The angel tear field was just where Lysander remembered it was. Just two hours away from the entrance of the frontier. The red leaves swayed in the soft breeze. How long has it been, since he had to leave this place?
"So pretty," Erin said next to him, and then rushed to the field.
"Wait, I have to tell you how to pick them," Lysander called out after him. The blonde was practically bouncing on his feet. He did turn around. His boyish innocence was something new for the wanderer. "Take the stem, and cut it with a knife. I will be using the dagger."
It was not like Erin knew how to use the dagger, even though Lysander promised him he'd teach him. The blonde returned to Lysander, and reached out his hand to him.
"Do you know how to use a knife?" Lysander said, instead of giving the knife to the boy.
"Keep the fingers away from the blade, make sure to never tug too hard, least I get a cut," Erin said, and then made a "give me" motion with his fingers.
"Show me, then," Lysander finally handed the knife over, and pointed at the nearest angel's tear plant. Yet, Erin didn't take the knife.
"Ly, you are not supposed to hand the knife with the blade towards the other person," Erin said. Lysander smiled. He was testing the princeling, and so far, the blonde wasn't disappointing him.
"Just so, here," Lysander moved the knife in his hands, so Erin could reach out towards the handle. The boy was very careful with how he took it. When the knife was finally in his hands, Lysander felt like laughing. He looked so adorable, looking at the knife, as if it was a fireball.
Not being able to stop himself, Lysander poked the blonde on the nose. Erin rubbed the poked spot, and then reached out with his free hand, and poked Lysander on the nose as well.
"Fair is fair," the blonde said with a huff, and then went to the plants.
"I suppose," Lysander said between chuckles. He watched, as the other boy managed to cut an entire cluster of angel's tears cleanly. Then, just as Erin was about to place it down, Lysander handed him a piece of rope.
"Tie that on the stem, so you can bundle up more plants," the wanderer said, and Erin nodded. When it became obvious that Erin was not going to cut himself, Lysander began to harvest as well.
With a bottomless bag, they could forage much more. He wondered, if after spending the rest of the autumn foraging in the frontier, they'd have enough for a room in the inn.
The wanderer knew, that he'll have to remain with his face covered, but that was a small discomfort, for the opportunity to spend the winter someplace warm.
They worked in silence, and when the sun set, Lysander went to Erin.
"Come on, we have to make camp," besides that, Lysander also had to dry the herbs. Maybe even teach Erin how to access his mana.
"Time really flies, when you are having fun, eh, Ly?" Erin said, with a bright smile. Lysander's lips also turned up. He found he has been smiling more often, while near the blonde.
"Just so. Come on, before the chill gets us both," the cloaks were doing a great job, protecting them from the worst of the autumn evening, but there was no telling, if they were going to keep on doing so, for much longer.
Erin sent one last look at the meadow, and then began to help Lysander with the collecting of the already cut angel's tear bundles. When they were done, the moon was shining above them.
"We can come back here, tomorrow," Lysander said. The plant has matured, and it would be a waste, if they didn't harvest as much as possible.
"What is angel's tear used for?" Erin asked.
"It helps old people remember better," Lysander said. At least, this was what Anna had told him, while he was helping her make the mixture.
"And why do you sell the herb, and not make the potion yourself? Mama and Papa always sold cheese, and not the milk from our cows," Erin asked. Lysander supposed that the blonde had a point, but he was missing one big ingredient.
"I don't have a cauldron, or a certificate," Lysander said, with a bowed head. "Demons are not allowed in academies."
"But you are not a demon, Ly?" Erin asked. To his credit, he didn't try to edge away from Lysander.
"I am half a demon. My father was a demon. This is why, my mother died when she gave birth to me, and my skin is this color," Lysander waved his hand in front of Erin's face. The boy nodded.
"Well, that doesn't make you any less my friend," Erin's words warmed Lysander. He went to the boy, and hugged him tightly. It was something he enjoyed doing. Something he realized he was starved of, these past couple of years.
"I will always look out for you," Lysander promised the only thing, he knew won't be a lie.
"I will never leave you," Erin said, surprising the wanderer.
"But you can get adopted?" Lysander asked. Maybe, if Erin had been alone in Crystargar, someone would have taken pity on him. He was a comely enough boy. Looking like one of those dolls, Lysander had seen once, on the display of a shop.
"I don't want no meanie adult's help! Rin and Ly forever!" Erin pumped his fist high, and nearly hit Lysander with it. "Sorry, Ly."
"It is ok," Lysander hugged the boy tighter. They would need to find a water source, and soon. There was no telling, if the water he carried with him, would be enough for more than a day or two. "Let us go, and find a place to camp for the night."
"Ly, can you tell me a story, before we go to sleep?" Erin asked, as he let himself be tugged away from the field.
"I don't know many stories," Lysander admitted. The few he did know, were too bloody for Erin.
"Make some up, then!" Erin said, with a grin on his face. Not knowing, that this expression warmed Lysander more, than the promise of a camp fire.
The angel tear field was just where Lysander remembered it was. Just two hours away from the entrance of the frontier. The red leaves swayed in the soft breeze. How long has it been, since he had to leave this place?
"So pretty," Erin said next to him, and then rushed to the field.
"Wait, I have to tell you how to pick them," Lysander called out after him. The blonde was practically bouncing on his feet. He did turn around. His boyish innocence was something new for the wanderer. "Take the stem, and cut it with a knife. I will be using the dagger."
It was not like Erin knew how to use the dagger, even though Lysander promised him he'd teach him. The blonde returned to Lysander, and reached out his hand to him.
"Do you know how to use a knife?" Lysander said, instead of giving the knife to the boy.
"Keep the fingers away from the blade, make sure to never tug too hard, least I get a cut," Erin said, and then made a "give me" motion with his fingers.
"Show me, then," Lysander finally handed the knife over, and pointed at the nearest angel's tear plant. Yet, Erin didn't take the knife.
"Ly, you are not supposed to hand the knife with the blade towards the other person," Erin said. Lysander smiled. He was testing the princeling, and so far, the blonde wasn't disappointing him.
"Just so, here," Lysander moved the knife in his hands, so Erin could reach out towards the handle. The boy was very careful with how he took it. When the knife was finally in his hands, Lysander felt like laughing. He looked so adorable, looking at the knife, as if it was a fireball.
Not being able to stop himself, Lysander poked the blonde on the nose. Erin rubbed the poked spot, and then reached out with his free hand, and poked Lysander on the nose as well.
"Fair is fair," the blonde said with a huff, and then went to the plants.
"I suppose," Lysander said between chuckles. He watched, as the other boy managed to cut an entire cluster of angel's tears cleanly. Then, just as Erin was about to place it down, Lysander handed him a piece of rope.
"Tie that on the stem, so you can bundle up more plants," the wanderer said, and Erin nodded. When it became obvious that Erin was not going to cut himself, Lysander began to harvest as well.
With a bottomless bag, they could forage much more. He wondered, if after spending the rest of the autumn foraging in the frontier, they'd have enough for a room in the inn.
The wanderer knew, that he'll have to remain with his face covered, but that was a small discomfort, for the opportunity to spend the winter someplace warm.
They worked in silence, and when the sun set, Lysander went to Erin.
"Come on, we have to make camp," besides that, Lysander also had to dry the herbs. Maybe even teach Erin how to access his mana.
"Time really flies, when you are having fun, eh, Ly?" Erin said, with a bright smile. Lysander's lips also turned up. He found he has been smiling more often, while near the blonde.
"Just so. Come on, before the chill gets us both," the cloaks were doing a great job, protecting them from the worst of the autumn evening, but there was no telling, if they were going to keep on doing so, for much longer.
Erin sent one last look at the meadow, and then began to help Lysander with the collecting of the already cut angel's tear bundles. When they were done, the moon was shining above them.
"We can come back here, tomorrow," Lysander said. The plant has matured, and it would be a waste, if they didn't harvest as much as possible.
"What is angel's tear used for?" Erin asked.
"It helps old people remember better," Lysander said. At least, this was what Anna had told him, while he was helping her make the mixture.
"And why do you sell the herb, and not make the potion yourself? Mama and Papa always sold cheese, and not the milk from our cows," Erin asked. Lysander supposed that the blonde had a point, but he was missing one big ingredient.
"I don't have a cauldron, or a certificate," Lysander said, with a bowed head. "Demons are not allowed in academies."
"But you are not a demon, Ly?" Erin asked. To his credit, he didn't try to edge away from Lysander.
"I am half a demon. My father was a demon. This is why, my mother died when she gave birth to me, and my skin is this color," Lysander waved his hand in front of Erin's face. The boy nodded.
"Well, that doesn't make you any less my friend," Erin's words warmed Lysander. He went to the boy, and hugged him tightly. It was something he enjoyed doing. Something he realized he was starved of, these past couple of years.
"I will always look out for you," Lysander promised the only thing, he knew won't be a lie.
"I will never leave you," Erin said, surprising the wanderer.
"But you can get adopted?" Lysander asked. Maybe, if Erin had been alone in Crystargar, someone would have taken pity on him. He was a comely enough boy. Looking like one of those dolls, Lysander had seen once, on the display of a shop.
"I don't want no meanie adult's help! Rin and Ly forever!" Erin pumped his fist high, and nearly hit Lysander with it. "Sorry, Ly."
"It is ok," Lysander hugged the boy tighter. They would need to find a water source, and soon. There was no telling, if the water he carried with him, would be enough for more than a day or two. "Let us go, and find a place to camp for the night."
"Ly, can you tell me a story, before we go to sleep?" Erin asked, as he let himself be tugged away from the field.
"I don't know many stories," Lysander admitted. The few he did know, were too bloody for Erin.
"Make some up, then!" Erin said, with a grin on his face. Not knowing, that this expression warmed Lysander more, than the promise of a camp fire.
