Gricrir slammed the door behind him. The wooden door s lapped the frame heavily, bouncing back open from the force. The sudden blast of sound assaulting the two guards who were at a relaxed rest, causing them to stand straight. The guards looked at the door, then to Gricrir, and back. One of them uttered “things didn’t go so well I take it?”
Gricrir shielded his eyes from the light that was intensified by the reflective ornaments hanging in the area. Gricrir pivoted his head to the guard, and looked at him for a period longer than comfortable. The guard at the other side piped in “about as good as it always goes.” The two guards snicker.
“Good day gentlemen.” Gricrir said. Neither did he need or want to stay around for their comments. Nothing of value would come of their conversation beyond reminders of the situation he continued to deal with.
Gricrir did not remember much of his walk home. His paced was quick, his eyes unfocused, and his emotions and thoughts reeling.
Do extra patrols. Check. Do extra patrols with no additional help check. Do extra patrols with no additional help and addresss additional complaints, check. Do extra patrols, no help, follow up on complains, find ways to pay your people ,and deal with backed up paperwork, check! Work your life away and not see your family, check!
Gricrir face wore a frown accompanied by a wrinkled brow. His neutral features were harden and fierce now; his expression resembled a growling lion carved into stone. Despite not being a huge man, his presence was now hulking. He back was stiff and straight till the shoulder which hunched over, his arms were spread out, and his steps, while not rushed, were solid. He took up space physically. And he took up space mentally as people he passed by simply moved out of his way.
His eyes settled briefly on everyone; eyes that looked without seeing, recognizing only what is necessary, hands mouths., Hands could kill.
Even in his distracted state his mind took in these threats with the consistency of a dwarven time-piece, enduring and nearly unbreakable. He learned early that you didn’t survive long as a leather-back without keeping your wits about. Yewars working low-town taught him that. A few too close to calls imprinted the harshness of the world on his spirit. And even now, he knew that things were better, consciously at least. But just the same he knew that resting on his laurels could lead him to a drift wood burial with honors.
Watch the hands. People can lie with their words. They can even lie with their looks. But the hands, those could kill you. Hands could grab concealed weapons. Hands could strike. And as he learned the hard way once, hands can signal for an ambush. Hands could kill.
But if it were only so simple. Because while hands could kill with cold weapons, mouths could do more than lie. Not all in the empire were blessed were magic. In fact most of them were of noble families. There were the commoners of course who could use magic but the expense and time to train one to use it was high. But self study could be done. And those who worked on the shadier side of life had a penchant for accessing skills that gave them an advantage. And so the mouth could kill just like the hands. And he could not let that happen. He knew what it would mean.
His body being placed upon a small wooden boat, the cities and the empires flags placed upon him and it all set-alight after a respectful service; definitely a respectful way to go. As a guard he’d have that honor given to him one of two ways: death in rendering his services or death by age or illness. He preferred the latter. Not just for longevity’s sake; but for the sake of his family.
Hands and mouths. That’s all Gricrir focused on, everything else was a blur of colors like blinking while looking through a kaleidoscope. The vibrancy of those colors started to fade the further he went towards home, until he was deep in low-town.
He was in his own neighborhood now. The area looked a little rough, even as far as low-town went. The buildings were in worse repair, and a number of old buildings had simply been torn down, not to be repaired. The streets were were broken at various places and weeds had grown out of the cracks. There were not the signs of working people or the markets. In its place were children who were partly attended too by busy moms. This location was clearly just residential.
Gricrir eyes began to take in the whole area carefully, his steps slowed, and where there were alleys his eyes peered a bit longer. There he would make eye contact with a rough looking male here or a group of them there. The responses were varied. Some responded with simple nods and remaind where they were amongst the shadows. Some saw him and stopped whatehever they were doing. ANd others watched him from the corner of their eyes. They continued to talk like normal all the while never truly looking at him. When he had passed by them they receded back deeper into the shadows, some muttering to themselves and others spitting at the ground, their expressions scrunching up like they ate something bad. Their behaviors were not lost onto Gricrir. He had never once let his eyes truly wander away from them.
Gricrir made his way home. He came upon his house. His house nearly matched all the other houses. Nestled among the other buildings it was two stories in heigh and made out of wood. To the left of it was an open space where a building once laid. A half fence had been wrapped around it connecting it to his house and was fairly neat with a few worn wooden chairs inside it. There were windows on both floors with the bottom floor windows protected by iron bars with a locking mechanism on the inside. The upper windows had regular shutters. The front door was made of mahogany.
Gricrir stopped in front of the door. He placed his foot on the bottom and nudged it and it did not give. He looked around himself twice. Noticing no one in the immediate area he gave a serious of rhythmic knocks. He supplied ample force to his knocks as the door simply absorbed them. Completing his knocking system he waited.
He then waited some more. He shifted his weight and idly looked around. Still nothing. He placed his back on the door and looked around. He observed the children in the distance playing. He could see the mothers on occasion calling out to them, and others putting up laundry. After several moments he returned to the door again. This time knocking the door much harder, but with the same rhythmic approach. This time, he could vaguely here the sound of movement from behind the door.
The muffled sounds of of metal bars sliding across wood, various latches being manipulated, and chains moved escaped from the other side of the door. There was a weight pause. Then the heavy door swung open partly, still with a visible chain guard keeping the door from opening all the way. A sweet voice unseen whispers out “Honey?”
“It is me,” Gricrir responded quietly.
From somewhere inside the house a woman emerges, her hazel eyes peeping out at Gricrir from the small space allowed by the opening. She smiles and says “Well it’s about time.” Despite her words, there is no mirth or signs of frustration; instead just sweet warmth. She does one more peek behind him, unchains the final locks and takes a step back.
Gricrir entered the space, ignoring the vibrant smell of flowers that rushed his way from inside the house. He opened the door completely, glancing in, and then promptly closed it behind himself. The other side of the door had many latches and bars to secure it. He went through locking everyone methodically. He came to one bar which did not slide well and studied it. “I’m going to need oil this. Maybe I can get some from Tony; he likes to tinker with things.”
He felt a tiny tap on his shoulder followed by a simple “are you going to come and kiss your wife hello or play with a lock?”
He draws himself from his thought and turns to face the woman. He was met by a woman nearly his heigh in stature, high cheekbones, thick wavy hair and a slight build. Her smile was as bright as the flowers that adorned her russet colored hair. She wore a simple but well made yellow kirtle over her white smock. Her wrist were adorned with yellow iris bracelets that looked at home on her earthy sepia colored skin.
“Daisy Lorena Foreblossom, what could be more interesting than you my beautiful wife,” Gricrir says. His expression softens as a small smile walks across his face.
Daisy opens her arms wide. Gricrir moves in and hugs her, grabbing her around the waist. Daisy incline her head up and Gricrir titling his head down, look into each other eyes. Gricrir allowed himself the privilege to enjoy the moment: the scent of his wife intermixed with flowers; the suppleness of her curves; the warmth of her body and above all else, the sense of peace. His breath and heart both slowed in her embrace. He leaned down closer to give her a kiss.
Right before he can a little girl comes tearing out of another room, running to the couple brightly yelling in rapid succession “Daddy, daddy, daddy!”
Gricrir and Daisy both turned to look at this whirlwind of a child who came flying at them. The girl was half the height of Daisy, wearing a simple olive green kirtle and grey smock. She wore two pigtails on the side of her head. The pigtails were thick like fairy cotton and seemed to defy gravity in all their terra-cotta colored glory. There were two large daffodils where he pigtails met her scalp; almost hiding her partly pointed ears. Gricrir, seeing this almost miniature version of Daisy, that bore some of his traits just the same, smiled wider.
He pecks his wife quick on the cheek and then drops down to one knee. The girl runs right to him and gives the biggest hug she can muster, still not able to fully embrace his midsection. He hugs her in return. He gathers her in his arms, using one as a chair for her to sit on as he stands up. The girl holds on tight but giggles all the same. “And how’s daddy’s little girl?”
“Good daddy!” The girl pauses, “I mean well. I’m doing well daddy!”
“Oh! You’ve been studying your grammar I see. Good work Angelica.” Gricrir shifts his hold of the girl and tosses her into the air several times.
“Woah daddy!” Angelica giggles. The higher Angelica goes into the air the brighter her smile. “Again, again!”
“How has your days been Daisy?” Gricrir says, still focusing on tossing Angelica in the air.
“Oh honey bee, it’s been good. Angelica had her tutoring session earlier. She’s doing quite well.”
“Yeah un-“ her voice drops as she falls through the air, “cle, De-de-de-delo-“ the tosses continue to take her words from her. Instead she chooses to continue giggling.
“Ah, so he dropped by then.” He stops tossing Angelica and just holds her.
“Like clock work dear. On time, every time. The only other little bee that I know is as industrious is you.”
Gricrir smiles at her his face already tinged red from exertion, but going a shade deeper now. He glance off to the side.,
“Thank you deer.”
“And still a sheepishly little bee after all these years too.”
“I’m a bee too mommy!”
“Yes you are.”
“I thought you were a giggle fairy, Angelica.”
“A giggle fairy?”
Gricrir nods and then tosses her up the highest she’s been and then snatches her at the last moment on her way down. She burst out into giggles. “See. A giggle fairy.”
“We missed you during lunch hun,” her voice just a bit lower. “I take it you were busy.”
Gricrir smile fades. His solemn countenance starts to return as he lets out a low sigh from deep within. “Yes dear. We just, erm, I just-“
Daisy’s eyes moved quick, catching the shift. She placed a hand on his shoulder, drawing his attention to the now. “It’s fine dear. I was just curious. There is food still left over.”
Gricrir nods, his expression still not changing.
“Well, honey, how about we get some food in you. I’m sure you’re hungry. And we can talk about work if you like.” Then looking at Angelica “How about you draw.”
“I can draw whatever I want? On the ‘spensive paper?”
“Yes .... after you draw some of your glyphs. I think I heard something about a pop quiz from your ‘unckie’,” Daisy said.
“Let me down daddy!” Angelica says, writhing with excitement.
Gricrir mutters something about the word being “uncle” but lets her down nonetheless. Angelica then darts off just as fast as she first came into the room. He watches her thoughtfully as she goes, only interrupted by Daisy’s words.
“Lets get this imposing armor off of you. You look more like an armored wasp than my friendly bumble bee.” She uses both hands to push on her.
Gricrir accepts the guidance his eyes looking up and taking in the room, his back still to the front door. To left along the front wall was a sword hanging on the wall, and left of that a wooden cabinet. It was bare except for a bowl that had a key set on it. Further past that in the corner was a stand for his armor.
He looked forward now. There was a room divider made of plants. It stopped a person from entering the house and seeing the entire floor plan and its occupants in one look. It also stopped anyone from being able to simply rush into the house, and instead would have to turn corners around the plants to get to the rest of the house; despite the beauty of the myriad of flowering plants, he appreciated its protective benefits the most. He considered it one of them best gifts his wife had given him.
Gricrir walked to the armor stand. His wife stopped him, hugging his waist from behind. “You had a hard day I take it. You’re home now. So don’t worry too much about it. Plus, not only is there food left over I made your favorite, mashed potatoes and fried tuna,” Daisy said. She then starts to help him undue the various securing points for his armor.
Daisy continues to speak while they work to get the armor and weapons off of him “For the potatoes I used parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, a dab of smoke chipotle, and I mixed in goat milk to keep it fluffy.”
“Is that so?” Gricrir’s tones starts to brighten. He kneels to make the process easier.
“Oh and you think that’s good? Wait until you get to the tuna. I made it like normal but I also added some thyme of the sea.”
“My dear. This will taste great.”
“I’m glad you’re excited for it dear,” Daisy said.
They finally get the last pieces of armor off. The weight of teh last piece of armor off his shoulders Gricrir stands tall. He kicks out his and stretches a bit. His movements no longer methodical but loose and spry; a bitty of a bounce to both his steps and his words. “It’s good to be home,” he says before picking up Daisy in his arms. She makes a surprised squeal at the movement.
“Honey, it’s good to have you home. Now put me down,” she giggles.
In a false upper register tone associated with mid and high town he responds “I thinks not m’lady. An extravagant beauty such as yourself should not have to tread the floors in such a common fashion. Allow me the honor of carrying you at least to the study.”
She smacks him gently on his chest “You’re such a riot. Now come on. Let me down .”
In response to the hit” Ek gahd. My lady you wound me. But not my body, my heart.”
She rolls her eyes and says, “fine. Take me.”
“Words have never sounded sweeter.”
“Don’t blame me if Angelica wants rides later on.”
“Never.”
Daisy shakes her head and accepts the ride.
Gricrir carriers her along the left wall, passing by the wall of plants. Along the pathway he sees Angelica sitting at a small table with an equally small chair. She doesn’t look up, eyes focused on her paper while drawing a circle with intricate designs. Further past Angelica, nestled on the left corner was the kitchen. It consisted of two long wooden counters that ran along the left and back wall; and had a built in sink. The floor to the space had a flower mosaic that was built on top of the wood floors that run the length of the entire room.
Gricrir attempts to walk quietly as he passes by Angelica. He looks to his right where the rest of the house opens up. In the middle of the room, a few paces past the plant wall is a dinning space. A banded-metal wooden table, sitting on a floral design carpet dominates this space. The end furtherest away from the flower wall has two matching chairs side by side, and directly across is a single matching chair. On the left and right side of the table are wooden benches.
Further past the dinning set to teh rear wall is a fireplace. Off just to the right of the fireplace is a small carpeted area. It has adult sized chairs and one child size chair around a chess table. Further right to that is a staircase. Alongside its wall are two large book cases. Heading back towards the front of the house from the stairway wall is another wall that hides off a space that can only be seen by going to the stair well.
The furniture in the space were all of simple craftsmanship with the rugs and mosaic giving a bit of flair. In place of lavish furniture were plants. In the kitchen spice plants grew on containers affixed to the wall. Along the edges of the walls were various potted plants. The bookshelves themselves were framed by vines that followed along the wall and even went up the stairway. The ceiling had similar vined plants all sprouting flowers filling the air with their scent.
Gricrir successfully made it past his daughter, past the dinning room, and into the study near the fire place. He sat Daisy down in one of the larger chairs. “M’lady we hath arrived.” He gives her a smile and then his best attempt at a polite bow.
Daisy pats the chair next to her. “Sit down you.”
Gricrir sits down on the floor in front of her, crossed legged. He takes off her shoes, which were well made but worn, puts them off to the side and begins to rub her feet.
“You don’t have to do that honey. It’s time for you to relax.”
He drops the upper register tone, but his words still hit a noble cord “It’s my pleasure.”
“Well fine.” She imitates the upper register too, but with more skill “If it so pleases you good man, than who am I to-“ she tries to hold back her giggles “refuse your kind gesture. Please, carry on.”
After some time Gricrir begins to talk. “It’s been a long day. The celebrations have made it harder on the patrols. Too many people, too many new faces, too much alcohol.”
Daisy nods.
“We had to break up a bunch of people sleeping in the streets this morning. It ended up in a brawl.”
Daisy tenses momentarily and then asks “A brawl? Were you hurt, was anyone hurt?”
“Tony and Griffin took care of it. They did well.”
“Did you get hurt?”
“Those two would never let me get seriously hurt.” His innotation doesn’t change.
“You’re not answering my question. Reminds me of someone else I know”
“Yes.” His voice now has just a slight tinge of frustration. “We had to get Urberer off the streets too. He was sleeping out in public. Probably drunk again.”
“Urberer? Was drunk out in the streets again?”
“Yes.”
Daisy says a little more quietly than normal, “I really think he needs some help.”
“Of course he needs help. But Urberer does not accept help.You’d have to beat the man into submission.” He sighs, “It’s a shame really.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“Honey, maybe you could try to hang out with him a bit. Urberer -“
Yelling from the kids table “Urbererie! Did you say Urbererie?”
This time, Gricrir rolls his eyes.
Daisy responds “Angelica, are you done your glyphs.”
“Yes, I just finished mommy. Did your say something about Urbererie?” She yells across the room.
In a whisper voice to Daisy, “is she actually finished you think?”
Daisy whispers back “Probably. She really, really is good at it. If we could just get her into one of the schools in mid-town...” Daisy then quickly gives orders to Angelica “Well honey. Go ahead and draw. Mommy and daddy need to talk.”
“But mom! I want to know about Urbererie! Also, I want a piggy back ride from daddy! He picked you up mommy.”
“She’s too smart for her own good,” she says in a hushed tone to Gricrir.
“She gets it from you.” He continues before it sounds like a sleight “We know the brains comes from your side of the family. Beauty and brains. I couldn’t be more lucky.”
“Oh quiet you.”
“I was a simple farm boy. We call it how it is.”
“Mommy.”
“Angelica, just draw for now. I’ll go show you how to play with the plants more later on. And I’ll give you more paper.”
“More paper!? Ok!”
Returning her focus to Gricrir, “You may think she gets her smarts from me, but that doggeded focus she has, that’s all you. I never was so disciplined. In fact, mom and dad said I was like honey suckle. If they didn’t stop me I’d be all over the place.”
“All over my life, in every nook and cranny of my heart? I gladly accept that and you, the way you are.”
“Gosh. What a charmer.” The flowers in her hair seem to become more vibrant in color, even releasing off more of their scent. She brushes his hands off her feet. “Come now. Enough of that. This is about you now.” She slides out her chair and sits next to him on the floor. She pats his leg and looks at him.
He looks down to the side in thought. Daisy rubs his leg in a circle. He looks at the ceiling and lets out a sigh.“It appears as though there is a missing girl. There may be even more missing people. I do not know for sure.”
Daisy stops rubbing his leg, letting the information sink in. She then starts rubbing it once again, indicating for Gricrir to continue.
“I already knew we’d need to run longer and more patrols. But that is taxing out our people as it is. I brought the issue up to Captain.”
Her voice sharp “Oh, what did that spoiled squash of a man have to say?”
“Do you really want to know?”
“What did he say?”
“He said I am now responsible for the sector that has the lost girl or people. I brought up to him that his men have not been seen around the orphanage, where the issues seem to be stemming from. So he put me in charge of it.”
Daisy frowns for a moment. Then she brightens up and says “Well this could be good for you? If he’s putting you in charge of the problem you’ll get to run some of his men and yours. This will be great for your reputation. And that dirty night shade of a man is trying the climb the ladder anyways. He’ll just pay you a little extra to do his work. You fix it. Because that’s what you do and you’ll be the pick of the harvest when he moves up. Not entirely fair. But we can make that work. And with the extra money, we might be able to buy a voucher in the mean time Angelica to go to a proper school until we can move to mid-town. Yes. This will work honey.”
Gricrir bites his lower lip.
Daisy sighs, “Not that simple is it dear. What’s wrong.”
“I’m not getting any of his men. I’m personally not getting any extra pay. In fact” he pauses for a while. His apperance looking more sadden than angry “Not only will the extra pay for my staff come out of my pocket, but I’ll still have to work ... a lot more hours. And catch up on the work he’s behind.”
Daisy’s face is completely neutral, a purgatory of expression before she asks “and what exactly will he be doing?”
Gricrir looks deep in thought, raises palms up and gives a shrug.
Daisys neutral expression changes back to a smile as she addresses Gricrir “So you’re saying you’ll do more work, be in more danger, for some reason spend your money, which might I add, should be coming from their treasury and not our daughter’s future, and most importantly be away from our family.”
“Essentially dear.”
Daisy’s laughs. At her laugh the whole house seems to wake up. Not the walls or any of the dead construction, but all the plants dispersed throughout the house. The plants become animated. The vines above head begin to twist and turn, sprouting thorns the length of a man’s hand. Vines encasing the bookshelf reach out and whip dangerously. Even the plant wall becomes living, with various vines spring up and pointing out like lances. The house had become a living jungle.
“That ash-bore of a man. That black-rusted stemmed, fruiting barberry shrub of society. He doesn’t even want to help you with this huge tasks? What is he trying to do, kill you? What a thorny, ever-greenKudzu!” Her words come out like verbal acid. The angrier she gets the more the plants start to move and grow. Her eyes glow with a lime purple aura. Her ears show beneath her hair, their mostly pointed tips twitching. She begins to speak in a language unknown to Gricrir, but the intensity remains the same.
“Honey,” Gricrir tries to draw her attention but to no avail. “Hey dear, come now, come back to me”.
A few plants of the flowering plants nearby begin to change color. Their colors become more reminiscent to a toxic plants. Their petals continue to grow large and prominent.
“Mommy, mommy!” A little voice yells “The house is angry again!”
Gricir’s eyes go wide, the realization that his daughter is in this situation falling upon him. The little girl’s voice seemed to have jarred Daisy’s attention too. Her eyes shoot her to her daughter. Both parents yell out “Little bee!”
*****
Out past the study area, past the the dinning table that took up the room, all the way to the house left wall where the Angelica was sitting was a mass of vines. The vines encircled the space, creating a thorny cocoon.
“Oh no, Angelica” Daisy yelped out. She sprung to her feet, grabbing something from behind her chair then running over to the cocoon.
Gricrir had already sprung to his feet. Dashing the short distance across the room he reaches below the dinning table on his way to the cocoon. His hand finding its intended target, a handle, he draws a short sword whose sheath was attached to the underside of them table. The sword makes a screeching sound of metal on metal as it pulls out, trailing behind him until he gets to the cocoon. He slashes upward and then downward on the vines in front of him. He continues with the relentless efficiency of a dwarven clock-work machine. Each slash drawing green fluids from the vines. As he slashes he gets a glimpse of his wife.
Daisy, while not there first, was a force in her own right. In her hands was a bearded- axe which she wielded skillfully. Her strikes making deep gashes into vines that were the circumference of two fingers put together.
“Mommy!” Angelica said, sounding a little worried.
“Don’t worry little bee. Mommy is going to be right there!” Daisy said.
“Daisy, call off your vines,” Gricrir says, his erriely calm.
“I AM calling them off.”
“They’re not obeying?”
“Here’s the thing. They’re not my vines.”
“Not your vines?”
“Yes, they’re not my vines and they’re not listening to me.”
“How is that even possible? You’re the only nature caller around.” His voice hinting that the brain struggling to comprehend this turn of events.
“It shouldn’t,” a frustration stirring in her voice.
“Just keep cutting dear, we’ll get her out. It’ll be fine,” the sound of surprising leaving his voice, in its place a simple unquestioning resolve. He continues to butcher the rows of vines. He continues “and try to stay calm.”
“I am calm” she continues to slash violently.
Gricrir eyes look over to her adult world wind of slashes he sees at his side. He simply responds“Yes dear.”
“Daddy, is everything ok?”
He hesitates in mid-slash at the voice of his daughter. Bearing some warmth to his words,“Yes little bee. The plants are just excited. Are you ok” his last words hinting at a growing concern he’s been hiding deep; a skill years on the streets had taught him.
“I don’t wont you to be mad a me daddy and mommy.”
Daisy answered in Gricrir’s place,“Mad? We’re not mad at you honey. We are wor-err we just want to get you out of the vines safely that’s all. Remember how I showed you that vines can be prickly. Well there are a lot of prickly vines and mommy and daddy can’t seem to get them to go away.”
“Sure you won’t be mad,” Angelica said.
“Of course little bee. We won’t be mad,” Gricrir responded.
Daisy puts her weapon down. She whispers “keeping talking to our baby dear, I’m going to remove these vines once and for all.”
Gricrir nods returns his focus to projecting his voice past the vines. He switches his tone to that uptown register again. “As daddy of the house, I can assure you, lady little bee, that you will not be in trouble. In fact, the very opposite. In fact I declare that you shall be granted extra piggy back time.”
“For real?”
Returning to a normal tone, “Yes.”
“Ok!” Angelica responded.
While Gricrir was talking Daisy’s had placed her hands on the few sections of the vines that were without thorns. An expression of concentration crossing her face, her hands begin to glow with the same aura of green that her eyes had moments ago. The flowers in her hair sprouted more leaves as she continue. And green colored veins started to show underneath her skin, their branching reminiscence of a plant system. She gave a grunt and pushed on the vines. They quivered. Their lively color fading to one of rot as they retracted from in front of them. With a final push of effort enunciated by another small push, they fell off. Only to reveal another set of vines.
“What?” Daisy responded as she and Gricrir looked at the second layer of vines. These vines were coiled tight, smaller in daimeter and bearing no thorns. Their color was a rich bright green reminiscenct of new born plants. Daisy eyed them curiously and placed the palm of her hand on it.
Gricrir looked at the vines with the disinterest of a man staring at a pile of wood; just another obstacle to be cut down and sorted. He lifted his short sword overhead and prepared to slash downward with both hands. Daisy’s hand springs out in front of his chest, giving him pause.
“I think she’s ok honey.”
“Right.” And prepares to swing again.
Daisy stops him once again. “No Gricrir. I mean, I don’t think that will be necesarry”. She pats him on the chest and then stands in front of him. He takes a step back, letting his sword rest at his side. Daisy places both hands on on the vines and leans her head and ear against them. She stays there for a moment before speaking out. “Little bee.”
“Yes mommy.”
“Can you let us in?”
Gricrir tilts his head like a dog who just heard a strange sound.
“How do I do that?”
“Well honey. You got to listen and feel.”
“I’m listening. I don’t hear anything.”
“Try again. Listen real hard. Like think about how quiet it is when we’re in the garden. When you can hear the birds. And think about how it feels when your feet are in the dirt.”
“Or like when I pick up a slug”
“Or ... like when you pick up a slug. yes dear. Just listen and feel.”
“Ok.” Her voice says from somewhere in the circle of vines.
Daisy gives a few moments, which to Gricrir feel like an eternity of doing nothing, he raises his sword but is dismissed with one hand from Daisy’s who still has her head and other hand against the vines.”
“Can you feel anything.”
“Yes, its like I’m laying down in the garden.”
“Good. Good. Now keep listening. Can you hear anything.”
“No - well, yes. Yes mommy. I can. But I can’t its weird. I don’t know to describe it.”
Daisy lets out a chuckle of disbelief and says “wow” to herself. “No baby. You’re doing just great. Even better than mommy did. Now just feel like youre asking them to open up. Like you’re talking to the whole garden with your mind, and feel like your asking them to open up.”
“Ok.”
A few moments go by.
“Daisy...”
“Shhh, quiet. This is an important part.” Her voice is surprisingly sharp.
“Yes dear.
Realizing her own manner Daisy quickly turns around, places a hand on his chest gives hi ma quick kiss on the cheek. She whispers “sorry dear. Just, just wait a moment. It’s all going to be ok. The most ok it could be. I promise.” Daisy turns back to the tangle of vines.
At first there is still more nothing. Then a main vine seems to shake. Then another one. And an another one.
“You’re doing good Angelica. Keep going. Ask nicely and they’ll listen.”
“Mommy this is hard. I’m getting tired.”
“It’s ok dear. Keep trying.”
The vines begin to shift. This time its the small vines that move, pulling away from each other. They stop.
“Mommy. I’m getting really tired.”
“I’ll buy you candy.”
And those words sealed the deal. After a few straining grunts the plants started to move and kept moving. They pulled and retracted themselves until they created an large opening.
The spaced opened up to a perpetual garden. Flowers in full bloom created a blanket on the vines. The ground was covered with several inches of leaves. Smaller vines wrapped themselves around the children’s table and the associated chair next to it. Onto of the table was one large flower. It’s base had a shredded paper around and just below that a sizable root system that grew into the table, went down one side and out. In fact, a large vine follows the same length and appears to be the start of all the other vines in the surrounding area.
And sitting at the table, was Angelica, unharmed and smiling. She had in her hand scraps of paper that were left. She holds up the papers and says “mommy! I finished my glyphs, my drawinings, and talked to the plants! That mean I can get a piggy back ride and candies right!?”
Daisy hurried inside, lifting her daughter up into a hug. “Of course you can. Of course.” Daisy held Angelica and snuggled her tightly.
Angelica’s eyes kept fluttering close. The excitement now dying down so did her energy. “Mommy, the paper got ripped by the pretty flower. But I promise I did them all. Please can I have more paper?”
Gricrir walked in, looking left and right as he took in the area. The peculiarity of this horictulal wonder was not lost onto him, but it did not distract. He responded before Daisy could, “Of course dear. Anything for my little bee.” And the last statement low enough for only him to hear “anything for my girls.”
Angelica gave a “yay!” That ended in a yawn as she started to close her eyes.
Gricrir mouthed the words “Is it safe” to Daisy. She nodded her her head. And at that, Gricrir let out a sigh and his shoulders dropped, releasing the tension he had. His expression loses it’s solemn focused look that he keeps in the streets for one that shows the actual worry he had. He simply says a “good.”
Daisy’s nods in agreement, rocking back and forth with Angelica in her arms. “You did very good today little bee. You did very good. But I think it’s time for you take a little nap”
Angelica attempts to give up a fight against the dreaded word of “nap time” but fatigue rules the day and her efforts simply end in a yawn.
“But. Good effort is to be rewarded,” he says as a broad announcement. He then knees in front of Daisy, with his back towards her. “I’ll take her upstairs.”
Daisy shifts her hold of Angel. “Come on dear. Time to get on daddy’s back for a piggy back ride.” Angelica clumsily climbs from her mother onto Gricrir’s back. Once he gets a good hold of her, he walks out of the space, careful not to trip on the foliage underfoot. He quickly takes her upstairs to her room, tucks her in and returns to find his wife still in the half circle.
****
Gricrir steps back into the space. This time he looks around carefully. He stops at one of the vined walls and gathers a petal between his forefingers. He flips the silky smooth petal between his fingers. He lets out an simple “hmph” and lets it go.
He walks over to Daisy who was standing next to teh chair and the large flower. Her right arms would have booth been folded in front of her chest, except that the left arm was extended out a bit, holding a shred piece of of paper in her fingers. She kept looking from the table, to the shredded paper and to the large flower.
Gricrir place an arm around her shoulder.
“Do you know what plant that is dear?,” she asked./
“No. I don’t much beyond turnips, kales, and the like. I only know of the flowers you like dear.”
“That is an elder-thorn flower. You see its bright yellow petals and the white splotches in the middle of the petals.”
“Yes. I do.” He chooses to hold back any questions. Why he wanted to know what part that had to do with these excited plants; life his field has taught him to let people speak- they’ll eventually tell you what you need to know be it the story you would not have hearted by interrupting, or the lies will lead to what really is going on because people often got caught in their own plot holes. Lying he didnb’t have to worry about here. Making sure he understood the dynamics of a world of lore and craft beyond him, however, was a concern.
“They’re a sign of elder-thorn flowers. They’re very proununced on the petals but are also visible on the leaves; that is in fact how you can determine its’ an elder-thorn plant. “
“Is it because the splotches look like an old mans beard?”
“Yes. Partially.”
“What’s the other part.”
“The other part is that they grow on millennium trees. You know, trees that oulive the elves like the Draconis of the plains, Fairy Puffs of the northern climates, Elven Ears, and the Matheseula.”
Gricrir nods despite the growing sense of unfamiliarity.
Daisy starts to talk and then stops. The loud sound of temple bells filling true area. They resound a clear five o’clock in the afternoon.
Daisy continues, “There are couple of intgeresthging things about them. They are symbiotic. They wrap around these trees but require less nutrients to survive. But they’re not great at competing with other dense plants. So they do well in the shade and protective space of millennium trees.”
“Ok. Ok.” Gricrir says, not having much to add.
“Well, the thing about them is that they’re very protective of those millennium trees, or elder trees for short. If a animal distUrberers the nearby area, or attempts in anyway to harm the tree they spring up around the tree like a coat of armor; except they grow spikes. Larger and more dangerous than what my plants can grow.”
Gricrir nods again. Not knowing where this is going.’
Daisy turns to him. “I mean these thorns have toxins that can paralyze an attacker. Thyh’re often collected in fact for use in surgeries or in other more diabolical choices. These thorns are so good at what tehy do that many a great forest which would have been destroyed are still around this day because of them.”
“Dear, I’m just a simple guard from a family of simple farmers. I don’t know what this means or why this is important. I do know that I was afraid for our daughters life.”
“She was never in danger Gricrir.”
Gricrir quirks an eyebrow. “Well, I do see that there are only flowers in here. But that doesn’t comfort me dear.”
“Well let me finish.”
He sighs. “Ok.”
“These vines are protective, used in medicines, and live as long as the trees they protect. That’s why tyhre’ called elder-thorn flowers. Here’s the thing about that. These flowers usually req2uired there to be: one, an elder tree, two years to grow naturally in the wild, and three a connection with a powerful nature caller for them to grow outside of their normal conditions and to follow request. “
“And...”
“Gricrir” she unfolds her arms and places both of them on top of his shoulders, while still holding onto the pieces of paper in her hands “how many elder trees have you seen here?”
Gricrir takes a few moments to think. “Dear, I can’t say I’m aware of any.”
“Right. Neither can I. Nor were they growing in our plants. And I can’t control these plants. They don’t listen to me.
“So what you’re saying ...”
“I’m saying that our daughter somehow has manifested control of the plant, from whence ever it came. More than that./ IT has bonded with her. Like all nature callers, a seed has bonded to her. And...?”
“And it should be impossible at this point in her life. She doesn’t have the force of presence to do this.”
“Force of presence?”
“To describe it. It is a mixture of will and essence.”
“Mage stuff.
“Yes.”
“And I think” she waves the little scraps of paper in hand in front of Gricrir, “I think this has something to do with it. I think the glyphs some how condensed or focused her power.”
“How does that work?”
“See. That’s the thing honey. It’s not supposed to. She’s tapped into light magic and combined it with nature magic. I think when I became stressed her natural ability sensesed it. And at the same time her glyph activated, fueling the growth of a protective shield. And whatever combination of ability that is, it must have interfered with my vines’ natural responses.
Still seeming not to truly catch on, “So you’re saying our kid is smart I take it.”
Daisy nests face between her palms for a moment. Then looks up at him and gives him a hug. “Yes. I’m saying our daughter through force of will and study is able to do something unheard of and we need to get her into a school in mid town. If she can do this; she can most likely learn elemental magic like her uncle thought. If she can learn elemental magic and does well she can get recruited to work in a noble house. They’ll train her in magic. She’lll work as a mage. She’ll never have to worry about money. Ever. People can say what they will about the nobles, but they take care of their mages.”
Gricrir nods slowly. He looks down at the table, studying it, his face seeming tired.
“Honey. Smile. This is a good thing. This is an amazingly good thing. If we were in my clan, her ability to communicate with a simple plant would be worthy of praise. This is worth a month long celebration.” She bites her bottom lip in contemplation “Maybe two. This is a day of celebrations.”
Gricrir grabs her hand, his voice solemn. “Thinking of celebrations dear. I muster remind you that I will be busy patrolling, per our earlier conversations. I don’t understand magic. And I only understand plants as a former farmer could. Not like you and the people of your clan. But what I do understand is the need for money and the pettiness of people. If I am going to get a shot at Captain, it’s going to mean playing his game. I work and make him look good. Keep him looking good. I get a shot at become captain. We move to upper mid-town and are granted the right to send up to two children to one of their studies. No question, per custom. I’ll have to pay for somethings but not the entirety of her studies.”
He holds her hand now in both of his. “I just want to give you all the life you deserve. But that means I’ll have to begone. A lot. I need you to understand dear.”
Daisy’s pretty face goes through a series of emotion from simple listening, to frustration and finally to resolved understanding. She clasps her over hand onto his. She takes a deep breath. “Let’s get you some food? It’s almost dinner and we’ve yet to get you even lunch.” She leads him out of the space with one hand, dipping down to grab her axe, and then continuing her walk to the study. Gricrir happens to grab his short sword with his one free hand and places it on the dinning table.
“Sit,” she gestures to a chair. Gricrir takes a seat attempting to relax. Noting he’;s seated, Daisy walks to teh kitchen and says “I just want you to rest. I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day. Don’t you think.”
“Yes,” he says and looks at the small chess-table. “Dear, if it’s fine by you, I’m going to put my feet up on the table. They’re pretty tired. I’ve been up and down all over. I will wipe it off when I’m done”
Daisy is now in the kitchen area. She’s quickly grabbing different food items and plates. “Don’t you worry about wiping off the table. I’ll get it. You just rest.”
Gricrir does just that. He places his heavy feet on top of the table and looks up at the ceiling and then around the around the room. The vines had all returned back to their normal sizes.
He was not surprised. This was not the first time her plants had stirred as they did. He knew that when he married her, not only would he be taking her on, along with her family name of Foreblossom, but he’d be taking on all that came with a nature caller. It meant plants galore that responded to her call; rather called intentionally or not. And she, one of the most caring and passionate of her clan, meant that these kinds of episodes would just be par for the course. She was intune with nature like how he was intune with the streets. She understood his need for security and preparation and he understood her natural control of her environment. He felt that they were truly meant for each other. Like a bee for its daisy flower.
He looked at the one spot of the room that still yet to return to normalcy; the child’s study area. As his thoughts became murky with the fog and urge to protect went with it, he realized what this all meant. His daughter was powerful. Born of Sadian nature caller and a commoner. And on top of that learned magic. He would have to protect her. Keep her safe from those who’d use her. And yet at the same time get her to have a better life. “A better life for my ladies,” he mumbles as he drifts into a much deserved sleep.
The sounds of heavy knocking jars Gricrir clear out of his sleep. He’s onto his feet with hand on dagger before he even understood what was going on. He looked at Daisy, who was just sitting a plate of food onto the table, in askance regarding who might be at the door. She shrugs her shoulders.
Gricrir walks to the front door, grabbing his short sword off the table from whence he left it. Who stays to ther side of the front door and begins to ask questions.
“Who is it.”
“Is this the home of Flagsorn Soggonsmith.”
“Who, what?” Gricrir asks, confused.
“No. What are you lost.”
The voice took a moment. It was in a drunken slur, but clear as he said “Well, not all who wander in the dark are lost.”
Gricrir immediately unlatches all the locks except for the chain lock. He then asks “are you searching for a light?”
The drunken voice laughs. “I guess even a candle needs a light sometime.” There is another round of laughs at teh voice walks off.
Gricrir slams the door shut; uncharactersticallly only locking a few of the locks. He then paces over to his armor. He puts his short sword down against the wall. He then throws on all of his guard gear.
Daisy watches him and then yells out. “Something wrong?”
Gricrir looks at her for a moment, “I have to leave” and then snaps his head back to his gear.
“You have to leave, you just got here. And what about dinner.”
“I have to leave.” His voice is just as solemn as it was when hie first walked in the house. His body stiff again and yet rushing at the same time. He keeps his eyes down on what he’s doing; not wanting to see the look of disappointment on his wife’s face. But he did not have to look to see it. He could hear it in her simple “Oh.”
She would not stop him. He knew that. But that didn’t make things any easier. He did his best to keep his mouth shut and not complain, but his face was beginning to turn red with irritation.
“Honey.”
He kept not looking up.
“Honey,”
He ignored it less he break.
“Honey,”
He felt his heart grow heavy. And as he was looking down at his armor, tightening the final fasteners, a dainty hand raises his chin up. He looks daisy in the eyes.
Her eyes were kind. They showed no anger or frustration. And it was that kindness that he loved about her and that also broke his heart in having to leave. She took his hand and put a small pouch in it.
“These are a mix of wild seeds and dried fruits. It’s not as tasty as fried tuna; but it will stave off hunger and keep you alert. It’s an ol’ nature caller’s recipe from my tribe.” She closes his hand around the pouch.
“I’m sorry-“
“Shhhh,” she whispers, leans up and kisses him on the cheek. “Just come back home safe.”
Gricrir nods. He quickly leaves the building. Just in enough time for no one to see the droplets on his cheek during a rainless day.
****