Mera is lonely -- in a lot of ways. There’s a couple layers to this that I’ll try to hit in this post and I’ll talk about other characters that relate to some points.

  For one -- Mera is a new noble ; she’s only about two years into being part of nobility by the time the game even starts. Her social status elevation isn’t something that is voluntary and being forcibly and suddenly pushed into another socioeconomic class was very unsettling and anxiety inducing for Mera. Add the other layer that her family is new nobles who aren’t well established, this can make it very difficult to command a certain level of respect that “old money” nobles with generations ( esp with crests !!! ) under their names can easily get just for, well, existing. It puts her in an unfair situation that she has no control over -- some nobles !!! are jerks !!! -- where she has to work to build up respect and reputation in society / nobility with her own hands and on her own terms. 

  And because of the gap that exists between noble and commoner, there’s a big need for her to rush and learn as much as possible about “performing nobility” in as short amount of time as possible to avoid being outcasted and to assimilate into her new role. Because of these experiences and shifts, Mera has a lot of suspicion towards other people, especially nobles. This isn’t to say she won’t be friendly and kind to another, but that’s really different than actually coming to trust and bond with that person. 

  [ Because the game couldn’t give less of a [ redacted ] about Duscur, I need to reiterate that the people of Duscur were subjected to a massacre / pogrom ( pls be careful when looking up these words as there can be triggering images that can appear ) and the fact that this game doesn’t focus on the actual victims of this during its narrative is horrible. ]

  Mera has also had her entire culture and life uprooted post-tragedy. It’s noted that there are very few people from Duscur that still live after the tragedy. Loss of culture is also traumatic ( aside from the killings, please also remember that the people of Duscur also lost all their land and lost any traditional knowledge / teachings / customs / etc. along with the victims among other things ). It completely changed the way she identifies and exist within the world and it left her with an enormous amount of trauma ( depression and PTSD ). Due to this and the continued treatment of the people of Duscur in Faerghus, it’s generated this feeling of loneliness in terms of culture ( I’m not quite sure what I want to say ; perhaps later I will find a better way to say it ) in that it’s not typically possible for her to coexist in Faerghus society without facing some form of racism / discrimination due to her birthplace. It’s really only comfortable for her to exist within her small community made up of other people of Duscur that lives in Faerghus but doesn’t integrate / assimilate within society. 

  That’s why I think no matter what route she is on, pre-timeskip Mera will always feel very attached to Dedue in a way that I don’t think any other character in the roster will be able to experience. I really do think that in Mera’s perspective Dedue is “ the person who understands [ her ] the most in this world ”. Because there is no one else besides them at the Academy, who understand each other in that way. The Blue Lions route of my mind focuses more on the actual people of Duscur’s trauma, which would situation Dedue and Mera more to the forefront of the Duscur storyline ( like they deserve tbh ). 

  She’s also mixed and there are specific issues mixed people might face within their lifetime ( for reference, I’m mixed, so I’m speaking from my experience ). From my experience interacting with the world as a mixed person, I think there’s a certain .... expectation people of either race / ethnicity have of a mixed person. There’s quite a bit of “ well you don’t look like .... ” or “ you don’t act like ... ” or the v dreaded “ what are you ? ”. Sometimes it’s difficult to define myself in the world because I’m not one or the other and it’s not even simple as in I can say “I feel half this and half that all the time”. So, I want that to translate a little more into my writing as well, but Mera definitely identifies more with Duscur and its culture than Faerghus. There’s also definitely pressure for her to have a reversal on that and to assimilate into Faerghus culture more but she really won’t budge from it lmao she’s really just be like “die mad about it”. 

  ( thing i’m adding in here bc i’m thinking about it right now ) Mera assimilating into Faerghus / Fodlan society is really just a means to an end. She has Faerghus noble blood, why not put it to good use to help Duscur or even reform society as a whole once she’s powerful and influential ( that’s why when all the stuff happens during the timeskip makes her go like “my city now” ) ? Or just to have access to resources she might not have had before becoming a noble ? She never really gives up any of her Duscur heritage. And also make no mistake -- Mera doesn’t become intelligent and quick-witted from having education as a noble, she already is intelligent and quick-witted, her education is also just another way of displaying that.