Iris was adopted into the Rose Clan by Lidia herself. She loved Iris as her own kin, treated her with respect and kindness every day of her life. Iris no longer went hungry, she no longer hunted for every meal, and she no longer needed to sleep on hard stone at night. She had become a permanent part of the Rose Family.

Even all the other members of the Rose Clan adored Iris. They would brag to Lidia about how she was always willing to help, support her fellow members when they needed it, and made excellent connections with the civilians. She became popular to the entire kingdom. Eventually, Iris would meet a boy while she was dropping off crops for a merchant.

She immediately fell in love with him. After her long hours, he would take her to scenic views of the town. They would travel outside the walls and play in the meadows of flowers. However, whenever Iris was home late, Lidia would always be waiting for her at the dining room table.

"What were you doing out so late?"

"Me and Thomas were just having fun, mom. It’s nothing to worry about, I promise!"

"I was young too once, you know! I know exactly what you mean by having fun!"

Iris’s entire face flashed bright red.

"N-no it’s not like that! We were just running around enjoying views!"

"Tell me the drama Iris, I know there’s drama with that boy!"

"But mom, we have to get up early tomorrow for a big harvest."

"You can’t share secrets with your own mom?! I feel so hurt; I may just pass away at this very moment!"

Iris ran over and gave Lidia a big hug and kiss on the cheek.

"I’m going to bed mom. I will tell you tomorrow, okay?"

"Just be careful with him! Boys can be awful sometimes!"

Iris laughed and waved her mom goodnight.

The next day, Iris was home late once again. She walked into the room with tears in her eyes. Lidia immediately walked over to console Iris.

"What happened today?"

"H-he cheated on me. I saw him kiss a lady who worked in a shoe shop."

"I’m so sorry, Iris."

Lidia embraced Iris and gently put a hand behind her head. She lifted Iris’s chin up so she could look her in the eyes.

"How about I bake you some pastries tonight to make you feel better. Does that sound like fun?"

Through sniffles, Iris croaked out a response.

"C-can I help?"

Lidia smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"They wouldn’t be nearly as good without my favorite chef helping me!"

Iris smiled and gave Lidia another large hug. The two of them baked pastries the rest of the night. Lidia would throw flower at Iris every now and then that made her giggle and throw some back. Another day passed and Iris would still take the time to walk over and give her mom a hug and kiss before going to sleep. This became routine for years.

One day, Iris sat down to talk with Lidia once more.

"Mom, I have this performance coming up that I really want you to be at. Do you think you can make it?"

Lidia started laughing.

"I already hear you sing in your room all the time! How would a performance be any different?!"

Iris’s face grew red.

"I’m not singing, mom! It’s a play!"

"You already know I will be there, honey. I will always be there to support you no matter what."

Iris started cheering up and down and gave Lidia a massive hug.

"You’re going to love it! I just know it!"

A few weeks passed by, and Lidia was sitting in a crowd of a people. Every member of the Rose Clan decided to show up and give their support to their sister and friend. The play started a bit slow, with a story between two lovers who wanted to be together, but the parents strictly forbade it. Iris was playing the female lead as one of the lovers. It transformed into a tragedy when the man decided if they can’t be together, he would rather forfeit his life. When the man passed away, Iris gave a monologue to the crowd while standing atop a fake cliff.

"Oh, dearest lover whose love forbidden seemingly by the heavens, I call to you in a moment of grief. You have left me, you have forgotten me, my heart aches waiting for a return that will never come. But what does it mean to grieve if not to love? Your love transcends the flesh, it pierces my heart so, yet it gives me a longing that we shall find each other someday far beyond this world. With thee gone, my resolution be final. Who am I without thee? What is a flower without its petals? What is a fish without its fins? Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone, without one half, I shall never be whole again. Your voice calls to me; it calls to me beyond. Our love is eternal, our love is powerful, and with our love, I say goodbye to an unforgiving world."

With the final line, Iris pretends to fall from the cliff. The crowd was completely silent from the dark scene they watched. Sniffles were coming from people across the Rose Clan. Lidia had tears streaming down her cheeks. As the curtains closed to signal the end of the play, roars of applause echoed from the crowd. Everyone was screaming and clapping with all their heart.

After the show, Iris ran up to Lidia and gave her a big hug.

"Did you like the play, mom?"

Lidia held Iris’s face.

"I absolutely loved it. You made your mother cry, you know!"

Iris started giggling and together they walked back to the palace with Lidia’s arm around her shoulder.

A few weeks passed when Iris came to Lidia one night with some scary news.

"Mom, I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure, honey. What is it about?"

"It’s about my power. I think there’s something wrong with it."

"Something wrong with it? What do you mean?"

"I feel like I’m sensing blood where I shouldn’t be. Like I’m sensing the ground of the kingdom instead of blood."

"Hm... that is odd. How long has this been happening?"

"A few days now. It’s almost like if the kingdom itself was alive and I can feel the blood circulating through it."

"I don’t know if that’s a concern or not. Perhaps we should go to the professor about this. Maybe he will know something about it we don’t."

"Why don’t we go to the king about it? He has a blood power too."

"Hm... I didn’t think of that. Perhaps we can do that instead. I think enough time is passed that he would be lenient finding out you have a power. Or maybe he already assumed since I adopted you. Do you want me to go with you?"

"I’m okay mom. Besides, I think it would be cool to bond over our powers!"

"Just please be careful, honey. The king can be quite scary sometimes."

"I will mom, I’ll be right back!" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Lidia patiently waited for her daughter to return... and waited... and waited... and waited some more.

"Hm. She should have been back by now. I should go check on her."

As Lidia walked through the halls of the palace, things seemed eerily quiet. Panic slowly started to rise in her stomach, and she picked up the pace, calling out to Iris as she ran.

"Iris! Iris! Are you here?!"

No response. She was about to pass a certain hall when she suddenly heard a small voice.

"...mom."

Lidia stopped and sprinted toward the voice. When she turned the corner, the world suddenly froze.

Iris was lying in a massive pool of blood, quickly bleeding out at an abnormal rate. Strangely, it looked like the blood trail started from a random wall in the hallway. Iris was clearly trying to get back to the Rose Clan dormitories but couldn’t make it.

"Iris! Oh no. No no no. Don’t speak. Everything’s going to be okay."

Tears started rolling down Lidias face as she held her daughter in her arms, trying to wrap up any wounds she could find. Iris’s hand slowly started shaking as it reached Lidias face. Iris was smiling at Lidia weakly.

"Mom... I love you mom... you’ve given me the life I’ve always wanted. You... saved me."

Lidia started bawling and frantically tried tightening the makeshift bandages.

"Don’t talk honey, mom is here now. Mom is here. Everything is going to be fine."

"... goodbye mom... I love you so much..."

Iris went limp in Lidia’s arms.

"No... NO! Mom is still here!"

Lidia started sprinting with all her might calling out to the doctor.

"DOC! DOC! IT’S AN EMRGENCY! PLEASE HELP! PLEASE-"

The palace remained silent. Lidia looked sorrowfully at her daughter’s cold body. Tears kept streaming down her face as she spoke and held her close.

"I love you too, Iris... goodbye, my wonderful daughter."