The Gardenkeeper's Daughters

Lotus- 9

Over the next few days, it becomes gradually obvious how much better Natrina seems. Much like I felt liberated simply by being out here, it appears something has bought her into the element. Conniving being that I am, I so badly want to ask her, but I realize I must be very subtle about it.

I go through a list of all the things I could ask to try to pry it out of her, but then again, I don't want to accidentally snap her out of her good mood. I want her to be happy first, and my involvement comes second.

Still... what's gotten into you lately? Feeling a little chipper? Thinking of a certain someone?

Nope, that's ridiculous- who would her certain someone be? I mean, we've only really met girl Canis so far, and Nat's not the type to fall for a Canira.

"Ya know, it's really nice to see your sister coming along." Vivian says as we hit the road on our eighth morning.

"I know! I was just thinking about it." I say, nudging her. "She's acting all lightheaded. It's really odd for her, she's usually so..."

"Snappish?"

"I was going to say reserved. She's more of a logical type, you know? Emotions aren't her strong suit... but she's really smart!"

"You don't need to defend your sister." Vivian says.

"I'm not defending her out of some debt to her or something! She's my sister and I care about her!"

"Isn't that a debt?" Vivian says coolly.

"I just want her to be happy, Vivian. I'm just musing on how strange it is... it's almost like she's in love or something." I sigh, completely exasperated.

"Not everyone acts that way when they're in love, Lotus. With some of 'em, you can't... you can't tell at all." She trails off a bit at the end.

"How would you know? Have you ever been in love, Vivian?" I tease, but her face scrunches up and I worry for a second that I've hit a nerve.

"Me? Do I seem like the romantic type to you?" She gives a dry wheezing laugh at this, clearly forced.

"Yes." I reply.

"What?" she says coldly, shocked.

"No, no. Hear me out. A story of your terrible traumatic past, where you fell in love with a renegade Canira. He promised you his eternal love, but upon a tragic accident, you find yourself parted from him. Though you swore never to love again, you knew in your heart that you would always be thinking of him. Your soulmate. Your one and only."
"That sounds more like the story of your mother."

I withdraw a little bit, a cold lump in my throat. "Are you implying something?"

"N-no! I- for Verhamera's sake, I did it again, didn't I?"
"Did what?" I ask.

"Never mind."

She continues in stiff silence, and I find us falling back to join Aislyn and Natrina, who are talking excitedly about some grand scope of the cosmos. I can barely make out what they're saying, they're talking so fast.

"That's incredible!"

"I know! A world like that... who and what could be that powerful?"
"Verhamera, maybe?"

"But she wouldn't dare interfere."

"No, no. You're right. What if... the alpha is always the timeline wherein no contact with other worlds occurs!"
Aislyn nods, and then blinks upon seeing us. "Oh, hello there! How are you two?"

"F-fine!" Vivian says, clearly flustered.

"Mmmmhm." Natrina says dully.

I look between them, but Natrina's eyes have far less of their usual sarcastic malice. With a swish of her tail, Natrina walks away a little and comes back with a small white flower. "I was going to pick this up if we missed it." She drops it in her bag.