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"Did you see the flowers?"
"Yeah! The arrangement was huge!"
"Right? I didn't recognize some of them, either. Who do you think sent them?"
"No idea. But they must be for Malleus-sama, considering where the bouquet was placed. Whoever it was, they have amazing taste."
Malleus hears the conversation in the hallway just outside of the Diasomnia dormitory lounge. The mention of his name has his interest piqued immediately. "Oho?"
At the sound of his voice, the two students jump and spin around. "M—Malleus-sama! Good morning!" The first student, whom Malleus recognizes as a second year mountain goat fae from the Shaftlands, says quickly. "I hope you slept well?"
"I did, thank you." He perhaps did not sleep enough, but what sleep he did get was restful. "Did I hear you mention that there are flowers for me?"
"Yes sir!" The second student replies. This first year is a human, though his pastel pink hair could easily fit in among floral fae.
Malleus cannot help but smile. "Thank you for the information. Perhaps the flowers accompany an invitation of some kind. Let me go take a look." He breezes past the two starstruck underclassmen and makes his way into the lounge.
However, the moment he lays eyes on the flowers in question—a truly impressive bouquet in a clear glass vase, with a combination of dark green, black, gold, and off-white blooms—the sensation of cold dread sweeps through his body. Standing tall over the multicolored blossoms is a single flower with dark red petals and shimmering, vibrant golden stamens. Malleus has never seen the flower before today, but he is familiar enough with descriptions of it to recognize it instantly. In Briar Valley, it is known as faebane. The flowers only grow where death resides. There is a long-standing legend in which someone used them to craft a terrible poison that killed hundreds in the Briarland during the reign of the Fairy of Thorns. They are nearly as terrifying as the ancient firelotuses.
Is this meant to be some kind of farce? Holding his breath, fearful Malleus slowly approaches the bouquet. There is a small white card tucked into the arrangement. Thankfully, he has his gloves on, and the card is far enough away from the faebane that he doesn't disturb any of its pollen while pulling it out.
The handwriting on the card is familiar to Malleus as well. His eyes narrow as he reads it.
Please accept these flowers as an honest declaration of my feelings. They were chosen and arranged with my own two hands. I hope to receive a response from you soon. —L.K.
There is only one "L.K." that Malleus knows: Leona Kingscholar, the Housewarden of Savanaclaw. Eight months ago, during the Interdorm Spelldrive Tournament, it orchestrated a scheme to seriously injure Malleus and the rest of the Diasomnia team by causing a human stampede. Of course, Malleus was unharmed—as were the other team members, thanks in part to the efforts of Riddle Rosehearts and his card soldiers. And Malleus was able to use his magic to safely direct the stampeding humans into the arena, so there was no great cause for concern there either. Unfortunately, its failure to achieve its goal ultimately contributed to Kingscholar's overblot.
And now it is sending him a hand-crafted arrangement including a poisonous flower? In Briar Valley, sending another person faebane is practically a declaration of war. Does it truly still hate him this ardently, even after this long?
…Well, well. Apparently Leona did not get all of its ire out of its system while fighting Malleus during his own overblot last month. And thinking more about it, Malleus never truly got to seek reparations from Kingscholar for the attempt on his life, however spectacularly it may have failed at the time.
Perhaps this is his opportunity to do so.
If Leona Kingscholar wishes to declare war on him, Malleus will happily grant its wish. But first, he needs to find out the best way to reply.
I wonder if the library has a book on floriography… if not, perhaps Sam may be able to assist.
Two days pass before Malleus is able to procure the necessary research materials. The library had nothing of note, so he was forced to request a book through Mr. S's Mystery Shop. And though the proprietor prides himself on having anything a student could need "IN STOCK NOW!", there are, of course, some limitations for special requests.
It is of no consequence to Malleus, of course. Two days are but a moment to a fae. And besides, why should he rush to reply? Sending such a message of hatred by way of flowers is certainly a tactful method, especially given how protective Lilia, Silver, and Sebek tend to be of him; but that does not excuse the fact that Kingscholar still sent dangerous flowers.
Were Malleus more petty, he would simply send a bouquet of lilies in return. A bit of cursory research shows Malleus that the plants are toxic to felines. Though he does not know if the same is true of feline beastmen, he can only imagine that the message would be loud and clear. However, Leona requested a response to its bouquet, so Malleus intends to send the response in kind: I understand your sentiment and return it wholeheartedly.
Though there are no pictures in the book that describes the flower meanings—in fact, the book itself is around a hundred years old—each plant in question includes a helpful description. He takes a few moments to create dozens of stems with magic before putting together the bouquet. Malleus starts with silver-lace tansy greens and flowers. "I declare war on you" is certainly an apt message to form the base of his bouquet. Garden daisies mean "I share your sentiments;" they will be perfect for this bouquet as well. Of course, he can't forget to add datura, meaning "calamity"—for that is what he will be to Kingscholar, should it persist in this folly after receiving Malleus's response. He also tucks in a few blue rhododendrons, to represent "danger." They will round out the bouquet nicely. For the rest of the greenery, Malleus can only think to use basil—since it means "hatred," it is the perfect final note for his response.
As much as he had hoped that they could set their differences aside and become friends… Malleus sees now that it was pure foolishness on his part. Clearly, Kingscholar will never think of him as anything other than a thorn in its side to be eliminated.
The thought hurts more than Malleus would care to admit.
Malleus steps back and looks at the bouquet. It feels like something is missing… Consulting the book once more, he flips through the pages until he spies one particular entry that catches his interest:
Marigold—Pain and grief, jealousy; cruelty
… How delightfully, ironically appropriate. Most marigold flowers are dreadfully bright in color, however; they would not be in line with Malleus's bouquet of mostly white and pale blue. No, he will need to use magic to change their color to something more suitable.
He smiles to himself as he tucks in the newly whitened marigold flowers. The finished bouquet looks like nothing so much as an arrangement for a funeral. And, well, does that not just suit the situation perfectly? For good measure, Malleus takes a small piece of paper and makes his own card, similar to the one Kingscholar had left on the arrangement it made for him.
I have received your flowers, Kingscholar. Please accept this hand-crafted bouquet in response. My own heartfelt feelings are contained within. —M.D.
Now all that is left is to deliver the arrangement. But how to do so…? A smug smirk appears on his lips as an idea comes to his mind. Kingscholar often sneaks naps in the Botanical Garden, does it not? He will leave the bouquet at one of its favorite napping spots; that way, it is certain to find his response quickly. Malleus wastes no time teleporting from his room with the flower arrangement in hand.
Soon… Malleus smiles as he sets the vase full of flowers down under Kingscholar's favorite tree. The beastman in question does not seem to be nearby, at least as far as he can tell. But that matters little; Malleus will simply wait for it to reply. The smile on his face grows even wider as he walks away.
Your move, Kingscholar. How will you reply?
Malleus expected a reply to come quickly. But when Kingscholar approaches him the very next morning, just before a joint P.E. lesson between Class A and Class D, the expression on its face is nothing like what he thought it would be. Somehow, Kingscholar seems almost… happy? There is a real, honest smile on its face—nothing like the smug or stormy expressions that Malleus is used to seeing the lion beastman make. And its ears are perked up and pointed forward as it walks toward him. Even its tail, with how it is lifted high and slightly curled at the end, reminds Malleus of a curious and excited cat.
Something is definitely wrong. But Malleus has no idea what that could be. Perhaps this is merely the calm before the storm. Perhaps it is trying to lull him into a false sense of security before unleashing its Unique Magic on him directly, or some other kind of heinous act of violence.
"Mornin', lizard," Kingscholar drawls, and the tone of its voice can only be described as flirtatious. The way it speaks sends a shiver up Malleus's spine, makes his toes curl in an oddly pleasant fashion. Even the way it says its (normally disrespectful) nickname for him carries nothing more than fond playfulness. "Got your reply yesterday. I was beginnin' to worry you weren't gonna send anything back. But I'm glad my feelings came across properly. An' I'm even more glad you feel the same." Its eyes fall half-lidded, and the corners of its lips lift in a way that softens its entire expression.
Malleus can only blink owlishly back at it. What in thorns is happening? Did Kingscholar have a mental breakdown out of fear of Malleus's reprisal? Or—
His thoughts are interrupted when it suddenly leans closer. The audacious invasion of his personal space makes Malleus freeze in place out of confusion. For half a second, he wonders if it is trying to sink its teeth into his neck, if it is going to make an attempt to rip out his throat. But the only thing he feels is a whisper of breath against his cheek before soft lips brush his skin. When Kingscholar pulls back, it looks like nothing so much as a cat very pleased to have been given a bowl of cream. And Malleus's cheek feels hot where it… kissed him. Actually, his entire face feels unusually warm.
"What." Malleus can't think of anything else to say. In honesty, he can't think at all. It's like his mind has filled with cotton fluff, and white noise buzzes in his ears so loudly that he can't focus on any sounds around him. It isn't until Coach Vargas blows his whistle that he comes back to full awareness of his surroundings. Unfortunately, he can't do anything about Kingscholar's strange behavior now, because it is time for class to begin.
At the end of the class session, Coach Vargas instructs them to pair up and help each other to do their stretches. Malleus always hates this part, because no one in Class D has ever expressed an interest in helping him before. But this time, before he can simply start on the stretches alone, Kingscholar steps over to him. "C'mon, let's go over there," it says, and it gestures over its shoulder with its thumb to a patch of grass that is relatively less occupied. Once again, Malleus is so shocked—Kingscholar approached him of its own will—that he can do nothing but wordlessly comply.
The next thing he knows, he is seated on the ground, and warm hands are pressing gently against his upper back to assist him in his stretches. Kingscholar has knelt behind him. Malleus can feel the faint prickle of claws against his skin through the layers of his P.E. uniform.
He tries not to think too hard about where else he has secretly, shamefully, imagined feeling those claws in the past. This whole bouquet situation has eliminated any potential opportunity for that kind of connection to form between them.
"So." Kingscholar's voice is soft, gentle; so at odds with its usual tone. "You picked some interestin' flowers, y'know. Did you really mean all that?"
Ah. Now it has pierced to the heart of the matter. Of course. All of that earlier sweetness was merely an act, an effort to get Malleus to agree to be separated from the rest of the class. And in this position, it would be all too easy for Kingscholar's claws to rend flesh without anyone else seeing.
"I did," Malleus replies. He works hard not to let his voice tremble or his body stiffen from tension, so as not to reveal that he is wise to Kingscholar's scheme. Let it make its attempt. Malleus will crush him even more fiercely in return.
"'M glad." The hands on his back shift slightly. Suddenly, Kingscholar's chest is fully pressed against his back. Its lips brush against the shell of Malleus's ear as it whispers, "I love you, too." Its chest rumbles softly with what could only be described as a purr.
…What did it just say?
Malleus's head whips around, incredulity clear on his face. "There is no need for such perverse jests, Kingscholar."
"Leona. Call me Leona, yeah?" It chuckles softly. "And I don't know what you mean by 'perverse jests,' I'm bein' completely serious. Those flowers carried my true feelings, after all. An' you said you feel the same, so that means you love me, right?"
"What?!" The word comes out as nothing so much as a shriek. Several other students glance over at the sound, but then quickly return their attention to their own stretches when they realize who is involved. Not surprising, given how the two have been known for butting heads with one another fairly frequently over the past three years.
"Garden daisies, for I share your sentiments. Moonflowers for dreaming of love. Those blue azaleas, meaning take care and passion. White marigolds are real popular in the Sunset Savanna too, they signify protection and purification. An' you used mint for the greenery, which means warmth of feeling."
The shock Malleus is feeling must be visible on his face—or possibly detectable in his scent—because Leona's head tilts in visible confusion. "What?"
Malleus sucks in a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh. Apparently he is going to have to spell his feelings out for Leona. "You have it all wrong. My bouquet was a declaration of war. You sent me faebane, so of course I had to reply in kind."
"What the fuck is faebane?" Now Leona sounds more angry than confused.
"Faebane is the flower that you oh-so-flagrantly used as the centerpiece of your bouquet. Its blood-red petals and golden stamens are well-known to every fae from a young age, as they were once used to craft a deadly poison that took hundreds of lives in the ancient Briarland during the time of the Fairy of Thorns. How else could I interpret the inclusion of that flower but as an outright wish for my death?"
"Porra," Leona swears under its breath. "Malleus, that was a fuckin' camellia flower. Not faebane or whatever the fuck you thought it was. It grows in the Sunset Savanna and represents enduring love." Leona pulls out its cellular phone from its pocket and, after tapping at the screen a few times, it shows Malleus a photograph with the words Camellia sasanqua. He cannot deny that it looks identical to the one in the bouquet; although he removed the flowers almost immediately, given his concern about potentially breathing in toxic pollen, his memory is still good enough to recognize it.
"…Oh." Malleus's face flushes with embarrassment. If Leona did not intend to cause him harm… and in fact, its bouquet was a declaration of love, not war… then does that mean it truly wants to be in a relationship with him? "But wait a moment! All of those flowers you mentioned before—those were not the flowers I sent you. Well, the garden daisies were correct, but all of the others were wrong. I specifically remember that I sent datura, basil, rhododendrons, and marigolds."
"You didn't buy the flowers you sent me, though, did you?" Leona retorts. "I could smell your magic on 'em. Not sure where you got your visual references, but you definitely didn't make whatever flowers you thought you were making."
"But what about the silver-lace tansy? That literally means I declare war on you."
"According to what? In the Sunset Savanna, tansy represents immortality. I thought you were sayin' you wanted to be with me forever." And at that comment, Leona's cheeks flush a bit as it looks askance. It almost seems… embarrassed?
How cute.
"I give up," Malleus says with a sigh. The only conclusion he can make is that his inability to lie extends to flower language, as well. "You win. Yes, Leona. I love you. I have for quite some time."
Whatever embarrassment was on Leona's face disappears, its lips curling upward in a toothy grin. "Good. I love you too."
"Then… what do we do now?" Malleus has never been in a relationship before. Especially not one with a beastman. He can only imagine their courtship rituals are wildly different.
But that is alright. Malleus is nothing if not a quick learner.
"Wanna skip the next class period and go get some coffee in town?" Leona suggests. "I was up all night readin' a book about fae courtship to prepare for today, so I'm completely exhausted. I could use the caffeine."
…Oh.
"I would be delighted." Malleus smiles softly. With a grin of its own, Leona offers him a hand up. He takes it gladly and both of them get to their feet just as Vargas blows his whistle to signal the end of class. "I do have one more question, however. What prompted you to send the flowers in the first place?"
"Oh. Right. Actually, I kinda got the idea from the bat bastard. Back when he participated in the Catch the Tail competition an' he was askin' for suggestions for gifts, he talked about some of the gifts he'd gotten you in the past. But he also mentioned that you get flower seeds from your grandmother for your birthday every year.
"It got me thinkin' about the flowers of the Savanna and their meanings… All of the flowers in the bouquet I sent you grow there, an' they all have meanings relating to love. I figured, if you like flowers, maybe a bouquet would be a good way for me to get my feelings across without havin' to tell you to your face. Because I knew if I tried to tell you in person, either your bodyguards would interrupt or you wouldn't believe me, after everything that happened earlier in the year."
Unfortunately, Malleus can't deny Leona's words. It is true that he would be suspicious of an unprompted, in-person love confession. But the flowers didn't exactly get its true feelings across initially, either…
"Ah, well, it all worked out in the end," Leona continues. "Now we both know where we stand. An' we can move forward together."
"Indeed. Speaking of which… could we move forward toward the café? I am actually quite thirsty, and would love to get that coffee now."
Leona chuckles, the sound low and sultry in his throat. It sends a shiver of anticipation up Malleus's spine. "Sure, thamani. Let's go."
