The sound of her name, and the informality of it, brought a smile to her face as her chin dipped into a welcome nod. Her family members —her father or even her grandmother —might have had some choice words for Fen had they known. However, in the growing darkness of the evening, Fen did not see the harm.

She listened with a curved ear attentively perked in Yunxu’s direction, and alongside his laugh, she grinned. Though she was not sure how the world might work in the absence of the Celestial Dragon, she was aware of the other faiths that existed. Perhaps, they worked in tandem? Or maybe it was their Gods that were false…Although that was a thought she wouldn’t verbally raise.

I’ve heard that Gods work in mysterious ways, she offered up instead. But I like to believe that everything is as it should be, she tacked on through a gentle murmur, what is meant to be shall be. Her gaze drifted to the serene surface of the water, catching a brief, gentle ripple in her peripheral vision. Even when times are tough, there is always a lesson or a reason for such things.

Like showing up here, she thought quietly to herself.

Perhaps you were meant to join us all along.

Her tail shifted into an idle sway behind her as their conversation moved from the mystical to the physical. Fen had never learned that a fish’s behavior would change with the weather, and such enlightenment brought a curious glint to her eye. Your grandfather must’ve been blessed, she added as her attention flickered between the water and Yunxu.

Fen’s ears reeled back for a moment, drawing closer to her crown, as she allowed a moment of silence to fill the air. It must’ve been hard, she thought, to be alone in a foreign world. How did Yunxu manage?

She flashed him a glance.

Perhaps we can teach ourselves. Maybe some would think of it as a wild notion, but Fen thought otherwise. Together, they could collect the data, observe differences in both the fish and the weather, and begin learning on their own. And by the time your grandfather makes his journey to Mythris, too, you’ll be an expert just like him. She added hopefully.

The princess wouldn’t know whether such a fate was possible or whether the Celestial Dragon would bring another of Yunxu’s kin to this world, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to hope.

At least for now.

But with such somber topics now out of the way, she redirected her attention to the surface of the water.

When she had moved, brushing her side against Yunxu’s, Fen hadn’t quite noticed the delicate touch. But if she had, she didn’t think she would’ve minded. Instead, her attention was fixated on something moving just beneath the surface. Why of course, silly, she said with a light-hearted giggle as her body bowed to draw closer toward the rippling water.

Never, the princess admitted, is it hard?