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Authors: Anne Plichota
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poisoned soap, but she would have been able to defend herself against the effects of the Robiga-Nervosa despite being so young and inexperienced. Oksa… the Young Gracious watched over by the Ageless Ones… Oksa, so young and so determined, so vulnerable and yet so powerful. Oksa his only daughter and Marie his beloved wife. They were the most important people in his life. Pavel wanted to protect them so much and be a worthy father and husband. Instead, his paralysed wife was confined to bed and his daughter’s fate lay in the hands of a group of foolish old fossils. But what choice did he have? Albeit unwillingly, Abakum had struck the fatal blow with his last argument—it was a real deal-breaker.
“You’re right, Pavel,” Abakum said, his grey eyes brimming with tears. “Lasonillia, or the Imperial Flower as we call it, has worked miracles on Marie. It’s the antidote she needs.”
“So what’s the problem?” growled Pavel angrily.
“With the advent of the Great Chaos and before we were ejected into the Outside, I’d packed a selection of Edefia’s most important plants and creatures in my Boximinus,” continued the Fairyman, looking pale. “Among them was a young Lasonillia plant which I’ve struggled to keep alive. The care and attention Dragomira and I lavished on this specimen enabled us to obtain a few seedlings. But it wasn’t easy, believe you me: growing Lasonillia is complicated and demanding work, simply because the soil composition on the Outside lacks all the nutrients found in Edefia. We’ve sent for soil samples from all over the world to try to cultivate more of them and we’d thought we’d succeeded with a blend from the eastern banks of the River Amazon and the orange groves of Cordoba. This soil encouraged the seedlings to flourish, so we were able to perfect the antidote which has done so much for Marie. Indeed,Pavel, Lasonillia is the only remedy that can save her.”
“I don’t understand… What’s the problem? You and Dragomira have come up against some obstacle, haven’t you? So what’s wrong?”
At that moment he was more afraid of the old man’s answer than anything else in the world. He knew Abakum was about to deliver an irrevocable verdict.
“Yes, we’ve found the remedy, Pavel. We’re adamant about that—” Abakum broke off once more, overcome by emotion.
“Tell me!” roared Pavel. “Tell me, please!”
Abakum gazed at him for long moments before answering.
“Two weeks ago, Marie took a dose of Lasonillia, which considerably improved her condition. That dose was the last. We have no more Lasonillia left, Pavel. Despite our best efforts, the last seedling didn’t survive. It died yesterday evening.”
“But… what can be done about it?” stammered Pavel, his features drawn.
“I’ve searched all over the world, but I know only one place where Lasonillia can be found,” explained the Fairyman. “A place where it grows abundantly, where you need only to stoop down and pick it.”
“We have to go there immediately! What are we waiting for?” exclaimed Pavel. Abakum placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder and, without breaking eye contact, said:
“That place is the Distant Reaches, situated in the remote plains of southern Edefia. Only there will we find the Lasonillia which can save Marie’s life.”
11
W ILL THE R EAL T UGDUAL P LEASE S TAND U P ?
I T HADN’T ESCAPED O KSA’S NOTICE THAT A BAKUM AND Dragomira seemed very anxious. Although, in the circumstances, she supposed there were all kinds of reasons for them to be worried, her questioning nature made her suspect something even more serious and even more secret. She kept her ears open, trying to overhear snatches of the tense conversation they were having in the living room a few feet away. But, sensing they were under scrutiny, they spoke even more quietly, and she could only hear a few snippets. Feeling discouraged, the Young Gracious slumped lower in the crimson velvet sofa
“You’re right, Pavel,” Abakum said, his grey eyes brimming with tears. “Lasonillia, or the Imperial Flower as we call it, has worked miracles on Marie. It’s the antidote she needs.”
“So what’s the problem?” growled Pavel angrily.
“With the advent of the Great Chaos and before we were ejected into the Outside, I’d packed a selection of Edefia’s most important plants and creatures in my Boximinus,” continued the Fairyman, looking pale. “Among them was a young Lasonillia plant which I’ve struggled to keep alive. The care and attention Dragomira and I lavished on this specimen enabled us to obtain a few seedlings. But it wasn’t easy, believe you me: growing Lasonillia is complicated and demanding work, simply because the soil composition on the Outside lacks all the nutrients found in Edefia. We’ve sent for soil samples from all over the world to try to cultivate more of them and we’d thought we’d succeeded with a blend from the eastern banks of the River Amazon and the orange groves of Cordoba. This soil encouraged the seedlings to flourish, so we were able to perfect the antidote which has done so much for Marie. Indeed,Pavel, Lasonillia is the only remedy that can save her.”
“I don’t understand… What’s the problem? You and Dragomira have come up against some obstacle, haven’t you? So what’s wrong?”
At that moment he was more afraid of the old man’s answer than anything else in the world. He knew Abakum was about to deliver an irrevocable verdict.
“Yes, we’ve found the remedy, Pavel. We’re adamant about that—” Abakum broke off once more, overcome by emotion.
“Tell me!” roared Pavel. “Tell me, please!”
Abakum gazed at him for long moments before answering.
“Two weeks ago, Marie took a dose of Lasonillia, which considerably improved her condition. That dose was the last. We have no more Lasonillia left, Pavel. Despite our best efforts, the last seedling didn’t survive. It died yesterday evening.”
“But… what can be done about it?” stammered Pavel, his features drawn.
“I’ve searched all over the world, but I know only one place where Lasonillia can be found,” explained the Fairyman. “A place where it grows abundantly, where you need only to stoop down and pick it.”
“We have to go there immediately! What are we waiting for?” exclaimed Pavel. Abakum placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder and, without breaking eye contact, said:
“That place is the Distant Reaches, situated in the remote plains of southern Edefia. Only there will we find the Lasonillia which can save Marie’s life.”
11
W ILL THE R EAL T UGDUAL P LEASE S TAND U P ?
I T HADN’T ESCAPED O KSA’S NOTICE THAT A BAKUM AND Dragomira seemed very anxious. Although, in the circumstances, she supposed there were all kinds of reasons for them to be worried, her questioning nature made her suspect something even more serious and even more secret. She kept her ears open, trying to overhear snatches of the tense conversation they were having in the living room a few feet away. But, sensing they were under scrutiny, they spoke even more quietly, and she could only hear a few snippets. Feeling discouraged, the Young Gracious slumped lower in the crimson velvet sofa
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