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Nearly a year had passed, and without fail the little princess had disappeared in the mornings with a basket on her arm.
"Except for the restday," she told herself, walking merrily along the dirt path. "Father insists on my attendance, then." With true remorse, Mirianne recalled the slight crease between King Teros' eyebrows as she wandered away, spending less and less time at the palace and more in the wild woods. One positive factor was that Olyandar avoided her, beaded robes swishing quickly as he deftly excused himself from her presence.
His lavender eyes grew increasingly pensive, and Miri was glad of the excuse to be far away from him. Snaps in his words or of his thin fingers startled the scaled winged lizard he kept on his shoulder, whether as a pet or to frighten others she did not know. Certainly it had subdued many of the serving maids with its gutteral calls. "Princess, you should not wander so," Olyandar would say nervously, fingers in constant motion. "Is not the palace fully stocked, without prompting the slavish labor of its maidens?" The weight over her heart was unbearable in his company, and she hastened away to the stone castle to clear the heaviness with the cool, sweet air.
"The storeroom is brimming, Miri," Kayden joked, though his eyes held the same worry as their father's. "What more must you do? No one can say you have been idle or useless." She had smiled at him, to allay some of his worries. Not that he had been around lately, anyway. He was vigourously courting the daughter of the Lord of Eremay, gallently riding across hill and plain to bask in her company.
She reached the stone castle easily, now, after but a few minutes of stepping off the road into the trees. It occurred to her that she should be frightened of the sorcery, but Miri embraced the lapse instead, as she had accepted the lifting of the weight on her bosom. Walking through the neatly controlled thornapple bushes, and over the weedless cobbles, she stepped quickly over to her herb garden and harvested Uusa blossoms.
"Dav, I'm here," she called out, for he did prefer to known when she came, though she sometimes first spent time in the garden. It was easier, that way, rather than dashing around hurriedly, anxiously searching for suitable herbs so she could spend even more time at the castle. This way she could ratify her ratify her excuse of gathering without suspicion.
Sufficiently pleased with the amount of Uusa, their soft pink petals brushing against her palm, Miri brought out her basket with her sachets and thread. "Hello, Dav." For the hundredth time, she wished he could speak to her, but was content to lean against the cool serenity of the marble. "How are you this day?"
"Yesterday, a brawl in the courtyard depleated the palace's supply of Uusa, mostly for bloody noses and minor scratches." Mirianne laughed out loud. "All over the choice portion of the banquet's roast, and father's face turned red with his angry roaring."
Glancing over to her strange friend, she grinned as she read his answer.
Miri-
Those who fight for the
hero's portion deserve
the trouble they receive for
their efforts. And it must
have been quite a hilarious
sight, wasn't it?
-Dav
"Quite true." Mirianne held the soft flower to her nose. "And a waste of Uusa. It's such a lovely flower, but always dried before they have the chance to really reach their prime." Inhaling the sweet scent, she smiled and leaned over the marble edge to place the blossom in Davien's marble hand. She had never asked if he could feel, though she assumed that because he could not see in the magical imprisonment he could also not wield the sense of touch.
Just as she was about to put the Uusa down, the tiny plant twisted in her hand. "Oh!" she cried aloud. The stem had lengthened by at least an inch, and a myriad of tiny roots swung gently from the cut end. "What has happened?" Peering closer at the Uusa nestled in her palm, it continued to grow slowly.
"Dav," she whispered, panicking. "Dav! What is happening? Why is it growing?" Mirianne dropped the small plant onto his still stone chest, voice shaking.
Dear Miri-
There is nothing wrong
at all, just that by the healing
nature of this castle has
broken the spell over your powers.
Have you not felt the burden being
lifted from your soul?
Faithfully, Dav
She laid her shaking hand on the stiff, carved sleeve. "What powers?" she asked, genuinely confused. "I have no magick, not a whit. Dear Dav, you know that, right? No one has magick now. Not even the greenwitches, or sorcerers. They merely chant!"
Silence stole over the room, the only audible sound her harsh breathing, until his answer appeared on the marble.
My friend, do not worry.
Yours is a healing power.
I do not know what heavy spell
had been cast upon you,
but do not worry-
it has nearly been lifted.
I had no idea that the
magick blood had thinned so,
for in my time there were many
with a gift. Miri, even as the weight
is lifted from yourself, I can feel
myself growing stronger and
stronger. I believe I have you to
thank for this help.
You are a healer of many kinds,
of the mind and soul.
Plants included.
Yours ever, Dav
She rested her aching forehead against the cool stone, something that she always found consoling. "So confusing," she said quietly, green eyes thoughtful. "I wonder what spell it was." Mirianne picked up the abandoned flower. "Thank you, Dav. I wish you were here with me." The silence after her words was reproachful.
Laughing a little bit, she tugged at her loose braid. "My apologies, for you are here, yet you do understand what I mean, do you not?" Her mirth allowed her to relax from the fright, and she carefully recollected the Uusa flower. "No growth," Mirianne said, surprised. "Perhaps it is a matter of control." She smiled at the small bit of plant in her hand before turning back to the sleeping Davien.
Sobering, she hesitantly touched his stone forehead. "You have been my friend." In a moment of weakness, she allowed herself to gaze at his handsome marble face. "Thank you," Miri said gratefully. "You have my love and gratitude." Once the words had left her mouth, she blushed, but did not make any move to retract them.
Finishing her herbal sachets, she briefly reglanced at his face, and could have sworn that his mouth was no longer relaxed in sleeping but wore a slight smile. She wondered if it was a lift in the spell, or simply her imagination. Scooping up the tiny growing Uusa, she transplanted it into a small pot of dirt and placed it by the clear glass window.
Even if he could not see, Davien deserved a bit of plant in his room, didn't he? The afternoon sun briefly framed the small flower, and she bid her day's farewell to the sleeping prince.
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