Fare You Well My Hearts
A month had passed and the last trip of the Curie was heading back to Ul’dah from Garlemald in two days. Norhi’s cart was loaded and arranged to carry Akizuki, Vhene, Misah’to, and his girls, Annia and Bianca to Camp Broken Glass, to be loaded up for the trip. The apothecary was put back together. And the management of it was officially handed over to Helen. Now, Norhi just had a few last strings to tie off before leaving. She wrote some letters and made some visits. She went around and said her goodbyes to everyone as best she could.
Having just recently received Lee’s response to her earlier letter, she attempts to catch Vicky. But given the lack of it, she leaves the letter with Vicky’s father, while wishing him the best. Norhi was worried. She does leave a note for Vicky alongside Lee’s letter. On the back side of the note was a small map, drawn of the Eastern Shroud, showing a route from the Hawthorne Hut to her shop and home.
Vicky, I’m heading home on the Curie this week. Wanted to say goodbye and that I hope to see you again eventually. Please take care. As I said, you got a place with us if you ever want it. My thoughts and feelings from our conversation still stand. I hope things go well for you. Affectionately, Norhi M.S.
She stops by the corner that Sergius and Rhua had posted up in, to watch over Arym. She thanks them both for everything and gives them a copy of the map to find her home, if they ever need or want to visit. She also leaves them an unsealed letter for Arym, saying they could read it if they wished. But that it would mean a lot to her if they made sure Arym saw it, when he was awake. Though, if they thought it would cause harm, then she’d understand if they didn’t. On the back of the letter is yet another of the same map.
Arym, I’m sorry that I’m not getting to say goodbye to you in person. I had sincerely hoped for the chance to clear the air. I wish I understood your reasons for the choices you made. I wanted to part on even footing and clear minds. But the Curie’s last trip to Eorzea is this week. So, my time here is up. I would still love, someday, to talk and learn about what happened and why. Even though I fear I will never get to see you again. What you do with this is your choice. And if I have to live in ignorance, then so be it.
Annia and Bianca were also hoping to say goodbye. The attack on Alvarium rattled them badly and they begged Misah’to to move to Eorzea. And with Misah’to still healing from a broken hip, he needs a lot of help. So, they’re coming out with me to Gridania. Misah’to’s thinking of applying to the Bellworks in Ul’dah though. Since there’s at least a small Garlean community there. I’m sure it’ll work out, somehow.
The map on the back is how to find my home in The Shroud, if you ever want to come by. Take care of yourself. With Hope, Norhi M.S.
From there, Norhi makes a few more rounds. She leaves a copy of the map with Vanya and Minerva, promising that either her or her half-brother, Nhie’a, would be by every couple months with a cart of supplies for trade and gossip. She leaves a copy of the map with Gloria too. Just in case. And lastly, she hands a letter, and another map, to Puklo Pak to chase down Florus with. Despite her instructions to be kind about it, Florus would wake up with the letter taped to his forehead.
Florus, I had sincerely hoped to talk before I had to leave. I understand why you stayed out of sight, in the aftermath of all this. But still, I wanted to tell you just one thing. All of the questions I wanted to ask, when I first learned about Overseer and you, barely matter now. But I still need to say this.
Do you remember our last personal conversation? Do you remember the thing you asked of me at the end? To keep hoping? For you?
Well, I am still. I still have my hopes for Alvarium and everyone we met. But for you especially, I still hope. I hope that you grow. I hope that you learn more of Life in all its ineffable mess. I hope you find peace in what happened. I hope your path going forward brings you opportunity to do good.
You planted the seeds of something beautiful. And yes, much harm came along the way. And perhaps things could’ve been better. Or gone differently. But the result, now that we’ve defended this growing place, is very beautiful. I had some hopes dashed. And some hopes validated.
And so, I hope for you that you Grow. Grow in all the joy and all the pain, which that can bring. I hope you Learn. Learn from what went wrong and from what went right. I hope you make peace with regret. Regrets never go away. Not really. They’re like grief. They’re a part of you. Don’t try to cut yourself up to rid yourself of it. Please, instead, Grow and Learn. I hope that all of this brings you a future, full of everything Life can offer. Both good and bad, both cursed and blessed.
Grow and Learn, Norhi M.S.
P.S. Tell your boyfriend and your father I say goodbye, and that I enjoyed our time together. The map is for my home, if any of you want to visit.
With all of that done, Norhi makes sure there is a map posted in the common room and one in the apothecary. She then loads up her family and starts Crystal down the road to Camp Broken Glass. Chocobo and Cart are loaded into The Curie. They get comfortable in the passenger hold. And they finally go home.
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