Part 166: Side Story: Meryl, Lost then Found (III)

Music: River of Life



'Tis a sad moment, for today shall be the final chapter of the most captivating tale of this game, if not in all media in general. Of course, I speak of Meryl's search for her mother.



The letter from my mother was carried by the river to my village. I'm traveling along the river in search of a woman who claims to be my mother. But I have little inkling where she might be...



Meryl has faced many an ordeal, and we shall not fail her when she is so close!



Fortunately, as is typical in our adventures, our thoughts have been on Meryl, and thanks to our attention to detail we discovered a woman in this very town who has some information highly relevant to Meryl...



She keeps callin' out that same name, Meryl. Now who could that be?

To be fair, I'm sure many villagers call out the name Meryl, so overcome by her grace and dignity. But this instance seems different...



We must be sure.



M-Meryl...



...



Music: Enveloped in Kindness



You were a mere babe...last I saw you...



Mother...
I'm so sorry... My sweet baby...



Ah, the war... What a dreadful thing that was! It destroyed us... The victors did not forgive us... They swore to kill us all...



I fled, too, and hid from the men who followed me... I wanted to see you again...but what right had I?
...



I would look at the river...wondering if you were happy...



My parents are good people. I'm blessed with many kind friends.
Ah, Meryl... What a joy it is, to hear you say that...



I will, Mother, I will.



...Mother?







-----



Thanks to you and the gods, I was able to see my mother one more time before she died. Now...I am going home to my village.





Meryl is strong and humble even after witnessing the death of her birth mother. She's even kind enough to give us her house's prized armor and a handsome sum of cash for our troubles!



But there was sorrow in her, too. She'd gaze at that river for hours...

Meryl's mother sacrificed much to ensure her daughter would be safe and happy. She was truly a devoted mother to the end, and it's a blessing she was able to see her daughter full-grown and happy in her last moments.

Music: Clearbrook, by the Pristine Waters



I want nothing else but for her to be happy.



A lot has changed since the moment I first held her in my arms. 'Twas the most wondrous day of my life, when I became her mother.

Meryl has returned home, and her parents are glad to see her again, safe and happy.



I'm going to wash my laundry in the river, then hang it to dry in the sun. Then I'll dig out some weeds from the garden, and help mother cook the dinner.





While we must say goodbye to Meryl, I for one will never forget her amazing journey, and the way she touched the hearts of each and every one of us. Meryl is an inspiration to all of humanity, and I am honored I've been able to share her journey with you all.

Next time, some side stories that don't involve Meryl. Crazy, I know!