dreamcrystals | [open] invitation of windblume!

Sender: Venti
To: Everyone!
Subject: A rose by any other name is still a rose!

Hello there! It appears that this world is entering its Spring Solstice and with such a season brings new life and new flowers to everything the sun touches! I'd like to share with you a tradition during this time of year from my homeland, the beautiful and free city of Mondstadt. And that is the Windblume festival.

During this time of year, many will offer flowers in tribute to the god of freedom! Yet, what is more important is the tradition of gifting flowers to those you love and hold dear. The choice of flowers can say a lot about a person's feelings! When gifting precious flowers to those you love and adore the carefully picked flower should be one that means something to you and that precious relationship.

While this time of year doesn't necessarily have to mean these gestures are romantic there is another tradition of sending your most adored one a love poem. A perfect time to be confessing your heart's song to the one who holds your heart! Ehe, isn't that lovely?

I, as a travelling bard, have spent many years seeing the Windblume season! And with it, I have written hundreds of poems and know exactly how to weave love's verse. I would like to offer my assistance in helping you find the words to write your own love letter or poem to the one you hold dear or wish to confess to! Do tell me all about the one you hold in your heart and allow me to help you craft the words to express your heart's feelings.

Please, it would be my pleasure!

[Spill the tea on your love lives and in return Venti will help you confess in a love letter! Come on, get spilling! He loves the gossip!]

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[ Zelda is significantly more interested in the "flowers" part of this whole deal than the "love poem" part. (But a little part of her that remembers how Juliet's essence felt is plenty interested in the latter.) ]

What sort of flowers grow in Mondstadt?

Quite the collection, in fact! Mostly wildflowers that love to grow in windy places. Or flowers that tend to bloom at night or grow berries after a time. I could go on and on. If you have the time, that is.

I have plenty of time. I would quite like to hear about them! This winter, I surveyed some of the night blooming flowers near the lakeside, although my findings were quite unusual.

That seems much like Mondstadt's Lamp Grass, a flower that glows in the dark to show others the way no matter how grim things might be.

Aside from those we have flowers such as Calla Lillies that thrive in shallow waters. Cecilia flowers that bloom with the wispy winds of high mountains! And most of all we have precious Dandelion flowers that bloom and seed and shower the land with the blessings of the god of freedom himself.

As for the flowers that grow berries? There's never a shortage of Valberries. A plump and translucent berry that has a fragrant smell and a sweet, refreshing taste. In the past, the storm watchers' only solace was the sweetness of this fruit and hope for the city's peace when at war. Quite the history!

[ All of the flowers Venti describes sound so fascinating. There are calla lilies and dandelions in Hyrule, but lamp grass, cecilias, and valberries are all unfamiliar to Zelda. If only they could be grown in Songerein. ]

Your culture values dandelions? How fascinating! In my kingdom, they are generally regarded as an invasive weed, due to their hardiness and proliferance.

[... This is literally his face right now.]

Quite the contrary in my world, my dear!!

Feathery dandelions and their tiny seeds that ride on the wind? Are considered blessings of hope. Even without its feathered wings, the seeds still holds the hope from afar within. In a sense, the dandelion represents the romantic spirit of love and freedom as well. And in the land of the wind, where dandelions are found in abundance, people use dandelions in wine making as well. Experts in local folklore believe that in ancient times, wine brewed from dandelions had a strong symbolic meaning. All representing the far-reaching importance of freedom.

[Please don't call Mondstadt's national flower A WEED.]

[ SORRY, VENTI. ]

When you put it like that, they do seem very beautiful.

[ A flower that represents freedom, idealizing travelling upon the whims of the wind and adventure in the unknown? That speaks to Zelda quite personally, actually. Suddenly she wants to go outside and hunt for dandelions. ]

I see that freedom is a valued principal of your homeland.

Edited 2022-04-05 14:56 (UTC)

[Well, at least she seems to take it to heart! No harm done.]

It is, Mondstadt thrives on the winds of freedom. It is quite beautiful if I do say so myself!

You have a healthy curiosity in flowers, though! Is there a reason?

[ It does sound like a very beautiful place. A land that loves flowers and freedom must be quite a sight. If only she could see it for herself. ]

I am a scholar of botany, in fact. Among other disciplines. I love to study all plants, but I suppose flowers are my favorite.

Ah! The scholar! I may have seen your mention across here once already.

Have you learned much about the flowers in this world so far?

[ Zelda's eyes widen in surprise as she reads Venti's words. He knows who she is? Someone is talking about her? This was the norm in Hyrule, of course; everyone knows who the princess is, even if they don't know her on sight, and there is always plenty of talk about her (not always good). But no one has ever recognized her as a scholar before. She's actually a little bit embarrassed! ]

It seems I have made something of a reputation for myself here. [ Hopefully a good one. ] I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule.

[ And that's as much as she's going to spare for introductions, because frankly, she'd rather talk about plants than her title. ] I have learned quite a lot about the flowers of Songerein, as a matter of fact, and other plants as well. They are most fascinating! I recognize many varieties from my homeland, but they do not always act in the same manner as I am accustomed.

[It's absolutely a good reputation and one that Venti can admire. Anyone who loves flowers and studies them is admirable in his book! He loves flowers!]

A princess too! I am Venti the bard. It's a pleasure to speak with you!

I've only arrived a month or so ago so I myself haven't had the chance to see all of the flowers and foliage this world has to offer. I'd love to hear more about what you've discovered! Do you have a favourite flower you've found?

The pleasure is mine, Venti.

[ Really, it doesn't surprise Zelda to hear that he is a bard. His style of writing is very poetic, especially his original message in the journal. It reminds her of the lyrics to the songs the palace bard used to sing. ]

I could not possibly narrow it down to a single favorite I have discovered here, but this is one I found in midwinter that is most unusual:

[ Below her writing, she imprints an image of flowers with petals of ice. ]

Its petals are actually ice! I thought at first that perhaps they were simply ice frozen in the shape of petals in subfreezing temperatures, but they are actually growing right from the stem!

[Venti might be a little keen to have met a kindred spirit when it comes to flowers. He's delighted the moment he sees the imprint of the icy flower. Curious to see it for himself!]

Oh how beautiful! Ice usually speaks of hibernation and the lack of growing! But this flower seems to do just that despite the odds! Petals of ice! As pretty as winter itself!

[A bard indeed!]

This world has a lot to offer, that's for sure!

[open] invitation of windblume!

Sender: Zelda

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