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Noctis sits there and watches his aunt make potions. He’s done this since he was a child.
She looks a lot like his mother, he's been told despite the fact the sisters weren’t twins.
Her black hair tied in a braid that falls over her shoulder. Blue grey eyes staring down at her cauldron.
Noctis would describe his aunt’s dress sense as a mix between gothic and something akin to that video game Gladio likes with the yellow eyed monster hunter.
Today, she wears a black blouse with lace sleeves and a high collar, black pants with a leather pouch strapped to her thigh filled with a couple of measuring spoons and black boots with a heel.
She doesn’t make potions like he does. She does it the way the kings and queens of old did.
“If it isn’t broken, why fix it?” Juno says.
He’s heard that over and over.
“Using magic’s faster though.” he argues.
“And there’s a higher chance of it going wrong if you don’t focus. Besides, it's nice to know these things if you’re in stasis.”
Juno is what Noctis would class as a witch and the royal apothecary too or the royal pharmacist in modern terms.
“Can you pass me that bottle?” She points a manicured finger to a shelf. “The little blue one.”
Noctis gets up, grabbing said bottle.
“What’s in this?” he goes to uncork the bottle.
“Don’t.” Juno glances up at him. “Too much of that might burn off your eyebrows.”
He passes the bottle over, unsure if she’s actually joking or not and watches her uncork and measure out the right amount before dropping it into the potion.
“What potion’s this?”
“Cures confusion.” she replies, mixing the potion.
“Aand why are you making this?”
“You can’t be too careful on your journey, my little raven.”
“I’m going on a road trip not squaring up with wildlife.”
She laughs and shakes her head.
“Your father thought the same on his trip before he married Aulea and do you know what happened?”
“What?”
“They stumbled too close to a cockatrice nest and Reggie nearly got poisoned.”
“So I should make antidotes?”
“It wouldn’t hurt. That and elemental spells.”
“I can do that with my eyes closed.”
Juno smiles and ruffles his hair with her free hand.
“Aulea would be proud.”
His aunt looks at him. He wonders how much of his mother she sees in him.
“Promise you won’t spend all your money on energy drinks.”
“Promise.”
“Oh and remember to double check if you’re foraging if your ingredients are edible. Whether that be for potions or food. Last thing you want to do is accidentally poison or kill someone.”
“Gladio’s been studying survival stuff and foraging for years. I’ll ask him.”
“Good boy. Now come help me finish this potion.”
Noctis heads over, handing his aunt any little bottle she asks for until the potion batch is finished.
She scoops up the confusion cure in a rounded potion bottle and corks it.
“You think the whole cauldron will be enough?” Noctis asks, glancing at the pink liquid.
“Should be. It’s only a short trip.”
Juno hugs him against her side.
“I’ll miss you.” she admits.
“It’s only two weeks Aunt Juno.”
“Still. I’m used to having you around.”
“I’ll bring you something back.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”