A lone Root came into our Domain. She looks rather old but has still the demeanor of a Matriarch. I really hate surprises, what is it now?

Moving to the Market with Ava, Snow is still out in the sewers as she is culling some snakes which started to overpopulate again. Leaf is with Petal for now and security is being taken care of by Bush Man, if needed. Hopefully not needed, but who knows?

{Do you speak Root?}

Nice greeting. Not even a Name. Well whatever I just keep up appearance and throw her out if I get annoyed.

{Yes I do. Can I help you?}

{Great, as I hate that common tongue of the Grassers. I would like to meet my Granddaughter, former Dancing Petal, now Dreaming Petal.}

Fuck! Her Grandmother, this is now not a good timing. She might be thinking of chiding her or forcing her to bow down and be uprooted to become a stationary guardian or something. Whatever she wants to do, I can not think of a positive thing she might be here for.

{She is no longer part of Root and has no need to be disturbed by…}

{Hush, male! This is a talk my Granddaughter and I have to do. We might be different now, but my Blood runs partially through her veins still.}

...can I punt her? Please let me punt her right out of the crater. I will even make a hole in the Bubble for her to make it mostly intact right into the City of Root!

Deep breaths… deep breaths…

{I see. I will bring you to the entrance of the Labyrinth and ask her myself, if she wants to see you. If not I will bring you right back and you will be asked to leave.}

{This will do.}

And we are walking silently to my Castle.

…

“Grandmother?!”

“Yeah, she said so, albeit not even deigning to tell me her Name.”

“...yes that is what Grandmother would do. She is ruling mostly with an iron fist since she became Matriarch of the Family Tree.”

“So, can I tell her you do not want to see her? She is rather getting on my Nerves even if she did not say much to me.”

“No! I… I need to hear her out. That is the least I should do.”

Ugh, now I have to bring her here. Well nothing I can do about it. I might be the owner of this place, but right now this is Family business, and I should not meddle inside. Consider yourself lucky you old hag…

…

{Follow me…}

With a nod she follows and we walk the shortest way possible. No walking in circles or opening the maze right in front of a dead-end? ...okay…

Finally being there Petal sits with Leafy together inside her beautiful Flower with Tea ready. It seems they want her to be welcomed as much as they are possibly capable. I do not know why, but whatever.

Walking up the petal which is lying down like a carpet she stands now in front of the two looking at them with cold eyes.

Sigh {Stupid Girl, could you not find another way? Look at you, there is no way back now. I should have known you would go drastic measures for your fling, but this…}

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

{She is not a fling Grandmother! I really love her!}

{Yeah, I see that now. To do that you must have been really cornered by us. Still you are so stupid to become… that.}

{It was my decision. I always had to do what the Family wanted me to do, now I finally stood up for myself.}

The Grandmother stretches her hand out. I am ready if she wants to use a spell but seems not necessary. She just pats her head.

{That you did, that you did. You always were a dangerous child. Seeing beauty in most things and thinking differently. You might have made a great Matriarch if you had been able to reign your impulses in. How are you right now feeling?}

{I… am fine?}

{Good to hear. Your Mother is still heartbroken, but with herbal tea she can already sleep again. You really shocked her to desperation, you know?}

{Grandmother…}

{You know, I had also a female lover long time ago. We were together so often and were really in love. Sadly she died one stampede. I was grieving so much, oh so much… Your Mother was already born at that time but still blooming at her Treemother.}

{You had… and still had a child?}

{It is our duty to grow the next generation. As long as it is behind the leafs no one bats an eye, you know? You just had to find a husband you maybe can tolerate once in a while, and drink a bit more of strong wine. Deed done, you can live how you like.}

What do you think of man dear Grandmother?! Are they in your eyes just walking fertilizers?! Root are really messed up! I can change my sex, that much is clear but I feel male, so I am offended too!

{Still, I would have never been able to be with anyone else than her. I am already old and never saw a male as even a bit appealing.}

Ouch! You do know I am still here, right?

Sigh {You might really not be able to handle this. Still, it was foolish. I tried my best to help. Even thought of making her a new Family Tree. You just needed to make some children sometimes and then you could have been together.}

{As I said, I could not.}

{That you said. I needed to drink myself into a stupor too, the first time. Maybe I was wrong, as I do not care about your Grandfather being dead but Ivy… I miss her.}

{I… I am sorry for not being up to your standards Grandmother.}

{Don’t be. You were more courageous than me. Still you are a fool. You are now a pretty flower rather literally. Could you not find another way? I even put guards on patrol to let you flee, if it came to this, but no… it must be something not even I could foresee, silly girl.}

{So, why are you here? I have not heard about me being cut off. What is that about?}

{You just made a new Family Tree of Dreaming. While it is destined to die out rather quickly I just thought it would be fine to let it stay that way. Even in leaving our Family you make a ruckus. Can you do nothing without making a scene once? Last time you became an Ambassador, making the Queen reform our lookout on the World and bring back a cure for the bogs like it was a normal spring day!}

Um… that was my work mostly, thank you very much? With how the talk is going I am somewhat sorry for wanting to punt her… but I still wish to do that. So overbearing…

{Sorry Grandmother… that is how I am.}

{Don’t be. Just be happy or whatever you want to be. If there is nothing anymore, I will go now. Might be never come again, so I wish you luck in your life.}

{Wait! ...Grandmother, please make sure Mother is well. She really was destroyed seeing me like this.}

{Bah! She is so brittle sometimes. Normally she should be the Matriarch after me, but your Aunt shows more promise. Well, at least I will do what I can to bring her back to her own two feet. It will take a few years, but I will knock some sense into her to not condemn you, like I heard she did. Farewell new young Matriarch.}

{Farewell… Matriarch Dancing Mist… dear Grandmother.}

Okay, she is really nice, if a bit rough. I like her more and more, maybe I have misunderstood her and might be able to connect with.

{You, male! Bring me back to the exit, now!}

No, punting her to one of the Moons it is!

…

“Do you feel better Petal? She was rather an old hag in my eyes, but seems really to care about you.”

“I never thought… At least we have her acknowledgment. It feels so much better to be free without bad blood. I feel so much better now.”

“But I have a question Leafy, why did you not say anything. I myself was just there to keep her from attacking you, so I just kept silent, but you…”

“Well I am in our relationship more the male, so I just kept shut until asked something. Nothing came up so I did not say a thing.”

“Ugh… Wow, the matriarchal impulse in you Root flows deep. Still I am happy you two seem to have finally peace of mind.”

Snow herself was napping in a side entrance after hearing there might be trouble. If something had happened she would have been there, but luckily it was not needed. With this the whole chaos will be over… I hope?

“So do you think there will be still some dissent coming our way?”

Petal shakes her head.

“Not much at least. I do not think anyone would go over their Matriarch to just force revenge on something, that she already solved. There are some outliers though. Better be careful, but not paranoid.”

Well that sounds like a good plan. Staying careful but not becoming paranoid at every moving shadow.