Dear Basin,

After Mister Uzriel's impassioned post, I am certain many of yous would have felt compelled to follow his instructions. How could one not? Calling us fools and imprisoners, while offering a way to make our crimes rights, it appeals to the heart.

However, while I do agree that everyone should go see the bromeliads within the Rhizoda Mangrove, I implore you, do not assist the nereids. The Lady of Lagoons, Her story is a terribly sad one. Her story should be known. But my response is threefold.

1: A sad and painful past, while it can bring understanding, does not excuse that She drowned so much of the Basin. That She brought a sleeping Spirit of the Basin awake -screaming- in pain. Remember the pain and suffering you see around you each and every day. I do not say to imprison Her. She has suffered enough. But do not pity Her for Her injuries sustained, and assist in Her early awakening. We must have compassion, but we must have Wisdom the same, and to remember to see the world around us.

If your heart still hurts for the Lady, it is understandable. But know, that awakening Her is not the kindness and rightful retribution you think it is. It is not the path, to help Her.

2: To the claim, that She is hale. Her nereids claim that She is healed and that She is ready to wake. But who do you think knows more of healing? Fae, who are made to claw and sing and kill, or a Divine who has dedicated Her eons-long existence to the healing of Divine and Half-formed? Lady Lantra did not have to place Lady Li-Varili's cocoon for all to see. She did not have to allow assistance from all of the Basin. But She did, for She wished all to see Her intentions. Intentions that have only healed.

If have ever suffered a true sickness, a bedside sickness, may be familiar with this experience. There is a point, where the sickness does not hurt. There is always, that threshold. And yet, it is what most call a false-wellness. Our bodies, they feel hale, but they are not strong enough to -stay- hale. The Lady of Lagoons, for Her wounds are deep, is at this stage. It is a testament of Healing, that She is even able to be aware of Her cocoon.

When was young, I suffered a great sickness. My tail was deeply injured, broken, and I was an orphan in Glomdoring. There was no one to heal me. I hid in the trees and passed out, for how long I do not know. But when I woke, maybe days later, I felt so much better. Better enough to move, because the hunger in my stomach told me to. When I did, I strained my tail and fell into the Glomdoring river, where I almost drowned. While I crawled to shore, my fever grew so great I almost died.

I am lucky to be alive. But if I had not moved, if I had not been fooled by my false-wellness, I may have healed faster and had no fever.

To wake Her now, She would feel healthy and powerful for a whiles. Maybe even a few months. But She would most certainly exert Herself, and open Her scars anew. And then, all of our careful efforts, my Lady's careful efforts would have been for naught. She would feel pain, and weakness. If you truly care for the Lady of Lagoons, let Her heal. Let Her -finish- healing. Do not waken Her early from the healing slumber.

3: If you have been to the bromeliad tree, in the heart of the mangrove, may know Her terrible story. To put it bluntly, She was tortured and hurt and kept in silence for longer than the Shards ever existed. That does not just hurt the body, but the mind. She sees anything that is not pure freedom as prison. It is understandable, that She would equate any rest or slumber to that same prison. But just because it is your belief, does not mean it is the truth.

One, if you have assisted with the magnolias, you know that She can hear us, albeit faintly. She has heard songs, music, talking. It is not silence, it is not torture. She even knows fondness, for those who were in Her coven.

Two, my Lady is there with Her, and does not act as a jailer, nor would She want to. It is -sleep-. Like when the medicine mans gives a child poppy seeds to sleep through the fever, and reduce pain. They are dreams.

Three, this is not the same act as the Enchantress. To equate is an insult to both Divines, honestly. The Enchantress lured the Lady down to the very depths of the Sea, left Her in a chair that slaughters any mortal that touches it, and let Her scream in the depths unheard for what would have been an eternity. The Lady Empyreal saved Lady of the Lagoons when no other Divine would take responsibility for the hurt done to the Lady of Lagoons, and spends Her energies, strength, and essence healing Her.

Four, it is true, She is a Mother searching for Her daughter. It is understandable, heartening, to know She loves Sister Sea so deeply. But we cannot let Her break Herself against the rocks to search for Her Daughter. Her daughter needs Someone who is not hurting, Who is healthy enough to find her without possibly failing in the process because Her healing was too short.

If you truly wish to follow compassion, and basic understanding of the healing process, continue your efforts with the magnolias. If you wish to use misplaced pity and a lack of wisdom instead, follow the path of Mister Uzriel.

Believe what you wish, and choose whichever amount of Wisdom to follow. But know, that this is the truth, and I do not lie.

Sincerely,
Cheliyi.

Penned by my hand on the 6th of Tzarin, in the year 595 CE.