Only in the darkness can you see the stars

Shifting Blame

Location :Astra City (Orions Keep)
Gardens
Date: 31 December 2149

Murphy was being led through on a stone cobble path by two guards, after being given a new set of clothing he felt much more clean than when he arrived.

His gaze shifted from his left to his right, taking in the everything surrounding him.

On the path which led to a maze he saw different kinds of colors of flowers, some he saw in the books of the old world.

His questions went unanswered, the guards were stoic and when he wanted to know where Emori disappeared too he received no answers.
It concerned him, worried him , he cared more than he wanted to admit. When the walk came to an eventual stop.

He held back any more surprising gapes. He accepted that these people were very different from the grounders which clearly spilled over to their foods too.
Before him was a table set for two with various foods and fruits including drinks.

"What is this?" He asked again hoping to get an answer when he didn't see anyone else present.

"You can have a seat." The guard simply said.

Murphy scoffed and moved to the seat , which looked more fancy than the brown wooden one.

"Not that one."

Murphy held up his arms and smirked "Right." He moved to the less fancy chair "Happy?" He snarled sarcastically.

The guard sneered "Ecstatic ."

Murphy chuckled "What's with the attitude man? I thought your Queen said I wasn't a prisoner?"

The guard turned his back " For now."

Murphy didn't let the answer drop his mask of nonchalance. He reached for the food on display but stopped and looked to the guards who simply stood guard and said nothing. He took a bunch of grapes from the plate and started eating them. When he wasn't rebuked he tasted more of the fruits and food on display trying and failing to hide his groan of pleasure slipping from his mouth.

"I see you're enjoying yourself." The voice made Murphy jump straight to his feet knocking back the chair.

Asteria watched with a smirk as the boy cursed under his breath, she nodded to her guards "Thank you for escorting John here. I can handle the rest."

The guards cast one more suspicious look at the boy before bowing and dismissed themselves from the garden.

Snow was starting to stick and it gave the garden a more ethereal look, with the white dust covering the maze hedges.

"I take it there are not these kinds of fruits on the Ark ?" She asked taking a seat and poured herself a glass of wine. "Would you like a glass? It's from the old world , a 45 Chateau."

"Sure." He shrugged "Why am I here and where's Emori?"

Asteria poured Murphy a glass full and put down the bottle of wine "Emori has been asked whether she wants her deformity taken care of." She brought the glass of wine to her lips "She's undergoing the procedure at the moment , she didn't want me to tell you just in case the procedure doesn't work."

Murphy tensed "Is it dangerous?" He asked with a glower despite this woman's hospitality he didn't trust her.

"It's a safe procedure one's my doctors has performed over hundreds of times. Unfortunately I cannot share what will be done but it's safe." She paused when Murphy cast a suspicious look at her "You don't trust me."

John scoffed "No offense your majesty but I don't trust anyone."

"You trust Emori." Asteria countered