Bastian, Dimitri and Ariston all followed Hydrangea's brother, Rowan along a dirt path a lantern in his hand.
The brother set the lantern at his feet and unlocked a large door. He pulled it open and revealed a hay strewn dirt floor with three stalls running along the right side of the building. Along the left side was a ladder and behind the ladder was a work table the tools all neatly organized.
The brother pointed to the ladder, "Climb on up." He said aloofly.
Dimitri went first, followed by Ariston and Bastian, last was the brother.
All three men took notice of a form sleeping on a bed at the front of the 'loft'. The figure rolled to face them and jumped up muttering something indistinguishable and grabbing a hammer.
"Row! Is that you?" He asked clearly not able to see the three other figures in the dark.
"Yeah, yeah. It's me. And Hydie's husband." The brother named Rowan said from behind the three guests.
"Wait, what?" The one with the hammer asked.
The one named Rowan answered as he walked to the centre of the room and placed the lantern on the wood planks, "Was in the woods and saw Hydie, a maid and these guys in one of my camps."
"Hydie's back?" The second one asked with a yawn.
"Yeah. She's at the house."
The second one nodded and Bastian, Dimitri and Ariston all noticed then that the two brothers were identical to each other.
They didn't have much time to ruminate on that as Rowan began to throw bundles of clothing at them.
Having dressed in the dry clothes each of the three men found a bed to sleep on, Bastian on what he assumed was Rowan's bed. Dimitri on an old couch and Ariston also on an old couch.
"Which one of you is Hydie's husband?" The second one asked.
Bastian swallowed nervously. After Rowan's warm welcome he was not looking forward to see this one's reaction, "I am." He stated.
The second one merely nodded and Bastian breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"So, why didn't you want to sleep with the wife?" Dimitri's voice rang out into the night.
Bastian closed his eyes and rolled over so he was not facing his annoying friend.
"Oh, come on. We all want to know." He exclaimed.
"Then you'll have to live with not knowing the answer." Bastian replied.
Eventually the room stilled. Cold still clung to Bastian's bones, its cold fingers digging into his scalp and nose. The past few weeks of sleeping in the wilderness had been just as cold as this but for some reason tonight it bothered him.
His mind went to the flower and an image of her nervous face when she saw her sister or when she'd seemed shocked at the sitting room. He wondered if she was alright.
His eyes ultimately closed and he drifted off listening to the sound of water dripping off of the barn roof.
Drip… drip… drip… drip… splash!
He awoke with a start and found that he was sitting in a circular pool. Before him was the shrine of Samadur.
Bastian groaned in frustration and vexation. He didn't want this. He wanted his conscience and heart to stop being pricked. He didn't want this…
He sat in the water, the liquid not being as cold as the rain had been.
After a few minutes of nothing happening he raised his head and saw nothing but the jungle surrounding him and the small pool. The shrine remained unmoved.
There was no sound and he started to feel pressured to speak, "Samadur." He started, his voice tired, "What do you want now?"
"I want nothing," The now familiar voice of the Primal resounded from behind him, "But to tell you this."
Bastian stood his bare feet sunk below the water's surface, "What would you like to tell me?" He asked shortly.
Samadur narrowed his blue eyes and lowered his chin.
Bastian felt the water reach freezing and he gasped, "What?"
He began to sink and his lungs constricted in fear, "What? You want me to apologize?"
And he was swallowed by the water beneath his feet, his lungs straining for any ounce of air but only finding the dark water encompassing him. As always that face shone above him, smiling. He wished he could attain that happiness, that joy that he beheld on that person's face.
With an outstretched hand his eyes closed and he drowned in the darkness.
~~~~~~~~
Waking the next morning Hydrangea smiled happily as she remembered that she was with her family. But her smile wavered upon remembering what she'd seen.
They were fine. They didn't need her. It was as if a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders; it no longer bothered her.
With her happiness returned she dressed in the clothes she'd received the previous night and exited her room only to find silence.
She descended the wooden planked stairs and made her way to the kitchen.
There she found Rose and Gladiola hard at work, the smell of eggs cooking was heavy in the air. She saw Gladiola grinding meat and filling sausage casings.
Rose looking up from her place by the fire and her face lit into a beautiful smile, "Good morning."
Gladiola then looked up from her work and her mouth parted and her eyes widened, "You're really here. Oh!" She exclaimed softly. She'd always been the more quiet of the girls. She looked down at her work then smiled, "I'll hug you later."
Hydrangea smiled demurely and then asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
Both sisters looked up, "No, Hydie. You need to rest. We'll do all the work don't you worry, the kids will be up soon and they can do their chores."
She merely shook her head. She would find something to do, but for now, now she would sit in front of the fire.
She walked into the sitting area and saw that the fire was dying. She closed her eyes for a moment then opened them determinedly. She had found something to do.
She put on her shawl that her siblings had crafted and she pulled some stockings on then her old, fitted leather boots, that had long conformed to her feet.
"Where are you going?" Rose asked as Hydrangea made her way through the kitchen and to the back door.
Stopping she turned to her sister with a smile, "Out."
"But, Hydie…" Gladiola objected.
"Ah, ah, ah. I don't care. I need to do something and the sitting area is out of wood. Now, leave me be." She ended with a light chuckle.
Leaving the house she walked into the barn and found the axe easily enough, and she couldn't help but snicker and the work table's organized look. Apparently Linden hadn't changed one bit.
She then marched to where the wood was kept and finding a log she began to hack it to pieces.
~~~~~~~~
Bastian had been awake for sometime—still recovering from the sense of drowning—when he heard the sound of a door shutting and footsteps along the dirt road.
He stepped into his damp boots, not caring about the cold feeling that so suddenly enveloped his feet, and put on his coat that was also still damp and extremely cold. Having done that he climbed down the rungs of the ladder and hit the barn floor with the sound of trampled hay.
His horse was awake and nickered softly as though whispering to him. Bastian walked over and petted his nose. He never thought he would like horses but the affection for the creatures and snuck up in him.
Turning his head at the sound of wood chopping he patted his horse's shoulder and then left the barn, already hearing shuffling footsteps above him.
He wandered the dirt paths, there were many and they all led to little nooks and crannies in the lush grass. He saw a half-asleep goat and some chickens already clucking.
The abrupt sound of the axe hitting the wood never ceased as he made his way and as he rounded the house his eyes landed on a very… interesting scene.