I was ushered to a seat where everyone stood, waiting for me. I felt like the guest at a medieval castle during a royal feast, and I was the crown Princess.
"Please, sit, Nola. We are all so very excited to have you here tonight!" Queen Lascella said in a joyous voice.
"Queen, you really shouldn't have made such a fuss over me! I would be perfectly fine eating in my room. I am not really use to all this fanfare, and, if I am being honest, I don't want to pretend I have been properly trained for such a meal in this setting." I replied in a hushed tone.
She responded, " Oh honey, this is how we eat almost every night! We are all family here, just gathering to talk about our day and consume a delicious meal together. You know what photosynthesis is correct?"
"Biology 101 basics, yes ma'am!"
"Well, to be brief while we are eating, we are hybrids of sorts. Most of us don't have to consume much, if anything at all. Our family mostly starts their days out by sunbathing in the morning dew. They photosynthesize. Even I have adapted to do this in the mornings as well. We all have the traditional gastrointestinal tracts of a human, but we don't need the same type of vitamins and nutrients."
"I am really confused as to why you have to photosynthesize, Lascella? You were born human just like me."
"I know there are things I haven't spoken to you about, and we will in time, but let me ease you in to it. As for now, I'd love for you to try our version of the hamburger!"
"HAMBURGER?! I thought most of the mammals couldn't survive the global warming?!"
"Nola, just take a bite and tell me what you think."
I stared long and hard at the dish on my plate, wondering what kind of black magic I was about to partake in. Although, I am a scientist studying botany, and this was a sci-fi, post-apocalyptic storyline I'm stuck in, not a fantasy. I don't think there's any black magic. I here I lifted the "burger" to my mouth slowly, crossing my eyes as it became too close. Giving in, I closed my eyes and took a hesitant bite, and am pleasantly surprised!
"I knew it, what kind of black magic sorceress made this?" I proclaimed, mouth full of food.
Jude chuckled at me, "It's a ground portabella and bean burger, silly."
"Don't be rude, Jude! Nola, my mom was a vegetarian when I was growing up. I just passed on her creative recipes when I came here. Its amazing what you can do with, mushrooms, Soy and Jackfruit!" Lascella beamed with pride as she bragged on her food.
"Oh no! I'm allergic to mushrooms!" I did a self check internally, seeing if there were any hives forming, or itchy tongue present.
This time Lascella laughed, "Remember those things I said we would talk about? I don't think you have any worries about plant allergies now. You are part plant! I just thought that might be too heavy of a conversation over dinner, and in front of half the town."
"So… when you mentioned photosynthesis, were you including me in that, is that something you were talking about learning?"
"That's one of many things. Jude tried keeping you outside as much as possible to see if any other concerns, or abilities, arose. Awenasa has given us all much, but we are all different. Jude is sometimes a little reckless and I thought he might bring out… something from you."
"Yeah, he brought out my inability to control my thoughts," I muttered under my breath. "So, what are these abilities? Are you talking about Jude's creepy mind meld?" speaking again at a audible volume.
"That's not a mind meld, and you know you liked it." Jude whispered under his breath.
I responded by stomping on his foot under the table.
"YEOW" Jude coughed, "You know you like the Projections just as much as any of us." He said a little louder this time, trying to cover up his outburst. He turned his brief pain in to an embarrassment for me, as my cheeks heated and red crept up my neck to my cheeks. I shouldn't have been embarrassed. What happened, hadn't ACTUALLY happened, but the realness of the moment left me heated thinking about it. This creepy vixen already knows how to push my buttons, and he may be a little better at this game than myself. We will see though.
I tried the alternative going in to stealthy attack mode, because now this was more of a game of who could embarrass the other. I slipped my foot over, sliding it slowly up his shin. He may be a cheeky vixen, but he was still a virgin vixen. He didn't know that he was playing with fire, not that I was experienced, but I knew more than he did!
I saw him wiggle in his seat, eyes looking out the corner of his vision at me. His green skin was turning the most adorable shade of ruby red! I wouldn't have even thought it was possible for his beautiful green skin to turn such a shade.
I chuckled under my breath, leaned over and whispered to him, "You look light a Christmas light, house display. Have you ever played Santa Claus?"
At about this time I realized every one was staring at us yet again. In my oblivion of teasing the Prince, I forgot we were in the dining room surrounded by people.
Pink. The color of blushing cheeks.
Lascella cleared her voice, "Projections are something we all can do. We don't have roots like plants, but instead of hair on our arms and legs, we have trichomes. We can connect with each other, or use them as a defense, but we all have them."
"Yes, I know trichomes from my studies." I said as I studied my arms closer. Sure enough, I looked like a furry mouse when I looked close enough.
My facial expression must have given away my curiosity and disgust with myself, because Lascella giggled at me.
"You silly girl, your body is different now, and there are many new things for you to discover. For now, dinner is finished and Jude seems eager to leave, so I'll have him show you to your room for the time being."
"Do you mind if I take a walk? I would like to clear my head." I replied. I was still a little embarrassed at my actions earlier and did not want to be seen with his royal highness right now.
She ruffled her brows, "I really wish you'd at least take him so you're not alone. Just tell him to tape his mouth shut if he annoys you."
I shrugged my shoulders, "I guess if he is quiet, I won't mind." I stood up and waited for him to follow. He crossed his arms in front of himself and reluctantly stood up to follow after me.
I wasn't sure where I was going, but Awenasa seemed to know the way I needed. She unveiled a path as we progressed down our path. I walked in silence for a bit before I spoke up in Jude's direction, "I didn't mean you couldn't say anything at all you know? You can speak whenever you like." The silence was suddenly deafening.
We walked quietly for a moment more, Awenasa opening up to a beautiful nighttime breeze. The sky was full of every star I could name, and a few I had never seen. The difference between the Earth I was born in and the Earth I now live in is such a drastic change, but it is magnificent in so many ways.
"I don't understand you. I don't understand you or the way you make me feel." Jude surprised me by finally speaking.
"Go on," I replied, "explain."
"I've grown up assuming girls were just like guys, and not understanding what made some people be attracted to another being. I know my parents love each other, and I love them, but I have never understood why they were attracted to each other in THAT way."
"I think I know where this is going."
He continued as if I hadn't said anything, "but when I am around you, I feel something, and I don't know what. My stomach aches, my head feels dizzy, and I want to be near you. I feel like a fool, because in all my years I have lived, I have never felt like this. I have acted out around you, and I feel like a newborn flower bud myself."
Sometime while he was talking, we had sat down, our legs hanging off the edge of our path and feet kicking back and forth.
I looked down smiling, until I remembered my fear of heights, "Jude! Pick me up! I can't move!"
He seemed like I had started him out of a deep thought process and before I could blink, I was lifted in his arms and he was checking my arms and legs.
"Why can't you move? Have you been hurt!?" His hands rubbed down my arms giving them goosebumps, but also heating me to the core.
"No silly, I realized I was sitting on the edge high up and I was frozen with fear. Thank you." I hugged my arms around his neck, his warmth filling inside me. "How is it you are so warm, on such a chilly night?"
He brushed a lock of hair behind my ear, backing up into the shadows, away from the breeze. "Because you make me feel this way. I turn red around you in embarrassment, in happiness, many reasons apparently. You feel my warmth because we are connected when we touch. I don't have to trigger a projection for us to connect in some ways. Remember what my mother said? All of us are connected, and you being in my arms, makes us even more so."
A part of me wanted to jump away, afraid of this new life and this blossoming crush, but part of me wanted to stay right here in his warm embrace after this scary, long day. His arms felt familiar, this life felt familiar, like I was made to be here.
"Jude? Is it possible to go back to the projection we had in the tunnel? When we were laying in my old backyard with the honeysuckles?"
"I'd love that very much, Nola." He leaned back against the wall, sliding down to sit.
Awenasa drew a blanket of warmth around us, shielding us both from the night breeze. Jude gently grabbed my hand and brought it up to his cheek, where he kissed my palm. He then placed it on his temple this time, as he reached with one hand to touch my own.
"This time, we are even, no tricks, just connected equally." He said as I felt like I was fading into a dream this time. No bright, white lights, or jerking tummy aches, just release. I dreamt of a childhood memory, Jude and I rolling around in the grass as 8-year olds. We pluck honeysuckles from the fence line and lick the centers to our hearts delight! We end the day spinning in circles until we fall on the ground next to each other. We wrap our arms around each other, using one another's arms as pillows. We fall asleep as the sun starts to change colors, our cheeks pink from a day in the sun.
Pink. The color of sun-bathed cheeks.