When she asked the handsome man how she could help him she was actually hoping that he might be there to get her help to break the curse. Instead he only looked at her with vacant eyes and slowly said, "I need a bouquet for the most beautiful woman I know." The words might have been sweet if he had said them with any emotion at all. As it was it seemed like he was just repeating something he had been told and believed none of it.
The blandness bothered her. She couldn't be sure that pre curse he would speak with more emotion but this dead robotic tone didn't feel natural. "Oh," she said trying to conceal her disappointment. "Is there anything she likes? A favorite color or type of flower?"
The man only looked at her blankly for a moment his eyes brow arching slightly as though it was a ridiculous question. "Does any man really know that?" She couldn't help the smile watching him even knowing that every reaction might be false but it reminded her of so many other men that came in. They thought simply giving her flowers was enough. They didn't think that the kind, color or variety would really show how much they paid attention and could earn them bonus point from their girlfriend or wife.
She swore his eyes seemed to light up as she chucked and replied, "Only the best men. But don't feel bad I can make something any girl will be happy to receive." She turned a moment to start reaching for blooms before she turned again to catch the man his eyes still glued to her. "There are a few things I need to ask first" she held up a finger. "First thing. What's my budget?"
The man looked at her a moment and his lip twitched as if he was considering this carefully. "No budget I guess. Just something that isn't too over the top but looks impressive." He didn't seem like he truly cared that much about the flowers or maybe it was that he didn't care about who was to receive them. That thought made her heart leap. She had a feeling that whoever cursed him had something to do with who was getting the flowers.
"Alright," she said and then held up her second finger. "What is the lady like? Is she shy? Bold? A romantic?" She was asking for the bouquet but also because she was hopping that any information might make her find a connection to who had cursed this man. She was still determined to free the man behind those haunted eyes.
"She's..." it seemed he struggled to find words to describe her. Or maybe she thought it was the spell that kept him from being able to reveal any information about the woman or situation completely. "Is the most beautiful woman I have ever met." He finished with a small frown. She couldn't help the narrowing of her eyes and the small frown as she took note that it was the same phrase he had already used before. "Ok, well then final thing, what's your favorite color."
"My favorite color? Shouldn't it be hers?" There was a quick flash of a smile before his face went blank once more. And she wondered if perhaps she shouldn't have been able to express his own thoughts of emotions. Was he currently fighting the curse? It gave her a moment to wonder just how strong a spirit a man like this would need to be to fight dark magic.
"I figured you didn't know her favorite so your favorite will have to do this time." She offered him a shrug and what she hopped was a supportive smile.
"Green. Today, "he said softly, "my favorite color became green." He didn't smile but the fullness from his eyes lifted a little.
Onyx nodded and then turned to the flowers. She created a gorgeous bouquet of soft pinks and oranges with a bunch of leafy greens and wrapped it with soft cream paper and a turquoise bow. She had to keep herself from adding any of her powers into the bloom like she usually did to make them smell sweeter and last longer. If this was going to the person who had cast the curse she didn't want to let them know that another witch had come across the curse. She turned to present the bouquet a bit surprised to see him watching her intently. She took a deep breathe before she presented the bouquet to him. Without more then a nod he accepted the flowers and she quickly gave him the price and rang him up. The thought of him leaving without any way for her to find him or help him again made her almost panic. So Onyx did the only thing she could think of.
In her hand under the counter she let a bit of her magic come forth. With the magic she did something she rarely did. She created a charm. It's magic would be small and since it was something that was already bound to the nature of the fragile bloom itself. And so the heat and power created a small flower that she hopped would help to bring this man back to her. The forget me not in its deep bluish purple with its golden yellow center was perfectly formed in her palm. So before the man could walk away she brought the small flower up. And motioned for him to wait a moment.
He looked at her questioningly. So she smiled and opened her palm to the delicate flower. "This," she said proudly, "is a forget me not. They are one of my favorite flowers. As it's name suggests it's a flower meant to hold onto a memory. To make sure you don't forget the person who has given you the bloom." Before the man could ask questions or argue she slid the small bloom into the mans front pocket. "So keep this on you and remember us here. Remember me. If you ever have a need of anything please come find me. I'm Onyx and this is my families shop."
The man looked down at the pocket and then to her. "Onyx, thank you." He patted the pocket once and then turned to leave the shop his bouquet in hand. "Until next time." He said as he walked out the door.
Onyx wasn't expecting the empty feeling that seemed to come over her. She hoped that the forget me not would not only remind him of her and help draw him back to her so she could work on breaking the curse, but she hoped that the forget me nots magic would help the man remember himself beyond the limits of the dark magic.
She helped a few more people pick out flowers and took a delivery order for a hospital patient for the next day. She wasn't going to be making the bouquet but she made a mental note to touch the flowers and give them a little of her power to encourage healing. The afternoon was busy but Onyx was more then a little distracted just in the memory of the mans eyes.