Tricky Treats

12. Women of the Wind

CHAPTER 12 

Three days later,

Her hair grazed through the wind. The comforting warm and perfumed sweet scent wondered up her nose. The fragrance of the women in her family.

"Serena..." a soft voice called to her. "Come look what I found here, my chéri."

Serena lounged at the riverbank. Her fingers delicately splashed in the dark green waters near her small village in Northwick as she sang an old ancient song. She spun around when she heard her grandmother's call and followed her soothing voice into the forest trails to a small bush under a large willow tree where her grandmother huddled. Her grandmother's silver long hair flowing with the breeze that travelled through the enormous tree's long leafy fingers.

"Oumie, what did you find?" Serena asked, curiously. She was only twelve years, but she had to note everything her grandmother taught her.

"Look here, my chéri." Her grandmother reached out her hand and, in the palm, held a dark brown root with yellow flowers sprouting on top. "It's a dandelion root." She said with a twinkle in her emerald eyes, Serena had inherited from her. While Serena's exotic Arabian beauty was all thanks to her mother. The dandelion root's yellow buds had rain droplets from the morning drizzle. It was beautiful, as it glistened under the afternoon sun above them. She handed it to Serena, who grasped it delicately.

"Dandelion root is good for illnesses. Always mix it with elder oil, periwinkle, and Hortenza tree resin. It will work for back aches, too." Her grandmother said in her heavy French accent.

Serena inspected the root.

"It's mixed well with cocoa, for the ones who have memory loss — with sandalwood and mercury for gout." Her Oumie advised.

Serena nodded. "Or mix it with jelly fish venom for the naughty ones you want to play a prank on."

Oumie looked at her with a disciplined eye. "Not too many pranks, chéri. You'll expose who you are. You need to stop with your mischief ways." Her grandmother clicked her tongue. "Jinx is rubbing off on you, I see."

Serena giggled. "Don't blame him, Oumie. It's only fifty percent his fault."

She was a loving grandmother. Stern, but fair. She had to be if Serena was to make it and pass on the traditions of the Astrum wind. The breeze that guides their travels.

Oumie taught her many herbs and alchemy ingredients. And the fun parts, too — Serena took more interest in — learning ingredients for spells and potions. Serena's mother taught her about candy making and chocolate crafting. Selling their sweet trade that will help her thrive.

"Always inspect the ingredient." Her Oumie breathed. And Serena examined the root in her hand and the bright yellow buds that sprouted.

"Always smell the ingredient. Use your nose to suspect if it's a rotten apple." Her Oumie warned. And Serena placed it under her nose and inhaled the wet, musky scent with a little spice.

"Your powers will be full effect when you turn thirteen next Tuesday." Her grandmother smiled. Her light wrinkles crinkling around her eyes. "There's much good that comes with being one of us. But..." her smile faded. "There's a lot of bad with it. A lot of heartache."

And Serena knew what grave thing her grandmother was saying. She nodded, heeding her Oumie's words. The breeze picked up with the fragrant scent, making her Oumie pull up her light pink shawl tighter around her shoulders.