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Story and Song
As Artham and Nia recalled tales of mischief-riddled adventures and brotherly badgering, Leeli leaned against Janner’s chest. She felt it rise and fall with each breath and heard the gentle cadence of his heartbeats and thanked the Maker for every one. She felt something land on her head, and then her big brother’s hand brushing away the apple seed that had fallen into her hair.
“Sorry.” he said, wincing at how it stuck to one of her golden hairs.
“It’s ok,” she assured him. “Aren’t these just the best apples you’ve ever tasted?”
Janner nodded his head and then swallowed the bite of fruit he had been chewing. “But it’s really odd that these trees have ripe fruit on them this early in the year. I wonder why that is.”
“Well,” began Leeli, shifting herself into a more upright position and looking up at his face, “We are a lot closer to the First Well here than the trees in Ban Rona are. Maybe that has something to do with it.”
Janner nodded and rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “Yeah, that could be it.”
“But maybe the Maker made it grow here for us because he knew we would be traveling this way and need something to eat.”
Janner smiled at her and his eyes hinted to Leeli that he had suddenly thought of something.
“What is it?”
“I like the way you think,” he explained, “and that reminded me of what Papa said about you when I saw him.”
“What did he say?” Leeli’s bright eyes widened and she sat up straighter. Her Papa had really sent a message for her?
“He said that he was so proud of how much you trust the Maker and wants you to never stop because He will never steer you wrong or leave you. You are so important in His eyes and he has wonderful plans for you.” Janner pulled Leeli close to his side. “And Papa says that perhaps one of those plans is that you would use your beautiful music to bring glory to the Maker and help others see the breathtaking mystery of the story He is telling.”
Leeli looked up at the sky in awe. Ever since Esben had passed, she had liked to imagine him up there somewhere with the Maker, looking down to watch his little girl grow, and sending tender thoughts her way. And she now knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was true.
“He said that about me,” she breathed.
“Yup.”
“I think I’m going to write a song about Papa,” she stated quietly. “And also one about this tree.”
Janner followed Leeli’s gaze to the sky and watched as sunlight filtered through the downy clouds. “I think Papa would like that very much.”