The afternoon was spent looking for Bhell again when Chit noticed the duck was missing from their garden. Sein used her heightened senses to track him. She directed them to the end of the village dirt track, heading onto the main road, bordered by a row of trees. Chit stopped at this junction, refusing to walk further. 

Sensing something troubling her, Sein asked, “What’s the matter, Chit?”

“That house over there,” Chit indicated with her eyes to a dilapidated house wedged between two majestic trees. “People say there’s a spirit living there.” 

Her hand grasped Sein’s tighter. Sein couldn’t help but speculate what Chit would think if she knew she was holding a spirit’s hand right at this moment. 

She studied the house, her senses on high alert. With its blackened windows and boarded-up door, it looked unsettlingly like a face: two dark eyes glaring, a grimace frozen in wood. She felt a strange sensation in her stomach as she continued to observe. 

Her curiosity to meet another spirit, fuelled her forward but Chit was adamant on heading back. She tugged Sein’s hand, refusing to move. 

“There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a spirit.”

“But people say this spirit is bad and we should stay away,” Chit warned, her concerned face looking up at Sein. “It’ll get mad if we go past the house. We’ll be cursed and have bad luck for a hundred years. Let’s take the other road to the woods instead.”

“Alright, lead the way,” Sein agreed, not wishing to distress the girl. 

She had heard tales of vengeful spirits, stories claiming that disturbing them would bring curses, but surely those were just tales told to keep little children from straying into dangerous places. Her thoughts were interrupted by Bhell’s quacking from somewhere west of their location.

“Come on, I think I can guess where Bhell might be.”

Instead of following the dirt path south to meet the loop trail, they veered off and took a shortcut across a field of freshly tilled earth, their shoes quickly gathering a coat of soil. Once the main road was in view, Sein spotted Bhell waddling out of the woods into the open field ahead of them. Chit immediately ran up to her duck and scooped it up into her arms.

“Why you always running off,” Chit reprimanded the duck. 

Bhell responded with soft, continuous clucking noises, and Chit laughed. 

“You’re a naughty duck.”

“I imagine ducks need a bit of water and Bhell is searching for it. Maybe he would like some,” Sein suggested. “Is there a river near by? I can fetch water for him.”

“Yes but it’s too far to carry water back home.”

“Shall I see what I can do for Bhell?” 

Chit looked delighted. Sein asked for directions to the nearest river and off she went.

Carrying two large containers of water was indeed a heavy burden after walking for a while. Sein concentrated on her arms, recalling how she’d struggled in training before. She knew she had to clear her mind and endure the burning in her muscles. The reward would come in seeing the little girl’s happiness.

Several villagers noticed the unusual sight of a beautiful lady carrying heavy buckets as she walked through Sagyo. The most curious among them quietly followed from a distance. After what seemed like hours, Sein finally returned to the house.

“Maiah, Chit. Hello there,” a voice called out. 

It was one of the women who had followed Sein. She had white hair tied into a small bun at the back. Her narrow eyes scrutinised Sein.

“Hello, Auntie,” Chit greeted seeing her neighbour. 

Then spotting Sein with the buckets, ran over to her. 

“You’ve got the water. You’re amazing.”

“Hello Auntie,” Maiah greeted, it was a way to address those older with respect. “Have you eaten? Would you like some tea?” 

She had just returned from the fields and had the toil of labour still present on her clothes.

The old lady went straight to the point, “You have a visitor, Maiah. A young attractive girl. Who is she? Is she your niece?”

Maiah’s forehead creased a little as she replied, “No Auntie. Sein is a friend of the family’s. She is staying with us.”

“What a strong girl. What a pretty girl,” the old woman said, eyeing Sein as though she were being appraised. “Is she married? My brother’s son is looking for a wife, you know. Is her family well off? She looks to be from the capital.”

Having overheard this conversation, Sein approached the pair. She bowed her head, following local customs and introduced herself. 

“My name is Sein. I am delighted to meet you, Auntie.”

The old woman smiled, seemingly pleased with Sein’s manners and said, “Yes, good to meet you too. What a nice girl. Very good girl.”

Maiah glanced at Sein with what looked like an apologetic face. She turned back to the lady and said, “Auntie, if you would like tea, come in. I will first need to clean up.”

The old woman waved a hand. “No no, I am going home. I came to meet your friend. I hope to see you again, Sein.”

Sein and Maiah watched the woman trot away. 

“One of our inquisitive neighbours,” Maiah said with a grin. “Ignore her. She means no harm.”

“Not a problem.”

“The older generation around here are bent on marrying off their young people,” Maiah said with a chuckle.

“It is the same where I grew up,” Sein explained. “Especially for girls who are of a certain age.”

“Ah I am sure you must have many admirers knocking on your parent’s door.” Maiah smiled. “But it seems none have succeeded in winning your heart.” 

They began making their way towards the house.

“There is no man I wish to spend the rest of my life with,” Sein remarked. 

This wasn't entirely true. Sein thought of Zeya. However, he was, what Lady Meena referred to as, a mango out of her reach.

“I hope you will meet someone worthy of you some day. As for me I was very lucky to meet a good man who became my husband,” Maiah said, her pace slowing as she reflected. “We think differently in my family. My girls can do as they wish. I will not be trying to marry them off. They are able to look after themselves and if they wish to remain independent, I have no qualms at all. We are a family and we will stick together and support each other.”

Sein was surprised by the contrast in Maiah’s thinking to that of her own mother. She remarked, “Your girls are very lucky to have you as a mother.”

Dinner was handmade noodles, pan fried with an assortment of vegetables grown locally. Sein was impressed by Maiah’s ability to make delicious food from very simple ingredients. Despite the rustic fare, the food was hearty and sustaining. She couldn't help but recall the lavish meals she ate at home. There was always meat and fish on the table every night. Only a small amount of rice and noodles were eaten. Still, Sein found this meal was just as delightful, if not more so, as it was accompanied by the laughter and presence of good company.

With every dawn, the invitation to stay was renewed, as the family embraced Sein as if she had always belonged there. Before she even realised it, an entire week had vanished in what felt like a mere breath. And, to her surprise, she felt the faint beginnings of roots taking hold, as if this place might truly become home.

Sein continued to contribute by collecting water every morning with Chit, allowing Maiah to head for the fields early. She lent a hand at every opportunity, wishing to be of more use to the family. 

However, Sein soon noticed blisters forming on her palms from hauling water and scrubbing dishes. She wrapped them carefully in a cloth, feeling immediate relief as the fabric touched her skin. Even more incredible, the blisters appeared to heal almost instantly. 

Was this her spiritual abilities at work? How else could she have healed herself with nothing but sheer will for the pain to disappear?

She experimented on herself, testing and retesting until she was certain the healing came from her own deliberate efforts. Whatever this power was, it only worked through the medium of fabric. 

With that in mind, she kept a small piece of cloth tucked in her pocket and used her newfound ability to mend the minor cuts and scratches she picked up while attempting manual work. Her hands were simply not used to any hardship. 

She wondered if she could help others, and kept a close eye on Chit, hoping to find a bruise or scrape to mend. But the little girl proved hardy, never sustaining anything that needed healing.

Every week, Sein assisted Chit, washing the clothes by hand, then drying them with a subtle use of her power. But soon, she took over entirely, no longer washing; instead, she commanded the grime to vanish, the fabrics to purify themselves in mere seconds. There was no need for soap or water, just a sprinkling of her cloth power. With practice, the act of cleaning became as natural to her as a simple thought.

“How can you be done with washing clothes already?” Chit looked doubtful.

“It’s all thanks to Spirit of Cloth,” Sein told Chit, which was the truth. “You’re a good devotee. The spirit has granted you generously.” 

Chit was delighted. It meant she could practice dancing with Sein, then play with her duck, rather than wash clothes all morning. 

Over the course of a few months, Sein sensed her power expanding, with each new prayer whispered in her name, as though the very fabric of her strength was woven by the devotion of her followers. As Spirit of Cloth, she’d never expected to attract many worshippers, yet the entire village seemed to pray to her. 

What must it feel like to wield real power, she wondered. Power that transformed people’s lives or change the course of history. Laundry and mending clothes were hardly the stuff of legends. Who would sing songs about a Spirit of Cloth? The thought made her laugh out loud.