A Special Gift

Amanda frowned a little as she put together the bouquet.

She’d never really known any parents before - so this was the first she was putting together. Which may have been odd for an adult her age, but she just never really interacted with others who had the time or will to have children quite yet… it was a surprise even to her to hear that her friend was planning on starting a family.

She wanted to make sure that the flowers she put together were just right. She stayed up at night pouring over books that detailed the history of the four regions just to make sure that she didn’t offend any of them with her selections. There were a few books that suggested generic bouquets that worked easily, but wasn’t that an offense of its own, to admit that she didn’t have the drive or will to study to make something of her own? No, she was going to make this perfect.

For the north, she chose some snowbells - although the north can be harsh and cold, beauty still persists within it - like how the snowbells grow taller and stronger than their snowdrop counterparts.

For the east, she chose fairy dusters, flowers that are beautiful and harsh-looking, but also thrive in difficult environments - particularly those without much water, like the east.

For the south, she selected some common dog violet, symbolizing the shyer nature of these areas, alongside the more common-seeming disposition of the people there - not looking particularly special from afar, but becoming quite interesting when you get a better look at them.

Last of all, for the west, she chose some soft lilies, symbolizing the peace and tranquility that the west is known for between faun and human alike - a soft and beautiful flower that takes great care to grow.

She smiled. She hoped that her friend would like it - or at least, acknowledge the thought she had put into making it.