"The same," Aldrec said.

"But that's … impossible," Mericlou stammered, pointing to the tree. "That would mean that this …"

" …Is a Klidna tree," Aldrec said matter-of-factly.

"A Klidna tree …" Mericlou whispered reverently. The delectable aftertaste of the fruit remaining on her tongue flooded her with pangs of desire.

"Engineered by Garushnit scientists to make the perfect fruit, It was a tremendous success on the markets, but the taste was highly addictive," Aldrec said, reciting as if having learned it verbatim from an encyclopedia. "And because of its special requirements for growth, and the fact that the merchants of Garushnit charged exorbitant prices for it, all the nations of the world went to war against the kingdom."

"But they were all destroyed," Mericlou said. "The Garushnit government ordered all Klidna trees, fruit, and seeds to be burned after the war. And they grew nowhere else but in the Garushnit Kingdom. They've been extinct for over two centuries."

"You know your history," Aldrec said approvingly. "Officially, they are extinct. But I saved some seeds from the last few trees and planted them here, in my private garden. It took me over two years to magically simulate Garushnit conditions well enough so that it could grow properly."

For Mericlou, it took a moment for it to sink in, the fact that she had just enjoyed a taste not known to man, elf, or dragon in over two hundred years. And remembering the aching desire generated from its taste, she now fully understood how such a fruit would bring the nations of the world to war. It was nothing less than sheer intoxication. She wanted the fruit so badly, it was like every part of her body wanted it. She looked down and saw that her hands were shaking.

"Come over here," Aldrec said, and Mericlou was grateful that he had derailed her train of thought from the void it had been spiraling into. He had called out to her from a short distance away, where he now stood beside a much smaller plant in a nearby clearing.

Its yellow and green leaves were broad and flat, but sharp at the tips. They grew out in a circle surrounding a pod in its center, where berries in multiple bright hues were clustered. Mericlou stared at the plant curiously. This was another one that she had never seen before.

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"It's a dwarven rainbow plant," Aldrec explained, stroking the outside leaves. The plant seemed to sway with every touch of his fingers, as if it adored his attentions. "It was also bred by Garushnit, as a gift to clan Raynok. It was used to make rainbow pie, a delicacy in that kingdom. But the plant was very difficult to cultivate, and needed both constant and special care. When the Raynok clan was slaughtered by the Draxen, it went extinct. This one, I grew from a seed I chanced to find when I was exploring some caves near Berengard."




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