Bloom

22: The Curse

"I'm such a fool, why did I not even think of a reversible solution to change the curse?!"

Mortelline approaches Tulip, her loud heels hitting the ground hard. She's wearing a black dress slithering along the floor with every stride. It's surprising to Tulip that the mirrored floor still doesn't bear a single scratch or scrape on its surface.

"You," the goddess says in a deep, angered tone, "are much more troubling than I thought."

Fear holds their head down as they're being scolded again. Then they remember what she said earlier.

"What do you mean by 'change'?" They say in almost a whisper.

Mortelline tilts her head to one side. What once was an annoyed frown has grown to her regular red grin.

"The curse has to run its course," she says. "Which means you still haven't learned your lesson. But now the pestered thing is playing with me!"

They don't know what else to say, so they zip their mouth shut. Mortelline glares hard at them.

"I see you have a change in garment. Blue," she almost spits out the word. "But how? I have forbade my child to enter this room-"

"They gave them to me," Tulip looks up at her. "It was before you created the barrier."

"Hm? Ohhhh," she grins. "Ah, the blankets. Yes, their careless hospitality. So you've taken a liking to it, of course. I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted, because they have left the premises for training."

Training? It hits them, from what Pepper said, about them being the next heir as a death deity. Will they never see them again? They're alerted to Mortelline coming to a stop, holding herself in almost a contrapposto pose.

"It's what's necessary. When a deity has run their course, they transfer their responsibilities over to the next heir."

"I thought you said, though, that deities don't die."

Mortelline throws her head back in a laugh. "We don't die, you silly little locust!"

The haunting air goes quiet, as her cackles go completely silent. Her face changes to a wariness.

"There have been tales taught of deities disappearing, though. Once Death deems you unfit for your duties as a deity, it has the power to erase you from time."

Tulip swallows.

"It will be like nobody has never known of your existence. You'll be forgotten."

They grip at their tunic tightly. Those words shake them to their core. Mortelline's demeanour changes back to her usual self. She faces them with bold confidence.

"You know, prisoner, I prefer talking amongst the flowers." She grimaces. "Why? Well, because they have more of an ear to listen than a cranky king who lost his game of croquet."

She turns to face away from Tulip, strolling over to where the tall door is.

"However, it seems like some flowers have been talking over what I have to say. Such a pity."

Within seconds she disappears, the door fading into the darkness. It's as if a light switch is flicked on. Because the pain grows on Tulip's back once more, sprouting the first bloom in yellow.