In the previous story Nettle was cured when she used the coconut that the wizard gave her to rescue her friends. Nettle was born with a sickness that made anybody that came near her itch terribly. Luckily her mother and father were not affected.
But Nettle was very lonely. Nettle wanted a friend her own age. The three brothers that were her friends were fun but they were older than her. And a boy did not do girl things. She wanted a friend that she could share secrets with, sleepover, do fun things together. She wanted a girlfriend.