No sarcastic words were returned to her, nor was there any semblance of an attempt to try to goad her into acting mischievously. How funny that Navia was a little surprised by it, having expected Théadan to try to take advantage of her attempt to only say kind things about it. He either truly did want to make a good impression with Baiza and learn about his lover’s past or he had a trick up his sleeve. Even more amusing to her was how suspicious she was that Théadan was complimenting her. If they hadn’t made their deal only minutes earlier, complimenting each other would probably not be worth any notice. They loved each other after all, loved spending time together and learning from each other, so the compliments would have come naturally.<br/><br/>Yet Navia knew that sweet smile Théadan sent her way, softening his features and causing her heart to tug for him, was mostly to match the pronounced one she had sent him. She wanted to laugh, her lips quirked upward and she had to hold it back, but she was sorely tempted. Baiza would not understand however, and the conversation was not one that really lent itself to an errant chuckle, so Navia took the time to add some seasoned vegetables onto her plate. She munched on them while Théadan directed their conversation more toward her mother, her own interest piquing and her dark eyes sliding over to center on Baiza curiously.<br/><br/>Despite her young death, her mother was not a mysterious figure in Navia’s life. She had been old enough to have many memories of her as well as a father who had missed her dearly and spoke of her often. There had also been many people in her life like her older brother, cousin, and uncle with stories of her mother. Paintings of her were displayed in homes. What was different here was they were in the presence of a woman who had known her mother since childhood. Would she have a different view of Niemah or would the image Navia had of her mother in her mind remain intact?<br/><br/>“Well, I seem to remember a certain young duchess who decided she wanted to swim her own way,” Baiza chuckled while passing the basket of bread between her two guests, “I don’t know if you remember Niemah using the springs to teach you to swim so there would be no current or waves to disrupt you, Navia. She spent the better part of a week teaching you to swim on your belly, but you could not seem to master the legs movements.” Baiza paused to look Théadan’s way, “It might be what Navia taught you today, where you bring your knees toward your waist, then kick outward in a circle. Anyway Navia, you would not kick her legs outward correctly, instead crossing them before kicking and you insisted it was the better way to swim. That is, until your mother took you down to the beach one day and had your swim lesson there.”<br/><br/>After taking a moment to have a few bites of her stew, Baiza chuckled again and looked to Théadan with a reminiscent smile, “Apparently all it took was young Navia trying to swim ‘her way’ with the waves of the sea crashing into her. Where she had been able to get by in the calm springs before, the ocean was just a bit more unstable, making it harder a little harder for a child to swim in. That evening, Niemah came home proud she had convinced her daughter to learn the proper way to swim.” Baiza took a moment to regard Navia, thinking of her as a young child instead of the woman sitting before her, then smiled over at Théadan again, her gaze hinting at her desire to laugh, “With the stubbornness Navia had as a child, it was lucky Niemah was so patient and laidback. I suspect you must be as well to handle what Navia has inherited from her father.”