The Unicorn Pt. 02

"You'll need this."

Aodhan looked around to find the witch dressed in tight leather breeches and a loose poet's shirt, offering him a bottle of strange, blue liquid. He hesitated a moment, then accepted it and asked, "This will... solve my problem?"

"It will," the witch said and Aodhan felt a surge of relief sweep over him, nearly driving him to his knees. He managed to stay upright, however, and said, "Thank you. Should I drink it now?"

Eris shook his head and gestured for Aodhan to follow him outside. "Take it tonight as the sun begins to set. Before that, however, you'll need to take these flowers, weave them into a wreath, then hang it from your garden gate."

Aodhan blinked in confusion when the witch bent and plucked two fistfuls of sapphire flowers the likes of which he had never seen before from his garden. The man accepted the bouquet and gave it a sniff. Their scent was strange and yet oddly nostalgic-- like something from a half-remembered dream.

"Why?" he asked, curious. Drinking a potion seemed normal enough but he couldn't guess at the reason to have a wreath involved.

The witch only arched a brow and asked, "Do you want your problem solved or not?"

"Right, sorry," Aodhan apologized with a wince.

"Good," Eris replied, satisfied, then caught Aodhan off guard when he leaned in and claimed a lingering kiss from the man.

Aodhan's eyes fluttered shut on reflex and when he opened them again he stood alone beneath the split oak tree with the forest at his back.

Next time: Aodhan realizes he and the witch have different definitions of 'help' and the unicorn returns to check on its increasingly pregnant mate.