To complete a bargain (tempus)

[Deleted]

Mid morning Esme was already working on her roses. Ever since Sorcha had converted her green house. Things had been interesting the plants just grew and grew.

In her regular green house she worked. Something about gardening was theraputic for her. This was also where she grew the living bags. It was a green house with two extra teirs within it and along the back wall everything worked into place. was a hydroponics system and various stages of the living bags were growing in that area. major cash crop literally She sold them for fairly cheap. so one could only guess how they took off so well they were a novelty.

She had already had set aside an area for ones ready for sale. She had already set aside Tempus' order in full including the compounds he had requested.

Jeans and a t shirt she was already covered in dirt from her work in the garden. She actually spent most of her time sitting on the ground doing her work.

[Tempus]

Tempus upon approaching the green house could smell the tell tale essence of Arcadian design. The plants within were an interesting mix of the Fae and the mortal incapsulating things not seen in either realm for many a year. He silently entered moving like a living shadow flitting between shafts of light as if he were smoke. The stall womans green thumb was a thing to be marvelled at. She had grown a menagerie that rivalled many similar within the kithens of the fae. It was no small wonder why she was as popular within the market. Watching her work he could see how the act of doing worked its magic upon her. It comforted her. That was a bit to be saved for later. As the tick's of the clock reached near midmorning Tempus regretably forsook his idle watch and approached her. Suddenly appearing at her elbow.
"Good morn, my esteemed helpful defendress. I am here to collect my parcels and render payment. What might such a thing consist of for such a one as you?"
Tempus was no fool he had surveyed the area carefully it was not that he feared what might take place or be asked for as payment. He however knew that the Stall woman was in a rare position of strength. He for the life of him could not put out of his head several tales that revolved around the ill fated things that could befall a mortal who dallied with the mercurial Arcadians.

[Deleted]

She had felt through he plants when Tempus had arrived. She had often done much the same thing with Sorcha arrived. There was no need to tell anyone to what degree she could sense the plants that were around her.

She sorted through another hand full of seeds and pouring that energy she had into them they immediately started to shoot. It took less then a minute for a full plant to be resting within her palmful of dirt. She planted it within a row of simular plants she continued with the others until the small flat was filled with the leafy and begining to bud plants. Weeks worth of growth had happened in accelerated minutes.

She set aside the small container of remaining seeds and dusted off her hands She moved the two feet to her wheel chair in a crawling position. She had the much at least. She pulled herself up and sat buckling her legs into their place she brushed off the worst of the dirt and grime from her legs.

She had considered what Tempus' compensation would be. "If you would call me anything Esme or Alexius would be prefered. I am not so sure I would be your defendress as you make me to be. I have my own purpose to what I do. Just as I am sure you do. As for payment what had you brought. Your items were simple for me I am sure you are well aware however of their degree. However you also know they are very rare which is why I market them as I do. For if they were sold to everyone. It would flood the market as it is I am one of very few who carries what you asked for. I am very reasonable. You can make payment with coin or of something with equaled value."

She looked up at him her hair was pulled back and she did not look nearly as tired as she had previously when they had last encountered one another. Work good work always made her feel better. Even if it was working with her magic she derived something from the plants just as they did from her.

[Tempus]

Her composure was a thing to behold. As a mortal woman wshe conducted hewrself with a haughty air befitting the sidhe themselves. It was obvious that she had known of his arrival by lack of notice upon his appearance. It was not the first time a mortal had proven themselves as wily as an Arcadian yet each time he was more smitten with the width and breadth of humanity. They were as awhole singularly special each in their own way. Her skill with the flora about her evidenced itself in the growth within her hand. He had winessed that selfsame trick in the hands of another Arcadian yet here she sat flesh and blood as frail as the first sprout of spring not only completong the trick as it were but doing it one step better. The plant in her hand instead of being offered as a gift one hand to another left to wither was planted and given a chance at true life. Tempus looked away as she pulled herself into her chair. Her weakness at the hands of what ravaged her left him speechless. She was not Arxcadian yet he was bound to aid only if asked he could present no gift whose cost would not either indebt him or her to things beyond them. As such he waited for her to seat herself.
Sadly she was more Arcadian in manner than he was comfortable with. He had not come to barter as so much as pay what was asked. He could intuit from her tone and statement that the rumors encircling he and his brother had disposed her of any sort of amiability to him. Taking the slight in stride he looked briefly about her greenhouse.
"Very well, Alexius that is Esme; Name your price and we shall come to an agreement. Prithee tell me however how was the company of my brother. He has long been without a conversation of interest save our little game. Even in that he has withdrawn within himself. I at times worry over his continued will." Tempus attempted to keep the full weight of care from his voice failing that he tried nonetheless. He hoped that this stall woman in her grace had treated T'lynxtri fair and drew him into her confidences. He knew more than any how his brother needed to see that not all was waste and chattle in this world of man. Sadly so to did he. His thoughts turned to those he had dallied with and he knew that all would be well eventually. Realizing the digression of his thoughts and his aims he returned to the present smiling as he focused on the matter at hand. "So what say you good woman, what price do you consider fair and just?"

[Deleted]

Esme tilted her head slightly. Considering. the items he had requested were ratehr simple as she had stated. but they were rare.

"If you would follow me to theother green house I know just the thing you could help me with Because I can not touch them and my gardner refuses to entire my other green house."

She made her way out of the regular green house which was truly herbs and flora from the mortal realms. She passed the roses that Sorcha had manipulated the ice growing as though it was living the winter roses of arcadia.

She moved into the green house in question and it was like that of stepping into another world. Because it very much was stepping into another world. you had seasonal areas for the specific plants and then the ones that needed the highly specialized conditions for growth. There were more then a few that mortal hands could not handle and she never chanced it. Sorcha often helped her with that part or the goblins from the market.


She stopped before a tree with very ripe fruit she stayed several feet away from it however. She had picked up a basket from by the entry to this area.

"These. These can be your payment if you do not mind minor physical labor. I am not allowed to touch the fruits of this plant and my usual assistant is gone for the week. Is this a payment you are willing to give? "

She didnt wear the gems she wore at the market so she actually would not beable to tell if he was lying or trying to cheat her. If he wanted his order that bad she thought to lie and cheat for it he could honestly just take it.

[Tempus]

Tempus smiled as he looked at the assortment of flora. Then he sight of the tree. He knew full well why a mortal let alone one as wrack with sickness as Alexius should not touch the tree. He also knew that any unprotected Arcadian should not handle the fruit of the tree idly. He too a moment to take in its full measure.
He had not had the pleasure of working nonmartially in a muber of decades. He at times missed several portions of past his life. Sighin he turned to face Alexius. "For what I ask his particular task may be a steep price. However if you truly beleive that it is fair trade then I am all yours."

[Deleted]

She laughed and shook her head noticing the plants he had indicated. "Non Non oh no Not those. I keep all of the ones I am not to handle in the same area. Someone else comes to tends the more vicious plants for me. and the lesser when I am having a stronger day I tend myself However since my relapse I have not been able to care for even the least of these and the fruits of my labors have lain fermenting for some time now. The goblins from the market help when theya re able to be spared but as you know they have a steeper price. "

She moved her chair closer into the plants indicating some of the smaller shrub like plants that held some peculiar fruits and seed pods. She extended a hand towards one the plant made no move towards her. But it was obvious it stustained on things besides plant food.

"This one. And the one next to it. They are my creepers However I am no slower then I was before however I am weaker and it drains me rapidly to use my ability to hold the plant in place while I harvest the fruits. For someone Like you it would be a simple feat. And the plant is not strong enough to capture you as it could me. If it did you can easily escape it"

She shrugged. "However I will simply consider it a debt if you would rather leave now and take your products with you. It would just mean I would ask of you something similar later or I could ask for something else entirely. And it would not be a trade for labor done. What you pay for is my labor for growing the plant and making that which you have asked for. All simple things but they take time. I only ask for equal payment and that is the labor of harvesting some fair few fruits of a plant that I am to weak to deal with currently. I may grow things however that is not the same as trying to restrain a plant when though well fed is always hungry."

She moved her chair away from the plant and went towards a different section in a way the plants around her were more welcoming looking however that was their camouflage they were poisonous to humans but took a fair price among the Arcadians.

[Tempus]

"Aye that I do once anon I slumbered amongst the bosom of the goblins kindness. Twas a short tarry and mores the better. The smoke and mirrors of my strengths were laid bare. They tend to deal as true and cold as iron." Tempus said offhandedly. He smiled inwardly as Esme defaulted to a the tried and true negotiations of her trade in the market. When in doubt barter.
"I know not how this might accurately avail you but suffice it to say oweing anyone even such a special one as you would rankle me no end. Let us conclude our business squarely. If this task is what you will of me then this task shall be completed. If there is something of me you would have more then lets us be at it, tarrying while most enjoyable grants neither of us our prize."
Tempus pish-toshed Esme's assertions as she spoke them. "I will tarry with you in good faith, lest you have wish of me to leave with our business yet concluded. In regards to your calling me upon the conclusion of this little business I would be most honored. There is no need for our association to consist only of this. Perhaps if you Awere to come to know me your view would perhaps... Ah is that a Bohan Upas there. I have not seen one any many a year." Tempus saaid moving closing enough to smell the fragrant poison of its plasticene leaves. The poison while virulent was only harmful if ingested into ones system.
"As I said, previously," Tempus began again falling back in step with her. "I am at your disposal."

[Deleted]

Esme laughed softly. Muscles relaxing as she laughed levity entering her being more.

"I only ask for some simple tasks that would be of equal value to what I have for you it is the way of things. an equal compensation. I would be grateful in your assistance with some of the plants that I am as yet to weak to handle properly as they need to be tended. so as it were I would be in debt to you except I have taken the time to prepare the things you have asked for."

She shrugged slightly and smiled. "Yes it is. I have a few plants here more then a faire share of the rare and things that were simply brought to me as aged seeds that the owner did not know what they were. They have blossumed into the gardens you see around you. I have a few helpers in tending the garden but not nearly regular enough you know."

"There are things that weild within our worlds frightful things. Owing a debt of any kind within the realms you and i walk within hold to them much more gravity then within the human realm alone. And when you owe a debt it bring the frightening things to you more easily because you are seen as weak and easier to snare into another."

She shook her head turning her chair towards some of the more harmless plants within this side of the garden the mercy blossums and frost flowers She reached out willing ther plants to grow these were becoming a hot commodity at the market she smiled as she tended the flowers her own tensions passing easily as she worked.

"You have helped simply by being here you know these plants are from your own world and not that of the humans I can grow them and i can guide them into thriving however occasionally they need the presence of an arcadian to syphon some of their glamour. So simply by being here you have assisted me if you should like to simply spend a little more time here any debt would be absolved. "

[Tempus]

"Then let us be about our task. A days labor or as full a day as you wish. Trade for trade." Tempus said unable to keep the devilish smirk from his face. He enjoyed their banter and few enough mortals knew a smattering of truth about Arcadians. Fewer still consorted with them knowing what they might bring to bear at a whim. Yet this one did so freely and seemingly in good faith. Removing his jacket and beginning to roll up his shirt sleeves. "As we are to begin the fulfillment of our deal let us also move forward in our burgeoning association. What may I call you here in these trees and greenery of your hand? I would not presume upon your kindness by calling you an endearment lest it is of your choosing."