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Aerexa was not the most delicate of creatures. She lacked grace and any sort of poise, which made her a terror when it came to priceless artifacts. Namely those that some of the older Alkidike had brought with them from Chibale when Azehra had first been planted.

Her mother’s things, for example.

She’d been packing for her trip to Matori when she went into her mother’s room. The Alk had already told her it was alright for her to take a few of her traveling cloaks, just to stay warm on the ship, but in all honesty Aerexa hadn’t been in the older woman’s room in many years. Not since childhood had she needed to be here and maybe that’s why she spent the extra time looking about. The bedding was much the same as her own, the furniture was of the same wood and yet, little trinkets were hidden throughout the space telling of Stryxx’s many adventures. Carvings made of bone, jewelry with gems she’d never seen and a small, glass flower nestled atop the stand by her bedside. It was such an odd thing to be here that it immediately drew Aerexa’s attention. Stryxx was a warrior through and through, a fighter who prized her weapons more than life itself, and yet…here the flower remained.

It wasn’t made of a particularly clear glass, nor was it a variety of colors and yet the petals had been delicately shaped. Someone had spent a great deal of time on it and Aerexa had to wonder who. Had it been a gift? Or was it something Stryxx had purchased? She reached out with a hand, keen on just lightly stroking it-

-when she poked a little too hard and knocked it to the side. She fumbled to catch it, reaching blindly for the flower, but alas, it was no use. Within a matter of seconds the priceless flower crashed onto the floor.

“What was that?” Her mother’s voice echoed from the room beyond and Aerexa panicked. She lifted the flower, praying to the goddess above that it was still intact, but more than a few petals had snapped off. With a groan she sat back on her haunches, cradling the poor thing with a look of pure horror when Stryxx came into the room.

Her mother’s brow was twisted in a mixture of confusion and worry until she saw what had been broken. Then…a sense of heartache came over those eyes. Something in her hardened face had changed and even as she strode closer, gingerly taking it from Aerexa, that look never faded.

“I’m sorry mama, it was an accident. I was just trying to look at it and it fell.”
“No…no it’s alright. It was top heavy anyway. It was only a matter of time.” Her voice was barely a murmur as she reached down for the shards still glittering against the floor. “It’s a wonder it made it here at all.”

“I…” What was she supposed to say? She’d already said she was sorry and that didn’t feel like it was nearly enough. Aerexa had never even seen her mother look that way. “Was it a gift?”

“It was. A parting present, from the woman I thought I would spend my life with.”

A former lover? Now that…that really gripped at Aerexa’s heart. “I didn’t know…You never talked about anyone…”

“Because it was long before you came to me. I wanted to travel and she didn’t, so she gave me this. I suppose…it’s time to let it go. Maybe this was for the best.” She turned the stem between two fingers, still marveling at the turn in the glass, before setting out to scoop up all the shards. The pair didn’t talk for a while after and instead just focused on cleaning up.

Aerexa didn’t know what to think. Stryxx had never seemed the sentimental type and yet she’d kept a gift from a lover, after all these years, so close to her bedside. She’d brought something so fragile and priceless over from Chibale, only for her stupid daughter to destroy it. Oh, mama… There were so many arguments between the two of them lately that Aerexa often wondered if the woman cared at all but this…this was proof that she did. She cared and she cared deeply.

She only wished it hadn’t been an accident that brought her to realize that. Aerexa leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Stryxx’s back and sat there for a moment, just letting it all sink in.

[754]