The Son of Night & Spring

Chapter Nine

He could remember the soothing day of spring, perfect time to go out to paint at the Garden of Lyza.

Sadly, Lotus and his Mother had used up all the canvas, disappointment flooded him as he sat in the field, the bright colors of paint glowing up at him as he knew it was a waste to have brought them up. Feeling guilty to ask one of his Fathers servants to help him clean up.

"Why the long face, my prince?"

Lotus looked up from thoughts to see the emissary of Summer smiling down at him. Her eyes of pink lilies gazing at him as she sat with him. Whipping away the falling water from his face. "You're in the heart of the Mother, you should be basking in her beauty! Not having teary eyes falling on her skin."

"We ran out of canvases, Father said it'll take two days times to get more." he replied mournfully, avoiding her gaze. Shame flaming his cheeks, "I feel foolish asking help to put everything back after having brought it all outside."

Laughter ran out the meadow, like bells ringing softly to the rustle of leaves blowing gently. "Then let's not waste it!"

"But we have no surface- We cannot stain the grass." Lotus argued as the bright female dipped a finger in orange. Grinning down at him as she twirled it with a lock of his hair, its blonde color now tangerine.

"You mustn't let such doubts cloud your mind, your highness. Open your eyes to see- let those tears clear them to discover a new vision of reality." She stood, arms spread wide as she took in the nature around them.

"What do you see?"

He sees everything the Garden of Lyza always had. Nothing new or different. Lotus felt annoyance replace his sorrow, but Suko's persistence made him sigh.

When he looked again, he made sure to breathe as he focused and then he saw.

The almost non-existing veins of the leaves, the cracks of bark of the trees; its branches shaped as though it was reaching for the sky. Offering it something he could not see. Each flower petals like silk as the brightest star shone on them. Feeding them warmth, food. Light.

The careful design of the butterflies wings, made specifically to allure and warn off predators. The chirps of birds singing to Spring, the soft feeling of ladybugs crawling on your skin.

He spun to call to Suko when he noticed her white shirt thrown down on the grass, leaving her in only her red corset and trousers, her braid hair swept over her shoulder as rested on the grass again. Her back is the only place untouched by ink.

"Chaos and Inspiration glow in your eyes, sad prince... What do you see?"

He smiled at her, dipping each finger in different paint.

"A canvas."

Lotus swatted her hands as she felt him for a fever, giving his best reassurance expression he could manage. It was not their concern or trouble to what happened before his arrival. Days from the Fire Night.

"I assure you I'm fine, Suko... Though quite famished."

"Well aren't you in luck? The High Lord insisted that the morning of your coming, you get to have all your favorites; Floral tea, butter biscuits, pumpkin pudding, walnut tarts, and blackberry creams!"

He let Suko lead him to the breakfast table, everything she described wonderfully displayed in exact order. The sweet aroma of tea fills the petrichor air, giving him a soothing feel.

"And my Father?"

Silence filled the dining room, not even Calian met his eyes.

"Kota," Lotus turned his gaze to the emissary of Winter, knowing well that unlike the others- the male lacked empathy. Letting whatever, whoever wanted to hear even though it might break them. "Where is he?"