Open Tangled Mess

[Flora Saffitz]

Flora had enough of her time in the castle. With all the homework she had to complete, the first year barely had time to herself. She often found herself too tired after classes, and usually went to bed right after. Today Flora was pleased that she had the day to herself. She had walked past the Great Lawn several times this week, and had promised herself she would find time. Successfully finding a shady spot, the girl sat down cross legged before taking out the library book she had brought along with her. Earlier that week she had visited the library, and Flora was able to find a book on the various types of hair braids. The girl skimmed over the preface, excited to learn the different braids and their know-hows.

Waterfall braid. Seemed easy enough.

The first year started to braid her hair following the instructions, but ended tangling her hair instead.

 

[Synnove White]

Synnove wished she could say that she still thought about Uncle Greg every day, but truth be told, he was slipping out of her mind like a bygone summer. There were some details she would never forget - the deep timbre of his voice, his sleepy grin, the smell of his fur in lion form - but others had begun to lose their quality, fading like old photographs left out in the sun, so that she had to ask her dads whether she was remembering them correctly. She didn't love nor miss Uncle Greg any less. She simply had a lot of other things on her mind. Or at least, that was what she told herself, again and again, until her chest stopped aching.

Today, to make up for how little she'd thought of him all week, she was thinking about him as much as she could. She'd even gone to the gardens and picked a sprig of lavender, hoping the smell might revive some lost memories. She held it up to her nose as she walked, twirling it this way and that, but nothing resurfaced. Maybe it never would. Maybe the details were lost forever.

Synnove stopped. Time had gotten away with her; she'd wandered half way across the lawn and almost straight into a young girl sitting cross-legged on the grass, her hands tangled up in her hair. A smile worked at Synnove's mouth. She tucked the sprig of lavender into her pocket and knelt down beside her. "You've nearly got it," she said. "Well, sort of. What are you trying to do?"

 

[Flora Saffitz]

Flora was starting to get really annoyed. The instructions seemed easy enough, even a 7 year old could understand. But why wasn't she getting it? Her hair was tangled now, and it was starting to be painful. Her arms were starting to ache too. Was braiding hair always this difficult? Groaning loudly, Flora yanked the hair tie out. She had no choice but to start again.

Flora turned to look when she heard a voice. She looked at the other girl and pursed her lips together. "Who knew hair braiding could be so challenging." she grumbled. "Perhaps you could help me?" Flora asked as she handed the older girl the book.

 

[Synnove White]

Synnove took the book and laid it on the ground by her knees. "Well, you picked a hard one," she said. "I'm not surprised you can't do it! I'll try. I've never done hair before. Tell me if I hurt you." Gathering a lock of the girl's hair, she split it in two and twisted it as the instructions suggested. That much was easy. The next part was more complicated. All of her fingers were already occupied! What was she supposed to use to secure a third section of hair? She brushed her fingers through the locks and started again. "What's your name?"