[i]I am in a rapid river, the water threatens to drown me.[/i] 
Chen smiles and suffers a slight blush. She can't decide if Qiu is being affectionate and this makes her feel special or if Qiu is treating her like a kid sister and she ought to get indignant. She settles for the smile and that pleasant sense of relaxing into Qiu's strength and the wonderful warmth of her body. Really, why even make a decision when the right choice is to let herself be led along either way?

[i]The light twists when it strikes the water, I see only reflections[/i] 
It was flattering that Qiu had actually done the painting. Of course she had, she was a Princess of her word, but Chen was excited to see it, excited to even get a chance to do some of her own work. She hadn't had much chance of course, she had been tied and bound much of the time and constantly in transit the rest, which did not make for a good opportunity to do an activity with a steady hand and careful mixtures. 

[i]The currents swirl and drag me deeper, I cannot swim against them[/i] 
"Oh gosh, no I haven't had any chance. I can't wait either, would you believe I've never been more inspired? I even made a fox deal while I was out and it gave me so many ideas. I've got a perfect memory of a group tea as well. There's something about a relaxing tea, it's just this perfect way to express calm and that feeling, I don't even know what you call it, but when you realize that you've been holding your shoulders all tense and you didn't even know it and then you let them go and it's like a huge weight that you were carrying on your back just falls off you all at once. I want to paint that, the way everyone was smiling and at ease. I'd never have thought it, a princess and a village girl, a handmaiden, and an ancient huntress, and two different foxes to boot! It's really an odd one. Oh and I want to see your works too, then maybe we could do something together!"

[i]To swim a river you must trust the water[/i] 
The painting room is incredible. Chen ought to be taking in all of Qiu's works (and she's going to), but she's too busy ogling the selection of colors and the entire wall of brushes, picking up one and then another, imagining the combinations she could make. Oh, gosh, just look at this red, a little bit of this mixed into a pool of white would make the perfect color for the sunrise sky. And this amber color, where did she even get that, it's perfect for one Yue's little stones. She leans against Qiu, who hasn't stopped holding her close and lets herself rest against that body's strong support. Qiu could be someone's whole world, the earth, sea, and sky that's there for you whenever you look for it. 

[i]A river cuts the world in two, the able swimmer crests and dives[/i] 
Qiu could be everything, but Chen didn't [i]want[/i] everything like that. She's with Qiu, but she's alone, all her traveling companions each separated. No comfort from Rose like their ride with Zatoichi, no friendly smile and eager offer of help from Yue. She looked up and there was only Qiu, herself and her paintings. Chen took a deep breath and looked back at the paintings. "Tell me about what you've made, I do want to see. You must have had all sorts of interesting subject matter. You didn't just paint all the places you were going to conquer once I got back, right?" Chen giggles because that would just be silly.

[Trying to figure out Qiu: 2+2+0=4]