Praise the Mother
I realize the title sucks. I couldn't think of a better one. This is all about Fran's past and how she met Balthier and how they became partners. It starts out more than fifty years ago, setting the stage for Fran leaving the Wood. In the beginning, Fran lived happily in the Wood with her mother and Jote. Then something wonderful happened, but that led to something horrible.
Chapter 1: Sylva's Girls
Fran hated having to stay with Kjmi. Kjmi had a temperamental daughter named Rael who only Jote could keep in line. Kjmi actually had three daughters: Rael, her blind sister Kira, and their baby sister Alja. Kira had run off into the forest years ago, though. Nobody had seen her since. When Fran's half-brother Delf ran off with a Viera woman from another village, she was alone most of the time. Jote would spend most of her time with her own friends. Not today, Fran knew. She was with their mother, Sylva.
Sylva's dream was to have many children. She had had five, but two of her daughters, Hane and Keno, died. Jote, Fran, and Delf survived. Sylva was determined that one of these times she was going to have another child, and she was going to do everything in her power to keep the child alive. Sylva knew not to get her hopes up. She was kind of getting old. She was four hundred years old, after all. Most Viera believed that she was way too old to be having more children.
Ever since Jote had been an adolescent, she had been with a male Viera named Gura. Gura had died recently. Malboros had killed him. Jote had been upset, but now she had to think about protecting her mother while her little sister was being born. Yes, that's what she was doing. Not trying to prove that she was a better wood-warder than Sylva's three sisters. Fran was much too young to be with her mother at such a crucial time, at least to Viera customs. Sylva would like to have her daughter around, but her sisters and the other Viera wouldn't allow it. Fran had to stay with Kjmi, the foremost wood-warder, even though her daughter Rael would probably surpass her soon.
Fran had lost her excitement over the years whenever Sylva would return with another Viera child that probably wouldn't survive. She wanted a little sister, but she figured she wasn't meant to have one. It would destroy her mother to lose another child. Fran didn't think this time would be any different than the other two times. And Sylva would probably never conceive again after she had this child.
"I am going to be sick. How could Sylva allow herself to do this again? If she loses another child, she's gonna die. And then Jote will be our leader." Kjmi was telling Rael. Fran looked angry; she had heard what was said, even though she was deep in thought.
"Don't talk about my mother that way." Fran hissed.
"I'm sorry." Kjmi said. "I forgot you were here."
"You should never talk like that! My mother gets mad when I say something negative about someone!"
"You were brought up well, praise the mother."
Sylva was heading home with her group. Her newborn daughter Mjrn was in her arms. Mjrn had been born healthy and Sylva was fine. Sylva was confident Mjrn would survive. Hane had been stillborn, and Keno wasn't very healthy even before rabbitpox claimed her life. Mjrn was different. She was like Sylva's living daughters when they had been born, and that made Sylva delighted. Maybe this one would live. Maybe the Wood had finally forgiven Sylva for using the forbidden Salve of Forgetting on her daughters. It was the only thing she could think of doing, and Jote was just about dying. Sylva couldn't bear to see her daughter in the kind of pain Jote was in before she had used the salve, and Fran was inconsolable too. It hurt Sylva to remember what had happened, but she felt it was her duty to bear the burden of remembering what her daughters couldn't.
"Mom?" Jote asked.
"Something on your mind, my daughter?"
"Yeah. Why does the Wood pick such unpronounceable names for us? You say that the Wood tells you what to call a baby Viera. What kind of name is Mjrn?"
"I don't know. You can speak with the Wood. I never thought about it. Perhaps we should ask her what our names mean."
"Everyone knows what your name means. You were named after the Wood herself."
"I was a special case. Sometimes a Viera is so special the Wood does not name her. In that case, her mother must find her a suitable name. My mother named me Sylva. All of my children have been named by the Wood, including Mjrn here."
"I hope she lives."
"With all my heart and soul, I want her to live."
"Sylva, why are you so special?" One of Sylva's younger sisters asked. She had three younger sisters.
"Every Viera is special, Naja. The Wood loves every Viera that is born under her boughs. She is our mother, and a mother loves her children no matter what."
"Someday, I hope I'll be as smart as you, Mom." Jote said. Sylva smiled.
"When I was young, I told my mother the same thing. She said she wasn't smarter than any other Viera, just experienced. Now I understand what she meant. I'm no smarter than any average Viera. I am old, and I have seen much. I am merely experienced."
"You aren't old."
"I am. I probably won't live to see my Mjrn reach adulthood. Jote, you and Fran need to have children. You need to start. You're one hundred and twenty four, you are at a perfect age to start having little Viera. I want to be a grandmother."
"Delf has two daughters. You are a grandmother."
"I want to see my daughters have children. Fran ought to wait a while, as she's not even fully grown yet. Follow your heart, my daughter."
"Right now, the only thing I'm gonna follow is my nose. There has got to be some fruit here somewhere."
"You just ate half an hour ago!"
"A wood-warder has to keep her strength up."
"It's the spring. We are the firstborn of the springtime. There should be something to eat around here. The Wood has to provide for her children. I need to eat a lot, since I'm gonna be nursing Mjrn. That's why there is so much fruit in spring. Many Viera children are born in the spring, and the Wood has to provide food for the Viera mothers so they can feed their children."
"Most Viera are the firstborns of the springtime. Mjrn here was two months late. There should be lotsa fruit by now."
"Forget fruit! I'm gonna go catch a coeurl. Anybody want a leg?" One of Sylva's other sisters said. Jote thought that the idea of eating a coeurl was simply revolting, not to mention dangerous. Coeurls had poison in some parts. Naja said that if one cut out the poison parts correctly, it was a delicacy. A deliCAT-sy.
Fran was excited when she saw her mother and sister. A squirming Viera child was in Sylva's arms. Fran was happy to see her mother and older sister. She didn't know what to think of the baby. Her mother had lost two babies in infancy, and Fran had closed off her emotions towards her little sister, still believing that the child was going to die.
"She's healthy, at least. Keno was born weak." Sylva was telling Kjmi.
"She's beautiful, Sylva." Kjmi gushed.
"Fran, come get a good look at her. I think you'll like her. Her name is Mjrn."
Fran backed off. "I don't want to get attached to my sister. She's gonna die in a few days, just like Keno did. Hane came out dead, but I still don't want to go through this again!"
"Fran, please. You once told me that you wanted nothing more than a little sister. I worked so hard to have more children, because I wanted more little Viera of my very own. It is the most wonderful thing, to bring a new little life into the Wood. If you want, I'll let you hold her. Come take a look at least. She is your sister, just like Jote is. You were a good big sister to Delf, be a good big sister to Mjrn."
Jote knew what to do. She took Mjrn from Sylva and placed her in Fran's arms. Fran had never held a baby Viera before. Mjrn looked straight into her big sister's eyes, and Fran's icy heart melted.
"Now you've done it, Jote. Now I have become attached." Fran whispered.
"Fran, she's not going to die like Keno did. We'll make sure of it. The Wood wouldn't be that cruel to Sylva. Our mother is a special servant of the Wood. I don't know what she did or why the Wood is so angry at her, and I guess it isn't important."
"You are correct." Sylva lied. She would never tell what happened.
Two weeks passed. Ever since Fran had held Mjrn that first time, she had simply adored her baby sister. She could hardly wait until Mjrn was old enough to play with. Fran wanted nothing more than to help her mother raise the special little Viera child. Fran did wonder about one thing though: was Mjrn her full-sister like Jote was, or did she have a different father, like Delf, Keno, and Hane had? Fran didn't know who her father was either, but when she asked her mother a long time ago, Sylva had simply said that she had the same father as Jote. Sylva had never thought that the role of a father Viera was very important, but Delf's kids would be happy having both their parents in their lives, since Delf was married and would always stay with his wife Jyna.
"C'mon Fran! Mjrn would like watching you eat the carrot!" Jote teased, dangling a carrot in front of Fran's face, knowing full well Fran HATED carrots. She was just being an older sister. She wasn't trying to be mean for no reason. It was one of those sister things Fran promised herself then and there she'd never do to Mjrn.
"I don't wanna eat the carrot! I hate carrots! MOM! JOTE IS TRYING TO MAKE ME EAT A CARROT!" Fran screeched. Sylva did not look happy.
"You know how she feels about carrots. You eat it." Sylva said. When Sylva said to do something, a Viera did it. Jote ate the carrot. She didn't particularly care much for the taste of the vegetable either. Sylva always knew what to do in almost any situation.
Sylva was nursing Mjrn when she noticed that her daughter was warmer than usual. She called her advisors to her and had them see what was wrong.
"It can't be… not another one." Kjmi whispered.
"Sylva can't lose another one!" Rael cried.
"Hala, please tell me she doesn't have rabbitpox! Tell me it's just a cold!" Sylva begged.
"I'm sorry. We'll do whatever we can, Sylva. If it can be done, we'll do it. We'll try to save her. Some little Viera live." Hala said.
Sylva fled into the Wood. How could this happen again? Was the Wood still mad at her? She thought that this time she'd have a child that would live! She would never be able to have another!
"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME AGAIN?! I ATONED FOR WHAT I DID TO JOTE AND FRAN! I THOUGHT YOU'D FORGIVE ME! DON'T TAKE MY DAUGHTER!" Sylva cried out to the Wood.
Sylva, my daughter, you are forgiven. The Wood said.
"AND YOU'LL STILL TAKE HER! NO!" Then Sylva began to plead. "Take me instead. I'm old. Take me, in place of Mjrn. I was the one who did the wrong. Don't take the life of my innocent child. The other Viera can care for her. Take me, please."
And Sylva dissolved into a coughing fit almost instantly. She managed to get herself back to the village.
"I don't believe this. We tried to infect Sylva so many times. Why did she have to contract the rabbitpox now, when she's still recovering from having her daughter?" Rael asked.
"She could die. Where is Fran?" Jote wondered.
"Where else? She adores Mjrn. She's with her, watching over her. She's such a good big sister." Hala stated.
"If Mjrn's fever doesn't break soon, she's gonna die." One of the salve-makers said.
"Of course, most Viera her age that catch rabbitpox do die."
"Fran will fall apart if Mjrn dies. Fran loves that child."
"I want to see my mother. I already had rabbitpox." Jote said.
The Viera healers took Jote to her mother. Sylva looked bad. The healers said they had never seen a case develop this quickly. Sylva was dying.
"Where is my baby?" Sylva asked.
"The healers just got her to sleep. Her fever is bad. We're probably going to lose her." Jote said.
"She isn't going to die. I will, but Mjrn will live."
"It doesn't always work that way, Mom. Most times the mother survives and the child dies."
"Or they both die. But this case is special. The Wood told me that Mjrn is not going to die. She's gonna live. And she's gonna be a great Viera. Where is Fran?"
"She's with Mjrn."
"Praise the mother. Fran is watching over her sister tirelessly. I'm sure she'll take great care of Mjrn when I'm gone."
"Stop talking like that. You can't die now! I haven't given you grandchildren yet!"
"My spirit will live on. A Viera becomes part of the Wood when she dies, and as long as the Wood is there, I will be there. And my children are part of me. You, and Fran, and Mjrn… my girls. You will take care of each other. Healer, when Mjrn wakes up, bring her to me. I need to hold her."
"Yes. It will be best if you feed her too. That might get her immunity up. She might have a chance of fighting this if you nurse her."
"She will be fine, healer. She will live, and someday you'll get to see her children running around. I hope she has a bunch of them."
"She's three weeks old and you're already hoping that she has kids someday. Mom, there is something seriously wrong with you besides the rabbitpox!"
Fran was carefully watching over her sister. She couldn't take it if something happened to Mjrn. Mjrn had been so healthy days ago. This was so sudden. Surely, the Wood wouldn't take that beautiful little Viera so soon, would she? Fran knew one thing: Mjrn could not die! Sylva could not handle losing another child! And Fran could not handle losing her special little sister!
"No, you aren't going to die. I know it." Fran said, stroking her sleeping sister's soft little bunny ears. Mjrn didn't wake up, but she did sigh in her sleep. Did little Viera have dreams? Fran wondered. Fran also wondered if this was time better spent with her mother. When Sylva came back to the village after pleading with the Wood to spare her daughter, she was half-dead. And she was only getting worse. The healers hadn't sugar coated Sylva's situation: She was probably going to die within the next few days.
As soon as Fran turned to leave, Mjrn began to stir. Fran picked her up and decided to take her along to see her mother. Mjrn's condition hadn't changed. She still had a high fever. It hurt Fran to see such a tiny child so sick. At least in Keno's case it had been quick. She had rabbitpox for a day when she died. Mjrn had been sick for two days now. Her fever had to break soon, or she would die.
Sylva looked terrible. She was choking when Fran came in. Fran wouldn't have been surprised if her mother died on the spot. She did force a smile when she saw her daughters. And she did manage to feed Mjrn. Jote looked upset at Fran.
"You really should be here all the time. The healers are taking care of Mjrn all the time. She doesn't need you. Mom wants you here! Mom needs you! DON'T YOU CARE?!" Jote roared.
"Calm down. I think it might hurt her to see me like this." Sylva whispered.
"It does. You were always so strong." Fran said.
"I had to be strong. That is the job of a village leader… and of a mother."
"I will be strong, Mom. I am going to have to take over, aren't I?" Jote asked.
"Yes. In a few days, you will be leader."
"No! You cannot die!" Fran yelled.
"I have to. I will die, and Mjrn will live. It's the Will of the Wood."
"Who will take care of Mjrn?"
"Her wonderful sisters, of course."
"Neither of us have children. We can't feed her."
"There are other little Viera children in the village. Their mothers will help. Kjmi has Alja. She is able to help. She will help. Kjmi and I grew up together. She's my best friend. We're like sisters."
"I will do whatever I can for Mjrn." Fran said. She left. She had to get out in the Wood. She needed time to think.
Fran heard something other than the voice of the Wood outside. She heard the disturbing cries of a Viera woman deep in the Wood, and rushed to where she heard the sound. Then she wished she hadn't done that. This was the second time in her life she had caught somebody in that kind of act. There was one time with Jote and Gura… Fran was blinded for three days after that. At least she could still see after this time, but she wished she couldn't.
And that wasn't two Viera! There were two creatures, but only the woman was a Viera. The man was a Hume. And they were making love wildly. They were so caught up in each other that they didn't even notice Fran.
Fran remembered what her mother had told her about Humes: They were monsters. They spent most of their time killing one another. Why would one have any interest in sleeping with a Viera? Viera and Humes were two separate races. Humes looked like Viera, but they were monsters. They would sooner kill a Viera than anything, according to Sylva. They weren't allowed in the Wood, either. The Wood was for Viera only. Everywhere else in the world could belong to Humes, for all the Viera cared, as long as they left the Wood alone.
Still, there was something about the Humes that interested Fran. She didn't recognize the Viera involved, who was probably just some wood-warder from one of the other tribes. Humes were different than regular monsters. They were actually intelligent. Somewhat. Of course, what kind of creature kills another of its own kind just because of some insignificant argument about who would win, a wolf or a coeurl? Viera killed each other, but it was for different reasons. To establish dominance, possibly to win a mate… but never because somebody disagreed about something so stupid. That was something horrible. Not even the stupid monsters did that!
The Viera who left the Wood lived with Humes. Some of them may have even found Hume soulmates. Of course, Fran didn't understand why a Viera would ever be attracted to one of those monsters. Humes couldn't hear the voice of the Wood. They just killed trees. For no apparent reason. There were sticks all through the Wood that had fallen, and fallen trees. They worked just as well for "firewood"! Taking down the Viera race's habitat was criminal! The Humes had enough land of their own as it was! There were too many of them and not enough Viera! There were so few male Viera that most of the females would never find mates. And that was why Viera didn't marry. Arlisa Village's Tyra was insane, forcing Delf to marry Jyna. Sylva's son could've been mate to many Viera women. Jote tried to keep her brother from having to marry Tyra. Sylva couldn't stop it, and Jote couldn't stop it.
Fran decided that she really wanted to see the world of the Humes someday. But… what would become of her family if she left? Jote could not be left all alone. And if Sylva was right and Mjrn did live, Fran could not leave her little sister. Perhaps it was best to only dream about seeing the world of the Humes. The Wood was her home, and maybe it should stay that way. Sylva had always told her that the Viera began with the Wood, and they should end with the Wood. Sylva had never even gone near the edge of the Wood and looked at the outside world like Fran had.
And if Fran left, she wouldn't be allowed to ever come back. Viera who left the Wood lost their ability to hear the voice of the Wood. They became nothing more than bunny-eared Humes. They were Viera no longer. They would often find company in Hume companions, and Humes would see them as nothing but more lovely Viera to screw. And that's probably all Humes would see them as. Humes seemed to think that Viera were incredibly beautiful. Viera never saw anything like that about themselves. They rarely even had sex for reasons other than to make baby Viera. Sylva sometimes would, and Jote had been known to do it, but not many Viera did it. Fran certainly had never done it. Humes seemed to enjoy it.
Fran had wondered about the outside world since she was a child. It was one of the reasons she didn't really have friends. The other little Viera thought she was strange since she would talk about Humes and their world all of the time. She didn't understand Humes or their strange ways. And she didn't understand why a Viera would want to be with one.
Fran decided she'd someday have to figure out why some Viera were so interested in Humes. She wanted to know about Humes, and she wanted them to understand Viera. What was the emotion called "Love" and why did only very few Viera feel it? Viera knew what love was. To a Viera, love was only what you felt for your family. Jote felt it for Gura, though. Fran knew that. Maybe someday she'd feel love.
Jote was still with Sylva. Sylva was talking to her, but Jote wasn't paying too much attention to what she was saying. She was paying attention to her mother, but not her words. Jote wanted to leave her mother's side for at least a moment, but she never knew when Sylva would die. It would happen any time now. Where was Fran?
The healers came in. Almost as soon as they had taken Mjrn, her fever had broken. She wasn't back in the Wood yet, but if she had a better chance of living. Sylva smiled when she heard that.
"Where is that Fran?" Jote asked.
"Dealing with her grief in her own way."
"I doubt that. She's probably off with some male, providing entertainment. Fran has been acting really weird lately. I need to find a way to stop her from making a huge mistake."
"Fran will be fine. She will deal with her grief in her own way."
"She's like me, and that's what bothers me."
"Jote, you will be a good leader, won't you?" Sylva asked.
"Of course I will."
"And you'll take good care of your sisters too, won't you?"
"Yes Mom."
"And when Delf visits, you'll be nice to him to?"
"I love Delf. I will be nice to him."
"That makes me happy."
"Mom? I want to have babies. If I ever have a daughter, I'll name her after you."
"I told you, the Wood usually chooses the name, but perhaps you'll have one special, like me, that you'll get to name. There are plenty of decent males in the Wood for you. You don't have to love 'em. I never loved your father, he was just a good Viera. I want my children to do what they believe is right. Follow your hearts. I did, and it made me happy. I hope you are happy."
Sylva's breathing became ragged. Jote knew that her mother was going to die any moment now. Then Sylva was still, for a long time. Jote dissolved into tears.
That's Chapter One. Those are the seeds of Fran leaving, and at the end of the next chapter, she does leave. And Humes start giving her trouble.