Lost Little Bun

Ever since Meara discovered the ancient recipe for the essence potion, Calla has been trying to find a source for a black amethyst. Unfortunately, her sources, being as poor as she was, have no possession of such a rare stone. Most of them logically will just tell her to ask stone makers and jewelry store owners.

One morning after transferring essence to Donne, Meara asked cautiously.

"Master, can I ask you something?"

"Um," Donne looked at her coldly.

"Master, I found a recipe for making liquid essence, a kind of potion. But I need at least a pound of black amethyst which is rare and expensive. If I can make a potion, I can make them in batches and you can bring them wherever and take them as you need them."

"That's just rumors I heard growing up. The recipe you have may not be true. I will not stop you from experimenting but you do it on your own. If you were able to create one, make sure you test it on somebody else before me. I will not risk my life on your experiments."

"Okay… but if you hear any news of black amethyst, please let me have it. I will try my best to buy it."

"No," Donne replied lazily.

"Oh…” Meara tried to hide her disappointment. But continued.

“One more thing master, can I go out to check the market outside? I'll be with Calla, I mean my servant." She asked hopefully.

Donne looked at her with disgust and sighed before answering.

"Do I look like I care? Go wherever. Just don't bring shame to my name even if you're just a concubine."

"Yes, master. Thank you." She respectfully asked to leave after her duty was done.

During one of Theron's visits, after selling hunted deer and a big fat snake. He also brought a basket of freesia and honeysuckle flowers which he saw blooming in the mountains in clusters. He figured the two ladies would make air fresheners out of them.

True enough when he handed over the baskets, the two were so excited, they almost skipped lunch.

"By the way, about the black amethyst. I went to the city yesterday and found a few friends in the market. As far as they can tell, there were a few pieces of black amethyst set on jewelry and being sold in the store. They were a bit small too and most were broken down to fit the design. The biggest must be about a centimeter in diameter. They're really expensive." Theron updated. He was enjoined forcefully in the potpourri making of the flowers he brought.

"I need at least a pound…" Meara pondered solemnly.

"You have a dowry, right? Don't you have any jewelry in there?" Theron suggested.

"I need at least a pound... Wait… wait wait wait." Meara stood up and began rummaging in her bedroom.

Calla at Theron just looked at each other and continued working on the flowers.

Meara remembered an exquisite box about a foot in length and half a foot in width and height. It is a bit heavy and there seem to be a few pieces inside that rumble a bit when shaken. Nanny Lione gave it to her together with the collection of notes and books which she just promptly kept in her luggage that night before she moved here.

She slowly opened the box with two toggle latches. Inside were 8 velvet pouches in various colors. Each pouch has a handwritten label with information on name, origins, weight, and date of mining. One by one, she looked at the labels on each velvet pouch. Each time, her heart is constantly pounding in anticipation.

Deep Red Kyawthuite, Black Opal, Castleton Healerite, Midnight Quartz, Ocean Ammolite, Rainbow Hematite, Berry Bastnäsite, and finally the last of the pouches in crimson velvet pouch is the Black Amethyst.

"I got it!!!" Meara screamed from inside the bedroom. Calla and Theron rushed inside to see.

"Look! Look! turns out my mother has one from her collection and it's 1.2 lbs!"

"That's great Meara. Now you can start your experiment." Theron, for the first time called her by her name.

'Why did my heart tremble when he called my name? It has a tender ring to it…' Meara was caught off guard but recovered quickly.

"What do you mean by 'my experiment'? You two are going to help me. And you, Theron in particular, will test it!"

"I have no choice?" Theron asked Calla.

"Sorry, you're the only guy in this group." Calla laughed at him.

"Ok fine…". Theron agreed helplessly.

It has been a few weeks and the Santan flowers around the house were flourishing. Calla still doesn't understand why they have this when it doesn't even have fragrance. It looks pretty though; clusters of small flowers with pointed petals.

Since they have no other hobbies other than making potpourri, they have already given a lot to Anwyn, Calla has taken a few batches home to be sold. Even Theron brought some home. He likes the smell of his house and dispels the smell of the blood of hunted prey.

Meara is currently reviewing the process. The process is fairly simple once you have black amethyst as a catalyst. In the past two days, she noticed that she could only draw blood two times from her index finger. After that, she's only stabbing herself but no blood will come out and it hurts. The potion produced is the color blue which means her blood potion focuses on calming the mind and heart.

Once the finger is pricked, it can squeeze exactly three drops. A solution with three drops of blood produces one potion with the exact volume. When Meara put in 6 drops, the end product produced two egg yolk-like potions separated from each other. The volume for one consumption is exact every single time.

Calla went out to the main kitchen to get some raw ingredients. Meara was left alone in her thoughts. She is currently writing down her observations while contemplating at the kitchen table.

Her focus was disturbed when she heard the creak of their wooden gate. She waited for Theron's call but it never came. Although she felt some fear, she went out stealthily and peeked through the door.

She saw a little bun squatting near the gate where flowers were blooming. He was checking the flowers. There were already two roses in his hands. Suddenly a milky cry was heard. He got thorned.

Meara rushed out to the little boy and carefully took his hands. She checked which was injured. Fortunately, it was just a tiny prick.

The boy pulled his hands hard and rubbed them in his clothing.

"Baby, I won't hurt you. Let me see okay? I will help you pick flowers." Meara coaxed the child.

"I… I'm not a baby… I'm turning five next year." The little boy looked at her defiantly with tears threatening to fall.

"My bad my bad little handsome man. Let me see. If it doesn't bleed anymore, let's just wash it and put a bit of ointment to be sure, okay?"

"Okay… I'm Vonne Leiv Xelt, what's your name? Do you live here? Why is your house small? You have pretty flowers here, can I have some?"

"Woah, slow down there, little tiger." Meara was taken aback. Now that she was able to look properly, this little guy… those eyes, nose, and lips are little versions of Donne's. This is his only son. And he doesn't want his son to be near her.

She is now torn between sending him back or indulging the little bun in his flower harvesting.

Meara washed his hands and checked for any visible wounds. Fortunately, there isn't.

"I am Meara and I live in this house with Calla. Though my house is small, I love it very much because your father allowed me to live here. I can help you pick flowers. Who are they for?" Meara picked a woven basket from the bamboo bed and squatted down with Vonne who already started canvassing flowers to his liking.

"Don't touch it, I will get it for you okay?"

"Okay. They're for my mom." His milky voice is so pleasing to the ears.

After getting enough, the little boy went to the Santan flowers and smelled them.

"These… why put them here if they don't have that much smell?"

"Because instead of smell, they have sweet liquid inside known as the nectar. Here let me show you." Meara picked one flower, removed a very thin thread-like stick inside, and sucked.

"The leaves and roots help with a variety of illnesses so I keep them available here. Here, try the nectar." She gave one to the child.

"Wowww! It's sweet! But can't it have more in one flower?" His innocence was so refreshing, that Meara had to smile sweetly and explain how it cannot be.

Meara sat the child in the bamboo bed. She harvested a few Santan flowers to the basket and sat beside Vonne. They started sucking the nectar.

When Calla came back she saw them resting leisurely and seemed to be eating flowers.

"So that's the purpose of those flowers…?" Calla asked suspiciously.

"Hahaha were you curious? These flowers have sweet nectar. The roots and leaves have medicinal properties. I'll show you the book later."

"Vonne, what are you doing there!" A controlled roar surprised the three of them.

Three heads turned towards the voice where Donne stood.

"Father, sorry I just harvested flowers and sucked some nectar. I didn't mean to wander off." Vonne took the bunch of flowers arranged by Meara and ran towards his father. Before reaching his father, he turned back and shouted to Meara.

"Big sister, thank you for the flowers. Please let me come back for Santan nectars!" He waved goodbye.

Donne looked at Meara coldly and left.

Meara shrugged her shoulders and went back inside.

Calla focused on the discovery and is now trying to correctly suck the nectar from Santan flowers.