Greiving Generosity {Private}

Maebella | Commoner

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Maebella’s features were twisted with worry as she trotted alongside her best friend on the Gilded Bridge. It was the early afternoon and she had been dragging Ciri from stall to stall and back again for an hour and a half at least. Ciri had regrettably suggested the shopping trip the night before, when Mae had been distraught with worry and… guilt, Ciri supposed. It had been a week since the seizure of the civilians’ slaves and the Nerida family was handling the change poorly.
Slaves in the household had always been treated kindly, almost like family, and so to think of them now bridled and used for hard labor… it was almost an unbearable thought, especially for Mae and her mother, Reyna. Both of Mae’s parents had instilled a strong sense of empathy and generosity in her, but Reyna’s Talorian roots meant those values kept a particularly strong hold within her.

Things had already been tense in the household since the trade agreement with the Talori had been stopped, cutting off their sugar shipments; but luckily the Neridas kept deep reserves, and knew their Talorian counterparts would still be loyal when trade was reinstated. Whether or not their sugar reserves would outlast the trade barrier, however, deeply concerned them.

All of these stressors were taking their toll on Maebella. The weight of her family’s future had always felt heavy on her shoulders, but these new factors made the weight seem near unbearable. Sniffling and teary-eyed, she had confided in Cirilla about all her worries, and the pegasus had bore the burden as best she could until finally Mae fell against her in a fit of tears.
Ciri had huffed as they sank deep into the featherbed together, suggesting they go out to buy something for Reyna the next day to help cheer her up, knowing that the act would likely brighten Mae’s mood as well.

That was how they found themselves here, trotting to and fro under the hot gaze of Ignacio’s sun, their pelts and silks adorning them becoming almost uncomfortably warm. They had just left a small greenhouse filled with ornamental flowers growing in small pots, beautiful and complex arrangements that would enliven any home. The city air felt fresh after the humid environment of the botanical shop, caressing their faces gently as they exited.
Mae was being unusually indecisive and found an excuse to each every potential present, claiming them to be unworthy or ill fitting. Flowers would wilt, gem encrusted finery felt loveless, food was plentiful in their home (especially now that there unexpectedly fewer mouths to feed), so what then could Mae bring home to her mother? Ciri’s patience, long only for Maebella’s sake, was waning and she couldn’t figure out why on earth her friend couldn’t just pick something.

“Ciri, I’m sorry, I’m just having so much trouble deciding. It all seems so empty and pointless, a temporary fix.” She released a sigh and looked pathetically at her dear friend. “Maybe we should break for some food… I’m not sure if it will clear my head, but at least we can rest our legs.”

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Post: 1
Word Count: 521