The center of the garden has been arranged with comfortable seating around a low table, upon which sits a couple of small potted plants. Medeia is standing beside a chair next to the table, one hand holding on to the back of it for support. She is speaking quietly with one fo the attendees with a bright smile. Her assistant stands nearby with a cart loaded with drinks and snacks for anyone who wishes to have some refreshment.

Thea came early. Because she figured she would give Medeia a hand. First though--FOOD! Thea piles fruit on her plate, bypassing the alcohol.

Evaristo strolls in with his usual care-free, lazy swagger, hand resting on the handle of his warpick, eyes bright and glittering with ever-present mischief and joie-de-vivre. "Hello!" he calls out and waves over to the hostess, then he pauses and sares. "That is an AMAZING outfit, dear Lady Medeia. You look stunning!" He smiles charmingly and moves over, bowing deeply.

Raimon walks in and quietly takes a seat in an out - of - the - way and unobtrusive setting. He's sets down his notes from last time, a packet of herbs, and gets out his writing supplies. Raimon seems ready to add to those notes with more knowledge, waiting eagerly for the class to begin.

The guest that Medeia was speaking to dips their chin, thanks her, and takes a seat as Evaristo comments on her attire. The lady blinks in his direction a few times then looks down at herself. "Thank you," She says with a slight flush of pink in her cheeks, seeming surprised by receiving the compliment. "You look prepared... to break some hearts. Or heads. Both?" Her speech is slightly slower than normal, one hand lifting to pat at the flowers obscuring the left side of her head. "I'm so glad that you could make it." There's a welcoming smile offered before she gives Raimon a nod in greeting and glances at Thea. "Welcome everyone, and thank you for joining... Me today. Our subjects this afternoon are lemon. Well. Lemon balm, and lemongrass. We'll get started once everyone is settled."

"Always ready for the former, hoping I don't have to do the latter, but still being prepared," Evaristo replies cheerfully. He sprawls out on a chair and beams a smile at the other guests, nodding at Raimon and Thea. "Lemongrass - I've heard of that," he says and perks up, as he isn't entirely lost here. But he nods and quiets, attention fully on Medeia.

Thea looks at her plate then back to Medeia. Then back to her plate. Right. Inching back to have a seat. "I'll just eat,"she says with a grin. "Yell if you need." There's a nod and slufht smile to Evaristo and Raimon too.

Raimon leans forward. Raimon whispers: "Goodness, but this is -perfect-. Lemon grass is exactly what I was thinking of adding." Raimon secures the bag of herbs to try to make sure it won't spill. Nor get wet. He then starts taking notes....

"Woe be to any hearts that get in your way," Medeia says to Evaristo with a teasing smile as she moves to pick up one of the pots. It contains something that looks similar to most mints, though perhaps on the lighter and brighter side of the green color spectrum. "I'm going to start by discussing lemon balm, which is a part of the mint family of herbs." She passes the pot off to the guests, instructing them to each take a leaf from the plant and pass it along. "If you rub the leaf between your fingers, it will smell of lemon. You can then chew upon it, if you wish. You'll not that the lemon flavor is there, more subtly than the scent." As she continues to speak on the plant, she settles in the chair beside the table, sitting close to the edge and with prim posture.

Evaristo leans over to accept the pot and takes a leaf off of it before he passes it onwards. He rubs it and sniffs it and his fingers, then takes a small bite, nodding vigorously at Medeia to show that he can both smell and taste it. "Someone GAVE me such a balm the other week, said it was a great insect repellant?"

Evaristo gets Summer Saviour, a bright, citrusy repellent from a black swordbelt with bright steel details.

Thea reaches over to take a leaf. "It is, yes,"Thea confirms to Ev. She doesn't say much though, leaving the teaching to Deia.

Raimon samples the lemon balm. More . . . oily? . . . then he'd been anticipating. Something. Perhaps that isn't quite the right word? Something, though. Raimon's brows furrow as he processes the new sights, smells, taste. "Hm!" Raimon murmurs. "Interesting." Raimon's quill scratches as he attempts to describe and write out the sensations.

Medeia gives a nod to Evaristo's mention of insect repellent. "Mmhmm. I'd... Feel confident saying every mint relative is. You can plant it as a borr- er. Border? Or throughout a larger space to help keep bugs away from gathering areas." She points to the edges of the beds that line the central seating area, making note of a variety of mints spaced throughout the garden. "This particular variety is common throughout the Lyceum, southern Isles, and southernmost parts of the Oathlands and Crown- Crownlands." THere's a look around at everyone, and then she rises carefully to collect the pot from the last guest to take a leaf. "Many of its uses are similar to all other mints, however this one is particularly good at helping improve mood."

Evaristo shoots to his feet now and walks over to the table where Medeia stands. "I think I will learn much better if I can stand her and be an assistant, so you just point at whatever you want to show, and I will help," he says. "It IS very hot today, why don't you sit down and relax?" he offers, his smile wide and charming. "Happy to me assistant!"

Raimon makes some notes on his parchment, pauses, and then adds an annotation on a separate sheet entirely: 'Ask Breccan if he knows about using mint species as a bug-barrier.' Raimon then puffs out a few breaths to dry that ink and then folds away the note for later!

Medeia looks as if she is about to protest while she puts the pot of lemon balm back on the table. However, she decides not to make a fuss and sits back down. "Thank you." Just two words, but a deep gratitude is conveyed with them. Turning back to the guests, she continues, "As a tea, it is common for people to drink it in the morning and many claim it makes their day brighter, happier. It is also good for helping to aid sleep, however. I will often prescribe a tea of lemon balm and lavender to my expectant mothers..." Her eyes scan the faces in front of her, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "It is helpful for... Treating bug bites, and sunburns, when let to cool and used as a compress or in... Salves and such."

"That's a lot of good uses. I might start drinking that sort of tea now and then," Evaristo says, holding up the balm to smell that too and smiling wide. "Smells great." He ponders something. "Can you make liquor of it?!"

Raimon waits until Medeia has collected her thoughts, and has perhaps even rested a bit, before asking: "In order to mix into a salve, or lotion, I was just wondering: what type of oils . . . [pause]" Raimon pauses and looks to Evaristo and rephrases his question so as to include Evaristo's idea: " . . . -or- alcohols work best when mixed with the lemon balm leaves? And for how long should such admixtures 'cure' before use?"

A soft laugh passes Medeia's lips at Evaristo's question, but she does answer it seriously. "It would be best added as an infusion after distillation, or as a sepa-" She blinks hard, left hand lifting to her temple briefly. "As a separate component of a drink, perhaps muddled and then topped with rum?" For Raimon, she takes a bit longer to respond. "Well. As an infusion, like say plain vodka that's been set to age with lemon balm leaves? One could drink that, or they could use it medicinally to clean wounds, treat bug bites, even sprinkle along windowsills and doorways to keep pests away." Her lips press thin as she considers further. "But mostly, there is no 'best' and no real cure time, either."

Thea squints at Medeia for a moment. She caught that! Meanwhile, Thea picks at her plate more, listening quietly.

"Oh, like heavy clear liquor with a hint of lemongrass taste, to drink as toasts. I know that is popular in some areas," Evaristo says with a few enthusiastic nods. "It's a killer, you will sit down while toasting, one small glass after the other, and then suddenly you're waking up in someone else's bed and have NO idea how you ended up there." He clears his voice. "Anyway, this is great information. I might try a hand and making some balms, I've been dabbling at learning alchemy lately."

Raimon stifles the hints of a smile at some of Evaristo's noted 'side effects' of the medicinal treatment under question. "Ah, we have an -experimentalist- among us," Raimon whispers to Thea. "More power to him; learn - by - doing is often the best way!" Raimon writes down 'vodka infusion' and 'post distillation' and 'uses: cleaning wounds, treating insect bites' . . . Raimon pauses, then adds: '?pest control?'

Thea glances at Raimon. "Actually. I also know my around alchemy,"a slight smile appearing. "I studied pretty hard and have given lessons. Alchemy. Apothecaries..,"her gaze shifting to Evaristo in a way of support. Thea then returns her attention to Medeia, quietly.

There's a wide smile on Medeia's face as Evaristo, Raimon, and Thea talk. "There are, of course, other ways to use lemon balm. And I'm happy to discuss them! However, this is a /primer/." She gives a little wink. "Though, if there are any questions? Before I move on to lemongrass?"

"All good here, let's move on!" Evaristo says and will hold up and pass around any plants, if Medeia wants him to.

Raimon unfolds a new sheet for notes, and writes 'Lemon Grass' at the top of it. Perhaps he'll soon learn that's also spelled as one word. Raimon finishes, and looks up to Medeia, ready to take notes once more . . . .

Medeia makes a gesture to the other pot on the table, containing a chive-like plant of long, slender stalks in a medium green. "This is lemongrass, all one word. It can similarly be used as an insect repellent. But it is most commonly used in food, most places. Teas and soups, especially." As Evaristo takes it to pass around, she says, "Feel free to break a bit off, smell and taste it. It should smell lemony, but also... perhaps... musky?"

Evaristo breaks a piece off, passes the plant along, and munches on it. "Mmmm, you're right," he agrees, tilting his head as he considers the taste. "So, with all this lemony tasting plants - are LEMONS doing the same thing?"

Raimon frowns, shakes his head sadly, and squnches up his lower face in consternation. Sigh. The mustache of his upper lip bristles the underside of his nose and he puffs out a short breath of air. Raimon carefully folds away the piece of paper with 'Lemon Grass' on it to write poetry drafts on the back of, later. Meanwhile, Raimon unfolds a new sheet and starts all over again. 'Lemongrass' is written at the top, in Raimon's precise and flowing longhand. 'Tea and soup' are written, spaced out to allow notes for each one. 'Insect repellant?' is a margin note. Raimon does break off a sprig once the plant comes 'round to him. Raimon *sniffs*. Raimon *chews* thoughtfully. Raimon chews some more. Hm. Raimon makes a few more notes. 'Tastes like lemon straw'

Medeia checks 'recovery check' at normal. Medeia marginally fails.

"Some!" Medeia replies to Evaristo's question about lemons a touch too loud, making her wince at the sound. "Not all of the same things, like..." She pauses, thinking carefully. "Lemons won't work with the insect repelling, not really. But lemon is very good for when you're feeling ill humors. Fever, cough, you know?" She makes a gesture to the plants beside her. "Both of these are similarly helpful for such things. Lemongrass added... To chicken soup?"

Thea mentions from her spot, casually,"If anything, at least you know whatever form it's in, it smells good."

"Wait, wait - when I was a kid, my mother used to heat up a little water, squeeze lemonjuice in, and give me to drink, if my throat was soar or if I had a cough - it always made my step-father angry, cause lemons were expensive," Evaristo reminisces. "She said it was what they did where she came from. I think lemons grew there on that island in the Saffrons." He looks a little melancholic for a moment, then smiles. "Sorry. Lemongrass, we're talking about lemongrass."

Raimon makes a note of this too: 'Lemons grow on islands of the Saffron Chain. Find out where? (Ask Evaristo)' Raimon pipes up with: "There are some apothecary shops which carry dried lemon zest . . . how many of these properties are retained in the rind?" Raimon wonders.

Medeia gives Evaristo a smile, somewhere between comforting and amused. "You can get lemons throughout the Lyceum, some, anyway. Lemongrass is another found more commonly in the southern holdings. Perhaps next we shall find a lemon-something that allows us to fend off the Abyss?" It isn't entirely clear if she is joking or not. "Though, for some in the city, rinsing the face with a lemongrass infusion mimght be considered the same, as it fends off signs of aging."

"Now that's a recipe for success - sell it in shops," Evaristo says and one can see his mind churning with this idea. "I meant anti-aging balms, of course, not anti-demon balms."

Raimon makes a note to ask about lemon rind later, once things are quieter. His quill scratches out this notation. Raimon's face grows instantly sombre at the mention of demons. Which is just lemons with a c in front and sloppy typesetting, Raimon notes. lemons. clemons. demons. Probably a meaningless coincidence. Probably. Raimon's eyebrows raise and he rocks back slightly at the idea of washing your face in lemongrass soup. Evidently, this idea had never even occurred to him before this instant.

"I think anti-demon balms would be quite popular," Medeia jokes back, grinning. With a look around to the guests, she wonders, "Are there any other questions?" She's starting to very much look like the heat - and something else - is draining her energy.

"I think I have understood everything here, I think I will experiment in making balms - if you wish to supervise some day soon?" Evaristo suggests. He wipes his brow. "Whew, it IS hot isn't it? I think I should withdraw to somewhere cooler. Maybe buy a lemon and make a cool, lemony drink," he jokes. "Thank you very much for this, it was lovely and very informative."

Evaristo is overheard praising Medeia: Lemony zest!

Thea shakes her head at Medeia, but her eyes start skimming her face. "I'm fine. But thank you Deia!"

Thea is overheard praising Medeia.

Raimon checks perception at normal. Raimon is successful.

Raimon -does- have more questions, as the questioning look on his face might attest. But, he's also seeing that Medeia is visibly discomfited and having some troubles. So, Rai remains silent and closes his folio, looking to both of the others once done with that!

Raimon is overheard praising Medeia: More Learning! Even better than last time . . .

"That sounds like a good idea," Medeia says, of lemony drinks. "Thank you all again for coming, and do send me a message if you think of anything later."