For Halcyon (Vainglory)

A Withered Flower

In the language of flowers, daisy means innocence, beauty and a loyal love.

"Are they your favorite?" Celeste asked Kestrel as they walked through the jungle.

A group of minions carrying an assortment of freshly picked flowers followed them closely. The flowers were all in full bloom and the princess decided that today she will pick out fresh flowers for her mother's birthday, which they still celebrate despite her passing.

"No..." Kestrel answered.

"Oh, what's your favorite flower then? I assumed it was because you kept picking it." Celeste said as she glanced at the archer beside her.

Kestrel held up the daisy in her hand and began plucking its white petals one by one. Her thoughts wandered back to the recent past—to a certain girl that she parted ways with badly.

Kestrel, help-ELP-ELP-ELP...

"Kestrel?" Celeste called her. "Are you okay? You're spacing out."

"I'm okay... just probably tired from last night's patrol." the archer smiled.

"You guys didn't need to patrol all night." the princess said. "I know there's a threat because of that report Taka told dadda but we need to look out for our health too." Celeste sighed.

Yesterday, Taka made a report to Ardan about his encounter in the jungle.

***

"It wasn't human?" Ardan asked as he placed down a blueprint of a new turret prototype that he designed.

"It looked and sounded like a robot but when I smacked it, the mask came off and it had a human head." Taka said. "Its body is definitely metal though. I pierced through the torso then its arm and all there was were wires. No blood nor flesh."

"It's either an android or a cyborg, hopefully not the second one." Ardan shivered at the thought of someone experimenting on humans and robots although he couldn't judge them harshly for he—himself can be considered a cyborg due to his whole right arm being mechanized.

"I'm just glad I escaped that thing. It's certainly a death tool." Taka said and gazed down at his torn clothes. If Taka wasn't fast enough it could've reached him in the flesh and fatally wound him.

"Do you think it's from Catherine's side?" the technologist asked.

The fox shook his head. "I don't think it's on their side."

"Why do you think that?" Ardan raised an eyebrow.

"It was alone."

"Maybe they were confident that it can take us all down by itself."

"I don't know but I have a gut feeling."

***

"Mamma, it's been years since that night, I still miss you everyday." Celeste whispered to a portrait of Julia—the only photo they have of the fallen royalty. The princess gently placed the framed photo in the center of the altar she had set up for today.