Moonlight Petals

It was a crisp night of fall. The leaves covered the entirety of the cobblestone roads in the whole village and this village happened to be between the tall mountain of the north and right at the shadows of the Dusk Woods. This village, like many others in this realm, had just come into fall and it celebrated the harvest with a great feast with the best of the best from the fields and the hunt parties and even the best of spirits. To the village also came sometimes traveling caravans to sell their goods. Sometimes, if the fall winds were not too cold, from the east came the traveling circus and their exotic wagons and dancers and performers. And this fall was not yet too nippy. Crisp and chilly yet not bitter like the winters tend to be here. The whole village had spent the entire day preparing and organizing. Large wooden tables had been set up outside, banners for each household in the village set out on display, beautiful banners in velvet and embroidered threads. Pretty glass lamps from the local glass blower, the most delicious pies and breads from the bakery and the best ale, mead and spirits from the brewery and vineyards. Luckily the weather here was warm enough in the summer for grapes, but the mountain brought down bitter colds each winter, which destroyed the vineyards and each spring they had to start all over...but somehow, it just made the wine that much better for it! Every business and shop and store brought their goods out and everyone added a little something to the festival. Take for example the smallest of shops, the little apothecary shop, The Lunar Dewdrop. Aside from apothecary elixirs, potions and herbs, the owner of the shop also sold flowers that never seemed to wilt or wither. And with the end of the year coming, she always brought to the festival a rare flower that only bloomed this time of year during the full moon. Every year she brought teas and wreaths made from this moon flower. And on the festival night like each year the flowers opened when the moonlight fell upon them and every year their sweet and strong fragrance filled the night time air. Folks from all ages were gathering at the village's plaza, where the feast would take place. Street lamps lit the entire area and the smell of the cereus welcomed everyone in to join and take a seat. All but a few that remained at their shop stalls and merch tents. But even then they were given a plate full of meats and casseroles and vegetables along with a pint of mead or wine according to their preference. After all, travelers still came and went and many took their drinks or meats with them to see the tents and stalls. Even in a night as busy as tonight, the apothecary small teal and silver tent remained empty. Though the flowers were quite popular within the village, none of them often ventured inside or dared be seen by others coming in to see the witch. As they so colloquially referred to the young lady who ran the family business. Much like her mother and her grandmother and her great grandmother before her, she had settled down in a town and brought with her the traveling business, setting roots in this seemingly small village. But ah, it was not the village she had settled down here for, but the forest. The Dusk Woods had within them all sorts of herbs and fungi, fauna and flora and even beyond that… magic. Not the magic that many believed was tied to wife tales or myths or legends of curses and imminent death, well, perhaps that could be the case, but no, these woods were… alive. And within them magic was still alive. Very few woods and forests remained still a mystery to human folk but this one was one of the few never to have been fully charted. Fully explored. And even though the young herbologist had no intention of charting or conquering the forest, she did find herself fascinated by it and the wonders that inside resided. So, despite the slow foot traffic to her little tent, which oddly seemed bigger on the inside than it could possibly be on the outside, the shopkeep swung her leather booted feet back and forth as she sat in the tall wooden stool, enjoying herself a plate of meats and squashes along with a fruity honey-like mead. As the feast progressed the shop did see some new faces. Travelers, other merchants, the circus folk, all thankfully more well traveled and more open minded than those who lived here. The flowers were always a good sell. Along with some tonics and perfumes, elixirs and even a few teas. This year had not been a total fiasco and she was rather enjoying herself meeting new people and getting to see the circus folk. Always so nice and jovial. And to her surprise the number one buyers of her joint balms and soothing teas. Life on the road was never easy, she knew that herself and even threw in a few discounts their way. She was waving goodbye to the twin fan girls in their colorful tights and leotards as two more customers came in. A ringing of bells coming from the far end of the tent told her it was midnight and as she glanced outside she saw the moon shrouded in clouds, a small pout came to her heart shaped lips as she turned to see the cereus flowers that she kept for sale inside the tent, starting to gently close their petals until they felt the moonlight come it again. "Darn clouds…" the woman said as she tsk'ed her tongue against her front teeth. She fixed the apron over the high waisted long skirt, she was wearing one of her favorite sets in deep teals and silver buttoned puffed sleeved jacket and skirt. "Feel free to look around and ask any questions. The flowers will bloom again once the clouds have moved on" She said to the two hooded figures that had come in. Though no reply came back from them. They seemed to look around, keeping to themselves as another person came into the tent, starting to crowd the place. The shopkeep was about to repeat her previous statement when the newcomer interrupted. "Lu! There you are… the flowers! They are dying!" Said a young girl with bright green eyes and dirty blonde wavy hair. Her pouting face made her look even younger than what she was and the frilly soft pink dress she wore adorned with a bow didn't really help either. "Everyone in the village wants to see them bloom!" The girl added. "They will bloom again once the light from the moon falls upon them, Clara, there is nothing I can do about it. I don't control the weather…" The shopkeeper replied. "But Luthiem...Of course you can! You made it rain that one time during summer…" Clara said. "That was different, Clara… a little condensation is not the same as clearing the skies of clouds…" Luthiem replied. It was always hard to explain to people what she could and could not do, as they seemed to believe she held the answer to all of their problems.. or at least, magic did. Yet none wanted to admit they had come to her at least once for help. With a long sigh Luthiem looked at her friend as she crossed her arms over her chest. "It will clear out soon enough… you'll see" She said to the pink dressed girl. "Ohhh right! OK! I'll let the mayor know you are on it" Clara said and winked at her. "That is not… what I meant, Clara!" Luthiem said as she looked at the young woman with a look of disbelief. Brushing her long raven braid from off her shoulder, coming to meet Clara. But she had run out the tent and into the crowd. Leaving the raven headed woman with a gaped mouth and a huff. Luthiem rolled her blue eyes and shaking her head she ventured inside the tent, turning to the pair from earlier only to notice… There was only one of them left. The other one was nowhere to be seen. "Sorry about that… I really can't… control the weather." Luthiem said to the tall hooded figure as she shook her head. "Is there anything I can help you… with? Are you looking for something in particular?"