~*~:~*#S#*~:~*~
Something moved next to Sarielle, but she was still half asleep. Gradually, she came into awareness, opening her eyes to the soft morning light. Last night she'd lain with Ellowyn in the shadow of a pear tree. Now the dirt beside her was empty. Ellowyn had crept a few metres away to stroll between the trees. She waved her arms in the air as she twirled. Leaves burst forth from the branches she passed. Flowers bloomed and fruit hung heavy. The nymph danced through the grove, breathing life and abundance. Her expression was one of pure joy. She giggled with the thrill of it.
"Are you going to leave any for us to do?" Willow said, waltzing over.
Ellowyn stopped spinning and grinned at her. "Willow!"
She launched herself at her, collecting her in a hug. When she pulled back she reached to stroke the pale pink flower by Willow's ear. In her excitement, she must have forgotten about herself. Out popped a row of buds, unfurling white flowers with magenta tips. The various sized blossoms circled her head like a crown. She gazed around her in wonder, a huge smile on her face.
Sarielle's lips curved to mirror hers. Ellowyn was incredible. This magnificent creature before her had amazing power and magic. That wasn't what Sae was admiring though. She'd been captivated by her before witnessing that display. Ellowyn was everything adorable she could think of. Beautiful and playful, sweet and innocent. Sarielle loved her, as much as she knew the word to mean, which wasn't a great deal. She was from a place where it was common to marry the first person you had a relationship with and the village had pretty slim pickings. She'd come to think the only way to escape an unhappy marriage was to not get married in the first place. To find someone so lovely was like a dream. She'd never had someone care so much about her, someone who didn't expect, or demand, anything from her.
Ellowyn finally noticed her staring. Her eyes creased with joy and she pranced over to her. "Welcome to the morning!" She kissed her hair. "Are you hungry? There's lots of fruit. Look!"
Sarielle chuckled, wincing at the pain from her ribs. "Ow." She held her side and gingerly sat up. "I saw. You've been busy." She admired the flower crown, and noticed the new details she'd added to her bodice. A tiny vine curled around minute flowers in a pattern around the edge. It looked like embroidery and jewels. "You look so pretty, Elle."
That made her smile. She gasped and stuck her fingers into her hair. They came away with a large flower pinched between them. "Here." She slid the stem into Sarielle's hair behind her ear. "I've grown it a root so it will survive for many days if watered. A little bit of magic can keep it going longer though."
"Thank you." Sarielle gave her a kiss. "I feel so blessed to have met you. You're everything I could have dreamed about in a woman. I'm not sure what love is. It's sort of a myth in our village. But I think I love you...or at least like you a great deal."
Ellowyn's pink eyes shimmered. She made a cute sound and squirmed in place. "I would hug you so hard, but I can't." She shuffled closer on her butt and gently touched her arms to Sarielle's shoulders. "I love you too. And the other elhuvens. But you the most. You're the best mate ever." She kissed her cheek. "You're so brave and smart. I hated watching you go off to fight without me. I was so worried something would happen to you and I'd never get to give you my seed."
Something fluttered in Sarielle's stomach. "You want to give me your seed?"
~
~*~:~*#E#*~:~*~
Ellowyn hummed shyly. "I used to imagine what she'd be like, the girl I'd give it to. She'd be a beautiful creature and kind of heart, so many of the things you are. I knew she'd fascinate me, but I never thought she'd leave me in awe as much as you do."
Sarielle smiled at her but didn't speak. They both sat peacefully, watching the scene in front of them. Sage had seen Sarielle's flower and was excitedly pointing it out to Willow. The older nymph laughed and grew one of her peony-like blooms in the palm of her hand. She carefully wove it into Sage's hair and kissed her forehead. Hevani and Abelia had just woken up and were admiring the transformation of the grove. Kerensa had already done a circuit of the new gardens and had taken to collecting the spoils the orchard now offered. Ellowyn hadn't seen Rozenwild since she'd first awoken. After invigorating a couple of the orchard trees, the sassy nymph wandered off somewhere, swirling her arms and leaving a trail of changed greenery in her wake. Ellowyn didn't question it or follow her. Rozenwild was a nymph who needed time to herself, and she got nasty if anyone disturbed it.
Ellowyn helped Sarielle to stand and guided her to a fallen tree. She gestured for her to sit on it and went to find her some breakfast. With their magic, they could make even out of season plants bear fruit. She scampered up the trunk of a pear tree to select a nice one, then darted over to a peach tree, and also picked two shiny red apples. She delivered them all to Sarielle before going to gather some blueberries.
"That's plenty," Sarielle said when she brought them back, grabbing her hand to stop her running off for more.
"Are you sure? I know you eat a lot."
"I'm sure, thank you."
"Okay. Help yourself to as much as you like. It won't run out." She bit into the apple she'd picked for herself. It was sweet and so juicy that it dribbled down her chin.
Sarielle had just finished eating when Rozenwild came back. From the side of her head grew a gigantic red flower, eight inches across. A large and a small one completed a band across her head. Ellowyn was glad her friend could express herself again. After being so weak for so long, they all felt like showing off. But the pollen Rozenwild was emitting was excessively heady and only got stronger as she drew near. Sarielle's face went blank and she squeezed her legs together.
"Rozenwild, can you keep your pollen to yourself? You're making the elhuvens uncomfortable."
"That's the point," she muttered.
Why would she deliberately release pollen? Was she trying to attract an elhuven to mate with? Kerensa seemed happy to have sex with her. Did she not like Kerensa?
She was headed straight for her. Kerensa turned around and jumped back in fright. Her eyes fixed on the huge flower and her mouth fell open.
"Whoa. That's...enormous."
Rozenwild stood there with a devious look and burning eyes. Her aura was some wicked mix of haughty and daring.
"Smell me," she demanded.
Kerensa made a face, clearly taken aback and a little horrified.
"I said..." Rozenwild took a hold of her shoulders. "...smell me." She turned her head to the side and pulled Kerensa's face into her largest flower. She gave the girl enough time to take a whiff then released her. The elhuven crumpled to the ground with her hands held to her crotch.
Everyone who'd witnessed this looked on in shock.
"Rose, what the fuck?" Ellowyn said.
"Rozenwild!" Willow hurried over. "How could you? She crouched beside Kerensa and helped her sit up. "What ever did you do that for?"
The offending nymph stood smugly with her arms folded. "Proving a point."
Willow rubbed Kerensa's back. "What was this about?"
The elhuven smirked. "I insulted her flower."
"We must remember that that we come from different cultures, and this will lead to misunderstandings from time to time. Kerensa, a nymph's flowers are like her face. You wouldn't like it if I said something unpleasant about your face, would you?" Willow glared at Rozenwild. "I know you're hot-headed, but you can't do cruel things to these girls. They've been trained to be subservient and meek. We don't want them to fear us."
"I'm sorry I said your flower had no scent. It doesn't change the fact it had none," Kerensa said frankly.
Rozenwild pouted and walked off in a huff.
Willow sighed. "Forgive her. She's...difficult at times. She doesn't take criticism well and she's always been so proud of her flowers. This must have been hard for her."
~
~*~:~*#R#*~:~*~
Kerensa wasn't really listening. She knew she had to go after Rozenwild. She'd said those words to get back at her, but it wasn't anger she'd seen in Rose's eyes when she left. It was hurt.
In a forest of green, giant red flowers were hard to miss. She could see it bobbing through the trees down by the stream. She jogged down the slope and walked along the pebbles. Rose saw her coming but didn't move from the rock she was perched on. Kerensa stopped a couple of metres away.
