A Gardener And His Son

[Vaelahr]

"Does it have magics in it?" The lad queried to his father while tightening the bright red belt around his small waist.

The gardener in thick leather armor was slow to answer. His eyes and fingers busy with ritual. His weathered hands brushed away dead leaves that had wandered onto the patterned stone and stained glass of the shrine's symbol. Fingertips pushed back loose dirt that had encroached on the wreath framing the holy symbol on the ground outside his cottage.

"Ye fed Shadow an' the others?" He asked back, almost absently.

"Aye pa". His own fingertips curiously tracing the dwarven script on the belt. "Is it magicaled?"

The Dalesman nodded, "It's got some blessin' to it." His hands gently handled a small herb, struggling to grow amidst a group of flowers and ornamental grasses at the crown of the symbol. His lips whispered the Goddess's name and the dirt around the small herb darkened and swelled as the water appeared, bathing its delicate roots with encouragement. "It'll help keep ye from gettin' sick so wear it when ye can."

The boy of eleven summers looked to his father. "So I don't get ill like ma did and die?"

The gardener swallowed the memory and looked up from the broad rose symbol to the large memorial stone just behind it. "Aye", he replied quietly. "Best to keep to yer prayers as well." He motions his son over to kneel beside him at the shrine. "Ye pray wit' me tonight?" He smiles down to the lad beside him. "Great Mother keep yer earth steady under our feet and the sun on our paths. Give us the aid of all green life around us, to hide us from our enemies' eyes and bind our enemies' feet."

Young Nate repeated the prayer as his father reached to the memorial stone and whispered, "I miss ye Ellie." The boy touched the stone as well. "I love ye mama."

The gardener wrapped an arm around his boy as they stood. "Now get on inside son. Night's upon us and foul things are about.....I can feel it." Nathan Willem followed his boy in shortly after, a wary look over his shoulder.

[Mizbiz]

This was just beautiful, V, really.

You always make me feel so sad after you characters die. Nathan and his son are back with their beloved wife and mother.

[Twiggy]

Very nice V.

*stubbornly refuses to feel guilty for killing them both horribly*

[Aitana]

This actually got me misty eyed.

Really beautiful writing. Great work Vaelahr!

[danielmn]

Gone....but not forgotten. Good writings!