Ballad of Flowers

Chapter 11

                Sneezes come from the bedroom, Orchid caught in a fit of them. There was a bowl of soup on the bedside table, slowly running cold as she sighed. Orchid had never really been sick, other than two other times. The first time was when she was 6 years old, after she stayed in the same room as her sickly father Ukele for too long. He had been a cyan parakeet, about 5 feet and 6 inches tall, her mother at least a foot taller than him. They had been the cutest couple, always keeping contact through ancient magic that had lasted ever since they met. Orchid always envied their bond, wishing someday that she would meet the one who was destined to be with her, becoming the happy couple her parents once were. When her mom died, it shattered Ukele's mind and soul, becoming a hollow shell of what he once was. It's what caused him to hang himself over the bed where they used to dream together, the pain too much to handle...

The rest of the day was rather uneventful, fever dreams and occasional drop-ins from Alex. She remembered how she wasn't nearly as close to her father as she was her mother, a natural bond between the mother and daughter unbreakable. Tangerine could've chopped off Orchid's wings and tail, but the two would still be bonded with unimaginable strength. When that bond was suddenly severed like that, it truly broke part of Orchid. Something in her permanently changed that day...

Orchid passed the time bothering herself with old, troublesome memories that always seemed to pop up at the wrong times. She remembered a drink her mother would make her father whenever he was sick, his energy returning quickly after he finished it. The memory was slightly blurred with age, but she managed to cling onto the recipe for 12 years. With a small grunt, she yanked herself off the bed, trudging achily out into the kitchen. Alex was keeping himself busy with a magazine, nothing about it that appealing to anyone. He perked up at the sound of the door opening, Orchid practically spilling out with another sneeze. "Hun, you need to be in bed..." He trotted over to her position, lightly nudging her back inside. She made small whimpers and groans of protest, skittering beneath his legs to get past him, making her way to the kitchen again. "C'mon, we both want you to be better, so get back in bed..." He scoops her up, the small dragon struggling in his arms desperately. She slid free of his grasp, slinking into the kitchen for a final time. "... You're really determined to do this, huh... Fine..." He sighs, giving up. "Just promise me you'll go back to bed once you're done I guess..." Orchid nods and opens the fridge and a few cupboards. Luckily, she had all the ingredients she needed, possibly provided by her stalker-friend thingy. She scoops them together in a large pile, grabbing a mixing bowl and blender. After blending some items and pouring them all into the mixing bowl, she sighed and stirred gently, pouring the mint green mixture into a cup and gulping most of it down in one go. It had a slight sour taste with a hint of pineapple. She put the bowl in the dishwasher, along with the pitcher part of the blender. "Okay, back in bed..." He mumbled with a chuckle, leading her back to the bedroom. "b-but I feel betteerrrrrrr..." She groans, looking up at him with sad, tired eyes. "Pleeeeeeeaseee?" She begs, lightly tugging on his arm. "Fine... I'll take your temperature later... But you still need to go to bed..." She nods with a sigh. "okaaay..."