Lain and Rei

In the time she had turned from him and started bagging the flowers, he pulled one of his coins from his pouch.

When she'd turned back to hand him the bag, he was gone. Only a shiny Gold coin lay on her counter, on it, the image of a beautiful woman dressed in a flowing gown, and featherless, sheer wings protruding from her back. Her hand outstretched and her other hand over her breast. Written along it's edge, "Le a làimh, tha sinn beò" is etched.

He would appear outside of her shop, watching her scoop flowers and prepare the bag. Shrouded in darkness, he would watch her.

'Oh boy...you know if anyone finds out about this...' the voice started, only to be stopped by the imagining of a large stone wall being placed in it's face.

"That's fair." he spoke, having no idea how crowns were monetary. He pulled his hands back and brought them within his cloak. He searched around for his coin bag while he stepped back so she could prepare the flowers for him.

His attention jerked to her as she pulled back and he reached with empty hands, to her own. Slowly, he stood and gently pulled her to her feet with him. He took her hand gently in his and watched the crimson run from her skin. Swiftly, he looked her in the eyes, and locked her gaze with his. His thumb stroked over the wound on her finger and healed it. While he still had her gaze, he vanished the broken bits on the floor, and from his cloak with his free hand, produced a shining new jar of the Honeysuckle flowers. In her mind, he'd pull at the strings from the memory of her dropping the jar, and he'd put it in her imagination. It would show only to her as a thought that she was afraid of doing such a thing.

"How much for a few of the flowers? Lets say, three?" he spoke, his voice low.

He quickly knelt down next to her to help her.

"Please do not apologize." He immediately went for the shards of glass on the floor, not bothering with the flowers. Each piece he picked up, he placed in his hand.

'Yeah Em, how much do you need?' the voice mocked. 'Come on, leave her be.' He watched her curiously and slowly followed her.

"Just a few flowers." he muttered. "Some of the best you have, if you wouldn't mind." He continued to watch her and slowly walked over to her counter, pulling his hand from under his cloak and running his finger along the edge.