Azafrán by Wontolla
Part four of the Valley Of Smoke series is here at last!
"Azafrán" means "Saffron" in Spanish. Saffron is one of the most valuable spices in the world, selling for up to $5000 a pound. Its demand stems partly from its rarity, which gives it a mythical quality, like rare animals were prescribed mythical qualities in medieval times (lions, for example). It was supposed to help cure at least fifty diseases, and the Persians bathed in it to cure battle wounds, a practice Alexander the Great adopted. Its market value earned it the nickname "purple gold".
To me, saffron is more than just exotic. After visiting my parents in Prague, on my way back to the US, I got held up at customs for half an hour (after going a whole day and night with no sleep) because they found saffron in my bag, and thought it was some kind of illegal drug (it was priced by the ounce). My sleep-deprived imagination took it from there.