"Huh?!"
"What!?"
I suddenly snap out of the trance I was in while listening to Father's story. I looked around confusedly and saw that both Father and Mother were also recoiling from their own surprise. That was when it hit me.
"Nexa, don't scare us like that!"
I complain to my older sister, Nexa, to not shout right behind us when we are in the middle of a story. Plus, it still looks too early to be working right now. I mean, the amount of light coming out of the window tells me that the Sun just rose an hour ago. Okay, well, I kinda talked Father into telling us a story so early in the morning but, it was Nexa's fault for surprising us!
"All of you were so engrossed in your story that you all stayed up for an entire hour without doing anything!"
"But, the light-"
"It's cloudy today, you know? Even then, have you forgotten that it has started to snow recently? It is already late in the morning and yet, all of you are just sitting in a circle when you're all supposed to be helping me out with the chores!"
Damn.
Nexa gets real angry when we forget that we have to help her with all of our chores. Mother and Father are easily able to drop whatever they're doing and help her but, it is sort of hard to just accept helping someone when they just scolded you.
"Alright, Nexa. I'll whip up a gastronomical miracle that will amplify your current power levels and-"
"No, thanks, Elaina. I already cooked some bread from the remaining wheat we still had. Besides that, don't you think that you're too old to be tying up your hair in pigtails by now?"
"Yeah, I don't think Mother is going to listen to you."
But, as usual, Nexa didn't hear me. As you might have noticed, there is a stark difference between the ways me and my sister call our parents. I know that they must have been great people if they have this much stories so, I always treat them with respect. Nexa, on the other hand, calls them by their first names, which I consider to be the pinnacle of disrespect but, our parents tolerate it, so I don't say anything.
"Oh. Then, I'll go prepare the garden... oh wait, I mean, the florescent Eden!"
I watched Mother leave through the door after saying that and turned my attention to Father. When this happens, Father usually leaves with Nexa to go to the village at the base of the mountain to buy food as, since snow might be coming soon, we won't be able to grow our own food.
Both of them like being outdoors, but to be honest, I'm more of an indoors person, like Mother. Though, she is more like a mix of liking the outside and the inside.
"Zen, be a good boy and listen to your mother, alright? Me and Nexa will be back by around noon."
I saw Father pick up some bread on the table before going out through the door with Nexa. Well, the only one who gets really mad in this family is actually Nexa so, I don't think I have to worry. The only time I remember Mother being scary was during one of Father's story-times. I think she said something like 'Make sure that you yourself will never become a monster when fighting monsters for when you stare at the abyss for too long, it will eventually stare back'.
I thought it was another one of her antics but, she wasn't smiling when she said that. I looked back and saw Father acting a bit nervous after she said that. Did she say that because Father did something related to what she said before? I never did ask though as it seemed a bit like a sensitive topic for them.
I walked out of the door and went straight towards the garden, which Mother was getting ready to protect.
And yes, I said 'protect'.
That is because, this year, Father planted a kind of flower I never see around here in the garden. It sort of surprised me as we usually only plant vegetables there, but flowers were a first. I didn't think Father would be the kind of person to like flowers so, I thought it was Mother's at first but Nexa told me otherwise.
"Hey, Mother, what are all of these flowers called?"
I asked the question that was hanging around at the back of my mind ever since those flowers appeared outside of our window. I have to say, I can kind of see why Father likes them. They are of a golden color with petals that looked like dancing flames with crimson tips. They looked more like summer plants so, it looked bizarre for such a plant to be here right in the middle of winter, with snow being expected soon.
"I'm glad you asked. These flowers are called 'Aurelius Chrysanthemums'. It is quite a long name, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is."
...
"Where did Father say he found this?"
"I actually don't know. However, he said that these flowers produce heat all-year round so, they are actually quite warm to the touch."
"Really?!"
I remove the winter mittens I was wearing inside of the house and place it right next to the flower.
"Woah, it really is warm!"
"I told you."
"But, if it is warm then, why do we need to protect it?"
"Your father said that he was afraid of some animal being attracted to the heat and accidentally killing it so, he wants to preserve it. According to him, it is also quite rare, apparently."
I never would have thought that Father would bring some flowers that are apparently rare and are also able to produce heat, which I thought was impossible since plants are not usually able to regulate their heat. That must mean that they are some sort of magical plant, right? Like the ones that Father had described in one of his stories? I wonder where Father even found such an amazing specimen of a plant.
But then, I just realize something about this plant that should have rung a bell with me earlier. The name of this flower is somehow... way too familiar.
"Mother."
"Yes, dear?"
"Why does this flower have the same name as our last name? Was Father's family named after this flower or was this flower named after them? Plus, it seems a bit convenient that Father brought back an unknown flower with him that has the same name as him."
"... Well, I d-don't have all of t-the details but,... hey, do you want to help me out a bit?"
It is obvious when Mother becomes nervous as her mental age is way too young. I wonder how young she thinks she is but, I won't pry as I know from my sister that it is quite impolite to ask a woman her age, though I don't know how Mother qualifies as woman. I guess she did give birth to 2 kids so, physically, perhaps?
I move closer to Mother and get the glass domes we will be covering the Aurelius's with. Mother reminded me to be careful but, I don't think I have to be ultra-careful when there are only a few of them here. After no time at all, the both of us fixed up what we needed to do and we walked back to our house, waiting for Father and Nexa to come back home with lunch.
Right before we went inside, I looked back at the flowers and counted them. After counting them, I realized at that moment why those flowers were important to Father.
"Wow, I can't believe it. There are 4 flowers."