The Last Flowers Ch. 06

Sarielle escorted her back before they were missed. Rozenwild stopped patting the dog to give them a knowing smirk.

The nymphs and Kerensa settled down on the couch and Sarielle sat beside Ellowyn on a chair. Rozenwild tapped her knee against Kerensa's.

"What are those called, the paper collections?" She pointed to a pile of books on a shelf.

"Books."

"Books," the nymph repeated. "And they have information inside?"

"They can have all sorts of things, stories, recipes, instructions." She retrieved one from the pile. "Can you read?"

"Of course." She looked at the book Kerensa passed to her. Deep furrows spread across her forehead and she flicked through several pages. "What...is this?"

Ellowyn leaned over to check it out. "It's the same weird symbols as on the shops."

Rozenwild gave the open book back. "We use a different language."

"You'll have to teach us."

She gave a nod. "It doesn't take long. There aren't many symbols and they mostly look like what they represent."

Sarielle gasped. "They use pictographs."

They had no need for a full written language. They had no paper to write anything down on. All they needed were a few pictures in the dirt to pass on a message.

Kerensa noticed how Rozenwild glared at the words with disdain. She started to read them to her, pointing to each.

The nymph interrupted her. "You have symbols for every word?"

"No, you make words by rearranging letters. But there's a way to write down every word you say."

Rozenwild looked at Sarielle as if to check it was true. The usually confident nymph looked put out by the news.

Having stoked the fire, Treyton brought out a jar of boiled lollies and some mulled wine. The elhuvens cautiously accepted a glass each. The nymphs were happy with their water, but the sweets caught their attention. Ellowyn picked one out of the jar.

"It's not a berry. It's hard," she whispered to Rozenwild.

"Maybe it's a seed pod."

"You think we can eat it?"

Aster snickered. "It's only hardened sugar and fruit juice."

Satisfied it wouldn't harm them, they both slipped one into their mouths. Ellowyn drummed her hands on her thighs in delight.

"So sweet."

Sarielle nursed her drink, only taking an occasional sip. She was keeping an eye on her friends to make sure they didn't get given a second glass. They were only used to drinking at the harvest festival and were sent home immediately afterwards. These men appeared nice enough, but she wasn't as naive as they thought. She'd been taught not to trust outsiders after all.

"Is Kerensa bunking with you?" Treyton teased his brother as he came in with his arms full of blankets.

"She has a girlfriend," Gawain hissed.

He grinned. "She can come too." He handed out the blankets. "Here you go. Anyone who doesn't fancy sleeping on the floor is welcome in my bed," he joked, but Sarielle gathered he was hoping someone would take him up on it. He moved his makeshift stool next to her chair. "How's the wine?"

"Good."

"Is my ugly mug getting any prettier?"

She shook her head. "I'm not attracted to men."

Ellowyn gasped. "Like us!"

Treyton turned to his brother. "Are you telling me you brought home five gorgeous girls and three of them are lesbians?" He shook his head and laughed. "Only you could manage that, Gawain."

"I didn't bring them here."

~

~*~:~*#K#*~:~*~

Kerensa rubbed her face and blinked her eyes. She was snuggly warm in the middle of a nymphuven sandwich. Aster was asleep inches from her face and Kerensa couldn't help but remember the redhead shutting her eyes as she came all over a vegetable. She rolled over and found herself even closer to Rozenwild, who already had an arm around her. The nymph waggled her eyebrows and kissed her lightly on the lips. Kerensa's breath hitched, but she let the tension leave her body. That was lovely. Rozenwild was lovely. Being held all night felt amazing, like she was cared for and loved. She hadn't had much of that in her life. She remembered Hevani's mother, but hers died a few days after she was born. Her father apparently had no ability to look after a baby, and Sarielle's mother was already nursing so she took in her cousin's daughter for a while. Her father wouldn't have that for long though, inconveniencing another man and having someone else raise his child. As soon as she didn't need milk anymore, he took her back. She wished she'd got to stay there. It would have been nice to have a sister.

They had breakfast cooked and waiting by the time the Treyton and Gawain came downstairs.

"They baked fresh bread and everything?" Treyton nudged his brother.

"To thank you for your hospitality," Aster said with a nod.

There was impatience among the girls, so as soon as they'd eaten they got ready to leave. They went on foot to the sorceress's shop. It was early and stores were only just opening. The door was locked when they arrived, so they sat outside and waited.

And waited.

Eventually the window above squeaked open and Celestra stuck her head out. "How long have you been out there for? You may as well come up."

"The door's locked," Kerensa shouted.

She banged on the window frame twice. "Try it now."

Sure enough, When Kerensa grasped the knob it turned in her hand. She still found the place creepy, but wasn't as scared to lead the way. Everyone crammed into the room at the top of the stairs. A tower of books now rose from the floor and ingredients were scattered haphazardly over the workbench. Ellowyn frowned at the dead plants littering the ground and reached out to touch one. Celestra slapped her wrist away.

"Don't touch that unless you want your hand to fall off." She sashayed over to her bench. "I've had very little sleep thanks to you, but I think this may solve your problem." She put the cork in a glass bottle of something and gave it to Aster. The blue liquid inside was filled with silver flakes and had an iridescent sheen. "You'll have to get close enough to pour it on the tree, preferably in a fresh wound. Don't let the nymphs touch it. One drop could kill them."

"And this will kill the tree?"

"Hopefully. It should at least weaken it. But you might need something else to make sure." She crossed the room to open a cupboard, pulling out a larger bottle of something black. "This is liquid embers. Once ignited it won't go out until it's burned itself dry." She passed it to Kerensa and gave a second one to Sarielle. Then she returned to her bench to ready another blue potion, which she also handed to Aster. "For the second tree, when you find it." She smiled at them. "Good fortune."

They thanked her and retreated out into the street. Aster held her bottles like they were going to explode and the nymphs didn't want to walk anywhere near her on the way back to the shop. They packed the bottles carefully into separate crates, padded with straw and Kerensa went to tell the boys they were leaving while Sarielle got the horse ready.

"You're the strangest bunch of women I've ever encountered, but good for you," Treyton said with a laugh.

"Good luck with it then." Gawain waved them goodbye. "Don't blame me for not visiting your new home in the creepy woods."

"We won't," Kerensa said. "Thanks for the help, Gawain."

They all waved and sang farewells as the carriage lurched out of the yard into the street.