"Alright, that works for me." I say as I flip a loose piece of metal around the table. Watching the two hwardgon as I did so until I dropped whatever it was.

"Careful." Ivahstar warns as he and his daughter sort through the safe-cracking equipment. Some of it was simple, crude but effective stuff, a little better than rubbish. The rest, however, was professional in every sense of the word. Factory-made with arcane involvement.

What was more important, however, was the living element to it all. The ones who would create the opportunities to use the equipment. Me, him and little Heiya. It was just us three the moment we walked out of this warehouse.

"As if I was never there." I confidently remarked to the pair before I go on ahead of them. And from out of the hidden passage by some crates, I came out to my guys.

"You find it?" one of them asked as he poked a damaged crate in the corner.

"No, must've been in a different one, but I can't be asked now." I tell them as I put on a facade of exhaustion-by-tediousness. Something they bought without issue as I have been having them do the same thing. Best part about it too was, we were actually looking for something. A piece of equipment that could help us get that child.

The Madame has been losing her patience alright and it was getting worse. This Rose'lhia knew how to twist her in all the wrong ways. Thankfully, just enough patience remained inside of her for us to work with. We could lie about a non-existent piece of equipment for some time.

How long? I was not sure. But, I did not need a long time. I just needed a handful of hours.

"Seriously, how many warehouses has it been now?"

"Depending on what we count, easily a dozen or more."

"And there's going to be a dozen more at this rate." I add on jokingly. A joke that managed to hit only somewhat as I got a few chuckles. But, I mostly got knowing groans as that was probably our reality. If the plan fails, that is.

But if that happens, I'll be smoking a pipe with Undwote before the night was out. However, relaxing as that might've sounded, it was not ideal. Living, even with a fresh gun wound was preferable. After all, I could not go on to do much without being alive.

I had no intention of failing, though, and frankly, I was brimming with confidence that this would succeed. I would walk out of here with Ivahstar and his daughter and the Madame would be none the wiser. She'd also be the one taking it easy with Undwote. And damned would she be as the God of Death gazes upon her.

It made me smile, actually, knowing I'd soon be done with her. Money was nice, sure, but it only went so far. Her childish behaviour and unstable mind made the job a lot less bearable than it should've been. I also just didn't like what she did.

Shipping people about was one thing, you handed them over and you got paid. A simple transaction for a simple, vile act. What she did, however, was the part I never wanted to see. You watched as she broke down dozens upon dozens of women for another's provocations.

It was an unsettling process to watch and be a part of but I kept it bottled up for now. Now, though, I would finally see all that disgust flow out of me in one carefully thought-up plan. Well, a quickly thought-up plan might've been a better description. It was quite shorthanded in terms of notice.

But, that hasn't stopped me or Ivahstar before. The profession simply demanded that of us. There was no time for carefully laid plans. You just needed a rough idea and the grit to pull it off.

Funnily enough, however, despite how insecure the plan might seem outwardly. It was probably the safest one Ivahstar and me have ever dreamed up together. I went in and sorted out the distraction while they came in another way. And with all this warehouse searching, it had never been easier to make a distraction.

"In a bit, Bossman." one of the guys says as we part ways upon entering the establishment. Up above, there was a briefly hopeful Madame but I dashed that real quick. So now I just had to pretend I was heading in deeper. Then, when a moment came along, I snatched up what I needed without so much as a second glance.

"Spring in your step?" one of the guys questioned as he briefly put down his newstablet.

"To get out as much energy as I can to make it more convincing that I don't have it in me anymore." I respond back with before I head on down into the dungeons.

"Just don't tire yourself out down there." he says before he likely goes back to what he was up to before.

"The answer is 'tyre,' right?" I call back up to him before I reach the bottom of the stairs. Whatever he replied with, I did not hear it. But I was quick to catch an earful of the Madame's requests and desires. And for a moment, I just watched with an enlightened eye.

"AH!" the aelenvari screamed one final time before I stepped in and had the boys step away.

"Madame wants her bloodied, Hrurim." one says with a fake cough as he took the moment to wipe his knuckles of blood. Curiously enough, it was more of his blood.

"You'll bloody yourself at this rate." I tell the lot while looking down at their knuckles. Waving them off one final time before I kneeled down before the chained-up woman. A drive remained in her eyes and because she hadn't been given that poison. Her body showed it a lot more.

"Finally aware of your limitations, Root?" she spits verbally and literally at me.

"Indeed, the limitations of my employment here." I tell her before I unveil the keys before her eyes. And, for a moment, her black eyes lit up as if this was the very thing she was looking for. But, as tough as she was acting, I could tell she had, had enough. Their knuckles might've been shaven of skin, but she was all kinds of purple and all the other colours of the bruise rainbow.

"Why're you...?" she questioned before she started to glare as I got up without doing a thing. Truth be told, I wanted to let her out, but I knew I was being watched. So I went along with it and made it look like I was crushing her hopes and dreams.

"One way to go about it." one of the guys said with a nod of appreciation as the aelenvari came to life with anger.

"And make sure to be gentle about it." I tell them as I stare briefly at their weapons. If she lived or died was no concern of mine. But, it would make my job a lot harder. That aelenvari had a lot of magic in her, and that magic was dangerous.

She was not the only one, though, the secluded one was also viable. So I kept on walking until I got down the final flight of stairs. A feeling of apprehension was building up in me as well. But that was just the typical pre-job nervousness.

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.

.

"Wake up now." the lead human man told me as he approached my cage with an openly displayed set of keys.

"W-Where are you taking me!?" I asked fearfully as I moved away from the door. An action that only gained further justification as I watched him open the door. However, he lacked anyone else around him and that made me suspicious on top of paranoid. I know Rose'lhia was aware that I was here, but I have also heard her screams for a short while now...

"I'm taking you nowhere, but, your best friend is, says his name is Opportunity." the man jokes before he tosses me the keys which I quickly grab. I quickly built up magic inside of my hand as well and prepared to make the most of it. So I attacked him the moment his guard seemed down enough and I seemingly knocked him out.

"Th-Thank you." I tell the knocked-out man with a now bleeding head. And once I got out the cell, I put my back up against the wall and kept an ear open for what might be happening upstairs. I could not hear anyone coming, so I waited for a moment. Then, when I was sure the sounds were all beyond the stairs, I came out.

Keeping quiet on these stone steps, however, was not an option so I rushed on up. Building up my magic in my hand before I jumped out into the open. Unleashing a vortex-like spell shaped like a blooming flower as I did so. The confusion and pain of human men then filled the air as they flew about the dungeon.

Then, to the backdrop of clattering items, I made my way around and started to unlock everything. Letting out those who I could only to watch as some of them did nothing. However, when I came upon Rose'lhia, I found myself stopping. It would've been so easy to just...

"It's alright, let me get you out of there." I found myself saying to her regardless as I unlocked her cage and then undid her chains. Smiling in thanks at the beaten up woman before she clung to me for support.

"He's... In the... Wind-thorn flower..." she struggled to get out before she started to cough up blood.

"Thank you." I tell her as I help her up. And were it not for her, I might've never seen my son. Because her quick thinking took down one of the guards before I even turned around. So I nodded again in thanks.

"Just get us... Into the streets..." she tells me before I shake my head after dropping her down into a corner. Her confusion was clear but I intended to be as clear with her as possible.

"If you can get out on your own, do so. But I have something I need to sort out first..." I explain to her as magic once again built up in my hand. That woman endangered my son... Orchestrated an attempt to kidnap me and held me hostage while tormenting me about his safety... I was going to kill her, and I would make sure she knew it was me.

"N-No... He needs you... Don't waste this..." Rose'lhia pleads as she keeps me still with the strength of an ivy-mother. But with the drive I could only hope she learns about later in her life, I forced my way out of her grip. I then looked at her once more in the eye and smiled sadly.

"And he will be in my arms again... But I need to do this." I tell her as I rise to my points with a grip full of swirling magic. The same spell as last time was ready to go once more and I quickly went up the stairs. Firing off the spell and devastating the room in one go once I rose to the top.

And with an aggressive turn, I moved into another room and unleashed a spell from my other hand. But, I was not quick enough to stop their weapons from going off and loud bangs filled the building. Yet, after putting both my hands together, I was confident I could stop anyone from rushing down those hallways. Then, after briefly coming into near contact with their guns...

I stepped out and nearly demolished the entire hallway ahead of me. A shower of gore briefly filled my vision before I charged further up the building. I had no idea where that woman was, but I had a feeling her ego put her at the centre of it all. And my judgement call was quickly proven right when I heard-

"PROTECT THE MADAME!" one of the humans roared as they drew their guns and fired at me. But as the magic swirled about me, their bullets did mostly nothing. Yet I could not keep it up, so I let loose all I could in one great blast. Gunfire from another part of the building made me jump, though.

But I found myself breathing an excited breath of relief when it turned out to be just echoes. Yet that came with its own troubling implications. Yet, after briefly looking back down the stairs. I came to the conclusion that I was fine for now.

And I walked up to the door that concealed this so-called Madame from me. Though it might've appeared effortless, the sounds of cracking wood and bending metal made it clear it wasn't. And I stepped into that vile woman's office with palms full of green magic. With a glare that was seemingly set into my features permanently.

"Wh-What the..." she let out fearfully as she hid behind a skinny, unarmed man.

"You think you can threaten my son?" I asked her as I let some of my magic off. Smashing apart her chairs and desk into fine splinters. The sound of smashing glass then filled the room shortly afterwards. And my magic grew with increased ferocity as I approached her.

To my surprise, however, after being hysterical for a brief moment. She pulled out a weapon and killed the man she was hiding behind. And with a crazed gaze, she swung that weapon at me while cackling. Sparks of lightning seemingly coming out of nowhere.

"OH, I AM SO SCARED! YOU THINK YOU CAN SCARE ME, AELENVARI!? DO YOU THI-" she began to ramble on before I intercepted that sparking rod of hers willingly. And with gritted teeth, I stared at her as I moved my palm closer to her face.

"Do not ever, threaten my little one." I told them as I brought the magic against their face. And, with the kind of experience only I could really have on the subject. I force-fed her my magic and smiled sadistically as she started to bulge up. With terror in her eyes did she scratch and claw at me.

And with one final glare, I blasted her out of this room and through the glass. A trail of blood followed her before a disgusting pop sounded out from the room below. Then, I collapsed in exhaustion. Having drained myself of magic in this little vendetta of mine...

"Little One... Please wait just a little longer... I am coming..." I fearfully let out as I grow increasingly aware that this might be my last moment alive. Someone was coming and the gunshots had started up again. It was all so very close... But, a sense of relief started to fill me when I saw the signs of magic filling the air.

"I told you... To... Get..." Rose'lhia tried to say before she fell down in a mixture of pain and exhaustion.

"And I told you to..." I started to say before I tried to humour her by cutting myself. And while I tried to pick her up, I felt how much power she had still in her.

"What?" she barked as she stared at me intensely.

"I understand this might seem a little strange, Rose'lhia. Given how, we don't trust each other. But, I want you to use me as a conduit for your magic." I say to her as a sense of panic filled me up. What was I even suggesting!?

"No... You need to be well when we..."

"Rose'lhia, it might be our only way out of this. My magic is gone, wasted on this revenge of mine... You aren't strong enough to use your magic normally. You need something that can at least handle your power." I try to explain to her as she started to lose balance. Forcing me to hold even more of her weight.

"Then pass me that..." she says as she points a hand towards the wall of stolen treasures.

"R-Right..." I let out, somewhat embarrassed by the sight of a staff she could use. I suppose the benefit of that as well was that she could use it to walk on her own.

"Let's just get going now..." she tiredly complains as she starts to thud along the floor. Yet, even with that staff in her hands, I still made a point of supporting her. And when the first human came into sight, a sphere of air surrounded us. Every bullet they tried to kill us with was stuck in the barrier.

And with a flick of her hands, the bullets popped out of the barrier and shot out all over. Hundreds of holes quickly formed and the humans were quick to retreat. An uncomfortable amount of them still survived, however. But I could also not expect Rose'lhia to make a point of killing them.

Yet, thankfully, these men backed away as we got closer to the door and they only made a few passes at us before stopping. And once the clear orbitlight entered my eyes again, I smiled. I was so close to holding my little one again. And thankfully, no worried bystanders got in the way either.

We were able to just go across the streets in our little bubble until we got closer to the main gate. The wind-thorns here, however, were not so quick to let us out and they quickly surrounded us. The strange relaxation I felt once I got used to the bullets being stopped did not apply here. I could see that these humans were in a different league.

Where as the ones before flickered in my eyes... Barely any magic at all. These ones had as much if not more internal-magic than even I. Even if they had little in the way of spell-casting capability, they were still strong.

"What's going on down here?" one of the wind-people asked as they came down from the walls to appear before us.

"Rose'lhia, drop the barrier..." I whisper to her as I watch the weapons of these humans level at us. Sword and gun this time.

"You..." Rose'lhia said as the barrier dropped in an instant.

"Unhand me this moment."

"Rose'lhia!" I let out as I watched her harshly grab the wind-person.

"Where is he!? Where is the sapling!?" she aggressively asked him before that man turned to me.

"And who is this?" the man asked as he lost the concern regarding Rose'lhia's aggressive behaviour.

"I-I... I'm his mother..." I nervously answered as I tried to pull Rose'lhia back.

"A simple test, then. Open the gate!" he commented before he barked an order. Within moments he was then taking us into the great camp outside the human town. And, thankfully, a sensation of safety began to fill me as we went by all these wind-thorns. Their power and strength would've been enough to look after my son...

"Huncomm, Sir!" a differently dressed man said as he suddenly stiffened.

"The aelenvari child?"

"Their condition has not improved..." he started to explain clearly before he saw me and Rose'lhia.

"Don't mind them, carr-"

"WHERE IS MY SON!?" I screamed as I let go of Rose'lhia and copied what she did earlier. Hysterical anger was in my eyes as I held onto him tightly. Regardless of all the thorns that were now watching us.

"Go on ahead." he simply told me before I shoved him aside and rushed into the tent.

"SPRUCE!?" I screamed before I heard a cry I could never forget.

"Mama!" he weakly cried as he struggled to move in the bed he was in.

"SPRUCE!" I screamed as I scrambled into the bed to hold him. Crying as he did as I tried my best to fill him with what magic I could. My little one was weak and cold and I needed to help him. I would not leave this bed until I could guarantee he was safe.

"Mama..." he whined as his face dug into my filthy clothes.

"Shhhhh... It's alright now... It's alright now." I told him again and again. Hugging him tighter and tighter until I heard someone walk in.

"I leave him in your care, then." the wind-person said before Rose'lhia stumbled in and fell to the ground. By her insistence, however, the wind-people did not help her and they just watched.

"Is he...?" she asked as her gaze focused on my crying child.

"He'll be alright, yeah..." I tell her with a smile as I calm down slowly. Whatever problems my little one was going through, they were rapidly going away. His body was full of magic and he had weight to him. It could've only been that he missed me so much.

And I peppered his face with little kisses as a result, because I missed him too. I missed him more than he could ever understand. But I still wanted to try and let him grasp it. So I made sure he was well aware of how much I loved him.

"We have to get going, then..." Rose'lhia struggled to get out from the floor.

And I smiled down at her, "No, we need to rest."

"I know a place, then..." she tells me as regret fills her eyes.

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.

.

"Damn plant." I curse quietly as I got up while rubbing my bleeding head. Shaking it a couple of times before I stumbled up the stairs. A groan of annoyance quickly leaving me once I was beholden to the mess. Those aelenvari had made quite a mess of the place.

My boys down here were dead and the other aelenvari were stumbling cluelessly about. And as I tried to leave this disgusting place, I shoved them out of my way. Making it up halfway before a gun was suddenly pointed at me. And, with a lack of amusement, I growled at the boys staring down at me.

"S-Sorry, Bossman!" they let out as I got out of the dungeons and came out into the light.

"Breakout?" I asked as I played into the pain that throbbed throughout my head. It did genuinely hurt and I would need a moment when I could. But I still needed to make it clear no betrayal had happened.

"Yeah, two of the aelenvari just came up and started flinging spells!" one of them explains as I wobble by a chair. Smirking knowingly before I dropped into the seat.

"Alright, make sure the others don't escape. We'll go out and sort those two out soon enough." I groan as I tear off something to cover my new head wound. A hiss left me near instantly while the sensation below the torn cloth made me queasy.

"Bossman, you going to need a?" one of the boys asked as he stared at my bloodied head.

"No! Just do as you're told." I tell him before I glanced upwards towards the Madame's office. On the inside, I prayed and prayed and then I got up. A gun in my free hand as I made it clear that I would check the office.

And with a tsk, I came to survey the mess those aelenvari caused up here. Just beyond this wrecked lounge was an even more wrecked office. Yet, there was no sign of the Madame. A detail that made my heart pound with excitement.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Then, as I walked to the broken glass, "Hope the hounds tear you apart." I spit out once I saw a bloodied corpse in what appeared to be a dress.

After that, I just took a moment to sit in one of the still whole chairs. A tired sigh then left me before I then just fired my gun at the body. Something I repeated until it was empty of all bullets. I was also, however, left with a bunch of guys surging up here to check the noise.

"Bossman!?"

"Never mind me, just venting." I answer as I toss the heated, empty gun away before I got up.

"Right, Bossman." they nod with a lack of certainty before they went back to doing whatever. And in the brief moment of peace I was now afforded. I went about the corpse's office and took my choice of the gifts it held. Anything I could not put in my pockets went into the spare jacket I had in here.

With full pockets, I then left the office and headed downstairs with a distinct jingle. They did not notice, though, and I quickly made it out through the back door before I dumped it all. With a quick gesture as well, I turned on one of the pieces of equipment I did take from the warehouse. A confident smirk on my face as I turned back towards the establishment.

I still had an act to perform and right now, that meant pretending to give a damn about revenge. So I patted the shoulders of those I walked by and brought them into the briefing room. And after they all sat down, I chugged down some alcohol I snatched on the way. Some of which I just poured straight onto the wound.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" I loudly groaned as the magic-dense liquid both exasperated and dulled the pain.

"Well, Bossman?" one of the boys asked as they checked their rounds.

"As you all are probably aware, those two new aelenvari have done us in. Killed yer pals and wrecked your prospects of employment. So here I am with a lovely solution. We're going to go and find them, and of course, pop their heads open." I explain to them before sadistic cheers filled the room.

"Now?"

"Not for the moment..." I tell the now disappointed crowd as I gestured to my injury, "It's personal, see."

"Then what do we do in the meantime?"

"Just patrol the town and its outskirts, grab everyone else once downstairs is sorted out and find them. Then, come back to me and we'll sort it out."

"Can't we just do it while we're out there?"

"What part of 'it's personal,' did you miss?" I asked him sarcastically. In truth, I just wanted the building quieter as Ivahstar and Heiya did their thing. But it also gave me an opportunity to just dump the place without a batted eye. After all, personal vendettas were done with clouded judgement...

The boys I'd take with me just might, hit a particularly bad case of death. And now that I thought about it, I also needed to distract those who would get left behind. But I suppose the Union might suddenly stumble upon our plans. They didn't like it when problems involved themselves, after all.

"What about the Madame?" one of them then asks. And I stopped, briefly unsure of what to say as that was a big one. I have seen her corpse and could've potentially actually been the one to kill her.

"She made it out," I lied as I brought out my pipe, "her escape hatch had been opened."

"There's an escape tunnel up there...?" one of the boys questioned.

"Yeah, and why would she or I let you know about it?" I asked him as if he were stupid. And, he bought it, he felt stupid. Then, with that out the way, I left the building and went for a walk. Occasionally making sure I wasn't being followed throughout.

Even if there wasn't much to be worried about, it only paid well to have some paranoia right now. One bad trail and this plan I worked out with the other two would become undone. So I needed to act as if I belonged in the Union's great drama institutions. Needed to achieve that dream I never had!

"Ah, who am I kidding, just give me someone to be annoyed at and that's that." I comment openly before I lit the contents of my pipe. Smoking it with a happy sigh as I walked down the busy street without a care in the world. A lighter soul now dwelt within me, and I was feeling a lot better. Finally, I was done with that woman.

So maybe I should prepare a thank you of some kind for those aelenvari? Were it not for them, I would not have had this opportunity. Well, I probably would have anyway knowing Ivahstar's skills. But, it was those two that did it for me this time.

But what did aelenvari even like? I honestly could not answer and my view of them was skewed the wrong way. However, knowing this was all over a child, I did figure something out. So I headed on down to a shop I knew dealt in that.

With a little bell announcing my arrival once I disposed of the pipe contents, I looked about. Frowning in confusion to the worried glances of those shopping alongside me. It was somewhat amusing, but I did not get hung up on it. I was however focusing a lot on the softness of it all.

"Damn brats..." I complained as I was quite partial to the soft touch of some things every now and then. But, most of it was only ever for little kids and their thin easily cut skin. And that thought made me smile, given my current circumstances. That was enough shopping, however, so I just picked a toy up and went to pay for it.

"Children can be quite the handful, can't they?" the girl serving me joked as she stared uncomfortably at my injury.

"They're more trouble than they're worth." I answer, even if I was speaking about something she had no idea about. Like, she could not even begin to grasp what I had been putting up with recently.

"And somehow, that smile makes it all worth it." she thinks she jokes knowingly as we sort the transaction out. And, with a swift about turn, I went back outside and prepared my pipe once again.

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.

.

"I told you, told you that, that was a reckless plan." the elderly human told me as she came by to check up on me once again. And, rather annoyingly, to pass the same comments as before.

So I rolled my eyes subtly and looked towards the window, "The ifs do not matter."

"I suppose they don't, but how else am I going to teach you caution?"

"I don't need to be taught anything by you..." I answer back with, glaring as I did so.

"I'm only offering advice."

"If I needed such a thing, I would ask for it. Otherwise, watch your tongue!" I snap as she finishes up with her checkups.

"Feel free to pop down later if you are hungry." she offers with a kind smile before she leaves. And, as she did so, I snorted in amusement. Not at her offer, but at the forced smile.

I then look down at the bed I was in, "Make sure the sapling is well-fed first..." I quietly mutter.

Looking up with a sigh before staring out towards the daylit street. Despite the trouble me and Dandel'lhia went through to get out of that place. The outside world does not seem to have been affected in the slightest. The wind-thorns had done nothing and the humans were apathetic.

It was an interesting thing to ponder, given how surely the noise must've alerted someone? Yet, at the same time, it was quickly departing my mind as it did not matter now. That hideous root-thing was dead, and we had escaped. Now all that remained was that we got to the garden-mount.

Were it not for the sapling's words, we'd be there by now and I would be smiling without a care. But, even then, I felt like I would've come back for Dandel'lhia... Not because I missed her or regretted sending her out there. But because I would be watching as her son longingly looked at all the other mothers.

On that topic, though, I found myself rising to my points with a sense of determination. There were mothers-to-be within that building that we had left behind. Regardless of if they were roots or not, even the slightest chance one of them was a son got me up. I had to do something.

Yet, at the same time, I could no longer find the motivation to do so. I had retrieved Dandel'lhia, a fellow petal for her son. My responsibilities in this place had vanished and all that remained was the garden-mount. But, once again, I found myself stumped.

Normally, this would have never been an issue. But while I was there, attempting to save Dandel'lhia. I got to experience what it was like to be an ivy-mother again. I was an ivy-mother once more for such a short time.

The life I left behind briefly came back to me within that place... It was like that corrupted honey in a way, it has left me with a hunger for something particular. Only with this, it was something good and something that benefitted my people. It was foolish of me to give up my duties as an ivy-mother.

There were children that needed protecting and my support, families that depended on me. And I gave it all up for a selfish desire that went nowhere. Nin did not love me, but I loved him, I loved him so much... But at the same time, if he did not love me, then there was no reason for me to be there...

One of the very reasons I loved him is why I could never be there for him. My magic paled in comparison to his, even as I stood in this place as the strongest. I watched him hold his own against a Valkinvar, one of the divine-chosen warriors of Waionr... And I struggled to save one mother in a den of vile decadence.

"Yet, I am doing this because I want Nin to love me..." I admit tearfully as I limped towards the window. I did nothing to hide the tears as I put my head out the window.

"Rose'lhia, someone is here to see you." Dandel'lhia of all people said, much to my surprise. And the oddness of it made me jump. But my position and my injuries did not have pleasant results.

"Da..." I started to swear before I held it back upon seeing the sapling. That hatred was still in his eyes, but there was something in his hands.

"I told him about what you did for me, and he is here to thank you." Dandel'lhia explains with a warm smile as she gently pushes her reluctant son forward.

"N-No... It's fine... I don't deserve it." I tried to explain as the sapling moved closer and closer. Yet, once they got close enough, their expression shifted completely.

"Good woman!" he chirped as he handed me that toy of his. Only now, rather than having a picture of just him and his mother. It now was a picture of me in my bed as those two smiled next to me. A clear message was also written along the bottom of it.

"Thank you..." I read aloud with an uncertain vortex of emotions within my head.

"We're still willing to go to the garden-mount with you, by the way." Dandel'lhia then adds on once her son dashes back into her arms.

"Then we go no- AH!" I start to say before a sharp pain surges up from my leg.

"Not until you have had some time to rest, Rose'lhia. We don't have anyone that we can ask to heal you, so you'll just have to rest and let your body handle it."

"No! We need to get you..." I try to say before she herds me back into the bed.

"I've been away from our flower long enough, I can wait some more. And he has never been there, so I am sure he doesn't understand what he is missing." Dandel'lhia explains before she jokes about her son's unfortunate circumstances.

"Then we shouldn't make it be any longer..." I mutter as I look away from the results of my choices. This sapling was not with his father because of my cruelty. And this mother was not there for the same reasons. And she would go back to her home scarred because of my jealousy.

Jealousy that went on to mean nothing as I fell in love with another...

"Rose'lhia," she starts to say as she puts her hand on mine, "it's fine. Just focus on resting."

"I... I can't..." I admit before I look back out the window.

"I'm sure we can find something to dull the pain."

"It's not the throbbing that bothers me, Dandel'lhia. It's the roots I was with, they need me..." I tell her. Only to find myself glaring as she started to giggle.

"S-Sorry... I'm sorry, I just... Never expected to hear that from you. Even before all of this happened... When I thought I knew you well, it was clear you weren't too fond of those who weren't petals."

"Obviously, have you seen them?" I snort before I smiled gently at her attempt at humour. She was right, though, it was such a strange thing for me to display. But the circumstances weren't exactly normal either.

"No, actually, they kept me down in the darkest part of that dungeon nearly my entire stay there."

"I had a feeling you were kept away somewhere deeper until I finally sensed you. I never once saw you in any of the cells I commanded during my unpleasant stay."

"Commanded?" she questioned with a bemused smile.

"What? You think I was just going to let those roots walk over me even while my body was tainted by that foul substance that creature made?" I asked her, huffing cockily at any potential doubt.

"Foul substance?" she questioned, much to my surprise.

"She sneaked in spiked breast-honey into our food and drink and worked up our bodies into a lustful frenzy. Thankfully, she was clearly getting it from the roots so I was able to keep it under control."

She gasps quietly, "That sounds awful..."

"Ironically, it made you feel good, so you only ever felt bad about it being inside of you after it was all said and done."

"You didn't... Give into to it, did you?" she cautiously asks me as she looks down at my belly. An action that offended me to the point of aggression.

"OF COURSE NOT!" I scream angrily, scaring the sapling in the process, "I just kept my mind on my Love..." I then add on as quietly as I could.

"That's sweet." she comments, clearly having heard what I said. And her words only made the blush on my face burn hotter and spread further.

"I don't want it to ever happen to me again, though... When I found you, I could feel my control slipping. Foul desires were there and I would not have cared if my discipline failed. After all, all the roots back there loved to show you what it was like if you failed to keep your pride..." I explain with a grim expression.

"I understand it's a strange thing for me to say, having not received this corrupted honey. But, don't think too harshly of them, Rose'lhia. It's a lonely life as a root."

"How would yo-" I start to question before her scars reminded me of the plan I had for her. Where I'd dye her hair and dress her up in an unremovable set of root leathers. She was to be so close to the one she loved but she would never be allowed near him again.

"It's alright, that's all in the past now."

"Is it? the consequences of my actions are why we are all here, to begin with." I say to her, something she was more than happy to nod along to. Even with this attempt by her to at least be kind and understanding.

"So... Are you hungry?" she asks me awkwardly, clearly having little idea of how to move away from the topic.

"Not particularly, no, but, I could do with a change of scenery." I say before I tried to get out of the bed again.

"Take this with you, at the very least." she tells me as she hands over that staff I used on our way out of that place.

"I'm sure I said I did not want to see this thing again." I comment grimly as I looked at the hideous attempt to emulate an ivy-mother's staff. One final piece to that dreaded costume that I became so enthralled in. With the help of the corrupted honey, it was so easy to just lose it. I probably would have if I had this in my hand then.

But, thankfully, those foul creatures wanted me to make use of the usual ways they entertained people. So that pole which could've stripped me of my dignity as the honey flowed through me was in fact my saviour. Yet, despite what I also just said in regards to this staff. I wanted to hold it and use it.

I wanted to at least feel like an ivy-mother again, even if I wasn't. That desire stayed within me even without the honey. I longed to be at the top once again... It was such a childish dream that I tried to put down.

But even now, I held onto the obvious pandering with a smile on my face. Even Dandel'lhia's bemusement did not make me stop. Nor did her son as he joined in with the laughter even if he did not know why. However, once we finally came across some humans, the pretending stopped.

"Where do they keep the food?" I asked, having not paid much attention to this place beforehand.

"Right there." Dandel'lhia tells me as she points to the long line of covered tables.

"Good, we'll go there later then." I say with a nod as we move closer to the counter with the two human sons sat by it.

"Well, look who is finally up!" the youngest cheerfully lets out as he gets in the way of the older one. A short-lived fight then broke out as the older one was quickly frustrated by this. Yet, as their mother walked out to see us, it died off.

"Feeling better, Darling?" she asked me as she came out from behind the counter to pass me a chair.

"No, thank you." I tell her before I am forced into it regardless.

"Just sit, Rose'lhia." Dandel'lhia chastises before she sits down on a stall. With her son being moved onto the counter itself. And, it felt weird to be arranged like this, because I was positioned very low in comparison. So I had to look up at everyone...

"Oh, that's a lot of new faces." the mother then commented as a large group of human men walked into the building. And, rather oddly, they began to clear the room out with obnoxious behaviour. But when one of them walked in with a smoking pipe, I became worried.

"Dandel'lhia... Run." I tried to tell her before failing to get out of the seat.

"Excuse me, no smokin-" the mother began to say before they all pulled out their guns and pointed them at us.

"MA!" one of the boys said before he stopped as a gun was brought up right at his face.

"Sorry to be a bother, but, you have something that belongs to us." the pipe-smoking man comments as he walks closer to us with a gun of his own.

"Leave..." I warn as I try to bring out my magic. But, with when that gun clicked next to me. I stopped... There was no way I could beat a twitch of their finger...

"I plan on doing so, once I am done with one final thing." he says as he reached into his coat before he handed a gift-wrapped box to the sapling.

"What..." Dandel'lhia let out in confusion before the man stepped away.

"Bossman? The ever-living thack is that?" one of the goons asked their head as he moved closer to the door.

"Part one of my gift."

"Bossman, whatcha talk-" that same one began to say before he was suddenly brought down with a bang. And, In quick succession that I had trouble following, the rest of them all dropped dead too.

"You won't have to worry about the Madame bothering you anymore." he said with a smirk before he dropped the gun and disappeared into a sudden mist. His gun then suddenly exploded as well and it clearly frightened all of us.

"MA!" the sons roared as they went to their mother to comfort her as she stared blankly at the dead now filling up her place.

"What was that about...?" I questioned before the sound of approaching thorns filled my ears. What was going on out there? Had they heard the gunshots? No, this seemed like it was something else...

There was so much magic gathering beyond the walls of this place.

.

.

.

"OH!" I laughed out nervously, "I am never doing that again!" I admit as my heart pounded within me. So very close behind me was an amassing force of Union soldiers and I just gave them a reason to look my way. Thankfully, we had the foresight to acquire some tools that helped in escaping. Namely, magic-concealing smoke bombs.

And of course, that runed gun that self-destructed...

"Undwote, please don't come near me." I commented as I slinked deeper into the back alleys and narrow passages of this town. Popping out on the other end and keeping to the crowds for as long as I could before I departed. For a brief moment as well, I was running up a dangerous pathway until I reached a high-up perch I could nest at. From there, I just relaxed and looked down at the town.

A somewhat satisfied smile on my face as a growing mass of polished steel appeared before the establishment. Whatever commands were spoken I could not here, but I did catch a slight glimpse of fired shots. The boys were already on edge from the breakout, and to have the Union suddenly rush in? Well, the establishment was no more.

"Sa haw yaaa da it?" Heiya asked me as she suddenly dropped down in front of me. A rope attached to her belt and a grin on her face.

"I don't know, Union just caught word of the Madame's intentions." I joked as I took hold of her paws and body holster.

"Nat aaa hug, by the waaay." she comments as we slowly ascend from the pick up point.

"Thank the gods for that." I remark as my gaze focuses on her spines.

"I'll drap yau!" she angrily retorts, offended by my comments. But her anger was hollow and it quickly disappeared once we got up and over.

"Once again, I have to admit I am impressed." I say as I dust the moss and chalk-like markings off my clothes. My gaze focused on the small pile of treasures and hard cash that they got out of there.

"More left behind." Ivahstar tsks before he starts bringing all the equipment back in. Whatever was cheaply made, however, was just dumped on the ground. I personally might've kept it, but I knew how he was. Quality was needed with him and it was hard enough convincing him to use this stuff.

Ironically enough, though, he often used disposable rubbish that barely worked the first time. But that no longer mattered, so I rummaged through it all quickly and brought out a map. Tapping my foot as I raked my brain for what knowledge I had regarding them. Then, as I came to a stop, I put my hand up.

"My nearest place is in that general direction." I tell them before I notice that they were lingering by the cliff edge. And when I went over to see, I found them watching the Union soldiers do their jobs flawlessly.

"I wauldn't mind ane af thase." Heiya comments as she likely stares at the fancy guns the Union used.

Her father, on the other hand, "You sure no chase?"

"Positive as can be. Despite them being next door to the town, they don't pay much mind to what happens within. At least, not until they catch wind of war-hampering efforts." I explain to him, repressing the need to chuckle at the end. As if some gang of kidnappers could ever pose a threat to an army like that.

"Still, we go. Quickly." he shoots back with before he harshly tugs his daughter away from the edge. She looked ready to complain as well until she found herself placed in the wagon. At which point she stay quiet and satisfied while I frowned at my old friend.

"You seriously expect me to play the role of a working animal?" I ask him, dreading the answer and the state of my back later down the line.

"For now." he answers with a smirk as he too hooks himself up at the front.

"Damn dirt-eating hwardgon." I swear quietly as I put my loose stuff into a small open space on the wagon. Copying what he did before I then waited for the single to come. And with a rough bark, we started to move the treasure along what resembled a road up here.

"Hrurim." Ivahstar then says all of a sudden after a quiet period of sweat-enducing labour.

His tone, however, is what caught my attention the most, "Yeah?"

"Once this done. Down below?" he seemingly pleads while his daughter suddenly shot towards the front of the wagon.

"Paps...?" she questions while I raise a brow at his words.

"You intend to go after them?" I ask him as I stare into those eyes of his. Malicious anger was present along with a plethora of other things. Most of all, however, I could see the doubt in his eyes. He wanted to go after them, but his daughter kept catching his attention.

"Paps, na!" Heiya tells him before she looks at me and urges me to say the same with hysterical head shakes.

"If that is what my friend wants to do, I shall try my damndest." I tell him, to which he uncharacteristically refuses to acknowledge. It was easy to tell a lot was on his mind right now. Heiya, though, was far easier to read.

She did not like what I had to say.

"NA! I wan't haaave Paps endaaanger himself like thaaat!" she declares before she tries to hamper our journey. But, when I interfered with these actions, she gave up on it quickly. And instead, she jumped off the wagon and ran ahead of us. Getting in our way instead.

"Heiya..." her father uttered quietly. What followed, however, was a switch to their native tongue and I lost track of what was being said. But, I could make accurate guesses as to what was being said. And overall, it left me sighing as uncertainty suddenly filled me.

What had gotten into him anyway...? Did something we talk about before linger in his mind? Now that he was paid, was it finally coming out? Was this always going to happen.

Whatever the reason, it was clearly tearing the duo apart and they got quite aggressive. So, as they argued, I unhooked myself and stood between the two shortfolk. Keeping a palm raised at both of them as I worked to get their attention on me. With a quiet tsk, I then sat down between them.

Urging them to do the same as I swapped my gaze between them, "So I can understand, please?"

"Paps is aaan idiat!" Heiya struggles to keep quiet.

"Home!" her father asserts aggressively as he suddenly shakes the wagon handles.

"Aur hame aaain't dawn there, Paps... It's nat." the poor, scared girl tells him as she trembles like a leaf. If I recalled correctly as well, she was quite young when this whole affair started. It must've been inflated in her mind as to how bad it was.

Yet, at the same time, Ivahstar saw it all play out. He understood how it was from the very first night. He has grasped it all for years while Heiya only had a narrow view. But, both justified their terror.

I, however, could not even begin to understand it, "Perhaps we just need to avoid the topic?"

"No! I need know. You help?" Ivahstar insists once again as he singlehandedly brings the wagon closer so he could get in my face.

And I sigh once more, "Ivahstar, focus on your daughter. She's scared."

"I knaw... It's... Just let it ga!" Heiya struggles to say as her father grows increasingly angry. With another round of their native tongue coming out before I got angry.

"QUIET!" I snap at the pair of them before I cover my mouth and tap my cheek. Then, slowly, I look up at them and stare Ivahstar in the eye.

"I need to..." he pleads while his gaze kept shifting between me and his last child.

"No, you want to. And you need to consider it more carefully." I remind him as he turns quiet.

"Paps, there's nathing we caaan da." Heiya tries to argue as he shakes his head.

"No... There way. There is way." he repeats stubbornly as Heiya seemingly gives up trying to argue the topic.

"There isn't a way if your daughter isn't in with it. Now, unhook yourself, and talk it out with her." I tell him, putting as much emphasis as I could on the 'talk' part of it. He needed to understand it as clear as possible. Heiya was scared and her body quaked in terror. Ivahstar the slave-trader needed to go for a moment, Heiya's Father needed to be here now.

And as I oversaw his removal from the wagon's propulsion. I made sure the two got up into the back safely before I went to the front. Inwardly, I was swearing and complaining about the new workload. Even more so once I started.

Eventually, I stopped caring about the effort and I just kept on going. As darkness came and the wagon behind me grew quieter, I kept on going. Only stopping once I brought the wagon to what looked like a slope. And I knew full well I'd not be able to manage that even if I hadn't just forced this damn thing across a plateau.

So, I unhooked myself and walked around to check up on the pair before I groaned at the sight. The two had fallen asleep while making up for earlier transgressions. And I was simply too nice a guy to disturb them. Yet, if they were going to be sleeping, I wanted to too.

"WAKEY WAKEY!" I screamed in their faces all of a sudden.

.

.

.

"Come on, Little One, that's enough of that now." Dandel'lhia told her son as she started to pack away the toys he had been playing with.

"No, not tired!" he complained before he suddenly twitched. And I smiled a little at the way his eyes flickered open in an attempt to hide it all.

"There will be a time he'll be glad it is time to rest, you know?" Dandel'lhia asks me just before I hid my smile.

"I know of no such thing." I tell her as I turn away from her. Only to look back with an annoyed glance as she could not stop herself from giggling.

"Alright, I'll leave you to it, then." she remarks as she points at the fact I had not left this chair for most of the day. My injuries had confined me more so than when the wind-people suddenly came.

"Is it... Alright if I hold him?" I asked her all of a sudden. With a nervousness I could not really explain.

"No... I want to hold him." she tells me, much to my disappointment.

"I suppose that is only fair." I say, thinking more so about what I had done to her than any other reason.

"Don't worry too much about it, Rose'lhia. You'll understand it when you finally have yours." she kindly informs me while also condescendingly rubbing my head.

"Get off." I snap gently as I watch her sapling fall asleep steadily despite his prior words.

"I mean it you know, I hope you do have one of your own. It is a very special experience." she repeats before she holds her son close to her face so she could hold him closer. And, unlike all the other times I have seen a mother hold their child. I felt envious this time...

"That is a long time away for me..." I say quietly as I start to think of my Love. Despite what I have done recently, he would not have heard about it. He would likely never hear about it... So I would have to present myself before him and show it to him.

"It will only be as far away as you make it, trust me, I know how determined you can be."

"Very black." I say as I giggle alongside her.

"Best get it out of my system now, I won't be needing it soon."

"Yeah..."

"So, anyway, about the one you love... Why aren't they here with you?" she asked me all of a sudden. A question that made me defensive instantly.

"They're..." but I could not muster the will to speak about anything.

"Regardless, I am sure he cares about you deeply. Who knows, maybe this will teach him just how much he misses you." she tries to say kindly before my mind fills with images of that woman. The one who stole his heart...

"I... I don't know..."

"How can you-?"

"Just be quiet, please. Your son is tired, put him to bed." I interrupt before I get to my points and slowly head on ahead.

"Well... Good night, Rose'lhia." she says before we part ways. And I tell her nothing and instead just head straight for my own bed. Then, once the door was closed, the tears I was holding back started to come out.

"You hear that, Nin? Someone else can see that I love you..." I say before I cover my mouth as the tears come out even more. I just didn't know what to do. I still could not grasp if this was a good thing that I was doing or if I had just justified abandoning him again...

Yet, eventually, the tears came to a stop and I kept an ear out. Some relief then came to me as I realised that no one was out there. But, there was something nagging at the back of my mind. So I left my room and headed for Dandel'lhia's.

I then opened the door slowly and quietly and walked into the dark room. Staring at the full bed before I found myself regretfully looking away. Was that ever going to be me...? It didn't seem like it when you thought about the kind of person that I was.

But what kind of person was I? Was I an ivy-mother that cared for all the mothers of our flower regardless? Or was I a petal who respected the reality of our people? Or was I a runt who would never see the affection I desired so much?

Was I someone who only knew of love? Or was I someone that was loved?

I suppose, though, I did know one thing, "Sleep well, you two." and that was that I knew how to help others love those around them.