Maea
The worst of all blessings
"I still haven't spent any real time in the Oerwoud," Maea mused, "or been to Halo since before the war - for obvious reasons. Perhaps we could make a trip south over Deepfrost? Hak Etme is also better during the cold season." Not being in a mindset to travel didn't strike her as silly at all. In her case it had been a compulsion, a futile attempt to escape her inner demons that now felt like an ingrained part of who she was. But for the majority of her knife, she'd been in one place. Knowing nothing about what lay more than a day's journey from home, expecting nothing but the same scenery for the rest of her life. It wasn't ridiculous at all - it simply was.
"Maven," she repeatedly softly, "and Wren. And their mother's name... is Mara." Not three children, then, but three precious family members - and a name she couldn't forget for the eerie similarity to her own. Maea ran her thumb along the side of Liam's hand, lost in thought; contemplating the strange twists of luck and misfortunes that had led to this point. If not for the Voice, then his girls would still be alive. If not for the war, he would never have looked twice at her, content with the love he already had. If she hadn't clung to life and returned from Mort's halls by any means necessary, then they never would have met. Her brother had been right, when he promised there was more to living than she'd experienced by then... and she thought it was high time to visit a shrine and thank him for that. Mort too, and Vi who had gifted Ronin the ability to revive the dead. Come to think of it, a pilgrimage wasn't a bad idea at all...
The silence extended, like a silent minute in honor of the names they'd evoked. Maea hoped Mara could forgive her for caring about this man. Hoped she rested peacefully with Mort, content to wait for him so that Maea could have the remainder of his years to herself. And may they be long, bright, blissful... as much as was ever possible in Caido.
"Maven," she repeatedly softly, "and Wren. And their mother's name... is Mara." Not three children, then, but three precious family members - and a name she couldn't forget for the eerie similarity to her own. Maea ran her thumb along the side of Liam's hand, lost in thought; contemplating the strange twists of luck and misfortunes that had led to this point. If not for the Voice, then his girls would still be alive. If not for the war, he would never have looked twice at her, content with the love he already had. If she hadn't clung to life and returned from Mort's halls by any means necessary, then they never would have met. Her brother had been right, when he promised there was more to living than she'd experienced by then... and she thought it was high time to visit a shrine and thank him for that. Mort too, and Vi who had gifted Ronin the ability to revive the dead. Come to think of it, a pilgrimage wasn't a bad idea at all...
The silence extended, like a silent minute in honor of the names they'd evoked. Maea hoped Mara could forgive her for caring about this man. Hoped she rested peacefully with Mort, content to wait for him so that Maea could have the remainder of his years to herself. And may they be long, bright, blissful... as much as was ever possible in Caido.
The most beautiful of curses
Base by Skylark
