Paragon

Remnants of the Great War [5]

PARAGON

Remnants of the Great War Arc [5]

Chapter 14 : Fairy Forest

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Flora's cottage was built of the same wood that comprised the trees around it, and its roof was thatched with woven wheat grass that AZ recognized from the valley. The windows were crusted with dirt and age, yet vibrant flowers colored the forest floor around the house. A dark pond sat nestled behind a copse of reeds, and the whole scenery looked like something out of a storybook.

AZ followed the woman down the path, the tall grass tickling his naked body. Despite her blindness, she seemed to need no help finding her way, not even needing to feel at the splintered fence that lined the path to guide her around the bends. She found the doorknob immediately, and pushed the dry door open.

"I don't have much, but let's get that leg patched up," she said.

AZ had already forgotten about the shallow self-inflicted injury, and looked down at the blood congealed on his leg, then back at his companion.

She was tiny, even compared to him, and he had to crouch to get through the door frame.

The interior was just as idyllic. A fire crackled in the cobblestone fireplace, an iron cauldron hanging from a spit above it. Potted plants adorned every window sill, and hung from the ceiling in baskets. The entire cottage was just one room, and a bed covered in a voluminous patchwork quilt sat in the corner.

Flora hurried over to a chest and started rummaging through it, and she returned with a cloth and a jar of salve. After fetching a basin of water, she set it down on the dining room table in the middle of the room.

"Have a seat, dear, and I'll get to work on your leg. I promise I'll have you feeling better in no time."

"That won't be necessary," AZ said, but he did sit down cautiously after testing the chair's strength. "I can clean myself up."

"Are you sure? I really don't mind."

AZ said nothing and grabbed the cloth. He dunked it on the water basin and slathered it over his leg carelessly, not caring that he was dripping all over the floor. His leg didn't hurt at all, and he didn't care much to keep this performance up any longer.

What was he even doing here? What did he hope to gain from this? The world was hunting him at this very moment, and here he was wasting time with some woman for no reason. No, it was worse. He'd gotten her involved. Now she was in harm's way just for housing him.

He stood up to leave.

"Oh, careful, dear. You shouldn't be walking around on an injured leg." She wrung her hands in worry. "Have a seat, and stay awhile. I'll lend you my bed so you can rest and recover."

"I need to go."

"Please, at least eat something. You're so weak."

AZ's head cocked in her direction. She wasn't looking at him, but he felt her gaze nonetheless.

"What did you say?"

"Here." She paced over to her cupboards and pulled out another jar, this one full of berries. "Have some cheris. I have bread and honey too." Before AZ could protest, she was back in her kitchen sawing into a loaf of brown bread. She returned with a platter full of food, an empty cup, and a pitcher of water. She smiled at him.

AZ let himself lower back into his chair, and before he knew it, he was tearing into the bread with abandon and shoveling handfuls of berries into his mouth. Flavors exploded in his mouth like cannonfire, and he washed it all down with a river of water, straight from the pitcher.