[ He smiles, and there's a look that is hopeful but tentative. ] I hope so.

[ His voice stays soft, but the emotion is there. These roses are as much his children as Hussan is his heir. ]

Montana's climate is harsh. My children thrive in heat and humid spaces. But I am hopeful-- [ he chuckles, low and pleased ] --and money for upkeep and the latest horticulture technology is not a problem for me.

[ One of the benefits of a long life is that one amasses more riches than one can spend.

Offering her the rose now: ] For you.

[ He does not know if anyone has told her that he guards his blooms as jealously as a dragon might hoard it's gold. To date, he has only given cuttings to his Alpha, to Anna, to Kara and her mother. Eun will be the fifth in at least a hundred years. ]