Chapter 14: Fields of Lavender
As Marsa crested the hill, the dense trees gave way to expansive grass fields blanketed in purple lavender, their sweet scent filling Aeryn's lungs. Aeryn halted beside Eirik and gazed down at the vast sea of purple swaying gently in the wind. "Wow!" he whispered, wide-eyed.
Eirik dismounted, his voice soft with nostalgia, "Hmm, it is something from this height."
Aeryn followed, slipping off his horse and grabbing the basket he brought for the lavender. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes to fully embrace the calming fragrance that washed over him. Eirik couldn't help but smile, watching the way Aeryn marveled at the scene before him. It reminded him of the first time he had come across this very field as a boy, close to Aeryn's age.
"Go ahead, pick as much as you like," Eirik urged, taking hold of Marsa's reins and Gaurroth's alongside them. Aeryn flashed his charming smile, then trotted eagerly down into the lavender field, pausing to smell the flowers at the border before cautiously venturing deeper, careful not to crush the delicate plants.
Eirik tied the horses to a nearby willow tree and approached the field's edge. He spotted Aeryn crouched over a particularly vibrant patch, using a pair of scissors to delicately snip the lavender flowers and place them in the basket. Aeryn turned and waved enthusiastically, beckoning Eirik to join him. Eirik tried to tread carefully through the field as Aeryn had, but his large boots trampled some of the plants. He wasn't as nimble as Aeryn, that much was certain.
He crouched beside Aeryn, who was still working diligently with the lavender. "Have you ever seen the buds of this plant?" Aeryn asked.
Eirik shook his head, "Just the flowers."
Aeryn smiled, "The flowers are beautiful, but the buds are even more valuable. Some, if you pick them right, taste sweet, like this one." Aeryn pinched a bud, and a bright red nectar oozed from it. He brought his fingers to Eirik's lips. "Taste it."
Eirik opened his mouth, and Aeryn dabbed the nectar onto his tongue. It was sweet. Eirik, playful, caught Aeryn's hand and licked the remaining nectar from his fingers, savoring it with a grin. "Hmm… delicious."
Aeryn blushed at the intimate gesture. Eirik, still amused, asked, "How did you come upon these?"
Aeryn shrugged. "A gardener back home showed me. Lavender didn't grow easily in our harsh lands, but he managed to cultivate a small patch. He cherished them. When he went to war and never returned, I tried to tend to his lavender, but I wasn't as skilled. Slowly, they withered."
Eirik gently rubbed Aeryn's back. "Your people won't have to send their gardeners to war anymore. Felgon will protect them."
Aeryn's expression shifted to one of concern as he recalled the morning's letter. "Has there been an attack on my homeland, Eirik? Did the council agree to help?"
"No," Eirik reassured him softly. "The letter was about fortifying your borders, nothing more. You mustn't worry. If anything happened, I would tell you immediately."
Aeryn looked up, his eyes filled with worry. "I don't want to burden you with my country's problems."
Eirik smiled warmly. "It's no burden. It was the vow I made when I took you as mine. As long as you're by my side, I'll honor it." He pressed a soft kiss to Aeryn's cheek, and Aeryn smiled again, his worries melting away.
"Thank you, my lord," Aeryn said gratefully.
Eirik chuckled, "Though watching you pick lavender is a delight, I'm afraid picking flowers isn't my greatest talent. If you need me, I'll be napping by the horses."
Aeryn laughed softly. "Go, my lord. Rest. I'll join you when I'm done."
Eirik nodded, retreating to the shade of the willow tree. As he leaned against the trunk, he watched Aeryn working in the field, contented, before slipping into a peaceful slumber.
