Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
Smiling faintly at his discomfort on the topic of her fertility, Maea simply shrugged. "It was my choice to make. I could have given up anything... It just seemed like the least limiting thing, to me." Especially since she had no desire to become a parent.
But her smile faded when Remi explained his daughter's death. Maea sighed softly, and nodded. Recalled the little bundle strapped to his chest that time they'd met in the orchard; it was the only time she ever met Aoife, but it was enough to make the loss of the girl personal. Just because she didn't want any children of her own didn't mean Maea had anything against them.
"I know," she said softly, "I heard. I'm so sorry for your loss, Remi."
That did remind her of something else though, and the girl reached into the folds of her shawl, digging about the neck for the straps that tied a curious crystal lense into place there. "I know this is a bit of an awkward segue, but I have something of yours. It was... salvaged... from your workshop, before it burned down."
Maea withdrew the item and removed it from about her neck, holding it out for Remi to reclaim if he so wished. She'd taken it, not knowing why, and felt the possession of it burn in her like a poison.
But her smile faded when Remi explained his daughter's death. Maea sighed softly, and nodded. Recalled the little bundle strapped to his chest that time they'd met in the orchard; it was the only time she ever met Aoife, but it was enough to make the loss of the girl personal. Just because she didn't want any children of her own didn't mean Maea had anything against them.
"I know," she said softly, "I heard. I'm so sorry for your loss, Remi."
That did remind her of something else though, and the girl reached into the folds of her shawl, digging about the neck for the straps that tied a curious crystal lense into place there. "I know this is a bit of an awkward segue, but I have something of yours. It was... salvaged... from your workshop, before it burned down."
Maea withdrew the item and removed it from about her neck, holding it out for Remi to reclaim if he so wished. She'd taken it, not knowing why, and felt the possession of it burn in her like a poison.
