Due to a dryad's curse, an estate staff must tend the gardens with flamethrowers, lest the manor be overrun with foliage... -- Deathshead419
If there is a universal truth to society, it is that those with a lot of money and power simply have to show it off. Only the well off and the highest strata of the world could get away with building things just to look at. Artificial ruins of an imagined lost civilisation. False caves or hermit huts, replete with a hermit hired for the purpose.
And vast swathes of perfectly-maintained lawn.
The lands surrounding the Palace of Archduke Tirerrava Iossophine Cavennys Rezlynraung were constantly spewing smoke. The castle itself was pitch black and possessed few windows. As for the gardens, they were repeatedly tended by fire mages and fire-breathing folk, spending most of their waking hours turning the grounds into smouldering cinders. Anyone unfamiliar with the Rezlynraung history would conclude that the reigning forces were evil. Or at least, up to no good.
The people of Rezlynraung lands loved it when the reigning Archduke went touring from the palace to visit every village and field. Something that Archduke Tirerrava did frequently. And truly, flowers bloomed and plants flourished wherever they went, over quite a significant area.
Those who were thought barren conceived whenever Tirerrava visited their village. Those who were stunted or delayed grew to a fullness. Wounds healed faster, fruit ripened, and hens laid twice what they should.
Nevertheless, Tirerrava's castle and grounds were kept as a blackened and burned expanse. Inevitably, people would ask why.
"Mastorava blessed the line a thousand years ago," said some.
"The Green itself sired their founding lord," said others.
"They have a magical gem seated in their crown of office, it's the key to our prosperity."
If they asked Tirerrava, they would say, "A Dryad cursed an ancestor of mine some centuries ago. According to the lore, all around the reigning Archduke will flourish, grow, and bloom. Even when we don't want it to. Especially when we don't want it to." They sighed, watching dandelions push their way through cracks in the tight courtyard paving stones. "If I don't constantly burn the plants around my palace, it will be overwhelmed and strangled with trees, vines, bushes and weed. It's better to help my lands flourish than to linger in smoke and ash."
The enquiring child accepted this information with a nod, and said, "Why don't you live in a house-tree like the Elves?"
Out of the mouths of babes and fools... Archduke Tirerrava chuckled at the thought. "That... does indeed sound like something I should try. The only barrier to me is forging a peace enough with the Elves to gain a seed or seedling from them."
Still, they could visit, and display the curse and its relevant need. They might just gift a seed just to get rid of them.
[Photo by Jannet Serhan on Unsplash]
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