It wasn’t often that Vin found her way up North, back into the wasteland that was her birthplace. She was tempted to stop, to go through those ruins, no matter how dangerous it would be…. But no. She remained focus, and forced herself to continue on that beaten path that wound its way through a luscious landscape full of thick, green grass, tall trees, and rolling hill, past Southshore and deep into the heart of Hillsbrad.
There was only one destination in mind, one item to procure, and Vinarei had no doubt that it would be absolutely perfect for the intended receiver. Sure, it was a bit unorthodox, but so was Atticus, and she adored that about the young acolyte.
It had been years since she’d been inside the home that belonged to her mother’s friend, part of her unsure if the woman was still around, still creating these things of beauty that Vin had not seen elsewhere in all of her travels. But as she wound the dirt path and saw the small house nestled against the forest’s edge, a smile graced her features, and she pulled the horse to a stop before dismounting.
The house could only be described as ‘charming.’ Red in color, it sat against a backdrop that made the colors pop. Even now, it was decorated for the coming holiday, and it brought such joy to Vinarei. The greenhouse that stood just off to the side was similarly decorated, with twinkling lights and garland strung in a haphazard fashion that just screamed ‘inviting.’
Upon knocking on the door, the woman was met with a warm, welcoming hug, not to mention the cookies and tea that had been prepared prior to her arrival. How Samantha knew she’d be coming, Vin didn’t know, nor did she ask. Small talk was had, nearly an hour spent on catching up on the highs and lows that had come to pass quite recently, before they got to the heart of the matter.
Vin was here for a very special item, one she knew she could find nowhere else. Samantha led her out to the greenhouse, and Vin was very much like a child on Winter’s Veil morning. She all but beamed as she stepped into the humid room, hazel eyes darting about at the various ‘experiments’ that Samantha had to offer. Each was precious to the herbalist, but for the right amount, she’d part with one here and there.
It was a magical garden, this special place that was tucked away with so very few visitors. Samantha had been bringing these plants to life for years now, and treated them with so much care that it was a wonder to Vin that the woman could even part with them. It was loud, to say the least. The sounds of singing, humming, or conversation taking place both in Common, and, to her at least, Gibberish, filled the air. The sweet scent of flowers and the earthy scent of soil assaulted her nostrils, and she loved it. Vin used to spend hours here as a child when her father would bring the family home for weeks at a time, tending to the various plants, and watching as Samantha brought such beings to life.
“I’ll be inside when you’re ready, dear.” Samantha’s words were quiet, but joyfully spoken, a smile on the woman’s face as she headed back to the house to prepare another cup of tea and wait for Vinarei to make her decision.
So caught up in the wonderment of it all, Vin didn’t respond, but instead walked further into the greenhouse. Her hand was out, fingers sliding gently over the offered vines, petals, leaves, and the like. Questions were asked, responses given, though she understood very few of them. The colors astounded her; such rich hues of indigos, blues, pinks, and yellows, to name only a few.
What would she choose? How would she choose?
It wasn’t until she’d been about to turn back and make her way back towards the front to one of the greenhouse towards the others that had originally caught her eye when she saw the most bold yellow petals peeking out from around a green halo of leaves, what could only be describe as ‘freckles’ dotting it’s sweet face. Though small in size, this particular specimen seemed to not seek the attention from the woman, but instead looked through the glass of the greenhouse and peered at the rolling hills just outside. Unlike the others, it was quiet.
Vin got to her knees, elbows resting on the planter as she, too, looked out towards the hills, and as she asked several of those she met in the city, she did here as well. “What are we looking at?”
She was met with a rustle of vibrant green leaves, and a ‘hmph’ in return. It garnered a smile from the woman, and she couldn’t help but be drawn to this particular being.
“I know what you want,” she continued. “You want to be out there, don’t you? To not be cooped up here with the rest, but to see what lies beyond those hills. Curiosity and adventure go hand in hand, you know.” Vinarei looked at the sunflower, and could already tell she got the small one’s attention. Rounded, perfect eyes darted to Vinarei for the briefest of moments before averting its gaze and looking outside again in silence.
Getting to her feet, Vinarei let out a sigh. “But, maybe I’m wrong….” She began to walk away, when she heard the quietest of voices break through that sea of humming, chatter, and singing. If she hadn’t been expecting it, she would have missed it entirely.