Usually these new buildings Garak disregarded as quirks of the village. But this one was significant. When he approached the door, the smell of fresh earth and warmth of the air and the smell of growing plants wafted out toward him.
He could hear Tolan in his head, could feel the dirt between his fingers as he buried Edosian Orchids. Or he could feel the hot Romulan air as he tilled the ground at the Embassy, feeling suspicious eyes at his back even as he indulged in the smell of clean garden air.
He was almost hesitant to open it up, knowing even as the door opened he was getting... well... heartsick. Of all the bitter, cynical, uncaring things he was capable of, and here he was missing the man that wasn't really his father and being a service worker and actually feeling lovedGarak only managed to get the door halfway open, before he started to step back and close it. He was discomforted by his wave of emotion, and he was a little afraid of that lonely little boy inside of him
( ... )
Winifred was nearby--having been delighted to find a tiny, colorful tree frog on a large, scallop-edged leaf-- and looked up as the door opened, pleased to have another visitor to enjoy this with. She had been in the village long enough now to not be unduly surprised at his unusual appearance.
"Please, come in," she said with a welcoming smile. "You are very welcome."
Oh, he was caught. He stood in the door for a moment, before hesitantly peering inside.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. My father was a groundskeeper and I have been a horticulturist myself..." He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him carefully.
All of these plants were so foreign to him, so alien. He couldn't help but stare with childish, wide eyed reverie at them. Though he didn't touch, or walk much further inside. Just stared, and looked for the life of him like he was about to bolt despite his desire to inspect.
"You are not intruding at all," Winifred replied warmly. "It sounds as though you belong here. Please, make yourself at home."
Her eyes sparkled at his obvious display of awe. "Take a closer look. There are hidden treasures in the leaves and pools and on the branches."
[ooc: There are insects, tree frogs, toads, turtles, koi in the water, birds in the trees, even butterflies (though there will also be a live butterfly exhibit in one of the rooms. :) Feel free to see any of these.]
He stepped closer to a fern with especially long fronds, reaching to pluck a tiny green tree frog from it- and then staring as it easily clung to his fingers.
"So I can see. This little creature appears to be all heaaAH!" he yelped as it leapt, not expecting it and yanked his hand (and himself) back a few feet. Then stared after it, wide eyed. He even leaned to get a better look at the new branch it had hopped to.
Hopping animals and amphibians = few and far between on his reptile heavy planet.
"You... wouldn't mind if I brought a couple of things here, would you. This might be a more suitable place for them than my own room?"
"Isn't it lovely?" Winifred asked, a hint of laughter threading through her words. "Quite agile; there are even some impossibly colored--like little butterflies." That had surprised her a great deal.
"What kinds of things?" She moved closer to peek at the tiny green frog as well. "And I doubt that I would mind."
"It is... Well, I have an Edosian Orchid- it's native to my own planet -a plant from Tarn Vedra given to me by Trance, and an Earth orchid. The conditions here would be much more suitable for them... and perhaps Mila..." he observed, watching the frog crawl along the leaf.
"Mila, he is a regnar that I had in my youth, He appeared in the village. Unfortunately, he is currently confined to a drawer. It's a small camouflaging reptile. I doubt he would be too obstructive." He certainly didn't move at the speed of the frogs, and he flinched as that little one he had held earlier leapt again, off onto another distant plant.
"Mila is welcome here," Winifred smiled. "A place filled with plants, trees, water and warm earth would be quite a bit more comfortable than a drawer, truly."
She noticed his flinch and regarded him thoughtfully. Presumably he was unused to tiny creatures leaping about.
"Garak... plain and simple Garak. Cardassian by birth, Tailor by occupation at the moment." He smiled one of his patented smiles. "I got a bit caught up and forgot to appropriately introduce myself."
"I neglected to introduce myself at the beginning. An unfortunate oversight, if I am to be the proprietor of this lovely place." She smiled. "It is nice to meet you, Garak. You are of a different world than Earth." This much is obvious. "What is your world like?"
"Deserts, mostly, and rainforests. The climate is very hot. I find this planet to be a bit cool, but I do appreciate the capacity for growth." He did miss Cardassia, but that was in his genes. And the pain of being separated from it wasn't as intense as it was aboard Deep Space Nine. Here there was hope of returning. In exile, he had felt little hope of touching arid soil again.
He motioned toward the door. "It should only take a few minutes. I believe I can... coerce some assistance from roommate, as it's rather hard for a hominid to carry three sizable objects."
"It... reminds me of someone who I lost a long time ago," he said, smile lessening a bit. Tolan had always loved his plants. They had been his life, the entire base of his Hebetian faith, the reason he had urged Garak to dismiss the life that Tain was going to lead him into.
In the end, he supposed it didn't matter either way. But Tolan's advice rang truer in his ears than Tain's... that too many secrets could poison a man.
He nodded to the woman, leaving the greenhouse and heading back to the hotel to coerce the help necessary. He didn't imagine it would take much convincing. It wasn't like Weyoun had very much to do, even if he could be impertinent for impertinence sake.
Usually these new buildings Garak disregarded as quirks of the village. But this one was significant. When he approached the door, the smell of fresh earth and warmth of the air and the smell of growing plants wafted out toward him.
He could hear Tolan in his head, could feel the dirt between his fingers as he buried Edosian Orchids. Or he could feel the hot Romulan air as he tilled the ground at the Embassy, feeling suspicious eyes at his back even as he indulged in the smell of clean garden air.
He was almost hesitant to open it up, knowing even as the door opened he was getting... well... heartsick. Of all the bitter, cynical, uncaring things he was capable of, and here he was missing the man that wasn't really his father and being a service worker and actually feeling lovedGarak only managed to get the door halfway open, before he started to step back and close it. He was discomforted by his wave of emotion, and he was a little afraid of that lonely little boy inside of him ( ... )
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"Please, come in," she said with a welcoming smile. "You are very welcome."
[No worries! I tend to do the same thing. :)]
Reply
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. My father was a groundskeeper and I have been a horticulturist myself..." He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him carefully.
All of these plants were so foreign to him, so alien. He couldn't help but stare with childish, wide eyed reverie at them. Though he didn't touch, or walk much further inside. Just stared, and looked for the life of him like he was about to bolt despite his desire to inspect.
Reply
Her eyes sparkled at his obvious display of awe. "Take a closer look. There are hidden treasures in the leaves and pools and on the branches."
[ooc: There are insects, tree frogs, toads, turtles, koi in the water, birds in the trees, even butterflies (though there will also be a live butterfly exhibit in one of the rooms. :) Feel free to see any of these.]
Reply
"So I can see. This little creature appears to be all heaaAH!" he yelped as it leapt, not expecting it and yanked his hand (and himself) back a few feet. Then stared after it, wide eyed. He even leaned to get a better look at the new branch it had hopped to.
Hopping animals and amphibians = few and far between on his reptile heavy planet.
"You... wouldn't mind if I brought a couple of things here, would you. This might be a more suitable place for them than my own room?"
Reply
"What kinds of things?" She moved closer to peek at the tiny green frog as well. "And I doubt that I would mind."
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Oh, yes.
"Mila?" Winifred invited him to continue.
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She noticed his flinch and regarded him thoughtfully. Presumably he was unused to tiny creatures leaping about.
"I am Winifred, sir. May I ask your name?"
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He motioned toward the door. "It should only take a few minutes. I believe I can... coerce some assistance from roommate, as it's rather hard for a hominid to carry three sizable objects."
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She inclined her head. "Of course! I will be here when you return."
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In the end, he supposed it didn't matter either way. But Tolan's advice rang truer in his ears than Tain's... that too many secrets could poison a man.
He nodded to the woman, leaving the greenhouse and heading back to the hotel to coerce the help necessary. He didn't imagine it would take much convincing. It wasn't like Weyoun had very much to do, even if he could be impertinent for impertinence sake.
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Once he'd left, she turned to a nearby sprig and bent to examine it with keen interest.
Now this looked interesting. She would have no trouble occupying herself while she waited for Garak's return.
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