Welcome to Gaia! ::

"That I know of," Ulani nodded. "I've never seen it anywhere else. I suppose it might grow in the Southland a bit, perhaps in the Eastland, but that's about it, if even that. It's rare, and to be honest how many people would want a plant like this around when there are so many others that bloom for months on end, or even all year round?"

She shrugged and sat on the ground beside the children, patting the ground next to her, inviting Cindy to sit as well.

A cloud passed over the moon, hiding it from view for a moment; but as the moonlight returned to bathe the area in its silver light, there was a stirring on the plant.

Ulani, Aliya and Adonai all hushed and watched as the tiny green buds on the plant twitched and began to open. The process was, in comparison with any other plant, quite quick; but it took a span of several minutes for them to unfurl and reveal the blossoms within. The flowers themselves took another few minutes to bloom completely, rows and rows of thin white petals rather like the lily of the water, but with an almost ethereal glow. The centers were bright yellow, and they released a golden dust that blew away on the wind, scattering in every direction and making the forest appear to shimmer in the moonlight.

A scent was released with the dust, the smell of beauty, of life, a delicious smell that enraptured those who smelled it. It was perfect strength: heavy enough to smell, but light enough that it wasn't oppressive or thick.

Ulani smiled, her attention fully on the flowers.

"And fully worth waiting an entire year to see, again and again," she murmured.

Yes ... indeed it was well worth it. She just couldn't help but wonder how in the world she had missed it for the thousand years she had spent living in this same valley, in the same house where she and Ulrich had returned to upon their return to the Four Lands.

"Cindy! Cindy! Cindy!"

Ulani was kneeling over Cindy, her face filled with panic, calling her name over and over again in a strangled sort of voice. When Cindy had glowed, changed, and fallen to the ground, her heart had nearly stopped. Now, as she watched the girl's eyelids flutter and open, she breathed an enormous sigh of relief and buried her face in her hands, then looked at her again anxiously.

"Cindy," she called again, "are you all right? Tell me you're all right ..."

Behind her, Aliya had a weeping Adonai wrapped tightly in her arms and was staring in shock, the flowers completely and utterly forgotten.

Ulani could have cried, she was so relieved. "Thank the Valar," she breathed, holding her hands out to Cindy to help her up. "You're all right."

Her eyes were glowing with relief, and she was shaking slightly from the shock.

"I thought you said you were finished growing," she murmured softly.

Aliya leaned forward to peer around her mother, and broke into a wide grin.

"You're okay!" she shouted, jumping to her feet and carrying her brother over to Cindy and Ulani. "What happened?"

Aliya's eyes were still wide. "Well, I knew that!" she exclaimed. "But how? Why? I've never seen anyone grow that fast, ever! You grew even faster than the flowers came out!"

Ulani unclasped her cloak and slung it around Cindy's shoulders to cover her up a bit more, since her dress was little more than ... well, small rags now.

"I think we should head back," she murmured, nodding at Aliya. "See if you can't get him to stop crying," she added, frowning softly at Adonai. "He's just scared, I'm sure."

"Maybe you should take him, then, Mum," Aliya suggested, passing her brother off to her mother. Once Adonai was safely in his mother's arms (still wailing loud enough to wake the dead), Aliya moved to stand beside Cindy.

"Come on," she smiled, "I'll show you the way back home."

Aliya kept on staring at Cindy, still finding it hard to believe her eyes.

"You're almost as tall as I am now," she remarked, walking backwards so that she could see Cindy more clearly. "I bet you're going to have to wear some of my clothes until we can make some that are your size."