Dawning of a Seer

The Seer

After Blossom had picked a few tomes to start Elizabeth's teachings they stopped at the communal pantry to stock up her cupboards with food and an elderflower cordial. They then made their way to Elizabeth's chamber.

Elizabeth tried to remember some of the tunnels along the way, but failed and was glad to rely on Blossom's guidance through its labyrinth.

"How do you remember your way through the tunnels?" she asked as they unpacked the small sack of food into different earthenware pots and bowls.

"When I was younger I used to cheat and leave small marks in the earth. One day though, I found an enchantment that helps to guide you wherever you need to go, even if you don't know where you're going. I expect I scribbled it down on some parchment somewhere, I'll have a look later. Now, let's make something to eat and then we need to start your teachings."

It soon became obvious that Elizabeth's sheltered life of being waited upon by servants and nursemaids had done her no favours as she also needed to be taught how to prepare and cook food. Blossom patiently stood next to her as she showed her how to make a simple vegetable soup which was surprisingly delicious.

"Do you ever wonder about your real mother?" Elizabeth asked as they cleaned up the bowls.

"Not since I've been bound to my tree spirit. I suppose once you become a nymph, you become a child of Mother Nature and forget about any human family you may have had."

Elizabeth's face showed the traces of her innermost fear. She instinctively wondered if she too would lose all recollection of her family and the treasured memories she had of the mother she had loved and lost upon gaining her sister.

"Don't worry. I was just a babe in arms when I was left in the woodland, so I wouldn't have remembered anyway," Blossom put a reassuring hand on Elizabeth's.

Elizabeth feigned a smile and tried to push the thought to the back of her mind. It was bad enough losing her family and knowing she was dead to them. Her memories were all she had left and not something she was willing to give up.

"Let's start your first lesson to take your mind off things. First of all, I need to know how well you can identify the different plants and herbs. We can't have you picking up or eating anything poisonous."

"I think it's safe to say I don't know anything. I didn't even know which tree was which, remember?" Elizabeth replied, recalling when Blossom had spotted the glint of the mercenary's sword in the distance.

"Okay then, let's start with the trees," said Blossom grabbing a tome and sitting cross-legged on the floor, gesturing to Elizabeth to sit beside her.

Whilst confined underground by Winter's command for fear of further attacks, Blossom greeted Elizabeth every day in the morning. She walked her through the tunnels to bathe in the warm rock pool and helped her decipher the illustrations and notes in the thick tomes that Rue recommended. The routine they succumbed enabled the other nymphs to avoid Elizabeth's presence and so Blossom and Rue became her world. They keenly assessed the progress of her lessons and praised her on her accomplishments, building her confidence and increasing her thirst for knowledge.

Elizabeth learned that despite a sense of equality and unity amongst the nymphs, it did not extend to those outside their cocoon of familiarity. It had been over two thousand lunar cycles since the Great War. Blossom as a newborn babe had been found shortly after the nymphs went into hiding, whilst Rue had been on duty in the woodland above, casting protective charms to deter humans from the area. It was only out of respect for Rue, that Winter, who had just been crowned as Queen, had allowed Rue to raise Blossom as her own. After all that time, it was no wonder they eyed Elizabeth with suspicion, especially as she had placed their lives and kingdom at risk.