Stepping into the shop, tired and cold, I look around at the sparsely lit candles and lamps. Zip usually beats me here, even if she's now given me a key, so I'm not surprised. Shaking the chill off as I remove my jacket and hang it up in the back, Zip comes around the corner surprised to see me so early.
"You're not due for another several hours! What brings you in at this time?" She looks me over warily, I can practically feel the worry palpitating off her.
"Was up late last night, couldn't sleep much so gave up and got up early. Here I am now, so if you need help with anything I'm at your disposal." Turning my tired eyes to hers, I watch her worry morph into contemplation.
"Suluk and Kieren were coming over right? Did they ever show up?" She waves her hand in the air for me to follow her to the back. Placing my bag down I lazily follow, my feet feeling like they're made out of lead.
"Yeah, they did. They showed up for dinner right on time and brought a new girl with them. Sevanah was her name, nice little fairy lady."
"Could you help me clean some of these jars while I wrap up newly dried herbs? And, is that so? I'm surprised you didn't kick them all out if they brought her unannounced. How did you like her?" Sitting down on a short stool next to a large wooden bucket filled with water, and a smaller bucket with soapy bubbles almost overflowing. A slim, long table filled with shelves and used jars placed upon them. While Zip takes a seat in another chair on the other end of the small room to start her work for the morning.
"The thought definitely crossed my mind, but I had luckily made more than enough food. I'll have to thank Ginger for the recipe when I see her again…. She seemed nice. She's pretty and was courteous and kind while she was around me. I take it the boys told you they were coming over last night?"
"They were in such a hurry to get out of that meeting, they nearly flew out of the palace windows when the King dismissed them." She giggles softly, making me smile slightly at the thought of that. "She sounds nice. She was well mannered at the meeting. However, your tone makes it sound as if there's something you're not saying out loud…" Her eyes burn holes into the top of my head as I stay hunched over rinsing a jar a little longer than needed, not wanting to meet her eyes yet. I know she won't give this up until I tell her, so it's just a waiting game at this point.
"I could say the same about your tone as well." I finally met her eyes after setting the freshly clean jar back on the shelf. Our faces are a mirror image of each other. I may not share many similarities with this beautiful witch, but stubbornness and an iron will are one of the few things we do share. A small smirk curves the corners of her lips as she holds her own.
"She gives off an aura I'm unsure about at the moment. She does seem sincere, like you said, but it's something else…. Something I can't quite put my finger on yet. Your turn."
"Like you said… she's sincere and honest from what I can tell. The look in her eyes as she spoke, after dinner with the men…. It was like a chill down to my bones. She's deadly. I've seen the same look from hungry predators in the forest, that I'd just narrowly escape. That kind of insatiable hunger is something I would recognize anywhere. She may be small, but there's something lingering just under the surface that I'm not sure I want to see."
"Sounds like someone else I know." Zip whispers out between us as she gives me a look out of the corner of her eye, before she returns to working with herbs. The words fill the air and my mind with a thousand questions, but I keep my mouth shut and return to working.
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The day passes slowly, not many customers come out on rainy days like this, I have noticed. Cleaning and idle conversation fill the silence and space as we wait for the end of the day. The small bells on the door handle chime and both of us look excited for a customer.
"Hey mom, I- oh, hi Ava! I didn't know you were working today too!" Gingers cheerful voice is a welcomed change to the quiet that has stretched betweens the two of us for too long.
"It's nice to see you again Ginger! Thank you so much for that delicious recipe! I'll have to steal some more from you one day!" I smile brightly at her, making her do the same. In her excitement her fire like freckles dancing on her cheeks and nose.
"Oh you tried it! I'm so glad you liked it! Maybe one night we can have a girls night and do some cooking! You can try one of my dishes and I'll try one of yours! That would be so fun!!" Her hands are warm and calloused as she grabs mine, nearly bouncing in her excitement.
"Is there anything we can help you with, while you're here?" Zip chuckles from the counter watching our interaction.
"Right! Sorry Ava, I'll be back in a moment. Have to talk to mom about some stuff." Her eyes turn apologetic as her freckles return to normal. I nod and pat her hands softly.
"Don't be sorry! I'll be right here when you're done."
It only took a few moments for them to speak. I stand by the large front windows, watching the rain slowly streak down buildings to fill the cobblestone streets to make little rivers between the rocks. How it washes the other buildings around us, and a few people every once in a while run from store to store, trying not to get too wet and end up failing.
"Ava! Can you come here for a moment?" Zip calls out, making me turn and walk over to them at the counter.
"What's up? I'm not in trouble am I?" I joke, making Ginger giggle lightly.
"No. You're not in trouble, but I do have a question for you… How would you feel about closing the shop early, and us stealing you for the rest of the evening?" Gingers excitement is back in full force. Her freckles dance in little flames just above her skin while her hair steams, evaporating the water off before starting to float slightly as heat waves come off of it. Her eyes dance with fire and her nails even look like they'll burst into flames at any moment. Zip gently smacks her daughters arm to get her attention. "Stop that! You'll burn down my shop if you keep that up!" She scolds, making Ginger calm down slightly. While her freckles and nails remain the same the rest of her slowly goes back to normal.
"What's the occasion? Am I dressed correctly for whatever we're doing?" Looking down to my clothes and back to the girls, they both have sly smirks before Ginger speaks up.
"Oh don't worry about that, we have a surprise for you! So will you come?"
"Well of course I'm coming! If you're that excited about this, I'm not sure if I should be too, or scared though." Laughing comes from Zip to accompany my chuckle as Ginger makes a face.
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I'm glad I remembered my new ring at least! I wasn't made aware before coming out here that we were going to be passing through the gates. This will be the first time I'm going beyond the walls since arriving. Nerves fill my body as we approach the intimidating gates. Clover is the first to greet us as we near. "Well hello lovely ladies! It's nice to see you again! Oh and you brought the new human! Hello! I don't think we've properly met. I'm Clover Judal." He extends a hand out toward me with a small smile.
"Alavira Hiveanth. Nice to officially meet you as well." I take his hand and shake firmly, letting him know that I'm not going to roll over at his pretty eyes or smooth words. His eyes sharpen to that of a soldier analyzing their opponent just beneath that warm smile.
"What brings you lovely ladies out this way, at this hour?" He looks around at the three of us with that warm smile, but all of us see the look in his eyes. Never letting his guard down, even if we are women, he's smart. That's where most men lose a fight to me, and I'm Ginger as well, is assuming we're weak because of our gender.
"We have a package to pick up just outside the gates. We'll be right back in after we retrieve it, Clo." Ginger looks around to see who all is here as she speaks with him.
"Are you harassing these pretty ladies, Clover?" Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath I do my best to calm my nerves. I'm already nervous about traveling beyond the gates again, and now he's here.
"General! How glad I am to see you. These ladies wish to go beyond the gate… I'm not sure if I trust Ginger out there to not burn the forest down." Clover laughs as Ginger moves around us to smack him on the shoulder. His laugh follows quickly to theirs as he approaches them.
"Children, children. Settle down." Before I know it he's in front of us placing large hands on both Ginger and Clovers shoulders. His bright smile shining, even with the dark cloud cover above us. "I would have to agree with you Clover, but luckily her mother is here to keep her in check." He winks at Zip who only scoffs and rolls her eyes.
She looks at me out of the corner of her eyes, checking to see if I'm alright. She's one of the few people who has been honest with me about how our relationship has been evolving. She confronted me just a few weeks ago about how Suluk and I have been acting around each other, and I couldn't tell her she was wrong after all she had seen. She's been the one person I've been confiding in, the only person who knows about these emotions I've been grueling over. Seeing him here, in his uniform and only part of his armor on. His hair tied up into a messy bun with a few pieces sticking to his face and neck as he stands there, in the mist to speak with us. His green eyes shine brightly even if the sun is nowhere to be seen. Something about seeing him like this is doing something to me, something I'm not ready to admit.
"Why are you sucking up to her?! I'm the one you two have to work with!" Ginger protests, as she tries to pry out of his iron grip, bringing a small smile to my face at their interaction. Suluk, along with her mother, seems unphased by her outburst while Clover looks a bit entertained, with just a hint of blush to his cheeks as he watches her. I glanced at Zip to see if she had also noticed that little look between him and her daughter. The slight raise in her brow and purse of her lips gives me the answer I wanted to know.
"Can I know what package is waiting on the other side? Or is it for me?" His emerald eyes turn toward me, and it feels like I've forgotten how to breathe, as if I'm a stone statue placed here to just watch over him.
"It's a surprise for Ava! I'm sure you'll get to see it later." Zip winks at him, making him shine even more with excitement. That bright smile nearly splitting his face in two, making my heart ache. "So let us through without much hassle so we can get back to what we were doing." Zip chuckles and quickly looks Clover over before Suluk lets us pass through without another word.
Stepping beyond those enormous sandstone double doors was a surreal feeling. All I could think about was how just a few short months ago I passed through these same doors, a completely different person; a person without much hope or trust, a woman without friends or many loved ones still above the ground. Now I have those things back, and so much more than I could have dreamed of. Passing those same giant redwoods brings me not fear, or suspicion like before, but now happiness and curiosity for what the world may have to offer me now.
Just as Zip and Ginger had said there was a good size box sitting not too far beyond the barrier, with a small bouquet sitting on top with a note wrapped delicately around the stems. "That's for me?" I have to ask for the 10th time since we started this journey to the gate, and now to the box that's just a few steps away.
Ginger giggles and pushes me towards the box sitting there, waiting for anyone to pick it up. "Yes! Now go get your gift… actually let me carry the box. It's probably heavy." She walks with me toward the medium size wooden crate.
"Wait, heavy? Why is it heavy? What did you both get me?!" I stop just before it and have to question what's inside again. Unable to imagine what they could have gotten me that I would need.
"Let's hurry then so you can see." Zip's soothing voice chases away some of the nerves, but not by much. Picking up the flowers I turn them over to see the note attached. Quickly making a funny face at the odd lettering. "What's wrong?" Both women are right at my sides to see this note as well.
"What the hell is that?!" I imagine Ginger's face looks like a reflection of my own. Zip laughs lightly and pats my shoulder.
"That, children, is Elvish. I didn't think to make the request in human dialect, so they probably thought it was for me." Ginger looks at her mother bewildered.
"You know Elvish?!"
"Yes, although I am a bit rusty. It's been a long time since I've had to use it. I'm not sure what it says exactly. Maybe we should ask that cute boy when we get back to the gates." We both watch as Ginger's freckles dance and her hair dance while her cheeks darken slightly.
"He's not cute, but sure." She just walks off towards the lively tree with box in hand, while the two of us burst out laughing at her reaction.
I watch with bated breath as Zipporah, this lovely, sweet woman I've gotten to know recently, heads toward the dead, twisted, sinister looking tree. I watched confused and worried for her as she approached and it looked as if the tree may devour her whole and leave nothing behind. As if it's reaching it's gnarled, charred branches toward her to pull her closer as she approaches the slit without a second thought.
"You coming?" Ginger hollers over her shoulder at me, stopping just short of the hole waiting patiently for her. As if it's got all the time in the world to wait patiently, offering a comforting warmth and gentle aura. Walking up toward her, I watch stunned as Zip disappears through the trunk with just a small trickle of smoke coming from the top to float between a few loose drops of rain that fall from a broken limb.
"Is she alright?" I asked, panicked slightly. Ginger just shrugs and leans her head back slightly to whisper to me.
"Ask her when you get to the other side."