Drabble: Gardener

Gardener

The King’s gardener cut into the stem, inserted the scion stem into the rootstock, carefully wrapping the whole thing. It was careful work, and the gardener was a careful man.
He’d spent his entire life in the king’s employ, first as a simple grounds servant, then apprenticed to the old gardener, then taking over when the harsh old man died.
He did not make the monstrosities hidden in the dark corners of the garden out of animosity for the king, or out of any political ideals. He made them simply because they cried to be made. Thus are some assassins.