As They Bloom

8 - The Penitent

Grandfather and Zan sit under the Mother Tree together, sipping tea. Grandfather stops his sipping to periodically shoot you an apologetic look over his cup. You lean against a nearby root, a few meters away from them, trying desperately to calm your racing heart and ease the tension in your muscles.

You are not having much success.

"Why me?" You stare at the reflection in your teacup – an almost unrecognisable face looking back. Why is it that, despite having changed so much, people seem unable to look beyond your past?

"The Noxian battalion is moving East, pillaging everything in their path," explains Grandfather wearily. "The Yánléi thinks our village has colluded with them because of the rumours that spread through the neighbouring villages. Rumours about..." He struggles to look you in the eye. "...Rumours about you. A Noxian gardener that was once part of the vanguard unit scouting this area. They are putting all the blame on you."

A weary sigh escapes you. "I haven't had contact with any Noxians other than Zan for months now. I am no soldier, nor do I wish Ionia harm."

"They either don't know that, or don't care," says Grandfather.

The bloodthirsty, dangerous bounty hunters you'd seen in Noxus flash through your mind's eye. You imagine those very same people ploughing through the garden alongside the Yánléi. Shattering the delicate saplings. Crushing the flowers underfoot. Yone defeated. Lillia terrified and alone. Mother Tree's light growing ever dimmer... until it fades away to nothing.

All to get to you.

Lillia walks over to you, her hooves soft on the uneven, plant covered grounds of the garden. She sits by you, rousing you from your dark thoughts. "Are you alright, dream?"

"Not particularly, no," you sigh, turning your head away from her.

It is then that the realisation hits you like a hammer. The solution to the problem bearing down on you. Your mind clears, and your hands cease their trembling. The moment you make peace with what you must do, the fear lifts like fog in the morning sun.

You drop your voice low. So low only she can hear. "I have to go, Lily. I can't stay here if it means I'm putting you and the garden in danger."

Her eyes widen, lip quivering. Her hand clutches yours with intensity. "No! Don't let them drive you out!"

Zan and Grandfather turn to stare at you two, your conversation no longer private. She clutches your hand harder, as though determined to keep you locked in place. "At least wait for Yone to return! He might have a plan!"

Yone. You'd nearly forgotten about him. Yet another person who will suffer if you linger. You wonder if he'd be understanding about your decision to run away, or if he'd be disappointed.

Something about him makes you think it's probably going to be the latter.

You look out over the forest. It's still dark and will be for many more hours. You need to be gone before he comes back. He's the only one who can track you down, so you need to make it as difficult as possible for him to do so. It's hard enough to accept that you need to leave. To abandon your friends and the place you feel safest.

If he finds you, your resolve will buckle, and you will return with him.

Lillia stares at you, her hand still on yours. But her eyes, once wide and terrified, burn with determination. "Promise me you won't leave the garden."

"I promise," you lie.

Hours whirl by unbearably slowly. Though Zan and Grandfather were lulled to sleep in minutes, Lillia lingers – keeping watch over you. You squirm against the tree trunk, feeling half a prisoner. But not even a dream fawn is immune to the garden's magic. Once you're sure she's well and truly asleep, you drag yourself to your feet. Your body is heavy, your eyes feeling as though they're full of sand. With sheer will power, you push through the garden's magic and walk out the garden into the forest beyond, in the opposite direction to the village.