Chapter Text
“Mama,” Marian asked quietly, tugging at Leandra’s skirts, peering up at her. “Mama,” she said, again, and Leandra leant over to help her daughter climb into her lap, where she sat cuddled against her. “Yes, Marian, dear?” she stroked her fingers through her daughter’s lovely dark hair, smiling when small hands went to the round curve of her belly, feeling for kicks or nudges. Marian’s unborn sibling rarely failed to indulge her desire to feel them, and, as ever, they kicked soon under Marian’s hands, sending the girl giggling delightedly. Soon that smile was turned her way, her daughter’s bright blue eyes sparkling. “Tell me ‘bout soulmates, mama?” She asked, still lisping her ‘s’ sounds a little.
It was every child’s favorite story to ask after, at this age, and even a little older. Leandra smiled, stroking her little starling’s hair back from her face. “Of course, my starling. So, you know, then, that every person is created with a puzzle-piece hole in them. That puzzle-piece is shaped very, very carefully, so that it can be shared with just one other person.” Marian butted in, childlike enthusiasm boundless, to ask, “Only just one?”
Smiling, Leandra nodded. “Yes, buttercup. Only just one. And because there are so very many people out there, the gods knew we might never find the person whose puzzle piece fits ours without some help. So, they gave us a great gift, darling. Do you know what that is?” She suppressed a chuckle at the way Marian gasped, “Soulnames!” as though this were only the first time she’d heard this, instead of the hundredth. “Exactly right, Miri.”
“Soulnames are where our soul mate, the person whose soul-puzzle-piece fits ours perfectly, are able to reach out and write their names on our wrists, where we can never lose them, and never forget them.” Marian grinned brightly. “So we can find them, right, Mama?” she asked, and Leandra nodded, kissing her daughter’s forehead. “Just so, dear. Just so. Our soulnames are a promise, Marian. Do you know what that promise is?” she asked, watching those ice blue eyes look up at her, loving and guileless.
“Yes, Mama. It’s a promise we’re not alone, even when we feel like there’s nothing left.”