Maiden of the Peach

Chapter twenty-three: A Crown of Petals!

      Shino explained the incident that had occurred only moments later while keeping it brief for Rin's sake. After looking at the wolf corpses lying there, her demeanor changed, eyes widened as she hid behind Jaken. The shaking of her shoulders made it evident that even though the savage beast laid dead, they still posed some deep fear that she couldn't hide. Shino continued his mission of removing the bodies, burying them under heaping mountains of soil. I decided to keep her distracted by helping her set up the campfire and prep the breakfast; it helped calm her down while Jaken tended to Ah-Un.

      Noticing the various things she gathered from her and Jaken's foraging journey, of the many mushrooms, fish, and edible plants to my growing curiosity. After setting up the fire and placing the skewered fish and mushrooms around the outside, Jaken lit it with his strange magic staff. I noted that we now have some time to kill while our breakfast cooks, listening to Rin's humming before she skips off somewhere in my peripheral vision. Glancing sideways as I curl my legs inward while adjusting my weight on my arm, a patch of vibrate colored flowers bloomed in the distance that I hadn't noticed before. A smile blooming across her delicate features as she kneels at the edge of her newfound target, with care fingers started picking her favorites.

      That expression suited her better than the fearful look she wore earlier after seeing the wolves' bloodied bodies. Looking back to Shino, who had finished burying that last remaining corpse with a huff, the sun's warming light seemed to glow in his white coat. Admiring how much he changed after learning a new skill, letting my gaze roam over the area. Taking in nature as it stands, the gentle breeze rustles the leaves with the birds' soft singing in the trees.

      'It's hard to imagine that all of this will be gone.' my mind wonders as I listen to the firepit's soft crackling. 'I'm going to miss this when I return home,' a faint smile dances across my lips before being interrupted by the subtle sound of hurried feet.

      Rin returned from her flower picking trip as she carried arm full of several beautiful ones nestled with care in her arms. Although her smile almost outshined them all, in my opinion.

      "Lady (_________), look at all the flowers I picked!" she eagerly brings them closer, her eyes gleaming with the joy of her new accumulated collection of priceless gems.

      "They're beautiful, Rin" I couldn't help but return her excitement with a bit of my own, breathing in the sweet aroma from their petals strikes me with an idea. "Here, I have an idea," beckoning her to hand over her prized flowers.

      Rin sets them down on my lap with curious eyes, picking two with careful fingers from the cluster. Weaving the stems together one by one while she watched in awe, my creation took form as I placed it upon her head. She was grinning as her fingers brushed against the soft petals before turning on her heels and darting towards Jaken.

      "Master Jaken, look at what Lady (________) made me this time!" she eagerly shakes the green imp by his large brown sleeves, trying to get his attention.

      "S-stop it, Rin!" Jaken helplessly squawks, frantically trying to steady himself once she released him to look at her flower crown finally. "Yeah, so?" he deadpans while crossing his skinny arms.

      "You should wear one too!" Rin eagerly replies, taking it off her head to place it on his own, sliding it off his hat and over his big yellow eyes.

      "What!" Jaken waves his arms frantically while taking a few steps back before attempting to remove the crown from his head. "I-I can't see!" with a huff, he holds it clenched between his talons.

      "See? Do you not feel happier, Master Jaken?" Rin beams while clapping her hands together, her happiness radiating like the sun.

     "I do not!" Jaken responds angrily, puffs of steam look like they were coming from the top of his head before tossing the crown in a huff.