“Potionmasters Pt. 19”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Additional Note: This is a continuation of a previous Take Ten to Write story. Therefore, it would be beneficial to read the previous parts of the Potionmasters story which can be found here.

Prompt: Bark.

I’m not sure why, but the thing that sticks out the most to me in Vidirii is how smooth the bark is on the trees. Maybe it’s the hours I spent with Hidir learning about all the types of plants and what their uses are, but I can’t get the thought out of my mind. Maybe I should ask this strange man if I can slice off some bark to bring back to Hidir; maybe he’s heard of these types of trees before.

My heart suddenly feels heavy. What if I never see Hidir again? Or worse, what if I do see him again and he’s so mad at me for running off that he fires me as his apprentice?

“Here, wait,” the man says suddenly, stopping in front of a gigantic pink door.

Berirn’s tail wraps around my legs as the man walks over to a collection of knots in the wood. Sticking out a finger, he methodically taps on the knots. I hear a faint click and the door swings open.

“Come,” he says, waving for me to follow him.

I bend down to scoop up Berirn as we walk inside. Once we’re inside, the door swings closed and I jump.

“Hurry,” the man hisses, grabbing my arm and starting to drag me along. It takes all my attention not to trip and fall.

Finally, the man stops. A door in front of us opens and I’m momentarily blinded by light. When my eyes, adjust, I see a familiar tool.

The man leads me to the cauldron and points. “Potionmaster are you?”

“No,” I say quickly, shaking my head. “Not for another ten years. I’m still an apprentice.”

The man frowns. “Potions brew, can you?”

“Well, yes.”

“Potionmaster, are you then,” the man says with a firm nod.

“Well, just because I can make potions doesn’t mean that I’m a Potionmaster,” I protest. Inwardly, I wince; I can just imagine Hidir beginning his lecture about all the experience I’m missing that would make me a full Potionmaster.

“Kingsbane, brew how know you?” he asks, moving to the side of the room. Reaching up, he pulls open a cupboard to reveal some familiar ingredients.

A grin spreads across my face as Berirn leaps from my arms. “Now that’s a potion I know how to make,” I say, rolling up my sleeves.

Final Comments: I felt like the story was starting to get a bit far from my original idea, and this felt like a somewhat natural point to bring it back.

Overall Rating: 🙂