S a l e t é I V

XXXVI - Incertitude - Trois

"Monet!"

The girl in red didn't have much time to brace herself as Taya came rushing over, the youngster far more interested in what was happening around the fire now that the Monet was in attendance. 

Her enthusiasm banished the quiet air in an instant, although she stopped short of lunging straight in for a hug, the little one waiting until Monet held out her arms before she moved in.

"Hello sweetheart... How are we, then? Is everything okay?" Monet asked as she picked her up by her waist, sitting her on her lap, Taya putting her arms around her shoulders once she'd been lifted up to such a satisfying perch. 

The sight brought Cassie a gentle smile, whilst Zisel could find a similar solace in the sounds of their voices, Taya holding onto her idol's shoulders even after she'd given her the cuddle.

It was a good cuddle, too. One that Monet couldn't quite mask her gratitude for, a glimmer of something softer slipping through in that gaze of hers.

"Mhm, look."

Taya held out one of her hands, revealing an assortment of different coloured marbles, the arrangement one that Monet pretended to be very surprised by.

"Ohh... You found the ones that went missing?"

"Mhm!" Taya replied, nodding with a vigorous pride as she returned to holding the older girl with both hands again.

"That's clever of you. I don't think I could have found them, not in the dark." Monet said to her, Taya's pride only rising as she was praised, the look on her face suggesting that she'd been hoping for it.

"Which one is your favourite?" Cassie asked, the youngster looking her way as she listened to the question before she became deeply thoughtful, all of that pride disappearing in favour of contemplation. 

She soon opened her hand again as she picked through the ones that had, holding out a dark blue marble for Cassie to see.

"This one."

"Ooh... I like that one too."

"You can play with them if you want. Don't lose them, or you have to pay for them."

Cassia had never been more thankful for Taya's presence than she was in that moment. Her oddities, her antics... She really was something. 

Talking to her made everything feel simpler for a short, sweet few seconds, the youngster reaching through the fog with each interaction.

She really didn't seem fazed by Uliana's absence. In fact, it was as if she hadn't even noticed. Something about that was reassuring, as it spared her the grief, and yet it carried a sadness in equal measure.

It wasn't long before Taya was keen to get back to her playtime, only now she settled on the ground near the fire as she began rolling her marbles around, Monet and Cassia watching as she lined them up and observed in fascination as they moved each other on every hit. 

Monet even laughed, ever so softly, the sound bringing Cassia and Zisel a flicker of something barely recognisable as joy.

"What...?" Zisel asked, a tiny smile of her own daring to appear.

"Sorry, I... Taya, finding her lost marbles..."

Cassie and Zisel were able to share in that brief laughter as Monet explained the reasoning behind it, that instance warmer than the flames that now moved between them. It was such a short instance, almost painfully so. Cassie was still glad for it, regardless of the ache that followed.