☆ SOAKED INTO MY VEINS ☆

Lester Drynedi ❀ Crystal Swan

It was early for sure, the sun had hardly thrown off its own bed covers whilst he worked in the chilled environment of a predawn winter. It was a common thing for him, the routine which he had carried on since the life he had lived with his elderly Grandmother, the lad had felt quite a burst of euphoria when he had the opportunity to carry on the rounds each morning. Various vases had been placed around the guild shit, it was something he quite enjoyed in fact, the odd and random placements of his floral decorations, casually moving the location of a vase so if someone wandered into an odd and unknown area then they would come across a presentation of wonder and creativity, with blooming flowers and ferns which seemed to hold all the mystery of a deep moonlit forest. Continuity was rather important to him, the absence of a pattern was worrying, everything in life had a pattern, he himself knew that he would wake up a few hours prior to dawn, collating and presenting the vases which had been prepared the night before then slinking back to bed for a short nap, just to wake up and come into breakfast ‘late’  

Of course there were those whom knew of his activities, early rises, close friends and those whom were observant enough to realize that the flowers sporadically popping up surely would come from the person who owned a rather large greenhouse. Part of it was open to the public, the floral delights were simply too beautiful to keep locked away, flowers blossomed most beautifully when observed by others. Some of them would truely only come into flower once the hearts and minds of those around it wished them to. It was a place he had cultivated so that others could relish its beauty, for there were times when he came across those whom were lacking a certain spark in life, it was for that reason that he adored the guild, a collection of people so interesting and unique in their own ways that he could spend forever watching the world around him without getting bored for an instant. A guild of artisans and adventurers, whilst he preferred the more artisan types adventuring mages brought a certain vibe with them, the energy that envelopes the guild hall when a successful team returned crackled the air, pushing energy into the atmosphere around them invigorating everyone within the area. Hair whipping around whilst standing on the front of a ship speeding across a forest with enemies teeming below, just the way that some of the scar covered men spoke lead him to believe that should they have gone into politics their public speaking skills would have blossomed.

A whirling of paints in a sheltered courtyard before morning, he had watched people paint before, their hands had guided his own a few times in an effort to teach Lester how to blend and mix each hue of a forever evolving dawn. With no two dawns the same he could hardly stop time merely to cover a canvas in the right colors, yet if one took too long seeking perfection in a painting then the scenery would have turned away and changed. Artists and sketchers with the ability to capture light and emotion with mere hues and shades, it was an art that he could only dabble in yet never truly master. Jars and states from sculptures and moulders, potters and sewers, those who worked with materials, yarn, thread and needles, knitting or sewing to create an outfit so bold and enchanting that he could only hold it in his enraptured gaze for a few moments. That was who he preferred, the artisans who honed their craft surrounding him in motivation skill and will, fellow florists or boutique designers, even just those who wished to photograph his flowers and flora, they all had such intertwined life that was brought together by the simple bonds of a guild mark plastered on his skin. There was a lot to this guild, it was something which he enjoyed greatly since the deviations of each little group within it keep the atmosphere as vibrant as the tulips which bloomed under perfect care. The guild was truely more than he had expected and hoped for, to think that something like this had been brought together by a mere girl who was only a few years older than him unsettled him slightly, his expectations of a normal youthful life had been disrupted by the oddity which was that with a mane of roaring sea, as if a waterfall had begun to dispel any negative thoughts around her simply by cascading down her back.

A clattering of feet at first he had thought it was one of those many health centric maniacs, who asked him for the weirdest of plants thinking it would keep them healthy whilst gouging on cakes only to return a few hours later with complaints of illness or worse. Often they ran, streaking through the corridors like a pack of hyena cackling in the brisk chill of the slow moving dawns. Yet this one had sounded different for sure, he ignored it at first passing it off as a rogue guildmate whom had blearily gotten lost in a sleepless daze. A centerpiece point for the room in his hand slid into the fresh frosted glass vase, vibrence of amaryllis shining out of the bed of white surroundings, tiny white circles of wondrous petals creating a desert like appearance of pink splattered havens of warmth across the peace of a white feather world. His hair had grown, the longest length of white clasped together to the side of his face swung lightly weighted down by the red shackle, unexpected the voice was, as most spoke in hushed whispers this was more of a breathless one, yet it was the tone of the speech that struck a cord deep within him, it was important, he knew that just as Desirée uttered his name. She wanted him to follow her, into the ship which for some reason he had failed to realize was there, he must have zoned out, staring at the amaryllis as if in a trace. A basket by his feet, luckily it was relatively late on his rounds for most of it was empty of flora, spilling out the softening fabric of his outerwear. He had been about to react to her summons, except as she whirled around he felt himself holding back words. For her to be that serious, yet the slight worry or was it stress emanating from her made him feel as if there was a great weight which relied upon his departure with her. A smooth motion snapped the cloak up in his hands, scarf coiling itself around his arm, fully equipping his attire could wait until they were in motion upon the other ship. Soft sandals patterned again, almost like a hound he followed her footsteps which had been travelled upon only a moment earlier.

Beckoning him the vague ship sounds had grown louder with each step, drawn towards it the ship of green shades which seemed to hum, alive. He had followed her, yet fallen slightly behind only to roll into the ship with a hushed breath. Shades he could hardly imagine gave off glows which resonated with the watermelon deep hues of his eyes. Such a contrast from the spring green grass of the exterior this was energy, as if the room had been filled with a coloured air which transferred youth and power between all those it contained. Truly it was quite beautiful, something he would have never thought of yet the hues were that which left something of a mystery. He followed a trail of blue hair, the calling of an ocean dragging him out in a riptide. Perhaps it would be best to stay silent, letting her choose the words when she wished? A curious pattern entered his gaze as his footsteps echoed that which he had taken, following the idol into her abode. It settled around him, a cloak of white mist curtaining back the black suit he wore beneath, its soft folds settling around him in a warmth as nimble fingers worked to fasten it together with its red binding cord. The double layer of cloak settling against his shoulders with a more stable weight as the soft green scarf uncoiled from his arm. Curling into a small ball like object before transforming into the sloth which he knew so well. Perhaps it was time for Val to wake up indeed, for no other reason than an urgent battle would suddenly urge the guild master up at such early hours.

His heart began to slow, taking account of all that had just happened in the past few moments as he lent against the wall, watching with one eye as Val bumbled her way over the fluff of a rug, approaching what appeared to be a desert rock. The green of her lengthy fur contrasting with the rug as the blossoming flowers upon her back drew it all together, the adventures of a sloth and a ”Potato dog?” The words were spoken before he could realize, a soft blush creeping up his cheeks as if it was ivy the youth had not intended to break the silence by calling his guildmasters dog a potato  of all things. It was a pity that they were already flying otherwise he would have showed himself out the exit. Yet once a silence was broken there was no getting it back, sometimes the best thing to do was continue it. ”Desirée~  would you mind enlightening me to the situation?” A soft voice as always, not feminine by any means he hoped it came across right, oh good gods had it, no he said enlightening, was that sort of demeaning?