Bardolf loves caring for Rosa. He has converted the safe room into Rosa’s bedroom. He figured you could never be too safe. The safe room has been in the family for generations. It was built by Bardolf’s great-great-great-great grandparents. When they traveled back from down under, the grandparents brought back many pieces of bull oak home with them. It is said to be the strongest wood that is unpenetrable. The story goes that the tree was putting up such a fight that the grandparents turned into werewolves and with their many tools they were able to tear down the trees. The two did the work of fifty men. Now, whether or not it is true, that is a whole other story. All the four walls, the floor, the stairs leading down into the safe room, and the ceiling are created from this wood. The only thing that is not bull oak is a steel trapdoor that leads into the safe room from the living room. The trapdoor is ornately decorated with every lock imaginable all the way around. Bardolf’s ancestors figured that they should make it impossible to get in, no matter how big the fit of rage any werewolf was having. After all, the goal was to protect the young to have many generations follow. There are no windows. The wood is breathable, so oxygen was never a concern.

Bardolf doesn’t change his ways fully. He decides that when Rosa sleeps at night, he will carry on just as before. After all, he feels he is a vigilante and is serving out justice. On Bardolf’s outings, Violetta asks Bardolf to bring even more ingredients to place in the hollow of the tree. Each night Bardolf brings a new ingredient right along with a trinket. The first night he places a necklace and milk thistle in the tree. The next night it is a pair of shoes with cilantro. Then it is a snow globe and pomegranate bark. The following night a love letter and some clay. Then on the following evening, Bardolf places a teddy bear in the hollow of the tree chasing it down with boiling water to break down all the materials in the tree per Violetta’s request. With Bardolf’s help, Violetta feels that she is growing powerful. Her beauty is becoming more prominent.

As Bardolf places the items in the tree trunk, he tells Violetta about that night’s slaying. Rosa is safely asleep in her safe room. Standing next to the big oak tree Bardolf explains the person he encountered that night.

“Violetta you should have seen this sad sack for what he was. Nothing but sleaze oozing from every pore that this man had. He was there with this money forcing her to exchange money for services to men. What a low life. Well, I taught him a lesson he will never forget. Oh, that is right, he might forget it because he is now dead. No harm no foul. Well, maybe one foul. See this woman that I so graciously saved started to scream uncontrollably. She wouldn’t stop so now to save myself I had to do what was right, and I cut her throat right open, and she bled there on the street with that filthy man.” Bardolf said as if he was the King of Righteousness.

Just as Bardolf finished saying this Violetta sneezed. She released a pollen that went everywhere. It went all over Bardolfs face. He breathed in the pollen. Within a few moments, he could not remember where he was or what was going on. Violetta’s pollen is becoming more powerful.

Confused Bardolf asks Violetta why he was down by the water. He remembers putting Rosa down, and that was it? Bardolf decides to depart from Violetta and heads back up to the house to sit with Rosa until she awakes.

Over the next couple of days as Bardolf goes down to the water to check in with Violetta he notices new forget me not flowers blooming all around Violetta. He is so happy for her. He hopes this will help her understand the pureness of love. He knows that Violetta has always disliked Rosa. But with her now having her little versions to take care of she will hopefully lighten up on Rosa.

Rosa is now walking, and she is up and about. She loves to spend many hours down by the water and playing with the flowers. Rosa is very careful never to pick them. She does not want to harm them.

Rosa liked Violetta. Rosa thought Violetta was beautiful.

“Violetta? What is your favorite thing in the whole world?” Rosa asks with such excitement and wonder.

Violetta answers in a very cold and dry voice that lacked all excitement, “Well children of course.” Rosa does not believe this answer and figures that Violetta wants to be left alone. As Rosa starts to stand up, her feet slip and slide on the wet bank, and she starts to fall into the water. Rosa cannot swim. Violetta pretends to reach out to save her making sure to keep her leaf just out of arms reach. Bardolf sees Rosa slip and with a matter of moments transforms and is about to attack Violetta for not helping. Violetta thinks fast and blows pollen on both Rosa and Bardolf. Her pollen has grown in power. Violetta grabs Rosa and saves her. Bardolf changes back. He looks down. Rosa is crying but does not know why. Bardolf has a heavy headache and is confused on why his clothes are torn. Violetta stays silent in shock.

Bardolf notices that Violetta is not asking for very much from him these days. He is ok with that. He is enjoying spending time with Rosa. The days are getting warmer, which means more tourists are coming into the woods to swim in the lake during the hot days. Bardolf has to remember not to harm anyone so close to home. He does not want to be investigated and repeats the past.

As people come to the water, the one thing that is heard over and over again by the visitors is how beautiful the forget-me-not flower is. How this flower is one of the best parts of the trip. The people leave small trinkets behind for her, and she is not afraid to perform for the people.

Next Chapter: The Feather