Love and Deepwater • A Rafayel story

Goodbye

They kept talking about each other. Like the tides, time flowed by fast and before they knew it, the sun was starting to peak and everything could be seen more clearly.

Rafayel couldn't stop watching Enoria, all their differences, her pinkish skin, her dry hair, her long legs, her small hands, and small nails, compared to his wet everything, his long nails, his pointy ears, his long yet hidden tail.

'You should leave' She said, looking at their surroundings, worriedly. 'Nobles are getting angsty as lately they cannot find Lemurians to capture, they would throw a fit if they found you here, a mere child, alone and unprotected'.

He shrugged.

'I'm not unprotected' He said, trying to look bigger than he was, a mere child.

She laughed, trying to hide it behind her hands.

'What can a small Lemurian do?' She asked. 'I heard that adult Lemurians cannot even fight...'

Rafayel kept looking at her, gaze unmoving.

'I've heard that your blood can bless immortality, you can bring wealth and good luck to any Human, sing beautifully...'

And kill you with a song or make you do whatever I want He thought, but not verbalize aloud. It seems that Humans didn't know how Lemurians were evolving to defend themselves from above-water monsters. Even tho, Rafayel couldn't fear any of the Humans he had seen, not even the child in front of him. Even though, He agreed, the sun was already rising and it was too dangerous to be seen so close to a Human town, alone and without knowledge of any kind except stories told by his sisters and Masters.

'Do you also want me for that?' He asked, curious but without being able to leave.

Enoria said no with her head, almost surprised.

'I would never...' But her hand traveled north, above her heart. 'I just want a friend' She stated, smile warm.

Rafayel smiled too.

'I also would like a friend' As I don't have any, because of my reclusive status.

She stood up, slowly.

'It's settled then' She said. 'We are friends!'

Rafayel looked at her, still amazed about this strange Human, so nice and different from all the others.

The voices of strangers sounded closer, so Enoria watched in the direction of the port, half scared to be found or... for them to find Rafayel.

'You should go' She said, hurriedly, again.

Rafayel didn't want to leave her, as He didn't think that he would be able to meet her again. And for some kind of reason, the thought of not seeing her again was crushing his insides, like knives inside of his heart.

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Lemurian tradition states that when a male finds a girl he likes, he has to give her a scale, the closest to his heart to his beloved. By doing so, the courting would be declared in front of the Sea and if it gives his blessing, they would always be connected.

'I would like for Eco to give me his heart scale........' One of his sisters said, some time ago, talking to another under his Tower.

Back then, it was common for his sisters to dream about Lemurian heart scales, like some kind of romantic scene from a play.

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So, as Rafayel suddenly recalled that memory about a Lemurian Promise, his hands reached his heart scale, the most white and pearly one he had, the one closer to the heart. His nails were itching to get it out and give it to her. He had an urge and a feeling that he would not see her again if the heart scale was not given to her. It was dangerous, as not only did she know half of his name, but if given his heart scale, they would be connected. But at that moment, he didn't care about the danger of it. He felt like he wanted to see her again so he would see her again, doesn't matter the cost.

His nails went under the scale and took it out, it hurt for a bit, and blood went into the Sea, mixing itself with its calm waters and calling dangers, unknown to him.

Enoria watched it happen, surprised, as he gave the small and beautiful scale to her.

'What is this? She asked.

'I want to see you again, so this will make it happen when we are ready' When I'm ready. He thought, not saying the last words. 'You need to eat it, I know it doesn't look delicious, but it needs to be done as if you keep it outside of your being, it might be lost... Think of it like a magic pill that will make you happy, in the future...' He tried to explain it easily, but without giving enough explanation about the bond itself, as not even himself knew about it, apart from the connection they would share. He should ask Mother when He returned to the Tower.

The girl watched the small but beautiful scale, a little bit perplexed. Then, she took it, brought it to her mouth, put it on her tongue, put some seawater into her hands, and swallowed it all, eyes full of tears.

The God of the Seas gave his blessing, even though he didn't know it back then, as He Himself was the Sea and it was a bond sealed with its waters.

At that moment, Rafayel felt alive, more alive and warm than before, like a whole new soul entered his being, feeling an instant connection with the Human child standing in front of him. Like a red string, connecting both of their pinkies, He could feel her next to himself and inside of himself. He suddenly knew that he would be able to know where she was and locate her, all the time. Like she suddenly was a part of him, like an arm of his tail.

A sound suddenly could be heard, really close by. Screams, of a name, rapidly approaching the small and intimate beach they were. They were screaming her name to the townsfolk, who were joining the search and approaching their hiding spot.

'Hurry up and leave!' She stood and left, running, without looking back.

Rafayel felt sad about their time being cut short and went underwater, swimming closer to the coral reefs surrounding the village and watching his Human run away, half of the town chasing her, disappearing into the unknown. Yet, He could feel her, inside, next to his heart, where a new scale was being created, brown like melted soft chocolate and so different from all the others, pearlescent of blue, purple, pinks, and whites.

He swam home, guided by the colorful fishes from above the water, down, down, until only he, alone, would be able to swim, where even the sunlight wouldn't be able to reach and to the absolute darkness.

How would he enter the Tower and how he would face his father's wrath was another story.

Meanwhile, far away, The Bond was made and the Moon, hidden behind sunrise light, watched it happen, some outer-worldly goddess smiled, far away from there.

The Prophecy was stirring awake .