She acted as if there was some immutable curse on her--or as if she was afflicted with a disease that made her so unlucky. And the way she sought every good luck charm and assiduously avoided everything that was even rumored to create bad luck....it seemed like such a lonely existence, to Belle. Lonely and exhausting, constantly looking over her shoulder for a phantom of danger or simply some sad coincidence that would trip her up. No wonder she had put so much heart into wishing on a star, and been so delighted when she and Belle found each other after.
And the thing was, if Belle was fated to change that, it seemed like Belle had to convince Hope that it was even worth it to try. And that was how she had stumbled on the idea of flower fortunes.
The lovely mare helping her put together the bouquets had said that the flowers could reveal one's future and fortune, and given how obsessed Hope was with good and bad luck, and how...frankly neurotic she could be about the whole thing, the idea of presenting her with a bouquet and a positive fortune to go with it seemed like a step in the right direction.
It was, truly, Belle's hope that perhaps Hope might think just a little more positively if she had something lucky to carry with her.
And if it worked, maybe Belle would bring Hope back to draw for herself and see if she got something even better. Little things, to convince her that her bad luck didn't have to be forever. And that maybe even if she kept tripping into it, she might still find loyal friends who would stand by her side regardless.
So she closed her eyes and leaned forward, carefully drawing three flowers from the oracle. Enough to make a message, but not so many that it might start to muddle, and less chance of something ill crawling into the fortune. At least, Belle hoped so.
When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with vibrant colors--one poink, one red, one yellow.
"Orchid, sunflower, rose," the mare said, and she looked quite pleased. "What a lovely selection."
"Can you tell me about them?" Belle asked, tail flicking and ears perked forward with curiosity. The mare nodded, a gentle smile on her face, and nudged her nose against the first flower, the lovely pink one.
"A pink orchid. Pink for joy, grace, kindness, and good fortune. An orchid for strength and rare beauty. Am I correct in guessing that this fortune might be for...shall we say, a rare beauty who might need more joy and good fortune in their life?"
"You could say that," Belle agreed, thoughtfully. That was certainly a way to describe her beloved friend, who had chosen isolation and sadness until a little magical blessing turned her head.
"Mm, how nice," the mare said, and she nudged her nose against the next flower. "A sunflower, for loyalty, admiration, and joy. And of course yellow flowers mean friendship, happiness, and optimism. Such lovely oracles for your friend!"
"Yeah, seems like it so far," Belle agreed. How fortunate, really. Clearly, tracking down an oracle and getting a little reading had been exactly the right move. When she brought Hope this bouquet, surely it would raise her friend's spirits and make her more hopeful for the future. And really, that was all Belle wanted.
"And finally, we have a rose. Red for passion, courage, and deep desires. Roses for love and beauty. Ah, yes, I think this is quite the good set of omens." The mare nodded, thoughtfully.
"So, do they mean something together?" Belle asked, curiously. If each flower and each color told part of the story, perhaps they interwove to be something more. A little line she could give Hope, to help her really understand what Belle was bringing her.
"We could draw a meaning from them, yes. A rare beauty with a dear friend, who has much joy in her life and much reason to look forward to the future. There may even be love, waiting for her, if only she is willing to open her heart."
Belle let out a soft, happy whuff. Yes, that was exactly what Hope needed, surely.
"Thank you," she said. "I think this will be a great help to my friend."
[wc: 796 words]
