A New Flower in the Garden

Upon the grounds of a large castle hidden from many a man and woman, a seemingly young woman strolled through the cold interior halls to the outside. She was in the mood to see her gardens, her flowers, and enjoy some sweets. Upon reaching the large eastern garden of her castle grounds, she'd find something a touch new on display.

Maybelle was in a rather relaxed mood today. The area was very native to her, the plant area was very healthy and most importantly, the ground was very rich in nutrient. Although the looming castle wall did make her a bit nervous at feast due to signs of civilizations, she haven't seen anyone for a few hours. It was enough to entice her to settle root for a bit.

Her large pink "dress" drops down from her waist, leaving her bare to nature while the "dress" seems to open up in in a strange way until the shape of the dress actually make sense that it looks like a closed flower, and that flower and opening right under her. A small networks of roots grows from under the flower to take hold into the earth. Her eyes closes contently as she spreads her arm along her side.

The young lady, though surprised at first, smiled and approached slowly. "Excuse me, miss!" she greeted politely. "Have you taken a liking to my garden? It's quite a sight, isn't it? But I could say the same for you as well."

Maybelle's heart jumped as her body froze when someone was speaking and it is to her. Someone is here?! She quickly turned towards voice and notice the lady walking towards her way. Acting fully by instinct, she lets out a small shriek before she holds her arm out in front of her own face before a wall of various flora encases around her in a dome-shape only as tall as she size add two feet but just as wide. Only a very small gap was left open for her maple brown eyes to peek through apprehensively at the stranger.

Her panicked actions uprooted at least twenty flowers from her garden and the woman sighed slowly. "A finnicky one, aren't you? You needn't worry, I promise you don't intend to harm you as long as you don't do the same."

It was only when she saw that the lady wasn't making any moves and speaking that she lowers most of the plant wall around her which may have included some of the flowers of the garden. There was still a small wall of her own leaves that she is somewhat hiding behind but her form was visible. It was only small comfort that someone bothered to talk that she somewhat let her guard down but not all the way. "U-u-um...you...l-l-live here?"

"Yes, this is my home. I'm the princess of these grounds. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss," she replied. "I assume you were drawn in by my lovely garden?"

At the confirmation that this is indeed her home, she carefully draw the flowers that belong here back in place. A couple of vines sprouted from her large flower then does its best to reroot the flowers and smooth the earth for the flowers and the garden in whole. "Um...they are...v-very well taken care of...I-I'm sorry for hurting them!" She looks very guilty of her previous panicked actions.

She examined the flowers to make sure they were unharmed before assuring her, "You're forgiven. You put them back after all. Look, it's like they were never plucked out at all.

It was from that briefly moment of interaction and watching the woman meticulously examine the health of the garden flowers that convinced the alraune to finally lower the leaf wall, falling to the base of the large flower she is standing on. She reached behind her head to her hair before producing a couple of seed within her hands and holding it out to the woman with both hands cupped under it. "I-I am Maybelle."

"A pleasure, Maybelle! Oh, are these for me?" She examined the seeds waited for confirmation before picking them up. As the girl had given her name after establishing her aversion to the Princess, it seemed only polite and fair to give out her name. "My name is Orianna."

"A...p-pleasure...? A...pleasure, Orianna" The first time she seems confused before she repeats it the same way as Orianna did. She lets her arm fall in front of her, clasping each other before giving a slow nod. "T-they are...Anise Hyssop. Bees are a-attracted to them...and bees will help your garden. Yes...v-very attractive."

"Oh, thank you very much! I appreciate this greatly. I'll plant them as soon as possible," she thanked her politely. She snapped her fingers and one of her subjects, a Bee Girl dressed up in a maid's uniform appeared and took the seeds. She wouldn't dare plant them herself, as the Princess has made herself clear before that she prefers to do it herself.

Normally she would freeze up at the presense of another, even if there is someone she wasn't fearful of within the same area. However, she actually watching the bee girl curiously and dressed in clothing she never seen before. Having interacted with bee girls far more than anyone else, she was more relaxed when she was near and it showed. It was then that her mind started connecting dots together before looking at Orianna. "Y-you say you are princess...but not queen?" Her look back towards the bee girl before back to the vampire hinted what she means.

"Well, I suppose given the state of things, I suppose I'm more like the current queen, but..." She paused for a moment before changing the subject. "I see you're very welcome to my maid's presence, Maybelle?"

Maybelle was about to say something but stopped, she may not interact with people in general but noticed the hesitation of the princess and decided to not talk about it any further as it was something that Orianna doesn't seem to want to say more of. Upon talking about the maid, she nods briefly and smiling a bit, the first smile that has finally broke out since their initial meeting. "Yes, I feel...more at ease around bee girls. We help...each other. I provide nectar. They provide company and ...protect me at my home."

"I see, that makes sense," she noted, happy to see her new guest smile. "Well then, how lucky of me to have such in my employ. A host should make her guests feel comfortable as much as possible."

"...Host?...guest? Oh!" Though it started as a question before the meaning dawn to her with a visible change on her expression. She touches both of her index fingers together shyly. "Are guests... allowed to help... the host?'

"I suppose if that is what you wish," she answered briskly. She wasn't at all averse to saying no to guests if they really wanted to help.

"Um... i-it is." She felt a little self-conscious if what she normally does is considered help or hinderance or if her help is even needed.

"I can help...nourish the garden around me...and it helps me too. I can make most fruit with a seed grown much faster, any fruit you want. And I can...give nectar to your maid...maids?" She did a brief search for other bees. "They can...turn it into honey...and the nectar gives them more energy..."

"Very well, if it helps my garden, and makes you happy, then by all means." She welcomed Maybelle to do what she wanted. It benefited the both of them, so there should be no hangups.

"Wonderful..." She gives a light smile once more hoping her hands together in front. "I will h-have...something in some days. P-please visit me." While her body doesn't move from this state, underneath her is another story. The flower she resides in seems to have opened up fully, with leaves growing from just beneath the petals, her vines scooping underneath her what looks like plant matter and starts sprinkling around her.

"You're quite a sight," she admitted, watching all this occur. As she observed Maybelle she continued towards an ornate table situated in the center of a single clearing in the garden. Seating herself, she called another Bee Maid to set things up, sweets, sandwiches, and tea set up for her lunch. Normally, she had but the the flowers in her garden to witness during such time, but with Maybelle she had just that much more of a spectacle.

If she had heard the compliment from Orianna, she was not displaying signs of it as she begins to close her eyes and become unaware of virtually anything. The leaves around the alraune has fully grown growing in a way that exposes most of their surface to the sky to catch the sun when the time it comes up (Orianna only heads out at sundown right?) while arching in a way that would catch more of the rain and funnel it towards her.

2 vines total begins working diligently and in tandem, displaying a startling amount of control and dexterity as the ends coil together in a form of a sieved scoop to spread the green substance around her opposite from each other while being very careful to not over-saturate any areas with it.

A very faint but sweet smell would start emitting from her flower, untraceable for those with normal sense of smell but just enough for those with much better ones though the bee maid would especially notice it and be familiar with it. It was nectar and Maybelle was starting to produce them, albeit slowly.

(She goes out at a variety of times. The most constant time is for lunch, but she often wanders her castle's outdoor grounds when she's bored.)
The royal watched happily as Maybelle lent her assistance, her Bee Maids approaching the timid Alraune to do what they do best.