Of fires and Flowers

Part 1

(this is a first draft and I am in the middle of writing, the part divisions may be awkward places to stop I hope to get better at this but I hope you enjoy)

           In The fields of the Spring Court, golden wheat and the verdant leaves of the healroot plant stretch for miles. Today, like any other day, Foxglove exited their house and saw nothing but green and gold. But lurking beyond their sight, only a half-hour flight away, smoke rose into the air.

             Foxglove, like any other cultivator, was early to rise. It was better to do most of the hard labor before the sun had a chance to get hot. Foxglove's red hair was tied in a braid and pinned up. Their green wings drooped to the side, still heavy with sleep. They wore overalls and a light shirt, things that already bore stains from the wet earth. Foxglove was ready to care for their field of healroot. At this stage, most of the work was watering and weeding. The harvest wouldn't be for another week or two yet, if not earlier. Foxglove took their time scanning the field for weeds. A younger Foxglove would have hated this part; until they became responsible for their own field, they didn't understand why they couldn't save all the plants. If they were responsible for wheat, they couldn't deal with vermin. Vermin couldn't eat too much healroot; it was much too toxic when eaten excessively. Foxglove bent down to pull weeds when they got their first smell of healroot for the day. Both earthy and sweet. On their knees, they saw a section of plants all covered in soot. They had heard of the fires in the east but had yet to see their effects.

              Foxglove summoned forth some of their magic. Magic, like their wings granted to them by their oaths to care and protect for the land. Magic that allowed them to heal plants, fish, and beasts all the same. The plant they had been healing appeared to be burnt by falling ash. Foxglove would inquire about the ash and soot with the other cultivators to see if their neighbor had seen anything similar on the rounds of her fields, and then they would get some elderflower and mint tea. Prim always had tea ready, and Foxglove would always have an extra plate prepared for Prim or anyone else who would show up.

               Today, like most days Foxglove found themselves bored. It wasn't that they found the work unfulfilling, it was more the monotony of it all, the same tasks every day until harvest and after that it all repeats. It was only their third cycle, perhaps they had yet to find things to fill the rest of the time in their day, things they could look forward to while doing the monotonous work. It was in fact meaningful work, the court needed food, and healing herbs. 

               After completing a satisfying amount of work Foxglove decided to take a break and visit Lilia for some tea. The path between their houses is a part of the main road, used for transporting goods from the farms to warehouses, before being distributed throughout the Spring Court. The walk would only take ten minutes and less than that if Foxglove decided to fly over there but Foxglove had no reason to rush and therefore decided it best to enjoy the walk to Lilia's house. When Foxglove arrived on any given day often, they would see Lilia waiting for them on her own porch with tea in hand and a kettle warming on a wood stove outside her door, and today was no different.

                Lilia was older than Foxglove by a few years and had been a Cultivator for years before Foxglove had taken their oath. Lilia had goldenrod hair, tanned skin, and wore practical clothes, often covered in earth much like Foxgloves own. Her hands callused from years of demanding work and her flourishing personal garden served as a testament to her talents with plants and growth magic. Foxglove often went Lillia when they needed help adjusting to farming because, Lilia never shamed them for their ignorance. Instead, she made foxglove feel comfortable in asking for help with the things they did not yet know.

          "Afternoon Foxglove, same as usual I assume come over for some tea and a chat, yes?" Lilia said smiling a vibrant smile. Her warmth made Foxglove feel comfortable being around her.

        "Yes, please and thank you," Foxglove nodded in response to Lilias question. Lilia went inside to fetch some milk, sugar and a teacup to prepare Foxglove their tea. Foxglove's mind wandered back to the ash charred plant they had found earlier in the day and wondered if Lilia had experienced anything similar. It was likely that Lilia would have heard from travelers on the road who had more information about the fires. Lilia always had time to talk to strangers and seemed comfortable doing so. This fact ended up being a good thing for foxglove when they had started their work as a cultivator because in the beginning Foxglove was alone and needed a friend, and mentor.

       "Careful it's hot" Lilia stepped out of her house with a steaming cup of tea. "Speaking of hot, I have been hearing concerning things about those fires in the west. It sounds like they risk reaching the fields and if that happens could you imagine?"

        Relief rushed over Foxglove as she had been wondering how to breach the subject. "That would be awful," Foxglove took a sip of their tea, the second it touched their tongue they remembered the warning of it being hot as their tongue stung from the scalding tea. "Ow, hot,"

         "I told you that sweetie now you can't say I didn't warn you." Lilia teased Foxglove it wasn't that they didn't hear Lilia's warning it was more that they had become more focused on Lilias conformation of their fears.

         "Oh yeah, I had a plant I found this morning covered in ash and scorched, I was able to heal it, but I fear at larger scales the energy required to do so would become unmanageable." This concern was more hypothetical as Foxglove had never tested the limits of the magic their Cultivators oath had provided them with.

         "That's very true, if our field caught fire there is really nothing, we could do without reaching exhaustion first. But I wouldn't worry yet I heard the court sent its finest knights to help with the situation." Lilia said appearing composed, but Foxglove had to wonder how much of that was for their sake and how much of it was Experience knowing that things probably will turn out fine. If it was true, that the knights were dealing with the situation maybe it was even worse than Foxglove had imagined. 

         "The knights?" Foxglove asked, trying not to sound so excited. Foxglove often imagined a life spent fighting and protecting the realm from monsters and enemies from other courts like spies and assassins. However, as Foxglove grew older, they realized that they should accept the wishes of their parents and take a more practical oath. Their parents had been merchants and thus had taken an oath with a merchants guild, that kind of work didn't interest Foxglove as they had always been drawn to caring for nature and therefore being a cultivator seemed a practical oath.

         "Don't tell me you idolize the knights. Oh, to be young and full of ideals. I remember being young and dreaming of being a knight and a hero but that's not the path you chose fantasies like that keep you from having your full heart into your oath, but don't worry eventually your heart will be in it." Foxglove deflated. Their attempts at hiding their feelings had been transparent to Lilia.

         It wasn't that they wanted to be a knight, it was more that they saw honor in it. They could be perfectly content as a cultivator, caring and protection weren't that different callings and caring reinforced Foxgloves reverence for life just as well as being a knight would.

         Foxglove sipped their tea and held idle conversation enjoying the company of Lilia for some time before the sound of wings came rushing towards the house. From the westward road a figure clad in shining armor was moving towards Lilia's house at high speed.

      "Are you folks Cultivators? We need a healer at the fire we have really bad injuries beyond our medics capacities can you help us?"