"So who is he?" Dinmir wiggled a long-stemmed flower in the direction of a boy standing outside Thiliel's shop. He was just tall enough to be seen over the rows of displays lining the window.
Thiliel set down the arrangement she was working on, its fragrance wafting around the counter at nose-level. Their freshness managed to cut a swath through the equilibrium of blending scents from the florist's other wares. "Him? That's my brother-in-law's nephew... cousin... no, second cousin, thrice removed, something like that. I've met so many cousins I've forgotten, but this one's a good boy. Anyway, he's taken to lingering around outside my shop the last couple of days." Thiliel's eyes darted between Dinmir and her arrangement, a small grin forming as she pretended to go back to work. Silence lingered.
What could Dinmir do other than grin? "Ok, I'll admit you've piqued my curiosity. Why is he lingering around your flower shop?"
"I was done with this anyway." Thiliel put away the arrangement and leaned on the counter next to Dinmir. "Now that is an interesting story. You see, at first I thought he'd taken a fancy to one of my assistants, but he didn't pay any mind as they went in and out for deliveries. So I kept an eye on him despite how busy I've been, and my diligence paid off. I watched him turn his eyes to the left, and to the right, to the sky, and to the ground, and as I did I noticed where he made a point not to look." Thiliel stretched a finger towards the bakery across the street. Through the shop's window they could see a girl, about the boy's age, sweeping the walkway. "You see, I've been so busy lately because the enderi aren't far off and many of my customers are hosting celebrations."
"Aha! So you think he's trying to work up the courage to ask her to one of those parties."
Thiliel tapped her finger to the tip of her nose.
The heavy thud of boots on the walkway followed by the soft rustle of chain announced someone approaching. A moment later Auros came into view in full mail.
"Speaking of courage. He must've been sparring today." Dinmir grinned to herself.
Thiliel cleaned the floral residue from her hands. "That armor does cut a rather dignified visage, doesn't it?" She pulled the blue ribbon from her locks, slid her hands underneath her hair and fluffed it out. "I don't imagine he's spent much time standing around in front of flower shops working up his nerve."
A glimmer of metal where there shouldn't be caught Dinmir's attention. He'd torn his surcoat. Ever since he'd made an agreement to spar with the town guard in exchange for the use of their space and equipment, she'd had to repair all the fancy accoutrements Auros wore over his armor, like they did it on purpose. Those guards seemed to think knowing a tailor gave him special privileges. Oops, she'd been quiet a little too long. All it took was one glance at Thiliel to realize the woman was hoping for any insight she could get. "Not really, no. He just pushes himself on down whatever path he's set." Dinmir could count on one hand the number of times she'd seen Auros "work up his nerve."
"He must be quite determined."
"Yeah, if he's one thing, he's determined." Dinmir shot a glance and a grin at Thiliel. "Though I suspect you've considered some other descriptors."
"If I must confess, one or two have crossed my mind." They watched as Auros stopped in front of the flower shop and looked down at the boy. Thiliel stashed her ribbon in her pocket. "Should we bet on whether he'll come in or pass by?"
"It wouldn't be fair. I can already tell how this is going just by the expressions. See, there's Auros' usual scowl as he adjusts his vambraces. 'Who are you?' he asks tersely.
"The boy looks up at the imposing figure towering over him, doing his level best not to be in too much awe. 'I'm Thiliel's whatever-relation eighteen-and-a-half-times removed.'
"Now Auros peers into the flower shop, then looks back at the boy trying to decide if he's telling the truth. 'What are you doing standing out here?'
"The boy steals a glance towards the bakery. Auros follows the boy's gaze, and the boy panics, tugging on Auros' vambrace. 'Don't make it obvious!'
"Auros buries that amused grin as deep as he can and gives the boy his most serious look while fixing his vambrace yet again. 'So why don't you go over there?' he asks.
"The boy looks at his feet and Auros grimaces. He taps the boy on the shoulder. The boy looks up. Auros gives him a confident nod toward your door and says, 'Follow me.'"
Before Thiliel could commend her impressions, the door swung open, shattering the equilibrium of the shop and swirling all scents around the room into one pungent odor. The cascade made Dinmir wince. Auros waved the boy in, following close behind with a wink to Dinmir. After that, she had no choice but to brave the assault on her nose.
Auros took off a gauntlet, pressed the bare hand to his heart and bowed. "Excuse me, ladies, which of you might be the proprietress of this fine establishment?"
By the grin on her face, Thiliel might as well have been given her choice of desserts. "That would be me, good knight. How might I assist?" She'd caught onto the game as it began, and this time her softened voice enhanced the effort.
Auros drew himself up even more. Despite the solemn expression, the gleam in his eye gave him away. "It is proper that you ask, for it is possible you and you alone possess the ability to render aid." He was having fun, no doubt about it. "This young knight ventures forth into perils heretofore unknown, and— alas! —finds himself ill-equipped. By your grace, however, he may obtain the tools necessary to overcome the trial ahead."
Thiliel put on a visage of great interest and concern. "And what, pray tell, may this humble purveyor of nature's bounty offer to such gallant knights that should be the guarantee of their much-deserved triumph?"
Drawing his gauntlet to his heart, he cast his eyes to the ground before looking up again, somehow more somber than before. "To secure victory, this knight requires— nay, requests, if he may be so bold —a flower!"
A grand curtsy from Thiliel answered Auros' words. "Then you have come to the right place, for if a flower contained within these very walls will prove the guarantor of this young knight's success, we shall be greatly honored!"
Auros nudged the boy towards the counter. Dinmir stifled a laugh at the gentle but unsubtle scraping of a crate across the floor, urged into place in front of the boy by Auros' foot. Thiliel, of course, pretended to take no notice of the boy's increase in height as she began to draw forth a selection of flowers.
"This one is for undying love."
While the boy's arm stretched for the flower with great enthusiasm, Auros put his hand up and shook his head. "'Undying love' is a bit high to reach for our purposes. Let's aim a little lower."
Thiliel's nod as she brought out the next flower gave Dinmir reason to think the first was more of a test than a suggestion. "This purple heather would be admiration."
Auros stroked his chin. "Hmm, perhaps. What other possibilities might you have?"
Thiliel brought out a series of flowers. For each one, the boy watched Auros. "This dahlia is for beauty. This yellow jasmine is for grace and elegance. This hibiscus would be for delicate beauty."
The boy furrowed his brow. "Delicate. Like 'easy to break.'"
The amused smile Thiliel gave the boy all but called him precious. "More like 'intricate'. It doesn't have to be just physical beauty. If there's some skill or routine of hers that you admire, perhaps the way she dances, or her sense of humor, or how she helps prepare the morning bread for the bakery—" Thiliel pursed her lips and moved on to the next flower. It was easy to see her concern that she might've spoiled the game. "This pink hydrangea is for gratitude, as is this dark pink rose, and this sweet pea too, as a matter of fact. This sorrel here is for affection." Thiliel held the last one closer to the boy.
Auros nodded with each option, as if he were measuring them upon scales. "It seems to me any one of these would serve well, but we must choose with care lest we find our aim awry." Auros looked down at the boy. "I say we should trust our path has led to this shop and its wise proprietress with the purpose of guiding us true." When the boy nodded, Auros turned back to Thiliel. "Which would you suggest?"
Though she'd chosen already the flowers she would name, to further the game Thiliel gave them the same apparent scrutiny Auros had. "I would suggest the hibiscus, the sorrel, and the heather."
Auros and the boy exchanged looks. Auros nodded, and the boy gave Thiliel an enthusiastic bob of his head.
"Very well!" The boy pulled a coin from his pocket, but she raised her hand in protest. "Nay, to know that I have aided such a noble knight in his quest is payment enough! Please take this with my blessings."
Auros grinned. He took a step back and flourished a bow. "We are in your debt, fair lady. When songs are sung of this quest, none will dare fail to mention the flower-queen and the aid she rendered this day." Once the boy had the flowers in hand, Auros gave him a pat on the back. "Now you are well-equipped. Go to it."
Just before the door closed behind the boy, Thiliel called out to him. "Come back if she says yes and we'll figure out a corsage!"
Auros flashed a grin full of his usual confidence. "Not if. When."
That performance was worth every moment Dinmir spent choking on flower-perfumes. "I'd always wondered if any of Aldawë's temperament rubbed off on you. Now I know."
"Don't get used to it. For some reason I just couldn't resist." Auros turned to Thiliel. "I hope you don't mind. I thought this was the best place to get him the courage he needed."
By her face, Thiliel remained enmeshed in the performance. "Not at all. It was an adventure for me too."
As Auros tried to straighten his surcoat, his hand brushed across the hole. "Oh, Dinmir—"
"Leave it on my workbench. I'll take care of it for you."
"Thanks." Auros turned back to Thiliel. "Thiliel, right? I believe we met while I was helping Dinmir move into her shop. And a couple of times since when I had to stop by with deliveries."
Thiliel folded her hands. "I suppose we did at that."
That was it?! All she could say was, "I suppose we did at that?!" Dinmir tried not to gape. Thiliel didn't have some comment, some coy remark? The woman finally had Auros' attention, and she was tongue-tied!
Auros rifled around in his pocket. "You know, this whole flower thing was my idea, and I'd hate for you to lose money just because I decided to have a bit of fun."
"I meant what I said." Thiliel had a gleam in her eye as she smiled, but behind that gleam it looked to Dinmir like she perused an entire book's worth of replies and couldn't pick one.
Auros grinned back as he tucked his coin pouch back into his pocket. "Far be it from me to deny someone else their fun. I'll tell you what though, I do find myself in need of some flowers. Certainly you'll sell them to me?"
Thiliel's eyes narrowed and a half-smile formed as she studied Auros. "You're not going to try and buy an inordinate amount of my stock, are you? Most of my wares are already reserved for clients."
"Something that blatant and gaudy is beneath me. Even were I so foolish I'd have nowhere to put it and I'm not of the mind to waste such beauty. No, I truly find myself in need of some flowers. You wouldn't deny some fair maiden a much-deserved prize on my account, would you?" Auros couldn't stop his lips from turning up into a charming smile. On anyone else Dinmir might've called it impish.
Though her suspicion hadn't abated, Thiliel relented to that grin. "Very well. I suppose I can sell you a reasonable amount of flowers."
"Excellent! I'll need some yellow jasmine, some hibiscus, a dark pink rose, and also some sweet pea."
Thiliel took a piece of string from the counter and turned around to gather the selection, picking the best of each as she held them close. Three times around went the string, and turning once again, she realized Auros was gone and the payment for the flowers sat on the counter. Thiliel grimaced as both hands wrapped around the stems. "I knew it. The whole 'buying flowers for a fair maiden' excuse was a lie."
Dinmir grinned. "No it wasn't."