Riverside Meeting

— Nodo! Hese! We're going to be late, let's go!

— I'm coming! Where are we going, Mother?

— To the temple of the God Amieo, Nodo

— Huh? Amieo? Who is that, Hese?

— He is the God of prosperity, our mother is taking us there to give him a present and to thank him for the good clientele at her restaurant and for my admission to the city's garrison.

— Got it, got it.

Walking down the main street, the temple of the Amedo God was already in their sight.

— We will also say thanks for the prosperous military career your late father had, since he didn't had the chance to make it himself. — Says Hala, the mother of Nodo and Hese.

— Was our father that important? — Nodo asks

— Yes, he was the First General of the Imperial Army, he served directly to Emperor Faso, from time to time he traveled to Hemero's Palace in the Capital and everything else!

— Whaaaat? Really? Only very important people go there, right?

— That's right.

— Well, here we are, take off your slippers and let's go up the Temple steps.

— Ok!

The family then began to climb the Temple staircase, which was 20 meters high, and had been built with beautiful white marble pillars, with ornaments of emerald and gold on the arches, a very exuberant appearance.

— Look, Nodo, on the left, in that room are the priestesses of Amieo, and in the next room is the Spirit Artist of Amieo — Hese holds Nodo's shoulder, pointing to the two rooms.

— Spiritual... Artist? — Nodo asks confused

— Yes, he is the person who contacts the God of this temple, whenever the God needs to announce something to the people, the Spirit Artist lends him his body so that he can pronounce himself, since we normal humans can neither hear nor see the Gods, but these situations where a God needs to pronounce himself are extremely rare.

— Haaam... gee, how many years must this guy have worked to get to a position like this?

— Who knows — Hese answers

— Ah, many and many years! — Hala answers to Nodo

— Like how many?

— A lot!

— More than 10?

— More than 10!

— So that's a long time!

— Yes! — Hala answers with a smile for Nodo. — Ah, look, we've reached the offering room, take the coin I gave you and put it on top of that pulpit, then close your eyes and ask Mister Amieo for something important!

— Right!

Hala and Hese do it first, but Nodo, who was about to put the coin on the pulpit, looks outside the temple and notices a blonde girl in an orange dress and a light green blouse underneath, probably about his age. This girl was sitting at the edge of the river that cuts through the city, staring at nothing, watching time pass by, as if she were in another world, this view draws Nodo's attention, who stares at her for a few seconds, until:

— Nodo! Let's go! What's going on with you? — Hala asks

— Huh? Ah! It's nothing! Okay, I'll do it!

He puts the coin on the pulpit, puts his hands together, turns to his mother and says:

— Mom, I don't have anything to ask Mr. Amieo, but for you.

— Huh? What do you mean my child?

— Please, let me go talk to that girl!

Nodo points to the girl at the river's edge.

— What do you have to talk about with her? — Hala asks, very curious

— I thought she was pretty!

Hala stares at Nodo, holding her laughter, but soon answers:— Oh my, is that so? Okay, you can go, I'm going to talk to a friend of mine that I'm seeing over there in the temple souvenir tent in the meantime, and Hese, you can do whatever you want, okay?

— Okay! — Nodo celebrates for being able to go talk to the girl, while Hese celebrates for being free.

Nodo then runs to the temple exit, down the stairs considerably faster than when he went up, and then runs towards the girl.

— Hey! — Nodo shouts for her, waving both hands.

The girl then turns her blue eyes to him, with a neutral expression, while he gets closer and closer, panting, looking at her, who after a few seconds staring at him, turns back to the river, as if Nodo wasn't there.

Huh, she's just going to ignore me like that?— Erh, what's your name?

...

— Eva.

— It 's pretty! Mine's Nodo!

...

— Nodo... ok, bye.

Bye? That's all? Why won't she talk to me?

— Why are you alone here among so many people?

The girl turns to Nodo again.— My father is busy.

— And your mother?

— Dead.

...

— Oh... I didn't know... I'm very sorry.

— Don't be. — She cuts him off dryly.

— Why not?

— You don't even know her, don't even know me, you don't give condolences to a stranger just because a relative of his died.

— But, I know you now!

She sighs annoyed. — Where did you see someone say that? In a book about heroes?

— No, I can't read yet.

...

— Do you always stay at the edge of this river?

— Usually, yes

— In that case, hmmm, every day I will come here to see you!

— Why?

— Because I want to!

— Simplistic, aren't you?

— Is that what you think?

— If I ask you not to come, will you listen to me?

— No!

The girl sighs again.— I'll see you tomorrow, then. — The girl gets up and leaves.

— Hmm... What a weird girl...

— What a weird boy. — says the girl quietly, as she leaves.