One of said young people, quiet and generally a bit distant herself, joins him above decks without so much as a by your leave - though it must be said that Ilde isn't much of an interruption, placid as she is and disinclined to talk simply for the sake of talking. (At least initially.)

The reason for her decision to stand just downwind of him is promptly explained by how she appears to be using him as a shield against it as she cups her hands around the cigarette she's lighting now. Maybe that's why she stopped by him in the first place, he is sort of conveniently large and 'people as mobile furniture' is not an unusual frame of mind for her to find herself in.

"Thank you," she says, absently. For considerately having grown into a large enough person to act as a wind-breaker for tiny nicotine-addicted fairies.