Chapter 4: II. Saint’s Leaf

With the small piece of paper in her hand, Inara went to their house to pick up the hanging basket beside the lamp and continued with her day as a lady hunter. Only that what she will hunt are herbs to make a potion and not some poor animals.

Her slow steps became fast as the excitement bubbled up within her. She looked at the list and read the several herbs that she must find today. She then started to look for the first on the list which was coriander seeds. She was already familiar with the said seeds because it was one of the most commonly used ingredients in making potions, though there were times when cilantro leaves were used and not the seeds.

She made her way to the market to ask for the seeds. Although their tribe was banished from Danaw where most of their elders grew up, they thrived to have their place here on an island that was an ocean away from Danaw. It was difficult to set up things that a community needed to have and live normally on a desolate island, but they didn't have a choice. They were not given a choice in the first place.

Inara knew about this. Her training with the other children allowed them to learn about what took place decades ago. Now that she had grown up to be a young lady, she and her fellows are only a year and a few months away from turning into an Agod. While they were yet to be one, they had to master the spells which were allowed by their tribal law to be learned. 

However, Inara was too bored with the training. She likes reading books but not about spells. The reason for her boredom was not her laziness. It was because her grandmother, Elder Jamila, had started to teach her how to read spells and made her learn the specifics of each potion that Agods make when she was very young.

Her knowledge of potions and spells was a lot more than what an average sixteen-year-old young lady had, but it still was not enough to have her take part in the Moon Festival every year and turn her into an Agod completely. 

"Last but not the least," Inara muttered under her breath and looked at the paper.

Her basket is now filled with the herbs listed on the small piece of paper. Half of the herbs were from the market while she had to harvest the other half from the nearby farms and the forest.

"Huh? Saint's leaf?" she whispered when she read the last herbs she had to search for. "Is there such a thing?"

Inara scratched her neck while looking around the trees looming over her. She was at the heart of the forest and she must be out of here before the sunset. Otherwise, she will become a target of wild animals lurking behind the bushes and trees. 

She clicked her tongue as she felt the confusion within her turning into annoyance. She was starting to realize that looking for ingredients was not something that she would want to do every day. She padded her feet on the ground and the twigs that were scattered broke at each step, ringing around the forest.

I don't even know what a saint's leaf looks like, she said to herself as she looked around. Huffing, she traced her way back to get out of the woods. It was an hour of walking when she finally arrived at the nearest house. She knocked on the door which had been opened almost immediately by a lady who looked around her aunt's age.

"I'm sorry to be a bother," she apologized and pointed at the paper she was holding. "I would like to ask if you know where to get saint's leaves."

The elder scrunched up her nose, her eyes squinting as she looked at the writings on the paper. She then turned to the young lady again with scrutinizing regard.

The white dress that Inara was wearing gave away her being amongst the students. 

"What do you need the leaves for, young lady?"

Inara beamed at her, realizing that the elder knew where to get the said leaves. "My aunt, Lady Mirayah, asked me to get these herbs. She will teach us how to make a new potion tomorrow."

With this, the elder Agod seemed to soften her gaze. "Ah, you are Inara. The grandchild of Mother Jamila."

Inara could not have smiled wider than she already was. She knew that being the grandchild of the eldest Agod, Mother Jamila, had advantages, and she was enjoying every bit. The elder before her pointed toward the mountain on their left.

"Behind that mountain, you shall find the leaves you are looking for," the elder told her and she nodded.

"Thank you, Lady..." she paused, waiting for the elder to speak of her name.

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"Rita," the elder said. "You must go now so that you can return before the setting of the sun."

Inara nodded and bid her goodbye to Lady Rita. She turned around, ready to walk toward the mountain when she heard the elder calling her. A leaf was in the elder's hand when she looked back. 

"This is a saint's leaf. You can have it," Lady Rita said. 

Inara was almost jumping in joy. She almost forgot that she didn't know what the leaves look like and now that she has one in her basket, she could find the leaves easier and faster.

"Thank you for your generosity," she told the elder and bowed in respect. "I will remember this day with a light heart."

Lady Rita was glad to meet the young lady and was even feeling happier to know that she seemed to be well-mannered like her aunt and grandmother.

After her small chat with the elder, Inara went to find the saint's leaves behind the mountain. She huffed, staring at it silently wishing to have the powers to move it so that she can get the leaves without exerting too much energy.

Of course, I cannot. I am not a goddess, she thought and chuckled. 

Back at the house of Lady Rita, her husband came back with a sack of vegetables that they have to clean and sell in the market tomorrow. He was slightly surprised to see his wife standing in the doorway and was looking toward the mountain.

"You came back earlier than expected," the man told his wife. "How was the patient?"

Lady Rita almost jumped in surprise and turned to look at her husband, Jim. His brows furrowed slightly but didn't say anything. He placed the sack of vegetables on the table beside her and glanced over the path toward the mountain to see nothing but the usual trees and bushes with some birds flying around. 

She smiled and nodded at her husband. "She was recovering fast, and my help was no longer needed there," she answered, referring to her patient from the eastern part of Danaw. "The grandchild of Mother Jamila was here."

With this, Jim turned to look back at his wife. "Inara? What was she doing here?"

"She was tasked to look for herbs, so I thought she just come out of the forest when she came to our house," Lady Rita explained. "She asked me where to get saint's leaves."

Jim nodded and hummed. "I see..." he drawled and paused when he remembered something. "Did you just say saint's leaves?"

His wife nodded, looking confused at his strange tone. "Yes, why? Is there a problem?"

"What did you tell her?"

Lady Rita blinked and pointed toward the mountain. "I told her she can get those behind the mountain."

Jim looked like a problem was brewing in his mind which confused his wife even more.

"Dear, the leaves have been harvested just yesterday," Jim said to his wife. "It will take a week before they sprout and grow again."

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