Moonstone: Scene 11

Db Major Angoscioso

I am sitting at a table, in the white room, pouring tea. I think if I had been in my right mind, I would have gone on a murdering spree. I was serving tea to Kast Maki. At this point in time, I was very appreciative of Itxata drugging me. I couldn't get angry. I sipped my tea with the graphic on the tea cup facing Kast. I sipped it without a sound, even though the tea was so hot it burned my lips and tongue. I'm sure he had adjusted the temperature, to force me to make a sound. This was war, and I wasn't about to let him win.
"I've never seen that shade of hair before, especially not on an Energy. Is she a mixed breed with something inferior like the Fires?"
His voice was full of contempt. I stared at the table, imagining that all of the little printed flowers on the cloth were items I could use to strangle him. I was smiling. I wasn't angry, although I felt I should be livid.

"She's not a mixed breed, she's purebred. We not only have full paperwork for her, but she has the official gold band showing she has a perfect genetic makeup."
"Let me see those bands."
I moved my hand over to him. He scrutinized every molecule on my wrist. Full paperwork? Oh yeah, thank you Itxata.
He uncoiled a band from a box in front of him and put it around my wrist.
"I assure you we have the Arkh's seal on her gold band."
"I'll do my own test, thank you."
The band came up silver.
"She apparently does have perfect genes."
"What Garden is her paperwork from?"
"Ikebana."
I have paperwork from Ikebana? Hellfire! How did that happen? Itxata?
"And they will verify the paperwork?"
"Yes."
I was still imagining stabbing Kast, and I was still smiling.
"Flower, look up."
I looked up and met Kast's eyes. Maybe Dristenven should slip that pill in my tea.
"Her eyes don't match."
"Yes they do, they change depending on the light. Flower look at me."
I looked at Dristenven.
"You see?"
"Interesting. Flower look at me again."
I turned back to Kast. I'm still smiling. Of course, I'm going to need to rip my face off after this.
"Please stand."
He said please?
I stood.
"She's tall."
"But she has extremely fine bones. Look at her cheekbones."
Kast stood up. He was just tall enough that if I looked straight ahead, I looked straight into his chin. He hadn't said not to look at him anymore, so I was still looking straight into his eyes. He had gold eyes. Gold eyes, white hair, and gold skin. He walked around me, and I chanced a glance at Dristenven. I'm sure my look told him everything he needed to know. I saw the flash of movement that meant he had slipped more of the Lindir in my tea.
"She has iridescent freckles." What the hellfire was he looking at? I have freckles?
"That's a sign of purebred Energy."
"I'm aware of that. Please sit Flower."
He said please again. This was weirding me out. I cautiously felt for my tea cup without taking my eyes off of him, because he had not told me to look away. I drank more of my tea, silently. Oh yeah. I was smiling perky again. He lifted one of my feet and removed my slipper. WHAT THE HELLFIRE WAS HE DOING? I must have had a strange look on my face because Dristenven immediately got up to see what Kast was doing.
"She has small feet."
"She has delicate feet."
"Indeed."
I'm sure that if I hadn't been drinking more Lindir I would have decked him by now. He put his hand under my foot, sizing it to his hand. If he tickles me I'm going to kill him. I'm still smiling! He put my slipper back on.
"Dristenven, thank you for your time."
"Of course Kast. We look forward to hearing from you soon."
"You will." Kast was still looking at me and I was still looking him straight in the eyes because he had not told me to do otherwise. He left the white room and stole one more glance back at me before he exited, I was still looking at him. I was still smiling.
Dristenven sat down and gulped his tea.
"Are you ok?"
"Me? I'm just fine."
"What's going to happen when you come off the Lindir?"
"I'm going to kill him." I smiled broadly.
"We had to honor the request."
"I know, and now I have to kill him."
"Oh Leliah. You know I would have refused if I could." He poured us more tea.
"You weren't the one that was studied like an artifact."
"It's a normal Flower process."
"I'm not a normal Flower. I'm going to rip this smile off my face."
"No, you are most certainly not a normal Flower."
"I know I'm angry, but I can't feel it."
"I think you're well beyond angry. You've downed two full doses of Lindir that I know of."
"Itxata gave me two."
"Then you've had three. Three doses usually makes people suggestible to anything. You still have your will."
"Will he make an offer?"
"He's not just going to make an offer. He's going to make a spectacular, world shattering offer."
"What?"
"He will make the flashiest offer you will ever be able to imagine."
"Why?!"
"Oh, I'm sure he has his reasons."
"How do you know??"
"I know Kast. His brother Jito is the crazy one, Kast is cruelly intelligent but not crazy, as I'm sure you remember from Academy."
Drendyn had told him.
"Yes, Drendyn told me. Darkyn told me as well."
"And I told you."
We both looked up. The blue-haired white male with dark markings was standing in the doorway of the white room.
"Tryst!" Dristenven got up, smiling.
"Don't get up. I'm only here for one reason. I'm here to make you a guest offer of intention for Flower Water Lotus." He had a serious look in his blue eyes as he came over to the table.
What the hellfire did that mean?