The Newest Bloom

"I've had the children working on that seed you brought," Finn said casually to Jimmy as they walked together. "It's growing almost as quickly as a Fullest Lily, but I have no idea what it is that thing might do."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Jimmy shrugged.

"That's the issue, you didn't give me any guesses. We planted it in a clay pot to start it, especially since we weren't sure whether we would have to evacuate further into the mountains, but now, it's already outgrown the largest one we have… and you never told us where you found it."

"Well, that is something. Remember I told you about the islands floating in the sky over the plains? I was trying to figure out a way to 'em. No ladders, no ropes, no vines growin' down. Nothin'. A mite frustrating, curious man that I am."

"Of course," Finn smiled. "Go on."

"I was just thinking about how you keep asking Fae or the Sorcerer for things and they happen, so I said, 'hey, Sorcerer, any help would be 'ppreciated', then I looked down and that weird seed was in front of me. I didn't think much of it at the time, but the markings on it were strange so I thought it might be that weird flower your husband was looking for." Jimmy concluded. "You know, it's rude to follow people and eavesdrop."

"I'm not eavesdropping, both of you are fully aware that I'm here." Roland spoke up from behind them. Finn bit back a grin.

"So I'm guessin' this little task you got for me has to do with the seed?" Jimmy cast a look over his shoulder.

"Serafina wants to plant it in the ground," Roland replied with a note of skepticism. "Gwen won't tell us anything about it. I think it might be dangerous, but then, what isn't right now?"

Finn smiled back at her husband and children and walked silently until they reached the wagon next to which the pot currently sat. It was the largest one anyone had brought, and guards currently flanked it, though they weren't exactly sure what they were doing.

Tom and the now-full-sized Agatha were peering closely at its leaves, trying to gain some clue as to what secrets the plant might hold.

"Any luck?" Finn asked the pair. Tom stared at her silently, while Agatha gave an apologetic smile.

"I'm afraid not. It isn't mature enough to really tell much," The woman sighed.

"Well, it cain't get any bigger in that little thing," Jimmy spat at the ground. "I can see why you wanted me. No common sense in these ones. Stick it in the ground and sic your magic kids on it, make it grow, see what happens."

"Doesn't that seem unaccountably dangerous, to not only put it in the ground, but immediately try to mature it?" Roland grimaced, and Finn could tell he didn't want their children involved at all. They had sped the process along while it was in a pot, with Finn assuring him the plant, as a little seedling, could be easily killed if it proved to be dangerous.

She was certain it was not dangerous, but sometimes Roland was far more cautious than she was. Well, pretty much always more cautious, really.

With it in the ground, that was another matter. Roots could stretch deep, particularly magical roots that grew at an undetermined rate. She knew from personal experience in her garden that some weeds were particularly tenacious; even one tendril of root left behind might result in the whole plant coming back in full force.

If that turned out to be the case with a magical plant, it might take up permanent residence and spread who knew how far!

"We don't have forever to wait," Finn reminded her husband gently. "We don't know whether Beast is moving to follow us, and this unusual warmth won't last forever. These mountains are normally frozen beyond what humans can endure for long."

Roland sighed and ran a hand down his face, then nodded. She hugged him gently around the waist, and then gestured to her children.

"Here is as good a place as any," She encouraged, though she could tell Roland would rather have the plant far from the camp, just in case. She disagreed. If it were truly bad, no distance would be enough. If it were good, the closer, the better… right?

She noticed Gwen walking towards them, but the Fae stopped when the queen spotted her, and put on her impassive expression. It seemed a good sign, or a very bad one, that she was interested in what was going on.

Roen put his hand to the ground, and a hole opened up that was the perfect size for the growing plant. It was nearly as tall as the children and consisted of a single, thick stalk, and a fat, bulbous bud, with a smattering of leaves down its sides.

Finn cut a glance at her husband. He hadn't confirmed it to her, but from what he'd described it certainly seemed like the flower from his dream. He'd been under the impression it was more symbolic than actual and physical, but in her heart, she thought something could be both.

Why not be symbolic and real at the same time?

Together, she and Jimmy carefully transplanted the pot's contents into the hole that Roen had prepared. Sweat had formed on her son's brow, and Finn knew Roen was moving the earth subtly to bring all the nutrients towards the roots of the exotic flora.

Lily stood by next to a water barrel, swirling an orb of liquid in the air with concentration. Finn didn't know if she could make the water qualitatively better with her power, but it was clear the girl was trying.

The plant found its place in the earth, and the water followed, carefully guided and dispersed throughout the soil. The sun broke through a cloud and beamed down at the plant, and Finn looked lovingly at each of her children in turn, taking her husband's hand.

"We made some wonderful children," She whispered to him proudly. He squeezed her hand, but did not reply, his eyes glued to the flower bud.

"Please, please let this be the right thing to do," His voice was low, and strained, and he wasn't speaking to her.

Jimmy sat back on his heels, squinting at the sun and then back at the plant and chewing at the inside of his cheek.

"You might as well join us, Fire Monster, instead o' lurking by yourself pretending you ain't watchin' just as close." He called.

Finn bit back a smile and nodded to the Fae, who took a few steps closer. Her face was serious… expectant. As the thought entered the queen's head, some color crept into Gwen's face.

"I'm right, then," Finn said quietly. Though nothing had happened just yet with the flower, everyone tensed. Gwen's even gaze settled on her face, and she sighed.

"A few more moments, and then I think everyone should step back." The Fae advised.

"Heck, I'm gonna get a lot further than that if fire monster's nervous," Jimmy muttered, and suddenly he was gone. Finn was tempted to roll her eyes, but dared not look away from the plant.

Something was happening.

Though the bud itself had been swollen and looking ready to bloom for days, nothing had perceptibly changed about it in some time. But now, at the creases where the edges of the sepals joined, she could swear the tiniest splits were beginning to occur.

Instead of simply the green of a fresh and dewey plant, some color was visible underneath. Purple? Pink? It was hard to say without leaning closer. The tip of the bud puckered, looking ready to spread apart any second, and Finn suppressed the urge to reach out and help the process along.

It moved so slowly as to be almost at a standstill, but since most plants did not visibly move at all, the process was hypnotic.

"I think we should step away now," Roland said softly. The children glanced at him, but did not yet abandon their positions of watering, sunning, and nurturing the plant just yet.

"A few seconds longer," Finn whispered. "Come on, now, Flower, show us what you do."

The tip of the bud split open so suddenly that the concentrating humans were startled.

"GET BACK NOW!" Roland reached forward and took his daughter by the arm to pull her backwards, while Finn pulled Roen up from the ground and Ivan jumped behind his father.

The family stared with wide eyes as the most beautiful bloom ever seen in their world burst forth like a beam of sunlight in a riot of color. Finn gasped at how lovely it was, desperate to burn the image into her memory as one she would never forget. A sketch could never do it justice, but she would try for the rest of her life to capture even a fraction of its glory. 

Mesmerized by the newly beaming flower, she nearly failed to notice as the ground began to shake.