"Dear gods" Lady groaned and stopped walking, crouching over her knees.
She had walked for a long time, resting a little in between, it has been exactly two days since she began her journey to search for the mysterious leaf. She looked around her and saw only dust and shrubs around her, it felt as if she was in a mini dessert, everything seemed so sparse and dry that Lady was at one point sure that she had ventured into an unknown dessert.
According to her power, she was supposed to find a water body that would lead her to her final destination but she haven't been able to come across that water body since hours ago. Her feet were hurt and swollen, her heels already cracking from walking too much. Her supplies were done for and if she doesn't get to the water body fast, she was sure she would die of thirst and hunger even before some unknown evil energy lurking around gets a hold of her.
The sun was very high, it's heat extremely intense. Lady's clothes clung to her body like a second skin, drenched in sweat and heavy. Lady wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and took a deep breath.
"No one said this was going to be easy, besides, I signed up for this myself" she encouraged herself in a mutter.
Lady squinted her eyes at the sun, silently cursing it's extreme heat and she straightened her back. She placed her cloth bag on her head to serve as some sort of shield against the sun as she dragged her feet onwards. She sighed and fanned herself with her fingers, using the last of the strength left in her.
After a long walk, Lady finally came upon vegetation and shade, a little sanctuary away from the sun that was glaring at her from above like she had taken something away from it. Words couldn't describe her joy as without thinking twice, she took off in a run and entered the little jungle that laid ahead of her. The moment her feet entered the forest and the shades cooled her back, Lady sighed in satisfaction. It felt so good to feel cool again. The branches of the trees blew a soothing and refreshing breeze onto Lady and she gladly received it by closing her eyes and opening her arms.
"Ah!" She exhaled "Finally, a refreshing stop"
The next thing that came to Lady's mind was to find food and a source of water. Her power was also indicating that she was now very close to the water body she had been searching for. Lady stretched her muscles and then took off to go search for food. Lady plastered a smile on her face as she walked through the forest, her feet making crunching sounds as they came into contact with the dry leaves on the forest floor. Lady felt she was in a state of pure bliss, even the loud chirpings of the forest birds which was supposed to be a nuisance on such a hot day became like music to her ears. She nodded her head as she glanced around her and tried to search for food.
*******
Amira hummed as the sticks of the long broom she was holding brushed the ground ridding it of the filth. She had just finished weaving a basket she was going to use on the next market day. The old one was a little too worn out. Her waist ached and her back felt like lead, she had been sitting down since the break of dawn but nonetheless she thought it was worth it as the end product of her hard work sat in its all glory under the sun, proud as its maker.
Amira smiled and then suddenly she felt a little down, for some reason ever since she got out of bed, all her mind has been doing was conjuring were images of Lady, it was if her mind had taken up a body of it's own doing what it pleases, and making orders of its own. The smile on her face died down replaced with a frown. Aya had gone off to do only what she knows she was going to do since the last evening. Amira was sure it was because she was feeling so lonely in the house and so her mind had taken up upon itself to entertain her because if not that, why else would her mind try to bring memories she had buried deep within her.
She sometimes wondered if she was doing what she really wanted.
"Missing me!" the unmistakable cheery voice of Aya sang behind Amira.
" No, of course not" Amira scoffed "Why would I miss you when I didn't even know where you were going, it was as if you never went at all. I didn't miss you" Amira shrugged.
Aya gasped and feigned hurt, placing her hand on her chest" You wound this goddess deeply, my friend"
"Aya, stop the dramatics already and tell me where you went" Amira placed a scowl on her face.
" Just as I told you, I went to meditate in a place where you not are supposed to know now. I'll tell you at the right time" Aya reasoned.
" Fine, don't tell me but at least tell me you got what I asked for" Amira pouted a little and then looked at Aya with another scowl.
"This?" Aya raised a small pouch, dangling it in the air with an annoying smirk on her face.
"Really?" Amira's eyes widened with surprise and joy " I can't believe this"
" Oh, hush, you really didn't think that I could stick to my promise huh? " Aya raised her eyebrows, a fake scowl which Amira failed to realise it's genuineness started forming on her face.
"N-n-no, I mean no" Amira stuttered, she was afraid she might have hurt the feelings of the goddess.
Aya burst into laughter " Relax, Amira. I was just pulling your legs but I'll need you to have more faith in me next time, I'm not a goddess who fails"
" Sure, I'll keep that in mind" Amira nodded with a smile "So can I get it now?" she asked and pointed to the pouch Aya was still holding in her hand as it dangled in the air.
"Of course" Aya replied and Amira sure hated how Aya was full of energy and her full of tiredness.
Aya handed the pouch to Amira and smiled. Amira held the pouch to her chest, lifting her head and muttering a thanksgiving prayer to the gods. Her second son had been bed ridden for a while now after the incident, he was doing better now but he still couldn't use his body like he used to, he couldn't walk and he couldn't do all the basic things that he used to do, now all he doy is laying straight on his back all day long waiting for someone to help him with his daily activities.
And of course Aya had promised to get some herbs that were going to help him to get to his feet in no time when she had went to meditate the last time. Amira thought it was bluff or Aya's usual way of pulling her legs because she had used almost every herb she could think of on him and plenty local doctors had come around to check on his situation and tried doing their best but to no avail. But Aya has proved her wrong by sticking to her promise, now her only prayer was for the herbs to work just as Aya had said.
Amira run to her son's room forgetting that her body was sore in every way. She entered her son's hut and went to sit by him. Her son was fast asleep, his breath coming out softly.
"So how does it work?" Amira asked Aya.
"It's actually easy" Aya began her reply " Just ground some into paste and then apply it on his body. Remember to leave a few and place it on his joints"
"Alright" Amira nodded and fished out a small mortar and pestle from under her son's bed.
She opened up the pouch and saw a handful of strange green leaves in it. She took out a few and placed it in the mortar and took out the rest placing it on her son's joints. She took hold of the pestle and started to ground the leaves but her wrists protested in pain as the pestle threatened to fall.
Her mind went straight to a memory when she had hurt herself, her wrist, trying cut a stubborn piece of wood into two. Lady had come to her rescue and scolded her for not being careful and then she had smeared some ointment on her wrist massaging it till she felt better.
"Where are off to?" A loud snap of Aya's fingers snapped Amira out of her thoughts "I was asking you a question"
"Sorry, what were you asking?" Amira apologised.
"I said why do you risk pain when you could have used your power to do what you were doing" Aya pointed to the mortar and pestle.
"Silly me" Amira chuckled "it's just that I have been using them for all of my life"
"Here let me" Aya said and stretched her hand, using her power to ground the leaves to a fine paste.
Amira thanked her and applied the paste on her son's body but she was still feeling restless as her mind continued to reflect upon the memories she had of Lady, reflections she didn't want to happen at all.