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 Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2020 7:06 pm
ϟStage 2 Soloϟ Pregnancy had taken its toll.
All the stories Maritza heard of a ‘glowing mother’ simply hadn’t applied to her. By the time she realized she was even pregnant she’d already felt bloated, and that simply didn’t go away. At first it had started with only minor weight gain, due in part to her sporadic feeding schedule, but once the children inside her had truly taken hold Ritz had felt helpless to ignore them. The mechanic ate as often as her cravings demanded, but still, it was never enough. Her small frame simply didn’t enlarge anywhere other than her stomach which had engorged itself to an impossible size. Concepts like ‘balance’ and ‘comfort’ escaped her in the later months which...had undoubtedly added to the first time mother’s stress.
First and foremost Maritza was out of work. Captain Marrow had informed her plainly that until her child was weaned she wouldn’t be accepted back onto his ship or any other. Nor would she be allowed to work in the shipyard for safety reasons. When she’d tried to fight him on it, saying that she was at least capable of approving design plans until the due date he informed her she simply lacked status to make those calls. Maritza was a mechanic, not an engineer, and until she had her child that wasn’t likely to change so she may as well go home.
For the first time since turning sixteen Maritza was out of work. She’d prided herself on taking as little time off as possible, and had even reported to work ill just to prove to her superiors that she deserved to be there. And now? Now the only thing waiting for her was house work. After all, there was no point in asking Uquin to do it now that she could do little else. However, even that required a talent she hadn’t exactly mastered. There was always a bit of dust, the dishes weren’t exactly clean, the laundry had splatters of washing oils on them...and anytime Uquin so much as asked her about it she would jump down his throat. She’d apologize afterwards, of course, and she’d tried to rationalize it as being moody because of pregnancy. It made sense, right? That she would get so mad over little things? And yet, it felt as if overnight her entire world had been taken from her and she’d been relegated to a stereotypical roll for her sex that she wasn’t even good at.
The whole situation truly got to her in the later months when she couldn’t even walk down the stairs to her own apartment complex without getting winded. Maritza would have to stop on each landing, catch her breath, and hope the next would get better. That much she’d been able to push through, but when her own stomach would knock dishes off the table making her bend down to pick up the pieces she wanted to scream. It would take her ages just to get up, and if she had a sixpence for every time Uquin had come home to find her cross legged on the floor, pouting, because she couldn’t get up...Well, she’d be able to buy those pastries she wanted. At that point she noticed Rivyn showing up a lot more. It was easy to explain at first, but when she noticed a pattern she’d asked him about it. As it turned out Uquin had asked him to stop by and make sure she didn’t hurt herself. So, that was it, then? She was incapable of walking around her own apartment? And to top it off Rivyn did all the errands that Uquin couldn’t so for a month Maritza didn’t take the stairs at all.
The irritation kept building within her. She tried rationalizing it as stress from such a high risk pregnancy coupled with having a new relationship, but it was so much more. On top of all that she had to deal with the fact her children would be much younger than their Nephews and Niece, that his family wasn’t exactly thrilled with her (if the letter she’d snuck from his daughter had anything to say about it), the loss of her job, the loss of her income....Of course she had a fair bit saved up, but enough for two years? Uquin could and would do what he could to provide for them, Ritz knew that much, but she didn’t want him to. SHE was the provider and being told to sit back absolutely killed her.
Then came the birth.
The babies had come early, as expected. Maritza hadn’t felt well for a week leading up to it. Her back hurt to the point of tears and every bit of food she tried to take made her nauseous. So for the most part she tried to sleep whenever, wherever, she could. Whenever active labor started Maritza was just thankful she’d already been in bed otherwise those kids would have dropped wherever she stood. It was long, as it usually is for most first time mothers, but once the babies started to crown everything went pretty quickly. First a little girl, then a boy, and another boy. Triplets; Uquin hadn’t been wrong.
After she’d seen the last baby Maritza remembered vaguely passing out, and not waking up for a while after. Apparently she’d lost a fair amount of blood, as she’d been told, and it had taken a miracle to bring her around. Everything after that was a blur. Introducing the babies to their Uncle, seeing Uquin react with his youngest children for the first time, nursing for the first time...For that brief moment everything seemed fine. She didn’t have that immediate bond, but that was normal, right? Maritza hadn’t exactly had an easy birth so it would come with time.
Except that it didn’t.
She loved her children, really she did, but all of Maritza’s stress from the pregnancy tripled overnight. That overwhelming sense of hopelessness crept back in, keeping her up when she was supposed to be sleeping. Three infants relied on her to not only care for them, but to nurse them and protect them...it got to be too much at times. More often than not she would mentally check out at times, no matter how much crying her kids did, and when Uquin would bring it up she yelled at him.
In the weeks after the birth Maritza had grown distant from him. They argued more and more to the point where she preferred sleeping literally anywhere he wasn’t. Maybe it was her fatigue, or the mood swings, but just seeing him some days would get under her skin.
They weren’t right for each other. There was absolutely no reason she had to put up with him as a partner just because she bore his brood. They weren’t married or even ‘dating’; hell, they had never even said ‘I love you’ to one another. So what was the point? Why did they have to stay with one another just because they had children? Because his last baby mama walked out on him?
Eventually enough was enough and Maritza ended it. She made it clear that while she would never keep his children from him she also didn’t want to live with him any longer. Whatever it was they had was gone. It was never supposed to get this far, anyway. She’d given up so much because of this man, and Maritza shouldn't have to settle for less than happiness in any way. There was just no way for her to continue living as a glorified dairy heffer and try to fix their issues at the same time.
The final fight had happened when her children were two weeks old and now, three months later, life had found a sort of ‘routine’. Wet nurses were hired to take some of the load off Maritza as well as to help feed the babies when spending time with Uquin. And as much as she’d fought it, Maritza moved back in with her brother so he could provide some stability. Physically she still looked ‘rough’ but mentally she fared no better. The split had both taken some of the stress off Maritza and also added untold amounts of guilt. She’d cried a lot over it; and still did, given her mood. Seeing a healer that specialized in after birth care for struggling mothers helped, but ultimately it was hard. Seeing Uquin was hard. Anytime he was kind to her she remembered what endeared her to him in the first place, but just as quickly she might snap at him when she only meant to be kind.
Everything was just so much harder now, but at the very least, she had her children. While her moods hadn’t exactly stabilized she was starting to grow fonder of them and their little quirks.
No matter what happened between her and Uquin she would try to make things better for them.
[1535]
[5]
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:36 pm
ϟStage 2 Solo2ϟ The theater hadn’t changed much over the years. Vivali’s was still one of the oldest structures in the city, but solid construction had kept it solid when other buildings fell. She still cringed when walking by simply because of the tacky, pale green paint covering the exterior walls. How long do they plan on letting that go? Surely at some point someone would have to change it, but maybe so long as the theater remained sub par in their performances the money was better spent elsewhere. It was no secret that Vivali’s wasn’t exactly a ‘high class’ company, but that suited the tourists just fine. They came for a fun night and a memorable performance; both of which could be had for just a few coins.
Maritza hadn’t come by her brother’s workplace in years and for good reason. Even in the daylight when only staff were allowed inside the place was unbearably exciting. Actors and actresses ran through lines on stage with various levels of clothing. Some chose to wear haphazard wigs while others preferred to walk about in robes and half-face makeup. In Maritza’s opinion it wasn’t much different than any other night, but she dared not say it outloud. Rivyn had already threatened her on more than one occasion to bite her tongue when visiting, and out of respect for her brother she behaved.
She was only here to get her children, after all, and the goal was to leave as soon as she had them. Rivyn was supposed to watch them while Uquin was out, but she learned a few hours later from a well meaning wet nurse (underqualified, more like, if the woman had any sense at all she would have told Maritza as soon as her bumbling brother left the apartment with three infants...) that he’d been asked to come in early. Instead of simply walking up a flight of stairs to give the children back to their mother, or you know, let the staff who were being paid specifically to watch the children care for them Rivyn had rushed to work. How had he even carried them all and his equipment? Of course her brother was on the larger side, but muscles could only get you so far when there were three four month olds to pack.
If the staffing thought it was unusual for her to be there they didn’t say anything. Most knew Maritza by this point, and those who didn’t seemed too busy to care. So long as she didn’t make noise and just kept going forward it was easy enough to blend. Circling the stage, while easy enough, came with it’s own distinct flavor of challenges. The two actors on stage were portraying a lovers reunion and while absolutely over the top made her...ache? At one point in her youth a sight like this might make her visibly sick, but now she couldn’t help slowing to watch.
”...and then I knew I couldn’t bear to live another day without you by my side! I would just as soon never wake up then go another day without you by my side!”
“And I as well, my love! Our families may keep us apart, but so long as your heart beats for me, and mine for you, love shall always find a way!”
When the director called for the scene to end the spell was broken, and Maritza continued on her way. Love that like...wasn’t sustainable. If their families were throwing such a fit then they should have already run off, and the fact they were dawdling meant their love wasn’t strong enough. Something that fragile would wear thin over time, and eventually, they would grow apart.
It’s just how things were.
Once backstage Maritza didn’t have to ‘wonder’ where her family was; she simply had to follow the noise of angry, hungry babies. While not outright screaming, each step closer towards Rivyn’s dressing room brought an array of fussy, hungry, generally upset noises. And not all of them were from the babies. When she rounded the open doorway the sight before her brought an instant bark of laughter from Maritza.
For the first time in ages her brother wasn’t in makeup or costume; just his civilian clothes. The entire front of his shirt was soaked in what she hoped was drool, the collar was mangled and no amount of soothing noises were helping. Zadia was on his left hip, Lioe on the other, and little Isaia was propped up on a ‘bed’ of pillows. All three of her children were either squalling or sniffling, their faces flushed and in various stages of a growing fit. If she didn’t step in soon either they would start screaming or Rivyn would, judging by his frazzled stage. To his credit he was trying, but the poor man was just overwhelmed.
In the midst of the chaos Maritza stepped into the room and shut the door behind her, prompting all four to turn her way. She’d never seen a group so happy to have her around, and for a second she felt nervous.
“Ritzy! Thank goodness, I need help,really really bad!”
“Yeah, I can tell,” Shaking her head, Maritza made her way over to Isaia and joined him on the pillows. Her little boy both brightened with his mother around, and simultaneously grew louder as if he wanted to vocalize all of his complaints. With all of her modesty gone the moment she conceived, Maritza tugged her top over her head and brought her son into her lap to nurse. “Give me another one, then go out there and find some cream. Dip your finger in it and let the other suckle until I’m done.” Once she was sure Isaia was settled she made grabby hands for another baby.
When Zadia let out a wail so loud both adults cringed it was clear she was next. Rivyn passed his niece off to her mother, and once she was properly latched he took Lioe out with him to find some cream. It took the little ones a bit to calm since it had been so long since the last time they fed, but after a while they calmed. She wanted to strangle Rivyn, really she did, but at the moment her top priority was her children’s well being.
How was she supposed to trust that they would be cared for when she wasn’t around if she’d walked in on this? She trusted Uquin when he was alone with the babies, but Rivyn...he meant well, she knew that but seeing this made her wonder if letting him watch them on his own was a good idea.
When he finally made it back to the room with a chill Lioe in his arms she took her shot.
“What were you thinking? Why didn’t you leave them with the nurses? Or come get me? Or even Uquin?”
“I don’t know, you both have just been really stressed lately and I thought it would be alright if I brought them with me.” He at least had the gall to look ashamed. “The costume consultant had a baby a while back and I thought….well, worst case scenario that she could feed them if I was here for too long.”
“You were going to let a complete stranger feed my kids?”
“She’s not a stranger! Meri is very sweet. And she said she didn’t mind watching them while I was on stage, but I guess her kid got older because she said she couldn’t really feed them so….well, you saw.”
Maritza sank back into the pillows with a groan.
“How was I supposed to know her son was already five? I mean, how long do you keep making milk anyw-?”
“Rivyn?”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up.”
Having a few moments of silence with her children was nice considering how much murder was floating in her blood. Rivyn sat in a chair close by, dipping his finger in a small cup of cream every few moments or so, passively looking at Maritza from the corner of his eye. If he was waiting for the inevitable switch then he would be waiting for a while. As soon as Zadia was full the infants eyes started to droop, and had she not switched with Rivyn she may have fallen asleep. Instead, he took shifts walking around the room trying to burp her while Maritza took care of Lioe.
“...I’m sorry, Maritza,” Eventually, his quiet apology drew her gaze upwards towards him. Zadia was well and truly asleep in his arms. He wrapped the babe in a soft blanket, and laid her down on a soft chair before moving forward to start the process all over again with Isaia. “I didn’t mean to hurt them...or to make you angry. I just thought it might be better if I could help out for a while. I know you haven’t been sleeping very well, and Uquin’s so tired when he gets home….you two need to be taken care of too.”
Now that the babies were no longer screaming in distress Maritza’s nerves had calmed somewhat. She could see that her brother genuinely meant no harm, and most days he was trustworthy. After she and Uquin split he’d been spending his free time going between apartments, helping out as much as he could, and she...hadn’t been very appreciative.
“Just...try not to do it again, okay?” She smiled up at him, earning a smile in return. “And...I’m sorry too. I don’t...I don’t say it a lot, but you’ve really stepped up in all of this. I’ve not been really easy to get along with lately and-”
“Eh eh, I’m gonna stop you right there.” He tutted and shook his finger. “You’ve never been easy to get along with, Maritza. Not even when you were this size.” He patted Isaia to make a point, earning a round of spit up over the back of his shoulder. Rivyn bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes for a second, then exhaled before moving to get a rag. “I’ve never seen you like this, though, and it worries me. So...if I can help, just tell me, okay?”
“Okay.” She answered quietly. Gently she shifted Lioe so she could settle back into the pillows and get comfortable.
Life was far from normal right now, but maybe...maybe that was okay. Seeing her babies grow was giving Maritza the chance to have more good days than bad. Months were going by, seasons were changing, and maybe, just maybe, with Rivyn’s help she could find herself again.
[1811]
[6]
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:21 pm
ϟStage 2 Solo3ϟ Heterochromia wasn’t something Maritza ever expected when it came to her children.
Throughout the entirety of her pregnancy she mused on what traits her offspring would inherit from both herself and Uquin. Of course questions of hair color, crystal type and placement came up, but ‘oddities’ never seemed to fit in. It was always boiled down to one race or the other. So, when her youngest child showed a peculiarity that only seemed to intensify as he aged Maritza found her curiosity piqued.
Isaia had heterochromia. One of his eyes was clearly from his father while the other came from her. If anything was to be dual colored Maritza might have imagined it to be his crystals, but such wasn’t the case. At first she’d made cracks about how he must be so indecisive that he couldn’t decide in the womb who he wanted to look like, but now that Isaia was growing Maritza had questions. Was this something that he’d inherited? Or a mutation? Was it more common in Lightning children than it was Leaf? Was his vision affected or was it simply as it appeared; a change in color? Watching him grow made her believe it was simply that, just a bit of visual uniqueness, until she happened to mention it to Captain Marrow at her latest check in.
He claimed that his ex-wife’s brother had a similar ‘affliction’, as he’d called it, and had gone blind in his lighter colored eye. It was the belief of the family that because the other eye took in more sunlight that it had taken more damage, and thus was always prone to weakness. When she asked if he knew without doubt that this was the reason he’d simply encouraged her to watch her son, and find out for herself.
Of course that instilled a bit of motherly fear in Maritza. The logical side of her personality begged her to see reason. After all, if it were simply lighter colored eyes that became blind then most of Belrea would be visually impaired, regardless of whether they had heterochromia or not. And yet...she worried, all the same. The yaeli had tools that could help them to see so if it came to that she would personally take Isaia to be fitted, despite how much she really didn’t want to go there. Yael seemed...horribly backwards, even in comparison to Tendaji as a whole. If she hadn’t seen first hand how well their lens worked with passengers aboard the airship then Maritza might have marked them off. And yet, if they could help her son with any potentially harmful ‘afflictions’ he may suffer from later in life she would be on the first ship out.
The more she researched the condition the stranger her results became. Of course Maritza tested Belrean physicians first, but when she hit a halt she branched out a little further. After all, if Uquin had traveled this far to learn new medicinal techniques, who was to say he was the only one? Surprisingly enough, there weren’t many, but those she did manage to find only had myths and legends to share.
”My mother called them Ghost Eyes. Anyone with two different eye colors is supposed to be able to see into the spirit world and our own at the same time.”
“My grandfather would have called it an obvious sign of witchcraft. Old Zenan tales, you know?”
So her son was apparently more intune with spirits and obviously the child of nefarious magic. Both could have been a distinct possibility given their sire. After all, Uquin communed with roots all the time and still somehow managed to bumble a contraceptive tea. Who's to say healing was truly his forte? While Maritza knew the man to be of a studious nature, she didn’t exactly know everything about magic so it was a wonder what he’d done to her as she slept-
Are you listening to yourself? It’s complete drivel!
Drivel with real world implications.
Still, there was no doubting now much Uquin loved his children so Maritza highly doubted he hexed his youngest on purpose. Did that necessarily mean she wouldn’t rib him about it? No, not at all. After all, he’d already done his fair share of ‘magically gifted acts’ by impregnating a woman half his age with triplets, so why not pin the heterochromia to him as well?
For the first time in her life Maritza found herself acutely aware of others around her. When she found a moment to leave her apartment and go about the city she tried to keep a mental log of eyes as she passed. Most found it off putting, to say the least, but Maritza was determined to find someone else who shared Isaia’s particular condition. If nothing else they could reassure her that it was nothing to be worried about, call her a fool and send her away. And yet, she found nothing...until she saw him.
A young lightning boy trailing along beside a little hybrid girl and two women; one stiff backed and proper while the other was soft and very visibly pregnant. At first Maritza hadn’t thought much of the family until he turned to say something to what she presumed was his mother and she saw them. His strikingly beautiful heterochromatic eyes.
Naturally Maritza wasted no time in asking her questions. Thankfully she’d grown a bit more tactful over the years, but if her questions were abrasive in any way the family didn’t let her know. As it turned out the boy, a teen named Aurick, could see just fine and was even such a sharp eyed lad he often played sports with his friends. In his word the only drawback to his eyes was the amount of attention he received; both positive and negative. If he ever met a stranger or went into a new shop people were always taken aback and had something to say, which was...admittedly what she’d just done. She hadn’t thought about whether he wanted to talk about them or not, Maritza had just barged up to them, regardless of privacy. Thankfully he was kind enough to talk to her and assuage some of her fears.
If Aurick was to be trusted then there was nothing to fear. One of his mothers, Petra, encouraged Maritza not to treat Isaia any differently than her other children. She said he was bound to be singled out enough in classes and on the street, both because of his mixed heritage and his eyes, so a stable home life was key. She was right to question, which made Maritza feel a little better about the situation, and honestly, talking to them had taken a weight off her chest. Fussing over this kind of thing in front of Uquin was just...embarrassing, to say the least. It showed an insecure side of herself that Maritza didn’t dare push on him again, and somehow asking medical questions to a professional, only to become irritated with the results, just seemed unbearably frustrating.
With her head a little clearer Maritza meandered back home.
[1206]
[4]
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:42 pm
ϟStage 2 Solo4ϟ Mother;
As you may have noticed neither Rivyn nor I have displayed any great desire to communicate with you these past few years. While I neither enjoy nor personally condone his life choices I also haven’t condemned or abandoned him as you did. Your actions as a caregiver leave much to be desired so it must have come with little surprise that your children grew to resent you. Your letters have been burnt without being read and I would have hoped that by this point you would have ceased your senseless actions. Yet, you persist, so I am now taking this opportunity to tell you of some news.
Over a year ago I gave birth to triplets. As I doubt Rivyn’s told you, seeing as he also refuses to waste his breath on you, I’ll tell you now. I became involved with a man from Tale and carried his seed. The two of us are no longer together, though he does still reside in Zenner, and every day they grow stronger I am unfortunately of you. I find myself mentally comparing how I speak with them to how you talked to us, so on on and so forth, and I am disgusted by it. I’m striving to evolve; after all, why should I follow in your footsteps when you barely made a tread?
I wouldn’t deign give you the pleasure of knowing more about them. Consider this a formal warning; if you so much as cross paths with my children, let alone make your presence known or try to influence them, you’ll never cross another path again. Not without assistance, anyway.
Don’t bother responding to this; as I’ve stated earlier any further discourse received from you will only become tinder for the fire. You raised me, and that is your only redeeming quality. Without you I wouldn’t have been able to gain my apprenticeship, which was the catalyst I needed to get away. For that, you’ll have my eternal gratitude.
With any luck you’ll have already passed on by the time this letter reaches you. If not, I’m sure it is only a matter of time.
Maritza
[357]
[1]
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Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 3:33 pm
ϟStage 2 Growth Soloϟ [There was once a point in time where Maritza would fight to go up career ladder regardless of who she hurt. She's always been a deeply independent, callous woman that cared little for familial ties, but now that she's a mother things have changed. After being offered the position of her dreams Maritza is faced with an internal dilemma. If she accepts the job then she'll be away from her babies for long stretches of time, missing huge chunks of their childhood, but ultimately providing them with a cushy life off her earnings. If she refuses it she could very well never have another chance at a promotion and finances would be tighter, but ultimately she could be closer to her children. Knowing full well that she could never leave them behind, Maritza rejects the offer in favor of seeing them more and hopes that one day she can retry when it's better for her family.]
It had been almost two years since Maritza had taken her pregnancy leave. As time neared for her to return to work she found herself feeling...anxious? Was that the right word? Certainly she wanted to return to the ship and dive back into her work and yet...recent events had been getting to her.
Last week she had spoken with her Captain about returning. For the most part Marrow was very supportive of the move, excitedly telling her all the new procedures they’d put in place aboard the ship and even going so far as to give her a tour. They were set to cast off in two months so if she could find it in her schedule to come then he would love to have her back. While her mind was reeling at the possibility of leaving her children in just two months Maritza was hit with another bit of information.
“Since you’re coming back I think it’s about time to talk about a promotion.” Marrow had looked at her then as if he could see straight through to her core and smiled. “You’ve more than made your contributions clear aboard my vessel and at first I put this off because of your youth, but I think we can disregard those concerns now, can’t we?” Stepping forward he’d held out his hand, palm up, and nestled in his palm was a hardened bronze broach. As soon as Maritza saw it her heart seized. It was a mess of gears with the airship’s logo stamped atop them; the clear symbol of the lead engineer.
“Sir, with all do respect, are you dense?” Maritza quipped, looking between him and the broach. “Lead engineers are supposed to be highly educated, preferably Academy graduates. You could lose your position over something like this.”
“With all due respect I don’t rightfully care.” Getting even closer now, Marrow reached forward and took one of her suspenders in hand, maneuvering it as he spoke so that he could pin the broach. “Air travel has become so commonplace now that most forget it’s dangers, but we haven’t. People like you and I can see through the glamour. We’ve survived a crash, and know more than anyone else what this kind of life can do to a person. It’s for that reason alone that I know I can trust you to keep my ship aloft.” When he stepped back he was smiling a sort of soft half smile.
Truthfully at the time of the crash Marrow hadn’t been Captain, but he’d been there, all the same. He saw the same errors Maritza had that day and probably replayed the same events in his mind at each landing just as she did. It was a sort of memory that borderlined hellish, but at the very least she didn’t have to carry the burden alone.
“There is a drawback to this promotion, however.”
“Of course there is,” She snidely quipped. “Let me guess, more paperwork?”
“Well, yes, but you’ll also never be granted shore leave again.” At this he seemed to sober up, possibly due to the sharp intake of breath from Maritza. “You’ll have to be on call for every flight, same as me. The only time you’ll be on shore is when we stop for fuel and passengers.”
“And you’re telling me this now?” She motioned to the broach, and felt her ire rise. “I have three kids, Marrow. How am I supposed to stay away from them for that long?”
“Do you really think you can support them with the position you have now?” He retorted. “I know your partner is working, but three mouths are a lot to feed. And it’s only going to get harder the older they get. I know I’m asking a lot from you Maritza, but you and I both know this is for the best. You’ve never been interested in being a simple housewife before, so why settle for it now? Or have you given up on your dreams?”
Of course she’d been mad at the time. She was furious he would even dare to dangle something like this infront of her face and leave. It was everything she’d ever wanted! When she’d first apprenticed on the airship she’d dreamed of being in a position of power. Being Chief Engineer could give her all the resources needed to make some serious structural changes, or at the very least, have enough weight to push them forward. She could install those cable systems she’d always talked about, or even a complete steam engine overhaul….
And yet, there were her children and Uquin to consider. Her family. Would she really be okay just leaving them like that? Of course she’d be able to see them, but for short, sporadic bursts of time throughout the year. For most of that time they’d be left with their father and while she knew Uquin would raise them well Maritza still worried. It had kept her up for a week straight. Would they even remember her when she came back? How much bigger would they grow while she was gone? If she left now she might miss milestones in her growth that could never be replaced.
And Uquin...as complicated as things were with him right now she didn’t necessarily want to run away from him. There were days when she wanted to so badly it ached, but at night she knew she wanted to stay somewhat close.
But if she didn’t take the promotion then finances would be tight. She might have to work longer hours anyway just to cover expenses...and yet, if that’s what she had to do to stay closer to her babies then she would. The younger version of herself would balk at her sacrifice. There had been a time in her life where Maritza would easily cut off all ties to make her dreams a reality, but now she was okay just putting them on pause.
So, when she found herself outside of Marrow’s office, broach in hand, Maritza knew what she had to do. When she knocked on this door she planned on telling him that while she would be returning to work it wouldn’t be as his Chief Engineer. Some things were just too important to sacrifice, and her kids would always come first.
[1071]
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2021 1:24 pm
ϟStage 3 Soloϟ From it’s exterior the theater had changed little over the years. Effort certainly hadn’t been pooled into its outer appearance and as a result many tourists opted to pass it by in favor of the more glamorous halls the uninformed it was little more than a copper house, a cheap place for a quick show and little more. However, to those in Zinner Vivali’s was a bright light among knock offs. It was a staple to the now booming trade city and the exact place where Rivyn had gotten his start all those years ago.
Looking upon it’s tacky, pale green edifice still brought a wince to Maritza’s features. In conjunction with the brighter Lightning folk passing through it’s doors it seemed off putting, but there was a charm to the memories. A sense of nostalgia that she wasn’t likely to get over anytime soon. She’d often wondered what about this place had drawn Rivyn in. Surely, he’d thought of going to the Capital a time or two, maybe even thought of going to Tendaji, but something about Vivali’s brought him around the same as it did everyone else. It was here that he’d made his clumsy debue in drag and now he was an accomplished actor that could have traveled Belrea if he wanted to. He wasn’t nearly so famous that he couldn’t walk the streets, but Rivyn was recognized more often than not which was something he never failed to brag about. It brought a sense of confidence to her brother that Maritza had often wondered would have ever come about if he’d followed the family path. Thinking of her flamboyant elder brother as a craftsman seemed as wrong as watching him in makeup for the first time. Now? Maritza couldn’t imagine him not owning trunks of cosmetics and far more shoes than she had tools.
It was for Rivyn’s sake that she’d come to the theater that night. She’d come far too late to see a show, but that hadn’t been her intention. The engineer was here to meet with him after hours, and more importantly, to meet his special someone for the first time.
When he’d first started talking about a new boyfriend she hadn’t honestly paid attention. Rivyn took lovers in much the same way she had before meeting with Uquin. They were there to suit a purpose, nothing more, and if something stuck then there was little reason not to pursue it. If she happened to see her brother with a lover she was amicable enough, but by the time Maritza bothered to learn a name they were usually out of the picture. This one, however, had managed to stick around for a few months so he’d brought up the suggestion of having the two meet up for drinks after his latest show. He’d asked about having Uquin come as well, but as Marcella was little more than a few months old they’d been reluctant to leave her alone with a sitter. Surely one of the older children would have done just fine for a few hours but seeing as they didn’t have much experience with little ones Maritza had been unsure of it. Until Marcella was a little older she didn’t want to put that on her older children (especially poor Lioe) so they would just take this slowly.
She stood outside the doors with her back pressed against the wall. Slowly but surely the crowds of patrons started to fizzle out until it was just staff that pooled out. The impatience in her cause Maritza to curl her toes inside of her boots, fingers tapping against the uneven paint as she skimmed the onlookers. All she knew of this mystery man was that his name was Wyss and that he was some sort of hybrid himself. When she’d asked if he’d grown up in Belrea Rivyn simply smiled and said she’d have to figure that out on her own. At least if she knew that then she’d been able to narrow down what sort of hybrid he was, but what came out the doors with him wasn’t what she’d expected at all.
Rivyn strolled out the front door in a normal enough outfit; that is, a vest that was decorated in a flashy pattern, but lacked any sort of feature. His face had been freshly scrubbed if the flushed tinge was anything to go on and his hair was pressed back against his head, a sure sign he’d been wearing a wig all night. When he saw her his eyes lit up, but even more so when he took the hand of a large man at his side.
Wyss was an Alkidike hybrid.
He was a massive man, a literal behemoth whose laughter sounded like boulders rolling down a mountain. Seeing her hulking mass of an elder brother completely dwarfed in comparison was such a surreal experience. A part of her was beyond glad that she no longer lived with Rivyn. If she did then she’d been awake all day, unable to sleep because of the sound of two ships crashing-
“Ritzy! I’m so glad you came!” Rivyn broke away from Wyss long enough to throw his arms around his ‘baby’ sister and give her a hearty hug. She grunted, bearing with his strength as much as she could before a ‘grunt’ slipped out anyway and he pulled back. He moved one hand to grab hers and with the other he took Wyss’ once again. “Ritzy, this is Wyss, and Wyss, this is my sister, Maritza.”
Looking into Wyss’ eyes was like looking into warm honey. They were neither gold nor copper in hue, but something much warmer. His skin was a mixture of lighter blues and deeper hues, sort of like the ocean itself, which she assumed he knew all too well. While he lacked the ears of the Matori the duality of his skin was a tell tale sign, but the antennae that bounced when he moved were a dead give away to his mother heritage.
Uquin is going to love this.
Her husband just couldn’t escape them, could he?
“I’m so happy to finally see you, Maritza. Rivyn’s told me so much about you and your family.”
“I wish I could say the same,” she groused. “He told me some about you, but not as much as I wanted.”
Wyss’ smile dipped a little. “Well, hopefully it was for a pleasant surprise.”
“Undoubtedly.” She answered easily and offered her hand to him as well with a smile of her own. “My brother loves dramatics, but you know that already. I kept asking what sort of man you were and all he would tell me was You’ll have to meet him to find out. He wouldn’t even tell me the name of the bar we’re going to because he thought that might be a giveaway. As if I’d know who you were simply by the liquor you drink.”
At that Wyss’ smile came back, as did his laugh. “I don’t know about that! You can tell a lot about a man by the drink he can hold.”
There was still a sort of stigma surrounding Alkidike hybrids in some of the older circles. Not a bad one, just an awkward one. Some of the older Belreans didn’t know how to take having their new neighbors thriving on their land, much less now that the Vandrea had come about, but Maritza wanted to make it clear that she didn’t give a damn. It had come as a surprise, but if Wyss could handle Rivyn’s theatrics (in so very many ways) then she didn’t mind.
She would come to find out Wyss had only lived in Belrea for half a year. His mothers both resided in Jauhar and three of his twelve siblings (which Maritza assumed must have been so much easier to obtain if you didn’t have to physically birth them) lived there as well. All of the older kids had branched out into the world to find themselves and he happened to make his way across the ocean. He’d been curious about the Vandrea at first, then he’d setup shop in the city as a tailor. When the costume shop manager had passed he’d applied for that position which had let him to talking with Rivyn.
Everytime they two of them looked at each other Maritza felt a little spark. This wasn’t like her brother’s other relationships. Things weren’t overly romantic with them like they were trying to seem oh so in love. It just seemed to flow, and they were so natural around one another that it felt like they just belonged. Like Wyss had always been there.
By the end of the night they were making plans for a dinner that Uquin could attend, and Maritza was feeling pretty good about things. She’d often wondered in passing years if her brother was happy or if he was lonely…Now, so long as things continued as they were she knew he’d be just fine.
[1504]
[5]
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2021 2:13 pm
ϟStage 3 Growth Soloϟ [A younger Maritza gave up her ambitions to pursue a family life. She thought that this was what it took to have happy children and a loving relationship. Now that she's grown Maritza understands that she can have both, in a matter of speaking. Why should she have to give up her ambitions just to have a happy family?
She's taken a promotion with her work as well as found a way to do it that will allow her to still be a part of her children's lives. She wants to set an example for her daughters to show that they can have it all so long as they're smart enough to figure it out.]
Now that Marcella was getting on in years it was time for Maritza to decide what to do with her life. She’d taken a position during her youngest daughter’s youth that allowed her to work maintenance on the airships that docked, but it kept her stationed in the city. The mechanic was able to meet a variety of Captains and crews, some of which bristled under her less than amicable attitude, but the ones that always tugged at her heart were Marrow’s bunch. Every time they came to port they would call out to her, tossing the same old teases and taunts, good natured jabs and insults as if they’d only been apart moments instead of months. Marrow himself would seek her out, and occasionally he would ask about her family but often it was to talk shop. Various parts, designs to make the ship lighter and faster than its sister vessels, and ideas of Maritza’s that could help them on their journeys. When something she’d crafted worked out he would properly commend her for her work, and when something she made needed extra work he’d be just as quick to scold her.
“Marcella’s tenth birthday is in a month.” She quipped casually. The two looked upon the ship with a sense of nostalgia that only resided in the hearts of its original crew. So many had come and gone over the years that Maritza hardly recognized the souls residing within. Would she even remember the routines? How would she sleep at night, if not by Uquin’s side? Leaving her daughter behind would be a hard choice and yet…
She knew it was time. Maritza wanted to be there for her daughter’s formative years and she had been. The young one still needed her of course, but she also needed a mother who was as much an individual as she was a caregiver. Someone who could stand on her own, with her own ambitions, to look to. She’d thought that was a weakness in her youth, a folly that had made her a sorry excuse for a mother with her older three but looking back on it Maritza didn’t feel that way. She’d simply gone about it all wrong.
There could be balance between work and family; she just needed to find it.
“Does that mean you’re ready to take your place as my Head Engineer?”
“Depends on the pay.” She quirked her mouth into a smirk and Marrow chuckled. “I have a family to support, Marrow. You better make it worth it.”
“You know I will.”
Leaving Uquin behind would be easier this time around as well. He had the children to watch him if he needed them, and she wouldn’t be gone long. Marrow’s vessel had taken to hauling freight which meant the loads paid better and were generally run much less frequently. That being said there were more risks, but that seemed so small to her…
“Come with me, then. We’ll get the paperwork started.”
Marrow started walking toward the ship and Maritza easily followed.
[508]
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