I know the feeling haunts you

Not just a fighter, not just a dreamer
Amazing creator, relentless believer
In who I am and what I got inside

The road to the Glade and the waiting flower was much longer than Seren expected. When she became impatient with their slow pace, she grabbed Maeve by the arm and unleashed her blessings, lightening them both before taking off at a staggering pace. Running was a fast thing indeed when your feet barely touched the ground and each stride spanned several heartbeats. If her friend protested against the neck-breaking speed that saw landscapes flashing by, Seren was too absorbed in her own thoughts to actually hear it.

As a looming black tower grew more prominent on the horizon, so too did a green speck of lush vegetation near its foot. Seren didn't stop until her feet touched grass that seemed almost shocking in its verdour compared to the faded yellows and browns of sun-baked grasses. Moisture brought a sweet flavor to the air, and as the gravity pulse faded from their limbs, Seren looked around, searching for the source of the trickling, murmuring sound of water.

"Well... this is different. Let's have a look around; but be careful." The reminder was hardly necessary; this was a Gilded Lily they were looking for, after all. No doubt they would smell the sweet nectar on the air long before they saw the flower.

Seren

Maeve

The breakneck speed was a bit much for the Madame with her ankle still not in the best shape, but she managed to keep up for the most part, the gravity pulse doing wonders to allow her to move with ease. Aidon clung to her back, limbs wrapped around her like a little backpack as they covered impressive ground towards the Glade that was waiting for them. The change was drastic in comparison to where they were walking before. There was lush vegetation surrounding them now and the faint sound of water filling the air. Maeve took a deep breath, letting the sweet smell of flowers fill her lungs, "Don't stray too far, okay? Within hearing range."

She reminded her friend as they separated, slowly beginning to meander through the greenery that was growing here, flattening slightly beneath her boots with each step. Keeping her eyes peeled for the flower in question.

No one wants you when you have no heart
and I’m sitting pretty in my brand new scars

Not just a fighter, not just a dreamer
Amazing creator, relentless believer
In who I am and what I got inside

"You too." Seren set off in one direction, careful not to stray too far from her friend. Now that she was only moments away, both pulse and nerves were starting to rush until her fingers tingled and prickled with tension. Drawing deep breaths to steady herself, she looked up to see Umbra's blue shadow wheel overhead. He would keep an eye out for trouble; she had the lovely task of finding the flower.

It took a long time. Searching, wading through sodden groves and along the edges of the pond, the sun was well on its way to setting by the time a powerful aroma touched her nose. Seren froze and turned slowly around, trying not to breathe too deeply while at the same time scrying frantically through the bulrush and fern for a hint of color.

And... there it was. A glint of something white, spotted and gloriously beautiful. The stalk was taller than she had expected, and the petals far more delicate. Inching a bit closer, Seren hunched down and stared at the plant, as though it was a living being she now had to outsmart.

"Maeve? I think I found it. Come and see?" Even her voice was guarded, and a quick glance to the ground around her showed that there were no other saplings of the same speciese near her feet that could get trampled or broken.

Seren

Maeve

Aidon took to the air, circling above her and occasionally calling out to Umbra, the two doing a great job of keeping their eyes peeled for their bonded. With great care, Maeve picked her way through the brush, scanning for the delicate petals and sweet nectar of the Gilded Lily they were meant to find. She paused every now and again, bending to collect samples of various plant life, tucking them carefully into her bag. Every few minutes she would check in with Aidon who would in turn check in with Umbra, confirming that Seren was doing alright herself.

It was maybe thirty minutes before Seren's voice rang out through the oasis they found themselves in, carried on the breeze to the Madame. She faltered with her blade, cutting a sprig from a plant, placing it into a bit of cloth as she straightened up. "I'm coming!" Maeve called out, hurrying towards the other woman and only slowing when the cloyingly sweet nectar of the Gilded Lily reached her nose, causing her to draw a scarf from her bag to cover her mouth and nose with in a makeshift mask.

"Seren, cover your mouth and nose. The pollen getting into either can start the effects. Do you have gloves?" She asked, circling the plant at a wide berth, coming to rest at her side finally, kneeling down to examine the flower from a distance.

No one wants you when you have no heart
and I’m sitting pretty in my brand new scars

Not just a fighter, not just a dreamer
Amazing creator, relentless believer
In who I am and what I got inside

Seren looked up as Maeve came rushing towards her. A strange calm was settling over her, anxiety a long way away as she smiled at her friend.
"It's alright, I haven't touched it yet," she soothed her friend. "The scent is only dangerous when the plant has been damaged." Though her calm could also be some side-effect of the pollen; she wasn't entirely sure. Her heart beat steady however, and Seren took that as a good sign.

Reaching into her pocket space, she began to haul out a number of tools. A big glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, gloves, a cloth to wrap around her face and a shovel.
"I have two ideas for how to do this," she explained as she began to pull on the safety garments. "Either, I try to dig up the entire flower without damaging any part of it. It's a bit bigger than I expected, but it should still fit into the jar." There were smaller specimens nearby too, so it was a viable option. The dangerous part lay in her lack of knowledge on how the roots spread out; Seren suspected that even a root thread being disrupted might trigger the soporific qualities of the fragrance.

"The other way, would be for me to stay at a distance, and send in summoned creatures to work for me. Monkeys, specifically; you know those clever-fingered ones from the jungles around Apopo? They can pick the flower, then place it in the jar, seal it, and then we can simply wait until it is safe to approach before I tuck it away ono the island. I can send in any number of them, though it feels a bit... macabre to have them do this.

There are risks with both options; do you have a preference?"

Pulling on her gloves, Seren looked up at Maeve to get her opinion. In either scenario, she really hoped the Madame would have sense to stay back and act as the rescue, in case something went wrong.

Seren

Maeve

The reassurance that she hadn't damaged the plant and as such hadn't triggered the more dangerous properties of the flower eased her significantly. She let out a breath, feeling the calming effects of the pollen settling over her as she knelt beside Seren, watching closely as she pulled various tools from her pocket space. While the starchild explained her different approaches, Maeve considered each one, knowing that both had their risks, but at least they could be further back with one of them.

"I know it feels macabre for them to be the ones to suffer, but it is better than you being affected by pollen. While I could attempt to channel if something happened... I'd rather not risk it." She told her, explained softly, chewing on her bottom lip as her stomach twisted. Her heart didn't race and the usual surge of anxiety she felt with things of this nature didn't flare, surely calmed by the pollen itself, but worry still managed to bloom in her chest at the idea of something happening to Seren.

No one wants you when you have no heart
and I’m sitting pretty in my brand new scars

Not just a fighter, not just a dreamer
Amazing creator, relentless believer
In who I am and what I got inside

Considering, Seren eventually nodded. Picking up the jar in both hands - it was quite big - she smiled at Maeve, her eyes crinkling into crescents above the edge of the mask.
"I will be careful. Please stay back. My critters have a range of about twenty feet; I would appreciate if you kept that distance to me. Just to be safe."

With a pulse of gravity, Seren decreased her weight until she was only barely touching the ground with her feet. Inching in carefully towards the closest flower, careful not to disturb the ground more than she absolutely had to, she placed the jar beside the plant and popped open the lid. Then she retreated, to what she hoped would be a safe distance, and performed her customary ritual.

Five small squirrel monkeys coalesced by her feet, blinking with starlight eyes at her. Seren smiled sadly at them, and whispered her instructions to them, one at a time. Hopefully, there would be no need to waste more than five lives, conjured from magic or not.
"Go pick the pretty flower," she told the first. And it skittered forth, quick and agile, towards the lily. Quick fingers reached out, and snapped the stem.

Immediately, the heady scent became a thick, cloying perfume that tore at her nose. Seren pressed a hand to the scarves around her mouth and nose, but still wanted to hold her breath. Heart racing, she waited; was she far enough away? Was Maeve alright?

The monkey was not. It had fallen to the ground, the flower cradled in its tiny hand as it began to shimmer and pulsate, slowly fading away.

Seren

Maeve

Maeve was hesitant to be so far back from her friend, fearing what might happen if Seren stayed close, but they didn't have much of an option. Drawing in a shaky breath as she nodded, reaching forward to cup her cheek for a moment, "I'll be right behind you if anything happens. Promise." She told her softly, making a vow as their eyes met and locked, green against blue. Finally she released her, standing and moving back the twenty feet that Seren requested, waiting with bated breath for what was to come next.

Growing accustomed to her starcritters, Maeve wasn't surprised as they appeared, getting their instructions from Seren on what they were expected to do. Aidon and Umbra circled high above them, well out of range of the pollen should it be released into the air.

And released it was. The monkey plucked the stem and instantly the sweet smell that was previously palatable become stifling. Maeve pressed her hand over her nose and mouth, hoping the glove might add some extra protection as she watched, eyes beginning to water as her throat itched with the urge to cough, but the Madame resisted.

No one wants you when you have no heart
and I’m sitting pretty in my brand new scars

Not just a fighter, not just a dreamer
Amazing creator, relentless believer
In who I am and what I got inside

Aching to see her creation succumb to the flower's poison, Seren steeled herself and turned to the second monkey.
"Put the flower in the jar," she urged, and watched with heavy heart how it obeyed. Scurrying hastily forward, it was weakening even before it reached the plucked lily - now lying alone on the ground, the first star-critter already gone. But as its life was tied to her endurance, the little squirrel monkey at least managed to last for long enough to pick the flower up, and put it in the jar. Then it too faded, and it was all Seren could do not to sob.

At the very least, she appeared to have kept a safe distance. While there was something tugging on her eyelids, and thoughts came more sluggishly than before, she was still awake. Still standing upright, her heart beating steadily against ribs that ached to breathe deeply.

There was only a few steps left now.
"Close the lid for me, please," she pleaded, and a third creature ventured forth to die. It was quick, its fingers clever and agile; but it took time for the animal to figure out the snap-mechanism that would seal the lid shut, and it just barely made it in time before stardust was all that remained.

"Bring me the jar," the starchild begged the last two monkeys - and as she watched them go, to lug a container bigger than themselves towards her, she had to wonder where these beings came from. Why they obeyed her. What was magic, and what was this blessing that her mother gave so freely? Did it serve Safrin's purpose? Was her daughter living up to every expectation, as she sacrificed these innocent, mindless beings for a freedom that existed only in her mind?

As the last two creatures came towards her, Seren backed away towards Maeve. Slowly, carefully, step by step. To increase the distance to the remnants of the Gilded Lily, that still emitted its poisonous fumes, and ensure that her summons lasted as long as possible.

When they faded, she had retreated almost all the way to her friend, and the jar landed on a pillow of soft moss only ten feet away from them. Was it close enough? Was the lid sealed properly? Haunted blue eyes turned to look at the woman, desperately seeking confirmation that this was it. That she had succeeded.

It felt much too convenient.

Seren

Maeve

There was no real bond tying them together. Nothing that tethered them to each other. Emotions didn't pass back and forth between them like it did for attuned, but that didn't stop Maeve from feeling the pain that Seren was going through. She heard the breaks in her voice, felt the twinge in her soul, and it was all she could do not to rush forward to draw her friend into a tight embrace.

Each sacrifice was made. Each monkey doing its task until it fell into bits of stardust to sink into the ground without a trace. Once the flower was in the jar, it became easier to breathe at this distance, the cloyingly sweet scent on the air fading. Soon there was nothing left but the smell of the oasis as Seren backed towards her, away from danger, the weight of it all seeming to slow her steps.

There was a moment of quiet, Maeve hesitant to pull down her scarf from her face, but eventually she did. With a small breath she determined that it was done. They were safe. The Madame nodded in confirmation, understanding in her eyes as she extended her arms to the starchild, offering her comfort, "It's done, Seren. Come here.. It's okay."

No one wants you when you have no heart
and I’m sitting pretty in my brand new scars

Not just a fighter, not just a dreamer
Amazing creator, relentless believer
In who I am and what I got inside

All but collapsing into Maeve's open embrace, the girl clung tight to her for support. Burying her face against the shorter woman's shoulder, eyes were squeezed tightly shut; she couldn't cry over this. Shouldn't cry, because her summons were tools. Pretty and lifelike, but ultimately forgeries. Magic taken shape, to mimic the behaviour of something else.

Or so she hoped.

"I'm definitely not cut out for this," she breathed hoarsely, voice thick with unshed tears. Seren couldn't stand to look at the flower, couldn't find it in herself to see the pretty petals and think it beautiful. Even though it was. Despite it simply growing according to its nature - it was not the flower's fault that her soul was hurting.

Seren

Maeve

Gently shushing her, Maeve rocked her back and forth where they stood, running soft fingers through her hair as she pressed a kiss to her temple. "Just let it out, little star. It's okay." She murmured against her hair, holding her close and letting Seren run through the course of her emotions, knowing the ache she was feeling in her heart as if it was her own. It was a hard lesson to learn. One of sacrifice to get what you wanted. To do what needed to be done. One that Maeve had to learn herself when she slaughtered the goat for her own quest. She had cried too, gotten sick in the bushes, and shook like a leaf. It was only natural that Seren should feel this so acutely.

They were her summoned creatures. Being made of magic and stardust, but still hers nonetheless. They seemed so real, easily instructed, and corporeal. Even if they were only magic to be used as tools. It didn't matter one way or the other.

"But you did what you had to do. Your mother gave you a task she knew wouldn't be easy and you did it. She's so proud of you, I'm sure." Maeve rubbed at her back, pressing her words in between kisses against her hair, resting her cheek against the top of her head. "She would rather you safe and that was the safest way to do it. You wouldn't of been able to survive if you had tried, Seren."

No one wants you when you have no heart
and I’m sitting pretty in my brand new scars

Not just a fighter, not just a dreamer
Amazing creator, relentless believer
In who I am and what I got inside

She wanted to, wanted to cry so badly that she ached. But Seren stubbornly shook her head, and straightened up. Pulling the scarf down from a face that looked drawn and much too tired, she didn't even try to smile.

"I can't," she replied, matter of fact. "This is something I have to get used to. If I cry every time... how will I ever become able to be a strength to others?" She could not succumb to tears and grief every time a spell faded prematurely. Next time, the person by her side might not be Maeve, or have a shoulder ready to lean on. What then? Would she collapse then too?

It simply wouldn't do.

"I am here to be of help to others," she told her friend. "Mother wishes for me to be an inspiration and a hope, someone others will look to for rejuvenation. How can I do that, if I constantly need to be soothed by others?" There was a genuine question in there; Seren keenly felt the weight of expectations on her this day.

While her quest was nearly complete, it only made her realize how many other things were still left to do. Weapons to master, strategy and tactics to memorize and learn, skills to hone in dancing and sketching. She had medicine to study, and skyboats to learn how to captain, and somewhere in all of that there were siblings to meet, friends to support, family growing and expanding while new acquaintances spread out all across Caido.

And the war. Let's not forget the war.

How could she be everywhere at once? It was impossible.

Seren

Maeve

It was a valid argument. One that Maeve could find little fault with as she gazed at the younger girl, letting her loose from the embrace when she made to pull away from her, knowing that trying to keep her there wouldn't do any good. "Crying doesn't make you weak, Seren. I cried when I had to slaughter a goat for my quest. I broke. We aren't born fighters. It isn't in us from the start and sometimes we have to break a little to be stronger next time." Her words were gentle, soothing in the way she spoke them, having experience in what the girl was feeling now. How could either of them fight in a war when their hearts broke for unicorns and goats and starcritters? It was a cruel fate that they were destined for.

"That is all true, but how can you constantly be strong for others, Seren? Hm? How can you push down all the things that make you you? Is it worth locking that part of yourself away just so you don't shed any tears over a hard task? I'm not so sure it is." Maeve shook her head, letting out a soft sigh as she held her friend's gaze, seaglass green meeting blue. "The thing about you that gives me hope and inspiration is your empathy. Your heart. The way you give everything your all and aren't afraid to weep for those who deserve your tears. That is strength all in itself."

No one wants you when you have no heart
and I’m sitting pretty in my brand new scars