He was found lying on the ground. No one had missed him. No one was looking for him. An old woman found him. To put it vaguely. It happened so long ago.
How did he find himself lying unconscious, surrounded by thorny bushes and leafless trees? He couldn''t remember that. As the old woman, called Jessa, helped him walk to her small wooden house, she questioned him about his past. However, all he could remember was that his name was Peter.

- Peter! Wake up. It''s time to go.

The young man slowly opened his eyes and prepared himself for the work that Jessa assigned him. She was already generous enough to let him live with her and to feed him every day. Of course, he had to do something in return. This old woman was a strange person indeed. She had knowledge of how to pick the right herbs and brew healing potions, how to avoid wild animals and bandits, how not to get lost in the wide northern forests. She wouldn''t tell him much; neither did she feel the need of making a conversation. Nevertheless, she taught him many things, here and there, of the art of Herb Picking. Since then, Peter had to go out every morning and bring her some lavender leaves.

On this cool autumn day, Peter had to search for an unknown flower called edelweiss. Jessa gave him an ancient map representing the forest and the place where the aforementioned ingredient could be found. It was a snowy day, and this magical plant was becoming very powerful in the cold. On his way, Peter enjoyed the trip, especially the feel of the large snowflakes falling on his face. It suddenly reminded him about someone that he used to love. Blurry visions overflowed his mind. Images of smiling people waving him good-bye, then - a room with a cozy fireplace, then - dark haired warriors burning down a house and killing a man and a woman. Then nothing. "What was that? I sense something familiar." He stopped, trying to remember. He was sure that something happened. However, Jessa used to say: "Thinking too hard won''t help you".

- Oh! Jessa. Right. I should find the flower. Um...ah, here I am". He was not so far from the place, but as he moved forward, he got a bad feeling. "What happened to me? I didn''t really search for the flower. I didn''t even check out the map! It''s as though some kind of spirit showed me the way." In a few minutes he found a field with shiny stars spread all over it. But when Peter looked closely, he noticed that these stars were actually plants which he was trying to find.

He gathered one. It smelled mesmerizing. Peter remembered one night near the fireplace when he was a child; this very smell had invaded his bedroom then. He was ill, lying on his bed for several days. The local mage didn’t know how to cure the boy. So his mother went away and returned on a chilly Friday evening with a special potion, which, as she told him in a bedtime story, contained “stars”.
“Mother, my dear mother, you have always comforted me, but where are you now? Why did I run away from you? I couldn’t have just left you…” – he whispered and picked some flowers. An incontrollable rage suddenly appeared within him. Yet another vision appeared in his mind. He saw a conflagration…blood…warriors killing obviously innocent people…and his father dying. He felt someone breathing heavily behind his back, then. As he turned around to look, his mother’s arms gripped his shoulders, keeping him still. “I want to avenge my father!” - He kept shouting. Meanwhile, one of the Vikings approached them both. They didn’t notice him. A terrible scream pierced the air. Everything went black. Peter was unconscious…

“I’ve lost my parents. I’ve lost them both”- all of the memories came back. Peter felt an aching desire to kill the Vikings who destroyed his village. He picked up some more flowers and took the road back to Jessa’s home. The old woman met him with a warm smile and was a tad bit surprised when she noticed his sharp look, full of determination.

- Whatever happened to you, Peter?

He didn’t answer at first and he couldn’t bring himself to tell her about everything he saw.

- Alright. Let’s have some tea. You don’t have to share your story with me if you don’t want to.

They sat in the kitchen, one in front of the other, drinking hot scorching cinnamon tea – Jessa’s specialty. At first, Peter was annoyed by the old woman’s indifference. She didn’t look worried; neither did she try to find out what happened. Yet, she left him the choice. He had the right to keep his secrets for himself. The question was, would it make him feel better, if he left to avenge his parents without saying a word?

- Umm… I think it would be better if I told you. I had visions about my past. Now I know that my parents were killed. I shall leave you to seek revenge.

Jessa was still smiling and remained silent.

- You…won’t tell me to stay?
- No, I won’t. It’s your choice. Many people appeared and then left my life. I would have wished to get to know you, to teach you everything I know. I can’t stop you from leaving, though, for you will surely be unhappy if you don’t do what you think you have to do.
- I thought you loved me as a son. But it seems like you don’t care, whether I will be there with you, or not.
- I do care. I do love you. But to love someone doesn’t give you the permission to manipulate the one you love. It doesn’t allow you to take decisions for your loved one. I don’t want you to be unhappy.
- But you could be sad that I’m leaving! You could still ask me not to!
- Oh, but I am sad. But of what help will it be to you if I show my sadness? I will help you with your preparations and cheer you up instead.

Peter didn’t know what to answer.
The next three days he prepared for his undoubtedly long trip. The old woman helped him make healing and endurance potions. He found a rusty sword in the attic and sharpened it up. More memories were coming to him in his dreams, so he tried to use them to locate the place he used to live in. Jessa didn’t talk to him much. Slowly, the day of his leaving came. Peter went for a walk in the forest nearby, not being able to look at what has been his home since he found himself lying unconscious. “I’m an idiot. Jessa saved me. And this is how I thank her! I’m leaving just like all these people she used to know. She is so strong but what will she really feel once she will be all alone? Alone. Who will she prepare her cinnamon tea specialty for? Yum! Even thinking about its wonderful taste makes me want to smile" - he kept thinking as he remembered scenes of his recent past.

The first few days after Jessa found him... He was very weak and slim as a stick, frantically looking around, trying to recognize the room he was in and uncomfortably shifting on the small bed. The soft smell of his pillow lulled him to sleep when it was dark outside. When he asked her what this smell was, she replied with that kind voice of her, that it was lavender, "the best cure for the weakened and frail".

His first few steps after a week of staying in bed... He slowly walked on the warm wooden floor, falling and getting up again. He was weak, after all. Jessa was near, watching over him. Peter asked her, then: "Why don''t you laugh? How stupid does it look - a boy not being able to walk?" The old woman paused, as she often did, not being used to conversations, and simply told him that it was not funny. He felt thankful to her.

The first few Herb Picking lessons... Peter was confused with all the difficult foreign names of the magical plants, so he created a beverage containing an extremely poisonous mushroom. He was about to drink it too, when Jessa quickly took the cup out of his hands and glared at him. "You could have died" - she kept repeating. She looked strange, as if she had lost something. Although ever since she found him, Peter was frustrated with not being able to remember anything from his life before he was found, he just couldn''t ask her "What would you care if I died?” He knew that she would.

As he remembered these moments, Peter didn''t notice that it started to rain. "What am I doing? How could have I decided to leave? I lost my parents and now I want Jessa to lose me? I couldn''t possibly be able to even survive if I fight against these Vikings - I''m not strong enough. They''d kill me for sure". He was the kind of person who took sudden decisions, so he ran as fast as he could towards Jessa''s house.

- I''m not leaving! Not leaving! I''m not...
- It''s alright. I do hear you, no need to shout. Why aren''t you leaving?
- I don''t want you to be all alone! I want you to teach me! I want to see you smile! I want you to prepare tea for me. You''re like a mother to me, so I want to be with you. Always.

Jessa didn''t say anything, but Peter could see her eyes shining.


Авторы: Алексия и Кира Мири