“Clara…” Grandmother echoes.
I gulp. “Yeah.”
She crosses her arms, tapping a finger on one arm. “And how long has this been going on?”
“We've known each other for a little over two months. We're only friends.”
Grandmother nods her head slowly. “Where is she from?”
“She's from Lluvia's kingdom.”
She gets silent again, still nodding. The lighter blue in her eyes seems darker as she squints. “Your eyes look especially vibrant today.”
Confusion scrunches my nose. “Yeah. Probably just the lighting, right?” I've assumed I haven't been paying attention to the shade of my eyes, which is why it felt off seeing them in Clara's bathroom, but the lighting also makes a difference.
She steps away, nibbling on a nail. I look at Mother. What's up with her?
Mother shrugs as Grandmother speaks again. “Perhaps it will be a good opportunity to see her then.”
My body stiffens. She's not gonna lecture me?
“Amara?” One of the workers comes up to her with two piles of plates. “Which ones should we use?”
Grandmother chuckles before turning to me. “We can talk later and celebrate.”
I nod quickly, my heart thumping against my chest. Does that mean she approves? Does she think I found the one?
I turn back to Mother, who is on her tiptoes again, shaking her fists excitedly. I can't help but grin so much that it aches my cheeks.
If this is the one girl Grandmother isn't against, then maybe this is it! Maybe I was right to feel the way I do about Clara! Maybe…
Maybe Clara and I wouldn't be doomed after all…
???
A few hours later, Mother tended to Grandmother's garden. Erasmus and I offered to help and Grandmother happily came to bond with us. The garden is one of her favorite places. She would come just to bask in the smell of flowers.
The garden is in the back of the castle, flourishing with colors of all sorts. Bright yellow daffodils and bold scarlet roses stood out the most. They paired well with deep violet irises and the other splashes of blue and orange spread around the garden.
I'm watering the flowers Grandmother calls me. Lilies of the valley - small bell shaped flowers that slouch under the beating sun. The sweet smelling flowers are shielded by a white picket fence, beside the other flowers that are deemed too dangerous to be eaten.
I keep taking glances at the black flowers that grow beside the Lilies of the Valley. Tenebris - the evil twins of the amare flower. Those star shaped flowers that grow into thorny bushes. One could die from eating it as is, and it's much worse if you drink the juice by itself. Even the strongest soldier would succumb to its effects from just a few drops, with the liquid burning the person’s flesh.
A part of me can't look away but another would like to bury myself underground, and pretend I never thought of using it on innocent people. How could I be so cruel?
“How are the little lilies growing?” Grandmother's murmurs from behind me.
I smile softly. “Fine. They're flourishing.”
“Beautiful,” she says, standing tall as she stares at the valley lilies.
I nod as I finish up watering them, humming again until there’s enough to keep the flowers hydrated.
“Nicely done.” Grandmother says as I draw back the water can. “You'd make a nice gardener.”
“It's nice to tend to them, but I'm better at making bread.”
“I've heard…” She murmurs. She sighs and suddenly the joy is drained from her face, her eyes glossing over.
