The challenge.

Prompt challenge given by a friend:

You are a gardener that has been given the opportunity to attend a meeting with the senator of your state to address the farming and vegetation situation. The personal assistant of the senator feeds him lies and malicious information to save him money, all the while diminishing your own profit due to the fact that they intend to harm the farms. You are asked to give your viewpoint on the situation and your concerns.

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The tick and tock of a clock resonates in tempo with the click and clack of black stilettos. While the intangible phenomena of counted, limited and recorded numbers envelopes a tense atmosphere, the righteous physique of a brilliant woman graces a white home with her avant-garde attitude.

It's the moment she, Madam De Louviere, crosses the threshold between heavenly nature and a corrupt building. Almost instantly her nose crinckles, as porcelain features cringe at the subtle stench of tainted power. It's not necessarily something she smells with her defined olfactory's prowess, but with a skill entirely foreign to reality. She can feel it, like a weight bearing down on the American establishment, slowly crippling it, crushing it within. She wheezed for a moment, taking a deep breath in to calm her nerves, before continuing forth, into the bowls of the tainted faculty. It'd take more than a little corruption to steer her away from her duty. It was no secret the government held corruption within it's womb, birthing it every now and then. It had many wombs, apart from the mother, the grandest capital sitting along Pennsylvania avenue. And it was them, after all, who invited her here, to speak her thoughts. Not one to be rude or to miss an opportunity, she obliged, and now here she stands, with a suited fellow at her side, guiding her to the classy office of the Senator. He's not the president she hoped to someday speak with, but this would do, for now.

"Sir, Madam De Louviere is here."

The door to the Senators office was closed of course, to keep secrets at bay. When the young man escorting the Madam rasped on the door and made his announcement, a voice from beyond gave permission to let her through. So he did, by opening the door and stepping aside for her. With a gracious nod she breezed past him, and into the room of no light, save for what came through imperial windows. Which, needless to say, it provided enough. Standing by a rather large mahogany desk was a woman, dressed in black of course, similar to the cocktail dress Madam De Louviere wore, but hers was a pant suit. Straight ahead, on the other side of the desk, and at the woman's side was a man, the Senator.

"Please, Madam, have a seat. I promise they're comfortable. "

The Senator spoke with a smile and gentle wave. Madame nodded to him as well, with a polite smile, before her hazel-green eyes drifted from him to the blonde beside him. The woman, his assistant the Madame presumed, nearly glared at her, in an attempt to dishearten or intimidate. Madame De Louviere is no fool, and no coward, that much is true. So she simply ignored the nasty woman, who, she suspected, was the root of this domains corruption.

"Monsieur, with all due respect, I would rather remain afoot. I thank you though, for your generous offer."

Her lilting, beautifully accented melody flowed from ruby red lips effortlessly. A slight bow at a curved waist was given, and the Senator hardly blushed at the gesture. He did, of course, let her remain standing. He cleared his throat, tapped a wooden area of the desk before him, and dove head first into the reason why she's here.

"Our agriculture is failing, horribly. We can't manage to uphold a single one it seems. Sustaining them is a bigger challenge than expected, and I fear the farms will diminish out of existence altogether. Word, on the grapevine so to speak, has it that you're the one to speak with on a matter such as this. Please, your help, guidence or advice is needed in this crucial situation."

When the Senator finishes speaking, earthy irises spot the eye roll of the blonde, thereafter addressing the Senator with the thoughtful tilt of the head. Her attention flicked back to his, and watched the genuine woe flood his chocolate eyes. Sighing, the Madame spoke henceforth with a soft, wise and luring tone.

"In order for something to bloom it needs good, nurtured soil. That's the first rule in farming and gardening. Without healthy soil, fresh water and pure light, life cannot burst and thrive, or survive long enough to reach full bloom."

The Senator appeared even sadder, with his hands moving as he spoke in defense.

"Yes, but we had that. I requested the best soil and water the state could afford, Madame. Yet our farms still fail."

Tsking, Madame De Louviere shook her head once.

"Monsieur, I was speaking in regards to the concept itself. It's lovely, and has incredible potential, but it cannot live if it's not properly grounded, fed and nourished. It takes more than an idea or words to make an idea or dream flourish. You know the saying, if you want things done right do them yourself, oui?"

Upon the last sentence lavish irises drifted back to the assistant, who was glaring blazing holes into the Madame by now. Calm and collected, the Madame's gaze met hers in silence. The Senator's glanced upwards and sideways to his assistant with furrowed brows. He had, after all, left her in charge of the farms.

"The farms were breeding killer insects so I've taken care of them."

A lie she told the Senator over and over, before the farms were even made. She didn't want them to exist, because all she saw was the loss of money in purchasing materials and land. The Senator frowned and turned his gaze back to the Madame, who was already speaking again.

"There were no killer bugs. This state has never had a problem with that kind of breeding, that's why it's the perfect one for farming communities. And even if there were bugs, there are safe pesticides you could have used, so that the plants remained healthy and uncontaminated. No, the problem here isn't rooted in the earth. It's rooted in your operations, Monsieur. Very deeply rooted."

Looking at him now, subliminally demanding his entire focus, her voice softened, as she finally sat across from him, her eye level matching his for a solid connection.

"The operation of your concept is diseased, Monsieur. I could tell the moment I heard the farms were dying. This state already had healthy soil. Tis why I live here. I don't know if bad soil or water was brought in, or both, but your farms are perishing at the hands of someone under this roof, within this room. You've been fed lies, Monsieur. Lies that will sooner or later cause famine, and then real, killer disease."

Madame De Louviere stood upon saying the last two words. Entirely solemn, with yet another sigh, she turned away from both. The assistant attempted to speak but the Madame started instead.

"My advice to you, Monsieur, is cleanse what has been tainted. Your vision is pure and bright, but those carrying out your wishes are not. Take matters into your own hand, and I promise you, all will be well."

Those were the last words Madame De Louviere spake, before leaving the house and returning to her own. A week passed, the paper came and she received news of a new Senator 's assistant, and the new blueprints for a farming community. She saw him again, while helping with the second farming community, where citizens were welcome to aid in the agriculture. It was part of his plans, to get folks interactive with the farms. She was proud of him, and he grew to absolutely adore her.