the flowers bloom, their beauty just the thing she needs.

[rosestolilies]

[A ripple rolls through the Gardens.

Warmth. Love. Togetherness. It spreads out from the ruins like a shockwave and passes through each and every person in its path in a flash.

Faint, unsteady snippets of song drift through the air, carried by some force other than the Vine, the voice behind them barely identifiable as the Queen's.]

Clusters of

Comments

voice;

[withascroll]

It's a maze, this garden, it's a maze of paths. But a soul can find the way?

voice;

[rosestolilies]

Yes, like that!

voice;

[withascroll]

It was paraphrased.

voice;

[rosestolilies]

Oh, close enough.

[violent_archery]

You're kidding, right?!

After all that, and you're not going to send us home?!

[rosestolilies]

I'm sorry, dear!

[violent_archery]

If you really were sorry, you'd send us home right now.

[rosestolilies]

You'll get to go home eventually. Even I'm not strong enough for forever...

[peachhat]

As I expected, you weren't actually going to send anyone home properly.

Really, you learned nothing, but at least I was right about you people being stupid.

[rosestolilies]

But I was!

I changed my mind.

[peachhat]

But you aren't going to, anymore, and that matters.

We saw that you changed your mind alright.

[rosestolilies]

I'm really awfully sorry, but you've all just made this place so nice and made me so happy...what if it all became ruins if I sent people home? I don't want more ruins.

video;

[athirdplace]

Oh, I am glad you are all right, Your Highness. [ She gives a little bow. She knows, or at least she thinks she knows how to address a Queen because back home, in England, sometimes her father would ramble about it or her mother would daydream out loud of meeting the Queen.

And she can understand loneliness. It's a little selfish, sure, but the creatures back on the Island suffered from it too so... She supposes it's okay to stay for a while longer. ]

Well, if we're staying, would Your Highness perhaps allow me to send a letter to my parents? It's just that they are a little angry at each other and they'll start worrying if I suddenly disappear and they may end up blaming each other... Ah, well, if it's okay? I already wrote them, so it's just really sending.

video;

[rosestolilies]

Oh, my dear, please don't worry about things like that! You're not really gone from there. You're just also here!

video;

[athirdplace]

[ While she is a clever girl, Minette looks a little confused at the Queen's words. ]

What... What do you mean?

video;

[rosestolilies]

[She makes a complicated gesture with her hands, as if to indicate something being drawn out.]

How can I explain it? The High Priestess would be so much better at it, but she doesn't like to talk. Except when I don't want her to!

Anyway, think of it like I'm borrowing your reflection from the mirror! No, that's not a very good explanation...well, it's a little like that.

1/2

[i_whip_my_hair]

[What is this fresh bullshit? From what Minatsuki is gathering -- the queen promised to send people home, then got in trouble and couldn't, and then after people went out of their way to help her sorry ass...]

[video]

[i_whip_my_hair]

But... but...! If I don't go home... I have so many friends who will worry! My big brother will worry!

[video]

[rosestolilies]

Oh, someone new! I'm so happy to meet you! But you shouldn't worry about things like that, not at all. I wouldn't take you away from your friends! That's not how it works.

[video]

[i_whip_my_hair]

But-- I-I'm sorry, but you must be mistaken. I'm here, and--and my friends and my big brother aren't. And I hear that boys can't even come here...