Having already set up shop, Alena stood on the corner and stared at the potion Eula gave her for a moment. She would be fine, just a little rest and a cup of honeyed tea every day would help stave it off, she thought. Better to hold on to the potion for when someone who really needed it, if worse came to worse she could use the potion for Alek should he ever get sick. Confident in her decision, she pocketed the concoction in her coat pocket. Ready for the afternoon, she welcomed any and all potential buyers that passed by her stall. It was then that a man she had never seen before accompanied by two men approached, a new customer perhaps? She greeted the man with a smile like she would to any other person who came to buy flowers from her.

“Good afternoon, good Sir. Are there any flowers you see to your liking?”

“Hm, they say there’s a young woman who knows all there is about flowers with a shop in the south district. And so I’ve come all this way to meet you, in this place full of beggars and undesirable wretches. I’ve heard good things about you.”

“I-I’m flattered, my lord. Though ”

“I’d like a flower for my wife, but I’ve no knowledge of flowers. So, what would you recommend?”

“Hmm, is there a special occasion? I could pick something based on the occasion.”

“It is my wife’s birthday, she has a garden and enjoys tending to her plants. And so I plan to surprise her and give her flowers.”

“How wonderful, that is so very sweet of you. I wish your wife the happiest of days.”

“Ahem. It is a man’s pride to keep his wife happy!” He seemed flustered.

“Well, if it’s her birthday, perhaps a flower with a color she likes. Is there any color she’s fond of?”

“A color? Why the hell would I know that?!

“I-I didn’t mean to offend you, good Sir. Forgive me.”

“Tch. Why should I care what color she likes, it’s a damn flower. This was a waste of time, I could just buy some expensive gift, let us go-”

“W-Wait a moment, a preference of color was only a suggestion. Instead of a single flower, perhaps a bouquet of flowers would be preferable. And since it is a day of celebration I shall offer a discount in consideration.”

“A discount for a bouquet of flowers?!” He shouted in a loud voice, his eyebrow raised. Had she angered him somehow? Or… “Well now, I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea. Yes, a bouquet of flowers might just work. A good offer, a very good offer indeed. Hmm, in that case I think I’ll buy 10 bouquets since you’ve been so kind as to offer me a discount, a generous deal if I do say so myself.”

“B-But of course! I’ll prepare them right away.”

She hadn’t ever had a customer willing to buy so many flowers before, she’d only ever sold a handful of flowers in a day. And so Alena began to fill the baskets with the best flowers she had, ensuring each and every bouquet was filled with the prettiest and colorful of flowers. She was filled with such joy and a feeling of relief, after all the money earned from this sale could-

“Ough, ough!” Coughing over all the flowers, they were splattered red. Unable to stop herself, Alena coughed once more into her hand. She could only stare at the blood that pooled in her palm.

“S-She’s diseased!” The noble backed away.

“N-no! This is-” Alena attempted to reach out to the noble.

“Disgusting beggar, get her away from me.” Having his men intervene, they pushed Alena to the ground. And at that moment she felt something shatter.

“The flowers are likely tainted. Grab the torches, burn it all!” The noble commanded his men and they began to burn all the bouquets as well as the flowers she had gathered.

“No, stop-” She screamed, but she could only cough.

“To think we let you repugnant peasants live in our kingdom, and now you spread disease like the vermin you are. I’ll have the lord quarantine this district, we cannot let you vermin infect the populace. We shouldn’t have ever welcomed you in our city.”

The noble stormed off, leaving Alena alone on the ground, her hard work gone up in fire and ash. Alena couldn’t stop coughing, and the smoke only made it worse. Then she remembered the potion Eula gave her, it could help resolve all of this. She reached into her pocket, however she pulled her hand out in pain. Her pocket now wet, she had cut herself on the shards of wet glass in her pocket, the contents of the potion leaking through her coat. It had shattered in the fall, she had planned to save it and now it was gone.

“How could I have been so foolish…” Alena couldn’t do anything, she could do nothing but cover her face and sob quietly to herself.

“Alena? Alena!” A young boy called out to her, the one person she cared for the most.

“Alek…?”

“What happened, are you alright? Let me help you up!” Alek helped her up and they started walking down the street.

“I’m sorry, I did something stupid…” She began to hack and cough.

“Are you sick? Who did this to you?”

“I’m feeling a little under the weather… As for the flowers, I angered a noble, but it doesn't matter now… I just need a little rest.”

“A-alright. Just hang on, we’re almost there.”

Having made it their apartment, Alek managed to put Alena to rest in her bed after having struggled to get her up the stairs.

“I’ll make some tea, so just rest.” He reassured her.

“...Mm…” Alena could barely talk, stuck in fevered stupor she was left vulnerable.

Alek stood by her side throughout the entire ordeal, it was going to be okay he believed. All would be well, and yet unaware of the dangers that lurked nearby, there was one person who had witnessed everything that went down. Standing across from their apartment, a man stared up to their window in anticipation. “So this is where you are.” The veiled man watched from a distance. “We’ll be seeing each other very soon.”