In Pursuit

Amalia eases as Seiji declares an interest in the Loreseekers guild, glancing at Jigano's easy smile and finding herself smiling in turn. Seiji has been nothing but pleasant and kind, and the girl cannot help a surge of pleasure at the prospect of him joining their ranks. It is another step toward something like friendship. His interest in Caido and their customs only endears him further in her eyes. So many of the Outlanders have fixated and focused on getting out, and while she cannot deny she shares their desire, the bubble and all within will always be her home. So when Jigano turns to her for confirmation, the girl nods a quick assent, her expression warm and welcoming. Seiji asks about the dead, and Amalia too grows somber, thinking of Kinda and the vast weight of her loss. "I am sorry," the baker murmurs sincerely. "May Ludo lead them to the next life." Will this soul be one of the ones they collect for the being? She glances at Jigano, wondering if he thinks the same, but the man is uncharacteristically silent, seemingly deferring to Amalia's expertise. She clears her throat. "After Long Night there are no bodies, so we do not bury or cremate. It is customary to light candles, or a lantern for Ludo-" and here she thinks of the two in her home, and swallows before continuing "-And families mourn privately. She could plant something in their memory to honor them. That is also traditional." They had planted lilies for her grandmother, when her body had been lost, Amalia recalls with a bittersweet smile. She did not plant anything for her mother, except her body in the ground. a m a l i a You were young and you'd stare With a reverence unimpaired Searching in your dark eyes to find the stars already there