Nanny For The Alien General by Athena Storm
Keilon
Iam pacing, which ought to be a positive sign. The fact that I have the strength and energy to move to and fro is certainly evidence of my recovery. I nearly feel like my old self again. Pacing was certainly a past-time of mine when faced with matters of state. I found it helped me weigh my options.
There are certainly options in my mind at present. Because recovery means returning to my palace and my duties. Which, by necessity, means leaving behind Serafina. To whom I continually feel more and more drawn.
Over the last few days, we have fallen into a pattern set that night we first talked about nature. After the kids fall asleep, we sit up late into the night talking. I have still managed to keep any details of who I really am a secret. Nor do I know very much about her own past. Yet there is an intimacy to our relationship now.
The time with her, the words exchanged, are almost worth being trapped here for.
“Ugh,” Belanna sighs loudly from the couch, distracting me from my thoughts and throwing off the steady rhythm of my pacing. My daughter makes a big show of blowing her cheeks out and exhaling her breath loudly toward the ceiling.
Emex yawns with a dramatic flair of his own, his mouth so wide he might swallow the whole room.
We are, all three, on edge.
Serafina is to blame. She’s gone on an errand into the village, leaving me with them. I tried to engage them when she first left, but their monosyllabic responses quickly left me frustrated and unable to pursue any further discussion. I had hoped they’d keep themselves busy while I mulled over my situation.
All they’ve done is express their boredom in one over-the-top fashion after another.
I think about Serafina’s advice from the other night. About engaging them on their own terms.
“Let’s go outside,” I suddenly announce.
My children look at me suspiciously. How have I lost their trust so completely? I can see in their eyes that they worry I’m going to bore them with more vistas.
“Have you ever done a lyzic hunt?” I ask, trying to put an air of adventure into my tone.
It seems to work. Emex perks up a bit. Belanna continues to eye me suspiciously, but leans forward.
“No?” I ask, intuiting their silence for a negative. “You’re missing out!”
That definitely gets through to them.
“I want to go on a lyzic hunt!” Emex announces.
“All right, that’s two of us. Me and you. Belanna?”
“What’re lyzic?”
“Only one way to find out,” I say. Belanna still seems reluctant. “I’ll tell you what, if we’re lucky, there’s a kind we can find that can be made into a tea that I bet Serafina would love.”
That does the trick. Belanna hops up and grabs her coat. I’m uncertain how I feel about using Serafina to coax my child into activity. A little guilty. But also, a little giddy.
“OK, let’s talk about what we’re looking for,” I announce as we step outside into the cold, crisp day. “Lyzic can grow on rocks, from tree branches, and in wet, shaded spots. There are several kinds. Blue, green and golden. We’re especially looking for golden. But it’s very rare. Think you can find some?”
“Yes!” they announce at once.
“Go for it,” I tell them.
They take off, looking at nearby trees, stones and under bushes. I smile, seeing their delight and curiosity. I’m instantly grateful to Serafina. She was right about my children.
“I found it!” Emex announces. Belanna and I race over to a stone he’s crouched in front of. At its base is a bit of orange-y moss.
“Close,” I say. “This is moss. Lyzic can look similar, but is very different. Keep trying.”
An hour later, Belanna finally finds some gold lyzic hanging from a tree branch. I congratulate her, then reach up and snap a bit of the fuzzy, hair-like substance from the branch. I crouch down and examine with the children.
“Lyzic is actually two organisms living symbiotically,” I explain. “That means they help each other. They wouldn’t be able to survive as well apart as together.”
The kids are enthralled as I continue telling them about the unusual plant. Belanna insists on holding on to her find while they race off to look for more.
Time flies by and soon the sun is well past its zenith. I am certain I’ve never had more fun with my children than this outdoor hunt. When we reconvene and decide to head back to Serafina’s cabin, we’ve managed to collect enough golden lyzic for a large pot of tea.
We manage to arrive at the cabin at the exact same time as Serafina returns from her errands. She looks magical, her face ruddy-cheeked from the cold and her eyes sparkling. She seems as alive as nature herself. It’s striking. It makes me feel as if I’ve gone through life with blinders on until just this moment.
“Do you feel it?” she asks excitedly when she sees us. She quickly sets down the baskets of goods she procured and marches to meet us. “Emex? Bela? Do you feel it?”
“Feel what?” the kids ask her.
“The first snowfall.”
The kids look up and all around. Instinctively, I do, too. The sky is ashen-grey, but the sun is visible. There’s no hint of snow that I can make out.
“It’s only an hour or so away,” Serafina announces. “What do you think, kids? We better get ourselves ready, right?”
“Yeah,” they shout in agreement and quickly rush to follow her indoors. I scoop up several of her baskets as I go indoors. She bows her head and smiles. Her gratitude sets off little fireworks of pleasure in my body. So strange that such a small thing should have such an impact on me.
As I pass by, she glances at my hands and my knees.
“Someone’s been playing in the dirt,” she notes with a wry smile.
“Healer’s orders,” I smile back before we head inside and close the door to the elements.
