Flower of the North [Kaz Brekker; Six of Crows]

chapter 2

Every day after their first meeting, when Cecilia would make her way to the Barrel to sell, Kaz was waiting in the shadows. He had tracked the times that she would usually come and go at. He told himself he was just curious about the flower girl, but perhaps he was also watching after her too. In his mind, she was too kind and innocent to be in a place like this.

Cecilia noticed eyes staring at her every time, but she didn't mind. She was used to the staring. One more person didn't bother her as long as they didn't try to mess with her.

A quite rude man came up to her that day, looking through her cart briefly before grasping onto a handful of flowers and ripping them out harshly.

Cecilia smiled, "You should be more delicate with flowers. Treat them too roughly and they won't stay with you long."

Of course, her words hid a double meaning inside them. But he didn't seem to notice or care too much.

The man simply sneered in her direction, showing off his blackening teeth, "Quiet child."

Cecilia held her hand out for his money, "That will be 5 kruge, sir."

The man spit in her hand and stalked off, the flowers dangling haphazardly at his side as he swung his arms back and forth in his march.

Cecilia took a deep breath, the smile remaining on her face as she wiped the man's saliva off her hand and onto her dress. It certainly wasn't the first time she had been met with an unkind individual like that. And there was no point in chasing after him either. If he was so desperate for flowers that he would steal from a child, she wasn't going to make a scene. But apparently someone else was willing to.

Kaz made his way around, purposely bumping into the rude man and taking all the money in his pocket. He definitely had more than enough to pay what he owed. 20 kruge. Paper bills. Kaz stormed over to Cecilia's now moving cart and shoved the bills into the vial basket before walking away.

Cecilia barely caught him, "Hey, wait!"

Kaz shoved his hands in his pockets and kept going. He was just doing it to pay her back. That's it. At least, that's what he told himself.

Cecilia laughed to herself, gently placing the money into her pouch and moving on. She would catch him another time. He was a strange one.

~

"Ow, ow, ow! Be more gentle!" Valan complained as Cecilia turned his arm side to side to inspect the damage.

He had once again burned himself by accidentally pouring boiling water on himself. The process of extracting certain fragrances for perfumes could be quite rigorous and dangerous. And one process included scorching hot boiling water.

Cecilia gave him her famous look of disapproval that made him shrink back, "You should have been more careful, Valan. What happens when I'm no longer here to heal you? You'll turn into a mummy."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I'll always have you then, right?" Valan shrugged with a smirk.

Cecilia purposefully pressed her finger harshly onto the burn as she started the healing process.

Valan shrieked in pain once again, "Ok, ok! I'm sorry! I'll be more careful!"

Cecilia's touch became gentle and she lightly brushed her hand down the burned skin, watching as the wound faded into nothing. Not even a scar left behind.

Valan grinned and pressed a quick kiss to his sister's cheek before standing up, "Thanks, sister. What would I do without you?"

Cecilia sighed as he rushed out of the room, "You'd probably be dead, you careless fool."