The ocean is calm tonight and the moon is bright and big. Khinara listens to the soothing sounds of water and reads the pattern of the seashells and pebbles on the shore. Someone new is coming. And their future may depend on her decisions. Khinara hums to that curious prediction and walks back into the overseer's house.
A few days passed and some merchant ships moored to the shore. Not long after that, the door to Khinara's room was flung open and a large and very excited woman almost ran in:
- Oracle! I need to show you! Please, look! - and she presents a child curled up on her arms.
- Sh-sh, don't be so loud, Beca. Who is this little one?
- He was on the ship, his ma got real sick. Folks say it looked much like the First Plague and they threw her out into the ocean. Didn't want to risk. But look! - she pointed on the light spots around child's left eye, – Is this the mark?
It looks like it is. Not that Khinara ever seen the Goddess's mark before. Beca smiles so wide.
- It's a good sign, right? The overseer will be happy!
- Beca, let the poor child rest! He lost his mother today. Later I will examine his eye, then we will introduce him to the overseer. You can go now.
Beca nodded and lowers the exausted boy on the bed never stoping smiling, clearly very happy with herself. When Beca leaves, Khinara lets a ling sigh and takes a seat. She looks not as happy as Beca. The mark can be a blessing. Can be a curse too. How should she know if the goddess kissed the boy's eye or spat in it?
Boy's name is Zeze and he doesn't want to talk to anyone for a long time. Khinara doesn't push him, but visits him regularly and makes sure he's fine. She earns his trust and little by little Zeze opens up to her.
Zeze starts to feel better and it becomes absolutely clear that he is a sweetheart. He follows Khinara everywhere and learns a lot about the Watersong circle: his new home. And once he was ready, Khinara took him to the circle's overseer.
- Aw, look at you! You're Zeze, right? I'm Stella! Khinara told me a lot about you!
- Hello, Stella! Aunty told me about you too!
- Oh yeah? What did she tell you then?
- That you're kind and nice!
- Oh hahah, am I nice, Khinara?
The oracle chuckles and rolls her eyes:
And so, Zeze stayed with Khinara and Stella. Being an overseer, Stella didn't have a lot of free time but when she did, she spent it playing with Zeze. Khinara made sure the spirits were calm about the marked child and didn't have any unpleasant surprises for them.
- What is "the mark", mommy?
- You have it riiiiight here! - Stella leans in and peppers Zeze's cheek with small kissed. He laughs.
- Better ask Khinara, right? Well, it means the Aya Goddess liked you so much, she kissed you.
- I don't remember that at all!
- You was very little, I guess? People can't remember everything that happened with them, that's too many things.
- Beca says Goddess kissed me for good luck. Because I will do something very important someday and I will need luck.
- Oh? You sure look like somebody important to me! Come here, you got a "good luck" kiss, now you need a "good night" one!
Khinara opens her eyes and gives Stella an annoyed look.
- Sorry, I just... Do the spirits say something to you?
- Right now they say it's time to sleep and I have to agree with them.
- Pff, no I mean, about this mark thing? You know more than me, tell me if I should be worry!
- It's way too early to worry about that.
Stella cuddles her and whispers:
- Okay. You'll tell me when it's time, right?
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