Zorroku and Peaches

New Beginnings

"And?" You and the kids prodded.

"Well, that's when the flowers turn into an aphrodisiac. In mid summer here, when that tree's first flowers turn dark and they have to open the doors to the cases in order to get in and harvest the flowers, most can't even get to them before they give into those urges." Zorroku tried to delicately explain with a bashful grin and a blush which got you and the kids to giggle.

"I see." You hummed.

"Anyway, the leaves of the tree. They're almost like... a cactus but without the barbs. And they collect the moisture in the air to the leaves to look like dew, like the way it looks now. So that it looks like it just rained even though it didn't. If you cut the newer and thicker leaves, the thick goo can treat and heal burns. Or once the leaves age and get thinner and start to become like paper, at that stage the leaves can be picked and can be dried and used for tea. It's really good and really calming yet cooling and refreshing. Most will chill it once they've made it and drink it cold to cool you down in the summer heat. Or if you get them when they're big and mature and they turn a really pretty, but dark green color, they can be used fresh to add to juices and water too." Zorroku explained as he brought it over and pointed out the various little, downright chubby thick leaves.

"But if you crush the leaves to form a paste and if you add the sap of the tree to it, it turns into a healing balm. The sap, if you let the tree weep and those tears harden, it's like fresh amber. And it's instant incense. Or you can dry it and then wet it and grind it, that's also used as medicine." He revealed.

"But this little one is still very young, it should not be harvested from- for the first three years. And even then, it should only be a few flowers. And a few leaves at the most because it still needs every single one to grow bigger." He added.

"So don't touch." Belinda surmised.

"Well it's not that you can't touch it, but only do so very, very gently and carefully. It won't even flower for a few more years at least. We can invite the mouras over to see it and see what they say." He ventured.

"Do you know any of them personally?" You asked him.

"Yes I do. Most of them are my aunts, uncles and cousins." He gave you a meaningful look and a grin.

"Ah, I see." You nodded.

"But the flowers themselves. If you pick them at any stage, you pour distilled liquor on the flowers and then crush them like you do olives to make olive oil or grapes to make wine, and the liquid that comes off, that's pure perfume. And then there's like a buttery wax that is left over after crushing the flowers. That can be used also to make perfume, and it can be used to make soap and even candles and incense and depending on the color of the flowers, that colors the wax, that color gets into what you're making with it too.

And then you take the now pressed flowers, and you dry them and then ground them down into a fine powder and then it's pure aphrodisiac. Very, very powerful and to a degree, dangerous stuff. But also, very valuable too." He explained.

"Is that why Avlar and especially Thunder Herd have so much incense?" You asked.

"Yes, because not only does it smell good, but the green incense especially keeps the bugs away. Because there's sickness that travels with flies and mosquitos. And when we add the other colors, it keeps the scent from becoming too strong and hurts your nose." He explained.

"So now that I know that- that is what you have, I'll build you a special case for the tree, so that you can either keep it up here or keep it with you at home. Because it needs sunlight, but it needs to be protected from getting too wet. Because the more wet it is, the more the scents get watered down and weaker. The dryer and hotter you keep it, the better and stronger the scents get.