Magnoliophyta

6. THE PRESAGE

We reached Penny's flottage in record timing. I looked up at her house and immediately felt as insignificant as a flea on a buffalo's back . Her house was massive with garlands of peonies hanging from literally everywhere. The enormous garden was filled with peonies and the scent wafted through the air and when it reached my nose, made me feel lighthearted and confident. (LOL, confident) Jared and I made our way into the house and found that Lil and Penny were already seated on the sofa and seemed to be waiting for someone.

"hey, are you two expecting someone?", I asked. "As a matter of fact, yes, we were expecting someone. You." replied Penny in a jovial manner.

"Oh... well you are in luck cause we just arrived,"I said trying not to feel like an awkward donkey.

" yes, come and have a seat, ,make yourselves right at home,"Penny beckoned us forward.

Jared and I sat on the sofa with distinct thud as none of us realised that the sofa was made of wood and not sponge. Blushing, we readjusted ourselves and made our seat as comfy as possible.

" Welcome to Magnoliophyta, Jade Stone,". "Thank you Penny, this is the place that I always dreamt of living in."

"why! Is that so". "yes it is".

"Ok,so now that we have initiated conversation, let me get to the point. We, in Magnoliophyta have a presage, which is like a prophesy if you didn't know. The presage was told many years ago, at the time of the schism between the Liberated, as Jared must have mentioned. The presage goes like this and I quote:

Many years hence, will be found a wench

Humane in appearance, but essence so rare 

The lost shall be found, some shall be lost

The dark eyed one's reign could tear

Joy could be restored, if Stone would dare

"Wow, that sounds so poetic and dangerous. But why bother telling me I am no fortune teller," I said with a laugh.

"Jade, don't you understand this?, This was difficult to piece together and comprehend before, but now I see things clearly. It says that after many years, a girl(wench) will be found, whose appearance will be human but her soul would be of the liberated, and her essence would be rare and uncommon. The lost shall return and some shall be lost..." Penny's voice broke with grief. Recomposing herself she continued.

" The dark eyed one is Nero and his reign could be overthrown and joy could be restored if only Stone would dare and have the courage that is needed. Jade, You are the girl in the presage. You are our only hope."

"What! that presage of yours is totally wrong, I am just normal Jade with self confidence issues not some heroine who saves the land. Also I am not a liberated, I am a human and I don't belong here!" I stomped my feet in frustration and before I knew it, I was slamming the door and going outside.

Jared got up to go after me but Lil stopped him. "I think I should handle this", she said and came after me.

"Jade stop! I just want to talk. Jade!" She yelled. After quite a lot of running and chasing done, I finally decided to stop, take a breath and clear my mind.

"What! are you playing some trick on me again 'Scarlet'? Well it worked so stop!" I screamed.

"Calm down, this is not a trick or a joke. This is serious. And all the tricks and stuff I did to get you into trouble at school was because we knew that you were the girl from the presage and I was just preparing you for it. This is your future, this is your life, so you better get used to it."

I had calmed down by then and had come to terms with the situation I was in. "Ok I got it and I am sorry. You trying to help me was torture for me and I never realised that you were trying to help. Anyways, if I am a liberated than my essence is a flower and the presage said that my essence was rare. Do you have any idea about what my essence could be?"

" Of course! now that I come to think of it, it's quite obvious and straightforward, Your essence is the Jade vine, It is extremely rare and now you are the only liberated in Magnoliophyta to have Jade vine as you essence."

"whoa! that's so cool and amazing. I remember reading about Jade vine in botany and feeling an unnatural sense of completeness, this must be the reason. But I don't exactly remember how it looks so guess I will have to check that up on the internet."

"Oh no, there is no need for you to do that, here in Magnoliophyta we have different lectures and I happen to be a diligent and attentive student so I could tell you about the vine."

"Sure! that'd be great"

"Ok, so it is pale green foliage that consists of three leaflets. The claw-shaped flowers are carried in pendent of 75 or more flowers and can reach as much as 3 m long. The flower color is similar to some forms of the minerals and , varying from blue-green to mint green. The short, oblong, fleshy seedpods are up to 15 cm long and contain up to 12 seeds.The plant grows beside streams in damp forests, or in ."

"You my friend, are a walking - talking botanical dictionary and I am so glad that you are!" 

"Thank you" said Lil, giving me lopsided grin.

"I just have one request"

 "name it" Lil said turning serious again.

" Don't ever and I mean ever help me again!"

We both started laughing and I hugged my side as I doubled over from laughter. I was finally up to date with what was happening and was starting to enjoy my visit to Magnoliophyta. Lil and I made our way back to Penny's flottage , where everyone was in a serious mood but seeing me smiling and laughing, they cheered up at once and life was as it should be: Happy and carefree.

 I was ready to have a new chapter of my life be etched in my fate.