The Maiden and The Four Waters
Chapter Eight

Walla looked down her street, they had spent two years building a life on the edge of Belivanne. She promised the king of Belivanne that her and her townspeople would only come for safety not war.

She didn’t need blood on her hands after her father had tried yet failed to wage war amongst the country.

Walla watched as the townspeople moved around, watching as people came and went from the tavern to the shop fronts to their homes. She watched as children played amongst themselves. She watched as the woman tossed buckets of water from their window.

Her eyes caught notice of a woman’s silk blowing out the window of a two-storey building. Watching how the silk caught the sunlight as it pushed in and out of the window.

It was the only place in the town that was forcibly built. Walla wasn’t keen on a brothel being built close to the buildings, but her townspeople cried for a place to relax.

Walla sighed as she started to make her way down the dirt filled street. She pressed her hand on the door of the brothel and pushed it open.

Walla noticed several women laying around in their silk bathrobes. Walla had made sure the brothel was respectable on the inside. The woman were god’s gift to earth and those who visited were treated to a heavenly experience.

“Ah, The Queen has arrived.”

Walla lifted up her head to a curly haired woman resting her body against the wooden railing of the second floor. Her curls hung down her shoulders. Her soft red gown floated above her bare feet.

“Clarinne.” Walla half-heartedly smiled.

“What do I owe this pleasure?” Clarinne stepped down the wooden stairs.

Walla turned her attention to the four-woman lounging around the lower level.

“Their beautiful, aren’t they?”

Walla felt Clarinne’s breath down her neck, she slowly turned her head to the woman “I’ve come to see if everything is in order.” She breathed.

“You sound just like your daddy.” Clarinne pushed a strand of Walla’s hair out of her face.

Just like Crowe, Clarinne had history with Walla’s father.

“Can I speak in private?” Walla asked.

Clarinne pouted before nodding slightly. She lead Walla past the lounge room and into the kitchen. Though it wasn’t much of a kitchen, a medium sized dining table with four chairs sat around it. Two bowls of fruit sat in the centre of the table while a jug of water sat by the basin of a sink which was attached poorly to the wall. Dirty dishes filled the puddle of water inside the sink.

“Tell me what I can do” Clarinne pulled out one of the chairs allowing herself to gently collapse onto it.

Walla held her remarks back as she sat down next to Clarinne “Did my father ever talk of the four waters?”

Clarinne sat up straight, she pushed her hair behind her shoulders “Why?”

“You know them?”

“Walla, the four waters are not to be messed with. If you found them than we need to run.”

Walla seemed confused.

Clarinne rose up from her seat “Walla?” She sighed “What have you found?”

Walla lowered her gaze to her hands in her lap.

Clarinne knelt down by Walla’s feet, she clasped the young girl’s hands in her’s.

“Clarinne, I can’t say for certain, but Crowe thinks that’s what’s taking them.”

Clarinne’s eyes meet Walla’s. “If they come above water. Our town will be no more. Crowe is never wrong.”

Walla tried to hide her worry.

“This will stay between us until we are certain.”

Walla nodded; she attempted a smile.