Chapter 8 Paradise & the Poisoned Fruit (Part 3/7)

On my way back to Victoria's, I was still feeling off center with the feelings I was getting from interacting with Steven. He seemed like a nice enough guy with good medical knowledge, seeing as he was a radiologist. It was just that he seemed far too quick to discredit and disregard things that didn't fit the established narrative in his mind. Close minded people, who were not the slightest bit interested in honest communication of differing ideas just rubbed me wrong. I honestly would be fine not having to interact with him again.

As I returned to the shop with sore arms, calves, and feet from pushing the loaded wheel barrow, Victoria who had been waiting for me, led me back around to the hidden entrance again. Passing through the gate and maneuvering to the view of the breathtaking garden was like a balm to my soul. The very presence of the peaceful garden is what I desperately needed after the turmoil I had experienced in my mind from before.

I did have to admit that the guy was right in a way about one thing. I shouldn't let outside concerns negatively affect my experience here. Those concerns were what drove me to my current path and to excel in it, but they didn't have to bring down myself or others in pursuit of my goals.

Again, shaking my head to clear it, I focused on following instructions from my master.

"Andrew, bring the wheel barrow over here and help me shovel it into this bin."

The bin that she was talking about was a raised barrel of sorts that could open in the middle into a half barrel. Motioning for me to transfer the feces into that barrel I got to shoveling. As I shoveled, already at the bottom of the half barrel, I could see traces of clippings from her garden, some of our past leftover meals, and then several other less distinguishable items. It also appeared that she had mixed in some regular soil with the other contents.

I remember when growing up, that my own mother had started a compose pile of sorts. It wasn't a rotating one such as this, but instead she had she had used a large trash can to pile expired foods, yard trimmings, and soil into. It would then be my responsibility to fluff things up and shovel things around at occasional intervals. I somewhat remembered the smell as being unpleasant, but I most distinctly remembered the insects that I found in there. June beetle larvae. *Shudder* I couldn't suppress my physical reaction to that recalled experience. Apparently, many bugs in compost can be very helpful to its breakdown and preparation to being used in the garden. June beetle larvae are not part of those beneficial ones.

To me, it looked like a larval form of an alien from hell, that would love nothing more than to eat the lining of the stomach of whatever poor deluded creature would have the gall to consume it. My mother ended up feeding them to the turtles, and I would for days after the feeding, go out frequently to check on the condition of the turtles to make sure they weren't showing signs of distress. You know, the kinds of signs you might expect from an insect eating you from the inside out. Thankfully they always appeared to be alright and I guess that my prejudice against the ugly looking insects wasn't fully justified. They truly were bad for the garden, but apparently not bad for the turtles as food.

Focusing back on my work with shoveling the griffin feces, I was glad to not see any of those types of insects in the compost pile Victoria was cultivating.

Soon enough, the job was done and the vat of earthen ingredients was closed and locked. Victoria then grabbed a handle at the side and began rotating the entire barrel vigorously, mixing the various components within it. She then would open a small latch within it to add in some soil, before again rotating it again. I offered to help with the rotating, but she shook her head as if to negate any need for help.

Instead, as she worked on the rotation, I took my time to get a better view of her garden. Despite the smaller appearance from the outside which looked to be no more than 800 meters squared, I estimated that her sprawling flora reached beyond an acre in size. In addition to the paradise of artistically grown verdant life; off to the side, appearing enclosed with the same stone walls that made up her yard, there was a non-obtrusive building. I was certain this wasn't part of her house as it didn't abut her residence but instead the exterior wall.

My curiosity was certainly piqued as I observed it. Soon enough, however, my eyes were drawn back to the dancing fairies that flew unabashedly amongst the flowering flora. Tirene popped into existence right in-front of me, startling me as I was becoming lost within their mesmerizing dance.

*Chitter* She dropped the ball at my feet that I had thrown for her before when returning from Victoria's test. Looking back at Victoria, I saw that she had already finished what she'd been doing with the mulch. Now she was simply relaxing in one of the sprawling chairs watching the goings on within her little paradise.

"Go ahead and have fun." She motioned at me. "You can throw however hard that you want as long as it isn't in the direction of the plant life. The spells will keep it within the yard."

Having been curious since the first time I had seen the walls of her home; I was more than ready and interested in challenging her claim of protected walls. Winding my arm back I watched as the excited Lanuae Sciurus pranced back and forth on her dainty paws awaiting my throw. I then let loose with the ball. My aim had been directed to go as high as possible and over the walls beyond what I could see. However, just as it appeared to approach said space above the wall, it rebounded and shot off at an angle, at which Tirene teleported just ahead of the ricocheted ball. Catching it with more grace and pride than I could imagine any cat or dog pulling off in real life, I watched as she returned to the ground to prance around in gleeful posturing.

*Hehe!* A chuckle came from Victoria as she commented on her little friends antics. "I don't think she's missed a rebound shot for the past 7 years that she has deigned to hang around here." Pausing as if in recollection of those years, she then continued. "She certainly has the ability to leave, as the spacial spells placed upon my yard wouldn't phase her in the least if she was truly determined. However, she is very aware of the risks of living on the outside, considering the value of her pelt and beast core. I feel for her as she is getting up there in age and may not be able to have children if she can't take the risk to go out and find a mate soon. The outside is a scary place, but sometimes you have to take risks if you want to achieve your dreams sometimes."

Strangely, that advice seemed dually aimed at Tirene and myself. "Do you think I should venture out with Tirene?" I asked in response.

Victoria gave me a troubled look before she spoke. "As much as you two seem to get along, it would likely only be safe to do in your own world. Here we have hunters who specifically seek out the spacial fluctuations that Tirene unintentionally puts off with her teleports. It's even worse when they have their babies, as the fluctuations become particularly disruptive and noticeable for the right sensing artifacts when they are in labor. If she can convince a partner to join her here, then that would be optimal. It is unfortunate that they have rightfully learned not to trust humans, as we have proven very cut-throat in the search of riches obtainable from a single Lanuae Sciurus pelt."

Gesturing at the walls around us, Victoria further explained. "Gertrude, no matter how I may jokingly call her old or senile, is incredible at creating magic circles, artifacts, and enchantments. She was the one to enchant my yard, allowing me this expanded space and place of protection for the creatures within it." Looking out across the garden as if encompassing all the little fairies and other less visible creatures, she added in a sorrowful tone. "We work hard to maintain this little safe haven, in a world full of greed and violence."

Then standing up from her spot on the lounge chair she stretched as if to crack her back. The movement did interesting things to her alluring figure that I reflexively turned away from, to not entertain thoughts I shouldn't be having about my master. It was interesting that although I could still feel juvenile urges within me, I could feel as if the growing energies that were forming within my chest behind the amulet were forming a counter point. It was as if they were granting my more mature mind, less encumbered by teenage hormones, a voice.

"Well, let's get to work on spreading out the matured compost." Victoria's voice brought me back from my distracting thoughts. Pointing to one of the other barrels of what I suspected to be containers of older composts, she motioned me over.

"If you could take the wheel barrow to the exterior shower you used before, to rinse it out and bring it back, I would be appreciative."

I almost leapt to respond to her request. The thought of being able to work in her garden was thrilling to imagine. I wonder if any of the tiny fairies or other creatures, would come close to us while gardening.

Rinsing the residue of griffin feces out of the wheel barrow didn't take long, and after shaking out what extra water I could from the basin, did I then return to Victoria with it. What she did next was very interesting.

I watched as she took the wheel barrow from me and place it about 2 meters away from the compost bin in front of me. Then raising up her hands, she began condensing ice particles from the air. Guiding them, she then formed a hollow chute of sorts, leading from the base of the bin to the top of the wheel barrow. The casual use of such magic for housework just made it seem somewhat less mysterious than before.

Taking a glance at me, Victoria let out a chuckle. "Haha! Did you think we were going to do this the hard way? Why use physical labor when magic and gravity can do the work for you?" I was considering asking why she didn't do such when I was shoveling the feces into the other bin. But then after mentally adding in the effect of gravity, I felt that I could understand her justification. I guess this was simply a case of work smarter, not harder.

Pushing the now full wheel barrel over the start of garden, Victoria knelt down on the bare earth and began scooping out handfuls of the rich, dark brown, almost black earth from the basin. I knelt down as well to join her in her actions, but was stopped. "You'll want to take off your shoes when doing this. The garden will better be able to communicate with you about what it needs if there is less of a barrier between the earth and you."

'Okay?' My eyebrows arched in doubt, yet I still removed my footwear and then joined Victoria down by the earth. Stepping onto the rich soil I felt my feet sink in a couple of inches and then I felt a jolt pass through me. Something near, yet seemingly distant appeared to be caressing the energy within my core behind the amulet. It was like I was being observed through a very intimate lens, which was able to peer deep into my essence.

All of the creatures in the garden appeared to have frozen with their gazes settled firmly and heavily upon me. Even Tirene seemed caught up in the hypnotic moment as she stared at me with only her tail lazily swishing back and forth.

Victoria appeared to be free of the spell that the others were under, but even so, she stared at me with bated breath as if fearful of the results of what would be found.