She proved to hold a wealth of advice, and Vespasien’s strained face split around an easy smile. It felt like it came to his lips far too easily, so he tried to gentle it so it reached his eyes.

You hold much wisdom. Thank you. He took a second to glance into the trees, wrangling his frazzled state into something more fitting his characteristic exuberance. But it was quite difficult, he told himself, when he couldn’t feel a single one of his toes.

I will hold to the hope I will see him again. It wasn’t like the boy had just vanished on the wind. Mortal beings didn’t just vanish off the face of the earth in his memories. He looked back to the woman-Izumi, as she introduced- in time to dip his head in a shallow bow of greeting.

Perhaps so, Dame Fujiwara. I have never met someone with a surname as yours. Someone entirely new to him was almost enough to give him pause, but he barreled straight through caution as always.

Do you live here, perhaps? I didn’t mean to blunder through your home if so. I’m afraid I'm quite lost. Vespasien spoke after a moment of silence. Goodness, he really hoped he hadn’t wandered into this woman’s home blindly, and she had to be nice to him despite him being a trespasser.