, most kindest person on ALL the Boiling Isles. She didn't deserve this! Amity wanted nothing more than to help Lilith as much as she could.
"Can I... do anything?" Lilith felt her heart swell. Her Amity was so, so caring. Lilith's throat did feel quite dry. As much as she hated to interrupt their relaxation, she desperately needed a drink to soothe her dry throat.
"Would you be able to fetch me a glass of water, dearest?" Amity nodded and quickly got up and rushed to the kitchen. Lilith was quite saddened at the sudden loss of contact. Her sadness didn't last long, however, as Amity returned very swiftly, handing the glass to Lilith, which she gratefully took and gulped down with haste.
"Thank you, my dear." Lilith said as she placed the glass on her side table.
"Do you need anything else? The girl asked, still standing. Lilith smiled, shook her head and patted the place beside her.

Amity blushed as she walked around Lilith's bed and once again hugged into Lilith. After a moment, Lilith spoke.
"I am afraid I wont be able to take you to the Carnival today. I'm sorry, dearest. Perhaps tomorrow if I am feeling well-enough." Amity had completely forgot they were supposed to be going to the Carnival today. Why was Lilith apologising for being sick? While its true Amity was excited at the time they had planned on going, she currently couldn't care any less about the Carnival. It seemed so... small compared to now.
"Oh... Um, its fine... I just care about... you..." Amity struggled to put her thoughts into words but she supposed that was close enough. She looked up at Lilith with the most sincere smile Lilith had ever seen. Lilith hugged the girl tighter and couldn't help but place a kiss on Amity's cheek. 

Lilith took a few moments to just... lie there with her child. The silence was interrupted by the sound of a very low growling sound. Lilith opened her eyes slightly to see Amity shyly hiding half of her face under the blanket.
"I'm sorry." She squeaked. "I-I didn't know I was that hungry..." Lilith's eyes widened.
"Oh, dear Titan." Lilith whispered, bringing a hand to her head in disbelief. She had forgotten Breakfast. She pinched the bridge of her nose. 'Well done, Lilith. Almost forget to feed your child the most important meal of the day. Mother of the year, surely.' She felt extremely annoyed with herself.
"..Lilith?" Lilith removed her hand to see Amity's beautiful golden eyes peeking out at her.
"I am... terribly sorry, Little One. I've felt so... out of sorts, that breakfast had completely slipped my mind... Titan, you must be starving." She cupped Amity's face with one hand and gently ran her thumb over her cheek.
"Its okay." Amity assured, wearing a soft expression.
"Unfortunately I am unable to cook, but perhaps I can order you something?" She raised an eyebrow to the girl for confirmation. "Yes, please." Amity said with haste. Lilith chuckled. She could hear the hint of excitement in the girl's voice. They did not eat take-away often. "Then, what would you like, dearest?" She's pretty sure she remembers Amity's favourite fast food restaurant being that H.Dragons place, but that wasn't really something you'd eat for breakfast.
"Um... could we have Minotoast?" Amity asked.
"Certainly, dear. That sounds wonderful." Really, Lilith was not particularly hungry. Honestly the thought of eating right now made her feel rather queasy, but she knew she should at least try to have even just a bite or two of something.

Lilith raised her hand to summon her scroll but stopped herself as the realisation dawned her. Her magic wouldn't work. Her scroll was laying just on the dresser on the other side of the room.Why would I leave it there, would it have killed me to put it on the side table!'  She REALLY didn't want to get up. Honestly, she wasn't even sure if she COULD get up. Sighing, she turned to Amity.
"dearest, could you summon my  scroll for me?" Amity was about to ask her why until she remembered what Lilith had said about the flu attacking the bile sac. She nodded her head and waved a finger prompting the scroll to materialize just in front of Lilith. "Thank you, my dear."

The food had arrived rather quickly, Amity ordered the standard kids meal and Lilith did the same, as it was the smallest thing they had on the menu. Amity went down to get their food from the delivery guy. Since Lilith really didn't want to move to the table she said it'd be okay to eat in her bed as long as they were careful. Lilith struggled to eat, but did her best, only getting about a third of the way through before she resigned. She had offered the rest to Amity, but the girl insisted she'd put it in the fridge. Not too long after breakfast Lilith had fallen asleep with Amity in her arms. Before she dozed off she told Amity to not be afraid to wake her if she needed anything.

'I wish there was something I could do.'  She thought as she gazed at Lilith, watching her chest rise and fall irregularly as she slept. Amity hated that she couldn't help. "Stupid mushrooms. Stupid seasons." she muttered softly. 'Would ALL Honey Mushrooms be gone? There's not a single place that would have even just a few left?' It occurred to her that she could find out. Lilith was probably right, and that they were all gone, with the only things left being cheap, ineffective knock-offs. But Lilith also taught her that it never hurts to be sure. 'Maybe there's a LEGAL shop or stall somewhere that might have some.' Amity knew how to spot the legit products from the more... sketchy ones, thanks to Lilith. She just needed her scroll, which she had already summoned earlier to show Lilith videos while they ate. Amity carefully reached over to where she had placed her phone, trying her best to not wake Lilith, who still had her arms around Amity. After a small, silent struggle she obtained her scroll. She made sure the volume was down before beginning her research.

No matter what keywords or combination of words she searched for involving 'Honey Mushrooms", she couldn't find ANY available Honey Mushrooms in all the Boiling Isles! The closest she got was a store in Latissa that was auctioning off its final pack, but the bid was sitting at 1,000 snails. She wasn't sure Lilith would appreciate spending that much money, even if it was to help herself. Not that Lilith was tight with her money. She was the complete opposite, actually. Unlike... Amity shook her head. They aren't worth the thought... It doesn't matter. The near-thought left a bitter taste in her mouth. She began thinking about what Lilith has done for her. Amity remembers a few months Lilith spent like, SO much money on clothes and things for her when she first moved in. She lightly chuckled at that memory. Despite how guilty she felt at the time, Lilith had explained to her that she should never feel guilty because Lilith loved her and would gladly spend everything she has on her if need be. She's bought Amity just about everything she's ever asked for, which Amity still cries over sometimes. 'I'm just... so lucky.' She thought as she turned to look up at Lilith. Her heart ached when she heard Lilith's raspy breathing. She didn't know what else to do. 'Lilith said that the only thing that helped her besides resting were those Golden Mushroom things. Wait... No. They were called Honey Mushrooms, weren't they?. Why did I...' Amity's eyes widened at the realization. That was their OTHER name. And Sun-shrooms was another name for them too, she now remembers! Now she had two other keywords to try.

She decided to start with Sun-shrooms and found... nothing. The most interesting thing she found was a page for people that called themselves 'The Sons of the Sun', which she thought was funny. She only had one more name to look up. She didn't hold her breath as she hit search. After a few seconds, Amity's jaw dropped. There was a store, located just at the edge of town called 'Magnolia's Medicinal Marvels', which had not one, but TWO packs left. Her heart was racing. These could help Lilith! She thought for a moment. It was about a 55 minute walk, but she figured she could get that down to about half if she was quick. She could picture it now. She'd wake Lilith up and surprise her with the Mushrooms, and Lilith would be so stunned she'd pull her into a hug and pepper her face with kisses. But the best part; Lilith would feel BETTER. And she'd tell Amity how happy she was and how proud of her she is, like she always does, and it would just be... Amazing.

Amity was ready to get dressed and bolt out the door, until it hit her. Lilith had rules. She had to tell Lilith if she was ever going out somewhere, and had to let her know where exactly she was going and when she'd be back. Curfew was 6:00pm. She didn't have to worry about that, however, as it was barely 10am. When Lilith had explained these rules to her she... took it to mean that Lilith didn't trust her, which made her upset. But Lilith Explained that it wasn't that she didn't trust HER, it was the Boiling Isles that she didn't trust. Amity kind of understood. She knew it was dangerous, which is why she almost always went out with her 'friend' group, but she had stopped talking to them a while ago. Amity weighed her options. She could wake Lilith up, and tell her what she wanted to do, which would ruin the surprise, and even then there's still the chance Lilith might say no because the place is too far away. Or she could sneak out, get the mushrooms, come home and surprise Lilith. Lilith would still know she snuck out, of course, and sure she MIGHT be a little bit upset with her, but on the plus side, Lilith would still be surprised AND she'd feel better. Amity looked up towards Lilith. 'Lilith does so, so much for me. I want to do something for her. Even if she gets upset with me, she'll still feel better, so it'll be worth it.'

The longer she looked at Lilith and listened to her uneven breaths the more she felt the urge to help her. "It's okay, Lilith. I'll help. I promise." She barely whispered. Before she could stop herself she leaned forward and lightly kissed Lilith's cheek. She felt her face flush at the realisation of what she did, but rather than be embarrassed she was... content. It felt natural. She wondered what Lilith's reaction would be if she was awake. Shaking the thought from her head she started to slowly and very carefully untangle herself from Lilith's arms. After a few minutes she managed to just narrowly slip out from her grasp without waking her. Taking one more look at Lilith's pale face as she slept, Amity knew this was what she wanted to do.

She made her way down the hallway and into her room and started to get dressed. She threw on a long sleeved black top with dark purple leggings and black boots. It was rather cold today so she opted to wear her coat and her... mittens. Pushing the dumb thought aside, Amity took a hairband from her side table and tied her auburn hair in her usual half-up, half-down fashion. She then grabbed her satchel and made sure she had her scroll and raven. She did. The last thing she needed was something that she makes sure to NEVER leave the house without. It was a beautiful necklace that Lilith had gifted to her not too long after she started living with her. It was a Clawthorne family heirloom, she was told. Lilith's great-great grandfather had carved the pendant out of an amethyst, which resembled the shape of a small raven. The eye of the raven, however, was a small emerald, which made its eye shine in such a pretty way when light hit it. The pendant was held on a simple, but very pretty silver chain. Additionally, before she gifted it to her, Lilith had enchanted it with magical properties in the case of emergencies. When both sides were squeezed, it would emit an extremely bright light, which would momentarily blind anyone looking her way. Luckily, Amity has never had to use that.

But the best part about the necklace? The whole thing reminded her of Lilith. It reminded her she had someone who actually cared about her. It reminded her that SHE was a Clawthorne. It reminded her that she had a HOME now. Wearing it made her feel... safe? Like a piece of Lilith was always with her, wherever she went. That's why she loves it so much. She looked herself in the mirror as she placed it around her neck. "Amity Clawthorne. Always." She whispered, a small smile stretching across her face. She was all set. She walked as quietly as she could past Lilith's room and down the stairs and toward the front door, where Lilith's cloaks hung from the hat-rack. She took out her keys and very carefully unlocked the door. 'This is it, no going back.' She went outside.

The more Amity walked, the more the feeling of dread and guilt continued to build. Her head was feeling tingly and light. 'It's too late to give up now, you're already a third of the way there!' She shook her head and took a few deep breaths. 'I just hope she doesn't wake up.' Amity wished she had her own staff already. Then this trip would be no more than 10 minutes. She wished she could have taken Lilith's, but Lilith would have been able to feel the change in her staff's presence, which would have surely woken her up.

She looked down to her scroll to see when she had to take her next turn. 'Oh. Now.' When she rounded the corner she was surprised to see where it was taking her. It was the Market District, more specifically the part of the Market District Lilith had warned her about some time ago. 'You must remember, dearest, the south-west section of the Markets is a terrible place. Never go there. Con-artists, criminals, wild witches, and VERY bad people are the majority of its inhabitants, and the guards patrol that area very little. Nothing good ever comes from that wretched place.'  She felt even more sick to her stomach. Even from a distance she could tell it was... weird. The entire area had a strange, unpleasant smell and every witch she could see looked very... beat up?. And angry. Amity was much more accustomed to the parts of the market that were more... catered toward children and teens. Since there were usually a lot of guards around, nothing too terrible ever really happened around those parts. But here... there would likely not even be a single guard!

Although the various witches and demons seemed to be going about their business as they would in any other part of the market, minus the extensive yelling and swearing, she knew this look was deceiving. Like Lilith said, criminals and wild witches thrived here. Both of which hated the Emperor and the covens. 'Wait... Lilith is head of the Emperors Coven... If they find out I LIVE with her, I'm toast!' She looked down again to her scroll. The only other path would take 23 minutes extra. She was already in a hurry as it was. On the plus side, its not like she had to walk through the ENTIRE south-west part. She was only cutting through a small section. It would only be a tiny, few minute walk until she's in a... slightly better part of the market. Perhaps less if she was quick.

'If I just... look down and don't talk or look at anyone, I should be fine'. It occurred to her that the more time she spent standing there and staring, the more suspicious she'd look. She had to act now. Amity instinctively reached her hand down into her coat and pulled out her pendant, clutching it tightly to her chest. She found that holding it often made her feel... better. She took a deep breath and cast her eyes down and started pacing forward swiftly, her eyes glued to the path, doing her best to walk in a relaxed and precise manner despite the nerves wracking her body. It was going okay. She didn't feel as though anyone was staring, the demons and witches were passing by her with little to no mind at all. 'Lilith is going to kill me if she finds out about this. Can't tell her you were ever here. Tell her you took the longer way.'

Amity was quite interested in her peripherals, quickly glimpsing the weird and bizarre items that the various stands were selling as she walked. Potions that could cure every illness, curses, and even endangered caged animals were among some the things being sold. She could see why Lilith didn't like this place. Even she didn't like this place. By just being here she felt... gross, somehow. It gave her an awful, off-putting feeling. To think Lilith has to sometimes deal with the people in places like this made her head spin. She was feeling worse by the minute. Amity figured that this is where the night market must take place. She's never been there, but a few people from her grade have, and what they described seems to fit this place perfectly. It also explained why a lot of the empty stalls had signs up telling customers to come back in the evening. Snapping out of her thoughts, she noticed that strange smell was starting to build the more she walked. But, that didn't make sense as she should be nearing the... better areas now, right? Amity looked down at her phone and her heart dropped. It now said it would take FOUR hours to reach the medicine shop. With her heart racing, she quickly began tapping away at her scroll trying to figure out what was going on, worry planting itself deep in her chest. She felt a huge wave of relief when she realised what she had done wrong. She was so focused on not drawing attention to herself that she missed a turn a little ways back, so her scroll was redirecting her down some other path. 'Ok, that's fine. Just go back and go the RIGHT way, this time.'

It was still going great. However, minutes into her backtracking, in the corner of her eye she noticed a witch on her left, who was lazily leaning against the corner of the turn that she missed, who seemed to perk up as soon as she passed him. Amity slightly upped her pace a little and continued walking with her head down until she saw another witch do the same thing, this time on her right. Her mind started racing. 'I didn't do anything to anyone... why are they looking at me?' She picked up her pace even more so as she noticed another two witches beginning to stare at her as she passed them. She glanced at her scroll, which said she was now almost through this portion of the market. Just a little more...

Amity failed to notice the flurry of red and grey in front of her and bumped into it. She fell back with a resounding thud.
"Hey!" Amity's heart was beating furiously. Looking up, She saw it was a woman that she had bumped into. Upon turning and facing her, she noticed that the lady's expression slightly softened.

"Oh. Y'alright, kid?" She was maybe about Lilith's age, she was carrying her staff over her shoulder with a knapsack tied to it. She wore a friendly, but sly smile. Her skin was a pale ivory, similar to Lilith's and her own. Her hair was... very fluffy. And grey. She had one, single golden fang sticking out from the right side of her mouth. Her eyes were gold, also like her own and she wore a red dress, which looked to be...torn? But could still be passed off as fashionable. Amity was certain she had never met this lady in her life but something about her face seemed so... familiar? She couldn't quite put her finger on it. The lady reached a hand down to help Amity up. Something about her was still so uncanny, which made Amity hesitant. "Hellooooo, kid, are ya gonna get up?" She spoke in a very friendly, show-man like tone. Despite being on the ground, the eyes she could feel on her seemed to have vanished. Amity quickly glanced behind her and to her relief, only saw a mix of demons and witches going about their business, save for the few that were now staring at the current situation. She turned her head back to the lady, seeing her hand once more.

"Um, its fine!" Amity quickly pushed herself up. "I'm sorry!" She squeaked as she began dusting off her coat, trying her best not to think about the germs.
"Eh, don't worry about it, just be more careful where you're-" Amity turned her attention from her coat to the lady, wondering why she had suddenly stopped speaking. She was staring slack-jawed right at Amity's... coat? Amity looked down and realised to her horror, that the lady was staring DIRECTLY at her necklace. She had accidentally let go of her pendant as she got up, exposing it to everyone around her. Exposing a PRICELESS heirloom to everyone around her. She glanced back up to the lady, who's eyes were so wide, Amity was sure they'd fall out of her skull. The woman's gaze was now going from the pendant, up to Amity and back again. She quickly threw her hand around it once more to shield it from any additional pairs of eyes. She had to get out of here fast before this lady tried anything.

"Uh, ok. Bye!" She smiled as innocently as she could as she started walking around the lady.
"Wait, kid. Where did you get that?" Amity froze.
"Oh, um. I don't know. I really need to go." She tried as she awkwardly shuffled back. The pale lady rolled her eyes
"Ugh, kid, I'm not gonna steal it," She explained as she took a step toward Amity. "I just want to know where you got it." The woman crossed her arms. Amity paused.
"Uh, my m-mom gave it to me! I really must be going now, bye!" Amity turned and resumed her speed walking. She didn't hear the lady call out to her again, which was good. Before Amity turned the corner at the end of the street, she briefly glanced behind her to make sure the lady wasn't following her. To her relief the woman was still standing where she was before, eyeing down Amity with an inquisitive look. Amity swiftly turned away and continued walking.

"Huh, ain't that something." Eda muttered as she watched the timid girl disappear from sight.

Amity was relieved to be out of that place. The sudden change in contrast was so shocking. Suddenly guards were everywhere and people DIDNT have illegal items on display in every direction she looked. People are always weird but just... less so here. Probably because of the guards, but still. To think so many people are committing crimes just a few blocks away. 'Why cant all the guards just like, raid the place and arrest everyone? Would it even be that easy?'  She thought as she continued toward her destination. 'That Lady was so weird... At least talking to her seemed to make those people go away. But why?' She squinted her eyes in thought, trying to make sense of the... familiarity. 'She didn't know me, so I don't think I've ever met her anywhere before. Hmmm.' She shook her head, dismissing the thoughts. She doubted she'd ever see her again anyway. She glanced at her scroll. She wasn't far now.

She finally made it. Magnolia's Medicinal Marvels. It looked nice from the outside. A humble cottage with various plants and vegetation surrounding it. A warm, orange light irradiated from the windows. Amity was mesmerised by the sight. She carefully stepped up the two steps of the wooden porch and made her way to the door. There was a sign hanging from it that read 'Dedicated customers of Henriette's Herbal House, or Soloris's Spice Shack NOT welcome.' in neat, cursive handwriting. It reminded her of Lilith's.

Upon entering, Amity was hit with a wave of such pleasant smells. Pumpkin, cinnamon and a slight hint of oranges being the only ones she could recognise. To her left she spotted the counter. She noticed the Lady sitting behind it wearing such a genuine smile. She prompted Amity to come closer with the wave of her hand.
"Um, hi." Amity greeted when she closed the distance.
"Hello, child. What brings you to my medicine shop?" She spoke in a light, calm voice.
The lady, who she assumed to be Magnolia, looked rather nice. She had long blonde hair tied up into an intricate bun and her eyes were blue like crystals. She wore 
a long sleeved white shirt with a light brown skirt. She looked to be a little older than Lilith.
"Golden Mushrooms. I saw on your page that you had two bags left."
"Well, no. I have only one left. You are extremely lucky, dearie." Amity breathed a giant sigh of relief.
"Forgive me, but I must ask, are these for you? Because you do not look ill. It can be harmful to take medicine without an appropriate reason." She raised an eyebrow.
Amity figured there was no point in hiding the truth from this lady.
"My mom is sick and... she said that these help her. But she was sure there weren't any left since they're seasonal. I did some research and by the time I found some she was asleep, so I thought id come and get them... so I can surprise her." Amity explained. The woman brought a hand to her heart and gave Amity a soft look.
"Your mother must feel so lucky to have such a caring daughter."
Amity's eyes went wide as she felt her cheeks begin to burn. She had called Lilith her mom again. A feeling of warmth spread through her. Rather than try to awkwardly correct herself in front of the lady, Amity found that she... didn't want to. She didn't HAVE to. Lilith IS her mom, and she's been her mom ever since they met.
"Uh, I... I think I'm the lucky one, honestly." mumbled softly as she averted her eyes, her lips curling into a smile. The woman gave a soft chuckle.
"I shall fetch them for you. One moment, child." Amity took some time to look at what was displayed under the counter. She was quite interested in whatever 'Spider Jam' was, though she imagined it wouldn't taste very good. A few moments later Magnolia returned, carrying with her a small, clear plastic container, filled with what Amity had come so far to get. Golden mushrooms.

"Here we are. That will be 35 snails." Magnolia said as she placed the pack on the counter. Amity couldn't help but instinctively reach forward and grab it. She never thought she'd be so happy to see mushrooms in her life. They were definitely golden. From the stem all the way to the top, except for that brown underside that all mushrooms had. There were about a dozen of them. Amity had to admit they did look kind of appetising. But nevertheless, She finally had the mushrooms. Her shoulders lowered as she breathed another sigh of relief. She heard Magnolia give a small chuckle
"Happy to see them, are we? Did you travel far, dear?"
"I walked for... about 40 minutes." Magnolia's eyebrows briefly rose before her expression went soft again.
"Oh, bless your sweet heart." Amity couldn't help but look down as she blushed. She gladly handed over the 35 snails and went on her way, wishing farewell to the nice lady.

The walk back was quiet. Amity was still in a hurry, so she had to cut through that bad place again, but she was lucky enough that it had gone smoothly. She could see her home in the distance. She wasn't far now.

Amity could feel the excitement bubbling in her stomach as she walked. She couldn't WAIT to show Lilith! But... her face fell. Lilith MIGHT get mad. 'What if she grounds me... what if she yells at me?' Amity knew she broke a rule, which she still hated. She never wanted to break Lilith's rules, it was just different this time because it was FOR Lilith. She would understand that, right? Lilith has never yelled at Amity, but even the thought of it sends shivers down her spine. She had heard Lilith yell at people before, and it was scary. One time it had scared her so much that she... ALMOST cried.

'What if... No. No, it wouldn't come to that. She wouldn't-

'What if she doesn't want to be your mom anymore.' Amity stopped dead in her tracks. She felt her heart suddenly drop. Her eyes ban to viciously well with tears. 'What if she doesn't WANT you anymore.' Her chest was beginning to feel very tight. As if a snake was wrapped around her middle and was slowly crushing her. 'You're not going to be a Clawthorne anymore.' It was getting hard to breathe now. She threw her hands to her head in panic. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to imagine herself in a nice place. She had found that doing this seemed to be the most helpful thing she could do when these... instances occurred. A place where she was calm. Her mind went to last night.
She had had an awful nightmare. A nightmare about... those people again. She couldn't... sleep afterwards. She couldn't even THINK properly. All she saw were their faces. She was terrified. So, she made her way to Lilith's room, and Lilith did what Lilith always does. She held her and she kissed her. She stroked her hair. She told her everything was going to be okay and that nothing would ever hurt her again as she rocked her back and forth gently. When she finally calmed down she lied Amity beside her as they both fell back to sleep. She was safe.

Amity remembered that. She remembers ALL the times Lilith had done that, which was quite difficult since there were so many. Her mind wandered to another time that Lilith has held her.

"You must remember... to breathe, little one. You will find that with deep, careful breaths, you will feel... better."  She could hear Lilith's voice. This was from a long time ago, just after Lilith had started mentoring her. She was seven at the time. Those were some of the first reassuring words that an adult had ever said to her. Those words have been with her ever since. Amity's mind came back to the present. She had to slow her breathing. She began to do her best to take steady, deep breaths. They were a little shaky, but she figured it was still better than her rapid, shallow breaths.

The tightness in her chest was slowly starting to ease. She opened her eyes and realised that she was standing on the middle of the sidewalk. There didn't seem to be any people around but she still felt... exposed. To her left was a small, walled off alleyway that she thought it'd be best to hide in, if only for a moment. She really didn't want anyone staring at her. She took a few steps and peeked around the corner. It was empty. She swiftly moved into it and stood close to one of the walls. She continued to control her breathing and did her best to stay calm. She has had... moments like this before. She has had them for as long as she could remember.

Lilith was always what helped her. Lilith not being here just made her want to cry even further. Amity reached under her coat and pulled out her necklace. She slid her thumb across it as she gazed into its sparkling emerald eye. "This necklace, my dear, represents my attachment to you." She heard Lilith's voice once more. This was the day Lilith had officially adopted her, just a few days after Amity had started living with Lilith. Amity remembers being in awe at how pretty it was. "It is a Clawthorne family heirloom. It was carved from a sapphire by my great-great grandfather. My mother handed it to me when I was 16 and I wore it for most of my youth. I... would like for you to have it. You don't have to wear it or carry it with you, if you don't want to. Just... as long as it is you who it belongs to, that's all that matters."

'You're being silly. Remember all the times she's said she loved you? She's even SAID she'd never get rid of you, remember? Stupid brain is just being mean.'

"My dearest girl. I am...  a little upset that you would think that, but... I know its not your fault. I was the same way when I was your age." She remembers how soft Lilith's voice sounded. Like flowers and sweets. This was from a time not too long ago, one of the first few nights that Amity had first started living with Lilith. Amity was constantly trying to do as many chores around the house as she could, because at the time she thought she had to prove to Lilith that she wasn't a burden on her too. When she explained this to Lilith... What Lilith told her would stay with her forever.
"I need you to listen to me very carefully, dear. I would NEVER in a BILLION years get rid of you, Amity. The Titan himself would have to kill me before that happens." She remembers seeing Lilith shedding a small tear. "I love you, my dear. So, so much. More than anything you can imagine. Getting 'rid' of you is something that has NEVER been on the table and it NEVER will be.' She remembers Lilith gently running her thumbs across her forehead, brushing the stray strands of hair from her eyes. "You are my child, as such it is my duty to protect you. To teach you. To feed you, to clothe you and to love you. My privilege."

Amity opened her eyes. Her head felt much clearer. She could breathe almost normally again, and her heart was now much slower than it had been a few minutes ago. She took a deep breath. Amity hated that her brain did this. Instantly jumping to the scary, outrageous things without being logical. 

'I'm just being dramatic. Again. All I did was break one rule. Is that reason to get rid of me? She even SAID she'd never get rid of me. She LOVES me.' Amity sniffed and wiped her eyes. This was silly. She shouldn't get so worked up over something that doesn't make any sense. "I need to get back." She muttered to herself. Amity took another deep breath and stepped back out onto the path and continued walking, trying her best to act as though nothing had happened. If she gets mad at you, then she gets mad at you. Don't be a baby. Amity just hoped these mushrooms would genuinely help Lilith. Even if they help just a little, everything would have been worth it. She wished she was there with Lilith now, so she could help her if she needed anything. 'I hope she hasn't woken up.'

Amity entered the house as quietly as she could. She breathed a sigh of relief at finally being home. While she wasn't gone for long, she had covered quite a bit of distance, so her legs were a little sore. She cautiously made her way upstairs and into her room. Since she didn't want to leave Lilith while she was sick, even if she got upset at her, she got dressed back into her pyjamas. After putting all her things away, she took the bag of mushrooms from her satchel. It was time to show Lilith.

She tiptoed towards Lilith's door, feeling her heart suddenly picking up. She found herself looking at the large, dark door sooner than she would have liked. Her hand hesitated as she reached for the handle. Be brave, don't be a baby. If she gets angry then... then maybe you deserve it. She took a deep breath and cautiously opened the door. She peeked her head into the room to see the slim silhouette of Lilith laying facing away, still fast asleep. Amity could still hear the uneven rasps in her breathing, which made her heart hurt. She silently closed the door behind her as she made her way toward Lilith. When she reached the side of the bed where she was sleeping, it took her a while to find her voice. When she did she softly spoke. "Lilith?" Amity watched as the witch slightly moved and weakly murmured something, still fast asleep. Amity took a deep breath. "Lilith?" She said again slightly louder with a wince. The raveness's eyes shot open.

"Hm? Ami..." Lilith turned around to face the source of the noise. Amity was a little scared by how red Lilith's eyes were. "Oh... what's the matter, dear? Are you hungry?" Lilith asked in a weak, sleepy voice, propping herself up on one arm as she spoke. Amity shook her head, her eyes moving to her feet. She didn't know what to say. "Are you ok dearest? What's the matter?" She noticed something in Amity's hand. Amity glanced up to her before looking down again.
"I'm sorry." The girl whispered, her voice as brittle as glass. Lilith was worried now.
"Whatever for?" She saw a small tear run down Amity's cheek. Before she could say anything else, Amity reached her hand with the mushrooms out toward Lilith.
"I-um... These are f-for you." Lilith slowly reached a hand up and took the bag from Amity. Did Amity make her something? Lilith peered into the paper bag. They looked like... Honey Mushrooms!? But... how? What was going on?
"Are these... Honey Mushrooms?" Amity slowly nodded her head, her eyes still furiously glued to the floor.
"When you f-fell asleep I rem-embered that you s-said they help. So I looked on my scroll and t-there was a place that had one bag left." Amity threw her hands to her face as she failed to keep her composure. "I-I just wanted to surprise you! I'm sorry I didn't ask for permission! I'm sorry I broke the rules!" The girl was sobbing now. Lilith looked at her with wide eyes. She placed the bag of mushrooms onto the side table as she quickly moved herself so she was sitting at the edge of the bed, facing Amity. Titan it was freezing.

Lilith slowly reached both hands out and gently placed them on both of the girl's shoulders.
"My dear, Listen to me." Amity sniffed and wiped her eyes before looking into Lilith's. Lilith didn't look angry but she still wasn't sure. "Are you sure they are official? Where did you get them from?" Amity nodded.
"M-Magnolia's Medicinal Marvels." She murmured as she wiped her nose. 'Magnolia's!? She went ALL the way to Magnolia's!? All for... me.' Her little girl broke a rule... knowing full well she may be grounded, so she could walk to a store on the OTHER side of town and get the last bag of medicine to help Lilith, and then surprise her with it? And now that same little girl was crying... waiting for her punishment to come... Lilith's heart broke. 'Oh, heavens, what do I do here?' There was not a single chance Lilith was going to punish the girl for this. Ground her because she broke a rule to help me? Unacceptable. Her thoughts were interrupted by Amity's brittle voice. "I'm s-sorry I went against your rules, Lilith. I understand if I'm-"

"No." Lilith couldn't control the tears pricking her eyes as she looked at her child. Her sunshine. She made Lilith feel so special. So proud. So happy. Without saying another word she pulled the girl towards her and hugged her tightly. Amity instinctively moved into Lilith's lap, wrapping her arms around her middle and burying her face in Lilith's chest.
"My sweet, sweet girl. I could never be mad at you." Lilith struggled to speak. "Thank you... so, so much, my dear. It means the world to me." Amity sniffed and moved back so she could look at Lilith.
"S-so you're n-not mad at me?" Hearing that made Lilith's heart break even further.
"No! No! Not at all, dear. I-" Lilith was forced to cut herself off, her voice threatening to break under the stain. She swallowed, attempting to clear the lump from her sore throat before she spoke. She took a deep breath, as she ran her hand through Amity's hair, calming the girl and herself as best she could before continuing.

"My dear, you already know that the rules should never be broken. What you did was extremely dangerous. If anything ever happened to you, Amity, I would never forgive myself. Or the Isles. However, to know that you only did so because you wanted to help me... It means so, so much.." Lilith finished with a smile and placed a kiss to Amity's hairline. Amity smiled back up to her, feeling extremely relieved that Lilith understood. "But please, dear, wake me next time, alright? I understand that you wanted to surprise me, which you truly did, but I must know where you are going at all times, Understand?" Amity gazed into Lilith's eyes. She couldn't find even a hint of anger or disappointment or ANY of the things she was afraid she'd make Lilith feel. All she could see was... Care. And worry. Amity nodded as she wiped her wet eyes. The older witch let out a small, content sigh. Her child was safe. That's all that mattered. "You went quite far in such a short time. Are you alright, Dear?" Amity nodded.
"M-my legs hurt a little, but I'm okay. I just really wanted to help you." She smiled. Lilith did the same
"And you did. Tremendously so." She placed a kiss to Amity's forehead. Then another to her cheek. Then another to her nose. Amity couldn't help but giggle at the tickly feeling of the flurry of kisses. When she finished her attack, the witch placed her forehead to Amity's. "You have no idea how happy you make me, my little one." She brought a hand up to stroke Amity's cheek. "You are so precious." Amity blushed as she buried her face in Lilith's neck. 

After the both of them had calmed, Lilith spoke. "Would you mind getting under the covers, my dear? So that I may as well?" Amity's eyebrows raised. She nodded and quickly moved out of Lilith's lap and made her way under the covers. Lilith chuckled and did the same, leaning herself against the headboard. "Would you pass me the mushrooms from the side table, dear?" Amity nodded and quickly handed them to her. The bag rustled as Lilith reached in and pulled one out. She brought it to her nose and inhaled, the slight earthy scent of the mushroom filling her nostrils. She knew the taste was going to be quite foul, so she savoured its pleasant smell as best she could. The anticipation of having some relief of her illness was overwhelming.

She closed her eyes and bit into the head of the mushroom, doing her best to breathe what little air she could through her nose, so as to keep its taste to a minimum. She finished the mushroom as quickly as she could, doing her best to not chew more than she needed to. She looked over to Amity, who was watching with the covers pulled up to her nose. Golden Mushrooms usually began to work almost instantly. Lilith closed her eyes once more and sniffed through her nose and sure enough, she felt all the mucus drain to the back of her throat as though it was water. She was beginning to feel the warmth of the mushroom flow through her. From her middle through to her arms, up to her head and back down all the way to her legs. It was refreshing. Invigorating, even. Like biting into a strong peppermint. She felt the warmth seep further into her bones and settle into her joints, making them feel much less stiff and painful than they were. Her throat was still quite sore, however. Golden Mushrooms did not really help with that. She was also still a little nauseous, but besides that, most of her... bodily pain, was... mostly relieved. She felt more or less quite well now. All thanks to the precious, caring little girl laying beside her. HER little girl.

Lilith let out a content sigh as she moved off the headboard and lied her head back onto her pillow.
"Do you feel better?" She heard Amity's muffled voice ask. She turned her head face her child. Her child, who went so far to obtain medicine for her. Her... gift.
"I feel... wonderful, Darling." Lilith didn't mind the tears that came as she looked at her child. Before Amity could say anything, Lilith spoke. "Come here." She reached both arms out to Amity. The girl moved forward and snuggled into Lilith once more.
'You mean so much to me. Oh... how I love you, my Dear.'
"I love you too." The witch didn't realise she had said that out loud, but she didn't mind. Her heart was so full in the moment that she felt the lump in her throat grow.

"But... have I ever told you just HOW much I love you, my Dear?" She spoke once she regained her compsure Amity's smile grew as she felt her cheeks flush.
"Mmhm" The girl hummed shyly, burrowing her face further into Lilith's chest.
"So, so much. I don't think you could possibly understand." Lilith spoke tenderly as she tightened her hold on Amity. "I understand." Amity responded in a soft voice. Lilith quirked an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth in a playful smirk. "Alright, Miss know-it-all, how could you possibly understand?" She sing-songed. Amity looked up to her and quirked her own eyebrow back as if the answer was obvious. "Because... I love you even more." 

Not too long later lunch time rolled around. Lilith ordered takeout once more and Amity picked it up at the door. Lilith found that she still couldn't eat very much, but did her best anyway. When the first mushroom she had eaten started to wear off, she promptly had another. She'd have plenty to last her until her flu subsided, which, based on her experiences, would likely be around another two days. So for now, Lilith just relaxed with her daughter. Amity suggested they could watch something on the crystal ball, which Lilith agreed to. Lilith let Amity decide what to watch. She opted for the new live action adaptation of 'The Good Witch Azura' that had just came out.

The two watched until dinner time. Rather than order takeout for the third time that day, Lilith decided she'd ask Amity to re-heat them some of last nights leftovers. Amity didn't even know they had leftovers from last night, so she was quite excited, Lilith's Molten pie was amazing! After dinner, Amity decided she'd like to stay with Lilith for the night once more. She had fallen asleep in Lilith's arms again. Lilith let out a light chuckle and kissed her forehead. Though she and Amity had days like this all the time, Lilith still couldn't help but wish they'd last forever. Despite being ill, Lilith thought today was so wonderful. No one, not even her own MOTHER, had cared for her the way Amity did. That was something they both had in common with one another, she figured. She watched as her child peacefully slept. Her heart threatening to explode at how precious she looked.
'Oh, how lucky I am.'