Evolution

2

Surrounded by the scent of evergreens and spring, four children sat next to the flowerbeds with retired Luna Marigold Rowan. She planted perennials with her favorite almost six-year-olds; her triplet grandchildren, dark haired like their grandfather and green eyed like her, and her white-blonde, ice-blue eyed goddess-granddaughter. Their laughter and 'help' made her heart feel full. The eldest son Coen sat next pale Trinity as they were planted marigolds, dahlias, and snapdragons while youngest granddaughter Camillia patted bark mulch around the young plants, and middle Callen son watered the starts with a dipper and bucket.

"Are you having fun, Trin?" The retired Luna as because she had never seen the girl smile as much as she had today. She was staying with them because her mother, Lily, was in the last stages of her pregnancy.

"Yes, Grandmum Marigold," Trinity gushed. She was happy to be in the Darkwood forest with its giant, old trees. Not looking in the direction of her Clan home, she tried not to worry about her mother and unborn brother. She had only told the triplets that she knew her brother and mother Lily would survive the sickness. In her dreams, she had seen them playing with a kitten together. They would both be pale like their mother and not dark like Master-of-arms Lucius.

Luna Marigold turned, "Callen, bring the tray of camillia starts and give them to your sister. Coen, get the last stray of marigolds for Trin. We want the garden to look perfect when Lady Desa visits tomorrow night." Calen and Coen obediently went to the cart for the flowers. Distracting the children in the garden helped Marigold not worry.

Trinity's grandmother Desa stayed with Lily, who was having a difficult pregnancy this time. They were all afraid the child and/or mother would not survive the pregnancy or the Infant Plague. The adults of the families decided that it would be kinder to spare young Trinity the grief of losing a sibling by sending her to spend the spring with her grandfather Andrew's birth pack. Trinity's other grandfather, Lord Cain, was unhappy about this, preferring to keep his granddaughter close to him, but he had been summoned to the vampire royal court to deal with matters concerning the Council of Lords. He did not trust his granddaughter to be safe in his absence because many shadow walkers outside his coven and his son's clan resented that she was a hybrid. His day-walker protector Epimetheus split his time protecting the clan and child. Desa called daily, and physically came checked on Trinity weekly, but she was in the safest place they could send her. Marigold worried the pale girl would never be truly safe.

In the house the phone rang, and Marigold hoped it was Desa with good news of the baby.

"Stay in the garden, Grandmum will be back soon then we'll have sundaes," Marigold promised as she wiped her dirty hands. Once inside, Marigold answered the phone then she and Desa fell into comfortable and familiar banter.

"Do you think its about my brother?" Trinity asked in worry.

Camillia squeezed her hand, "He'll be okay. You were." They didn't understand why so many babies died but they all prayed Trinity's brother would not die too.

"He will be. I dreamed it."

"Last one," Coen announced, carefully handing the orange blossoms to Trinity. Her pale fingers carefully tucked the delicate bedding plant into the ground next to the bright pink one Camillia just planted, and pushed the dirt around it. Camillia sprinkled handfuls of shredded fibers around it before Callen dripped water from the bucket around the young flowers.

"Yay, we're done!" Callen celebrated as the four stare at their work.

"It's all so pretty," Camillia gushed enthusiastically. "Grandmother Desa is going to love it."

"I miss her and her garden, but I like this so much better," Trinity sighed happily as she, Coen and Camillia wash their hands in Callen's bucket.

"Why Trini?" Callen asked, his siblings look at her expectantly.