~The Arcana: Muriel X Listener SFW: My Snowdrop~ {Patreon Exclusive}

After a really nice day with Muriel, he wants to give you a gift......

Contains: Confessions, Crying, Emotions, Encouragement, Comfort (?), Hope

Just as a forewarning, there were tears shed in the booth when I recorded this, so I hope you're ready lol.  Despite the fact that I was crying, I had a really good time recording this. I feel like I was really in the moment and it led to a good performance! I hope you all enjoy it! (there's a good ending, I promise).

This audio contains the song "Meekness" by Kai Engel. Usable with the Creative Commons Attribution License:  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

It can be found here, on the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/Sustains/Kai_Engel_-_Sustains_-_02_Meekness

~Audio Transcript Below~

Muriel: Today has been......very.....very......nice....good....it was......very pleasant....with you.....

I----Thank you....for taking the time......to spend time with me.....I know that you're often very busy and--

*pause*

*sighs*......not many things can get past you....can they?

*deep breath*

There is.....something that I've been meaning to give you......today.....but it hasn't felt like the right time.....but......if you have taught me anything.....its that sometimes....there is not a right time....and if I spend all of my time worrying about when to take action.....I might miss something important so......I think now......is as good a time as any.......

*shuffling*

*breathes*

Oh....oh no.....

I.....Well.....

*shuffling*

They were......they were supposed to be......

*pause*

Yes.....snowdrops......

You......you said.....once......a.....while ago that.....that they were some of your favorite flowers.....and--normally they're hard......hard ot find around Vesuvia but.....sometimes....if the conditions are right, I've seen them around my home.....in the forest.....but----I......I knew they were delicate.....I tried to be careful and they----they're too crushed. I'm.....I'm sorry.....this is a poor excuse for a gift.....and.....practically mutilating a flower you enjoy so much I----I......

*starting to sniffle* I....I'm never careful enough....I'm always.....too rough.....too dangerous......always......*whispers* always.....

*sniffling* I'm sorry......it was meant to be special.....and I ruined it......

*long pause*

Well.....it was.....it was something that you said so......so it was.....important.....

Every time I saw the snowdrops.....taking care of them.....making sure that no animals ate them or trampled them.......waiting for them to grow enough to pick......I thought of you.......and it made me happy......

*starting to sniffle again* And----I tried so hard.....

*softly crying*

*sniffling* I---I know it's not the end of the world...I just.....

I.....it was so important....I---I wanted.......

*softly crying*

B-Breathe.....w-with y-you......o-okay......

*intentional breathing*

*sniffling*

*pause*

It....it was important.....b-because......it was the....the perfect thing t-to give you......something y-you love.......a-and.....t-to show you.....to--tell you.....what you mean to me........

*shuddering breath*

You.....like the snowdrops......you.....made me believe that hope was worth investing in again.......

For so long......I was.....going through the motions.....I was....content with being....alone.....and being feared.....and.....thinking that I was nothing more than something to be feared........unable to hold control.....unable to be......anything more than what I was in the arena.......

But then you showed up....and even though....I tried to make you forget me.....you....persisted.....you.....turned the entirety of Vesuvia upside down.....but for the better......

You.....showed me....what it's like to.....be treated with.....love......to be treated as something.......precious......carefully....but not....piteously......not as though I would break.....you know exactly when I need......tenderness.....and when I need.....bluntness.....you are not afraid to correct me....to tell me when I'm being foolish or even.....when I'm flat out wrong......you.....treat me like a person.....someone worthwhile in your life and.......that gives me hope.......

You give me hope not only for us but......for the entirety of Vesuvia.....for so long I was content to just......let everything fall apart.....watch Vesuvia and those in it tear themselves apart......but......now you have inspired in me a hope for the future.....that Vesuvia can be a prosperous place......the little things you've shown me....and that through us....it doesn't have to be evil under the veneer of riches and goodness.

For a long time....I thought that.....I would never be able to get over my.....trauma....that....what I did was unforgivable.......that.....that darkness would never pass......and that all of the dark and evil things going on with this country would only get worse.....and never better.....

Because of you.......now I believe that something can be done about it....that you......you are going to be the one.....the hero......the one to turn everything around......you are the sun parting the clouds and chasing that darkness away......

I.......c-care....for you.....s-so....so much.....and......without you.....I wouldn't be.....who I am today....I would still be....the man content to just.....go through the motions.......willing to just sit and rot.....along with the rest of this place.......

Now....I can't imagine living.....without you......I don't know if I'd ever be able to go back to how I was before.......before I knew you.....you've changed my life.....so much for the better........

*pause*

You are......my hope.......my.....my.....my love.......my.........Snowdrop.......