“Her getting kidnapped wasn’t our fault either,” Falla argued with annoyance. “Quit blaming everything on us just because Luna’s my sister. We had nothing to do with her getting kidnapped or her wings getting clipped.” She then gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth as Florence stared at her with wide eyes.
“Um, Florence?” Luna nervously said, with the monarch slowly glancing over to her. “Complica… did get hurt before she was saved.”
“What are you talking about?” Florence softly said before looking to her daughter. She then noticed the young girl had a saddened expression while her wings were drooping low behind her. “Complica? What’s wrong? What happened to you?”
She slowly set the girl down before the princess backed up a step, with all eyes in the hall watching as she turned around held out a few tatters of her wings to either side. All the butterflies gasped in horror as Florence stared at her daughter with total shock.
“No,” the monarch breathed out before she shakily dropped to her knees and reached out to touch her daughter’s severed wings. “No… Complica… NOOOOO!”
Daniel and the girls watched with remorse as Florence cried out in agony while holding the tattered remains of Complica’s wings with her trembling hands. All around the other butterflies gasped and started crying as they saw their princess’s wings had been cut.
“MY BABY!” Florence shrieked before she held Complica close from behind. “No! My beautiful baby’s wings! No! Oh, Complica! What did those monsters do to you?”
Falla and Luna lowered their heads in sorrow as well before Florence stumbled back to her feet and grabbed Luna by the throat, choking the girl with fury and tears in her eyes.
“What did you do? This is all your fault! What did you do to my baby? Every time you show your face something goes wrong! You’re nothing but a curse!”
“Stop!” Daniel yelled out as he ran over and yanked the woman’s hands off of Luna’s neck, the girl clinging to his arm coughing and looking at her monarch with watery eyes. “Don’t you dare hurt them, they didn’t do anything wrong.”
Florence glared at them with rage before glancing over to Complica as the young princess ran over to her and shook her head.
“They didn’t hurt me, mother. They saved me. Triska came and rescued me.”
“Triska?” Florence questioned looking to the sword wielding teen. “But what happened to the neko I hired to bring you back, Complica? She was supposed to bring you to me herself.”
“She ran away,” Triska explained. “After the swarm appeared they surrounded us. Tabitha assumed Complica was doomed and couldn’t be saved, so she fled to save herself. I was the one who stayed and defended your daughter.”
“You?” Florence asked eyeing the girl over with a scowl.
“She saved my life, mother,” Complica whimpered before running over and hugging Triska. “There were so many swarm and they were mean and they were going to eat me but Triska fought them all off I saw it myself she didn’t let any of those swarm touch me she’s my hero please don’t be angry at her mother please she’s my best friend.”
Florence and the butterflies of Flairwood watched the princess crying into Triska’s chest then looked at the human with wonder as she gently held Complica with one hand.
“You saved my baby’s life?” Florence asked softly.
“I did, and I didn’t do so for any reward or bounty. I did it because I wanted to, I wanted to help her,” Triska reasoned before looking down to Complica’s limp wings. “I only regret not having been able to reach her sooner.”
“Florence,” Daniel spoke up, with the monarch glancing to him carefully as he stepped forward. “Do you know why those other humans kidnapped her?”
“They said something about being rich,” Florence said thinking about it.
“Complica lied to them about what giant butterflies can do,” Daniel explained. “She told them she could make rocks into gold. That’s why those men took her away, why they cut her wings so she couldn’t fly away from them.”
“What?” Florence said looking to her daughter. Complica sniffled and turned to her with a few nods.
“I messed up my bait, mother. I wanted to bring those humans home for you to make more sisters for me with. I meant to say other giant butterflies can make rocks into gold, I screwed up and then they took me away because they wanted me to make them rich.”
“Oh, baby,” Florence said with a saddened face. “I can’t believe that happened. That’s one of the easiest baits to use for humans.”
“That’s not the point!” Triska shouted at her, with the butterflies jumping from the outburst. “Don’t you get it? All of this happened because she lied to them! That’s what the problem here was, not that she messed up the lie!”
“If she never lied to begin with she never would have gotten hurt,” Daniel reasoned with her. “This whole thing could have been avoided if giant butterflies didn’t lie so much to humans.”
“I’m sorry, but just who are you?” Florence scoffed at him with annoyance. “And what do you mean by giant butterflies lying so much to humans? Are you insinuating that my beautiful subjects are deceptive little rats similar to that of witches?”
“Bull’s-eye,” Falla dryly said.
“Shut your mouth,” Florence snapped at her. “How dare you side with this human before your monarch!”
“But we are bad monsters,” Luna insisted, with the butterflies around the hall booing and scoffing at her in derision. “We lie to humans all the time. That’s all we learn to do in school, how to lie and tie up men so we can rape them.”
“Don’t listen to that one,” Florence said shaking her head at Daniel while waving Luna off. “She’s crazy. I mean she’s literally crazy. Talks nonsense all the time.”
“It’s no secret to mankind that giant butterflies lie through their teeth,” Triska mentioned with a raised eyebrow at the woman. “That’s how you catch your men, with your bait.”
Florence glanced to her with an uneasy growl before Daniel looked around at all the butterflies who were watching him carefully now.
“Look what happened to your princess,” he called out gesturing to Complica as she watched him with worried eyes. “Look what happens when your lies catch up to you. Had she been honest with those men they never would have touched her. Had she known lying was wrong she never would have gotten hurt. How long before your lies catch up to you?” All the butterflies glanced to each other worriedly as Daniel then turned to the monarch with a careful eye.
“I get it, I understand why you teach your young to lie like she did. I know you think you have to lie and use force to get a man, to get pregnant, to keep your race going. But you don’t.”
“Whatever are you talking about?” Florence asked glancing up and away from them.
“I’m talking about all the men that live here under manipulative pretenses. I’m talking about all the men you deceive into being with you just so you can hump them for their seeds.”
“There are no men in Flairwood,” Florence carelessly said as she examined her fingernails.
“Yes there are,” Falla mentioned, earning a harsh glare from the monarch.
“There are lots of human men here,” Luna agreed. “And they all think and believe something that isn’t true because we lie to make them stay with us.”
“No, there aren’t,” Florence sternly told them before looking to Daniel with a small shrug. “Sorry, no humans here.”
“Still going to lie to my face, huh?” Daniel dryly asked.
“If you’d like I can show you around personally,” Florence offered as she walked up to him and gently traced a finger up along his chest. “I’ll show you every nook and cranny, if it would make you happy.”
To her surprise Daniel swatted her hand away, with the butterflies around the room gasping as he stepped away from the monarch with a stern expression.
“I’m not interested in monsters that lie to me.”
“Well,�
� Florence huffed with discontent. “Your loss then. Now if you’ll excuse me I have matters to attend to, and I’d much like some alone time with my daughter. Thank you very much for bringing her back to me, now get out of my grove.” She started flapping her wings then took off into the air while looking up with a snooty scoff.
“Come, Complica. Let’s get you to your room and-”
She then stopped and looked down with wonder as Complica was still standing on the ground, the princess reaching up towards her mother with both hands and watery eyes. Florence fluttered in place for a moment before holding a hand to her mouth while tears welled up in her eyes.
“She’ll never fly again,” Falla called up to her, with the monarch looking to her with sorrow. “She’s grounded for life, all because she was told lying to humans was the right thing to do. Look at your daughter, Florence. This is what happens when we lie!”
Slowly Florence drifted down and landed on the ground, arms reaching out to hold her daughter who quickly clung to her while crying softly.
“My baby,” Florence softly said.
“You don’t have to lie, Florence,” Daniel gently said walking up to her. The monarch looked to him questionably as he shook his head with a small smile. “You don’t have to make up stories or tales of what you can do or what you can promise a human should they mate with you. You don’t have to tie them down to keep them with you, holding them against their will just so you can breed. You don’t have to do any of that.”
“And just how do you expect a giant butterfly to get a man if she doesn’t?” Florence scoffed at him. “Look at us, we’re monsters! I’m the most beautiful of all butterflies in Eden, of all women in Eden, and I’m still regarded as a monster to you humans. We eat insects, we have wings and antennae on our heads, we have no magic or physical strength to boast about. We have nothing but our beauty, and that’s overlooked by you humans because of what we are. What choice do we have rather than to say what you humans need to hear to be with us? What else are we supposed to do?”
“Be nice,” Luna pleaded as she stepped forth. “Be nice to humans.”
“You really are messed up in the head,” Florence scorned.
“No she isn’t,” Falla insisted as she stood by her sister. “She’s right. That’s why Daniel is here, that’s why we wanted to let him talk to you. We don’t have to lie to find somebody to love us.”
“Love us?” Florence laughed with derision. “Are you as mad as your sister? Humans just want to be with us for fame or power or whatever stupid thing they’re promised should they come here. They don’t love us, they’ll never love us. No human will ever love a giant butterfly!”
Falla and Luna showed stern expressions and walked over to either side of Daniel, with him then taking hold of their hands before they held onto his arms.
“I love them,” he declared, with the hall falling quiet as all the butterflies watched him with confusion. “Not because of any lie they told me, or anything they promised to give me for my seed, but because of who they are. They’re kindhearted girls, ones that make me smile when they’re near because they make me happy just being who they are.”
“Is this some sort of twisted joke?” Florence demanded. “You can’t possibly love those two. That one right there is a blithering idiot!”
“Don’t you dare talk about Luna like that!” Daniel shouted, with the monarch jumping back with surprise as he glared at her. “She is a wonderful girl with a pure heart, she only wants to be happy and enjoy life with those around her. She may have a few issues but I don’t care. I’d much rather be with her than a deceitful monster such as yourself.”
“How dare you,” Florence scorned with anger.
“And Falla has also earned my love. When we first met she was like every other giant butterfly out there, trying to lie and trick me just to get my seed. But I saw there was a real girl under her deceitful mask, one with a real heart. She’s learned the error of her ways and isn’t like you anymore, something that I’m thankful for.”
“You can’t love them!” Florence shouted out at him. “Humans don’t love monsters! That’s not possible!”
“Wanna bet?” Falla retorted. “Daniel saved my life from a swarm, he refused to let me die, wouldn’t let me go even though he could have been killed by that thing. He chose to save me for who I am, not because of some lie or false promise I made him. Name one other butterfly here who has someone like that!”
The monarch stared at her with disbelief while the butterflies around the hall started whispering to each other in question.
“I do!” Luna cheered as she raised a hand in the air.
“That’s true,” Falla agreed with a grin at the monarch. “Daniel’s stood up for Luna time and again, always being nice to her and treating her like a real girl, just like me. He loves her just as he does with me, we both mean that much to him.”
“That’s not… possible,” Florence stuttered shaking her head.
“Yes it is,” Triska said walking forward, with all eyes turning to her. “That’s why Daniel is out here, that’s why we’re traveling with him and helping him. To speak to monsters such as you and tell you that you don’t have to lie, rape, or kill to get a man in this world. You don’t have to be like Darker Ones.”
“Darker Ones?” Florence repeated with shock. “Are you comparing us to Darker Ones?”
“Only Darker Ones would be so cold and cruel,” Luna implored as she stepped towards the monarch. “Only they would want to do something as evil as rape someone. You don’t know how it feels, how much it hurts, how horrible it is to have that happen to you.”
“And you do?” Florence scoffed. To her surprise Luna nodded with a whimper.
“I do. A witch raped me. She did horrible things to me, saying she loved me and never wanted to let me go. But it wasn’t love, it was a nightmare. I couldn’t get away, I couldn’t stop it from happening, it was terrible.”
“Luna?” Complica worriedly said.
“Please,” Luna begged as she put her hands together. “Don’t let all our sisters become like Darker Ones. Don’t let them get hurt lying to humans. This all needs to stop.”
Florence stared at her with bewilderment then looked to Daniel as he walked towards her with a solemn expression.
“We don’t have to be enemies, Florence. It isn’t that you’re a monster that humans despise you so, it’s because you lie and rape our kind. If you would show the world you can be kindhearted girls and not lustful creatures then you wouldn’t be alone anymore. We could be allies.”
“Allies?” Florence questioned.
“The swarm near your home are gone,” Daniel assured her, with the butterflies around the hall watching him with wonder. “Another monster came and wiped them out, one that has left this land leaving behind only a smoldering crater where the swarm used to be. You got lucky, Florence. Your home and people are safe.” Florence started to smile to that before Daniel shook his head, with the monarch then showing concern again.
“But next time you may not be so lucky. If we were allies we could help defend you, if you had friends to call upon for help you wouldn’t be alone. But right now if another swarm comes your way nobody will help you. You could all die, alone.”
“Think of your daughter,” Triska said, with Florence looking back to Complica who was watching her with worried eyes. “What do you want her to grow up to be? A monster that lies and rapes others, that won’t truly be loved or cared for, or a kindhearted girl who wouldn’t be alone in this world.”
Florence gazed at her daughter for a while before lowering her head in silence, with the hall of butterflies watching her curiously and waiting to hear her verdict. Falla and Luna glanced to each other with worried eyes then to Daniel as he and Triska waited for the monarch to make her decision. After thinking about it Florence turned to Daniel with a careful eye, a finger being brought up to her chin in question as she tilted her head slightly.
“Why is it you want humans
and monsters to be allies with one another?”
“Because I don’t believe we need to be enemies,” Daniel replied honestly. “There are some monsters such as Darker Ones who are a threat to us all. We should only be enemies with them, not each other. We can live with one another, we can help each other grow and survive. Or, if you prefer, we can all hate each other and slowly die off together. If that’s the future you want for your daughter then I’ll take my leave, I can’t force you to do anything after all.”
“And just how do you plan to make all this a reality?” Florence laughed with no amusement in her voice. “Even if you truly do feel something for a monster it doesn’t mean all humans do. In fact you’re the only one I’ve ever known to talk about such ideas as living together as allies.”
“I’m going to be traveling to Rockhelm soon,” Daniel explained.
“The human kingdom in this region,” Florence recalled.
“Yes, that’s the one. I’m going to speak to the queen about my idea of peace. Of course if I walk right up to her like this and tell her what I think she’s likely to have me thrown in jail for being a crazy person. So I need proof that monsters can control their nature, that they can resist from stooping to any level in order to get a man. That they can control themselves around us, that we could really be allies in this world.”
“Our nature?”
“Your desire to breed,” Daniel clarified. “It can be overwhelming for many monsters, some being unable to go against their own body’s desire to have sex.”
“We can get a little restless if we don’t have anyone to quell that need,” Florence agreed. “I dare say it would be impossible for monsters to live with humans without succumbing to the need to breed with them.”
“It’s possible,” Luna said with a nod. The monarch looked to her curiously as the girl walked over to Daniel’s side. “There’s a feeling that makes it so much easier for us to control ourselves. Love.”
Chronicles of Eden - Act V Page 46