Even under the scattered drizzle, children still kicked an ala-bala ball between each other. The children capered about, filled with zest and zeal.
Salīa fondly recalled her own land and all the games she'd once played.
Under a nearby awning, she noticed a little sundries store where a little girl with a big bush of auburn hair was standing, staring.
It tugged at a different memory of hers, back when she had first gone to Palosa and befriended a little girl who looked similar.
She too was fascinated and was staring at the superstitious ornamental jewels hanging up. Of course, Salīa had grown to believe that a well-made talisman is a lot more reliable; it was true that most people looked to pretty accessories to keep with them instead.
By now, Salīa had bought many kids different superstitious ornaments over the years, but the most outlandish had been this odd jingling hairpin with two chiming bells that she got for that little girl of auburn hair in Palosa all those years ago.
She even told her how it would protect her from a tragic fate, as she truly believed she had blessed it for her.
This was the very same thing she told this other little girl as she again purchased a rather garish, chunky bracelet that also jingled.
It was strange-looking, but Salīa could sense more healing essence off it than any other of the practical-looking ornaments. Just as before, the little girl stared wide-eyed in awe and thanked Salīa excitedly.
"Thank you for protecting me," she cooed.
Just like that, she hugged Salīa and sauntered off.
Salīa wasn't even sure how to react to those words. She hadn't done much at all. Before she could overthink, Bazil had appeared, breathing into her ear, "We've got a place."
They had been closer to each other, and Bazil even seemed braver. Yet when she looked up to him, she noticed his eyes averted, with the tell-tale sign of his nervousness as he scratched the back of his neck.
It was soon revealed that this inn was available, but they only had one room left. And so Bazil went on about how it would be best if they just stored the horses there while he searched more inns until he found an appropriate one with separate rooms.
Salīa could only toss her eyes back and forth.
"Are you worried I'll touch you in strange places or something?"
"N-no!" Bazil said immediately.
"Then there isn't anything else you should be worrying about, is there?"
He seemed to dwell on the words a bit too long, but easily hid that under his stoic stance and firm words.
"Let's set up."
As they headed to the inn, Salīa sniffed the air, cracking her head to the left where several tabourets circled a store.
The smoky air was made fragrant with roasted peppers and garlic steaming from their hold in hot, crispy breads, which were passed around and stuffed with marinated jackfruit and mushrooms.
She looked to Bazil tentatively, who thought to be stricter but gave in to her pouts and ordered about ten servings for her…and half that for him.
"You sure there isn't a void in your stomach leading to another realm or something?"
Salia chuckled. It was always like Bazil to tease her for such things. But she could never help having such an appetite. The only one who shared it with her was her siblings.
She wasn't blessed enough that she could eat whatever she pleased without consequence. Such was the condition of having a somewhat curvy body. And while her bubble-like rear was always happy to keep some of what she ate, she didn't like that her stomach and arms shared the same sentiment.
So, she'd forever be entwined in some sport or game or the other to trim where she could. As she couldn't imagine having to have one less bread than offered if she didn't absolutely have to.
"Slow down," Bazil tapped her full cheeks. "It's not going to grow legs and run away, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Salia said through the mound of bread and swallowed hungrily.
At the corners of the roof, hanging were pretty rain chains that glistened from the drizzle. This evoked her memories of the Faraway Forest.
The first being how she made a rain chain for one of her classes with Magi-mioa Lali. The next was in gifting it to Magi Rai, as the outside of his home was decorated by many. Yet each of them had an inscription that he carved.
He even carved some words into hers upon request, just before leaving the Faraway Forests. It read, "If a demon goes against itself, it no longer is."
She wondered where he was now.
Magi Inio had been the magi teaching her the longest, but Magi Rai was the one that she listened to the quickest. Her fingers tapped gently at the rain chain above.
Then a loud whistle erupted from nearby, sending a shock through her.
Bazil wiped his mouth, then eyed while nodding to her to let her know he was going to rub her back to ease the ripples of surprise within her spirit.
His touch was quite warm, and she didn't tell him to pull away, even after she settled.
It was only when a few heads jutted out to stare at them that he pulled back and led her to the inn.
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