*Saoirse*
The cool morning air kissed my cheeks as I kneeled among the blooms in the garden, my hands deep in the dark soil. A bead of sweat traced a path down my brow as the warmth of the still-rising sun found me.
"Easy there, little ones," I murmured to the budding roses, my voice quiet. There was a peace in the simplicity of tending life that I clung to with quiet desperation.
I felt the familiar weight of my staff against my leg. The power within it hummed, desperate to be used.
But I ignored it for the moment and focused on the garden.
My fingers continued to work the soil as the sun continued to rise. Others passed by, offering greetings and “Good mornings" that I returned.
As the day wore on and the sun reached its peak, I finally stopped. I closed my eyes, letting my senses
