The Forsaken Hero

My tail quivered in excitement as I remembered the trove of flowers in my spatial ring. Tana looked at me quizzically as I, spurred on by Korra, held my ring over the table. ”I tried to get the flowers you’d like, but I’ve never done something like this before,” I mumbled, anxiety invading my excitement. ”I-I hope they’re alright.”

”If they’re from you, I’m sure I’ll love them!” Tana said, beaming at me. ”Out of curiosity, how many did you–”

My ring shivered, spewing unbound sheaves of flowers into the air. For a second, the air blossomed with a sea of color, flowers falling in heaps upon the table. The sudden appearance of so many flours unleashed a wave of pent-up pollen. The faint haze billowed into the air, mixing with the woodsmoke in swirling patterns in a thick, musky aroma.

Korra let out a bright, joyful laugh, clapping her hands together. ”Looks like you brought half the meadow! They’re beautiful!”

The overwhelming aroma tickled my delicate senses, making me wrinkle my nose. A few patrons glared at us, some shuffling to tables further away, I shivered, the pollen dusting my horns, making them itch.

Tana shook her head as the pile settled, a few errant roses overflowing off the edge of the table. ”That’s...more than I was expecting.”

A steady heat crept into my cheeks, and I looked away, running a self-conscious hand over the ridges of my horn. Looking at the thick bundles of flowers, I hadn’t realized just how many I’d picked. Each one was a new and exciting experience, disappearing into the ring even as its aroma filled my nose. I knew I’d spent a few hours wandering the meadow, searching for the perfect flower, but had there really been this many?

A sudden sneeze caught my attention, and I looked over to see Sorrin rubbing his nose, his eyes turning red. Although he was a wolfkin, with senses as keen as my own, why was his reaction this extreme? Had I done something wrong?

Seeing my flustered expression, he barked a laugh, sounding a little stuffy, and stood. ”Seems like you three’ll be busy for a while. I think I hear a commotion in the square. Rasce and Dyson might’ve made it, so I’d best check and help them get settled.”

I tilted my head, pointed ears twitching, but there was nothing beyond the discontented murmuring of the other patients. ”A-are you sure? I don’t-”

Suddenly, Korra’s elbow flashed out, nudging me in the side. At least, it seemed like a harmless nudge, but then a sharp pain exploded in my ribs, turning my next words into a breathless gasp. I pressed my lips together, barely holding back a groan, as I gingerly felt at my side. The barest touch sent a shiver of pain through me; I’d have to heal it soon, or there it would definitely bruise. Korra shrugged as I looked at her, but her expression fell as she noticed the hurt in my eyes.

Tana flashed Sorrin a playful smile, shooing him away. ”You’d better get going before you start sneezing. I’m sure we’ll be just fine without you. It’s been a while since I’ve had some girl time, anyway.”

As the wolfkin left, a little extra speed in his step, Korra laid a hand on my shoulder, flinching as I shied away. ”Sorry, Xiviyah, I didn’t mean to hurt you, I keep forgetting your soul’s far ahead of your body. No wonder Soltair kept complaining–” Her jaw snapped shut with an audible click, her hands gripping her knees tightly. ”S-Sorrin was just looking for an excuse to leave, so I didn’t want you to embarrass him,” she finished weakly.

”He has pretty bad allergies,” Tana explained, nodding. She glanced before us, eyes glimmering in confusion as she caught sight of me favoring my side. After a moment, her gaze shifted to Korra. ”Did something happen? And what’s this about Soltair? Like, the Sun Hero?”

Korra stammered a response, but her words drifted over my head. I gently pressed my fingers to my side, sighing in relief as the soothing warmth of Life Magic flowed over me. By the time I returned my attention to the others, Korra and Tana had already moved on, deep in discussion about one of the types of flowers I brought.

Korra was saying, ”...it matches your eyes, though. I think it would make a great bridal wreath.”

”True,” Tana replied slowly, twisting the delicate stalk of the flower in question between her fingers. ”But I’m not sure it matches my dress. It’s got a beautiful red sash, so the green would stand out a little too much.”

”Ah, I see. How about this one then? Is it the same shade?” Korra asked, gesturing to a few flowers.

I recognized the petals this time, one of the more popular flowers on earth. Roses, or so I remembered them being called. I opened my mouth to say as much, to try and at least contribute something, when Tana shook her head dismissively.

”No, they’re a little too dark. Perhaps something more along these lines. I like the gentle shape of the petals, and...”

The two went back and forth, slowly sorting through the pile of flowers. The breadth of their knowledge and understanding was baffling. How could two adventurers possibly know so much about flowers? They pointed out imperceptible differences in shade, petals, and even the stems, communicating as much with hearts as voices.

Watching their communion, I felt a sudden pang of loneliness, and withdrew a bit, sitting with my tail curled tightly beside my ankles. They had been close to fighting a second ago, yet now, watching them converse, I felt like the stranger. The emptiness gnawing at my heart was nothing new, of course–years of isolation and imprisonment had seen it become an old friend–but this was...different. Watching the other two girls wearing bright, genuine smiles and acting so...familiar with each other reminded me of just how shallow my own relationships felt. A friendship forged through hardship, not of mutual love and interest, as I saw before me.

Tana acted in a way I’d only ever caught glimpses of before. Gone was her usual softness and restraint; a mask had lifted, revealing glimpses of her more genuine self, unafraid of how Korra might feel. Korra was the same, though she’d never tempered herself with me as much as Tana. Even so, the water hero’s careful hesitance was now forgotten. Were they really so afraid of hurting me?

I yearned for a relationship like that, but hadn’t the faintest idea of where to begin. Just how could someone as dark and vulnerable as I possibly get close to the light of my two friends? I couldn’t trade playful insults or shoot down ideas, or even engage in a topic that matched their interests. Ultimately, I couldn’t understand their joy, much less reciprocate, something I now saw was essential for a genuine friendship. They had given what they could, but it was up to me to rise and meet them–something I didn’t even know was required until now.

For what felt like an eternity, I sat and watched, my spirits dropping lower and lower until I felt my eyes growing wet. It had seemed so difficult just to trust them, to take that first step. Now, the next was thrust upon me, feeling every bit as insurmountable as the first. Yet, now that I knew, I couldn’t just sit still. I wanted that warmth and friendship as well.

My tail jittered nervously as I lifted my head, trying to find an opportunity to break into the flow of their conversation. As Tana let out a giggle, amused by one of Korra’s remarks, I exhaled shortly, drawing their attention.

”W-would you teach me?” I stammered, looking at them, my eyes glistening with unshed tears.

They both blinked, exchanging confused glances, and I cursed myself. Of course they wouldn’t know my inner struggle, of what I needed.

Swallowing hard, I said, ”The flowers. I...I want to know too.”

”Flowers? You mean like, their names?” Tana asked slowly, glancing down at the velvety cup-shaped flower in her hand.

Korra looked at me, head tilted slightly. ”It’s just kind of something you pick up, kind of comes with being a girl and all. Having a lesson for them seems kind of...” Her eyes lit up, her breath catching in excitement. ”Tana, I think we have enough for now. Why don’t we teach her how to make a wreath?”

With a burst of excitement, Tana placed the flower back in the pile. ”Of course!” she cried, clapping her hands. ”First, let’s pick a base! Here...” She held out a beautiful crimson flower with a long, flexible stem. ”These bend nicely and work for almost any kind of crown or wreath.”

My fingers trembled slightly as I accepted it, worried I might accidentally damage the fragile vine. Fortunately, it was as pliable as she explained, bending neatly into a semicircle several inches long.

Korra leaned over, her eyes sparkling, and took it from me, holding another just like it. ”Now, the trick is not to wrap too tight or too loose–you want it to look wild and natural, but not fall apart.” She demonstrated, carefully winding the two vines together into a loose circle before extending them toward me. ”Here, give it a shot,” she encouraged.

Finding another crimson flower in the pile, I carefully copied Korra’s motions, a sliver of apprehension mingling with a thrill of anticipation. The smell of the vine, fresh blooms, and the delicate brush of petals against my fingertips–a soothing symphony of sensations that wasn’t too different from the delicate intricacy of weaving mana.

After I completed a rough circle, about the size of my head, Tana clapped her hands, looking out over the colorful array of flowers. ”Perfect! Now for the fun part. It’s time to choose a flower!”