The Maiden and The Four Waters
Chapter Fifteen

Walla followed the moonlight to the river’s edge, she stepped up onto the wooden jetty as she listened to the night sounds. She listened to the gentle movements amongst the trees. She allowed herself to just listen.

She listened as she heard footsteps on the wooden jetty, she kept her focus in front of her.

“Why won’t you tell us?” Exel stopped by her side.

She turned her attention to him, he was scared. Scared to stand by her side, scared to stand on the wooden jetty, scared to start an argument fearing he’d be next.

“The same reason you won’t dine in the tavern.” Walla sighed.

Exel pursed his lips slightly as he held back his words, he lowered his gaze to the water briefly before looking up at Walla “But I don’t keep secrets, Walla.” He swallowed hard as he struggled to hold back his argument “We grew up together, our parents knew each other. We took you in when you had no one else left.”

“Please, Exel. I don’t need to hear it from you.” Walla sighed “It’s hard to explain. I want to protect our town, what’s left of it.” She sighed again as she felt like a weight was pushing down against her shoulders “But in the water, something needs protecting. In the water there’s two types. There’s the one that deserves to survive just as much as us, while there’s another that needs to suffer just like we did.”

“What will you do if Deacon captures the wrong creature?”

Walla shrugged.

Neither noticed the movements in the water stop, neither noticed a black skirt lurk near the surface of the water.

“Maxim hates that you broke his daughter’s heart.” Exel figured out how to change the topic as Walla sat down on the edge of the wooden jetty, she pulled off her shoes before dipping her feet into the water.

“Maxim hates that I do anything, his just like everyone in this town though he does want to protect Rala.” Walla laid back as she stared up at the night sky.

Exel hesitated as he worked up the courage to sit beside Walla, he kept his legs crisscrossed fearing he’d be dragged into the water.

“Do you ever think you’d move up the ranks?” Exel pondered out loud as he turned his attention to Walla.

She felt her hair tug slightly as it squashed between her head the wooden planks while she shook her head “I have no reason for a man to touch me, let alone think lovingly of me.”

“I think lovingly of you.”

“That’s because you’ve been by my side for far too long, just like Belde and Rali. You three can’t love me the way your expected to.” Walla felt something float past her feet, she didn’t panic.

“But it would serve a purpose, right?” Exel hid his heartbreak.

“You’re not a king, Exel. Your just a scribe, a man who worries too much.”

“But if I held a title?”

Walla let a small gasp of laughter escape her lips “Why are we talking of something that’ll never happen?” She felt something touch her feet again.

Exel pretended he was scrunching up his face playfully at Walla’s words even if it did sting his heart.

“Besides, I’m stripped of all my titles. Father made sure we weren’t of any importance when he died.” She sighed a little. “We’ll always be friends, Exel.” She smiled up at him.

Exel took comfort in her words even if it was just for the sake of their friendship.

From the corner of his eyes, Exel noticed a pair of hands creep by his side. He jumped to his feet, almost kicking Walla in her side.

Walla forced herself to sit up as she noticed the hands “Please don’t scare my friend, Marina.”

Exel shifted his confusion to Walla as the hands disappeared under the water, he cautiously stepped back as he moved his gaze to the water.

“It’s another maiden.” Walla reassured as she failed to mention the four waters.

“That’s why your always by the river, your protecting her.”

“To some extent, yes.” She felt something touch her feet.

“Is the creature after her? Did she escape here but the creature chased after her?”

“I don’t know. Mariana refuses to speak about it.”

Exel stayed on his feet as something continued to touch Walla’s feet, she didn’t panic.

He let the night sky fill the silence between them as they let their words fail to reveal themselves.

Walla carefully lifted her feet out of the water, she stepped up to her feet letting the water soak the wood of the jetty. She lifted up her shoes, she smiled slightly at Exel.

Exel silently took the hint to follow Walla as they stepped back towards the ground.

Walla dumped her shoes on the edge of the riverbank, she tossed a glance at the water before looking up at Exel.

Exel didn’t understand what was happening, it felt like a blur.

He watched as Walla ran to the other end of the wooden jetty, he watched as she dived into the water. His eyes widened as panic washed over him, he rushed to the edge and forced himself to stay to the edge of the wooden jetty.

The dark sky made Exel struggle to see what was under the water, he couldn’t even see Walla. He wasn’t sure if he should call out or not, he knew late at night the town may awake and follow suit or they may even cheer good riddance.

Exel swallowed his fear as he dropped to his knees, he forced himself to cautiously lean forward, keeping his hands on the edge of the wooden jetty to keep his balance.

He couldn’t see anything, not even the top of Walla’s head.

His heart raced as fear and panic flooded his body.