The Maiden and The Four Waters

She stepped out to the edge of the water as it glistened under the moonlight.

Walla followed the edge of the riverbed, keeping watch of the stillness as she trekked to the wooden jetty.

She stood out at the edge of the jetty. Listening as the night animals rustled around the trees. Watching, paying attention to the lack of movements from the water.

Not even a water creature caused a small ripple.

Walla took in one last breath before splashing into the cold water. She didn’t dive in like she did before, she allowed herself to float in the water.

The world around her fell silent as she began to swim alone in the river. She tried to remember where the hidden sand bays were, she tried to avoid the rocks beneath the surface.

She gripped her arms around a rock that stuck out above the water. She wasn’t sure how long she had been in the water. She looked up at the moon.

The stories she grew up with, the stories that were told under the moonlight in her youth.

Walla let her grip go from the rock as she felt her legs being pulled. She smiled as she was dragged under water like before.

Just like two days ago, Walla felt her nose inhale water, felt her breathing struggle. Her senses disappeared as she was dragged into the depths.

Walla felt her body drop onto a chair. Her feet couldn’t feel the floor. She kept her eyes closed; she felt her hands touch a mug.

Like before, she swallowed the sweet liquid.

Walla opened her eyes, she noticed Mariana sitting across from her.

“Mariana” Walla spoke.

“Ah, you speak.” Mariana beamed “What is your name?”

“Walla” Walla freely admitted her name.

“The men sing your name when they travel below.” Mariana spoke with curiosity.

“You know what happened to the fisherman?”

“Fisherman? That’s an odd name for a land creature with no fins.” Mariana pushed up on her long skirt, Walla watched as Mariana moved around the dining room. “The King calls them thief’s” Mariana picked up the mug and placed it in the pan on top of the stove.

“Can I speak to the king? Explain to him about my men.”

Mariana turned to face Walla “your men? They’re your lovers? A woman with that many lovers is frowned upon in here.”

Walla attempted to laugh at Mariana’s confusion “They aren’t my lovers. Just like down here, woman aren’t allowed multiple lovers. Those men work for me. They help feed the town.”

Mariana laughed in delight “The king will be quite curious with you” Mariana lifted herself up “Let’s see what curiosity the King has” Mariana swam out of the dining room.

Walla was able to take notice of Mariana’s lower body, seeing how the skirt acted like a tail fin.

Walla filled with panic as she realised the depths of the water wasn’t made for her.

Mariana swam back to the dining room “What’s wrong?”

Walla chewed down on her lower lip as she tried to find the words to say “I can’t move like you. If I was to stand, I wouldn’t be able to touch the bottom even sitting in this chair, my feet are just dangling.”

“Oh” Mariana thought of a plan “I’ll hold you. You land creatures are a wonder to us.”

Marian reached out her hand to help Walla stand, Mariana wrapped her arm around the back of Walla’s waist “Just float” she whispered.

Walla nervously placed her arms around Mariana’s back of her waist.

Mariana kept Walla close to her body as they floated out of the dining room, following the hall of the underwater building.

They stopped in front of a long purple curtain.

Walla watched as Mariana poked her head behind the curtain before pushing open the curtain.

Mariana made a loud shriek.

The man staring out the window shaped hole shrieked in return as he turned to face Walla and Mariana.

Walla wasn’t sure what to say or how to react as she watched Mariana shriek in various tones at the man.

His short hair swarmed with little fish; a few fishes created a circle above his head. His chest wasn’t covered in hair instead moss thickly covered his upper chest. His arms were patterned with moss in swirls with small shells centred in each swirl.

He floated with the help of a purple skirt, covering what may be his legs.

Walla still wasn’t sure if the skirt was a tail or if there were legs underneath.

The man interrupted Mariana with one long shriek.

Mariana lowered her head.

The man turned his attention to Walla. He looked her up and down taking in her human features “it seems the princess took you down behind my back. Her fascination with humans is something I’ll never understand.” The king began “I am” The King shrieked in a demanding tone “I am the king of the four waters” He shrieked his daughter’s name “Explained to me that you are the one that the men call for when they are swept here” The king floated upwards to Walla.

Walla tried to keep her focus on him as he tried to intimidate her.

“My daughter admitted they aren’t your lovers. You are their king?”

Walla listened to his words “I don’t consider myself their king. That title is served for a man, nor am I their queen for I am not of royalty. My father was the governor of The Shavill. Unfortunely, he passed away; with no male heir, I was left to follow my father’s lead. My town respects me, I am their equal. The townspeople came to me for answers on why our fisherman hadn’t returned. I may only be a human, but I have gained the trust of my people.”

The king held his tongue at the woman’s words “your men were caught with my town in their grasp. They deserve punishment.”

Walla lowered her head “They have families.”

“So did mine.” The king bellowed.

Walla could feel Mariana’s fingers grip tight to Walla’s waist.

The king looked down at the two women who break his gaze.

“Sir, I don’t want to” Walla looked up at the king “break the commands you have. This is your kingdom, but I need to tell my people that they are safe. I cannot do that if they fear death by the water” Walla stated.

The king found Walla disrespectful, He didn’t see how a woman could speak for men, he didn’t see the need for her to speak up.

“How would you punish people who murdered?”

Walla paused “It’s a community decision.”

“Not good enough” The king interrupted “I’ve had enough.” The king waved his hand causing Walla to feel a force push her up.