Tommy walks along the stone path, his blue eyes taking in the full appearance of the large greenhouse. Despite the snowy climate outside of these glass walls, Tommy feels a natural heat start to pool underneath his thick clothes. He starts to remove his cloak, letting it slide down his arms. Before the expensive material can touch the tawny ground, the cloak is taken from his arms by Niki. She folds it over her forearm, taking a step back to give him space. Tommy looks over his shoulder at her and the guard standing right beside her. Jack is hardly paying attention, his eyes glancing over at the very few exits in the tightly preserved greenhouse. Niki meets Tommy's eyes, concern swimming in the rich brown color. Tommy looks away to make sure Niki does not see his weakness. He can no longer afford to be weak.

"Her grace adored this place. It was the accumulation of all her efforts," The servant leading Tommy through the greenhouse explains with a soft voice. Barnabas is the head butler of the Grace estate. When the third prince and his attendants arrived after a week of travel by carriage, Barnabas personally handled them. It was partially a matter of respect given from the duke's family to a member of imperial blood, but also a matter of personal duties. Tommy was one of Shelby's closest friends. He was the reason she became the apprentice of the Imperial Mage. Barnabas watched Shelby grow up, inevitably making him someone who knew her very well. Barnabas and Tommy were of very different rank, but they were both intricately connected to the lost heir of the Grace household. Barnabas probably saw this as a favor to his young lady, not as a fulfillment of his obligations.

"Her favorite pastime before she left for the capital was taking care of this greenhouse. She would add another annex every year for her birthday, preparing to grow even more exotic plants. She made it her goal to grow every unique plant from each nation. The harder it is for the plant to survive in the empire, the more determined she was to make it bloom or bear fruit," Barnabas continued with a half-smile showing on his normally passive expression. There is a wistful look in his eyes as he looks around the greenhouse. Tommy does not mention it. He has experienced a similar feeling. There are several places in the Imperial palace he cannot be for long for it reminds him too much of Shelby. There are places he cannot go because he is reminded of Wilbur or of Clara, too.

"She divided the greenhouse when she grew old enough to realize she could do that. There is a nursery for trees. There is an annex where she only grows fruits. She even has a section for poisons, though we will avoid that area so that your guard does not summon flames to burn away what my lady has spent years achieving," Barnabas explains, gesturing with a gloved hand. He does not wear the blues and whites of the Imperial household. He wears a viridian green color with sunny yellow accents. It reminds Tommy of Shelby. He closes his eyes to cease his crying. It will serve no one for him to start breaking down right now, least of all himself.

"I will go wherever my prince goes," Jack responds dutifully. The words he does not say is that if Tommy wants to see the poisons, Jack will follow him without a second thought.

Tommy does not smile even though the thought does warm his chest. He instead says, "That will be unnecessary. Although I do wish to see what the little duchess has accomplished, I am primarily here for the fertilizer she used."

"The fertilizer," Barnabas repeats, whispering to himself. In The Ender Prince, this greenhouse was the source of Shelby's immense power. Although plants do not give off a lot of EXP, these plants are special for multiple reasons. For one, there are a lot of them. For another, these plants originally belong to vastly different climates. It isn't only Shelby's hard work and the conditions of the greenhouse that gives them life. The plants need to possess some will to thrive, and this additional willpower lends well to the natural admission of EXP. Shelby was able to utilize this to full effect.

Another reason would be the fertilizer Shelby used. She created herself, preserving the recipe in one of her many journals. The soil absorbs EXP from the world itself, nourishing the plants even more. It was one of Shelby's heavily guarded secrets. Tommy doesn't remember if the recipe was ever revealed in The Ender Prince, but he knows the existence of it was passed along the grapevine when Ranboo and his companions arrived in the Badlands, rendezvousing with Shelby. Ranboo took comfort in this secret up until Shelby revealed her corrupted roots.

"I want to start planting in the little duchess' honor, but it would be too troublesome to continue the tradition here. I will grow the plants in the Imperial gardens," Tommy explains swiftly. He spent the entire trip preparing what he would say should anyone ask him questions about why he came all the way to the Grace's main residence for fertilizer.

"This servant knows her grace would be proud," Barnabas tells Tommy, meeting the prince's eyes for a moment. Tommy feels a little bad about lying, but he consoles himself with the fact that it isn't completely a lie. "If this servant may be so bold, might he ask what you are planting? It will help this servant decide which fertilizer would be best to send."

Either Shelby made more than one type of fertilizer or Barnabas has made an excuse on the fly to satiate his own curiosity. Tommy does not suspect he has malicious intentions. Even if he did, this is not a question Tommy has to avoid. The answer spills easily from his lips, "A tree."

Tommy does not mention that this tree will be born from the seed of what Tommy suspects is the World Tree, the originator of all the trees that define the nation. Tommy still doesn't know why that mysterious man in the white void gave Tommy the seed, but he would be remiss not to plant it. He suspects that he will find strength in its presence, maybe even enough to find these places where fate's eyes do not fall. Tommy is going to need all the help he can get, and maybe a mythical plant that will surely cause diplomatic trouble is all he's going to get.

"A small amount should be used at first to begin growth. This servant will immediately send a larger bag when the tree begins to outgrow its starter pot," Barnabas informs Tommy with a straightforward nod.

"You have my gratitude, butler," Tommy inclines his head in the only show of respect he can provide to someone who ranks below him. Barnabas does get some respect for being the head butler to a high dukedom, but there is a limit. Tommy trusts his servants and he acknowledges that Barnabas will not tell a soul, but Tommy cannot confirm that he is not being watched at all times. His weakness will be his undoing, and Tommy knows how these dominos will fall.

"Your highness, Prince Theseus," Barnabas says softly, drawing Tommy's attention to his downcast face. "Permission to speak honestly."

"Speak with as much candor as your courage will allow," Tommy informs Barnabas. He feels a slight ripple in the air from Niki and Jack, but Tommy does not have anything to fear from the servant in front of him. Should Barnabas attack him, Tommy knows how to defend himself.

"I have served the Grace family for many years. I was here when her little duchess, Shelby, was born. I was there when she grew up. I fed her snacks. I held her hand. I watched over her when the darkness proved terrifying to her young mind. I watched her grow from a baby to a young woman," Barnabas says. Tommy assumes as much, but it makes his throat burn hearing it from Barnabas' lips. It is easy to see how Wilbur's loss has affected people. It is harder to see how Shelby's death has. Tommy hasn't seen Tubbo or Gemini since before he knew the truth, so he doesn't know how they are faring. His family is too caught up with Wilbur to really grieve Shelby. Tommy tries to grieve everyone he's lost equally, but this has made him forget all the people in the Grace's territory that lost their young lady.

Barnabas gets down on one of his knees. He is bowing far deeper and reverently than discretion dictates. Tommy tenses, watching as Barnabas leans his head down, a hand on his heart. "Thank you for preserving her memory and legacy."

"It is an honor to do this, just as it was an honor to get to know her," Tommy feels the emotions leak into his voice despite him trying to hold it back. He looks to the side, his eyes catching on a bright yellow blossom leaning into the path from the bush it hangs off of. The petals stretch out far from the brown center. It reminds Tommy of a sunflower, though he knows that it isn't. The tattoo on the back of his hand burns, reminding him of what he's supposed to be. Shelby died because of Tommy. He will not let anyone else follow her to Misstrixten's domain.

"She was a wonderful child," Barnabas comments. He rises to his feet. His face is schooled back into a neutral expression, all traces of emotions washed away in an instant. Tommy envies the servant's mask, but he has been at it for far longer than Tommy has been. The prince only hopes he will grow into it soon enough. "I will see to the fertilizer now. The greenhouse is yours to wander."

Barnabas bows respectfully, walking away when a moment passes. As the servant's footsteps grow softer, Tommy starts leisurely strolling through the gardens. He follows the path, allowing the curves to take him to each corner of the glass sanctuary. There are dozens of plants stretching from one pane to the next. Not all of them have blooming flowers. Some are like wheat or reeds. They are not there for their own beauty, but they do provide a perfect backdrop for some of the blossoms. Tommy runs his fingers along the top of a leaf tinted dark red with green-black edges. It feels waxy beneath his fingertips, and Tommy knows that his fingerprints have been smeared into the leaf. Tommy draws his hand away, pondering which of these plants carry remnants of Shelby on them.

They all do, Tommy knows. Each one of these plants were brought up from seeds by her careful hands and limitless patience. She watered each one. She monitored each one. She moved them to different places. She coaxed growth out of them, and they all responded to her efforts. The thick vegetation proves that Shelby was successful. The EXP in the air proves that she was successful. The beauty of all these varieties melds together in a quilt of expression. Tommy feels like he is walking through Shelby's soul. He feels like each of these plants carry a precious memory of hers.

And he knows he's right when he steps into an annex. Unlike the other parts of the greenhouse, this one is not filled to capacity. Each plant is kept separate in their own pots or basins, reducing competition. There is even a wooden desk intricately carved in the corner, stacked high with papers and inked quills. Tommy runs his fingers along the surface. He looks over the papers with mild interest. It is a record of the plants that grow in this room. There is a name beside each one, but Tommy soon realizes these aren't the names of the plants. They are the names of the person the plant was meant to go to. Tommy knows because he finds his name near the bottom of the list. Tommy pushes his palm against the paper, his fingers spreading out to touch more of the ink. Tommy rubs his thumb along the 't' of his name. The one letter the name of this life and the last one have in common.

Tommy moves away from the desk. He comes to the basin that belongs to his plant. Unlike the others, this plant is not strictly in soil. It is planted in water tainted brown by dirt. There are flowers floating in the water. Leaves spread out underneath the golden and blue petals in the shape of a star. Tommy dips his hand into the water, feeling the steady warmth that is someone preserved. Although lotuses are native to Kinoko, Tommy knows that is not the origin of these particular lotuses. These flowers with their unique coloring are from the Drylands, a nation that once laid between the empire and Kinoko but was now annexed into the empire.

Niki leans down on her knees right beside Tommy. She is wearing a mournful expression. Tommy pretends not to notice her. Officially, he cannot know that her birthplace was Drywaters. If he knows that, then her story about being an orphan who happened to get a maid job would be proven false. People will start asking questions, and Niki's involvement with the resistance against the empire will be revealed. Tommy doesn't want Niki to die a gruesome death. Plus, he needs her later on for his own purposes. He doesn't want to get rid of a pivotal pawn, so he continues to pretend.

She is making it a little difficult by wearing such an expression around him, but he lets it slide. Drywaters will never grow flowers like this again. It was covered in permafrost during the empire's invasion. It wasn't the intention of the empire, just a natural occurrence that Tommy believes came from the Argent Sylva. The freshwaters the land was once known for froze over, choking the life out of all the aquatic flora.

Tommy is left wondering why Shelby would choose these flowers to give him. Tommy eyes Niki right beside him. He looks away from her as he carefully mentions, "Drywaters has some of the most beautiful plants."

Niki's eyes narrow, repressing a flinch. Tommy sees through her, but only because he's gotten acquainted with her emotions over the past year or so. He sees the conflict in her eyes, and she avoids his expression when she asks, "Would you like to hear a story about these flowers, your highness?"

"If you are inclined to tell it," Tommy whispers back to her. He feels like they are sharing a secret. Maybe they are. Not with their words, of course, but with what the words mean, the hidden truth neither of them are saying but that they're realizing the other one knows.

"A long time ago, the continent was split between two extremes. The north was bitterly cold, like the accumulation of a thousand imperial winters. The south was forever burning underneath the heat of the daystar's fury. A golden fox went through the southern heat to find a group of people. He told them that he found a land where they need not be stricken down by the daystar and the roaring sands. The people did not believe him at first, but the golden fox was persistent. Eventually, the leader of the human's group told two of the members to entertain the golden fox. They were to return should the golden fox prove truthful. If not... they were to bring back the pelt of the golden fox.

"The two humans wandered a great distance to follow the golden fox. He promised them every morning that they were close. The humans lost more and more faith every day. They eventually lost their patience. They prepared to kill the golden fox in the night. The golden fox knew what they were going to do, so he ran away from them. The humans split up, each one hunting for the golden fox. It was the woman who found the golden fox. He was standing in the shallows of what he had found- water. The woman did not know what water was, but it felt cool against her skin when she stepped into it. She sat in the water, and the golden fox swore to her that water would be the solution to all her people's problems.

"Although the water was nice, it would not be enough, the woman told the golden fox. The golden fox sat on her knees, looking into her eyes. The golden fox asked what she would do to save her people. The woman swore to do anything. The golden fox slashed at her chest with his claws. The woman stabbed the fox's side in retaliation. The two of them laid bleeding in the shallow water. Their blood spread out, contaminating the water. Plants begin growing across the bottom of the lake, bursting with colorful plantlife.

"The man who had been traveling alongside them found the oasis. He grieved the loss of his friend, but as he tried pulling her body from the water, it transformed into lotuses the same color as her eyes and hair. Fish as golden as the fox spilled into the water, populating the newly made lake. In an instant, the man's body began undergoing changes. He could no longer breathe air, but the water soothed his lungs. His eyes adjusted to the darkness of the lake, and he found that he could swim fast enough to catch the fish. When his original people found the lake, they were transformed into merlings just like him. They built a kingdom underneath the waters. The lotuses and the golden fish were symbols of their nation, a reminder that growth only comes from sacrifice."

Tommy feels tears burn in his eyes. The story is sad enough on its own, but Tommy knows that Shelby knew that story. He could even bet that Wilbur was the one who told it to her. He can't know if that final message was meant for him- that growth comes from sacrifice- but it feels disgustingly applicable. Tommy doesn't want to think of Wilbur, Shelby, and Clara's deaths as sacrifices, but they are going to help Tommy grow. He's going to become strong enough. He isn't going to let anyone else die.

"You know, my... village was surrounded by these large apple trees. I always thought the pink flowers from the large branches were the most beautiful flowers I'd ever seen in my life," Jack says, his tone as remorseful as Niki's expression. This is Jack's way of letting everyone in on his secret. The only place in the empire that has apple trees is Manifold territory. It is one of the few reasons the Manifold line hasn't crumpled prior to now.

"I would love to see them one day," Tommy nods. He does want to see Jack's home eventually. He also wouldn't mind visiting Drywaters. He wants to know what went wrong with their tree, but he wants to see where Niki grew up. He wants to know more about the people around him every day.

Jack opens his mouth to respond, but Barnabas appears at the entrance to the annex. Another servant is behind him with the fertilizer Tommy came for. Tommy stands up, walking over to the butler and standing between him and Tommy's servants. Tommy raises an eyebrow at Barnabas. The butler bows. "The duke and duchess request an audience with his highness."

Tommy breathes in through his nose, taking in the information. He nods slowly. He lifts a hand up, shaking his fingers. "Niki, take the fertilizer to the carriage. Jack, you are to come with me. We shall see why Duke Fern and Duchess Rose want to meet me."

His servants do not respond, but they immediately set out to complete his orders. Niki takes the fertilizer without needing to exert any effort, her outfit doing wonders to hide her physicality. Niki goes to the carriage in the distance. Tommy turns his attention away from her, following Barnabas into the nearby manor. Jack walks behind Tommy, his armor clinking like tiny bells as they move across the paved paths.

A pair of guards open the door for Barnabas, Tommy, and Jack. Barnabas allows Tommy to enter first because of their positions, but he quickly maneuvers back in front to guide Tommy and Jack to the reception room. Tommy pays little attention to the interior design of the manor, but his eyes do catch on a tapestry hanging on one of the hallway walls. It is of a young woman, Tommy believes, with dark brown hair and golden eyes. She has pointed ears, and she is wearing a mushroom cap on her head. Tommy would have believed she were an elf if not for Orion's story ringing in his ears. Was this the gnome from that story? What would a figure from that story be doing here?

Barnabas personally opens the door to the reception room. Tommy looks away from the tapestry to step into the reception room. Jack slides into the room behind Tommy, observing the area around them for threats. Tommy allows his guard to take care of that job as he walks deeper into the room. He keeps his eyes trained on the people in the room.

The duke of the Grace family line, Fern, is a large, round man. He has a thick mustache that lends into an equally large beard. This hairiness includes bushy eyebrows that cover up his eyes, but there isn't a single strand on top of his head. He is wearing the proper greens and yellows of his home nation.

His wife, Rose, is different. She is tall and wiry with thick, long curls that resemble the same shade as a flame. Rose's eyes are tuscan yellow like Shelby's eyes were, and they seem to be filled with as much intelligence. She is wearing a green dress that hugs her body. Paired with her hair, she really does look like her namesake.

There is someone Tommy doesn't know between them. She is a young woman with long pink hair, wavy like the waters of a calm lake. Her eyes seem to resemble the same shade as that lake, a deep and light blue so pristine it makes Tommy wonder if this is an illegitimate child of his father. The young woman does not have the same confidence as his father, however. She seems to have a nervous temperament. Whereas the duke and duchess nod their heads respectfully at Tommy, the young woman literally slides off the couch onto her knees in reverence. Tommy raises an eyebrow curiously. No one has ever done that before, and it doesn't make Tommy feel alright. "You all may rise."

Fern and Rose lift their heads, and the young woman sits back on the couch between them. Tommy sits down on the chair across from them. He folds his hands in his lap, intently staring at the people in front of him. Fern and Rose hardly get mentioned in The Ender Prince. Tommy doesn't remember anything about them from that book, but he does remember a few comments from Kara during their studies. Rose is the one from the original Grace bloodline. Although born with a silver spoon in her mouth, Rose became a mage with the power to manipulate plants. This gave her an opportunity to spend time with the farmers, thus acquainting her with Fern. The two hit it off, and they were soon wed despite his commoner status. They raised Shelby with a healthy mixture of both of their childhoods, ensuring Shelby was strong and kind.

"I offer my condolences on your loss," Tommy nods his head this time. He hasn't spoken with anyone from Shelby's family in his entire lifetime, but he feels connected to them in the same way he was connected to Barnabas- through Shelby. It is strange how the people a person is close to influences them. If Tommy wasn't so sick with grief, he would be fascinated by how Shelby knew so many other people that weren't him, that he never met.

Rose looks away from Tommy at the mention of her fallen daughter, and the pink haired woman's eyes fill up with tears. Fern's hands close into fists. Tommy knows what sort of expression he would find if he were to look into the man's eyes. Tommy internally winces, but he shows not a trace of his sympathy on his face. "We do not need to dwell on harmful thoughts. Tell me why you have sought an audience with me."

"For the past several weeks, my husband and I have grieved our daughter as any mother and father would. We have reconciled with her loss the best we can given the short timeframe and how sudden it all was," Rose speaks, her voice silky yet firm. Tommy makes eye contact with her despite the yellow shading of her irises making Tommy want to vomit. "But we are not just a mother and a father. We are a duke and a duchess of a vast territory filled with thousands of people. We must reconcile that we no longer have an heir to inherit our lands."

Rose was not an only child, but her brother died young due to sickness. Fern had a sister, but she would never be able to inherit what was Rose's child's birthright. There were no other side families to bring forth a replacement. If the Grace family did not do something, their bloodline would end here. The western dukedom would experience what will happen to the northern dukedom in a few years- the imperial family will host a competition and auction for the lands. Anyone could end up inheriting the western dukedom, even someone with little qualifications.

"My daughter wrote many diaries in her youth, and she wrote even more letters back to us during her time at the academy. In all of these writings, she spoke very highly of this young woman, Prismarina, a daughter of a baron and a classmate at the academy. It was even to the point that Shelby considered them to be sisters. As the duke and duchess, Fern and I would like to make that official. We wish to adopt Prismarina and make her our heir," Rose continues. Tommy catches the way her voice nearly breaks near the beginning, but the duchess is swift in dispelling the emotions in her voice.

"I do not believe you need the reminder that you are speaking of an issue that is against the law. Succession may only happen between blood relations," Tommy says slowly, letting each word weigh heavily in the room. There is also competition and auction issued by the imperial family, but Tommy highly doubts Fern and Rose want that to happen.

"We are aware, which is why we have chosen to speak with you. We want to request that you petition with the tsar to change the law," Rose continues.

"We are too old to have another child," Fern adds. "Even if we weren't, I do not believe we could ever replace our little Shelby."

"The people of the dukedom deserve to have their future guaranteed. Prismarina is a kind girl, and she will grow into an intelligent and fair leader," Rose nods assuredly. Prismarina's eyes light up, looking over at Rose's face with something like hope. She meets Tommy's eyes unflinchingly. "If anyone can help us, it would be you, your highness. You are the Tsesarevich, after all."

Tommy isn't, technically, but with Wilbur dead and Techno gone indefinitely, succession lies on Tommy's shoulders. Tommy looks away from Rose's face. He doesn't want the reminder.

To distract himself, Tommy starts thinking about a similar plot line in the book. In the Ender Prince, Shelby came to Wilbur, asking him to change the law so that she might pursue being a great mage while her parents adopt another heir. Wilbur agreed to help, and the law was passed. This story became important as Wilbur used it to torture Theseus, reminding him that Ranboo could become the heir at any moment.

Tommy wants to do this as a postmortem favor to Shelby and sign of respect to Wilbur.

"I'm a witch," Tommy hears. He looks up, meeting the pained eyes of Prismarina. She has her hands on her thighs, looking down at the ground with an intensity unmatched by anyone Tommy has ever met before. She is pale, and her lips are trembling.

"That is unnecessary to say-"

Prismarina ignores Rose, falling to her knees in front of the couch like she did when Tommy first entered. "May I have permission to speak?"

Fern and Rose's eyes bore into Tommy's body. He feels Jack shifting around behind him. Tommy doesn't look away from Prismarina as he says, "Speak."

"I am a witch. I've been for years. My curses revolve around water. Uh, here's my mark," Prismarina explains. She pulls up her sleeve to reveal a mark across her forearm. It resembles a curving wave with white tips. The longer Tommy stares at it, the more he realizes it is subtly moving. It radiates with power, and Tommy knows instantly this is a witch. He's been around Kara and her Witch's Mark long enough to know the truth. Prismarina pulls her sleeve down, "I wanted your highness to know now instead of later."

Witches are treated horribly in some areas because they can only cast curses. Kara was able to escape prejudice by virtue of being a marchioness, but Rose said Prismarina was the daughter of a baron. She didn't have that kind of political background.

"Your status as a witch does not influence my opinion of you or my decision regarding the matter. My teacher is a witch, after all, and she would be disappointed in me," Tommy explains, waving his hand as if they would wave away all of Prismarina's worries. He feels like it might have once he registers her bright expression.

"Thank you, Tsesarevich," Prismarina says, lifting back into her seat. Rose takes her hand, squeezing it imperceptibly. Tommy hides his own discomfort at the title.

"I will speak with the tsar and tsaritsa on behalf of the duke and duchess regarding succession rights," Tommy agrees, nodding his head. He rises to his feet, critically watching the reactions of the nobles on the couch. Rose and Fern hold their expressions steady, but Prismarina allows her emotions to spill out across her features. "If that is all, I will begin the journey back to the capital."

They rise to their feet to bow to him. Tommy starts to walk outside the room. As he steps into the hallway, he feels Jack right behind him. The guard asks, "Are you feeling alright, your highness?"

Truthfully, Tommy feels like he's been stabbed in an already bleeding wound. But he raises his head high, refusing to show weakness to anyone.

—

The tattoo looks like a large weeping willow tree, shimmering with a green-black color. Scott pulls his shirt back down, reaching for his cloak.

"Do all witches have a mark like that?" Ranboo asks.

"Yes. That's why it's called a Witch's Mark," Scott tells him.

"And it just..."

"Appeared? Yes. I got mine as I watched my lover drown," Scott tells him.

"What?" Ranboo startles, nearly falling off the chair as he flinches away.

"Do you know how witches come about? It's from trauma. Something happens to them, and they gain the power to inflict as much damage on the world as the world has inflicted upon them," Scott explains. "Milo was my traumatic awakening... but I'm not letting it end this way. I'm going to save Milo."

"You can't bring the dead back to life... At least, not in the way you're thinking you can."

"Watch me."