The Maiden and The Four Waters

Walla stepped outside the brothel; she felt the breeze of the door close behind her. She took a step forward and stopped.

She watched her town, she watched as she pondered.

Walla wondered how many more knew of Four Waters, the adults of the town? The children who grew up with the legend. Maybe the children of now? Even possibly the villages that Walla had never been to?

She needed to find the truth to the four waters, she needed to figure out what her town was up against.

The four waters are peaceful yet their not peaceful. Walla didn’t understand, how could she? She had only heard the stories never seen the truth.

Walla calmly made her way back towards the water edge.

Once at the water’s edge, Walla pulled off her shoes and dumped them by the edge.

Walla took a deep breath, slowly exhaled as she felt the cool water touch her feet. She stepped further in until her feet could touch the bottom of the riverbed no more.

She floated above the water as she waited, waited for Mariana.

Walla smiled as she closed her eyes, she felt the pull of her being forced underwater.

She struggled with her breathing, the further she went. She kept her eyes closed; the pressure of the depths forced her to keep her eyes closed.

Walla smiled a little as she sat herself down on a chair, she felt her hands clasp around a metal cup. She felt the cup be brought to her lips and the sweet taste of liquid fall down the back of her throat.

She opened her eyes, seeing Mariana staring at the young woman.

“Mariana.”

“Walla” Mariana rose to her feet as she studied the young woman “I like when your down here, being above water isn’t for me.”

“Being down here isn’t for me, either.” Walla sighed.

Mariana swirled the bottom of her skirt around as she looked at Walla.

The two woman barely had a chance to speak further when they heard a crowd of cheers.

Mariana’s eyes lit up “We have to watch.” She reached her hand out to Walla.

Walla didn’t disagree as curiosity ran through her body; she placed her hand into Mariana’s.

Walla allowed Mariana to help her float along the hallway, Walla noticed the King lead in front of them.

He ignored Walla as he lead her out to a balcony.

The King stopped himself at the edge of the balcony and looked down.

Walla held onto Mariana as they floated on the balcony, Walla looked below, seeing the crowds of the four waters.

“What are they doing?” Walla’s voice filled with curiously.

Mariana kept her gaze below “It’s the news of the first born in two months.”

Walla shifted her glance to the side of Mariana’s face “First born in two months?”

“We don’t have the luxury of children.”

Walla jumped as she heard the king’s voice, she moved her attention to the king.

“There is only six born a year. Anymore leads to heartache.” He watched as a cradle sized float attempted to push past the crowds.

“That’s why you caught my men because we capture your kin.”

The king moved his attention to Walla. Mariana rested her body against the shell covered balcony.

“We take…” Walla’s sentence halted as the crowd cheered. She watched as sharks swam alongside the cradle float.

The cradle and sharks stopped. The King turned his attention to the crowd below.

The crowd looked up at the balcony.

“It is with great pleasure to see this child. One that is destined to showcase many wonders.” The king screeched “Today we rise for love.” He rose his arms, a swirl of glitter showered over the cradle.

The crowd turned their attention to the cradle. Mariana leapt for joy; Walla quickly gripped the rail to keep herself from falling.

Walla turned her attention to Mariana, seeing the young four water maiden in awe of the cradle below.

“It’s a young girl.” The King stated.

Walla looked up at the King.

“We don’t get many, we only get two girls a year. The rest are boys.” He turned his attention to Walla “Your fisherman have no care when it comes to our kind.” The King turned his body to face Walla as Mariana kept her focus on the cradle as it floas, and the sharks moved through the crowd. “You seek forgiveness, we cannot forgive those who wish us harm. We’ve done all we could to keep our kind safe, can you say the same?”

Walla lowered her head for a moment as she pondered the question before rising her head again, she shook her head “Before me, there was my father. He…” She sighed “He wouldn’t of cared, he trekked our village through poverty and war. I tried to save what we had but at times the village still disagrees with me. Men are stubborn regardless of whose speaking to them.”

The King felt the last sentence with a slight sting.

Mariana turned her attention to Walla before moving her attention to The King “Can we see the child?”

The King shifted his glance to his daughter before nodding just enough to agree.

Mariana gripped Walla’s hand; she pulled the young maiden by her side.

The King watched the two woman, he may have complained about his daughter’s wonder with land humans, but he could see there was something about his daughter that found fascination with Walla, he even saw Walla find fascination in his daughter.

Mariana kept Walla by her side as they floated through the building, they floated out the door.

Walla took in the sight of the crowd, each wearing a skirt just like the King and Mariana; each confusing Walla on whether it was truly a long skirt or a fin.

The beauty of displays over their body, the woman with shells covering their nipples, the men with moss covering their chest. Each with different designs up their arms and around their necks with the use of shells and moss.

The wonder of children caught Walla’s eyes as the children wore their fitted skirts though the children didn’t hold any designs like the adults did instead the children threw glitter in the air as they pretended to understand the hype of the cradle.

Walla felt the tug of Mariana as she was pulled along.

Walla noticed some stares towards her by the adults of the four waters, they noticed how Walla didn’t wear a skirt like them, they noticed that Walla looked different to them in her full clothing.

She smiled a little but the adults of four waters didn’t react, Walla adverted her eyes as she looked forward.

Walla shook her head a little as she floated into a handful of glitter thrown by a child, she smiled as the children around giggled.

Mariana stopped suddenly in front of the cradle; Walla took in the sight of the large cradle float.

The sharks side eyed Walla as they watched the two woman float to the cradle’s edge.

Mariana kept her hand on Walla as they reached the basket of the cradle.

Mariana beamed as she noticed a little baby girl tucked amongst a bed of flowers “Look.” Her eyes filled with wonder.

Walla peeked over the edge of the cradle; her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the young newborn sleeping.

“Peace is all we ask when they are born. The King says the children bring us good fortune and peace.” Mariana rested her free hand on the edge of the cradle.

Walla mimicked Mariana’s stance. She remained silent as she took in the sight of Mariana idolising the young baby.

Walla found wonder in this moment, she found wonder in seeing the celebration, she found wonder in having the luxury of being close to the four waters.

It felt like a blur as she felt a gentle push.