They kept on playing, for as long as it took them, to get almost everything they needed. Once Lysander figured out, that the nymph was letting them win, he too, began to play.
He would see her furrow her brows, every time that there was a particularly tough riddle, but he knew that she guessed each one. She just didn't say the answer, so they could win once more.
"I have one riddle for you. More of a question, really," the nymph said, just as Erin was readying to ask another riddle. Lysander knew that the blonde was having fun. He didn't want to be the one who ended it for him, but he also knew that the nymph needed to leave.
"Ask us anything, lady. We will answer," Erin said, with a smile on his lips.
"If you enter a protection pact with me, will you stay and guard my tree?" She asked. Lysander's eyes widened. Something like that was one in a million deal.
"We will make sure to weed and water it, even without the pact," Erin said, and then turned towards Lysander. "Right, Ly? The nice lady played with us, and gave us so much. We have to thank her."
Lysander stared at the pile of things the nymph gave them, as a part of the guessing game. A pot, a cauldron, two bowls, two plates.
Spoons, blankets, five bundles of clothes for each one of them. Bedrolls, which looked as soft as a pillow. An axe, a falchion, two daggers. Even a set of throwing knives. Lysander had never owned so much in his entire life.
"We will protect your tree, if you build us a house under its crown," Lysander said. He might be grateful, but if they had a house, or even a cottage, they could spend the winter out here.
"Sounds good enough," she said, with a soft smile on her lips. Then, she produced a scroll, and a pencil. She moved to the two boys, and then placed the scroll within grabbing distance.
"We will read the contract first," Lysander said, and the nymph nodded.
"I didn't expect anything less from two smart boys like you," she said, and then ran a hand over both Erin's head, and Lysander's.
Lysander blinked up at her. Is this the kind of person Anna had warned him about? Was this nymph better, than the one who lived near Anna's house?
As Lysander read, he saw, that the protection deal included weeding, planting flowers at the base of the tree, collecting the fallen branches, and trimming the bushes. He nodded at each task.
With the axe and the falchion, he knew that he could manage. Maybe, he could even teach Erin how to use these tools, so he could help out, from time to time.
The wanderer took the pencil, and then signed next to his name. Then, he handed it to Erin.
"Thank you, for giving us a home," the blonde said, as he signed his name as well. The nymph took the parchment, and rolled it up. It disappeared in her hands.
"Now, as you have read, the contract is just for the next year. If you don't work hard, I won't renew it," she said, sternly. Lysander nodded. Fair was fair.
"We will work really hard," Erin said, puffing up his chest. Then, he wilted. "Even though I don't know much about the taking care of a tree. But I am confident that Ly will teach me. He knows all kinds of stuff."
"I will also teach you, dear children. Now, let us get all of your winnings in your bottomless bag so that I can lead you to your new home," she said, and then went to the pile with the winnings. Lysander rushed to her, and Erin soon followed.
When they were done, Lysander strapped the bag to his belt, and then took Erin's hand in his. Ever mindful, for the blonde liked to space out, while walking.
Lysander hadn't known him for long, but he still didn't want to lose him. The nymph led them out of the clearing with the water. Lysander regretted that he didn't get the chance to bathe, even if the water was cold.
Before long, they were before a wooden cottage, in the base of a big oak. The nymph giggled, at how amazed Lysander was.
"This is the best I could do, for the little time, during which we walked here," she said, and then opened the door. "As you can see, you have beds. Sorry, that they are with straw. I suppose, you can always place your bedrolls over that."
"This is," Lysander tugged Erin with him inside. His eyes zeroed in on a fireplace, which was already lit. "This is a home."
Lysander began wiping his eyes furiously. Soon, there were two pairs of arms wrapped around him.
"Yes, your home," the nymph said. She saw Lysander's skin color. Knew him for what he was. Her being a nymph, she could sympathize with the boy. After all, in the mind of most humans, wanderers and supernatural creatures might as well all be demons.
"Thank you," Lysander said, as he held back a sob. This was too much for him. No one has ever given him a home, apart from Anna. A home he could keep, for much longer. "I will make sure your tree is well looked after."
"And I will make sure, that you are both well looked after, as well, my little gardeners. Now, go to the sink, and see what I did," she said, and Lysander got out of the hug. His legs were shaky.
Could it be? Did the nymph use runes, to get them running water? As he turned on the faucet, he saw warm water running down the drain. He turned the faucet to the other side, and the water became cold.
"This is..." Lysander was at a loss for words. This was his dream home. One where he will be warm, and clean.
"The least I could do," the nymph finished for him. Any doubts that she was good and kind flew away from Lysander's mind then. Soon, Erin was by the sink, filling up a cup, which he took from the counter, with fresh cold water.
"We can make tea, right, Ly?" Erin asked, after drinking some of the water. "I like this water. It is so refreshing."
Lysander smiled.
"We can make tea, and stews, and even soups," Lysander promised. When he turned around, the nymph was no longer with them.
They kept on playing, for as long as it took them, to get almost everything they needed. Once Lysander figured out, that the nymph was letting them win, he too, began to play.
He would see her furrow her brows, every time that there was a particularly tough riddle, but he knew that she guessed each one. She just didn't say the answer, so they could win once more.
"I have one riddle for you. More of a question, really," the nymph said, just as Erin was readying to ask another riddle. Lysander knew that the blonde was having fun. He didn't want to be the one who ended it for him, but he also knew that the nymph needed to leave.
"Ask us anything, lady. We will answer," Erin said, with a smile on his lips.
"If you enter a protection pact with me, will you stay and guard my tree?" She asked. Lysander's eyes widened. Something like that was one in a million deal.
"We will make sure to weed and water it, even without the pact," Erin said, and then turned towards Lysander. "Right, Ly? The nice lady played with us, and gave us so much. We have to thank her."
Lysander stared at the pile of things the nymph gave them, as a part of the guessing game. A pot, a cauldron, two bowls, two plates.
Spoons, blankets, five bundles of clothes for each one of them. Bedrolls, which looked as soft as a pillow. An axe, a falchion, two daggers. Even a set of throwing knives. Lysander had never owned so much in his entire life.
"We will protect your tree, if you build us a house under its crown," Lysander said. He might be grateful, but if they had a house, or even a cottage, they could spend the winter out here.
"Sounds good enough," she said, with a soft smile on her lips. Then, she produced a scroll, and a pencil. She moved to the two boys, and then placed the scroll within grabbing distance.
"We will read the contract first," Lysander said, and the nymph nodded.
"I didn't expect anything less from two smart boys like you," she said, and then ran a hand over both Erin's head, and Lysander's.
Lysander blinked up at her. Is this the kind of person Anna had warned him about? Was this nymph better, than the one who lived near Anna's house?
As Lysander read, he saw, that the protection deal included weeding, planting flowers at the base of the tree, collecting the fallen branches, and trimming the bushes. He nodded at each task.
With the axe and the falchion, he knew that he could manage. Maybe, he could even teach Erin how to use these tools, so he could help out, from time to time.
The wanderer took the pencil, and then signed next to his name. Then, he handed it to Erin.
"Thank you, for giving us a home," the blonde said, as he signed his name as well. The nymph took the parchment, and rolled it up. It disappeared in her hands.
"Now, as you have read, the contract is just for the next year. If you don't work hard, I won't renew it," she said, sternly. Lysander nodded. Fair was fair.
"We will work really hard," Erin said, puffing up his chest. Then, he wilted. "Even though I don't know much about the taking care of a tree. But I am confident that Ly will teach me. He knows all kinds of stuff."
"I will also teach you, dear children. Now, let us get all of your winnings in your bottomless bag so that I can lead you to your new home," she said, and then went to the pile with the winnings. Lysander rushed to her, and Erin soon followed.
When they were done, Lysander strapped the bag to his belt, and then took Erin's hand in his. Ever mindful, for the blonde liked to space out, while walking.
Lysander hadn't known him for long, but he still didn't want to lose him. The nymph led them out of the clearing with the water. Lysander regretted that he didn't get the chance to bathe, even if the water was cold.
Before long, they were before a wooden cottage, in the base of a big oak. The nymph giggled, at how amazed Lysander was.
"This is the best I could do, for the little time, during which we walked here," she said, and then opened the door. "As you can see, you have beds. Sorry, that they are with straw. I suppose, you can always place your bedrolls over that."
"This is," Lysander tugged Erin with him inside. His eyes zeroed in on a fireplace, which was already lit. "This is a home."
Lysander began wiping his eyes furiously. Soon, there were two pairs of arms wrapped around him.
"Yes, your home," the nymph said. She saw Lysander's skin color. Knew him for what he was. Her being a nymph, she could sympathize with the boy. After all, in the mind of most humans, wanderers and supernatural creatures might as well all be demons.
"Thank you," Lysander said, as he held back a sob. This was too much for him. No one has ever given him a home, apart from Anna. A home he could keep, for much longer. "I will make sure your tree is well looked after."
"And I will make sure, that you are both well looked after, as well, my little gardeners. Now, go to the sink, and see what I did," she said, and Lysander got out of the hug. His legs were shaky.
Could it be? Did the nymph use runes, to get them running water? As he turned on the faucet, he saw warm water running down the drain. He turned the faucet to the other side, and the water became cold.
"This is..." Lysander was at a loss for words. This was his dream home. One where he will be warm, and clean.
"The least I could do," the nymph finished for him. Any doubts that she was good and kind flew away from Lysander's mind then. Soon, Erin was by the sink, filling up a cup, which he took from the counter, with fresh cold water.
"We can make tea, right, Ly?" Erin asked, after drinking some of the water. "I like this water. It is so refreshing."
Lysander smiled.
"We can make tea, and stews, and even soups," Lysander promised. When he turned around, the nymph was no longer with them.
