The Betrayal of the Guardians

~ (5) Gift of Life ~

Dling, dling.

The bells behind the door filled the silence as Arisa entered her family's shop.

"Welcome," greeted a gentle voice.

Arisa saw an oval face looking at her, over the tall customer's shoulder. When her grandmother's gaze spotted her, the old woman almost dropped the jar she was showing to the customer.

"Ah, I'm sorry," her grandmother said to the person in front of her,  who attempted to prevent the jar from falling.

"It's okay," replied the customer.

"As I was saying, this medicine will help with your child's respiratory infection. It's made of a plant called Astragalus. It won't only help with the infection, but..."

Arisa went further into the small shop, isolating herself from her grandmother's instructions to her customer. She went straight to the table not far from where her grandmother was, and she dropped all her stuff onto it.

As she took out the plants she had gathered, she glanced around the shop. It wasn't big, in fact, it had the size of a living room as the shop itself was part of her house. A long wooden table with a display glass divided the area. The jars inside the display case and the ones on shelves around the wall, exposed medicine that was ready for consumption.

Some of the plants were smashed and mixed with water, while others were simply cut. Her grandmother was a well-known herbalist in her area, and thanks to her, the family didn't need to worry about food since herbalists were highly regarded.

Wrinkled hands hit the table, making her jump a little. Arisa looked at the lady in front of her, who was her own height. The woman had short, wavy hair mixed with strands of black and gray. Her usually gentle face showed extra wrinkles of worry. Her dark eyes gazed at Arisa in search of an explanation.

"Good afternoon, grandma." Arisa tried to avoid her grandmother's obvious questions. The last thing she wanted was to worry her lovely grandmother.

"I found the plants we're running short of." She showed her the roots and leaves she had placed on the table. "Except the Chiraita. I did my best to find it, but it seems Moonlight Forest is short of that plant as well."

"So I'm guessing that the Chiraita is responsible for how terrible you look?" Her grandmother raised a brow as she crossed her arms.

Since her grandmother was the second person today to mention her appearance, Arisa wondered how disastrous she looked at first sight.

"Do I look that horrible?" Arisa glanced at her hands. Her light, but pale hands were covered in dirt and bruises. She wondered what the rest of her body looked like.

"Yes," replied her grandmother, touching Arisa's face. "Your arms are covered in bruises. Is this a cut on your cheek?"

Her grandmother looked even closer at her granddaughter's face, worry invading her expression.

"You're also covered in dust, from head to toe," continued her grandmother, examining every side of her granddaughter. "What happened? Did you go to Moonlight town to pick the plants, as I asked you to do?"

Her grandmother's gaze met Arisa's. She knew when her grandmother did that, she had no choice but to tell the truth. A person must have a heart of steel to lie when looking at an old lady in the eye.

Arisa shook her head.

"I tried to help someone who was being attacked," she said, her cheeks warming up.

Arisa's grandmother stared at her with an expression of pride, yet there was disappointment in her coffee eyes.

"You really are like your parents." She touched her granddaughter's chin. "Always thinking of others first, but dear, you should know that you can't save everyone. Sometimes you have to be selfish, think of your life as well."