image of the tentacled helper beast she had encountered back in Yeel’s palace. She blinked rapidly.
“Ah, Yeel, our beloved protector Yeel!” swooned Jymoor. “Tell me, is that unbelievable smell coming from those tiny flowers? It is such a…peaceful, wonderful smell.”
“Very perceptive, my friend. That is exactly what you smell…these vapors are quite calming, are they not? I distinctly remember that they sometimes have that effect on your kind. I have always found tribal squabbles to be fascinating, but I didn’t have the desire to learn more from a vantage point of such extreme proximity.”
“Huh?” Jymoor smiled and tilted her head. She reached out and grabbed Yeel’s arm, holding herself up. She knew that everything would be fine.
“Well the complex interactions between—”
“No, I meant, why do you keep saying, ‘your kind’? I know you’re a recluse, a powerful wizard, but in a way we are all the same, are we not?” Jymoor decided it would be fun to sit, so she plopped down on the plush grass. “Setting aside a few memory oddities, of course,” she added.
Yeel cleared his throat. “Of course. I’m sorry, I meant to say, those of your kingdom.”
“Of course you did, Great Yeel,” Jymoor giggled, and collapsed back onto the ground, sound asleep.
***
Yeel regarded the would-be combatants and decided that they would fare better without their weapons, at least in the short term. There were enough other armed refugees about, including the Crescent Knight, to ward off any attack by wild animals that might materialize overnight. Yeel collected the weapons and placed them in a pile obscured by some bushes.
Next Yeel considered the value of the garden. The red flowers would be much more useful if properly processed from their raw form.
“In fact, it may be that there are other valuable herbs in this place,” Yeel told himself.
As night had fallen the humans had separated into several groups, each centered around a large fire. Avorn had organized a system of watches among the old soldiers who had been revived, and occasionally one of these patrols would walk nearby, although they always gave Yeel a wide berth.
“Hmm, I’ll collect what I can here, and then head back to my laboratory later. I assume I have my roveport here somewhere?”
Yeel felt about his packs and found the roveport at his belt.
“Ah yes, there it is. Now, which of these plants might be valuable? They don’t seem to be marked…I may have to take samples of all of them!”
Yeel worked his way through the grounds by the light of the moon. He collected cuttings from flowers here and there, also adding some berries and roots to his bags. At some point much later he looked up and saw Avorn facing him from across a bed of plants. The knight wore his pearly armor, gleaming in the moonlight.
“Hello, Avorn. I’m surprised to see you up this late. Surely you aren’t harboring some interest in these roots and herbs yourself?”
“I’ve come to finish my quest to the Far Coast,” Avorn said, tromping around the intervening foliage.
“Ah, no more negotiation is necessary, I assure you my friend. I’ve already resolved to help your people against the invaders. A daunting task to be sure, but I believe that through the application of—”
“You don’t understand, Yeel. I didn’t come to the Far Coast to ask for your help. I came there to slay you.”
“Is it a common human trait to interrupt the speaker? I have noticed a tendency in many of you to do that. And now you say you want to do me harm? Is there some connection between the interruptions and some kind of animosity that you—”
“I am the fifth generation to wear this armor. And your meddling in our affairs has been described from father to son the whole time. You ruined my ancestor’s plan to become king. You saved a part of the city that had been purposefully sacrificed, for the better of all.” Avorn drew his sword and advanced on Yeel.
“Ah, perhaps you could briefly smell these,” Yeel said, offering a bunch of red flowers.
“That won’t work again, sorcerer. Your magic cannot affect me under the light of the moon,” the Crescent Knight growled. “Tonight you die!”
The knight stepped forward and thrust with his longsword. Yeel retreated rapidly out of range of the blade. Avorn charged but then slipped on the slime of Yeel’s track.
“What trickery is this? Come back here and fight!”
“Oh, I shall fight I assure you. I’ll meet you in combat most fierce but momentarily,” Yeel said.