#sparaxis

Sparaxis Tricolor taken from 'Album van Eeden' by A.C. van Eeden & Co.

Published 1872 by de Erven Loosjes, Haarlem Publishers.

Missouri Botanical Garden.

Sparaxis elegans

There are many spectacular bulbs in the Iris Family that come from South Africa, including quite a few in the genus Sparaxis. This one is Sparaxis elegans, with its vivid orange and purple flowers. It comes from near Nieuwoudtville, to the north of Cape Town in South Africa's winter-rainfall region.

Marshall was the one keeping guard outside this time, raising a brow as Spara appeared through the dungeon entrance, looking weathered from the journey. “Are you alright?” Marshall asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Not dead yet.” Spara sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

“That bad, huh?” Marshall pushed off the wall where he had been leaning for the past hour. “Heard a bit of ruckus down there. Did it throw a fit or somethin’?”

“No, ah….” Spara paused, thinking back to the afternoon down in the cave. He supposed some of Valentine’s petulant behavior initially with the water barrel was reminiscent of throwing a fit. “Generally, positive interactions. I think I may be on the road to progress.”

Marshall was obviously surprised by this. “Think we’ll get some cooperation out of the beast yet, then?”

Spara nodded. Before he could answer, though, a crashing sound from down in the cave made them both jump. Marshall and Spara shared a worried glance, dashing back down into the cavern. There, on the ledge, the smashed remains of the water barrel were present.

Spara frowned, mind racing to put the pieces together. He looked back and forth between the cracked wood and Valentine himself, still safely chained to the wall. Did Valentine throw the barrel? Why? Spara turned to Valentine for answers, but Valentine had only eyes for Marshall, looking quite pale.

“What happened to cooperation?” Marshall was already drawing his bow, notching a poisoned arrow and taking aim at Valentine.

“Wait!” Spara hurried to stop Marshall. Violence would only put them back, undoing any progress Spara had made today.

Valentine, in all his awesome height, clearly understood the situation. He was pressed up against the back wall, the giant trying to make himself as small as possible. Valentine looked positively miserable, pleading directly to Spara now. “Sparrow, please no.”

Spara paused, taking note of the fact that Marshall gave no reaction. Did he… did he not comprehend Valentine’s speech?

“Did you hear him?” Spara asked, searching Marshall’s expression for any understanding. Marshall only frowned back at him, looking puzzled.

“Yeah, big guy’s gotten vocal.” Marshall shrugged, bow still pulled taunt. “Shall I sedate it, your highness?”

Sparaxis (Harlequin Flower)

My little contribution to @a-rae-of-sunshine 's flower garden. I work with flowers for a living so I couldn't resist joining in. Hell I even brought my own watering can to help out.