As his palm pressed the cold handle, Tris uttered a prayer under his breath... Of course, to himself. – No other god would listen to some child praying not to die by the hand of some Nature Saint being. It was just him and his own thoughts. And his prayer to himself, which made him feel weird.
Who in their right mind prayed to THEMSELVES... Probably the gods did that often. Not gonna lie, who else were they gonna pray to? His mother? – Actually, that was a genuine possibility. Gods often probably prayed to his mother.
Now, the moment of truth. – Tris entered the room and heard a yell straight away. And regretted all the life choices he has made from his birth to this morning, to his current predicament. Death would've been better.
"YOU, COME RIGHT THE FUCKING HERE. BOY. WE NEED TO TALK."
Right in the corner, the person who yelled was Rose. Staring daggers right through Tris's soul, in her palm, sitting steadily as she spoke loudly, her eyes clearly showing pure madness. – Tris was very, very. Scared.
Slowly, he went silent, approaching slowly step by step... Contemplating how he truly wants to die in this forsaken world. – Death by Rose was not one of them, so he just blinked and attempted to seem innocent in front of her.
"Boy, where was your pin this morning? Im listening. And I want the truth."
Rose was blunt. No matter the answer, she already knew the truth, and he was going to pay for his forgetfulness. Poor fox had no way of escaping now, being caught with his pin down on a table. – Poor boy. His name shall never be forgotten.
"I forgot it... Home on the table and left to deal with a shadow I was tasked with disposing of..."
The foxy mumbled, attempting to make himself as innocent as possible, perhaps to get an easier punishment. If any at all. That was his plan, nothing else could outdo it. – Why? It was his only option, you couldn't outdo something with nothing.
"Boy. You're making me doubt I taught you anything..."
Rose spoke, pinching the bridge of her nose. – Tris's eyes just moved slightly, blinking. This was bothering him extremely. What did this woman even teach him? To sit down and be pretty? What the hell is she talking about?
"I'm sorry, what did you teach me again? How to sit down and look pretty? You did not teach me anything."
He spat out, pretty much bluntly, done with that part of the conversation. This seemed to anger him quite a bit. A big bit, so he just stared at her, awaiting a proper answer.
"Boy, lower your voice, I am very sure I've taught you a lot. Don't make me need to put you in your place right now."
Rose hissed, clearly angered by his comment, even if it was the truth, she would never agree to something that embarrassing. She was the teacher! She was the one he should and HAD to respect.
He blinked for a few seconds, giving a deep sigh as he began walking away towards the door. Wishing to return to the runic workshop. See what else he could find! – He had nothing else to do.
"You're gonna stop right there."
Rose spoke, shouting out what sounded like a command. – Normally, he would have stopped. Discussed it out. But this time, Tris paused and turned around for a moment. And just flipped her off.
"Fall in a ditch, teacher of nothing."
Tris was blunt. Throwing out the insult in a hiss, his anger was past its limits. – Ross paused. Stared at him for a moment before giving a sigh. It really was time to give him a harsh lesson.
"Once, the world was covered in vines. – Each creature was born from its sap, and each wound created was merely the start of a new branch. — With time, such vines were buried by the rotting flesh or war, by the decomposition caused by time. Yet even there it stood. – Keeping the gates leading to its first sprouts open. The garden. – I am Rose, Guardian of this Garden. And so, I raise my hand, as the vines underneath awaken. And rise to open the doors to my dear Garden more."
Tris was unable to move as she spoke. The energy released into the air was too much for even his body to handle. – This was no mere conversation. It was a chant. ‐Rose was opening a gate to the Garden.
Her hand moved into the air as a vine sprouted from the ground. – Then another, forming an arch into the air as her hand cut a rift open in its middle.
Vines began spreading all across the ground, and Tris could finally move. – And he did, stepping back greatly as the vines spread themselves. – They stopped spreading after Rose lowered her hand. But they covered most of the area inside. Leaving him stuck in a corner.
She stared at him, her head tilting as Rose remained silent. Almost awaiting what he had to say. She was planning to give him a harsh lesson. That he's not strong enough to speak or demand. – Yet he had something she didn't.
'The Garden... Sprout of creation. One of Sol's main domains. Whom you are the prince of. But she is the Guardian. – Fret not, dear Tris. – You may not have it under you just yet, but the Garden's respect? You've won that right since birth. — Step forward, and declare. As a kingdom follows the ruler's lineage. Even if trust and bond is lacked. — I speak as no mere Buki but as a Keeper of realms.'
The voice echoed in his head, Amaka decided silence was not something she liked in moments like this. – Her voice outlines a clear way out for our dear fox. And he was very much planning to use it.
"Come on. Not as big and strong now?"
Rose spoke, taking a small, swift step forward, almost challenging him to charge at her, and she was smiling. Perhaps this was one lesson he would actually learn from. Instead of being mad at what Rose took as nothing. – It was never nothing. Because to Tris it mattered so so much...
He remained silent, his ears flickering lightly as he stared at the imposing lady. His feet not moving off the ground. Not yet, at least. He was plotting something, but he just needed a bit of extra time to pull it off... Which he could surely get if he kept her away and annoyed for just a few more moments.
In the corner stood and stared Fenrir, his lips pressed into a thin line... It seemed no one here has yet to realise the heavens were unsealed. Meaning it has not made it to the news yet. Also, meaning Althea is not around. At least for a bit longer. – Meaning she should show up, and she would probably beat both Rose and Fen for what has happened in the last week...
Tris would not be against it, but he also wanted to prove himself just a tiny bit, a tiny bit enough to prove he can make a difference. – A second tail means his power was increased. And his wisdom through Amako... But he wants a special way to show that as well. And seemingly, it was handed to him on a silver platter. With a fork and a steak covered in gold to go along with it.
His brain moved itself on. – This was no moment to think about food or such things. He was in the middle of proving himself, in the middle of a fight against a God in their own Realm! – Which he only had one way to win... What was he even waiting for at this point?
'Come on! The heck are you waiting for? Show the grass lady she's the one dogs eat!'
Amako's voice echoed in his head once more, a small smile appeared onto his face as the joke clicked in. – This Buki was surely lovely to hang around with. – Jokes and all, she was quite right. He should start acting.
Rose just took another step forward, giving an exasperated sigh at the silence. – She did not think he would just shut up all of a sudden... That was not quite the Tris she remembered... Maybe he was right, he grew up, matured even... But to her, it was hard to believe the troublemaker could change this fast. – She knew he was plotting something evil.
Tris took a deep breath, tasting the air, which was filled with quite a flowery smell, thanks to the Garden's air filling the room. – And as such, he stepped forward. His feet tapped onto the vines as he took another step!
"Who am I to judge... I am merely but the fox at the door... One who watches and calls the scales to tip, left or right. Good or bad... Like, the difference is so big. – Yet let me tell you a story. Dear Guardian. – Once stood a fox, whom challenged all. A step he took, swift and sly. Stepping where none would dare. – But his voice was heard high, as he decreed... And as such, listen to me carefully. – There was once a garden, yet when he stepped on it. It dared not attack him, all it would do was retreat. – A prince is born with trust. No bond, no ruler. Yet respect can go a far way..."
And as such, he stepped onto the vines once more, as they began trembling under his feet. – As the prince declared, a command out loud. And the Garden was bound to follow those who did not summon it to fight a child.