Chapter 41: Growing Pains (Patreon)

Kasim stared at the charred rose hedge in front of him blankly, then turned to look at Fin. He stared with an unreadable expression at the cook for a few wordless seconds, before once again returning his attention to the shrub. 

The head of the castle greenhouse and all the plants within, a skilled and powerful Earth witch, wore a rich maroon linen coat with the sleeves rolled up, but his chest remained bare. He wore matching pants, and had half of his dreadlocks tied in a knot behind his head as he continued staring at the damage of the maze while Fin grew more and more tense. 

“So… can you fix it?” 

“Mr. Ashowan… why is your first response to things to call down lightning?” Kasim’s tone was innocently curious as the man stared expectantly at Fin.  

The cook felt his cheeks tinge red. 

“I don’t always call down lightn-”

“First day we met.”

“That was because I saw vines moving on their own and could feel your insane power.” The cook explained defensively with a wince.

Kasim sighed while shaking his head. He then clucked his tongue, and shot the redhead one final disapproving glance before reaching out his ebony hand with long fingers towards the shrub. 

Fin watched as fresh growth burst forward from the healthy stubs of the brambles and leaves spiraled out of the new magical growth. As the hole resealed itself, a perfect single pale pink rose peeled back its petals into a magnificent bloom like a bow atop a perfectly wrapped gift. 

Kasim gently plucked the flower and turned to Fin. He held it out to the cook, but when the man tried to take it, Kasim quickly lifted it out of his grasp and gently bopped him on the head with it. 

“Be more careful, hm?” Fin gave a half smile as he took the rose, from his friend, and the two turned in unison to stride back to the castle where the occupants were more than likely finishing up their lunch. 

“I won’t bother asking you why you set fire to a hedge- I know you better than to try finding out.” Kasim announced with his hands clasped behind his back. 

“Which is one of the many reasons I like you so much.” Fin replied grinning more easily before adding on;

“I don’t always use lightning, you know. The second time I needed to go through the bush it… it moved for me. Which was strange. I have never really influenced plants to move unnaturally before. I can make things grow a little bit better than the average person-”

“My eggplants beg to differ.” Kasim interrupted, but his tone was jesting. 

“I didn’t know the beetles would be so tenacious!” Fin explained, his tone jumping higher as he once again sought to prove his innocence and skill. 

“Back to what you were just saying, plants are more aware than you think Fin.” The man began to explain as they neared the castle doors. “They sense things in the earth and the creatures they privilege with their support. While you may ask favors of plants and the Earth, they may choose not to listen, or just as easily decide to obey you.”

The men stopped a few feet from the doorway, far enough that anyone on the inside of the castle wouldn’t be able to hear them. 

“They always obey the Earth witches though.” Fin pointed out with a frown. 

“Us Earth witches tend to be recognized as part plant- and charming ones at that.” Kasim’s brilliant white teeth flashed and Fin found himself already grinning. 

“So you’re saying they might not listen to me next time?” 

“That hedge is pretty pissed off with you my friend. They only listened because they like your hair and you caught them off guard by speaking to them. I don’t know that they will be as… receptive next time.” Kasim explained, still smiling. 

“They like my hair?” Fin repeated raising an eyebrow in disbelief. 

“Roses are quite fussy. I cannot always understand why either.” 

“I didn’t realize I could be aware of the Earth. Objects I can sense, and in dangerous circumstances people in my home, but plants? That surprises me.” Fin glanced back at the rose maze, and felt a pang in his chest as he remembered the night he and Lady Jenoure had strolled through the colorful blooms. 

“Being aware of something forms a connection, which then solidifies it in your world of awareness.” Kasim observed as he turned back towards the castle, his feet were still completely bare.

“I don’t know that I want to know how much the cabbages like manure though…” Fin informed the Earth witch, who laughed warmly as they mounted the steps together. 

“Well Fin, I will see you next Sunday.” Kasim gave a small nod of his head before he turned and strode smoothly into the castle. His feet never made a sound as he disappeared down the corridor and around the corner. 

Fin began walking in the opposite direction back towards the kitchen, when Mr. Howard appeared from around the corner clutching two scrolls to his chest. 

“Good afternoon!” Fin called waving the rose he still had in his hand at the man who immediately stopped in his tracks and glared. 

“What is that?” The assistant demanded tightly. 

Fin had actually forgotten about the radiant bloom in his hand, but at seeing Mr. Howard’s expression to it, couldn’t help but smirk. 

“This is a flower. Why? Does this scare you?” Fin’s borderline evil smile melted into a bright grin as he then tilted the rose down towards the assistant’s face. The man glared daggers in response. 

“Because of your ‘prank’, I have received an inconceivable number of maids declaring their support of my love for Peter. The other half of the staff support my torrid relationship with your own person.” The man snapped angrily, a small blush rising to his cheeks. 

“Well aren’t you popular! Doesn’t it make you feel good that so many care about your happiness and wellbeing? I bet you’ve never spoken to seventy five percent of the people in this castle before my well-intentioned meddling.” 

“You’re a pain in the ass that I wouldn’t hesitate to shove down a flight of stairs.” 

“I am grateful then that the kitchen is on the main floor then.” 

Kevin Howard scowled in silence at Fin for several long moments. 

“Well fine, if you don’t want the rose I will find someone who does.” Fin’s air of indignation only succeeded in making the assistant’s cheek twitch. 

As the cook started strolling past the man, he paused and turned his chin over his shoulder. 

“You need to accept the love offered to you in this life.”

“I’d sooner accept the pox than anything you offer.” Kevin Howard barked as the redhead waved with the rose over his shoulder while heading back to his kitchens. 

When Fin entered the room where his magic had continued his work for him in his absence, he took a quick appreciative sniff of the rose in his hand and felt a small piece of his heart lighten at the soft fragrance.

He set the bloom down on the far right of his worktable, away from the mess, and turned his attention to the tasks at hand.

The cook took his magically imbued knife gently in his hand, stopping its own magical work, and took over dicing a ruby ripe tomato for the dinner that evening. 

He worked with an outward calm that was as forced as the blank static in his mind. Annika was alive, so he shouldn’t be so worried. However, the wound in her side could easily become infected. Not to mention sitting, standing, curtsying, could all be very painful… 

Fin’s heart twisted. Without seeing a physician, she wouldn’t be given the herbs necessary for managing the pain. Then again she could have had her own private stock… 

Though something in the cook said otherwise.

Fin had nearly convinced himself several times over that sneaking away to see her was merely what a decent person should do. However, the small hissing voice in his head had reminded him that a decent person wouldn’t jeopardize the Lady’s reputation by acting familiar towards her. 

Sighing, the cook slid the diced ingredient into a wooden bowl that sat atop the counter. 

He was about to lose himself to another tornado of thoughts surrounding Lady Jenoure, when his ears picked up unfamiliar voices on the other side of the shut garden door. 

When he had been handling the rose bush conundrum, Fin had closed and sealed all the doors for anyone but himself. Given the summer heat, he doubted anyone would seek out the kitchen with its high fires and enclosed space. 

Setting the knife firmly on the table, Fin made his way to the garden door and opened it wide. He saw a group of Troivackian Knights standing in the garden talking and laughing amongst themselves, their plate armor glinting in the July sun. 

“If you don’t mind, please get off the turnips.” Fin’s icy voice reached the men easily as they all cast uniformed looks of annoyance and boredom in his direction. 

“We were told we could relax here until our Lord Piereva has finished testing the troops.” One of the men called, his face somewhat slimmer than his two bulky companions. 

“You were not instructed properly. Get off the gardens.” Fin could already feel the need to teach a good, permanent lesson to those Knights well up in his belly and chest, which in turn made his fists clench hard enough to nearly shatter bones in his palm. 

“So you’ll get us some chairs to sit an’ drink then?” One of the Troivackian men had spoken up. The man had a neck as thick as the entire width of his shaved head. 

“I am busy preparing food. If you all could please go off and-”

“Oyy, we obey our master Earl Piereva. He would skin you alive if he heard you were contradicting his order.” One of the men sneered cloyingly.

“He is not the master of my kitchen. Now leave on your own feet or by spontaneous exertion that lands you on your back.” Fin demanded, forcing a falsely lazy gait as he strolled out onto the garden path. He only stopped when he was a few feet from the men. The cook eyed their boots that crushed the vibrant green plants beneath their feet with a brief flit of his eyes, steeliness paling his blue eyes. 

The men chuckled darkly as they all slowly straightened to their full heights, though much to their displeasure, the cook was still an inch or two above nearly all of them. 

“You think we’re scared of a Daxarian cook just because-”

Fin hit the man in two places with the heel of his palm, and watched satisfied as the soldier fell to his knees before his face rushed the ground. 

The Troivackians that remained standing all drew daggers though they had swords at their sides as well. 

“I won’t ask again. Get off my turnips.” Fin’s deadened expression failed to convey his murderous intent as the men all snickered, though with slightly more concern as they eyed their fallen comrade who was still sleeping like a newborn babe. 

“Gentlemen, I fear you are needed back in the training ring. Earl Piereva has summoned you.” Lord Jiho Ryu appeared behind the beefy men soundlessly, making them all jump and whirl around panicked. 

Jiho eyed their drawn weapons with a single narrowed stare, making them all hastily sheath their weapons and bow. Though they looked thoroughly sour as they did so.

Ryu stood with his hands clasped behind his back and watched them haul up their unconscious friend, all while casting murderous leers towards the cook.

Once the troupe had disappeared around the castle corner, the Zinferan turned to Fin with a cocked eyebrow.

“It isn’t like you to pick fights.” He observed as the redhead picked up a rake that had been leaning against the fence post and began loosening the packed dirty from where the Troivackian soldiers had been standing moments ago. 

“I feel very protective of my turnips.” He explained mildly, not wanting to meet his friend’s eye. He didn’t want to think about Jiho with Annika… it was doing things to his breathing.

‘I could’ve also given and taken a good beating to feel moderately better.’ He couldn’t help but think to himself.

The Zinferan strode over and placed himself directly in front of Fin on the pathway, and waited for the cook to finish his task. 

Jiho watched his friend closely as he worked, then saw how the witch turned away from him to place the rake back where he had first picked it up without looking at him or saying anything. 

“Have I done something to upset you Fin?” Jiho asked tilting his head ever so slightly as he watched his friend shove his hands in his pockets and hunch his shoulders ever so slightly. 

“Not at all. Congratulations on becoming a noble, I’m sure your sister is thrilled.” Fin finally locked gazes with the Zinferan, but had to immediately fight off a flinch at the directness. He managed a smile at his friend, and genuinely meant his warm wishes as he thrust every other emotion from his mind. 

“Fin I lived with you for years, I know something is bothering you. Something with me apparently.” The redhead strode past him heading back to the kitchens. 

“Everything is as it should be, you should get back before they notice you’re missing.” Fin called out forcing his tone to be more jovial. Jiho frowned at the peculiar wording, and so trekked behind the cook’s footsteps.

Once back inside his kitchen, he realized Jiho had followed him. 

‘He always was silent as a cat.’ Fin thought dryly.

“Did you want a drink before you went back?” The cook asked as he picked up his knife and resumed working. 

The Zinferan didn’t answer but instead continued studying Fin in his unsettling way, until his eyes dropped to the rose on the table and then jumped back up to the cook with sudden clarity. 

“Oh good Gods, a Viscountess?!” 

Fin dropped his knife in shock. His eyes snapped up, as Jiho stared at him in awe. 

“What are you talking about?” The witch snapped. While his voice was convincing, his face had paled ever so slightly. 

“It’s because of you isn’t it?” Jiho suddenly was smiling as all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place before him. 

“Have the Troivackians made you drink their moonshine? You’re not making any sense.” Fin steadied himself as he shook his head and forced a smile despite his insides beginning to twist. 

“It’s because of you Lady Jenoure doesn’t want to get married. Gods, the two of you are in love with each other aren’t you?” 

Fin reviled the words and shook his head. 

“I’m not-”

“Why are you treating me so coldly then?” 

The cook’s mouth snapped shut and he fixed Jiho with a confident level gaze. 

“I’m not treating you coldly, I just have a lot on my mind because of all the extra mouths to feed and-”

“We’re better friends than that. I wondered why you hadn’t come to greet me yet! It couldn’t have been because of my ennobling because that wouldn’t really affect you at all. Besides, when you saw my elevated position last time you had no qualms whatsoever. I haven’t seen you since then, so it was nothing I’ve done. Which means something else is making you uncomfortable. Lady Jenoure has been acting as though she is the slack jawed village idiot, but I know she is far more intelligent than that. It’s therefore obvious she doesn’t want to marry. Not to mention the only time she ever snapped out of her façade for even a moment was when it had something to do with you, or the food.” Jiho concluded smiling proudly while Fin stared aghast at the man. 

“You got all that from me behaving strangely?”

“The rose. Something about it inspired me and my instincts are rarely wrong.”  The Zinferan smiled brilliantly. 

“For the love of-”

“I understand you can’t admit anything or else face grave consequences. I’ll be seeing you later Fin, I think we should have a little chat over drinks.” 

The Zinferan noble turned and waved over his shoulder without turning back around. He strode purposefully back out into the sweltering summer day, leaving Fin standing alone in his kitchen, too stunned to move. 

“How in the hell did he do that?!” The redhead then proceeded to mutter every curse he knew over and over. When he ran out of them, he restarted. 

He glanced at the rose on his table after he had time to settle his thoughts, and thought about Annika once more. Her teasing tone, her flask glinting as she topped up any beverage she had in front of her, the sad gaze she had given him in the maze… 

‘Godsdamnit.’ Snatching the rose from the table, Fin turned to the castle door and stalked out of the room.