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Cifera breathed into her hands to try and warm them up. The streets of Okhema were cold once the Calamity Season rolled in. She missed the mild weather of Dolos, its climate being moderated by the nearby ocean that provided them with plenty of fish. But that home was no more.
Dolos, like many other city-states, had fallen to the Black Tide.
After months of wandering, Cifera had hidden away on a merchant wagon and jumped off at the Golden City of Okhema. If anywhere was going to give her a chance to live, it would be here. But life was a struggle. Most citizens were indifferent or even unkind to the homeless, especially those of Dolosian descent. The prejudice of all Dolosians being thieves was popular, and extended even to children like Cifera herself.
“Stupid man…I didn't even steal anything this time. I bought that one! Even the shopkeeper lady said so!” Cifera winced in pain as she attempted to keep herself warm despite her exposed legs, bruises, and scrapes. Scrapes that only complicated things more as they exposed yet another layer of Cifera's situation: her golden blood. This marked her as a Chrysos Heir, most of which currently, were not popular among the city’s residents.
Cifera's complaints were interrupted by her stomach growling, as the man and his gang of thugs who had beaten her up had stolen the food she'd actually worked to buy for once. She was starving, not remembering when her last meal was. Cifera couldn't remember the last time she wasn't in pain. She couldn't remember the last time she was warm. She couldn't remember the last time anyone cared about her.
Once a thief, always a thief. A Dolosian Thief; The worst kind to be.
Tears started to form in her eyes. Cifera knew it wouldn't fix her situation or even help in the slightest, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't control her emotions at all. She was too hungry, too tired, in too much pain, to be able to stop crying. So the tears started to flow. Sobs soon followed afterwards despite her best efforts to stifle them. Any noise would attract unwanted attention to her, and likely invite another beating. Cifera could only hope she was alone in this little slice of Okhema.
___
Aglaea sighed as she left her shop for the day. “Another day, another wave of customers demanding the finest threads while walking over the people who made them. Despicable. I wish I could do something to help out the less fortunate, but those same people always embezzle the funds or pilfer the goods I make.”
The Seamstress hoped that one day she would be able to help everyone in Okhema, and as a Chrysos Heir, it was a possibility. But that was, for now, a far off dream. The question was what she could do to help now, in her somewhat limited capacity.
A few minutes later, Aglaea heard sobbing in the quiet streets and alleys of the cities. It wasn't the strangest of things, as sometimes a lover would be heartbroken, or someone would receive bad news. But this…this type of sobbing sounded different. It sounded like that of a child. And that was something Aglaea could never pass by.
It took fifteen minutes to find the source of the cries, as the volume peaked and fell, and Aglaea got closer and further away. But eventually, she found a much too small Dolosian girl in tattered clothing, covered in scrapes and dried golden blood, sniffling under a bridge, near the sewers. “Hello there, dearie. Might I ask if you're okay?” Aglaea kept her voice quiet, steady, and calm. She knew she couldn't let this small child run.
Cifera froze as she heard a voice incredibly close to her. She looked up from hiding her face in her knees to see a lady dressed in brilliant golden threads standing just a few feet away. That was trouble. Rich nobles always wanted to hurt her. “S-sorry! I'm leaving! I-I got lost! I promise I'm leaving!” Cifera couldn't help but panic, ready to scramble away, as she didn't want more bruises and cuts. She wanted a bath and a warm meal, those she knew that those were luxuries she would almost always be deprived of.
Aglaea frowned as she heard the panicked response of the child. She has clearly been abused. Bruises covered her exposed skin, which itself was a problem given it was the Month of Mourning and that it was barely above freezing. The Seamstress could see dried golden blood all over her body and tattered clothes, marking her as a fellow Chrysos Heir, but also as a victim of pain and suffering. Aglaea's heart broke as she wanted to do something.
And then she decided she would do something, even if it wasn't the smartest idea.
“Now now, child. I'm not here to hurt you. I don't live anywhere nearby. I heard your crying and I couldn't ignore the cries of a young child. Tell me, what is your name?” Aglaea paused for a moment to smile and crouch down to the girl's level. “My name is Aglaea. I'm a seamstress who makes clothes for others in the city.”
Cifera was hesitant to stay, but so far, this lady didn't seem to actually want to hurt her. She wouldn't get anything out of this, but it would be nice to have someone to talk to for a few minutes at least. Maybe not being alone for five minutes would bring a moment’s reprieve. “I-I…m-my name is Cifera…”
It was a small first step, but an important one. “That's a lovely name. I believe that's Dolosian, isn't it?”
“Mhmm…” Cifera nodded, her ears flicking under her hood. Don't give away you're a Dolosian or else she'll hurt you. That was the only thought Cifera had in her head.
Aglaea inched her way closer, glad that Cifera, this girl, hadn't run off yet. “I can't say I've met someone from Dolos before. A shame that the Black Tide took the city from us recently.” Small steps to gain the trust of the child were important. She couldn't let her get away.
Cifera nodded. “It was home. A lot of people died. Most of us died. Now only a few of us are left and we get treated like bandits and thieves. I'm just a kid!” The tears started to form in Cifera's eyes again, the girl unable to hold back her emotions. “So what if I stole some food? I was hungry! Then I get beat up and my coins taken from me cuz they think I stole that too! I earned those!” Her voice was cracking, her hands were shaking, and for reasons she didn’t understand she was pouring everything out in front of this stranger. “I'm just a kid! I'm hungry, I'm cold, I'm tired! I…I don't have a home, or anyone to care for me. It's only me. What else am I supposed to do? Die?” The sobs returned quickly as Cifera cried out, wailing as she cried.
Her voice was strained and hoarse, and barely louder than a whisper, and Aglaea’s heart broke as she watched the whole scene unfold. The Seamstress was quick to hug the child, picking her up in her state of defenselessness. “Now now, Amphoreus would be a much darker place if you died, Cifera. You are just a child, and someone should have taken care of you once you arrived in Okhema.” Aglaea stood up, adjusting the small child properly in her arms to carry her. “Since no one else has done so, how about I step in? I think a little kitty needs a warm bath, a warm meal, and a warm place to sleep.”
Trust was hard to come by for Cifera, but even if it was just for a night, that sounded wonderful. And something…something about this lady seemed as if she was the right person for her. The right person to take care of her. Cifera felt like she could trust her. “O-okay…” A yawn escaped from her mouth as she clung to Aglaea, starting to purr softly from the warmth of another human. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. Aglaea’s warmth alone was enough to stop her from shivering and her body shut down its defenses, passing into a short, but deep sleep.
“Aren't you an affectionate little kitty? Come now, let's go home, Cifera.” Aglaea couldn't help but chuckle softly as she scratched the little Dolosian’s ears and carried her home.
___
Cifera woke up a little bit later in a strange place. She could smell…warmth, fragrance, all of the things she would expect to see in a bath. It made her wish she could take a warm bath again.
No sooner had that thought crossed her mind did the strange lady from earlier make her appearance from what appeared to be the location of the pleasant scents. “I see the little kitty has woken up from her nap. How about we take a warm bath, and get you changed into some clean clothes, then fill up that hungry tummy of yours.”
The generosity was unfamiliar to Cifera, so she was hesitant to accept. She was skeptical that there wasn't an ulterior motive. It was common for Chrysos Heirs to form factions, so this was likely a recruitment effort. “What do you want from me lady?” Cifera’s voice was hoarse, but still carried pain and paranoia. She was afraid that this kindness was fake.
Aglaea was afraid that this might be the case, and wished that this child hadn't been hurt, taken advantage of, and abused. “Cifera, I'm sorry if you think I want anything from you. I promise that I simply saw a child in need, and decided to address that need. Come tomorrow morning, once you are clean, dressed properly for the weather, and you've had at least two proper meals, you are free to leave. But…you are also welcome to stay, if you'd like.”
A freedom…to leave? That wasn't possible. All contracts or exchanges had some sort of trick to them. But this lady didn't. Cifera would get her wounds cleaned, appropriate clothes for the weather, and food? Warm food? This was too good to be true. But Cifera couldn't pass it up. So instead, she proposed her own stipulations. “Fine. But I wanna be able to come and go at any time. And leave when I want.”
The conditions were simple enough. Most children wouldn't pass up someone feeding them and giving them a warm place to live. And when Cifera felt like it was time to go, she could go. “Deal.” Aglaea held out her pinky, smiling at her new little adoptee.
Cifera smiled back, thinking she'd won the negotiations. “Deal.” She interlocked her pinky with Aglaea's, shaking it to seal a ‘contract’.
“Now that that's settled, into the bath we go, little kitty. You have quite the few wounds to clean.” Aglaea quickly scooped Cifera up in her arms, carrying her into the bathroom where a large, warm bath awaited them both.
The ‘little kitty’ mewled as she was gently scooped up and whisked into the warm chamber, being set down and gingerly undressed. Cifera hadn’t expected this but she was far too weak to argue, nor would she since she valued her contracts and promises highly. Once she was completely undressed, the Seamstress took her over to a small area with gently flowing water. It reminded her of a stream she used to wash herself in back in Dolos.
Aglaea hummed softly, sitting the small child down before taking a small container to gather the warm, flowing water inside it. She gently poured it over Cifera’s legs, deciding the wounds there would be the best thing to clean first. “Oh dear, you are absolutely caked in mud and blood and soot. Little kitty, when was the last time you had a bath?”
Cifera shrugged, wincing every so often as the soap stung her wounds, cleansing it of the things that could potentially hurt her. “Heck if I know. It’s cold outside, lady. If I take a dip in the river outside the city, I’ll freeze to death before I dry off. So I dunno, maybe early Month of Weaving? Late Month of Reaping? It’s been awhile. Haven’t washed my clothes, either. Not like they’re more than rags, anyway.” The Dolosian couldn’t help but squeal just a bit as Aglaea went over a wound over a bruise. “I’d wager that rags would be worth more at this point too!” Cifera laughed softly, clearly a bit tired.
“Dearie, you’ve had it rough, haven’t you?” Aglaea continued to clean the child she’d taken in, who thankfully had shown no resistance to the cleaning so far. “I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through to get some of these bruises, let alone the scrapes and lacerations.”
“Eh, you get used to it…” Cifera sighed, almost relenting to her supposed fate. “No one likes a Dolosian. We’re just all thieves to them. Sure, I’ve stolen, played tricks here and there, but I did it to survive. The nobles in every city are far worse.” Water started to cascade over her head, so Cifera closed her eyes, feeling the Seamstress start to do something with her hair. It felt weird, but nice. “So because I’m a Dolosian, because I steal or might steal, I’m an easy target, even as a kid.” Her voice trailed off towards the end, as if accepting her fate to always be a lesser denizen of Amphoreus. “And that means I’m a punching bag.”
Aglaea rinsed the shampoo out of Cifera’s hair and scratched her ears. “Well, I for one don’t think that. Everyone has an opportunity to prove themselves. I think you have a lot of potential, Cifera. You just haven’t been given an opportunity to grow.”
Cifera was a bit embarrassed at this point, feeling something…goopy…being washed out of her hair. “...you’d probably be the first.”
As if to change the subject, Aglaea gently lifted Cifera from her small stool on the floor to the bath proper, sitting her on the shallower end where there was a seat just perfect for her. “How’s the water, little kitty? Quite perfect, I hope?”
The water was perfect for Cifera, surrounding her like a warm blanket. She sighed happily as she sank in up to her neck. Normally, she'd complain that her tail was sopping wet, but she was finally warming up for the first time in months and it felt divine. The only response she could give was another happy sigh.
Aglaea smiled, settling into the bath herself to relax. The day's events were almost a blur. Rude clients making outrageous demands, then finding a helpless little kitty who was in need of some love and care, to that same little kitty purring a few feet away from her in a warm bath. Things could be strange and hectic, but even with the clients she’d had to deal with lately, Aglaea was glad things had turned out this way.
After a good twenty minute soak (and Cifera almost falling asleep in the bath after moving around a little bit), Aglaea pulled them both out to dry off. She dried the little Dolosian off first, making sure she would experience as little discomfort as possible. Once Cifera was dry, she wrapped her in another dry towel to keep her warm and started to dry herself off. She watched Cifera almost nest inside the towel that dwarfed her, which was honestly one of the cutest things she’d seen in awhile. Aglaea would have to show this little precious child to her teachers if she got the chance.
Once they were both dried off, Aglaea dressed her charge in the clothes she’d prepared for her and made sure they fit well. Thankfully, she’d gotten the right measurements while Cifera had taken her nap and the sewing hadn’t taken long. “Well, how does it feel, kitty? Snug? Warm?”
Cifera moved around a bit, adjusting to the difference in coverage of her body. It wasn’t a bad thing for sure. Her legs and arms were fully covered now, the dress hugged her upper body as well. To top it off, she even had a hood with places for her ears! “Mhmm! This is the best thing I’ve ever worn! It’s soft and warm, and honestly if this is what I’d been wearing in the streets, I might not have complained anywhere near as much.”
“Well remember, you don’t have to go back to the streets if you don’t want to. But that aside, let’s get some food in your tummy and get you some sleep.” The Seamstress didn’t want to stress her little housemate out, but getting her to eat was the priority.
The meal was simple for Cifera, smoked fish warmed up on the stove served with rice and vegetables. It didn’t take long for Cifera to down all of it, though her portion size was small. She begged for more, but after Aglaea had heard how infrequent her meals were, she told her about the dangers of eating too much when food became aplenty again. Cifera was told this was called a “Renourishment process” in order to make sure she didn’t get sick and suffer harm. As much as it sucked, Cifera liked the promise of increasing meal size (alongside small snacks and milk!) over the course of the next week. She could accept this.
After sitting for a few minutes after eating, Cifera’s eyes started to get heavy. It was not yet the Curtain-Fall Hour, but she couldn’t help but feel tired. She was exhausted and her body couldn’t force itself to stay awake. She groaned softly, rubbing her eyes in a vain attempt to remain conscious.
Aglaea smiled, deciding it was time for bed, even if she herself was not tired. She still could read while Cifera slept, so she pulled them both into the bedroom and tucked Cifera under the covers as she fell asleep. It was peaceful watching a small child sleep soundly where that same child had been shivering cold a few hours prior. Before grabbing her book, Aglaea leaned over and kissed Cifera’s forehead and scratched her ears. “Sleep well, kitty. You’ve earned this rest for surviving so far. Please keep surviving for your own sake…and mine.” It wasn’t hard to admit for Aglaea that she’d already become fond of this child.
Focusing on her book, the Seamstress began to read for a brief time to allow her mind to wander and relax. It did not take long before she found herself heading the call of sleep and set her book down. Tomorrow would be a new day, with new responsibilities, and a new face around her to keep her company.
As Aglaea closed her eyes, she knew she’d made the right decision.
___
Cipher groaned, her face red as Aglaea recalled a memory from cycles past. “Mom! I was six at that moment in that recurrence! Are you going to keep embarrassing me like that in front of my girlfriend?”
“Oh hush now, kitty. Your mother is obligated to tease you from time to time. I just happened to recall this memory from that recurrence. It was a…brutal end for me, but the time I spent with you made it more than worth the while. I cherished every day I had with you.”
“...I loved every moment I had with you too, Mom. I was devastated when I watched you fall into the bath. I recalled how you found me in the streets and took me in…everything you did for me. You were my home. Not the house, not where we spent time together. You were. I was…lost, afterwards. But Cassie…she found me.” Cipher lay her head on Castorice’s shoulder, smiling softly.
Castorice smiled as well. “You make anywhere my home, Cipher.”
Aglaea couldn’t help but look fondly upon her daughter and future daughter-in-law. “Well, aren’t you two continuing to be the cutest? I must say, I am glad you two sorted your feelings out in at least some of the recurrences. Cifera deserves someone to be by her side, and if I’m not there, then Castorice, I would love for you to be there. In fact, I would prefer you to be there in the first place.” A mother couldn’t separate true love.
Cipher couldn’t help but blush again, holding Castorice’s hand behind their backs. “Mom…I can’t replace you. Castorice may be my partner, but you’ll always be my parent. You were in basically every recurrence, and you will be for eternity.”
“I love you too, Cifera. I’ll always be there for you.” Aglaea cupped her daughter’s cheek, smiling before putting her hand down.
Affection was still something Cipher was getting used to showing, alongside true emotions not hidden behind jokes and pranks, so it was embarrassing to return feelings of love and gratitude. But she could. “I love you, Mom. Thanks for taking me in.”