Pollen dusted my nose, and I twitched away from the sensation. Muted light teased my eyelids, and I blinked against it. My body was curled along a patch of grass, shadows dancing across my form from the trees above. Kade’s photograph was still pressed to my chest, and I took a deep breath.

I thought I’d have more time.

The strange sensation I’d felt prior was gone. It’d felt like a severe cold. Not quite painful but rife with discomfort and exhaustion. Their voices still rang in my ear, a collection of confused dissonance. There were so many questions in my head, but it seemed like all I ever had these days were questions.

I clamored to my feet and brushed away the thin dusting of pollen from the hairs of my arms. As I did so, I noted there was someone leaning against one of the trees, arms crossed. I’d expected the Headmaster to greet me, but instead I was met with the sharp form of Fable. He wasn’t looking at me, his head slightly lifted as though following the movement of the leaves.

“…I wasn’t expecting you.” Fable turned, and I tried not to freeze. I expected a glare or some other form of contempt, but there was nothing. It was like I’d never snapped at him. Then again, he’d hardly reacted after that moment either.

He pushed himself upright, “Fox isn’t allowed here.”

“I meant the Headmaster.” I followed after him as he walked ahead. His steps were feather quiet, and it made me all the more conscious of my own.

“He’s currently busy. Your failure was…bland.”

Fable didn’t look at me as he spoke and I didn’t dare walk side by side with him. I kept a few paces just behind. “I’m…sorry?”

“For the first tale,” his voice became numb, the same kind of voice he used when talking to the Headmaster, “You met the Prince, the Villain, and the Guardian. You mistook the Villain, you acknowledged no romantic interest in either, you showed sympathy towards the Villain. You managed to unearth the first conflict. Your story ended right after the beginning was established.”

It was like I was getting my stat page read to me. The only thing I ended up snagged on, was the Guardian, “Who…had been the Guardian?”

“There is no longer any reason to dwell on the first story.”

“But…” I clutched the photo closer to me, as though he would turn and rip it from my fingers. He cocked his head back, as though sensing the movement. When his gaze landed on it, he merely looked away. His indifference was going to leave me colder than anything else in this place.

He paused at the clearing, where the Headmaster’s desk was, “The Guardian was Jen.”

I near choked in surprise, “In what sense of the word—?”

“Wells was the Prince, and Kade was the Villain, regardless of your sympathies.” He turned and looked at me fully. “Why did he have your sympathies?”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“W-why? He was…just a boy.” Who was hurt and hopeless in ways he hadn’t wanted. I never figured out what had caused that outburst, or why his magic was overflowing with nothing but sadness. I bit my lip, questions welling up inside of me.

Fable moved a step closer and I felt his figure loom, “A boy you mean nothing to now. You should let him go.”

I flinched away, pressing the photo closer to me still, “I…I know that I…”

My eyes burned. I refused to cry in front of Fable. Not while he was passing down judgement without a hint of emotion on his face. But this was it. I would wake up in the morning and it would the first day of school again. Kade would have no idea who I was, and neither would Wells. Would I still feel Kade’s magic? Would their story still be the same?

“You failed.” My vision blurred. Trembles coursed through my fingers. I failed. I knew I would. I had went on knowing this to be the outcome. I hadn’t even gotten to know them that well, and yet… “It’s time to pick your next story.”

“How…how would the rest of that story have gone?” I could hear the heaving in my tone. The desperate attempt to hold back my cries. Fable stared at me, his expression not changing. “I mean, if I—”

“You should never speak to them again.” The order was cold.

“But they’re…”

“Outside your jurisdiction now. Isn’t your friend more important?” Why did that feel like a threat? Chills raced down my spine and I tried to stop my trembles. I wasn’t going to cry. Not here, not now.

I swallowed hard, “It can be anything, right?”

“Whatever you wish.”

I pulled away from him, turning to look at the foliage around me. If anything, I wanted my back towards him, so he wouldn’t see me cry. It was impossible to hold them back and as much as I tried I could feel their warmth snake down my cheek.

The area was full of so many different types of plants, and although I tried not to, I couldn’t help but look at where the marigolds were. Or rather, where they had once been. The spot was now gone, a patch of dirt the only ode to their memory. With Fable’s gaze on me, I didn’t dwell on it. I failed the first story, there were no second chances.

Like the first time, I felt lost in the choices, and that was just in this one area. I wasn’t sure how large this ethereal greenhouse was, but it felt like it spanned yards and yards. When I looked up, my eyes caught the sun, and I squinted against it. It must always be day here, for the sun to be out.

As I circled around what felt like the hundredth time, Fable’s voice broke the quiet, “You’ll always feel that now.”

“What?”

“The pain. You said you wanted to make sure you’re friend never got hurt. You were talking physically, but really, this is the pain you’re taking in her place.” I froze, cautious of him as he walked to stand next to me. “Do you regret it?”

“…No.” If there was anything I regretted, it was not being able to do more. For failing so easily, something Abigail could have done without blinking.

“You can keep the photograph. I won’t steal it away from you.” I relaxed, but only by a margin.

With so many flowers in front of me, I tried my best to focus and blink away the remaining tears. As my vision cleared, I could see all the cool colors that were dotting the greens of plants. I’d been attracted to the marigold because it had been so bright. Now my eyes were pulled by something that was a deep red.

I took a few steps forward, reaching out for it. Flowers still weren’t my strong suit, and I decided to start brushing up on flower information from now on. This place was going to be a place I would see many times to come. My heart twisted at the thought, and my lips warbled again.

“Petunias.” Fable said behind me, although it felt less like he was talking to me and more he was cataloguing information. There were other colors, purples and whites and ones that were spotted. But this felt like one of the deepest flowers I had ever seen.

As I plucked it, I felt the world fray again, “…How badly did I fail, Fable?”

He said nothing, and I closed my eyes.