The Promise

Serenica felt nervous about waiting Spade and Myorka to show up. As long as she didn't physically see them, she was afraid they had died. On another note, she was no longer confident about her abilities as a diplomat.

"Tea?" Innai asked.

Serenica thought he might poison her. She thought it would be rude to refuse said poison.

"Anything, yes," she said.

There was a knock on the door.

"My bushes! My bushes! They've been destroyed!" Innai screamed, suddenly losing all composure. He rushed to the door.

Spade and Myorka came in without waiting for permission. The captain's coat looked like he'd just fought the vegetation and won.

That victory had been costly, though. He was holding his right arm, which had bled through his expensive clothes.

"Thank you for calling the swamp back, I guess," he said. "Innai. Old friend. You're still just as murderous."

"It's a defense mechanism," Innai said.

Serenica didn't know what he meant.

"I want something in return for my trees," Innai said as they were standing around, looking helpless and waiting for him to pull a loaf of bread out of the oven. The old man was trying to be a generous host, or so it seemed for Serenica, as he fussed around to bring them all something to drink.

"What could that something be? You have little use for gold," Spade remarked.

"I want your healer," Innai blurted out. "I want her, or if you can not give her to me, I need supplies. I am tired of fishing and trading and eating fish and preparing fish -"

"Innai, you know we are never carrying much supplies. I could give you something, and we could sail to Aja Vana, but we'll have even less space for food after the visit to north as we'll pick up some new men and some cargo space will need to be converted Into sleeping quarters for the new crew. It's just not good business, letting my crew starve."

Myorka was silent.

"Or then you can give me the healer." The old man pointed a finger at Serenica.

"Her? Prisoner?"

Spade seemed so terrifyingly calm that Serenica feared for her freedom. What if the captain saw her as an acceptable loss? Not that she thought Innai to be distasteful, on the contrary, he seemed like a pleasant fellow and his negative outlook on life matched her own. She'd been through a lot, but still she wanted to improve her attitude. She had a feeling that Innai would suffocate her before long. She was still young. She wanted to learn how to be an optimist, not sit on some forsaken island eating fish.

"I'd much rather negotiate with my wife first," Spade continued and took the loaf of bread from the oven without waiting for Innai's permission.

Serenica took a walk in the backyard with Innai. The place was so different from the rest of the island that it didn't feel like it belonged to the same world. There was order, control and long rows of beautiful purple daffodils.

The smell of the blooming flowers was overpowering and it brought to mind the room in the Blue Girl.

"I have a little task for you that would save your friends the trouble of giving up either their bread or their health," the old man said, his voice low, almost impossible to hear for a human being.

"I reckon the talk about it being small is just that, talk," Serenica said. "You do seem to value your trees, Mister."

"You are right, young healer." Innai turned to face the most magnificent rose that had ever grown on earthly soil.

At least, Serenica thought it was beautiful. Its petals had multiple colors, but they could only be seen up close, and she did get a thorn in her hand while trying to reach closer.

"This rose was planted by my daughter," the old man said. "She was...at least as beautiful. She was everything I wanted her to be, and everything the world despised. A proper witch, a true wisewoman."

"Was?" Serenica could hear a sad story coming.

"They took her away. They said they jailed her in gods know where, but she might as well be dead. She's been away for so long."

His voice didn't tremble. Neither did his lips. This particular sad story had been told before, it was apparent in the calm rage that had probably been simmering inside Innai for a century or longer.

"She is a bit older than you. Much like you, I'd say. But I can't ask that of you. I can't ask you to change the world for me."

Serenica was confused. She had no idea how the world needed to be changed.

The old man seemed to recognize her puzzled expression and let out a sigh.

"She was unjustly persecuted, not because of her craft, but because of something far more innate, far more integral."

"What could be more innate than the desire to be a witch?" Serenica asked.

Innai stared at her. In his eyes, she saw a storm brewing, but not against her - against something far greater.

"What indeed. I'll tell you, young healer, come back when you have some more power within you. Perhaps after a few years you'll be the witch who can turn the tide, indeed, perhaps you'll be the one to paint the moon red with righteously spilled blood. Until then, I will need some bread, whatever that fat walrus, Spade, says."

Serenica's anxiety spiked up to the sky above. She didn't want that fat walrus to leave her here to talk about changing the world when she barely had the energy to change into a less sweaty pair of pants.

"Wait! He will give me to you and I still have scores to be settled! What if I give my word that I will return later and do what you ask, whatever that may be? And we give you some bread? The good stuff, the crunchy bread?"

Innai seemed rather satisfied with this. He nodded. They walked back through the garden.

Serenica couldn't help feeling like an inhuman gaze lingered on her as she went back inside with the strange old fellow.