Knights of the Lost Arabian Oud

          Sarco and Dohera were at the underground of Lotus pond. This was where Sarco's place located. And tonight, instead of the usual routine of reading papyrus scrolls or hieroglyphs on ostraca, Sarco had given Dohera a task of collecting fresh flowers from the farm and that they had to segregate it now in preparation for his gift on his mother Queen's birthday.

          Sarco was delighted at the colorful sight of flowers and would close his eyes; nostrils opened to the soothing aroma filling the air. Dohera would comment, he got a kind heart, and that the soul closer to nature is a soul closer to gods. He would smile catching glimpse of Dohera imitating him trying to get the satisfaction he got and she only shook her head in amazement how it consumed him. He looked at her and they both smiled.

          "I guess you need a guide, come here" said Sarco and Dohera summoned herself like a child beside Sarco with all those flowers around.

          "See, each of these flowers is unique with a scent truly their own. You cannot mistake one from the other." said Sarco segregating the withered petals from the fresh ones.

          "Unless I am unique as you are." said Dohera

          "I am?" asked Sarco.

          "Of course you are. I mean it's amazing how you got pleasure from simple things like smelling flowers." said Dohera collecting the withered petals and put it in a vessel.

          "Well here." he said giving her a handful of fresh petals. Close your eyes and smell it." 

          Dohera inhaled the sweet smell of magnolia.

          "How is it?" asked Sarco taking his turn of smelling and would smile waiting for her response.

          "It's lovely." said Dohera flatly.

          "And?" he said smelling as if examining the scent thoroughly and again she would think he's enjoying it.

          "It smells the spring." she said surprised at his sudden curiosity.

          "That's right! Then try to remember the last spring. What you were doing then? Or when was the last time you smell it?" he asked and moments later she laughed.

          Sarco laughed.

          "Can you share the fun? come on tell me." he asked getting up and lit the scented  candles on the baldachin where the icons of elementa goddesses were lined along with other gods. She followed with potpourris on a vessel. She knelt and bowed to the gods and made her offer. He lit the lamp of mint scented oil. And the room forever smells the mint; and a bouquet of flowers. He got back to work and she resumed her segregation of withered petals.

          "Come on, tell me." he asked again. She laughed even more at his insistence.

          "Well, it was harvest time at the flower farm, my basket were full of magnolias having picked from one shrub till only buds were left. I, then proceeded on tracing the trail of a flowering vine on bended knees and I've gone long till I bumped someone behind. And I dove forward with all those flowers scattered over me. I lie on my back and saw Katu grinning. He said, I looked like one of those lovely dancers, then he offered his hands for me to get up. That's how we first met." recounted Dohera and couldn't restraint herself from laughing.

          "And he preferred the flowers more than the jewels." he said and they both laughed again. "See? more than a pleasure the scents gave, it brought back memories. The liquid memory."