8 Relationship Germination

An old mug of coffee Mother just brewed sits on the window pane; the steam still rising as she watches Father head out for a hunt. I wondered if I could go along with him. Mother turned to see me peeking out from me and my sibling's room. She nodded her head and faced Father who smiled after their silent conversation. I dash to get dressed up in the quickest way possible, and then Father and I head on out to hunt during the silent hours of the early morning.

For some reason, I dream of the days that I had spent at home; of my childhood but generally, days before everything went wrong.

I dream of that small house surrounded by giant trees and dancing shadows with mottled sunlight. I recall all the things that Mother has taught me and how Father had spent hours with Tukare and I on his lap, showing us how to control our shadows.

I feel like it's been a very long dream, but somehow I wish it were to go on longer…forever.

A lone spot of sunlight landed on my left eyelid, painting the darkness in my sight with a tint of orange-red. Unable to continue with my slumber, my eyelids flutter to see just where I was. Tickling my right cheek was a leaf of a small growing plant. I straighten up to move away from it, yet it follows me.

Directing my gaze at the plant's root, I notice it growing from the skin of my right shoulder, along with a few plants stemming from my right arm.

"What", I trailed off, feeling alarmed yet not willing to show it.

"I see you're already up", a surprised voice echoes, as the hollow tree slowly began to twist and open a small passage where a transparent woman stood outside.

I nod after recollecting who she was, and say, "Thank you."

"Ah, that child—Narcissa—I told her not to grow her seeds on you while I wasn't watching", she exclaims. "Hold on, let me help you with that", she skootches over elegantly before grabbing a handful of stems. Her hand glows slightly green before the roots of the plants worm their way out of my arm. Some of the leaves wither and fall off, as the plants seem to grow smaller and smaller until they become tiny seeds that lie on her palm.

Thinking, I ask, "How long have I slept?"

"Oh—just a few days", she contemplates. "About four hundred days, give or take, I suppose? I don't particularly count the days though unlike the decades, so I'm not sure."

My jaw slackens. Did I really sleep that long? Tell me she's joking.

I observe her thoughtful face for a moment as she studies the seeds of her Nymph sister. I feel baffled yet I understand that she is indeed telling the truth. Belatedly, a thought comes to mind.

"Your name, may I know it", I say after a passing of silence.

She stands up with a smile before throwing the seeds away from her tree.

"It's Evelyn. Quite too late for introductions, I dare say."

I smile weakly and open my lips to answer but before I could answer, a girl's voice booms over from the hollow top of Evelyn's tree.

"Ah~ My seeds~ Evelyn, how could you~", she complains.

"I told you not to plant your seeds on him", Evelyn scolds. "You naughty child! Why can't you be like—", she pauses to stare at me. "I'm sorry, what's your name again?"

I chuckle softly before answering, "Videre."

A sudden bout of silence accompanies us as both Nymphs stare at me like I've just grown another head. I realize that it's the first time after more than a year to have carelessly smiled like so.

Evelyn recovers faster and says, "It's very nice to meet you, child." She then looks up at Narcissa and starts bantering with her.

"Why can't you be so well-behaved, like Videre? You're already a dozen centuries old yet you don't act like it."

"I don't want to act like grumpy lumpy stump like you. I'm not gaining on that much millennia li~ke you~. How many rings has your tree have by now? Mine remains tall and smooth-trunked, you know."

"Dear, all trees gain rings through the decades. I give it two more centuries before that trunk of yours starts to lump and house a few insects."

"No way!" Narcissa looks horrified like some sort of girl given news that her face would grow pimples at puberty.

Slowly, Evelyn's form glides up the hollow tree as a vine wraps around my waist to hoist me up along with them.

It doesn't take long for the other Nymphs to come and gather at Evelyn's branches, like some sort of house party. They bring along all kinds of fruits, seeds, saplings, and birds, of which they compare and showcase to the others, saying "My family's sapling is the healthiest" or "Look, my tree's baby birds, aren't they the cutest!"

What I didn't expect was that Evelyn would counter them all, saying that I was far cuter than any bird there was. I wasn't too sure if I should feel flattered being compared to the birds, but either way, I simply smile. I mean, nothing could go wrong with saying nothing, and just smiling right?