There is No Epic Loot Here, Only Puns

58: Thorn in the Side

Holly Dabberghast set the hot pie on the table.

It was a pie that Holly had made a dozen times with dozens of variants, but with just as much love put into each one.

One of her children, Yige the eldest, walked past with a hungry expression. The flowers she had braided into her long dark hair looked to be in full bloom, despite being cut from their stems for a short time.

Holly cut her a slice of pie without a word. Yige was going through a very important part of her life. As a natural born druid, Holly could be no prouder.

Yige picked up the pie and Holly saw that her skin had the hue of fresh tree bark. They did not speak because Holly did not want to force her to do such a human thing. Her husband slipped occasionally, but the man always directed his questions quickly to the nearest inanimate object.

Yige sighed with joy as the pie slice disappeared very quickly. She hugged her mother before leaving through the back door into the garden.

Holly smiled at her retreating back. She saw how Yige's feet seemed to almost sink into the solid earth, as if it was welcoming her.

The approaching vibrancy of life let her know that her husband had entered the room, even if all physical senses didn't pick him up.

"Any idea what is going to happen?" he asked softly.

The age-old question.

"Those with Nature's blessing in them must choose. To walk as flesh and blood as a warrior or become as nature; a guardian with wood and sap. Yige is on a fine balance but in the end, the choice will continue to chase her. Every second is a reminder of both worlds," Holly explained, she had lost count of how many times she'd had to.

Holly turned to look at Kota. The man was not impressive. He didn't have a handsome face, nor impressive build. He wasn't intelligent enough to change the world, nor charming enough to win any heart.

But he loved. And Holly couldn't ask for more.

The fool had loved her even when she was ready to remove his head for insolence.

Holly smiled at the memory, her round cheeks flushing as she thought about how rash she had been.

Kota's shaggy head and slightly befuddled features had grown like moss over Holly's heart and it hadn't been long before she had given him a special plant to show her affection.

The idiot planted it instead of using it for a potion like Holly had intended but the action just endeared him more to the retired archdruid.

Kota helped himself to a slice of pie as two furious voices above argued over something.

Treg, her middle child, screamed something about swords and her youngest, Saldr fired back about magic. Holly fanned the scent of pie towards the stairs of the house and waited.

"I just wish I could help," Kota sighed as he stared out the door.

"Being a rock in this storm is all you can do. Influencing her towards one path or another is just... not something I will allow. Once you choose a life, it is all you have. If she chooses human to keep you happy... she'll be gone regardless. The emptiness of the wrong choice has killed many a rash druid," Holly stoked Kota's head softly, removing tangled locks where she found them.

Treg rushed into the kitchen. The boy took after his father, hair down to his back and looking like he was dragged through a hedge backwards. Saldr waddled after, furiously determined to be first to the table.

Like Yige, they too would have to choose who they would be in the future.

Holly would love them no matter what, but she knew Kota would take it hard.

"Tell me why you stayed," Kota whispered as he wrapped two arms around her waist. Holly raised one brow.

"You know why, I've told you that tale a dozen times," she reminded. Kota grinned easily,, making a splotch of some chemical or solution stand out. Holly licked one thumb and cleaned the stain with a warm smile.

"A foolish human knocked on my forest hut's door, seeking immortality in a bottle. He offended the arch-druid, almost killed himself, and then at the worst possible moment, that man told me I looked like a goddess. I'm very good at sensing lies. I decided that a human life had more treasures for me to find yet," she whispered as her children devoured the pie. Holly, without looking, pulled two slices for her husband and herself to eat later.

"O'o! SS Uish!" Treg pointed out the window, mouth filled with pie. A nearby plant twisted into some horrific shape and Holly soothed it back to normal. Holy turned, a scowl on her face, ready to scold her child for speaking in tongues but froze when she saw Isanella, her son Deo, Quiss and an unknown man. She went closer to the window to get a better look.

The man turned to look around the village, a scowl on his face. One of his many trinkets glinted in the sunlight.

Holly went very still.

Every plant within the area stiffened. A slight rumble shook the house.

"Holly!" Kota rushed to her side. Holly grabbed his hand, a reaction to her feelings.

"Kota... watch the children. I am going out," she told him. She had slipped into an old accent that let Kota know there would be no argument. Kota nodded but grabbed her hand as moved to leave.

"Stay firm, stay green," he said before he kissed her. Holly softened for a moment.

"I'll be back," she promised and gathered her things to quickly catch up to the group.

She knew exactly where they were heading.

She would not let Delta fall. She would not let her become a cow for the slaughter.

Never again.

---

Waiting for more Mana was boring. Delta loved Hob and Gob for being such hard workers but the wait was going to be hard. So in the meantime, she drew up some ideas.

"We'll grow more apples or the healing herbs, then we can set up a trade with Durence. I mean if we produced enough of a variety in the jungle, we could sell them to Mrs. Dabberghast; or Ruli if she wants to hunt some of the critters later. The hot spring, the rest area... we just need to market them.