Maea
My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb
Dygra's presence was a tremor in her bones, a flush of heat that banished the chill and drew a contented little sigh past Maea’s lips. To hear such praise from her goddess made her emotional; the armor really had been a long time in the making, and to see it completed allowed her to look back on herself from a different perspective.
"Thank you, Mother. For the dress, and for your unfailing acceptance of me. I will wear it proudly, and strive to embrace change with faith in my ability to face whatever comes my way." The caress of wind sent goosebumps trailing across her skin. With the armor blessed for the third and final time, Maea scooped it up and pressed her cheek against the soft material, inextricably happy. She didn't want to wait to put it on; right there before the shrine she stripped out of her clothes, down to bare skin, and slipped the gown over her head. The way it closed around her was an embrace, a rush of warm security that bolstered a wounded confidence and reminded the petite woman of why she had desired change in the first place. Yes, it was frightening, and yes she was making mistakes along the way. But was she not growing, also? Was she not bettering herself with every lesson learned? Maybe she had earned a season of rest, as a chance to relax her tense shoulders and regain enthusiasm for the new year to come.
"Lady, may I ask..." Cocking her horned head aside as she sank back to her knees, Maea's gaze lingered on a cluster of rubies on the far wall, for lack of a physical manifestation to focus on. "Many of the other gods are celebrated throughout the year, in various ways. Was there ever such an event to honor you? Would you care to be celebrated in such a way?" She didn't know what such an event might look like, but very much longed for a place to openly share her fondness for the goddess with others - especially, perhaps, because of her estrangement from so many of the other Ancients. She couldn't quite accept that bloodlust and orgies were the only ways to embrace entropy.
"Thank you, Mother. For the dress, and for your unfailing acceptance of me. I will wear it proudly, and strive to embrace change with faith in my ability to face whatever comes my way." The caress of wind sent goosebumps trailing across her skin. With the armor blessed for the third and final time, Maea scooped it up and pressed her cheek against the soft material, inextricably happy. She didn't want to wait to put it on; right there before the shrine she stripped out of her clothes, down to bare skin, and slipped the gown over her head. The way it closed around her was an embrace, a rush of warm security that bolstered a wounded confidence and reminded the petite woman of why she had desired change in the first place. Yes, it was frightening, and yes she was making mistakes along the way. But was she not growing, also? Was she not bettering herself with every lesson learned? Maybe she had earned a season of rest, as a chance to relax her tense shoulders and regain enthusiasm for the new year to come.
"Lady, may I ask..." Cocking her horned head aside as she sank back to her knees, Maea's gaze lingered on a cluster of rubies on the far wall, for lack of a physical manifestation to focus on. "Many of the other gods are celebrated throughout the year, in various ways. Was there ever such an event to honor you? Would you care to be celebrated in such a way?" She didn't know what such an event might look like, but very much longed for a place to openly share her fondness for the goddess with others - especially, perhaps, because of her estrangement from so many of the other Ancients. She couldn't quite accept that bloodlust and orgies were the only ways to embrace entropy.
And I remember thinking — I want to be like them
