Baba sat beside Zvanimir, putting a paste onto the mark that he bore. His tongue was still twisted, unable to tell thought from spoken word, but that was just a side effect of the herbs Baba had given him. She knew this very well.

“For the time being you will not be able to control what you say so think simple thoughts, nothing you would not want me to hear.”

I don’t really have much to think about.

“I don’t really have much to think about.”

Baba knew that was a lie. You don’t get to her age without learning to tell such basic things.

“Good good, keep it that way and maybe you’ll still be my student by tomorrow.”

She finished off the sentence with a hearty laugh, but her face quickly became sombre again. Just like her, she thought. It was just like her.

Baba couldn’t help but think back to the young woman who had once come to her home and asked to be taught by her. They weren’t that similar, at least not at first, but it seems they both brought with them a similar amount of trouble.

Thank you, Baba, for everything you’ve done for me.

“Thank you, Baba, for everything you’ve done for me.”

Looking at his face, it was so mature yet childlike. Before her lay a man, a young man, but a man, nonetheless. And still, somehow the man exuded a childlike innocence, as if yet untouched by the darker parts of the world.

“(I want to see where you will go.)”

Zvanimir tried to discern the words that Baba whispered, but it seemed impossible in his current state. His thoughts were jumbled up the longer the herbs worked on him, but luckily, that also meant nothing comprehensible came out of his mouth. At best, he could string together a word or two, but little more than that by this point.

After a minute of trying to string together a coherent thought, he felt Baba’s hand on his forehead, gently pushing his eyes closed.

“It should be alright for you to sleep now, soldier. Try and get some rest now.”

Zvanimir tried to resist for a moment, but the second his eyes were shut, the fatigue washed over him and his mind drifted to sleep.

-

Baba stood up and walked to the door. She gave one last glance to Zvanimir before exiting her house and stepping into her garden.

“Come now, my friends, work is to be done”

The ground before her shook lightly as roots and vines sprang out of the dirt and began entwining together. Like a bundle of snakes, they crossed over each other and condensed into one thick shape of ever-moving vegetation. A humanoid shape.

“You have called for me, Ⰱⰰⰱⰰ Ⱃⱁⰳⰰ.”

The plant creature bent down onto one knee and bowed to Baba.

“Do we have to go through this every time? I just need you to carry some wood, that is all.”

The creature stood up and nodded.

“It shall be done.”

Baba began walking to where Zvanimir had cut down the tree earlier and the creature followed.

“You know, I have a new student. A soldier, or maybe something else. I am unsure yet.”

“That is most excellent news. It has been so very long since you taught Barbara.”

Baba paused and gave an angry look to the creature.

“You know that her name is not to be spoken here!”

The creature lowered its head.

“I am sorry.”

They both continued walking.

“I would be lying if I said I did not wonder what she was up to these days. Her little court has apparently been very troublesome in recent years.”

The creature remained silent at the comment.

“Anyway. This soldier here, Zvanimir is his name. I feel like he will turn out to be a bit more than he seems right now. He reminds me of her when she first came to me. And it is not like I have much of a choice, it seems that he knows some Kaikavian already, it would be irresponsible not to teach him now.”

“If that is your reasoning, should you not teach many more people? Gaius was effective, but many still speak the olden tongues, as witnessed by the trains still passing through the world.”

Baba waved her hands in response.

“I have wasted much time on their quarrels, trying to be of help and what did I get in return? This one is a blank slate, he has done nothing wrong to me yet and if I do things properly, he will not.”

“But many are the children that have only heard your name, yet done nothing to disrespect you. Should you not look at them the same?”

Baba once again stopped, this time turning around towards her companion.

“I have brought you up because you are chatty and I felt like company, but I will call upon someone else if you continue to be such an annoyance.”

The creature once again repeated the bowing motion.

“Apologies, I will adjust my comments.”

“Very good. Now, where were we?... Right, the soldier. He says he is from the crypt in the Barren Valley. Do you know who lays buried there?”

“It is difficult for my kin to enter there, the ground is dead and nothing living may pass through it.”

Baba let out an annoyed sigh at the response.

“Most unfortunate. Maybe I should go and take a look for myself.”

She ran her hand through her hair as she spoke, pressing her fingers together in order to collect several strands.

She brought the bunch of hairs closer to her face and from it, picked out one that was grey. She glared at the grey strand for a moment, before tossing it to the side.

“Or maybe after a shift of the seasons. Fall is coming early this year it seems.”

“A wise choice. However, if I may ask, what was that Alcar doing there? They usually do not enter the Barren Valley?”

The creature looked at Baba with what one could consider eyes, but in truth were just cavities in its head formed from the vines. She remained silent for a while.

“The Alcari go wherever they want to, one being here is no more strange than a bird from the south being here. The bigger problem is that he came to hunt on the first night, they never do that.”

There was little that the creature could add to the conversation at this point and Baba knew this.

“He somehow survived the first night, now that is no small feat. It does not raise his chances much, but it is an achievement at least.”

This time the creature paused in its tracks.

“Survived the first night? That should not be possible.”

Baba just chuckled.

“I tell you, I have found someone worthwhile. And regarding that topic…”

The air around Baba and the creature shifted, from two friends just casually chatting on their way, to a more ominous feeling.

“I would have one of your brothers accompany him, in secret of course.”

The creature let out an audible gasp through its vine formed mouth.

“But… It is too much to ask. It was not within what we agreed upon…”

“Calm yourself, I am not making a demand, simply asking for a favour. If one would be willing, I would be most grateful, but none will be forced into it.”

“Still, you know how the younger ones are, they would do anything you ask just because it is you. A favour to them is as good as an order.”

Baba paused to think of her next words carefully.

“And I am asking you for that reason. You are older, you see me in a different light. I would ask that you think on it and tell me what you decide.”

The creature fell to its knees, trembling. It was just a bundle of vines, but if it could have, in that moment it would have cried.

“Please, I beg you Ⰱⰰⰱⰰ Ⱃⱁⰳⰰ, do not do…”

A slap struck the creature across the face as Baba quickly reprimanded it.

“You know that I hate doing this as much as you do, but I am left with no choice in the matter. I must think of the future and what it may hold and, in this case, it is important that I stay well informed at all times. Understand that it is a sacrifice for the both of us.”

The creature covered its eyes like a crying child as Baba put her arm around it, giving it a hug.

“But Ⰱⰰⰱⰰ Ⱃⱁⰳⰰ please, they are young… “

“Shhh. You know that if I ask it like this, it must be done. Have I not raised them like they were children of my own?”

This time Baba let out several teardrops, sobbing together with the creature.

“If it truly must be so… I will find a way… Even if I myself…”

Baba cut him off.

“No, you will not.”

More tears streamed down her face as she held the creature tighter in her arms.

“He is no one, but he will become someone. And I need one of your brothers who will undergo that journey with him. You are too formed already.”

The creature put its arms around Baba and rested its head on her shoulder.

“Please, let me go, I swear I will do well.”

Baba just patted its back and shushed the creature, much like a mother would her own child to calm it down.

“This task is for someone else to carry out, dear. It must be so, it simply must.”

The pair remained clutched together, crying, sharing their sorrow, but in the end, the creature gave in and the promise was made.

One of the younglings would accompany Zvanimir into the world, to protect him and report to Baba of happenings. It was essential that she knew, to stay in touch with the happenings of the world.

The last words she spoke to the creature before they both gathered their bearings and continued to walk to the tree were ones that shook it to its core.

“It will be a great honour, I think that he is a ⰽⰻⱀⰳⰠⱄ ⱌⰰⱀⰴⰻⰴⰰⱅⰵ.”

The creature looked up at her and its mouth attempted to form into a smile.

“A true honour, they will be grateful.”