[Gossamer]

Nessani was right in her initial assessment of the courtyard being something fantastical. Not many in Arkamat ventured into Miss Maisie's little central haven. For one thing, the jewel flowers there grew to abundance, even in years where no rain fell. A long time ago, at the outrage and accusation of a rather nasty neighboring shopkeeper over what he claimed was her gluttonous water usage, she acted swiftly. To squelch any such notion, Miss Maisie had once gifted one of the said colorful living gems to the accusatory neighbor... happily transplanting it to a pot and marching it across the Bazaar to rest it upon his counter. It seemed to like his fabric shop, because it greeted the customers quite happily day in and day out. As the story went, it rearranged his window displays when he wasn't looking, and planted the seed of doubt in his wife's mind about her husband's suitability due to his infrequent bathing. That had been just the beginning. The complaining shopkeep had staunchly refused to provide water for the flower, but it hadn't minded. Inside of two weeks, the man was haggard. Inside of a month, he was crazy and his wife had been awarded a divorce (almost unheard of) by the Sultan and full possession of the shop. After that the business had thrived. It was said the fabric shop still had its little potted jewel flower.

It was these same little jewel flowers that now scurried on their bare roots across cobbles where they were wandering to get out of Nessani's way. They shrieked and cursed as they did so, catcalling her and making morbid accusations about her being a 'flower killer' as they ran. One little plant stayed behind, weaving its leaves about and bobbing its jewel flower head as it seemed to study her.

"You aren't supposed to be here!" It said in a tiny voice.