In Search of a Cure

[Palladium]

"I'll tell you what will happen," Palladium snapped in a way very uncharacteristic of him, "I'm going to turn into a tree and this whole field is going to be destroyed and no magic will be able to fix it."

Looking down at his body, Palladium muttered a whole new slew of curses as he noticed that his torso had joined his legs in becoming a lovely tree trunk.

Shaking his head, Palladium stared out at the field, not able to make out anything in particular. "But I swear to the gods, if she somehow, inadvertently or not, hurt Cora . . ." Palladium let his threat hang unfinished in the air, determined to get a hold of himself.

[Demeter]

: Wysteria slowly made her way to her daughter's side and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Flora Gallowglass," she said in a firm tone. "E. Nough. Let it end, baby girl, let it end."

"It's not fair, Mama," Flora said, her voice thick with tears. "It's not fair. Why did they have to build my hopes up only to shatter them?"

: "Shh, baby girl," Wysteria said, pulling the raging flower fairy into a tight hug, gently coaxing her out of the tantrum and coaxing her into regaining her fabled control. Hopefully, that would break all the spells Flora had unknowingly cast.

[Palladium]

As Palladium watched Wysteria soothe her daughter, he felt his body slowly return to normal. Breathing a sigh of relief at no longer being in the process of turning into a tree, Palladium glanced around him to see the damage done to the field. Wincing, Palladium saw that the prized roses, among the other beautiful wildflowers, had been uprooted and strewn all over the place.

And then his heart nearly stopped. Cora. Where was she? And then, he saw her, his eyes immediately zeroing in on his friend's slender, frighteningly pale figure. Brushing past Flora and her mother, Palladium dropped to his knees beside Cora, scared to touch her as she lied face down, her entire body limp. Gently, Palladium reached out and lifted her onto his lap. Smoothing her hair, Palladium winced as he saw several trickles of blood run down the side of her face.

Refusing to look at Flora, Palladium rose to his feet, holding Cora in his arms. Speaking quietly, Palladium asked, "Can you wake up? Please, Cora, wake up for me." No response.

[Demeter]

Flora just wept in her mother's arms, wanting very much to have this been a particularly bad dream. She hated herself so very much. She let herself lose just a bit of her fabled calm and allowed several of the roses to lash out with their thorns, scratching her so she bled.

: Wysteria stared in horror as she watched her daughter punish herself. "Flora, enough." She'd quietly panic and hopefully not draw the professor's attention to this scene of sheer insanity.

"It won't ever be enough," she whispered. "He hates me. He'll never forgive me. I hurt her. I hurt him. I need to be punished, Mother." She fell silent and let the roses continue their punishment.

[Palladium]

Palladium looked at Flora with distaste at her self-inflicted punishment; he had never known her to be quite so immature. All along he had fooled himself into thinking that she was virtually an adult, meaning that it was technically okay for him to fall for her - but now. Palladium shook his head and snapped, setting Cora gently on the ground, "Oh for the love of . . ."

Although Palladium didn't have an immense control over nature, Flora's use of the roses for punishment was in his realm of power to stop. Muttering a short chant, Palladium lifted his hands and a pale pink orb shot out and latched onto the roses, pulling them to the ground.

Seeing that that matter was taken care of, Palladium again lifted Cora into his arms, his face lighting up when he saw her slowly stir.

[Demeter]

Flora glared in his general direction - although, the effect was lost due to her blindness. She would have loved to have him actually acknowledge her and yell at her. She deserved his anger. She had hurt the woman he loved during her temper tantrum. She wanted him to at least tell her something but no, she had been an utter fool, especially by chasing after a man who was practically married to that female elf. She pulled free of her mother's arms and slowly walked away. She wanted time to be alone, nurse a broken heart and try to get things back on the path they had been before she fell for her teacher.

[Palladium]

Looking at Flora walking away, Palladium sighed. He hadn't meant to behave quite so boorishly, but he had been in the heat of the moment, afraid for Cora, and . . .

Glancing down at Cora's face, he forced a smile and asked, "Do you think you can manage on your own for a few moments? I'd like to speak with Flora for a minute-"

Staring at Palladium for a moment, as though reading his thoughts, Cora finally nodded and replied, squeezing his arm, "Of course; take as much time as you need."


Palladium smiled gratefully and then gently set Cora down on the ground. Turning, he called out, his voice calm, "Flora, may I speak with you, please?"

[Demeter]

Flora paused midstep, which caused her trip over the root that she didn't see. She fell hard to the ground, injuring a wrist in the process, and scraping both knees. "Yes," she responded. "If that is what you truly wish..."

[Palladium]

"Don't be so difficult, Flora," Palladium chided, his voice empty of any malice. Crouching down next to her, he gently took her hand to help her stand up before leading her to a more private place. After a long pause, he began, "I'd just like to try to understand what just happened here . . . what triggered your outburst."

[Demeter]

"I guess I was disappointed. I had put so much hope and faith into thinking that Cora could help me and when she said she couldn't, well, all my hopes shattered. And I guess I lost it a bit," she said quietly, "staring" down at her feet. "I'm so very sorry and I know you have to be so very disappointed in me."

[Palladium]

Palladium frowned. "Cora didn't say that she couldn't help you; she said that she needed time. I apologize if I led you to think that she would have a solution right from the moment you met her; that wasn't my intention whatsoever." Pausing, he added, "I was certain that you understood that when one is dealing with forgotten magic, one can't be rushed, but I see now that I was unclear."

[Demeter]

"I suppose I was being a tad foolish. I should have known it would take time but I just hoped that this could be fixed," she said, gesturing to her sightless eyes. "I'm sorry if I hurt your future wife..." The last words came out in a weak whisper.

[Palladium]

Palladium looked confused for a moment before he realized that Flora had mistook Cora for his intended. Coloring, he smiled awkwardly and then answered, "Despite how our families often try to push us together, Cora and I remain simply friends; she's enjoying her independent life and I . . ." Palladium cut himself off, deciding that perhaps Flora didn't need to know the complexities of his relationship with Cora. "In any event, what's done is done and we'll just forget this ever happened; how does that sound, hmm?"

[Demeter]

"That sounds good to me," Flora said quietly. "Just one question... How badly did I hurt you?" she asked. She was afraid she had hurt him badly during her time out of control.

[Palladium]

Wryly Palladium replied, "Well, if the fact that you partially turned me into a tree tells you anything . . . but I'm fine now." Glancing over at Cora, who was gently rubbing her ankle a ways off, he added, "And I think Cora will be fine, so I don't think you hurt either of us too badly."