No fear for the setting sun [open]

Are

A point? Was there supposed to be a point with beauty? Something beyond the mere joy it brought the beholder perhaps. No, to the Cobbler it was all there was to it. Things where so much more beautiful for what they meant than for what they where, but he knew the fae wouldn't agree.

There he was again, assuming instead of anticipating, going in eyes closed and hoping for the best. That he did very well though, hope. "If I am perfectly honest with you, Jiao, no. I will never find something you'll find beautiful. Although I still would want to show you." he followed as she backed away. With aching hands he twisted the simple silver band off of his finger and holding it up to let it catch the sun. A glint of a world long gone.

"Look. To you it's just a ring, but to me it is so much more. It is a symbol of a memory. One who is out there and one I will never stop looking for, be it a fools errand or not. I lack the word to express what I feel, to express what it means to me, what she means to me. This ring is a symbol of that feeling, love, hard, painful, beautiful love."

Are freely admitted he could not fulfill her challenge, an honesty Jiao actually found herself impressed by. Perhaps there was more to the cobbler than she had originally thought - which is why she stuck  around when he stepped forward and raised what she saw to be a somewhat dirty, plain ring that had been on his finger. Had he had a change of heart? Wanted to prove this to her as a treasure?

As he spoke one eyebrow slowly lifted. That was all very well and good, but his memories and sentiment meant little to her. It would just look like a dull ring in her collection.

"...Um. Well...alright. You don't get to go to the village for that." If he'd even give it to her, which she assumed he wouldn't. "I'm sorry about your wife, but...I'm looking for things that are pretty, not...make you think of someone. That kind of beauty is great for other stuff, sure, but..." She shrugged, tilting her head from side to side. "If that's all you've got, I'll be going."

Jiao

And the bittersweet of every new defeat

Is I'm stronger than before

Are

Damn

Well, it had been worth a try at least. A test of mettle and tongue, and patience too say the least. He let a flat chuckle escape, barely audible exasperation at how a whole new world hung just out of reach. A world where his wife could be, unaware that he'd made it through and was just out of reach, just a world away.

A sigh, a better man practicing what little patience he didn't have. "Yes, pretty things..." he said, voice trailing away as his mind turned into on itself. Eyes staring out into the void, gazing at the multi-colored splashes that zipped by when he shut them.

The man remained quiet as he got up and made his way down to the water. Surface rippling lightly in the spring breeze, but left untouched until then. Rings spread from where the cobbler, deaf to the world, began washing his ragged wool tunic.