[SE] on a winning streak

'Cause she's a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made

They resumed their search, but not before Liam nabbed a handful of purple grapes from the basket he'd brought, popping one in his mouth as he went. "I can only imagine," he said of wings, but there was no jealousy to it. He didn't begrudge anyone the things that made them happy.

Liam found a deeper pool off the riverbank and peered in, wondering what lay in wait in the depths, but since that wasn't the point of their search, he shrugged it off and moved on. "A jaguar would be impressive," he said. He paused. "I always wanted a dragon, too, but I haven't been so fortunate as to find one." Perhaps one day - and if not, he'd grown to accept that outcome, too.

"Mm, not really," he said thoughtfully. "I think, for a long time, it's like you said - there was this acceptance that I didn't want to give up. Attuned weren't shunned by any means, but everyone knew they were different, and it sort of set them apart. I didn't want that." He shook his head. "Now I'm just... comfortable how I am, I suppose."

But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me

Liam

MAEA

Bonding with a dragon would be the ultimate joy. Second only to having it as a shift; if flying as a crow felt good, imagine being the biggest thing in the sky! Of course, Maea didn't expect to ever attain such a form. She struggled enough with the ones she already had, and with her own predatory instincts, and she longed for the easy acceptance of herself that Liam had reached.

"Sounds peaceful, to be content that way. It's a mindset I've been trying to reach for years. Teach me your ways, oh wise one?" she teased, playfully indicating the was willing to kneel if he insisted; but only in one knee, thank you. Since he was already popping grapes the couldn't really offer to feed him any, for which they should both be grateful.

I see a new horizon, holding on to hope
Say goodbye to all my pain when it's time for me to go

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

'Cause she's a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made

It had taken Liam a long time to be comfortable in his own skin, to not wish to change some innate part of himself into a form that he'd imagine himself to like better. His wife had been a large part of his self-acceptance, for which he would be forever grateful. He'd never let go of that particular lesson, even as much of the rest of his life had fallen down around his ears. He was no longer sure that he was acting in a way she'd be proud of - his self-imposed exile, for example, would have her rolling her eyes - but he thought that, deep down, he was still the same man.

He laughed. "If I had ways to teach, I'd be a rich man." Who wouldn't pay good money to learn to be content with oneself? But alas, Liam might have been many things, but a teacher was not one of them. "But don't worry; when I start selling my methods across Caido, I'll be sure to give you a discount."

But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me

Liam

MAEA

Meaning she would have to make do with what she had until then. Affecting a dramatic sigh, Maea raised imploring hands to the sky. "A discount, he says. When I am here on hands and knees, searching day and night for the cruel queen's flowers, simply for a place to call home?" She wasn't, actually, but the phrase sounded good. "I suppose it'll have to do." But she absolutely poked her tongue at him for daring to charge at all; friends were meant to help each other out, were they not?

As the Maea picked her way up onto a tangle of mangrove-like roots for a better vantage point, however, she did admit to herself that she was having a good time with this search. As far as exiles went, it could be far, far worse. For a while silence reigned, interspersedwith trickling water, birdsong and the occasional drone of an early bug. Then a thought struck, and Maea called out, "Hey, Liam? If you could choose between doing what's good for you alone, and what's good for you but also for many other folks, which would you choose?" She balanced along the top of a root, until she found a more secure place to scout from. So far no roses, but she did get to look down on her companion for once.

I see a new horizon, holding on to hope
Say goodbye to all my pain when it's time for me to go

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

'Cause she's a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made

He hadn’t expected this playful side of Maea, and he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face as she raised her hands imploringly to the sky before poking her tongue out at him. Shaking his head and chuckling, he returned his attention to the hunt. He was searching around some tangled roots when he heard Maea call for him, and he turned to find her perched upon the top of one such root that was so far from the ground that he had to look up at her for once.

He paused in his search, a thoughtful expression on his face. It seemed like an obvious choice for him: if he was going to have something good for him either way, why wouldn’t he choose to help others in the process? But then, he’d always been the type to sacrifice his own happiness for that of others, so perhaps he wasn’t the best person to answer Maea’s question. ”I’d choose to do good for many other people,” he said after a moment, regarding her cautiously. ”Why?”

But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me

Liam

MAEA

Holding those hazel eyes in her gaze for a while, Maea rubbed her forehead and broke off, swiveling out over the estuary. He would say that, of course. She couldn't even say the was disappointed, because if given the choice she wanted to believe she'd make the same one. And yet...

"Nothing specific... It's just..." Sighing, she forewent climbing down and shifted instead, shrinking into the white-feathered crow to glide back to Liam's side on a Flowerbirth breeze. Shimmering back into view as her feet touched ground, she wore a pensive expression that seemed far away. "I met a friend a few nights ago. She put some ideas in my head, that I'd very much like to just run with. But if I do, it would take time and focus away from what we are doing right now."

Possibly she could argue it was for her own sake she hunted the flower, but finding a Vi's Rose would benefit far more people than just her. Or, she could chase after wishes and maybe's, attempt to entreaty the gods to fränt her some personal happiness and peace of mind... "It shouldn't even really be a question, should it." Despite that Maea still hesitated.

I see a new horizon, holding on to hope
Say goodbye to all my pain when it's time for me to go

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

'Cause she's a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made

Maea shifted, gliding back to his side before reappearing as an Ancient. He watched her patiently, the gentle Flowerbirth breeze ruffling his hair as it passed by. There was something on her mind, that much was obvious, though Liam didn’t know her well enough even to hazard a guess as to what that might be. And the obvious answer, at face glance, was to do what was best for the most people. But something told him it was more nuanced than that; Maea had been singularly interested in finding a rose for the past few days, so whatever her friend had said must have been big. Important, at least to Maea.

”Maybe it shouldn’t be,” he said slowly. ”But, Maea - you’re not the only one looking for flowers. I know how important it is to you to be the one to find one, but… if there’s something else you need to do, the search will still go on.”

But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me

Liam

MAEA

Right. There were others who searched. Others who could do the work, and the fighting, and the hard lifting. If she stepped away and did nothing, what would really change? She was insignificant, the gods indifferent to her usefulness, and Dygra would likely only approve of her greed. So it came down to her, really. What she was willing to do, and sacrifice, and potentially give up, in order to attain a bit of personal happiness.

Standing quiet beside him, Liam's gaze on her exerted a gentle kind of pressure to open up, to talk about what lay close to the heart. That she resisted wasn't because it was difficult to tell him things; on the contrary, it was far too easy. Maea just had to remind herself that he wouldn't be sticking around forever, that she would be going off soon, and while they'd certainly remain friends... it would be the same kind as her other relations. One of letters, occasional get togethers, and the odd shared projects. Sporadic visits interspersed through long periods of solitude. This prolonged proximity – it was the exception, not some new precedence.

Despite that... She was being rather cryptic, wasn't she.
"I had a companion, many years ago," she revealed, speaking slowly. Neutral, careful not to get too emotional. "It - we ‐ passed away. My friend, Alys, she too lost her companion recently, though it seems she was granted a quest from Mort to return hers to life. It made me think... what if I could have Shii back, too?" 

Would Mort listen to another such prayer? Might she really ask for such a thing? Better yet, could she, when entreating the high gods for aid might just as well help her find a Rose instead?

Mort, or Vi? A personal little bit of joy, or hope to all of Caido? It shouldn't be a question. But it was.

I see a new horizon, holding on to hope
Say goodbye to all my pain when it's time for me to go

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

'Cause she's a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made

It wasn’t that Liam though Maea or her contribution insignificant; it was simply meant as a reminder that while she might feel as though she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders, she didn’t have to bear it alone. She shouldn’t have to, at any rate. The fact that she was out here trying her best to make amends for past failings spoke volumes to the dragoon, and for some reason he was determined that she should see it, too.

That she had had a companion shocked him rather less than the knowledge that she had died, and he stared at her in awe for a moment. He’d heard of such things, of course: whispers and rumors of those returned from the dead. But the enormity of what that might mean was more than Liam could comprehend at the moment, so he focused instead on the actual problem at hand.

”If someone else found a whole bushel of roses tomorrow,” he said. ”And you could no longer complete your quest… what would you do?” If she were to fail (not that he would agree it was a failure; it seemed like, at best, an unfair requirement from Torchline’s queen), would she rather be alone? Or would she rather have a chance as even a sliver of happiness, being reunited with her companion?

But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me

Liam

MAEA

It hadn't ocurred to her that she might not find a rose at all. Even if she wasn't the first or even the third person to bring one back, as long as she did, wouldn't that be enough? Then Maea recalled the blazing fury in Flora's eyes, and the seething derision as everything Maea said was dismissed. Would it actually be good enough if her return wasn't swift and in ample time? What good was a flower, however rare and valuable, if a meadow had already been planted around the Doubletake's forbidden shores? It had been a bargain, but how honorable was the woman she'd struck it with?

Chewing the inside of her cheek, Maea's tail flicked uncertainly while she frowned down at her toes. "Well... I would have to come up with another plan. If I can't rebuild in Torchline, I'd have to find somewhere else... Preferably somewhere that doesn't get buried in snow every Deepfrost, but I'd settle for Void free." Meaning, she could go back to the Grounds, or hope another region succeeded in warding an area. Hard to do, these days. "Then... I don't know. Try to be useful?" Try to find things worth waking up for every morning, chasing away regrets...  and perhaps, yes, indulge in things that meant something only to her. Like resurrecting an old, long mourned friend.

Drawing a breath, she exhaled, spelling some deep seated tension. Rubbing at her forehead, she found the thought of having to give up thoroughly unappealing. "I guess, as long as I'm hesitating it's better to keep doing what I've already set out to," Maea said, with a bit more determination. "Shii wouldn't thank me for wondering if reviving them was a mistake, anyway. Knowing me, the thought would absolutely cross my mind, if I didn't give this everything I have now." Reaching out to Liam, she nudged the back of her hand against his arm, appreciative of the way he helped her think this through. He asked good questions.

I see a new horizon, holding on to hope
Say goodbye to all my pain when it's time for me to go

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

'Cause she's a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made

Although it hadn’t been exactly what Liam had meant, he waited patiently while Maea reasoned through her dilemma. ”There are all kinds of ways to be useful,” he pointed out. ”Even a small gesture can be useful to someone.” In other words, Maea didn’t have to save the world. Perhaps simply living a good life, in which one was kind to others, was enough.

At least, he hoped so. It was certainly enough to make him feel fulfilled.

But Maea seemed to come to a decision, and Liam certainly wasn’t one to try and influence others one way or another - particularly someone he’d just met. Even if Maea did feel like an old friend, this was her choice and hers alone. ”At least now you’re aware that it might be an option. Perhaps now isn’t the right time, but that won’t always be the case.” She’d either succeed or fail in her quest - and nothing but luck would determine which would prove to be true - but there was life left to life in the after, and something told him that Maea wouldn’t be content to sit still for long, no matter what happened.

But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me

Liam

MAEA

"That's true. That it's even possible is more than I could have hoped for. I've waited this long... what's another season or two?" Her heart could keep aching while they looked for the dratted flowers, and perhaps by the end of it - whenever that may be - she would have learned something about patience.

Certainly Liam was teaching her plenty about the usefulness of small gestures. Bolstered by their conversation and glad for his company, Maea returned focus to the search. Doing everything in her power meant combing through the beaches, inlets and strands surrounding the estuary. Without paths to follow they were often forced to wade marshy wetlands or bushwhack through dense underbrush. As hours passed the sun rose high in the sky, warming the air enough that even Maea took off her coat and tied it around the waist.

It was only the growl of her stomach that convinced her to take a break; sweaty, scratched up and with twigs caught in her hair she staggered back to their designated camp and dropped onto the ground. "Are roses even real?" she mused aloud while uncorking a water bottle to take a long swig. "Maybe if we started to look for tulips or orchids instead, we'd actually find something...?"

I see a new horizon, holding on to hope
Say goodbye to all my pain when it's time for me to go

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

'Cause she's a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made

With Maea placated for now, Liam was content to resume the search, ranging out over the estuary and even going so far as to wade through the shallow, briny waters to take a look on several of the small islands. The sun rose higher in the sky and their hunt continued to no avail. By the time they reconvened at the picnic basket, Maea was looking the worse for wear, and Liam wasn’t much better. He was damp up to his chest after misjudging the last pond he’d tried to walk through, and a bit of mud was smeared on one cheek.

He settled down next to Maea without complaint, digging in the basket for a flask of water and taking a healthy swallow before answering. ”Maybe the one I saw was a figment of my imagination,” he agreed. He reached into the basket and began to lay out a few selections: grapes, bread, cheese, and even a small jar of blackberry jam. ”You know, I think I saw some poppies somewhere. You think those might do the trick?”

But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me

Liam

MAEA

Eyeing the feast with growing enthusiasm as it was set out, Maea laughed. "Maybe! What kind of poppies were they? I bet if we chew the seeds of the right kind, we'll see all sorts of things. If you really believe that a daffodil is a rose, does it become one?" Splaying her hands in a 'who's to say' gesture, she noticed the state of them and grimaced wildly. Wasting some water to rinse off, once she was decent she began to help herself to lunch, building a sandwich with a little bit of everything.

"This was a good idea," Maea congratulated him, once she sat back to eat. "Do you often bring lunch like this when you go out?" He seemed to have put genuine effort into ,making this a pleasant break, where she would have settled for hardtack and jerky on the move. Maea caught herself gazing at the man while she chewed, surreptitiously like he was a riddle that could be figured out if she just tried hard enough. "Come to think of it, I don't think I've asked what you've done for a living while staying here..? I hope I'm not pulling you away from anything."

I see a new horizon, holding on to hope
Say goodbye to all my pain when it's time for me to go

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3