Juniper returned from her grandmother's home with a satchel stuffed with ingredients, a couple of empty phials, some non-charred gardening gloves and her pruning knife freshly sharpened.
There was a spring in her step, her previously bloodshot eyes now sparkled golden.
She inhaled the crisp winter air and swung merrily around a silver birch.
"What's got you so happy?"
Juniper halted and looked around for the sound of her older brother's voice.
Darthin stepped out from behind a bush, ruffling his shaggy hair.
"Grandmother."
She smiled, patting her bloated satchel. He rolled his eyes at grandmother's favourite pupil.
"Why were you hiding behind a bush?"
Darthin nodded towards a couple arguing behind a tree and gestured his sister to crouch down and eavesdrop.
Juniper's eyes widened as she watched the buttercup Bosmer approach Felnyx with a face like roaring thunder.
"You think I'm stupid?!"
She cried, bunching her fists. Her pretty golden curls were now angry frizzy knots, her voice wavered.
"You think I didn't see? Y'ffre's leafy backside, you think I didn't HEAR?!"
Her shoulder's trembled with rage as Felnyx folded his arms, leaning back against the tree.
"Darlin', I don't know what you're talkin' about."
Felnyx spoke cooly, eyebrows raised.
"C'mon, babe, you know I wouldn't—"
"I saw you!"
She screamed, pointing a finger towards his chest.
"Listen, my sweet Marigold, it was Darthin. I wouldn't touch that Hoarvor. Come on, be reasonable"
Darthin and Juniper snorted in unison
Felnyx gently took hold of her arm, to which she shook off and gave him a slap across the face so hard that the sound richocheted across the trees. Darthin flinched and let out a quiet 'yikes'
"Don't touch me!"
Felnyx cursed and rubbed his sore cheek, a clear red hand print was left across his face. He seethed and began to lose his temper.
"Don't you dare hit me, you sour faced bitch!"
Blood boiling and adrenaline pumping, he punched her square in the jaw with all of his strength, sending the poor girl flying across the green and landing on her back. She sat up, sore and bruised; howling with tears streaming down her face.
"Shit"
Darthin hissed and leaped over the bushes. He sprinted towards Felnyx, holding him back.
"Woah, woah, woah! Fel, come on now buddy! Calm down."
"Y' hear this tart?!"
"It doesn't matter, Fel, come on, come with me."
Darthin managed to persuade his friend and lead him back home.
Juniper trembled behind the bushes. That was the same person who saved her last night.
How could someone turn like that?
The girl remained sobbing on the ground, holding her bruised jaw and pinching her bloody nose.
As much as Juniper was jealous of her, she couldn't leave her in such a state.
She hopped out from her hiding place and rushed to aid. Juniper knelt down beside her and held out a handkerchief.
"Here"
Juniper wasn't quite sure how to comfort someone, but she knew how to heal someone.
The girl nodded quickly in a 'thankyou' and took the handkerchief from Juniper.
Her name was Marigold, she was 5 feet high and a slobbering wreck.
Makeup bled and was smothered over here rosy cheeks. Juniper sat quietly, waiting for the crying to stop.
After a while, the girl dropped the tissue to the ground and threw her arms around Juniper, sobbing into her armpit.
Juniper, not really knowing what to do, opted to pat the woman's back.
"There, there"
She didn't like the look of the swelling on her face. Juniper bit the inside of her cheek and took the girl's hand.
Grandmother would know what to do.
"Come with me"
—
Marigold held a cold wet cloth against her jaw. She was still tearful.
Juniper twiddled her thumbs as they all sat around the table, listening to Wendolin titter.
"Poor girl."
She slid a healing potion across the table to Marigold.
"Drink. This'll make the pain go away"
She paused.
"… The physical pain"
Juniper felt oddly out of place. She'd never been in a relationship before, nor had she thought about being in one.
She couldn't sympathise with the fair beauty sitting in front of her.
Juniper wondered why people entered relationships if they hurt so much.
"Bad apple. It's not your fault, some men are just like that. Bad upbringing."
Wendolin pointed a finger at Juniper
"And don't you go chasing after bad boys, either."
A smell of meaty broth wafted from the cooking pot above a fire.
The grandmother rose from her chair and dished out two bowls, one for each girl.
Juniper gulped down the spiced broth immediately, giving herself a mental note not to skip lunch again.
"Eat up, it'll help."
Marigold supped the soup from a spoon, her shaky hands caused her to dribble juice down her blouse.
She slopped the utensil back into the bowl of broth, which spattered across the table and thew her head in her hands, sobbing once again.
"I'm useless!"