ᗩᗪᗩᗰᗩᑎ丅Ꭵᑎᗴ （Ａｌ－Ｈａｉｔｈｅｍ ｘ ＯＣ）HEAVILY EDITED

9

Aisha choked back her sobs, as she gripped her wrists, trying to forget the feeling of being unable to fight back. Her entire body trembled in the corner, where she thought nobody was looking. A family who also received passage on the boat, whispered to their daughter, handing her a sigil of a lantern, "Go give it to the pretty lady, Ming," Her father whispered in her ear.

The little girl shuffled across the planks toward the crippling Adeptus, "'Cuse me miss?" She called out, patting Aisha's boot to gain her attention. She looked away from her wrists and stared at a little girl who looked no older than six years old. She twisted the sigil in her fingers until she brought her hand out with the sigil laying in her palm. "My pa told me to give this to you since you looked a tidbit lost," She smiled back at her father. Aisha met the gaze of the older gentleman and gave him a smile of appreciation. "Pa told me it helps us get home quicker and safer."

Aisha took the sigil from the little girl's tiny hand and rubbed her index finger over the carving of the north wind. "Thank you," she sniffled. "It goes around your neck like jewelry! Lemme show you how!" The little girl invaded Aisha's space but she didn't seem to mind, though her parents groaned in disapproval. "What is your name, miss?" She asked as she reached over Aisha's head to tug on the necklace holding the sigil. "Aisha, and your little girl?" She puffed her cheeks out and made a pouty face. "I'm six years and 'm Ming!" Aisha smiled at the girl's mispronunciation. "I have a gift for you too, so your family can get home safe and sound." Ming's blue eyes lit up at the sound of the word gift, she shifted around excitedly.

In the distance the door creaked open and slammed shut, Aisha glanced over seeing a blur of black and green. Aisha reached into the satchel beside the cushion, digging out a vial on a piece of fishing string. The vial shimmered in the darkness, it was a beautiful pale teal.

"This is seawater and the hair of a mythical beast who guides the lost, with this you'll never be lost; even if you think you are." Ming took the necklace in her small fingers, giggling at the glowing liquid. "So pretty..." Aisha's miserable feelings began to dissolve, turning into the joy of making a child happy again and giving out discrete blessings to unguided people or lost children... Oh, how she missed it. "If you whisper to the vial, where you want to go, somehow you'll make it to your destination."

Ming suddenly went quiet as she brought up the vial to her lips, and whispered that she wanted to go to Sumeru City, where her home was. "How do y'know it works, Aisha?" She whispered as if she were being told an adventurous story of treasure and magic. "I've made it home plenty of times, so I'm sure it works." Aisha leaned back against the wall, watching Ming caress the vial.

"Put it on for me, please!" She cried out holding up the necklace portion. Aisha nodded in compliance, hearing soft footsteps coming closer. She met Alhaithems eyes from across the room, a smile was on his face, a mask she wasn't familiar with. She brushed the hair away from MIng's nape and slipped the necklace around her throat. Ming giggled with joy as she dashed off to her parents "Look at what Aisha gave me!!" Her mother frowned at the idea of a stranger giving a random gift to her child, but the father beamed with pride at his daughter's interaction. "Say thank you, Ming."

"Thank you, Aisha! Get home safe too!" Aisha smiled at the little girl before Alhaithem walked over. "Are you alright, Adeptus?" Sitting across from her, the scholar leaned forward with his elbows on his thighs. "Just fine." He gave her a look that asked the question again. Aisha shook her head, "I was just visited by a ghost of my past, is all. Nothing important."

Alhaithem stared at her for a moment, doubting the words she spoke so confidently. "What are you staring at Scribe?" She barked as she stood up from the ledge, even if Aisha stood a few inches shorter than him, the scholar felt as if she was supposed to be tinier. "It's night, I suppose we should get some rest before tomorrow," Aisha muttered as she walked past Alhaithem, her shoulder brushing his arm in the small space. Alhaithem turned around to follow her but he could see her climbing into one of the cubes for sleeping. "Good night, Adeptus." He whispered, unsure if she could hear him from his distance, but she looked over at him as if she did.