My own observations from the Payen:
When I imagine the scene taking place before me, I imagine L'Etoile not only emptying her vessels into the river but drawing water from the very same source, coming full circle. Something lost is something gained, equivocal exchange, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Depending on the surrounding cards, this can be a very positive outlook or a very dismal one.
The other thing that strikes me about L'Etoile is her facial expression; her eyes are deeply sad to me, yet the corners of her mouth are turned upwards in the beginnings of a smile. She mourns for what she is losing but knows that all things happen for a reason and that her sadness will be met with great rewards when the time is right.
L'Etoile can also suggest to me that one is in the right place at the right time, a place of security and comfort, where the true self can exist without identity being assigned by clothing or the light of the Sun casting shadows. L'Etoile is exposed yet she continues emptying her vessels, seemingly unaffected. This, to me, is the ultimate equilibrium that humans can experience.