Dislcaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy IX

Well, today I've designated as Steiner's birthday; it's sometime in April, and today seemed apt. Plus, it's a day before May, so I thought this works.

This will just be a standalone oneshot for now, nothing further planned until the exam-crazy-syndrome dies down around here! At least 6 months or so.

As for now, I hope that you'll like this oneshot. Enjoy!

Black Roses of May

I was taken from my siblings today. A young man in shiny silver armour cut me off my plant and put me in some lovely water - just right for my stem, all delicious and sugary. He primped and primed me and left me overnight. And then, he took me out of the water the next morning. It made me sad, but I was already full for the day. He clutched me in his slightly sweaty hand, and rehearsed something,
"I really like you, Beatrix. You're so virtuous and pure and humble. Would you come out with me tonight? Yes. Maybe that."
He must've fretted the whole time we traveled - I was paying attention to the massive stone castle in front of us more than anything.
We finally reached a woman, and the man said his words. She was standing guard before a tall tower, and she was just as young as him - or maybe younger. Her hair was a warm honey blonde, and her brown eyes were sparkly and full of life. She blushed at him and as she reached out for me with delicate hands, and agreed to what he'd said. I was happy for them, I think.

I was cut a while after my brother. The same man - who looked taller and more muscly and more handsome - took me into his room and put me in some water, and left me for the night. He took me then, after gently stroking my light pink petals - of course he would, they're beautiful - to see a woman. She had long blondish brown hair, and a pretty face. Her hands were a bit rough in the humid air, and she wore very little - as the standard issue uniform was.
"Beatrix, I admire your desire and passion and your joy for life. Will you go out with me again this evening?" He asked coyly, and the woman smiled with a blush the colour of my petals covering her face.
She nodded and took me from the man's hands, who had a wide grin on his face. Her hands were a bit softer than they looked, but not by much, and they shook ever so slightly in the thick morning air. I was happy for them; for the handsome young knight and the pretty young guard.

I was taken not long after my sister. The man looked sweltering in the summer heat and I don't blame him - so was I. I was so glad when he put me in the glass of cool water and left me overnight, it was better than fighting with my twins over who would get the last of the water from the dry, dry dirt. I needed the water to keep my petals nice and pink, a bright fuschia - to keep myself looking the best I could.
"Beatrix, you're so graceful with your sword... No, No! Beatrix, I adore your gracefulness, will you come to dinner?" He practiced it like a mantra all the way across the castle grounds, until we were out in front of a tall tower which a very little toddler wearing an alarming shade of orange had just run into. The woman was standing there, her eyes blank in the midday sun. She was very pretty, but something minute lurked beneath the surface of her glassy eyes.
"Beatrix, I adore your gracefulness, will you-"
"-come to dinner?" She finished for him, her smile breaching on a smirk. "Yes." She replied with a short nod, and I was passed from his hot hands into her cool, vibrating ones. She felt odd. But I was happy for them.

I expected to go soon after my brother, but I waited another year before, in the mildness of March, I was clipped from my plant. Left overnight in the cool water that froze my insides slightly, I was then picked up in the morning and carried across the barely awake castle. I loved the mornings when they were like this - cool and sparsely populated and quiet.
"Beatrix, I wanted to tell you that... No. Beatrix, you're... Ugh!" He tried and tried the entire time he walked around (and detoured around) the castle, until finally, he got there. A little girl with short black hair and wide brown eyes looked down on him with a grin.
"Beatrix."
"Steiner." She smiled back, but it was hollow. Like she was thinking about something else.
"Beatrix, I... I wanted to say that... I love you!" He blurted out, thrusting me in the girl's direction. Her eyes widened and some joy lit up in them as she looked at my crimson petals and back to the man in the silver armour.
"Steiner I... I love you too." She took me from him, with a slight tremor in her hand, like a butterfly was caught in her chest. The girl from above clapped and giggled, before a squat man took her away and shut the window, a knowing smile on his lips beneath his large nose. I was happy for them, for them all.

I expected to be put in water when I was picked, like my siblings. But I wasn't. I was put beneath the beating summer sun, and then crushed between two pages, clamped by wood for the rest of the summer. Autumn followed, with giggling and sounds of happiness, but it all stopped by winter. When it was finally the depths of winter, I was brought out, and I didn't know if I was glad to see the sun or not. It was too bright, against sensitive white, dried petals. I was taken by the light of the slowly rising moon across the castle, to a tall, thin, stony tower, where a woman sat at the bottom. Her hands had a tremor to them, but she wore more than any of the other guards. Her honey blonde hair was bouncy and looked perfect, but her eyes were cold. Her skin was radiant, but her smile was not.
"I... I'm sorry." The man said with a choked throat, as the pretty but dead woman reached out her hand and took me into it. She saw me, pressed and dried on the crisp white page and nodded. When he left, she turned around and let a single tear of sorrow drop from her eye, as a little girl raced down the stairs to comfort 'Auntie Beatrix'. I was so sad for them. I was so sad for them both.

I was surprised when I was cut, favoured over of my brightly coloured, gentle siblings. Even the insects stay away from me, I'm black like poison and danger, and we grow in solitude, away from all the others. I'm rare, but I'm cursed. I was put into a crystal clear vase and left over-night, in the calm heat of May. I was more surprised though, when instead of looking at me in contempt, he looked at me with rid-rimmed eyes and took me out of the vase, and delivered me across the castle. But it wasn't to an ebony coffin as usual - instead it was to a woman, with dark blonde hair, a down turned pink mouth, one dead brown eye and the other kept under a stark, worn silver patch, lifeless skin and two shaking hands, one of which she kept on the pommel of her sword. Her eyes brightened and her whole being lit up when she saw us coming, but as soon as she set sight on me, her face turned white as a sheet. The man didn't say anything, but handed me over, and left with naught but the sound of his shiny armour clanking. She looked at me and stroked my petals, as tears rolled down her cheeks in quick succession. She knew what I was, and all that I meant: death, eternal farewells, hatred. She didn't know that I meant rebirth too, but I think it's too late. She's already crying, and there are sobs ripping from her throat. I don't think she ever wants to see a Black Rose of May again.

Okay, so...

White Rose = Innocence, virtue, purity, secrecy, humility (amongst other meanings)

Light Pink = Desire, passion, joy of life, youth and energy.

Pink = Grace

Red = True love

Dried White Rose = Sorrow

Black Rose = Death, hatred, farewell, rejuvenation, rebirth in Plant Symbolism.

Well, there are quite a few there. But I hope you enjoyed what the meanings brought to the story.

That's all from me for now, but please review if you liked and follow for more. Thanks!