Miss Winters

iii. The Rule of Three

"I am in no need of sunlight. I'm always pale."

"You take after George with your stubbornness," Cecília wistfully said before huffing in annoyance. "Now come along. I wish to paint outside amongst the greenery."

Having attended to their morning routines of breakfast and readying themselves for the day ahead, the two women moved outside. Cecília repositioned her easel and stool before she got herself ready to paint. Her sharp talons gripped the stool below as her body leaned close to the canvas. Her bird-like legs bent at the heel as she steadied herself atop her perch. The jewellery around her ankles glistened in the glow of the morning sun and the constant flick of her wings threatened the strenuous position of her shawl.

Dipping a brush into the paint from her palette, she began to amass a new image that she wanted to create. One of their little garden.

The garden was surrounded by an aged wooden fence blanketed in vines and shrubbery. The flower beds were flooded by pink tulips, pearl white hyacinths and deep purple lavenders. They were her father's favourites.

Laura lounged on a rug that Mrs Hanks had laid out. An older woman who had served the Winters family since their arrival in Idrimis. Mrs Hanks was currently focused on her work in the garden. Her lined hands meticulously shaped and groomed the plant life. Snipping away withered stems and chewed leaves. Laura drew her focus to the bestiary. Flicking through pages of notes in search of what the Caelum had seen in the fire. The mysterious silhouette. If it had been a creature it would likely be in this book somewhere.

A thought struck Laura. Her curiosity led her to ask, "What had you been painting before I awoke?"

From behind the canvas, Cecília responded, "A simple image of the dawn through the window. Don't worry, I wasn't painting you drooling."

"I don't drool."

"No, dear. Of course not," Cecília teased. A muffled chuckle came from Mrs Hanks leading to Cecília giving the old woman a sly toothy grin. The feathers that surrounded her face ever so slightly rose at the movement.

Laura rolled her eyes.

"All of you are against me."

A loud knocking came from the front of the house preceded by silence. They gazed at each other confused as if to ask who could that be?

Laura moved to get up from the ground however, Mrs Hanks stopped her.

"Worry not Miss Winters, I shall get the door."

The older woman placed down her gardening equipment and hobbled into the house.

Going back to her previous task, Laura dragged her eyes back to the leather book in hand. She was struggling to find any creature within that connected to what the Caelum had witnessed in the fire. A silhouette of unknown origins. She needed to know what it was.

Curious, the sylph asked Laura why she was reading from her father's old bestiary. The girl explained what had happened the day before.

Cecília commented, "He was likely in a delusional state of being. One that was possibly incited by the smoke and fire. Unable to comprehend the reality of his surroundings."

"But he saw the fire salamander," Laura reasoned.

"That doesn't mean he was in the right state of mind. No matter the severity of the situation, at times the mind will attempt all manner of self-preservation. In some cases, one will even sacrifice those attempting to save them. Not that I am implying he sacrificed someone but rather that his mind had created a fictional threat to incite a response to flee the area."