Hope Springs Occasionally

[New Edom]

Mara comforted her, gave her kleenex, stroked her hair, hugged her. "Annelli...did you know that Enoch had a really serious crush on you? From his point of view he tried to talk to you more than once and you didn't seem to be listening, and he was upset to discover that you were in love with me, so...men can be like that. They can get gruff, unyielding when they are afraid of their feelings being hurt. I don't think he meant to hurt you, but he does hurt people by being thoughtless. Please don't fret about it though--my brother Adam will make you a better husband, really, and he doesn't mind that your first baby is not his." Mara was privately disgusted with her brother about that--it was kind but such a milk toast thing to do. "I'm mostly disgusted with my mother for taking up with Lilith--such a disgusting person, is Lilith. I think I hate her."

[Riemaia]

"How... how do you have kleenex with you when you are in something that sexy... unless you have them in your purse..." Anneli said as she took the tissue and wiped her eyes. Anneli obviously was having her mood swings from pregnancy, but they were pretty mild compared to others that would be in her situation. "He... really liked me? I didn't know... Iv'e had problems with relations before... but thats neither for here here or now." She then looked up, took off the nightgown and slipped her dress back on. "I think I do want to meet your brother sometime... though why haven't I heard about him sooner?"

[New Edom]

"I have a purse for stuff like that," said Mara, tossing the used kleenex into the waste basket. She slipped out of her own nighty and stepped into her high heeled sandals and fluffed her hair, looked at herself this way and that. "You know what...I need to play more tennis--I'm getting like a thin layer of fat or something...I'm jiggly. I swear I'm jiggly. Yes, Enoch liked you, but you know how it is...men speakee one way, woman speakee other way. Venus and Mars, that crap. I dunno, I just know he felt very rejected by you. And you've heard of Adam, you just haven't seen him but the once on a formal occasion. He likes to have his nose in a book, that guy." Mara grabbed her shoulder bag and kept talking, as she was whipping out her phone to examine a couple of texts that had arrived in rapid succession of one another.

im soooo wasted where r u??? from Ava.

im shopping where r u? from Olivia.

"Geeze." Mara went for the door of the dressing room. "I have the feeling I'm forgetting something, but can't think what..."

[Riemaia]

"woah! Babe!" Anneli exclaimed as she jumped in front of the changing room door, with her arms spread open, clearly blocking her way. "You uhh..." She mumbled as she looked at Mara's body, "You are like totally forgetting to put your dress back on!" Anneli continued as she started to laugh near-uncontrollably. "Say I was reading your religions thick book, and I found something in there I totally liked."

Anneli said as she cleared her throat, getting ready to recite the part. "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." She then smiled and looked into Mara's eyes. "Babe, I think that really sums how we are... just a great relationship all round, and even those large bumps in the road doesn't hurt it, now... put your damn dress on!" Anneli said to Mara in a loving tone, and thought some more, mainly that if Mara didn't put her dress on, she would take hers off so Mara wouldn't feel out of place.

[New Edom]

Mara smiled her rare sweet quiet smile--not her bubbly one or her social one, but the soft one that was almost shy, and said, "Wow...do I ever have a lot on my mind...thanks babe..." she paused and listened to the Bible verse from Annelli--which was like a pelican reciting Shakespeare, she was so surprised, but then she smiled. "Well...I guess it does mean that...it is supposed to refer to the spirit of Christ in us that prompts us to be loving no matter what. I know like five people in the world who epitomize it." she sighed. "Alright..." she pulled her dress over her head, tugged it around her hips and thighs, and spread out her hands. "Better?"

[Riemaia]

Anneli brushed Mara's hair and opened the changing room door, and smiled at her. "Well, now that you mention it... Id prefer you naked, but in public, I think it would be better to have that on! Hey, I'm gonna go pay for all of this real fast..." Anneli said as she strolled over to the counter and put the three things they decided they liked on the counter, gently swaying her hips from side to side to try to get a response from Mara. "Hello!" She said to the person at the counter, "How much for these?" She asked as she dug out her bank card from her purse and held it in her hand.

[New Edom]

"Three thousand, Your Majesty," said the Etrurian clerk deferentially, bowing her head.

Mara came out in her dress, high heeled sandals, with her purse and kissed Annelli on the cheek. "Thank you for the prezzies...you're so sweet to me." she smiled at the clerk who bowed to her as well.

Strolling out, Mara said thoughtfully, "My other marriage fell through completely--in a way thank God. It would have been...well totally ceremonial. Like a full dress parade and grand ball every single day. I wonder if marrying Heinrich will be any different? Nords are so...formal, so rigid, so pickelhaubeeinzweidreivierhofkriegschnappskrautschnitzelburg, if you know what I mean," she said, suddenly speaking in sharp rolling accents. "Maybe he's like that in bed, ya? Und now you vill spread your lecks! Up down, in out, ein zwei drei!" she laughed and shrugged. "I want a fruit smoothie, do you? Shall we get a fruit smoothie, mango, peach, lemon, raspberry?"

[Riemaia]

"Thats alot of money! And how much would that be in Copees?" Anneli asked as she swiped her bank card and smiled. "Well, it's not really that important, thank you!" She said with a smile, taking the three nighties and sliding them neatly into a bag as she walked out to Mara.

"Wait, you were married before?" Anneli asked as she got ready to tell Mara something she never had. "I was going to get married once, I got rejected the day of the wedding, oh... Yancy never showed up. Yes, his name was Yancy... such a nice guy too." She said as she put an arm around Mara's neck and slowly started to walk. "Just remember that our relationship is pretty valid in my religion, and I remember where I read as long as we keep our intimate relationship in the bedroom in the Nordlands, it will be just fine!" She said as she smiled at the thought of still being intimate with Mara after she got married to Heinrich. "Peach! I want a peach smoothie, where are they at? And theres still plenty of presents to come babe!"

[New Edom]

Mara glanced at her. "I was never married. I had an engagement--to the Crown Prince of Lusignan. It fell through and I have no idea why. I don't think he even liked me really, and I am pretty sure that I was too outspoken and outgoing for that culture, for a woman. Anyway that's water under the bridge. I'm sorry to hear about Yancy though. I think you'd like Adam, Annelli, he's a shy gentle sort of creature, only really confident when talking about what he's learned in his books. Not my sort of guy at all," she said with a wink. They had arrived at the food court--which was a very lovely one, all streamlined futurism mingled with the past--it had two circular galleries and escalators leading up to each, and below there was an inner courtyard on the ground floor that showed a fountain. Hanging from the ceiling were flying machines of all concepts--from that of a Renaissance Genius to a mannikin with wings strapped to his back, from a helicopter prototype to a strange elliptical machine with many wings. There were all kinds of restaurants available--the upper floor had more fancy stuff like sushi, Lamonian and Nalayan cuisine, fiery hot spicy stuff from Dengali, while the lower floor had more international fast food stuff--submarine sandwiches, places like Dairy Princess, McClemens, Cute Bunny Burger, Wok You Want, Greasy Joe's, a Crock O'Diles, and so on.

[Riemaia]

Anneli smiled and gave Mara a hug. "Thanks, I liked Yancy... but he was basically a jerk, and I think he got... well nevermind! I do want to meet your brother Adam some time, he sounds like a nice guy..." She said as she looked at all the restaraunts she could see, and was still amazed at the place. "I love you so much... always knowing what the right thing to say is, always willing to listen... always wanting to cuddle. What do you think of this, maybe I should stop dying my hair?" Mara met Anneli when she was dying her hair, or she may have met her when they were little kids but maybe forgot about it. She pulled out her phone and showed Mara a picture of her from a few years ago when she wasn't dying, revealing that she had roughly the same firey red hair her mother had.

[New Edom]

"Auntie Claire is a babe, really, but she's nuts. But you're not nuts, just sweet Riemaian eccentric, so yes, by all means stop," said Mara, feeling a touch of gloom. If only she were a total lesbo this would be perfect, she could be perfectly content to be with her cousin, no one would mind, and they could just be 'friends' forever. Sometimes Annelli's devotion was depressing to her, but it wasn't Annelli's fault, but her own for not knowing how to handle things more wisely. She just couldn't really see an alternative--it was just that with her hormones up or something Annelli was gushing constantly. "You're very sweet yourself, my teeth are aching! So where would you like to go?" she asked Annelli brightly. "Got any cravings?"

[Riemaia]

"Poutine!" Anneli shouted as a small line of drool oozed from the corner of her mouth as she started to think about all the types of food she was craving at the time. "Oh did I tell you I made my own sauce for food? It's like a barbecue sauce with spicy mustard and pepper mixed in, and a small dash of sugar for taste!" She said as she imagined it poured onto some poutine, with er slowly eating some of it. "Maybe we could share a plate?" Anneli said as she took a quick glance at Mara's breasts, then up to her face. "And I could sure go for some milk as well!"

[New Edom]

Mara burst out laughing. She put her hands to her bosom. "Should I be wearing a 'got milk' T shirt or something?" she put a hand over her mouth, laughter bubbling out. "Honestly girlfriend...really we should get a shirt like that for Olivia. When I was a bit younger Ava and I used to play Yahtzee so we could see her jumping out and down and clapping and watch the boys' faces," she said with a giggle. "And sure we'll get your poutine." Mara led her up to a Greasy Joe's for a carton of poutine. "You invented your own sauce? It sounds pretty nummers..." she ordered in addition a Pink Bunny Cola for each of them and ordered a yogurt parfait for herself.

[Riemaia]

Anneli's eyes widened as she stared at Mara, not believing what she said. "Wow... and where was I when you were playing yahtzee?" She said as she imagined Olivia's breasts bouncing up and down, not truly a sight she wanted to imagine but had to due to the circumstances. "But yea, the sauce is great! I call it Sassy Succubus Sauce, it has a picture of a red headed succubus on it looking over her shoulder, and shes got a tight leather skirt and boots on, with the side of her breasts showing, with her nipple covered by some of her hair, it's a really nice one too!" She said as she found somewhere to sit. "See if they have any here... I totally want you to try it!"

[New Edom]

Mara looked at her wrinkling her nose. "What's the point of the succubus? Why not have something tasty on the front, like a hot pepper or a tomato or something, rather than a topless woman? I'm sorry, but it doesn't sound tasty to me really. Anyway I'll see if I can find some, hang on, you have a seat." Mara went off to have a look around for someplace advertising the sauce leaving Annelli with her poutine and coke.

Approaching the counter of one place, the Dairy Prince, she smiled and said, "Hi, do you have any Sassy Succubus Sauce?"

"With you around, baby, we don't need any!" said a cheerful clerk who looked like a grunge musician in a fast food uniform.

"That's hilarious, but the sauce?" Mara asked, her smile growing a little thin.

"You got all the sauce needed around here, baby!" said the clerk with a grin.

"That's hilarious, but actually I'd really just like a few packages of the sauce for my friend and I over there." said Mara, her smile slipping.

"Honey, things might get a little too spicy around here with you both having sauce!" chortled the clerk.

"Just give me the fucking sauce, idiot!" snapped Mara.

He frowned. "No need to get uptight about it, woman, just joking around. Honestly. Here's your sauce." he said.

Mara hadn't been out shopping like this in a while--and in fact when she thought about it...later...well at the moment anyway she was simply stunned, and didn't know what to say, except, "I'll talk to someone about this." she promised, red faced, and walking back. It was stunning to her--the man clearly didn't know who she was...she managed to put a smile back on her face by the time she was sitting with Annelli again. "Here you go..." she said.

[Riemaia]

Anneli waited for Mara to come back before beginning to eat her food, thinking about what she said. Once she returned, she started talking immediately. "Thanks!" She exclaimed as she took the sauce and poured it onto the poutine, picking up a bit and handing to to Mara. "At least try it..." She said as she smiled. "And about the image, I can't really call it Sassy Succubus Sauce without a Succubus on the bottle, ya know? If it had a tomato... it would be like Tangy Tomato Topping, and for a pepper... well i'm allergic to peppers so that wouldn't make any sense!" She then leaned forward a little and took some of the poutine and started to eat it, with her face lighting up from the taste of her sauce. "Tangy Tomato Topping isn't half bad for a name really... expect it on the selves in a month! Also how about Prissy Pineapple-Paprika Powder? Thats also a good one if you ask me!"

[New Edom]

"How about something like "Crown Tangy Sauce" or "Zingy Zesty Sauce" or something like that?' suggested Mara. "Succubus Sauce implies that it's a sexual aid or something--I mean if it sells well in Riemaia great..." she shrugged. "The guy who gave me some at the counter was, well hitting on me, and I have the feeling it was the sauce. I know I'm cute and everything but...I wonder what he thinks it's really for." Mara tried some, and smiled. "It's got a nice zing to it. Did I ever tell you--not really a huge gravy fan? But I like this stuff. I like zingy, tangy, zesty, spicy sauces instead. Unless I'm eating ice cream I guess!"

[Riemaia]

"Oh yea? Well i'm allergic to peppers, so spicy doesn't agree with me at all..." Said Anneli as she looked at the sauce and remembered something important about it... "Well.... I should mention it DOES have some saffron in it... real, authentic saffron, not that fake crap people label as saffron... So I guess you can label this sauce as a sexual aid.... that is, if you want to!" Anneli started to lick her fingers, cleaning the sauce off of them, before eating some more. "Gravy is alright on some stuff I suppose, I don't really like it on meat, just bread and potatoes. Ya know, I really can't stand foods that have so many distinct flavors mixed into one, my sauce is different, since they just all mix together so well, but anything with ginger just makes me gag, which is funny since i'm sure plenty of people call me a ginger..."

[New Edom]

"Saffron!" said Mara. "And it's the real deal? It must be kinda expensive as a sauce then huh? I mean I'm not imagining the huge crocus fields all over Riemaia, for some reason...where do you get it? I kinda like saffron, it reminds me of when we used to go to our estate in upper Haran, really beautiful, and we'd have a kind of paella dish there and it had saffron in the rice--delish, only to you it would be a weird food for sure...but you should come and try it sometime." she sampled another fry in the sauce. "My gosh--you must be getting mommy tummy, this is like eating a wad of grease."

[Riemaia]

"Oh they grow quite well near Meliore, which is the small hamlet I was born at... lovely place, lovely people, they make the sauce too! None of those machines, just hand mixing and tasting, you know!" Said Anneli as she smiled and continued to eat the greasy, filthy, sauce covered poutine. "A wad of tasty grease at least! But this sauce just makes it oh so better... just the lovely scent it has, the way the sauce just nearly dominates the flavor, but not completely overpowering the normal flavors of the food.... moreso complementing it. I should mention its like fifteen Copees a bottle for the stuff, so it's totally not cheap!"

[New Edom]

Mara laughed. "Made by hand...that's pretty cool. It's funny how...don't take me the wrong way, but really your people haven't really changed. They're very clever with technology but they're really these sort of village folk--they leave on an island but they avoid the sea for the most part, they like to hand craft things and they are fussy about their food and they are friendly to foreigners but not really cosmpolitan--it's like your nation is made up of a bunch of very successful peasants. I hope that doesn't offend you, I don't mean it badly."

[Riemaia]

"It dosen't offend, hun." She said as she thought about it. Indeed Riemaians were basically successful peasants with medieval ways with modern technology, not bogged down in the most modern ways of bureaucracy and confusion, sometimes relying on just pure intelligence instead of computers to get tasks done. "I think you are right, alot of my things, like my dress... it's really my grandmothers dress, and it was sewn by hand... and all of the scentless candles I burn, made from beeswax by a family that lives in the area around the capital, albeit a large family... and not to mention my jewelry I have custom made by a woman and her husband in the province of Heliore... though don't get me wrong, Riemaia has plenty of robots manufacturing high-end electronics that are probably in our phones, radios, missiles, you know!"

[New Edom]

"It makes you interesting people, I like it. Just as we are basically very barbaric but also very successful!" said Mara with a laugh. "This is one of the only two shopping malls in the country, did you know that? It's so resisted by our people, and I think with good reason, frankly, but it's very popular." she pushed the poutine from her. "I don't want to eat anymore. In fact frankly I really would love to shop a little more--what shall we go look at? How about Lovely Lucy--it's a scent and lotion store, would you like to stop off there?"

[Riemaia]

Anneli blushed as Mara said Riemaians were interesting, and then had a gaping mouth after she said there were only two malls. "Hey, you know Venessa right? Maybe her dad could get a Val-mart here, they have plenty of things that it should be a hit!" Anneli then stood up and picked up the box of poutine, and put a lid on it. "I'm gonna take this with me, if you don't mind that is! I think I could use ALOT of perfumes, lotions, shampoos, soaps... you name it and I probably need it." she smiled at the notion of shopping some more, seeing as she needed to get a business suit that could fit her snugly once shes no longer pregnant, and also wanting to get some sex toys. "More shopping!"

[New Edom]

"Val-Mart?" exclaimed Mara. "That crappy place? It's like...so vulgar, so gross, so glaring, so creepy. All those bright colors, bright lights, all that stuff...bleah, it's like living on an army base where you can only buy stuff there. Gross! No way Annelli, I was at one in thingummyville in your country and I hated it. No way!" she got up decisively and helped Annelli up. "Come on, let's go buy some stuff at Lucy's." As they walked along, Mara led her into the shop, which smell of scented soaps, body lotions and hair cleansers. It was a very pretty store, with a naked young woman of Etrurian or Gloria Regian descent, all honey-olive tan and dark hair modeling and showing off a line of skin cream that apparently contributed to her perfect complexion and satiny skin, as she stood there smiling like a mannikin with another sales rep beside her.