Chapter 5: Lying Under the Tree

[In the morning]

Lord: Another morning already. Hmm...Am I seeing two jars? Oh, it must be Lily's reserve for some kind of unnatural explosion.

Minny, emerging from one of the jar: Hello, my lord.

Lord: What? Didn't you say you have your responsibility and blah blah blah yesterday?

Minny: Queen of Rose has never formally appointed me for the area, and I'm sure she can find more suitable candidate for the position. Moreover, most of the time I sleep all day long in my jar anyway.

Lord thinks: [Oh, she is as lazy as Lily?]

Minny: But most importantly, I can't resist your charm anymore, my lord. [giggle]

Minny blushes a little and dives down to where she were.

Lord: Nice sweet-tongued little girl, ain't she. Hmm...no plan to go anywhere today. I'd better enjoy the castle and the girls today.

[Under a big tree in the castle's ground]

Lord: Ahh...This big tree is so peaceful. Its shadow is covering a large area around here. My life could be happier if I am reborn into a tree like this. Photosynthesizing all day long, no need to do anything else, no work, no struggle, no worry in the world.

Iris: Did you do something again with Ruby last night? Today, she ...she... she is [crying]

Lord: What happened, iris?

Iris: ...getting better.

Lord: You should find a better way to say it.

Iris: [giggle] I heard you was talking with yourself again. I begin to think this is normal for human, or is it?

Lord: No, it's not normal for human. I'm just weird, uh, I mean, special.

Iris: Do you want to know more about how peaceful this place is? I can make you hear their voices. Very few maidens can do this, by the way.

Lord: Wow, cool.

Iris: OK, right? Let start by touching both flowers at the end of my double pigtails with each hand of yours.

Lord: Like this? You are sending the power through these two flowers, right?

Iris: No, I just want you to touch them.

Lord: ....

Iris. OK, it's done. You will be able to hear the voice of plants in your vicinity for a few hours.

Lord: That's it? Thank, Iris.

Iris: Enjoy, bye.

[Still under the same tree]

Lord: Hmm...the magic starts to take effect. I begin to hear them right now.

Small tree1: I can't get any sunlight down here. I'm dying.

Small tree2: Go away somewhere else. This place is too crowded.

Small tree3: Those birds keep shitting on me again, and arrkkk.. a woodpecker is pecking on me...arrrkk..

Small tree4: Rest in peace, bro.

Small tree5: Hey you freeloader. Stop climbing on me.

Small tree6: I will, if you stop blocking my sunlight first, fag.

Small tree7: Too much water in the soil. I'm rotten. I can't breathe...

Small tree8: The big tree steals all sunlight from us. We don't have any.

Big tree: Yeah...yeah...yeah... I will move somewhere else so you guys can have more sunlight. Wait! Do I look like I have a LEG?!!?

Small tree8: Why do we have to grow under you big bully?

Big tree: Why don't you grow somewhere else then? Don't you realize that I come here first, huh? And you think I don't have a problem? These worms are eating me alive, and I can't do anything about it.

Small tree1: Look at that human over there. He can go anywhere he pleases. This world is so unfair.

Small tree2: Why..why...why...look at him lying down, as if he has no worry in the world.

Small tree3: It hurts so much. I don't want to live anymore, bye.

Small tree4: You can't even fking kill yourself.

Small tree5: I must grow faster, or very soon these fags will cover all my leaves and blocking all my sunlight.

Small tree6: Be my guest, and let call it revenge.

Small tree7: Could you guys let me die in peace?

Small tree8: Could everyone stop talking for a sec? Our friend is dying.

Small tree1: You! Human over there. Stop enjoying our shade. Go away.

Small tree2: Selfish human.

Small tree3: I think he can't hear you two.

Small tree4: YES!, he's gone. What a fag.

Small tree5: Never come back. Life is so unfair.

Small tree6: Look at him, going to a hot spring. I can't even get enough water to live on.

Small tree7 dies.

Small tree8: Have a safe trip to a better life, my friend.

[The castle's hot spring]

Lord: Damn. This place is much quieter. Those plants are so noisy I can't stand them. It seems they have a lot of problems of their own too. I was so mistaken.

Moss1: This place is too hot. I am dying!

Lord, splashing hot water all over it: Then shut up and DIE already.

Moss1: ARRRKKKK...

Ruby & Iris, walking in, wearing towel: Hello, my lord.

Iris, smiling: Enjoy the peace?

Lord: Grrr...

Ruby: What happened, sis?

Iris: Forget about it. By the way, I want to enjoy the hot spring over there alone. You can stay here with the lord all by yourself, right? No sudden outburst of scream, no traumatic flashback, no nightmare in broad daylight....

Lord: ....

Ruby, approaching the lord: Sure, sis, bye.

Ruby: Tell me what happened and I will totally forgive you for what you did earlier. [giggle]

Lord: Iris has given me the power to listen to plant's voice..

Ruby: Oh, I can hear them too, but I have to listen carefully and it must be in a quiet place.

Lord: Seem she cranked up volume to the max. I heard them shouted.

Moss1: Y....o...u.... .b....a....s....t.....a....r....d...

Lord: Ruby, let us go play with the waterfall over there. It is too mossy around here.

Ruby: The water run in from the river nearby. This castle is so nice, my lord.

Lord: Hot waterfall is the best waterfall.

Ruby: The waterfall impact is so strong. Oops, my towel.

Ruby: My lord, are you OK? Why are you fainting? My lord..my lord.

[On a dry ground nearby]

Iris: Ruby has healed your nosebleed with her magic, my lord. I told you she is practically good with everything.

Ruby: Are you OK, my lord? When you fainted, I carried you up here as fast as I could.

Iris: ......without even getting her towel first.

Ruby: What? Why? He bleeds more and about to faint again. It's my fault my magic isn't strong enough.

Iris: Better get dressed first, Ruby, or else he might bleed even more and faint again. Some men are very vulnerable to our naked body.

Ruby: Eh? Why?

Iris: Never mind.

[Somewhere in the castle]

Holly: Where have you travel to with the lord?

Violet: The radish village, the forest, Water yggdrasil....

Holly, sobbing: I envy you so much.

Violet: Please don't cry. Next time I will ask the lord to bring you too.

Lord: Hi, you girls.

Violet: Hey...Holly, you want to go with us next time, right? You can ask the lord directly.

Holly: I can't... I'm just...

Lord: Next time you go too, Holly. You've got to do some maiden duty, OK?

Holly: Really, I can go? I will do my best.

Lord: Violet told me you have thorns I should be careful about?

Holly: Yes, my lord. These thorns are all over my body. It is too dangerous for people to stay close to me, let alone hug me.

Holly starts crying.

Lord: I'm hugging you.

Holly: No, don't...

Iris, walking in: Be careful, my lord. Her thorns are much sharper than you think and it is her main weapon.

Violet: My lord, you are bleeding a lot. I will get Sola or Ruby immediately. Trent, help me find these two. Top priority.

Holly: This is all my fault. I will carry him to his bed right now.

[More blood gush out from the lord's body]

Iris: No, Holly! Put him down right now. I will carry him myself.

[In the bedroom]

Holly: I'm so sorry, my lord.

Lord: I don't regret hugging you. If I could rewind time, I would hug you again.

Holly, hugging him: My lord, I'm not worthy of your kindness.

[No doubt, more blood gush out from the lord's body]

Iris: If you keep doing this he could die for real, you know?

[Somewhere in the North]

Violet: I still can't find it.

Nearby cow: Kwaiiii.

Violet: What a weird cry for a cow. It sound like an insult in some language.

Cow: Kwaiiiii. E-Kwaiiii

Violet: .....

[Back to the bedroom]

Lord: Thank you both for your healing, or else I might have died from the severe blood loss.

Sola: I can heal you with the power of sunlight.

Ruby: I can heal you with the power of love.

Lord: Really?

Ruby: No.

Lord: Don't stay with Iris for too long. She is a bad influence, you know.

Ruby giggles.

Sola: Holly runs away saying she is sorry.

Lord: Half of it is my fault. I should be more careful. You maidens are too powerful.

Iris: That's not true. Every parts of my body is so soft, especially....

Lord: ....

Sola: I heard the fortune teller at Water yggdrasil is fake, right? I came across one in Midland during my travel. If you still want to know about.....

Wevil: Shopping time!!!

Lord: Uh..Wevil...you speak that line way too soon... but yeah let go shopping there, and meet the new fortune teller for a plus.

Wevil smiles happily.

Peony: Good morning, my lord.

Lord: Since you are the first maiden, do you have any idea about my past? There were just two of us for quite some time, am I right?

Peony starts to think about their past, and begins to blush a lot.

Peony: I have no idea. Excuse me, my lord. I have some work to do.

Peony walks away.

Lord: She run away again. She is quite elusive, isn't she?

Sola, with a dry smile: Guess so, my lord. If I remember correctly, she weren't acting like this towards you before your slumber. At that time she was a cute lovely little girl. My lord this...my lord that...always stick with you....[giggle]

Iris: Yes, I remember that time too. I think she has grown up much more since then, and that come with more responsibilities.

Sola: Most of us were born fully grown, my lord. Only a few like Peony and Astille were born as a child.

Lord: Oh, Astille will grow up soon I guess.

Sola: I'm not sure about Astille, my lord. She seemed to have stopped growing for quite some time. There seems to be a great variety in yggdrasil's creation. I'm glad I wasn't born as a white radish.

Lord: Tell me more about the land in this continent. Is Midland located in the center of it.

Sola: Hey, Ruby, let draw a map of this continent. She is the best at drawing.

Ruby: ..and the loveliest too..[giggle]... Here is the map, my lord.

Sola: Let start with Midland. It's a powerful empire comprising about 30 cities and spanning a large area, located below the geographical center of the continent. In the true center of the continent is the Dark kingdom, a fearful land inhabited by the dead and dark creature where not many people want to go in. In the north is the land of the Ice queen. Far away to the right is Magic kingdom, ruled by Lady Priscilla.

Sola: Very far towards the northwest is rumored to be the land of machine and gems, which I'm not sure how exactly these two things can go together. Well, we are located at the left side of the continent. Hey, my lord.... are you listening?

Lord: Oh, yes, yes.. I'm listening.... yawn.... Dark kingdom. Please continue.

Sola: Let continue some other time then. Excuse me. I have some work to do.

Sola walks away.

Iris: Now you have pissed two maidens in short succession, my lord.

Lord: OK, we travel tomorrow then. How long will we reach the destination?

Iris: If we start in the morning, and travel by the new wagon Sola just acquired. Then we probably reaches the westernmost city of Midland in the evening, I guess.

Wevil: Awesome! We can rest through the night in some exotic hotel there.

Iris: Now we can't leave Wevil here, can we?

Lord: I think Almond become a required member of this trip since it seems we need to spend a lot.

[In the castle hall]

Lord: Oh, I totally forgot. I got this pink sapphire from the item shop as a gift for Peony. Where's her room? I've never been there. Oh, I'm sure it's here. I remember her scent.

Lord: Hmm...the door is not locked. I will just go in and drop the sapphire on her desk. Eh? She is in her flower form? Is she sleeping? Hmm...this scent...it smells so good. I think I'll just check her petals. The flower looks just as elegant as her appearance in maiden form.

Lord: These petals are so soft I want to caress them all day long. Let me sink my face in them so I can smell it better. Arhh...these soft petals are all over my face. I can't stop myself right now....

Peony turns back to her maiden form, panting a little. She is in her defensive stance, hand holding her unsheathed rapier.

Peony: What are you doing, my lord?

Lord: I'm sorry. I just ...just....uh.... examine your petal arrangement. Your flower looks like rose, isn't it.

Peony: Could you please get out of my room?

Lord: I'm sorry. I....

Peony: Please just get out.

[Outside Peony's room]

Lord: I'm a bad...bad...bad...man. This time I'm sure she won't forgive me for real. I shouldn't do that. I just realize that her petals are like her body. It's almost like I have......

The lord walks away.

[Inside Peony's room]

Peony: Bad...bad Peony. Why did I have to wake up so soon? I should have slept a little longer and let my lord enjoy my petals a little more. Why did you have to touch me so softly? You can touch my petals as hard as you want. Tear them into pieces, I don't care. Why did you have to give me a personal room, my lord. Everyone else can sleep with you, but I...... I hate this room so much.

Peony: Don't you know how hard it is for me to control myself when you caress my petals like that? If I let you stay in my room a little longer, you might see me doing these things to my own flowers. Or perhaps I should have let you see me like this. Touch my petals a little more, my lord. Hug me tight please. ....I can't stop it anymore...my lord…...I......I.......

Several blue birds near the windows are chirping frantically as if they are so fed up with something.

.

.

[On the balcony at night]

Iris: You are back to your old self now, right?

Ruby: Emotionally, I think. The flower still hurts but it feels much better now.

Iris: I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Ruby: It wasn't that bad, sis. Even it hurted so much I wanted to die at the time, it is also the happiest moment of my life too. It's hard to explain.

Iris thinks: [Yeah..yeah..I think I have a rough idea of it]

Ruby: You know this all along, right? That eventually I will like it. Love you so much, sis.

Iris thinks: [Actually I didn't know that, I just want to have some fun]

[Almost midnight, in the bedroom]

Ruby: My lord, why did you always run away from me lately?

Lord: Could we stop seeing each other for a while? Now your flower still hurt. If you stay near me, I fear that I might lost control of myself and make you hurt so.. so much again.

Ruby: If you can't hold it, then so be it. Hurt me all you want. If it is you, I don't care even if it hurts so much I want to die. Do whatever you want to me.

Lord: Ruby... I .... I can't stand it anymore. This flower...your body....

[At midnight]

Lord: Damn, these weird dreams are disrupting my sleep pattern. I'd better continue sleeping. zzzz...