Marlina takes only a moment to grasp what Elek is discussing, while Tessa remains completely confused until they reach the nearest window overlooking the newly planted crop field. Just a few hours after being sewn, there it stands: a massive purple flower bud large enough to hold a person inside. Its vibrant color and considerable size capture the attention of the others who have gathered to inspect it. Even the two men, finally roused from their mead-induced stupor, cannot help but stare at the spectacle. They attempt to get closer and prod at it with their spears, but Mordecai and Aurea gently hold them back.
Mordecai must lead the men away from the flower and back to the Colonies to prevent meddling. Marlina keeps her distance until the men are in Mordecai's sled and out of sight; then she, Tessa, and Elek emerge, fed up with their disrespect towards her.
Aurea and the twins gather around the flower, but Aurea doesn't dare touch it, while Neterion and Natalia cannot resist being hands-on. Neterion keeps tucking his fingers into the seams between the petals to peek inside, but it seems sealed shut. Just as he is about to dig in with a knife, Natalia snatches it from him and smacks the back of his head, which he counters by pulling her leg out from under her with his own, causing her to fall into the soil.
"Your guardian has only been gone for a few moments, yet you two are already at odds," Aurea sighs.
"Then you probably have never had siblings; you wouldn't get it," Neterion states before Natalia grabs his arm, yanks him down to the ground, and forces him face-first into the dirt, holding him there as he struggles to escape her grip, sputtering.
"Someone needs to keep him in line. If you ever have kids, Aurea, I hope you don't end up with a pain in the neck like him," Natalia jokes before bending Neterion's arm, causing him to shout and pound his hand on the ground until she lets him go. A brief grimace flickers across Aurea's face, disappearing as quickly as it appeared, unnoticed by the others.
Once the others approach, Elek circles the flower, while Tessa struggles to understand how something so large could grow so quickly.
"It must be some growth magic," Tessa mutters.
Marlina steps up to the flower and places her wrist on it. The petals immediately bloom and open for her, while the others withdraw to avoid being overshadowed by the long-reaching petals.
"Fascinating..." Elek exclaims in awe.
"Can this flower heal you, Marlina?" Aurea asks.
"I hope so. I've been inside this before, but never with so much of me gone. It's the only lead I have. Once I enter, it will close, and I... sleep, if that's the best way to describe it. I can't say how long I'll remain inside; I've been inside for hours."
"Then we'll make sure you get a peaceful rest," Aurea assures her. "You deserve it for all you've done."
Marlina smiles but hesitates before glancing at her wrists and the gaps in her form. She then climbs into the flower, its petals rising to envelop her as the others watch with curiosity. Once it closes, Marlina can only hear the muffled chatter of the others before her vision begins to blur and darken, causing her body to collapse and lie at the base of the flower.
For a while, there is nothing—a familiar blank abyss that Marlina experiences while within the flower. A void that makes one wonder if all that ever was has suddenly ended, leaving only emptiness behind. When she is outside at night, as everything settles into sleep and she finds herself alone, at least she can hear the sounds of the wind and insects. But here, an unsettling disconnect causes Marlina to avoid the flower. Each time she returns, she is alone with her flower, deep within the Urushian forest, far from civilization.
This time, there is a sense of ease. It is comforting to know that others exist outside the void. She has faith that they will try to uncover why she remains inside if she lingers within the flower for too long. Although she may not have known them for very long, she understands that they care for her in some way. Just that awareness makes the wait less frightening yet more agonizing at the same time.
As suddenly as the flower's influence lulled her into the void, her consciousness returns, revealing only the interior of the flower. Lying on her side, she notices her hands beside her. Sitting up, she extends her hands and wiggles her fingers, a smile spreading across her face. Checking her body, she finds that the holes have been repaired.
"Yes! I've been restored!" Marlina bellows triumphantly, then notices the shadows cast by others standing outside the flower, who suddenly leap up in response to her exclamation.
As the petals unfurl to release her, her expression of joy swiftly shifts to fear upon seeing several armed Colonial strangers pointing their weapons at her.
YOU ARE READING
Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters
AdventureThe lifeless animated construct known only as Marlina, awakened in a world at odds from deep lingering scars of conquest, seeks a home where she can belong. With only knowing her name and that her purpose of being is to serve another, she journeys a...
