Autumn Flower

The Autumn Flower

              The first red leaves of the season fell on that cold morning. Auic woke up with a red nose, the temperature had dropped significantly during the night. But it looked like it would be a warmer day, with clear skies. Perfect for collecting the herbs she would need for the new potion. It was also the season for a particularly rare flower that she was certain that this time would make her new spell work. She put on her maroon robe, which matched perfectly with the wood on those mountains, and left the room, humming.

- Someone is in a good mood! - Said Venus, happy to see her friend smiling, a sighting almost as rare as the autumn flowers.

- How could I not be! The final ingredient is finally blooming! Here, get some well-deserved sunbath. - Answered Auic, taking Venus's pot from the counter and placing her on the window sill. Venus stretched her leaves and opened her mouth waiting for breakfast. Soon enough a fly fell for her trap and was munched with gusto.

Auic watched the scene with a mix of sadness and disgust.

- How can you enjoy this? - She asked in disbelief, even though she has seen this happen a million times.

- Technically I was made to like this, it's just as good as eating a pizza! - Venus said. giggling and waiting...

- HEY! - an outraged scream came from the oven. Auic laughed a little and opened the oven door. - Can you stop these jokes, please? I am the only pizza allowed in this house, and I shall not be eaten. - Peter came flying out of it, he knew it was a joke, but sometimes the fear of being eaten got real.

- C'mon, you can hardly complain about these jokes when you choose to sleep in the oven. - Said Auic, while Venus laughed.

Peter opened his mouth to reply, but he hadn't thought of an argument for that yet.

- Well, Peter, here is your yeast, Venus I think you really found the perfect spot for breakfast... and some jam and bread for me!

- I never saw you so excited for breakfast before... - Peter said.

- Well, I've been reading, and I found something new! A very well-written article about the Autumn Hyacinth and its powers. I also found multiple spells which use that particular flower, and I believe at least two of them are worth trying, plus the one I've been creating myself!

Peter and Venus exchanged worried looks. This has been going on for years now, the spells never worked. They were getting tired and worried about Auic too. This obsession couldn't be healthy.

- Maybe... we could just enjoy this fall...? - Said Peter cautiously.

- Yeah... maybe we can focus on pumpkin recipes instead of autumn flowers spells...? - Continued Venus.

- No! - Auic answered immediately. - There is no enjoying while I can't get this right. How could I? Please, just let me try, I feel... I feel like this time I can actually make it work, and then after that... we can enjoy ourselves together.

- Ok... But this has to be the last time... - Said Venus, a little defeated.

- It will be when it works. - Said Auic, with a forced smile. And with that, she bit into her bread and chewed, as loudly as possible to indicate that this conversation was over.

               They didn't finish eating in silence because Peter hated uncomfortable silences, and quickly found a way to stir the conversation back to pizza jokes, and funny things. He proudly accepted the role of being the tension breaker, he always had a way to make laughter appear in any room he was in, and they would have never lasted this long without his lighthearted attitude. Auic was certainly the most intense, but Venus could hit a nerve on a bad day, and that was an explosive mixture.