Page 5 of The Cerulean Sister
"Is it?" he asks, having not seen it in it's true form and only after, when it was presented.
"Looks a little different."
"The greenhouse keepers alter some of the plant species. Could be spliced with something native to Viathan." He nods his head to a set of doors with a bright sign, warning not to enter.
It seems ominous and almost frightening what they may be doing back there, even if it's just to plants.
He pulls me in closer, tucking me into his side as we view the Frithian flower in its perfectly conditioned display, looking striking but out of place.
"So odd that the bulb we needed on Frith is just sitting here behind glass. Poor August,"I remark into our tether.
It's terrible knowing August went out on his own for this and how much he suffered to secure the bulb for our peace offering. I can still picture his butchered arm, how pale and scared he looked, how awful that night in the forest was.
"August loves a good story. He has likely told every port attendant on Viathan of how he almost died in the forest of Frith," 99 soothes. He must have heard the guilt inside me.
I know he is trying to make me feel better, but seeing this flower only reminds me of the separation of the three worlds, how the symptoms of that division affected August.
"If this were Cosima, it would be kept with other forbidden items and considered a strange thing to be cataloged and then discarded, only kept as a paper record." I am a little sad at my own world's view and how I may have participated.
"And here it is a spectacle." 99’s tone surprises me, like he too suddenly sees how wrong the flower looks in the display case.
The moment we step out of the designated spots for our feet, the lights on the flower change and the foggy mist fills the space, shrouding the plant in its perfect conditions again.
99's hand slips into mine as we walk down the pathway between giant plants that reach up into the greenhouse expanse above and never into the peaceful walkways.
But when Commander Yeva comes bounding toward us, leaving her post, I know immediately something is wrong.
"Lord General is just outside, 99th Commander. He would like a word," she says.
I have only met the lord general once, when a council meeting was held to discuss my stay on Viathan when we first arrived. He was more intimidating than the actual emperors themselves. He ruled in favor of my stay of sanctuary here, trusting 99's judgment without a second thought, but I have not seen him since that day.
"Commander Wesley, stay with Priestess Ferren," 99 orders over my head and then says softer to me, "I will be just a moment."
"I will be here looking at leaves." I smile.
He squeezes my hand twice and takes off with Commander Yeva toward the exit of the greenhouse.
I stand in front of an informational data pad displaying details on the large, veined plant growing in twists behind it. This portion of the greenhouse does a better job of making the plants appear like they are growing naturally, little pockets of jungle between the walkways featuring plants that seem to work together and still look pleasing to the eye.
"This one grows out in the settlements." Commander Wesley's voice startles me.
"Does it?" I look to the informational plaque again.
"Mm-hmm, on the sides of houses."
"It's very pretty," I say casually, trying to take up the time until 99 returns.
"It's really invasive to solar panels." He laughs.
"Oh." I try to picture the vines growing across the shiny panels 99 has pointed out to me before.
"There's another kind down here that flowers."
When I look up, Commander Wesley is in the fork of the walkway gesturing down to another section of the greenhouse. I stare at him for a long moment, trying to figure out why he wants to go back where we just came from.
He beckons me again. "You will like it."
I follow him down the pathway until he stops at the carefully manicured foliage display of a similar plant. The podium lights up to reveal an illustration, both with and without blooms.
