Celestial Growing pains.

Chapter 21: Sunflowers.

It had been days since I left General Alzeez's room. Most of the day I spent by his side adjusting his IV, giving blood transfusions, and watching for signs of organ failure. At this point infection and organ failure were my biggest concerns. He was stable. The monitors hooked up to him showed perfect heart rhythm and blood pressure. The Zexri healer had been kind enough to explain the functions of the monitors and what to watch out for. Despite our difference of opinion concerning the king. She understood I needed to make my own opinion of the being. An opinion that was not looking so great right now. I hadn't failed to notice the horrified and quizzical looks of the nurses and servants who brought trays of food to our hospital room. After days of sleeping on a couch and not showering I knew I probably looked a mess but I am sure they had seen much worse. We were in a hospital after all.

The bed I had made out of the couch in the corner despite its fluffiness it was not ment to be slept on every night. My body felt like it had more kinks in it than a BDSM night club. Groaning I tried to stretch my back out as best I could. My body pleaded for some fresh air and sunlight. After checking on the General one last time content with with vitals I took a deep breath and exited the room the first time in days.

I had walked down several halls ignoring the beings in futuristic scrubs as they walked this way and that. Even if a map was on hand I doubt I could find an exit. Each hallway turned into another hallway or a door leading to room like the Generals. . The only royal encounter I had had went terribly wrong. I was not ready to meet another royal if they all acted the same way. From what the healer had said the royalty were harsh people.

A female Zexri dressed in a black tight suit was the only one around who did not avoid my eye contact with disgust. Her actions seemed strange to me as she did not avoid my company. In a matter of seconds she stood in front of me with a curt sip of her head.

"I'm Gruya, the king wishes for me to accompany you where ever you wish to go."

Of course he would have one of them follow me around watching my every movement. Why send some one else when he could harass me himself. He hadn't shown his fave since he had almost killed General Alzeez. Maybe he was wise and knew better.

"How about back to my grandfathers planet?"

I breezed last her to wonder again the endless halls. It was not in my nature to be rude to strangers but if she worked for him then she was just as bad.

Gruya followed suit catching up to me in few strides of her long legs than it had taken mine.

"I am sorry but I can not allow you to leave the planet at this time but there are some majestic sights on your new home planet I think you would enjoy."

Earth was my home and if not there than Nixvacious but no never this miserable planet. Another failed attempt to find an exit only to find another hallway I turned to Gruya.

"Alright nanny, where is the exit to this place to the outside?"

The woman turned on her heels walking back the way we had come. I followed behind. Past two doors and she opened the third waiting for me to walk through. Stepping through the door I was met by a large room that seated a few older Zexri beings who looked as though they walked the this planet when dinosaurs did. Gruya motioned for me to follow her so I did. Ready to get out of sight of these beings. Their hushed conversations were no doubt about little ole me. The disgust in the air was thick enough to slice through. They thought just like the king. That I was weak, undeserving of the king.

He is the one undeserving of me if anything. He was nothing but a heartless beast. At least I had a fully functioning heart. But maybe here having a heart was weakness.

Squaring my shoulders my spine was rod straight. I held my head as high as I could walking by those fierce beings refusing to be intimidated. Some looked away others only started harder. Gruya seeming unfazed by the atmosphere opened the door to the side and I breezed through happy to be out of their field of vision.

Stepping outside my eyes were met with a blinding light. My skin warming in its glow. Once again my eyes had to adjust to the change of light. Tall trees and flowers appeared in my vision.
We were in a garden. One brimming with every shade of flower possible. Flowers hung from trees, on the ground in shrubs and vines. It reminded me of what Eden must of looked like. Walking deeper in the garden I ran my hands gently over some of the tops of the flowers. The garden seemed to go on for miles.

"How many different species of flowers are in this garden?"

I asked Gruya who followed beside me watching my antics with amused confusion.

Had she never been the kind to admire flowers before?

"All but one."

Her words left me the confused one now.

"You mean all the indigenous flowers to Zexrious?"

"No. All the flowers in all the planets except on." She clarified.

All the planets? That meant...

Sprinting off into the garden weaving through trees and bushes I ran. Gruya followed behind following after me with concern.

If every flower on every planet where here then her flowers were here...

Several more sections of the garden we passed before the tall yellow flowers came into view. Slowing to a walk I stopped before the flowers admiring their beauty. These were the most beautiful of their kind I had ever seen. Gruya has caught up and stood beside me looking strangely at the flowers before us. Reaching out I stroked the petals of the yellow giants like they were a long lost friend.

"How much do you know about Earth's flowers Gruya?"

I asked the Zexri female.

"Very little. I do not spend much time in this garden. I have never been a conesiour of florals. My time is spent transporting the royal family to and fro where they need to go."

So she was a body guard. An important one.

"This is a sunflower." I said stroking another yellow giant.

"I never knew my mother. She died when I was born but I had one photo of her. In the photo she wore a white sundress her belly round with me inside and a sunflower tattoo on her left shoulder. Growing up I came to love this giant of the floral world and every time I saw one I felt as though she was near. I was seeing something my mother loved enough to put on her skin forever. They are my favorite."

Gruya had watched me explain my love for the sunflowers, my every change in movements she noticed. Now taking her eyes off me she reached out to stroke one of the petals.

"To loose ones parents is an unfortunate event."

Her voice held as much sadness I think her species could express. Here parents were most likely just to breed and teach their children how to be heartless but I knew from her actions she had loved them.

"It is very unfortunate indeed."

After spending hours not talking any more just admiring the flowers Gruya and I returned to General Alzeez room. For the fourth night I fell asleep to the steady comforting beats of his monitors.

———————————————————————————

I hope you all are enjoying.