Valravna's Links
Their relationship has been somewhat rocky, as Anastasia has an adventurous spirit and a need to earn her place among the crew. The way her mother coddled her and kept her safe and out of danger, rubbed her the wrong way. Rather than seeing it as a mother dearly trying to protect her child, she felt her mother thought her incapable.
When Anastasia was developing maternal sepsis during her pregnancy that she'd kept hidden, Victoria turned ship around to get the medicine needed. Doc had, with Anastasia's permission, told Victoria what was going on. The support that Victoria showed, the love Anastasia felt, was enough to have Anastasia open up to her and they managed to mend their rift.
Until tragedy struck, and Anastasia lost her child during battle, where Victoria took a bullet to the face in defense of her daughter. Mother and daughter both spiralled into depression, both feeling responsible and at fault, and unable to communicate their fears and guilt.
Anastasia loves Victoria, and wishes to be like her. She admires her greatly. However, she also feels inadequate and like a failure. Like she is not truly part of the crew, of the family. She thinks her mother loves Isabella more, that Anastasia herself is a failure and disappointment.
Victoria carries an immense amount of guilt towards her daughter, as though she has failed her. Twice Anastasia came close to ending her own life, and both times she felt powerless, felt like she was to blame. Having little means to bridge the gap, she could only give her daughter what she thought she wanted - to be treated the same as the crew.
Due to the trauma of her past, how she was treated aboard her father's ship, Victoria has gone above and beyond to keep Isabella and Anastasia safe. This became even more apparent when Isabella left the ship to live and study on shore, leaving only Anastasia behind to be coddled.
She is proud of the woman Anastasia is turning out to be, happy to see her become friends with the newest members, Raine Carson and Falco Giovan, imagining the three of them as core part of the crew in the future. She is hopeful that Raine and Falco will prove to be to Anastasia as Doc and Kali has been to her.
With a love as deep and boundless as the sea, Victoria was horrified when Doc one day called her to the infirmary and started telling her that her daughter needed medication or she might die. All she could see, was her little girl, terrified and crying. Most painful of all, it seemed as though Anastasia was afraid of how she would react - as though she'd thought Victoria would reject her when nothing could be further from the truth.
They had a while of true happiness together, when she was able to support Anastasia through her pregnancy. Getting her daughter to open up to her, getting to bond with her, was the happiest she had been in a long time. Victoria promised herself to be there for Anastasia always, to support her no matter what she needed. At times, she'd almost shed tears when Anastasia turned to her for advice. Finally things were looking up.
Which made it all the more devastating when her father's ship caught them unawares in a storm. The fight that ensued had Victoria lose not just an eye, but also her grandchild to premature labour. The recovery for both was long and painful, with things not being the same between them since. Victoria tried to be there, but the guilt haunted her when she saw Anastasia fold in on herself, turn her back to the world, refuse the comfort Victoria offered.
Guilt-ridden and depressed, Victoria turned to alcohol more often than not. Eventually, she thought her way to redeem herself was to broker a deal with law enforcement. Surrender herself, in exchange for the freedom of her entire crew, in exchange for their bounties being erased.
Beraazkhem took a liking to Meira when they met. He saw something of himself in her, and knew what it meant to live so closed off.
Through some patience, open friendliness, generousity and a fight against three owlbear cubs, he managed to befriend Meira (convince her that he was not absolutely useless).
The two have an unspoken friendship largely thanks to Beraazkhem's ability to infer what Meira means, not taking offense, and being able to recognize his own mistakes anf check himself.
He often find his gaze drawn to her, but he writes it off as protectiveness for a kindred spirit.
Her chamomille scent is soothing to him, although he has not told her. He assumes she must use chamomille in whatever soap she makes, and that she possibly steeps the flowers in her bath water.
Overall, they get along.
I would be lying if I said I didn't find him handsome. He seems kind, but I wonder... his eyes seem so sad.
Interesting person. He seems useful. His enthusiasm is infectious, and I like how excited he seems about his tea-leaves.
The way he chats and seems to be full of joy is reassuring - a reminder that there's still good people in the world despite everything. His smiles, laughter and general demeanour is infectious.