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Juniper’s always been skilled with the earth ever since she was a child.
Everything she touches grows with health, prosperity, and brings beauty and flavor into the world. No one knows how she’s never had a failed crop, her harvest looks spotless, and anyone who consumes it swears it has strong health effects.
Of course, they call her a green thumb. A prodigy.
Everything she’s not. She has her own little secret.
To make ends meet, she owns her own little garden shop, selling each of her bountiful harvest and food for decent prices. She knows it’s technically against her beliefs to sell her bounty and she will one day pay for not giving her gifts as services, but she does need to keep a roof over her head. Perhaps the Gods will understand.
For now, though, she will keep her prices reasonable to share her crops with the world.
After yet another busy day, she closes her shop, moving her plants she didn’t sell back to the greenhouse to stay safe for the evening. She grabs a few herbs, sprinkling it around the greenhouse and muttering something in her grandmother’s native Welsh tongue.
Raising her hands, the herbs omit a strong aura, a light blue shield surrounds her precious garden. That should do. Just a simple protection spell to keep her garden safe from predators and natural causes.
Locking the greenhouse as the sun sets, she begins her dinner for one. With thoughts in her mind, using each ingredient to make a food based potion to inspire creativity, she eats alone as her familiar rubs against her leg. She gives the affectionate kitten scratches. She purrs as she jumps on Juniper’s lap, kneading her leg. The fifty year old cat still looks as young as the day her grandmother took her in.
This little kitten is her only true friend for life.
Juniper sighs, looking across the table. Hoping for company to arrive that isn’t even invited, she ponders if she should have made another meal focused on bringing love into her life.
Not as if that’s ever worked anyway. It’s the only spell she’s had horrible luck on. She should just focus on what she can do for others.
*
For breakfast, she had a chocolate biscotti. For prosperity and charm, something that should bring customers to her stall. She will need it. It’s a boiling hot day, so it’s unlikely a lot of people will be out at the farmer’s market today.
It’s quiet for most of the morning, which is a bummer, but Juniper can hardly blame them. Then a familiar face shows up. Even if Juniper hasn’t sold as much as she wanted, it’s always a delight to see the spunky woman. The jock has a basket ready, stocking up on tomatoes as she stalls a bit longer, making conversation with Juniper. After they finish the sale, the young woman leaves, off to get some honey across the way.
Juniper pouts. She only sees this woman during the farmer's market, so she will have to wait until next week.
That woman sure is friendly. She’s got auburn hair with bright blue eyes, life still sparked in her optimistic demeanor. Juniper wishes she still had that, but it’s not something she’ll ever be able to force in herself by this point. With that being said, the young woman does bring a warmth Juniper’s been longing for since she was made aware of her gifts.
Like sunshine.
She waits, but no one stops by for another hour as the crowds dwindle down further. It is just one of those days...
Oh well, she can use her time productively. Juniper grabs her knitting set and begins to make yet another scarf, one she can sell in her little shop to get stronger plants. She’s been running low on them anyway. They’ve been flying off the shelves since she started selling them. If she makes a stock for the winter, maybe she can keep up with the demand.
As the heat creeps on her, she finishes the last of her drink. She grabs her familiar, tying some money and a small note onto her and sending her out to find a market that will let her buy a drink. The cat is off, weaving through the small crowd and stopping by a stall, jumping up on the table.
Focusing back on the scarf, she wipes the sweat off her brow as she hears a familiar laugh.
The cheery woman she had a conversation with earlier.
“Hey, I saw your kitty trying to buy something at the drink stall. She wasn’t getting much luck, so I decided to bring her back.” The woman has her familiar in her arms, rubbing her ears. “What was she looking for?”
“Oh, she was getting some water for me.”
“Oh, was she?” The woman digs through her bag. “I got some extra. Here.”
The young woman hands her purring cat back who still has money on her and a cold water bottle. One far too cold that she was conveniently carrying around. Juniper takes the water bottle and cat, handing the young woman the money.
“No need! It’s to help a friend, y’know!” The woman laughs, placing the money back on the table next to Juniper. “Stay hydrated, okay? It’s boiling out here. The last thing you want is dehydration!”
With a smile, the young woman waves, her face beaming as she puts in her earplugs, jogging out of the farmer’s market. Juniper sighs when she’s gone. Another week and she’ll see her again. Maybe she should have offered to have the young woman visit...
She looks down at her breakfast, the chocolate biscotti made of love. She chuckles, realizing the spell has worked. On herself.
It’s funny how spells turn out sometimes.