Sacred Lands
Water Garden

“I have to replace my ending,” Faye muttered as she awoke, she opened her eyes to replace herself in a dimly lit room, feeling her chest rise and fall with each breath indicating that she was still somehow alive.

Struggling to pick herself up, Faye heard hissing and felt something scaly rub against her hand, containing the scream that almost slipped out she noticed the variety of snakes and the tiny python that was staring at me flicking its tongue out then slithering off to another scaly body.

Faye was praying for any deity, good or bad, that would listen for her to have a swift and quick death as the snakes surrounded her in a circle big enough for her to have legroom, but not enough space to escape the scaly creatures without stepping on them.

Faye’s hands began to shake as she stared at them, her body felt numb, she looked around the room to see if anything would calm her down, she spotted her backpack, it was torn, but it was here. She looked at the ceiling and saw it was made out of moss, a rare and endangered moss. She looked at the corner of the room and saw a being playing with the little python from earlier, the being locked eyes with her, she scanned over him and noticed that he had a diamond-patterned tail as he slithered closer to her.

As he came closer, his face was pulled into a sneer, like he was unimpressed by her. Faye’s hands started to shake once more as she felt tears weld up in her eyes.

He leaned his face closer to her face and touch her cheek with the hand that touched the played with the python and Faye promptly screamed, scaring the being and making him lean back into a defensive state.

Just then a woman in white came in with a bowl of fruit. She bowed toward the being, and the two exchanged a series of hissing that made Faye want to throw up. At the end of the hissing conversation, the male being slithered away making Faye shake, the woman in white walked closer to Faye with the fruit.

“You’re awake. Once you eat your fill, you will follow me to get cleaned up.” The woman said and Faye could only nod as she got started eating, while she ate her mind was screaming at her ′Poison! There could be poison!′, but Faye was so hungry that she ignored her subconscious and rationalized her thoughts, ′If the beings here wanted to kill me, I would’ve already been dead.′ and continued to eat.

Finishing the last bit of fruit, Faye thanked the woman and got up to follow after her finally working up the courage to ask the woman in white a question.

“Who are you?”

The woman in white responded in the most monotone voice Faye had ever heard, “A servant, now follow me.” The woman leads Faye down a series of hallways and then came across a door with vines covering it, the woman opened the door and Faye couldn’t help but gasp at the sight before her. It was a large river of water with ruins and pillars standing proudly out of the water. Faye wished she had brought her sketchbook to draw the ruins. The woman grasps Faye’s wrist and brings her to the edge of the water.

“We’ll help you refresh.” Faye nodded and flushed in embarrassment smelling herself without having to take a deep breath of her body odor. Seeing more women servants come out from behind the door, they got to work scrubbing and cleaning her body and looked at her skin in confusion.

The woman in white speaks in the same monotone voice, “I’ve never seen a human with your skin before.”

“Oh, it’s a skin condition called Vitiligo some people’s skin loses its pigment cells and causes discolored patches. I think it’s the best thing about me.” Faye said with a small smile looking at the lighter patches on her skin. The woman in white only nodded in understanding and continued to scrub the young woman, Faye was measured for new clothes and the woman in white sent Faye to swim around in the water until her clothes were made.

The treatment reminded her of the women being tended to from ancient Greek literature and art. Faye swam and saw that different flowers had fallen into the water and she swam to the flowers to see what type they were.

Upon spotting a multicolored Teratai (also known as Bunga Teratai), she was fascinated by it and wanted to replace more like it and Faye swam to a wider and more open area, and spotted an area filled with different colored Teratai and ones like she was holding.

Faye crouched closer to get a better look at the Terati filled area, when she spotted the snake being from the corner of her eye. The being was close to the water’s edge observing a vibrant peacock flower in his hand. She took a step closer, but didn’t realize the ground dipped and she slipped into the water. Feeling herself being lifted above the water she was eye level with the snake being and Faye got a better look at his eyes. They were cold, piercing, and golden-yellow eyes, and his eyes pierced into Faye’s soul causing her to shiver slightly.

The more Faye looked, the more she felt bad that she disturbed his peace, and her face flushed red in embarrassment realizing the position she was in. His eyes wandered across Faye’s body his face flushed a light pink. Just as quickly as the moment began, it ended. The snake being practically flung her into the Terati filled area and Faye saw why.

A large python had leapt out of the water and the being wrestled the python, the python was finally knocked aside when Faye heard a sickening thud, as the python hit a tree trunk. The being picked up the python then preceded to rip the creature in half as Faye watched through shaky hands and she prayed that she would able to return home in one piece.

The naga watched as the female human trembled and smelt the fear rolling off of her like waves.

“No harm shall befall you from my subordinates while you are here and I offer an apology.” Faye couldn’t respond because she was still shaking, the naga stared down at the girl not sure about what to do or say. He didn’t like or dislike humans since most of the time humans were smart to keep out of these parts of the forest and he would leave his shedding about the forest as a warning, those who enter ignored it, must pay the price.

“Look, if I wished to harm you then you would be dead already, now calm down.” His voice remained at an even level, trying to keep the girl calm, he didn’t want her screaming again.

Faye saw the water ripple and finally looked up and saw the naga towering over her and prepared to scream, but the naga covered her mouth with his darkened hand.

“Don’t scream, it hurts my ears and it’s aggravating. Breathe. In and out.” Faye followed his instructions and matched the breathing pace he spoke at her. Slowly but surely began to feel herself calm down and relax with his help.

"Thank you. I should also apologize for screaming, I didn’t mean to hurt your ears. Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”

“My name is Naois, I’m the protector of this sacred land,” Naois said with a deep bow.

“My name is Faye.” Faye responded with a wave because she was crouched in the water, “I should be returning to my original bathing spot, if you would excuse me.” Faye turned around and swam away.

Naois watched as she swam away and went back to looking at the flowers wondering if Faye would appreciate the life that the garden provides.

~XXX~

After being bathed the woman in white helped her change into a sky blue butterfly dress with full sheer sleeves which was the most beautiful dress she had ever worn, then Faye was led outside into a cave that leads to a wide grassy field. When Faye looked back to the cave entrance and saw that it was beginning to cover itself with matching scenery.

The woman in walked in the tall grass and occasionally flocks of startled butterflies flew around Faye and she giggled as they flew around her as they went to look for a new hiding place in the grass. Stopping to look at the unique flowers, wishing that she had her notepad and pencils.

“Honored guest, if these simple weeds are pleasing to you then I suggest you hurry so that our protector can show you the real treasures of the land.” Blinking this was the first most complete and emotion-filled sentence that Faye had heard from the woman in white. These “weeds” could be examined at another time and continued to follow the woman in white.

Upon reaching a slope, Faye saw a humongous tropical water garden, the water was crystal clear and reflective there were Water Hyacinths, Teratais, and Pink or White Lotus flowers, the garden was broken into ponds and lakes for the varied flowers and trees in the garden.

"Am I allowed to enter a place as beautiful as this?" Faye asked keeping her eyes on the garden ahead of her.

It was silent for a moment, before the woman in white responded, "If the protector says that you may, then you are welcomed to enter the gardens. We've kept him waiting long enough, come." She said stepping away from the edge and walking to a pathway and Faye quickly followed the woman in white.