The breeze hummed softly as it brushed on the surface of the river,sending gentle ripples across it.
Despite the sound a deep silence lingered between Foxen and the lady–one that felt almost respectful.
Foxen became uneasy.
"You said you have a long history with them" he said,uneasy creeping in his voice.
"Do you mean the tentacles ? You know them?"
The lady didn't answer immediately.Instead, she knelt down and gently patted Bleca's head,calming the child before she spoke.
"I didn't take you to be a curious one" She said lightly.
Foxen blinked,still confused "Then tell me already.Are you related to them?....are you perhaps another wielder ?...or something like that Spiracle?"
She laughed softly the sound flowed just like the river beside them completely natural.
"Calm down" she said. "That's far too many questions at once."
She straightened and looked at him with amusement.
"Why don't we start from something simpler? like....what's your name?"
As she spoke she began walking along the riverbank.Bleca held her hand,occasionally glancing back mischievously at Foxen who was about to follow them.
Foxen hurried after them rubbing the back of his neck."Oh–right.Sorry.....I'm Foxen." He hesitated,then added pretty awkwardly "I....am pretty good at everything.Kind of all-rounder."
The lady laughed and Bleca smiled along with her.
"What about you?who are you?"Foxen asked calmly.
"What about me? " the lady shurgged and then gestured the land around them. "I am a part of this–this beauty."
Foxen didn't hesitate "Part of this beauty ?" he said,"All the beauty I see here is just you."
The lady paused and turned towards him,a faint smile appeared on her face. "I am quite old you know.I don't think flirting with me will get you anywhere."
Foxen froze,panic flashed all over his face "No–no,that's not what I meant! I wasn't flirting.I just– " He gestured around helplessly "I admire this place and you,yes you too as you said you are....a part of it."
They stopped beside a withered tree standing quietly near the river.Its branches were bare,it's bark cracked with wage.Bleca bent down and picked a small fallen dried branch,holding it in her hands.
The lady gently took the branch from her hands and turned to Foxen "So"She said "You admire beauty–this place–and me as I am part of it."
Foxen nodded without hesitation. "Yes,and not just this place–everything I find beautiful,I admire it from my heart."
She lifted the branch slightly "Then tell me–do you find this tree beautiful ?"
Foxen stared at the tree for a moment "Yes"he said "I do."
The lady tilted her head. "Why? It has no leaves.No flowers.No fruits.It holds nothing–then why is it that you find it beautiful ?"
Foxen bent down and picked up another fallen branch. "You are wrong,"he said quietly."It does hold something."
He gestured to the branches scattered around them."These are the proof that it grew.That it lived.That it carried leaves,flowers,fruits–everything–once.Even now it stands firm until the very last piece of it disappears." He looked back at the tree.
"Flowers and leaves–the external qualities are beautiful,sure they are but there's beauty in memories too–the life–the journey–it lived and symbolising it right now standing before us."
The lady was silent.
Then she smiled.
She released Bleca's hand,and the child ran to Foxen.Bleca held out her small palm,offering him a small green coloured stone that faintly shined.
Foxen took it,confused "What...what does this mean? "
Bleca smiled brightly "We trust you"
Foxen felt something warm settle in his heart–he smiled genuinely without thinking.
He patted the little girl's head,she smiled and ran back to the lady.
"if you trust me now,"Foxen said calmly "Why not tell me your name?"
The lady put her palm on Bleca's head and said
"Dhaara"
End of chapter 17.