Pharmakon

“pharmakon” refers to an object, substance, or process that is simultaneously a remedy and a poison

Anita pov

I climbed the stone stairs to the terrace. The copper tray grew heavy in my hands, the porcelain cups rattling against the saucer rims with every step. Arguments drifted down, sharp and discordant against the sweet, cloying scent of jasmine. I stepped into the sunlight.

“The tea.” I extended the tray toward Johnathan my husband.

He took a cup. His green eyes met mine, softening for a heartbeat before he turned back to his brother. “Yes, but our tribal rules differ.” He took a sip, his jaw set. “They won’t back down because of your words.”

I moved to the other side of the table. Alexander sat across from him. He did not look up. I bowed my head and offered the next cup. He reached for the one reserved for his wife.

“That is Emily’s.” I shifted the tray, forcing him to take the correct one.

He froze. His brown eyes snapped to mine, harsh and cold. He snatched the proper cup. “Thank you.”

Alexander slammed his cup onto the table, dismissing me to glare at Johnathan. “He will. Don’t worry.”

I bowed and backed away. The heat radiating from Alexander felt more oppressive than the noon sun. He hated everything since the minute he stepped inside this manor again. I didn’t breathe until I reached the bottom of the stairs.

In the courtyard, the air shifted. The children ran to me, thrusting a plastic toy into my hands, their laughter drowning out the men above. Near the fountain, Emily sat on a wicker chair, her modern curls loose and wild against the rigid, traditional stone columns. Emily looked nothing like Alexander her husband, her energy sweet and light.

“Careful, darling.” She called to her son in English. “Don’t touch the heater.”

She leaned back, her heels clicking a nervous rhythm against the pavers. She belonged to the capital, to the life I left behind now I feel more like from here than there. Now, she looked like an exotic bird trapped in a cage. I set the tray down and took the seat beside her.

“It’s been four months.” Emily squared her shoulders, her voice tight. “How do you do this?”

She glanced toward the fountain, where the koi broke the water’s surface. She refused to speak our mother tongue even now, but I will speak to her in her home tongue if doing so will lessen her aversion for this country or make her feel less alone.

I sipped my tea. The mint burned my tongue, grounding me. “It is peaceful here.” I replied in English, matching her. “It calms the blood.”

She slammed her cup down. Tea sloshed onto the saucer. “I feel like I’m suffocating.” She clawed at her collar. “I didn’t know I would return, but you? You left the capital for this?” She tapped her foot, a rapid, irritating beat. “Excuse me, but that is foolish.”

I glanced up at the terrace. Johnathan’s silhouette cut against the sky my heart warmed.

“It is love.” I smiled. Then I looked back at her.

“Love?” She scoffed.

I covered her trembling hand with mine. “It seems difficult now.” I squeezed her fingers, stopping her tapping. “But soon, the traditions will become a part of you.” I took a breath “and you will get used to them.”

She ripped her hand away. “Forget these things, for the love of God.”

Heavy boots thudded on the stairs behind us.

“Who will get used to what?” Alexander’s voice boomed across the courtyard.

Alexander burst into the courtyard. His boots hammered against the stone, shattering the quiet afternoon.

I rose from my chair and bowed my head. “Brother.”

Emily scrambled up. She latched onto his arm, her fingers digging into the fabric of his sleeve. He ignored her. His gaze locked onto me, heavy and suffocating.

“We were just talking, Alexander.” She pressed her cheek against his shoulder, her voice shrill.

He did not blink. He stalked toward me, his amber eyes burning with a strange, frantic light. “Whose advice is this?”

The question snapped like a whip. I opened my mouth, but my throat tightened. Confusion paralyzed me. God only knew what poison twisted in his mind now, or what thought he imagined.

Emily tugged at his shirt, desperate to pull him back.

He shook her off. “My brother?” He sneered, stepping into my personal space. “Or did my mother tell you to teach my family how to behave?”

Heavy footfalls crunched on the terrace stairs behind us. Johnathan descended into the courtyard, his movement sharp and agitated. He stopped at my shoulder, a solid wall of heat against the sudden chill. He looked between us, his jaw clenching.

“What is it now?”

Emily released Alexander and stepped back. She crossed her arms over her chest, shrinking away from the conflict. The air in the courtyard grew thick, the tension vibrating in the space between us.

“There is a misunderstanding.” I stood my ground, though my pulse hammered against my ribs. “Nobody told me anything.”

How could he think this? His parents respected boundaries like sacred laws. They never pressed, never forced.

Alexander laughed, a sharp, bitter sound.

Johnathan’s voice remained low, a dangerous rumble in his chest. “I am asking what is going on?”

Alexander spun on his brother. “Everyone in this house will listen.” He jabbed a finger into the air, slicing the space between us. “No one forces my family on anything.” He turned back to me, closing the distance his breath close to my face. “No one forces my wife.” He said the words slowly, stressing each.

He lowered his voice to a hiss. “We are here now. You will respect what she wants.”

He leaned down, his face inches from mine. “You changed your ways to fit their standards.” His lip curled in disgust. “My wife does not have to do this.”

The malice in his eyes chilled my blood.

“Stay away from my family, Anita.”

Johnathan brushed past me, his shoulder checking Alexander’s with deliberate force. “Don’t worry, brother.” His hands curled into fists at his sides. “No one here is trying to change anyone.”

Heat flared in my chest. I stepped around Johnathan, refusing to let this go.

“Nobody forced me to change.” I met Alexander’s gaze, refusing to blink. “I loved this family. I, wanted to be a part of them.” My hands trembled at my sides, but I kept my voice steady. “They opened their house to me. They treated me like a daughter.” I shook my head. “It surprises me you don’t know your own kin.”

Emily rushed forward. She grabbed Alexander’s arm again, pulling with all her weight. “Alright.” Her eyes darted between the men. “Let’s put this behind us.” She tugged him toward the stairs. “It was a misunderstanding, Alexander. We don’t need this.”

Alexander patted her hand, but his glare remained fixed on me. “There is nothing, love.” He straightened his jacket. “I said what needed to be said. It has ended.”

The heavy front gate groaned on its hinges. We froze.

Mother-in-law trudged in. Shadows circled her eyes, her skin pale and waxy from the heat. A guard trailed her, his arms straining under heavy grocery bags. She stopped, scanning our rigid postures.

“Children?” She frowned, wiping sweat from her brow. “What is going on here? Why are you all gathered?”

“Nothing, Mother.” Alexander jerked his chin toward me. “What was needed is said .” He grabbed Emily’s hand. “They can tell you.”

He dragged his wife toward the stairs. Their footsteps faded into the upper hall, leaving a ringing silence in their wake.

The guard set the bags down on the bench. “I placed them, Madam.”

Mother nodded absently, moving toward us. “Johnathan? Anita?”

Johnathan paced the tiles. His boots clicked a sharp, angry rhythm. He stopped, staring at the empty stairs where Alexander vanished.

“Your son is the problem, Mother.” He spat the words at the ground. “May God give us patience in this house.”

He stormed to the front gate. It slammed shut behind him. A moment later, an engine roared to life, followed by the screech of tires peeling against asphalt.

The sun dipped below the wall. Blue shadows lengthened across the courtyard, chasing away the warmth. A cold breeze swept through, rustling the jasmine leaves.

Mother-in-law sighed. Her shoulders slumped under an invisible weight.

“It is nothing, Mother.” I reached for the grocery bags. “Don’t worry about it.” I forced a smile I did not feel. “I will see to the groceries. Go and rest before Father returns.”

She looked at the gate where Johnathan had vanished. “Alright.” She patted my arm, her hand frail and cool. “Thank you, dear.”