Flowers, Faeries and Honey

Relieved that he accepted the honey and quickly ate it, she looked over the crown when it was nudged towards her “Just bracelets so far” the young woman admitted quietly “I’m not good enough to make anything else” quite comfortable where she was as she knew the island almost like the back of her hand by now she was continuing to study the intricate way the flower crown was woven together when he asked her another question. Looking up at him quietly she resisted the urge to shrug, that was rude and she’d get in trouble so she tried something else “Well… they’ve always made sense to me, they’re so much easier to understand than people. They can grow to be so beautiful, I always wanted to grow up to become a botanist, to go to university and create new breeds of flowers… although that’s never going to happen now” her smile left her lips at that, it was heart breaking that the one thing she wanted the most in the world would never happen. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen to her when the dragon was finished with her, but it was unlikely that she’d be allowed to go home, she’d already asked him first after all and he’d said no. “The woman at the florist I worked for during the summer said I was gifted with plants” she wasn’t going to offer any of the ideas she had for plants, they were something private that she didn’t share with people, people would only laugh at her and tell her it wasn’t possible. “Thank you for the necklace I really like it and the flowers haven’t withered on it either its amazing I wish I knew how to do that with plants” changing the subject to him, not used to someone taking such an interest in her obsession with plants, Tirena knew that most people loved talking about themselves and that it was often safer to steer the conversation to them instead of herself.

Tirena nodded eagerly when he offered to teach her other things, she was very interested in learning more about plants and whatever this most interesting male had to teach her. Happening to glance up at the same time as he smiled, her cheeks went pink. Looking away and fiddling with the necklace-collar around her neck anxiously, feeling the warmth in her chest grow when the man told her that it sounded like she’d be a wonderful botanist a smile unknowingly etched itself onto her lips. Glancing up briefly when he asked why she wouldn’t be able to and her eyes sparkled a little with hope when he told her she was so clever with them “I’ll never be free, I asked him. He said that once he’s finished with me I wont get to go home” the smile and hope in her eyes faded, it was clear that she believed what the dragon had told her, after all everything he’d ever told her had always been accurate. Not moving away when he inched closer she leaned forwards towards him a little ot better see how he began weaving another few plants. Studying it as best as she could, Tia nodded and took the plants and began to replicate it, as she did so she began humming again, the movement and noise linked now as she was used to singing while she weaved. Pausing to glance up at him again, she couldn’t but help but notice that he still looked starved, wondering why he wasn’t being fed, she didn’t say anything and instead looked back down at her weaving and continued humming unknowing that she was doing so.

Continuing to pay close attention to how he was weaving the different sort of bracelet, so busy observing how his hands manipulated the plants his comment that the necklace he had made for her looked pretty on her the girl went pink once more. “Thank you” she decided that he was complimenting the necklace not her and so she didn’t dispute his words as she agreed that the necklace was indeed lovely. Happy there with him her happiness only lasted for a few moments before Erisidr walked up, grabbing her by the wrist and with that single moment all of the tentative happiness that she’d started to foster and associate with the faerie was gone. Dragged off she wasn’t returned until later in the day, pale and unconscious having endured new more invasive tests and a fair bit of blood drawn, Tori was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and yanked him close speaking quite calmly “IF you stop your attempts at running away I will take all of the iron off of you” the faerie had one maybe two hours before his time was up and he’d be made to come inside for the night again. Showing little interest in Tia now that he had briefly satisfied his curiosity about the strange girl, he turned and headed back down into the islands tunnel system underneath it.

Pale and weak the girl didn’t move from her spot for quite some time, it was only when the mornings rays hit her the next day did she get up albeit shakily. Managing to find the healthy plate of food that was always left out for her, she devoured it without hesitation and lay back feeling the food slowly give strength back to her. Up on her feet again she collected the couple of jars of honey that as usual were left out, she didn’t know if that meant that Tori would be allowed out today or not. Unfortunately he wasn’t, and so Tia hid away the honey pots and curled up under the wool blanket that was a keepsake from home. It was another two days before she found another pot of honey, knowing then that it meant he was coming and guessing that he’d need more honey, Tia once again stashed away the pot of honey and took off. Reaching the bee hives that she’d discovered some time ago, walking up to them and feeling a little nervous, the red head began to sing to the bees, picking a particular song that had them all falling asleep around her. Keeping the song going while she struggled to get into a hive and managed to pull out the heavy combs that were within the hive, carrying as many as she could the girl carried the warm honey combs back to the usual meeting place where she met Tori. This time he was missing a shackle around one wrist and it had some strange cream on it, “Tori? I have something for you” moving closer she passed him the combs before turning and whipping off returning with the three jars of honey as well, wanting to take care of the man and make sure that he stayed okay. Setting those near him as well, worried pale green eyes watched the blonde, the female had twigged that he needed sugar and honey to survive which was why she hadn’t eaten the tempting substance herself. After all he’d taken care of her, so it was only right she return he favour and look after him, anxious and hoping he’d be okay, Tia half wondered if he needed her wool blanket to wrap around him as he seemed frightfully cold.

Smiling at him when she was praised, Tia discovered that she liked the praise it meant she was doing the right thing, sitting down across from him and sighed quietly. She wasn’t exactly sure what he was but by now she was fairly certain that he wasn’t human. Sitting there she offered the male her company, her knees drawn up underneath her chin and her bright pale green eyes studying him. They had some pleasant talking together before the man was taken away, over the next two months Tori was allowed to spend more and more time with Tia until finally the last piece of iron on the faerie the iron collar had been taken away and the healing salve that the dragon had created slathered on the wound about his neck. He was let out of the tunnels in the late after noon, Tia had moved away from the place where she normally was and instead was down near the lake sitting on a rock and braiding flowers into her hair while singing to herself,
Underneath the Big Dipper
We gathered stars,
We took off both our slippers
And sank into the water
Then we swam beneath that bridge
We met a man who sold us what we needed
He gave us directions
Her sweet voice was easily heard around the island, a good lead to where she was, looking out at the thousands of painted stones painted by Maple the other red head that she’d gotten to know a little. Loving to dance when she thought no one was watching she finished braiding flowers into the braid that framed her face and stood, stating to dance happily to the refreshing song that she knew off by heart. Kicking the water and sending ti splashing, a broad smile decorated her features as she continued to sing. Prying off her shoes so she could feel the warm water against her feet, the red head remained lost in her on little world and would stay there until someone made a noise.

Turning about suddenly at the noise, the wariness on her features was replaced with a warm smile “Thank you” naturally moving over to sit next to him she watched the sun slipping down the horizon of the crater quietly “I’m going okay” she didn’t really want to go into what was troubling her, the sun was up and she had his company so she should be fine. Used to him and his company she was quite comfortable sitting there next to him and wriggled her toes in the warm water of the lake. She was admittedly surprised that he was out this late usually by now he was safely locked away which left her to deal with spending the night alone again. She missed her family as well as June and folly but it got so much worse once the sun had set, the stars were like cold hard eyes of gods that didn’t care about where she was or how unhappy she was. Closing her eyes she dug her toes into the stones that covered the bottom of the crater lake, digging h er teeth into her lip, she just had to wait for him to either go back to Erisidr or to fall asleep and then she’d be able to suffer by herself again.

Fidgeting a little anxiously when he asked if she was sure, just nodding she continued to watch the horizon as the large orange sun slipped below the horizon more and more, it felt like only moments before it was most of the way hidden behind the walls of the crater leaving them in dusk. Glancing over at Tori when he commented about not having seen the stars here, she didn’t really think much of his words “It’s a really good spot here, are you going to be allowed to sleep out tonight then? I have a spot that I spend the night at” it was where she’d gathered her things and where she’d made a sort of soft bed out of dried leaves and moss. Shivering a little at a cool breeze she got up to her feet and gestured “you’re welcome to share it with me” it was an offer that was made without hesitation, he was her friend, he was safe and he wouldn’t hurt her. Walking with him back to the clearing that she’d made her own, the girl pulled the old pack out of the hollowed out tree and sat down on her ‘bed’ with it looking up at him with a quiet smile before she tugged the old woolen blanket out of her pack and set it down guessing that he’d need it after all he was still so thin. Also in the small back pack was her few other possessions, there was the notebook that had all of her information about the plants she hoped to create one day, the book that the old florist had given to her, a tooth brush, and a small clockwork steampunk flower that had been made for her by folly. The final thing in the bottom of the pack was a small bundle of photographs, they were pictures of herself and June, zipping the bag back up and shoving it back into the hollowed tree while biting her lip trying to fight the tears and homesickness she made herself speak as normally as she could “You can borrow the um, ah blan-blanket” she should be fine without it, or perhaps he’d offer to share but he was more important to take care of than herself. Easily manipulated and trained by him albeit subtly and she was to the point where she believed that she had to take care of him, even if that put her own self second and to the side.

Having sat down in the leaves and brushed her hands along her arms, it took her a few seconds before she glanced up at the warm voice, digesting the offer she obediently moved over to him and snuggled underneath the blanket with a quiet sigh. Blinking in surprise when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, digesting it a couple of moments before leaning into him. Resting her head against his shoulder, she closed her eyes and sighed, not fighting him when he brushed his fingers over the what she believed to be necklace the girl murmured quietly “I feel safe with you” although she couldn’t help with how red her face was going at how close in proximity he was to her. She’d never been this close to a man before, not like this, feeling a little shy that she was having such a reaction and hid her face as much as she could. Sitting there in silence for quite some time she finally started talking about what was weighing her down “Do you miss your home? I miss Juney, we were best friends and she had a dog named Nathan” much to her embarrassment tears started to slide down her cheeks and onto the man she was taking comfort in. “I miss them so much, and folly she was junes mum, she was like a mum to me. Well she understood me better than my actual mum, and now I’ll never see them again, ever. I miss them so much Tori” starting to wind herself up into a state despite herself, sobbing gut wrenching sobs soft apologies for her crying occasionally became legible. “I just want to go home and be with them, be away from this place and Erisidr, are you going to be taken away from me too?” she’d started to depend on the male for company and comfort, “I don’t want to be on my own, I don’t want to be hurt” everything that she’d been kept bottled up for the past six months or so had finally become spilling out, and with Tori as her frequent companion he’d quickly become someone she liked and trusted and was eager to be around. She wasn’t hurt when he was there, and that made him a good person, unwillingly knowing that she’d been expertly manipulated by Tori and aided by the dragon who’d hurt them both the red head cuddled close to the faerie sobbing with all of the pain she’d endured and all of the homesickness and lonliness that continued to plague her.

The gentle hand brushing over her hair was soothing, something her mother had done when she was very small, listening to the soft noises, her green eyes closed and she did her best to listen to him. It was reassuring to know that he missed his home too, believing him when he told her that she was okay with him. The tears continued to slide down her face although her sobs started to calm down a little. It was so relieving to know that there was someone who she could go to who’d look after her, who’d comfort her, who’d protect her from the world as best as he could. Sniffling and lifting a hand to wipe her eyes and nose, he told her that he was sure she’d see her family again and that she just had to hold onto hope for longer “Okay, Tori” she’d do whatever he said, perhaps in the new day if he was interested she’d show him the photographs. There was little idea in her head that she should show him the ideas she had for plants in the notebook, that was something more private than anything else, perhaps there was the private fear of being judged by it all and told that it wasn’t possible. She’d always been told that what she wanted to do, what she wanted to become wasn’t possible, her family believed in keeping your feet on the ground and not dreaming too far, apologizing one last time she wiped her eyes and settled some although she silently cried still so thankful that he was kind enough to offer her comfort like this.

Feeling safe when he hugged her closer, she settled more and yawned not minding when he tangled his fingers in her hair, opening her eyes again when he asked about the constellations “um yes, that one is the big dipper it’s the constellation I mention in my song” pale green eyes looked up at the stars in the sky trying to pick up different ones “That ones Orions belt, those three stars there aaaaannndddd that’s the southern cross” she’d been able to monitor the skies and had been able to get her hands on some star gazing books and so was able to name most of the constellations. Continuing to name the ones she knew the best, yawning again she settled herself down for sleep. She was tired and all she really wanted to do was cuddle close to the comfort that the male was able to give her, despite being tired she kept herself awake for what else Tori had to say, she owed him much for his comfort and kindness and she had decided that she’d look after the man who seemed to need her help so. Safe and sound, the girl didn’t mind that the man she had settled down with was cold he was familiar. Knowing exactly what her family would say if they walked in upon this, Tia smiled a little to herself in amusement, however she wasn’t sure what folly nor June would say and a familiar pang of homesickness for them and the florist tore the smile from her place.

Completely relaxing when he brushed his fingers through her hair, it wasn’t long before she was fast asleep in his hold feeling relatively safe with the faerie or she wouldn’t have let him near her. Waking up at her usual time the girl stretched a little before opening her eyes, realizing how cuddled into the faerie she was, the humans face went a dark red. Getting up onto her feet she headed away from where they had spent the night, well aware of where the honey should normally be, it took her about half an hour longer than usual to find the honey that was always left out for her to give to Tori. Finally finding the two jars of honey it took her another twenty minutes to find her own food, finally finding it she returned to the faerie with a slightly confused look on her face, there was something extra on her food plate that she had no idea of what it was. It was faerie food, and had obviously been left there for Tori to give to Tia, passing him the honey jars the redhead sat down with a sigh, quite wary of new things thanks to what had been done to her because of the dragon Tia passed Tori the faerie food “Here, I’m not sure I want it” with that the pretty girl continued eating her breakfast rather hungrily, looking after the blond was second nature by now, the easily manipulatable girl finished off her plate with a quiet sigh keeping a watchful eye on Tori starting to take her cues of what she should do from him.

Smiling quietly when he thanked her, she settled down a little more comfortably and nodded "yes thank you" feeling her face go red remembering what had transpired the night before she ducked her head and fiddled with the ends of her hair. Looking up at him when he offered her the strange food claiming it was tasty she accepted the piece that she was offered, watching him eat it quite comfortably she nibbled at it slowly finishing it all. Looking back over at him the sight of wings that were beautiful despite the blakc painful looking scorch marks, rubbing her eyes and wondering if she was imagining them. "y-you've got wings?!" it came out as a question and an exclamation she'd never expected to see anything like that before in her entire life. pale green eyes were wide and her mouth had parted in surprise. Wings were those real wings? She wanted to touch them but she had the feeling that wouldn't be allowed so she kept her hands to herself fiddling with the ends of her hair.

Continuing to watch them in awe, she dimly remembered Folly talking about Faeries and that they were dangerous, however she wasn't so sure, he'd not done anything to hurt her and he'd been quite kind to her. Wrapping her arms around herself and nodding to show she understood, Tirena didn't say anything else deciding that it was easier to just accept that he was a faerie and that they were real, wanting to know what would happen next however she chewed on her bottom lip. She was so sick and tired of being hurt and she was sure that Tori was sick of the dragons torment too, happy to follow the blonds lead the redhead settled herself down and sighed.