Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 13: The Remains in Eternal Sleep

It takes a few more hours before they discover another site that resembles a grave with a headstone. What troubles them is that it sits in the middle of a small field filled with beautiful yet dangerous red flowers on tall, stem-like stalks. When Marlina hops out of the sled to walk through them, Elek stops her, his scarf layered and pressed against his face.

"Is something wrong, Sir Elek?"

"Alvohala Crimsons. Their scent causes drowsiness, and prolonged exposure induces sleep. Being in the middle of a field will lull anyone into a deep, continuous sleep unless they are pulled out. Did you find this one in the field?" Just a glance at Marlina's face said it all; it was clear that whoever this was had succumbed to the effects of the flowers and was left defenseless. Marlina's unusual anatomy must have allowed her to step into the field and take the time to bury the remains without any effect.

"Will this... create a problem?" Marlina asks as she glanced at Elek with a hint of guilt, realizing that her unfamiliarity with the desert had led to this inconvenience. She worries that Elek might not collect this one due to her mistake.

Although this short trip was taken specifically to recover remains, Alvohala Crimson oil can be sold to merchants on either side of the desert, fetching a higher price from Colonials. These plants only grow on the west side of the desert, and the inherent dangers of the desert alone make harvesting the flowers treacherous. Given the risk involved in trying to harvest them, it's possible this was someone sent to collect the oils who made a fatal oversight. 

"You'll have to start this alone since you seem immune to the flower's effects. I can't step into that area without risking being lulled to sleep. In the meantime, I'll need to devise a plan..." Elek begins to explain.

Opening his map, Marlina leans over Elek's shoulder to get a better look, though the notes scattered across it were either as legible as gibberish or worn from time. "We can make a decent profit from collecting the oils of the flowers, especially with so many of them, which I also want to attempt to extract. Of course, that comes with the risk of me possibly collapsing. If that happens, you must take me away from the flowers and possibly relocate to a safe place out of the sun." Pointing to what appeared to be cave icons drawn on the map, Elek indicated the nearest one to them. "There's a small tunnel about half an hour northwest of here by sled. If anything happens, we'll have to take shelter until I wake up." It's a stressful task for an inexperienced traveler, especially one without hands. "Let's prepare for the possibility, just in case." 

Having Marlina operate the sled didn't seem to be an option. For a braxl to trust its rider, it needed to know they could lead it safely. Given her inexperience and lack of familiarity with operating a sled, it would be less willing to trust her as its eyes and guide. The braxl is already cautious of her and only tolerates her because Elek made her smell like a snack. Since Marlina didn't experience exhaustion, walking is the best option while the braxl can pull the sled. Using her as a treat will have to do again, but with something much more tempting. 

Reaching into his supplies, he made nose plugs from tightly rolled cloth, retrieved the stained gloves once more, and then took out the box of rotting hekoska flesh. Just him pulling it out caught the braxl's attention, its tongue flicking in anticipation. Tying a couple of pieces to Marlina's wrists, Elek has her start rubbing the meat all over herself while he fashions a crudely made thicker face covering from patches of leather cut from the leather of his tool roll and twine. He has Marlina let the braxl snack on the pieces of flesh, and surprisingly, it didn't hiss at her this time; it even let her pet its nose with her forearm.

There is a problem: she can't whistle; otherwise, the braxl won't know when to start moving. Needing to work quickly, Elek cuts flowers from one of the stem-like stalks to make-shift a lure. Using some cut cloth to make a pouch full of hekoska meat at one end, Elek ties the bundle to one end of the stalk, sliding it into the hole in Marlina's arm, which she holds up to the braxl as she walks, encouraging it to follow her and the food. With Marlina studying the map and knowing which way to go, Elek prepares everything she will need to help get him back into the sled, lure the braxl, and get them both to the tunnel he mentioned.

Hoping he was thorough enough, he starts collecting the flowers from the stalks while Marlina digs for the remains, just as he taught her. Since Elek has to step away from the patch multiple times when he starts to feel drowsy, he'd stay near or sit in the sled in case he fell asleep.

Marlina notices the heat is wearing him down, although she is not entirely sure how effective the block of ice Elek had taken earlier is. She understands that the ice needs to stay close and he has to drink often; otherwise, he can quickly become dehydrated or overheated. Each time he staggers a bit from the heat and fights drowsiness, she feels anxious and wants to suggest they stop and move on. But he only takes a moment and a few sips of water before continuing. What intrigues Marlina is that the crate with the now mostly melted ice has a catch tray at the bottom, collecting the meltwater that Elek uses to refill his canteen and from which the braxl drinks. It takes him a few hours to collect the flowers, leaving the stalks intact so more could grow, storing them in one of the compartments at the back of the sled, and marking the flower patch on his map for later collection.

By now, the sunset is approaching, and Elek looks worn out. Noticing Marlina hasn't made it halfway through unearthing the remains from doing so with great care, they have to continue this tomorrow. Both of them sit in the sled while Elek eats, and she watches him starting to nod off. Even though the flowers are gone, he has been exposed to their oils for a while, making it increasingly difficult to keep his eyes open.

"Marlina... do you think you can take us to the tunnel? I'm not exactly fit to make it there..." His words are slurred, and she didn't have much choice. His voice clearly reflects the uncertainty of depending on someone inexperienced in the wastes for their safety.

Marlina shares that uncertainty, reminding herself of everything he explained she needed to do. "If you are unable to do it, then I will. Please rest; you've done so much." She insists on letting Elek lie back, covering him with a large cloth to shield him from the sun if he falls asleep. Then, she takes the stalk with the lure, approaches the braxl, and allows it to sniff the rotting flesh on her and the lure. Wrapping the reins around her arm, she rests the stalk on her shoulder and lets the lure dangle behind her, prompting the braxl to start moving as it feels the tug of the reins. It keeps to Marlina's pace from the pull, unsure of her as a guide, and moves cautiously, its ears shifting around and on alert. 

Eventually, once they are comfortable with the teamwork, Marlina shifts to a jogging pace to quicken their speed. The half-hour sled trip takes her some hours to reach the tunnel, but by now, Elek has fallen asleep, and the sun has set. Although the entrance is wide enough for the sled to fit through, it is still relatively small. There is just enough space for the sled on one side while the braxl rested on the other, leading to another chamber of similar size. As she waits in the sled for Elek to wake up, he shifts and yawns, pulling the cloth away while stretching. Realizing they arrived, he relaxes. 

"Good job, Marlina. It looks like you had no trouble." He groans as he sits up; the sled is not made for comfort.

"Just a little trouble with the braxl when it tried to steal the meat while luring it."

Seeing that the braxl was content now, she must have given it its reward and fallen asleep, faint chirps escaping as it breathed. Elek looks back at Marlina; she sits still, staring at him as if waiting for something. 

"What is it?"

"You mentioned that you'd explain why you learned to read bones once we found shelter for the night."

Elek lets out a huge yawn, feeling quite refreshed from his rest. He raises his hand for a moment. "I'll do it once I've had a chance to wake up and set up our camp."