Mid-Week Flash Challenge - Week 132

This week's photo prompt was taken by Markus Lang. He calls this one simply Autumn. 

And this is another story that Tricky has decided to own. I am at the mercy of this character at the moment. Although I am building a nice portfolio and a bit of background on her.

The General Guidelines can be found here.

How to create a clickable link in Blogger comments can be found on lasts week's post here.

There is also a Facebook group for Mid-Week Flash, if you fancy getting the prompt there.

Hidden Power

It was only a little leaf, barely conspicuous there on the ground, but it was yellow, and Tricky knew what that meant. She stopped and looked about her. The trees had eyes, she’d never doubted that.

She had to have it; its value was more than most people knew, and those that did know wouldn’t be careless enough to leave it here, which is why she couldn’t. She dropped her carpet bag down beside it, making out it was heavy and she needed a rest. She bent over it, shuffling and muttering, making out everything was an effort. She looked old and feeble and that was a benefit in these suspicious times. As she scooped it back up again, she included the leaf. She could feel it warm in her hand. It was ready for use.

She skipped off down the road, trying hard to keep her eyes front; nothing more obvious than someone looking over their shoulder while scurrying away. When she reached her dwelling, safe out on the lake, she dared to open her hand and catch an eyeful of what she had collected.

It was perfect; its edges a little ragged from drifting across the road, but the yellow was pure, and full of magical goodness.

She took it over to her table where all the implements of her craft were laid out. If she followed the instructions correctly she could end up with an entire vial, which would keep her going for several years. Her eyes gleamed in the light of her hastily created hearth fire. Imagine being able to entrance others for that long. The power it would bring her!

But she chastised those grandiose ideas. Power would bring attention, potentially of the wrong sort. She had to be careful. She had to be wily. She had to be tricky. She cackled to herself; she was so funny!

She set to making her potion, daydreaming about the plans she had: the control she would exert and the revenge she would exact. It was long overdue. Those in charge were complacent and fat, reaping rewards they hadn’t earnt. Not that she was some kind of warrior of justice, oh no, she cackled again, this was for her – all for her, it just might be what they deserved too.

She stirred the pot and the golden glow increased until it lit up the inside of her cabin. Oh it was so pretty, so pretty – as she soon would be.