Organizing
––––––––
THE NEXT DAY, WRENstood in the middle of her property with her hands on her hips, surveying the chaos.She’d spent the night thinking about long term plans and what she’d like the property to look like going forward, and realized that she didn’t have a plan.She’d just been growing things as she went, but last night she’d realized that she could have a really pretty place, if only she put a little thought into it.
Looking at the farm with new eyes, she saw that trees were scattered everywhere with no rhyme or reason.The breadfruit grew next to the silk tree and the soapberry.Her beautiful new pond was surrounded by...velvet bushes and gourd plants.It was a mess.A functional mess, but still a mess.
"This needs to be organized," she muttered.
Walter appeared on a nearby branch."Finally admitting it's gotten out of hand, madam?"
"It's not out of hand, it's just..."She gestured vaguely."Random.I need a plan."
She pulled out a stick and started sketching in a patch of bare dirt, thinking out loud.
"The kitchen garden should be near the treehouse—breadfruit, eggplant, milkweed, buttercup.Things I use every day should have easy access."She drew a rough circle near where the treehouse would be.That wasn’t as clear as she would like, so she hunkered down and started using rocks and sticks as markers.That was better, but she needed to buy writing materials on her next trip to town.
"Utility area to the side, with soap, sponges, brushes.It’s useful but not necessarily pretty, so maybe I’ll screen it with something nicer later."
"Trade goods section—that's important.Silk trees, velvet, cotton, all the things I sell at premium should be grouped so I can harvest efficiently."She marked out a larger area.
"The pond should be a centerpiece, with a decorative area around it.Chocolate vine, pretty plants, maybe a place to sit eventually."She was getting excited now, seeing it in her mind.
"Defense perimeter around the edges where the dandelions patrol.Clear sightlines to the shield wall."That was a thing, wasn’t it?It was good to see if trouble was coming.
"And of course there’s space for expansion, with ten acres.I have room for experiments, for orchards maybe, or whatever else I want to try."She stepped back, looking at her dirt sketch.It made sense.Functional but also...nice.Pretty, even."Right," she said decisively."Time to reorganize!"
It took the better part of the morning.Some trees could be moved—she'd learned that the smaller ones would uproot and replant easily if she asked them to.Others were already too established and she'd just have to work around them.
By the time she was done, her property looked intentional.Organized.The kitchen garden was close and convenient.The trade goods section was clearly defined.The pond sat like a jewel in what was becoming a pleasure garden, with the chocolate vine climbing nearby.
She stood back, sweaty and satisfied.
"Much better," Walter approved."Very civilized."
"Now I can start expanding properly."She looked toward the outer perimeter, where the dandelions would return with their latest haul soon—she hoped.She’d discovered by an unpleasant smell on the dandelion’s breath that they had found their own fertilizer: monster poop.Gross, but they were plants.Thankfully, they could forage for their own supply, as well as start a compost pile for her farm.
"And I should probably try to grow some defensive plants.The lions are good, but I should have backup."She reached into her purse, sorting through seeds.
Snapdragon.
Perfect.Dragons for defense.That would be amazing.She planted it along the defense perimeter and stepped back.
"Grow."
The plant shot up, thick-stemmed and vigorous.Flower buds formed—large, shaped like dragon heads.They bloomed, and actual dragons emerged.
Tiny dragons, no bigger than house cats, with scales that looked sharp and gleaming teeth.They unfurled their wings and...One sneezed, and shattered.Pieces of dragon scattered across the grass like broken pottery.
Wren stared.
Another dragon stretched, yawned, and its jaw fell off, then its tail.Then it just...crumbled into pieces.Within seconds, all the dragons had disintegrated into piles of fragile scale-pieces.
