[PRP] One Mother to Another (Fiorella & Eponine)

[Pollack]

“When a flower is damaged it needs love and attention to regrow. With enough patience and care to even the smallest of sprouts, you will be rewarded with a beautiful rose come spring.” These were the words that Fiorella’s mother spoke to her so many moons ago now when she was a young filly playing in her mother’s garden. She never truly understood what her mother meant back then. Even as a child her patience was never her strong suit and never fully grasped the metaphor her mother was trying to teach her.

Alas, despite being a full-blown adult patience still was not her strong suit. Fiorella understood what her friends and healer tried to drive into her head time and time again. She had been told that her path to physical recovery from her birthing injury to regain full independence was a long agonizing road ahead of her. It would be months - if not years - before she would be able to normalize herself back into everyday society.

However, the concern that plagued her right now was an arguably more important recovery plan: dealing with her mental health.

It had been less than half a year since she had been rescued from Maral’s control under his iron hoof. Her emotions swirled in a large writhing black pit of tar in her chest at all times. Whenever she felt that she was finally regaining her footing and getting her head above the emotional rapids it was as if someone came and placed more weights on her hooves to drag her down. Every day seemed to bring a new nightmare and a new emotion to had to the pile. Pain, shame, fear, emptiness, hopelessness, and anger.

Oh, she held such anger. Anger at her family for abandoning her, anger at Maral for the countless abuses he put her through, anger at her limitations in her physical abilities, but most of all anger at the loss of the lives of her unborn child that were stolen from her. Such seething passionate rage burned deep within her veins and drove her to keep pushing forward through each day. She would live and continue on for them. She would live the lives that they never got to have.

Eventually, she would have revenge for the two precious lives stolen far too early from this world.

But if she was to get her revenge, she would have to mentally prepare herself for the long road ahead and vanquish these demons that still plagued her. Thus, this is what lead her to sit at this particular lake on this sunny day.

Yoga and meditation.

Or at least...an attempt at yoga and meditation.

“Breathe in,” She muttered under her breath as she stretched out her front legs in front of her and craned her neck back to the sky. It was an odd pose to find a Soquili in but one her Kirin healing instructor had sent her home with to practice to loosen up her back muscles.

Within a matter of a few seconds, her body began to shake as she struggled to keep up the pose. Her hips were screaming at her, her legs struggled to keep the weight of her entire body upright, and her breathing felt like someone was taking a hot poker to her lungs. By the gods above, who in their right mind puts themselves through this for fun!?

Despite her body making a very painful protest, she held strong. Her face twisted up into a painful wince as she struggled to force herself to keep up with her mental timer. “B-Breathe out…”

Uta

 

[Uta]

Eponine was lost in her thoughts as she picked her way leisurely over the soft rolling hills of the plains, and admired the changing colors of nearby foliage. She had come down from the mountains to enjoy the last of the years warmth--too soon, far too soon, winter would grip the Kawani and the mountain peaks of her family's home would be the first to become covered with ice. She had come to appreciate the winter where it once reminded her only of Ezriel, of her lost son, of her carelessness with Cassiel as a young and frightened mare. But as the years passed, as she aged, grew, matured, the bitterness and pain had scarred; it would never truly heal, but she could not change the past.

What was done, was done... and all she could do now, this day, and every day, was to try to do better.

Aureate was, of course, her biggest supporter. Reconnecting with her foalhood companion had done wonders for her heart, for her happiness. Where he had been a relatively more successful father to his children during their time apart, he never blamed her for what happened with Cassiel or Rue. He had helped her to heal, though her beloved mother's wisdom and endless love had also helped her to grow, and become a more determined, more gentle mare. While she might never be able to truly forgive herself for her youthful shortcomings, Eponine had learned not to dwell. To move on, to heal. She had also learned that healing was an ongoing cycle; there were good days, there were bad days, and that was okay.

Time might not heal every wound, but experience taught her that she was more than her mistakes. So, while she had a history wrought with pain--from abandonment by multiple lovers, a lost child, and a child who rejected her--she had also found peace. Aureate loved her. Her mother, father, and siblings loved her. There was light and goodness even amid all the trauma and pain... and it was okay to enjoy it. It was okay to just be.

So it was, lost in thought during her constitutional, she did not expect to stumble upon a mare in the most strange position she'd ever lain eyes upon. It stopped her dead in her tracks and had her blue eyes go wide. "Are y-y-you all right, M-m-miss?" She asked in alarm, seeing Fiorella shake, and her pained expression. Was she hurt? Was she stuck? While there didn't appear to be anyone near, she couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of spirit playing tricks! But she would help, if she could--and she immediately began to bridge the distance between them.

Pollack

Wow, I am the worst. I thought I'd posted my tag. :c Sorry for the super late tag!