The Dryad - Chapter 120

“You cook?” Cocoa asked in confusion once she had unfrozen form her surprise

“Yes!” She said proudly but then seemed to deflate. “Well I try to, but it has not been turning out too well. I can not get the heat right.”

“I knew it. You did say fire,” Fume said in shock. “Why is a dryad messing with fire?”

I could see an idea flash through Ivy’s head as clear as day. She then eyed Fume with an intensity that caused the fire spirit to take a step back, despite her overwhelming advantage if they were to start fighting. The only thing interrupting the tense atmosphere forming in the clearing was ringing laughter. The laughter was coming from my own mouth. At the absurdity of what was about to happen.

Ivy looked at me for a second. But it was clear to me that she was not looking at me to figure out why I was laughing but to ask permission to do what she was about to do. “Go ahead. The worst she will be able to do is say no.” I hoped my words made it clear that while Fume was allowed to refuse the impending request she was not allowed to get angry at it.

Ivy turned back to Fume in determination. But before she said anything her lips took on a pout and her eyes grew big. She then angled her head just a little to the side. In a small voice she asked, “Could you please help me cook?”

I held my side trying to keep my laughter from ruining the mood. Ivy was pulling out all the stops.

But that did not seem to be working as Fume just looked at her in confusion. “What is cooking?” Fume asked, turning to Cocoa who was standing nearby. Ivy deflated seeing her most ‘earnest’ plea being completely deflected as Fume turned away. Rine did not bother holding in his laughter seeing Ivy’s failed attempt. His body was rocking wildly on his perch on Ivy’s shoulder. I was most amazed that Ivy did not just flick him off, that is what I would have done if our roles were reversed.

I could see Cocoa was also having a hard time controlling herself now that she knew what was going on. Taking a few deep breaths Cocoa explained, “Cooking is a process of using fire to make things to eat.”

“Fire can make things?” There was obvious excitement in Fume’s words. It was clear that she wanted a way to use her flames for something besides destroying.

“Humans have found a way to do all sorts of things with fire,” I explained. “They use it to cook their food, heat their home and make their tools.”

“Really! Can you teach me?” She said in excitement, turning to me with her hands clasped in front of her. She then turned much more dour as her arms dropped, “I am sorry for destroying your woods. I did not want to hurt you. All I have ever known how to do is destroy.” It looked like tears were filling her eyes. “I don’t want to destroy anymore. I understand if you want me to go. But can you please teach me to make things first?” She looked up to me as she finished speaking. Her head shyly cocked to the side. Did Fume learn that look from Ivy so quickly, and improve upon it with the real tears that were filling her eyes? Or did it just come naturally? I had to bite my lip. I would ruin the very tentative peace that had fallen over my woods.

I tried to calm my internal fits of laughter. I could clearly tell Fume took her apology and request very seriously. I needed to do the same. But the longer I took to calm my heart the more pensive Fume grew. It was clear that this silence was wearing on her. I took a shaky breath to ease the riots inside me and said, “I can’t,” I was going to continue but she immediately started crying.

“Why~, Why does everyone hate me so much?” Tears flowed in clouds of steam from her eyes as the flames rose up around her.

Quickly I realized what I did wrong and wanted to beat myself up for not forgiving her first. But I was still mad at her. She had done so much damage to my woods. I knew she was just a tool used by Maximus, but it hurt. But now seeing how my words had hurt her, I wanted to comfort her. This time was just a misunderstanding, but her flames were too hot to approach her.

I reached out my hand to her trying to alleviate her pain but even with a thick bark coating the heat was too intense. Cocoa was also trying to help her new friend but could not reach. Seeing Fume in such a state Cocoa glared at me. Why did it turn out this way? I raised my hand to Cocoa trying to hold her back as she was still inching closer. Then I had to turn to Tide and shake my head. She had started to gather power into the water of the pond. Clearly she was getting ready to force Fume to cool off.

“It does not have to do with what you did before. I can’t teach you because I don’t know how,” I called over her sobbing fire.

“Still need to work on tact I see,” I heard Tide mutter. Cocoa fervently nodded her head in agreement.

“Traitor,” I whispered so low that only the plants could hear it. Cocoa just gave me a smug look as if saying that is what you get. I knew they were right. This was my fault, but she was panicking because I was trying to not laugh. I was just trying to calm her. Clearly that did not work. And it is not like Tide has any right to talk to me about tact.

There was a pause in Fume’s sobs as she looked at me and processed my words. “But you are so old, how do you not know?” I was a little torn on how to feel about being called old. I did not age as mortals but I was still a woman and being called old was never pleasant. As a twitching smile spread on my face Rine nearly fell off Ivy’s shoulder laughing once again. Looking down at the fairy that suddenly broke the tense air, I think I figured out why he liked that perch so much. Ivy’s mind seemed to switch as rapidly as a fairie’s.

“Even being as old as we are,” I said pointing to Tide and myself (I felt the need to share that moniker), “we do not know everything. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the only one here who knows anything about using fire as a tool is Ivy.” I looked to the others for confirmation.

“I know how to make a few things to eat,” Cocoa said. The faces of Fume and Ivy lit up. “But it is too cold here and the plants would die. Even if we had the plants, the process takes months,” Their faces quickly fell again.

Thinking for a moment, Ivy’s face lit once again. “Rine. You have to eat. Can you teach me how to cook?” she said looking at the little man on her shoulder.

Rine shuddered, “Fairies do not use fire. We only eat plants we find and forged weapons are too heavy to fly with.”

“I will never be able to make anything,” Fume sank into the hole that had formed from the heat of her flames.

“Really, I know something that none of the rest of you ancient spirits know?” Ivy was uncertain and yet proud of herself at the same time. I felt my eyebrow twitch at being called old again.

Ivy’s words were quiet but they seemed to be enough for Fume to grasp onto. “Ivy, can you please teach me how to make food?” Rine seemed to recover from his earlier painful reminiscence of fire and started to laugh.