----------------------------------------------
BOUQUET ESTATE GROUNDS - MID-MORNING
----------------------------------------------
Rondelethia was trying to find a hobby to keep her mind occupied. Music had worked for a bit, but being indoors, and making sounds meant that people knew instantly where she was, and so would just 'drop by', and then she'd lose her free time. Gardening at least made her a little less easy to stumble on. That tiny bit of extra effort cut down on the interruptions, and..well, if someone really needed to find her, they could! Responsibility was a pain at times... Currently, she was attending to a small patch of roses, pruning off the dead growth. She had foresaken gloves, her father always teaching her without them 'so that she knows how to avoid the thorns'. She was..usually successful at it!
Enver had woken up a bit later than usual, but not too late to cause any problems for the kids who would be expecting him in the market soon enough. Being alone this morning, he decided to not go through the house more than necessary. After going down a set of back stairs, he exited onto the ground through what was likely a staff door and started making his way around the house, getting his first real look at the greenery in the well-kept grounds.
Rondelethia finishes up her work on the roses, carefully putting away her tools, and pulling her hands away. She'd only gotten a small nick on the thumb, which was fairly good going. She moves over to the next flowering patch. It was difficult work, tending to flowers that could cut you with every wrong move, but the reward was worth it, right? Her ears perk, and she looks to whoever was coming. She knew that nobody was due to be here. "Ah..Enver..ow" She nicked a finger on a thorn "One moment" She carefully extracts herself "Now I can talk"
Enver blinks at the sound of his name, not having noticed the crouched form of the rabbit next to the rose bushes. Why did she know his name? Maybe all the staff knew who was visiting? Maybe just gossip? Who knows. He turns around and gives a polite nod to the presumed gardener. "Oh, uh, good morning miss. I was just on my way out. I didn't want to be a bother to you or any of the other staff so I came out the back. I hope that's all right." He smiles at her before moving to continue on his walk back to town.
Rondelethia: "Ah" Well, that really speaks a lot for how much he's been told. She's not going to get upset at someone not knowing "Not quite staff, Rondelethia Bouquet" She nods her head gently "It's an honest mistake though" She holds up a hand "So, please, skip the apologies. It's not like I'm wearing all my finery right now" She's dressed somewhat mundanely, and it's not like regular staff get cheaped out on when it comes to protective clothing.
Enver blushes hotly and is about to apologize when that course is immediately pre-empted. He at least gives her a small bow before speaking. "Of course, Miss Bouquet. And I have nothing against your staff, of course. Everyone here is lovely..."
Rondelethia: "Happy staff are productive staff, as my Father always says" She moves back to the rosebush, nipping off a dead flowerhead "How are you finding your stay?" While she's trying to maintain the privacy of the two, well..the staff gossip, and she can't be the last to know about things. "Everything to your liking?"
Enver blinks at the question, then blushes more, reaching up to rub the back of his head. "Oh, uh, well this is the nicest house I've ever been to... so everything is like... amazing? And Teis is really nice of course..."
Rondelethia: "Oh, of course. So, tell me, where are you staying day to day? I know that you're out and about in the marketplace, but where do you rest your head?" She tidies up the bush a little more, carefully manoeuvring around, trying not to get any thorns stuck in her.
Enver relaxes a bit when the rabbit turns back to the gardening, feeling a little less like he's under interrogation. "Oh, um... I have a campsite up by the waterfall. It's not much, but it's mine." He crouches down a bit to watch her work, from a respectable distance of course. "I am saving up for an apartment in town, though. I just don't want to take the dirtiest boarding house room, you know? I can save up for a real place and just sleep in my tent until I have enough saved up..."
Rondelethia: OhLordhe'shomeless. Rondelethia is glad that she's just working on the Rosebush, so it's easy to keep the calm demeanour. She's also glad they're in the middle of nowhere, if this had happened back 'home', it would already be a scandal. She uses her work to buy her time to think this one through, spending a good fifteen seconds trying to prune a particularly awkward branch, before coming to the conclusion that..there's nothing she can do, really. "Well, it's good to have goals in life, at the very least"
Enver watches Della curiously, almost seeing the gears turn in her head. "I'm not here for a handout, if that's what you think. I like Teis because she's Teis, not because of who her family is..." He straights up, putting a little bit of steel into his spine as he anticipates some sort of negative response.
Rondelethia: "If that was my concern, I'd say it. The issue is a little more nuanced. Our family is fairly recent to our.." She waves a hand at the estate "and such, there are many that would not consider us 'true' nobility, and so Father was always one that tried his best to follow all the elaborate little games, in order to belong. He ..broke protocol in a major way once, and it lost him a lot of standing, and that standing is what lets us make the sort of deals that allow.." She gestures again at the estate "I'm very much not telling you to stop, but.." She sighs "I will handle the fallout" 'like I always do' "But, please, if anything, be proper. This can be played off as something romantic, or..I'll find something, but..don't play around with my sister's heart, okay? I wouldn't want to have to handle that fallout" She clips off another branch, pulling it away from the branch, before chopping it up into small pieces, and dropping all those little bits into her bag.
Enver crouches down again, trying to think all of this through. "Well, yeah... I get that... I mean, I'm about as far from fancy as you can get... but I understand." He mumbles something under his breath. The word 'dad' can be vaguely made out, but that's about it. "As for Teis... I mean, this is new for both of us, but I wouldn't be here, doing this, if I didn't actually care. I could probably woo a bunch of girls way easier than her... I mean, I think. I've never done that, but Teis isn't exactly... you know..."
Rondelethia: "Oh, I know" She sighs again "One thing, for..next time. I'll have your own room set up. Please use it. It will save me a lot of headache"
Enver cocks his head. "What do you mean? It's no trouble for me to just..." He blinks and blushes hotly. "Oh... right. Of course. We've just talked though... a lot of talking."
Rondelethia: "Quite. Talking is fine. Please, keep it to talking. I'm trusting you on this. I can keep Father away from this, so long as it stays as talking"
Enver just nods to this, finding it pointless to argue when nothing more has yet happened. "Of course. Thank you for not... I guess just throwing me out on my ass or whatever... and forbidding Teis from seeing me."
Rondelethia: "If there was any way to guarantee it continuing, it would be to forbid it. It's not as if I have any authority over her in any case. At the end of the day, I'm here to make sure that she can do her thing. She's the brains of this operation"
Enver giggles at that before going a bit more serious. "Maybe you should tell her that once in a while. She seems to think that you don't think she's all that clever... or at least she wants to hear you saying it..."
Rondelethia: "There is an entire laboratory telling her she's smart" Rondelethia sighs with a bit of frustration "I give her everything she wants, but I suppose I'll have to add a list of compliments to it. At least she's crying to you, instead of in front of the entire town" She cuts her thumb on a rose "My apologies, that was beneath me, but...I don't know. I wish I didn't have to manage Teis's emotions, along with the estate"
Enver shakes his head. "I wouldn't know... but she definitely seems like she wants..." He ponders how to word things. "...you, I guess? I don't know. I'm not the best about talking feelings. Sorry. I won't waste more of your time this morning, and I do really need to get to the marketplace." He gives her another little bow. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Della."
Rondelethia: "Nice talking to you too" She nods back, returning to her gardening
----------------------------------------------
ERIKA'S GARDEN - NOONISH
----------------------------------------------
Narrator: The veritable jungle in the place of the what once just a wild-looking garden is flourishing and growing seemingly by the day. Whether this is because the elemental in there doesn't want to stop the growth, or isn't able to, is hard to tell - not that it really makes a difference in the end result. The growth has taken over the alleys next to the garden and most of the house, green covering every possible spot for sunlight.
Nesseth looks around at the greenery covering the alleys and house, feeling more like he's out somewhere in the forests to the north of town than within the walls, what with the sounds of nature everywhere around him. Something about the plants puts him a little on edge, but less out of a sense of 'hostility' and more of a sense of 'wilderness'. He slows to a stop near the point where he thinks he remembers the entrance to Erika's garden being, and considers... does he dare speak to a frightened being of unknown power, or does he wait some more?
Nesseth sighs a bit to himself and moves forward, lightly resting a hand on the plants that seem to serve as the 'fence', now. "Erika? Are you here? If it's okay with you, I'd like to chat."
Narrator: The plants part enough to open the way, if somewhat hesitantly. Enough way to get in, though perhaps not the most convenient one.
Nesseth hums thoughtfully, then starts to make his way in, clearly somewhat accustomed to navigating natural trails. He wends his way deeper into the jungle, looking around at all of the unfamiliar growth that used to be Erika's garden. "Thanks... uh... how far in are you?"
Akire manifests seemingly from thin air (or thick vegetation) some steps in front of Nesseth, the okapi-shaped elemental not really even trying to give the pretense of being someone she isn't. Her expression is one of frowning doubt, her arms crossed across her chest: "Right here."
Nesseth starts in surprise as 'Erika' appears before him. "Oh! Uh... okay. I, um... sheesh, I should have practiced what I was going to say..." He clears his throat after a moment and tries again, "So I had a chance to talk with Tarbin and Xochi about... well, all of this. I figured it was about time for me to check in on you again since we'd last spoke."
Akire leans on the tree in the middle of the garden, the one visible from quite a distance away at this point. Her frown lessens slightly upon hearing about Tarbin and Xochi: "...what do you want to know, then? I have not left, for I can't." She pauses: "Uh... Nesseth was your name, right?"
Nesseth nods, flashing a small smile. "Yeah, Nesseth. As for what I wanted to know... I'll just start by saying that my grasp on magic of any kind is really limited. Tarbin and Xochi explained what they figured out from their talks with you, and... you're for sure unable to wander too far from here, right?"
Akire nods, looking aside to where Nesseth came from: "If try to walk away, I am in pain. This place is... for better or for worse, part of me, and I am part of it. It will take a powerful magic to sever that connection..." She frowns: "...don't like the idea, but what options do I have?"
Nesseth shrugs a little as he likewise leans against one of the plants next to him. "Wish I could say I had any magic-related ideas off the top of my head... but... do you think there might be a way to... oh, what's the term Erika called it..."
Akire tilts her head: "Erika? And a way to... what?"
Nesseth furrows his brow a bit and scratches a nail against the bridge of his snout as he thinks. "Like... moving plants from one place to another... transplant? Something like that... You're stuck here right now, but there has to be a means to let you move about with at least a bit more freedom."
Akire nods in understanding: "It might be possible. I am not sure..." She trails off, looking around the very rooted greenery around her: "Hmm..."
Nesseth rubs his chin as the gears in his head seem to turn a bit. He shakes his head a little as he comes up with... not much, really. "Hm... plant stuff isn't my strong suit, either... I wonder if Erika might be able to give some ideas, though? You've obviously got a really big affinity for plants, magically and physically, and she's something of the town's local plant expert, so..."
Akire takes a half-step back: "Maybe. But... she is my double. Or I am her. A-are we sure what happens if we meet?"
Nesseth shakes his head again as he sighs. "Not really, no... I mean... most likely, Erika gets a bit scared, then curious, but I doubt there's going to be a huge magic explosion or something..." He pauses, considering the possibility, "Um... of course, we, that is... Tarbin, Xochi and I, could talk to Erika about possible ways to help you move around, so we avoid anything bad happening?"
Akire nods slowly, thinking on it: "I... I don't know. I've heard a lot of offers for help with no real solutions yet... what would you do in my stead, Nesseth?"
Nesseth tilts his head. "If I were in your position? I'd probably try and figure out something a bit more physical and less magical as a solution. But then, that's just because my understanding of magic is almost zero, anyway." He trails off for a moment, "Like... I know it's possible to clip plants in a way that lets folks grow more plants elsewhere without killing the first plant. Erika got on my case once in the past about it..."
Akire nods, lifting her hand towards a bush, several flowers blooming from under her hand as she does: "Where would you say the line between 'physical' and 'magical' is? From what I have understood, I am, essentially, magic to you all."
Nesseth blinks and reaches forward to gently poke 'Erika' on the shoulder with a finger. After a moment, he shrugs as he withdraws his hand again. "I mean... you feel real enough. You're obviously not pure magic, or I guess my finger would have gone right through you. Like... do you know why you can't leave the garden? You don't have chain holding you down or anything."
Akire frowns at the finger, then looks around: "I... I am not sure. I feel a strong pull here, one I can not really resist, if I leave. It feels painful, like a voice inside me telling I am crossing a boundary I should not. It's hard to explain, but I will much rather consider another solution than try to force myself out and get hurt or worse in the process..."
Nesseth tilts his head thoughtfully. "So... something like a leash or a chain, but... mental, and painful if you try to go too far? Where do you always feel pulled towards? A chain always has an anchor point of some sort, right?"
Akire nods, looking up at the tree next to her: "Yes. This garden, but... this tree, especially. I feel like it had a part in why I am here to begin with, in some way." She shrugs.
Nesseth looks at the tree, his eyes slowly rising up to try and look at the canopy, far above. "Uh... wow, okay. That might be hard to move in its entirety..."
Akire gives a lopsided smile: "She opposes the idea, regardless. You do not want to fight that."
Nesseth gives 'Erika' a weak grin in turn. "Heh, yeah... that tree's been around for a long time, even before it... well, grew that big. Of course, moving a tree that large would be akin to magic, anyway..."
Akire shrugs: "My best hope at the moment is Tarbin finding a spell or ritual to... sever me from this place." She shudders at the idea. "Lousy best hope."
Nesseth shakes his head a bit. "It doesn't sound pleasant at all, to me... and I mean, if you're full of magic, what's even going to happen if you get cut off from it?"
Akire shakes her head quickly: "I don't know, and I'm not sure I want to know. I would just wish to stay here, but I realize that is not really an option, is it?"
Nesseth looks up and around at the plant life flourishing under 'Erika''s care. "Well... this is Erika's home as much as it is yours, but with how the greenery is starting to kind of overflow the garden's boundaries, folks might not be too happy if the plants start damaging their homes. At the same time, keeping the plants confined isn't healthy, is it?"
Akire shakes her head again: "They do not wish to be confined, and I do not wish to confine them. Not even sure if I could restrict them if I wanted to."
Nesseth nods. "Thought so... And what happens if the plants run into obstacles, like walls and such?"
Akire looks at the barely-intact, barely-visible back porch of Erika's house: "Nature tends to find a way. No obstacle big enough."
Nesseth follows the being's gaze over at the back porch, then nods when he notes the amount of damage done to the structure. "It finds a way, yeah... and it doesn't really care for how others might not appreciate damage done." He sighs at that statement, "I was worried you might have been here with some kind of negative intent, when we first met, but after talking with Tarbin and Xochi... well, they made it clear that you were just lost and a bit scared, not malicious. I'll go and talk with Erika, and see if we can maybe try to figure out a way to let you get a bit more freedom without having to resort to... magic severance."
Akire nods, sighing. After a moment, he looks back up to Nesseth: "I... I appreciate the help."
Nesseth smiles at 'Erika' and nods. "I'm glad to help out however I can. I just hope we can figure something out that isn't... you know, painful or deadly."
Akire leans on the tree: "I hope so, for all of us... I do not wish to harm anyone or anything..."
Nesseth hums as he stands up straight again. "Then... in that case, I should get moving on seeing if we can figure anything out. The sooner we can do something to help you move somewhere you can better enjoy, the less time others have to complain."
Akire nods, offering Nesseth a warm smile: "I guess we'll talk again. Thank you."
Nesseth smiles a bit more warmly in turn as he turns to head out, figuring 'Erika' might not appreciate close contact much after seeing her expression from his poke. "We'll be sure to keep you updated on what we figure out. Take care, Erika."
Akire nods as Nesseth goes: "Will do... will try, anyway."