From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
There was one thing Maeve wasn't the best at handling and that was morning sickness. The nausea, the sweats, and the vomiting were beginning to wear on the Madame. She could barely keep anything down. Not even water or tea. Maeve had tried ginger tea, peppermint, and just about everything in between. None of her own remedies were working and she was hesitant to seek out Nate for help, still not entirely comfortable with being around him, but especially hesitant to share news of her baby. So instead she thought to stop by one of the few apothecaries within town, hoping that the might have something for her.
Maeve pushed into the shop, glancing around slowly for any sign of a worker, "Hello? Anyone in?" She called out, letting the door close behind her as she approached the front counter, setting her basket down lightly on the surface.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
Ray heard the door chime from where she was working in the back. She'd spent most of her day sorting out new stock and her apron had small colorful smudges from a variety of plants. After washing her hands Ray headed to the front of her shop to greet her customer. "Welcome! What can I do for you today?" She greeted the woman with a warm grin, already scanning Maeve for any obvious indicators of need.
Ray had a hunch but you can never be too sure. No one wants to ask about a due date if it turns out that the person in question isn't pregnant. The presence of the basket also hinted that perhaps the woman was here for multiple things.
Maeve offered her a small smile as Ray appeared from the back, tucking a stray curl behind her ear, "I'm in need of a few things actually." She wasn't showing yet. Not really. There was the faintest swell at her belly, but with the looseness of her dress it was hard to tell for sure. She glanced around the shop, spotting a section of vials and jars that would be perfect for her own mixes, drifting that way to select a few and placing them on the counter. "Do you have anything for sore muscles? A salve or balm of some kind?" Maeve asked, turning her attention back to the girl behind the counter, a faint flush rising on her cheeks before she spoke again.
"Also, something for nausea or morning sickness?" She knew there wasn't a reason to be nervous asking for this. It was a fairly common problem and it wasn't like she had anything to be embarrassed about.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
Ray nodded and began to pull from her shelves. "For sore muscles I have a cream made from mountain daisies. You can rub it into the affected are once in the morning, and once before bed." She placed a small tub of the cream on the counter. "It works wonders for soreness and swelling."
The mention of morning sickness had Ray giving Maeve an understanding smile. Although the Attuned didn't have any children of her own given her young age, many expecting mothers had come to her for such help. "I'd initially recommend ginger or mint tea. But if those don't work there's actually two other things you can try. Rooibos tea mixed with milk can sometimes help settle the stomach and prevent morning sickness. Other than that, the scent of fresh lemon often helps. If you feel nauseas, just take a whiff of fresh lemon zest or something similar." Ray wasn't sure why that last one seemed to work, but numerous mothers had sworn by it. As for he rooibos tea, it would provide vital nutrients and paired with the milk protein would help prevent or lessen nausea.
07-04-2021, 12:41 AM (This post was last modified: 07-04-2021, 01:28 AM by Maeve.)
Maeve
"That sounds perfect. I'll take a jar of that." Maeve nodded, picking up the tub, opening it up and sniffing at the contents. Seeming satisfied with the product, she screwed the lid back on, placing it in her basket along with the glass containers she'd already selected. Her back was already starting to ache and she knew that her feet and ankles would follow later on.
She huffed softly, "I tried that. Neither of them have worked well for me. The mint tea occasionally helps after a meal and I have some ginger too that I've tried, but that seems to just make me worse." Maeve grimaced, wrinkling her nose at the very thought of it, recalling the last attempt with ginger and how she ended up with a burning nose afterwards. "Rooibos tea? I haven't heard of that before. Do you happen to have any? Is there a milk it pairs best with?" She asked with an arched brow, head tilting thoughtfully at the suggestion.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
"I do actually. I have one that has a hint of lemongrass. It also has efas in it, which is also good for settling the stomach. Guess that brew might be three birds with one stone." Ray retrieved a tin of the tea blend and placed it on the counter. She had to pause and think about Maeve's question, humming to herself in thought. "As for milk, I think just a classic dairy milk would pair best with it. Maybe heat some up and pour it over the brewed tea?"
That combination should be soothing and easy enough on the stomach. Hopefully it would give the woman some relief. "If that doesn't work, feel free to come back and I'll try and brew something up for you. Was there anything else that I could help you find?"
Maeve nodded, tucking that information away for later, thinking she might be able to implement that in her own blends should she ever need to. Either way, the Madame was thankful for the help now, offering a small smile as Ray placed the tin in her basket as well, "Dairy milk. Okay. Perfect. Thank you so much. Hopefully this helps. If not I'll come back and see if we can figure something else out." She said easily, sparring one last look around the shop, trying to think of anything else that she might need while she was here.
"Anything for stretch marks or just anything else you might suggest?" The Madame prompted, curious to see what else Ray might suggest for her to take, figuring she might as well take advantage of the girl while she was willing to help.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
Ray gave Maeve a gentle smile. "Of course. I'm happy to help. Feel free to come back anytime." The herbalist always did her best to help her clients. If that meant three attempts and an experimental brew, then that's what she'd do. But hopefully Maeve would find that this first round did the trick.
"Stretch marks? I actually do have a bath scrub that works for promoting skin repair. It should work on stretch marks too. It's made of sugar, coconut oil, and aloe vera." As she spoke, Ray placed another small tub on the counter. "You could also try to eat more foods like carrots or sweet potatos. They're great for the skin in general, especially in terms of healing." Those methods together should work to minimize any stretch marks and help them fade as well.
The last question almost got a shake of the head before something occurred to Ray. "Oh! Actually yes! Red raspberry leaf tea is fantastic for expecting moms. It has numerous beneficial effects including decreasing nausea and even lowering the risk of birth complications. But this tea can only be taken during the second and third trimester. Would you like to get some now, or maybe come back once you're in the later trimesters?"
"I'll take anything you think will be good." Maeve murmured, smiling in response to the suggestion, peeking curiously into the basket and taking out the container, opening p to give it a sniff. It was sweet and earthy all at once. She hummed, screwing the top back on and placing back in the basket. "Hopefully with the tea I'll actually be able to eat again." She laughed quietly despite how nervous she was to see if the tea would actually work for her. The Madame hadn't been able to keep a proper meal down in days at this point. She was starting to feel the effects of that wearing on her.
Maeve nodded, leaning lightly against the counter, "I'll go ahead and take some so I have it on hand. I'm hopefully going to meet with my midwife soon and we'll have a better idea of how soon the little one will be here. I know I'm not very far along." It felt wrong doing this alone. Locke should be here with her. There was a bang in her chest and her smile faltered, eyes dropping to her hands as they rested against the top of the counter.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
"I hope so too." Ray gave the woman a kind smile, nodding at her decision. She grabbed the tea and added it to the pile. "Sounds good. I wish you the best of luck." Ray's smile faltered, turning into a gentle look of concern, when Maeve's eyes fell.
"Are you ok? Is there anything else that I can do?" Her tone implied that she was willing to help beyond herbal remedies if the Madame needed it. There was clearly something bothering her and Ray could never not help someone in need. And although she'd never experienced it, she'd heard that sometimes emotions were heightened during pregnancy. So if Maeve needed an ear to vent to, or a friend to talk things out with, Ray was wiling.
"Thank you.. I appreciate all the help." She said softly, trying desperately to keep her voice from trembling, but it already threatened to give her away. Maeve took a shaky breath, looking up to meet the girl's gaze, finding a gentle concern there that she wasn't expecting.
Is she okay? No, she isn't okay. She's very far from okay. "The father... He left me and I- I haven't even gotten to tell him." The Madame was alone in this. Aurelia had promised to help her, but she was the only one. She hadn't even heard from Seren. The Madame had sent her letter days ago now and the starchild hadn't responded even once. It was uncommon for her and Maeve couldn't help worrying for her friend. Not only that, but what if Seren didn't want to see her? What if she sided with Locke? She knew the two were close.
Tears prick her eyes and she furiously blinks them back, tired of crying over every little thing, "I just feel very alone in all of this. Then there is the war... I want this baby. More than anything, but this isn't how I thought it would happen. I didn't think I'd not even have my partner to support me." She confesses, voice quiet between them, drawing in a shaky breath as she finally looked up at her.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
Ray's heart shattered for the woman. That certainly was a lot to deal with, too much for anyone really. The Attuned couldn't even fathom what Maeve was going through. "I'm so sorry. If you ever need to vent or even just a quiet place to hide, feel free to come here. The beds in the infirmary are surprisingly comfortable, or you could relax in the back of the shop." The offer was an easy one to make, and a genuine one. The Madame if she accepted, wouldn't the the first or last person to hid out in the Apothecary. There were many who sought the quite comfort of the place.
As for the war, Ray let out a small sigh. "I'll admit that times are hard right now. The looming war is certainly daunting. But the good news is that there is time to prepare. And thankfully, there are few in Caido who would actively let a child be harmed. Things will get rough, but you and your child will make it out ok." Ray's voice was steady, filled with warm empathy. Even if she couldn't know for sure the outcome, the Attuned knew that the only way forward was to have faith in there being another end of the tunnel.
Maeve's smile was side, tears rimming her eyes as she looked up at the other woman, a soft appreciation on her beautifully sad features. "You're very kind to offer that. Thank you." She murmured, reaching up to wipe away at unshed tears, drawing in a centering breath as she squared her shoulders. "I'm sorry... I never did ask your name. I'm Maeve. I run and own the Halenani." With an extended hand, the Madame waited for the herbalist to provide her own name, wanting to know who to send a gift basket to as a 'thank you' for all of the help.
"I have plans to talk to my goddess. I'm hoping that she will be willing to help in some way. I won't let anything befall my child if I can prevent it." She knew there would be places to seek refuge if it came to it. Those that would be willing to help keep her and her baby safe. If anything she could find out where Ronin and Remi were going to hide Mateo. Surely the demi gods had already considered that need and would have made preparations.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
The Madame's gratitude gets her another warm smile. "Of course." The name Maeve instantly rings a bell and Ray perks up. "You're Maeve? It's so nice to put a face to the name! I'm Ray. Paige mentioned you when we were playing with the stones at the Rainbow Road." Of course the herbalist had also heard Maeve's name in regards to the Halenani before as well.
It was good to hear the the expecting mother was already making plans to protect her child. But granted, that wasn't too surprising either. Maeve seemed like a good person, and Ray was sure she'd make a great mom. "I hope she gives you the help and answers that you need. I have a feeling that you're going to be a great mom regardless. You're already looking out for your little one and you're barely showing.
It occurred to Ray that Seren had also mentioned Maeve before. The goddess in question was likely Safrin then. As a fellow mother, Ray had a feeling that Maeve would find some semblance of solace with the goddess.
