Tessa, the next Msrha

Revisiting the Roots chapters, I came to the point where Rags mentions that he didn't like Msrha because when she arrived, she took the place Msrha had at the inn. This is something he shares with Pawn, and in fact, Pawn confesses this to Msrha first during volume 8. They both understand that she needed help, and by the time she arrived, they were already finding their own paths. But that doesn't erase the lingering resentment and envy for losing the positions they once held.

The interesting thing, and what I wanted to discuss here, is that the same thing is happening with Msrha herself. She's no longer the lost child they needed to take care of and sometimes save from herself. Now she's another member of the inn staff in her own right, and she'll act if necessary.

But people who need a change always arrive at the Wandering Inn, and for many of them, this manifests as a need for salvation, whether from themselves or from the world. And in the later volumes, it's precisely Tessa who needs warmth. From a home, and as Mrsha begins to grow and give as much as she receives, the help is being prepared to be passed on to the one who needs it most at this moment.

It's sad the perception that Rags and Pawn have of their place at the inn because, although it's true, it's not fair. They retain their place among the guests, and although things have changed, they've always had a place to rest. They learned from the innkeeper and built their own homes, yes, but exclusive to their peers and distancing themselves from the rest. They had their reasons, yes, but the result remains two children forced to grow up thinking they could no longer enjoy Erin's kindness, but rather that they had to earn it.

That won't be the case this time. Pisces, Nanette, and even Erin herself can attest that if anyone is in pain, Mrsha will be there to help them. And perhaps a child shouldn't have to carry that burden, but she will anyway; after all, it's the right thing to do.