Moon Flowers (Book 1 of the Flower Trilogy) #Wattys2016 #Featured

CHAPTER ELEVEN - HALIA (Edited)

HALIA'S POV

Phi had already left me behind. She flew happily in the air.

"Are you ready?" Tönx asked me.

His eyes shone with anticipation. He had been dreaming of this moment his whole life, the moment when he would finally be able to dive in the sea.

"As ready as you are," I replied.

He beamed. I had never seen him this happy before.

"At the count of three," he started. "One . . . two . . ."

"Three," I ended.

I raced him off the ship. My heart raced as I stared under my feet, at the approaching shimmering waves. In the blink of an eye, I was surrounded by water. The great blue body of water I had heard the humans call Ardor Bay.

I had never seen this much water. In the alley, the rain sometimes formed large, murky puddles I could swim in, but I never had more water than shoulder level. And that was because I was in my small form. Now I was human size, and still there were creatures much larger than me.

From afar, I saw white whales, belugas, gushing out their used air, and dolphins jumping out of the water. Nixie and Fossegrim swam with them. Under water and above. They moved their arms and legs. I immitated them.

Nixie was so graceful, with her slow movements and flowing long dress, it looked as if she was dancing.

She was ecstatic. I, too, was happy. Or perhaps serene. In a state of pure bliss. It felt like if I was in another world, a world I had the privilege to see, unlike so many other creatures who could not go under water. A world innocent to the human's influence.

"Tönx," I said to my friend, swimming to him to see his face. "This is—"

I did not finish my sentence. Tönx was turning blue. Unlike me, he could not breathe underwater. He didn't take a deep breath before diving in, assuming that, as a water spirit, he wouldn't need to, and now lacked the oxygen to make his way back to the surface.

I grabbed him by the arm and began to swim towards the pale halo of the sun that shone through the waves above us. The Merrows surrounded us and stopped me.

"Here, child," said Mr. Merrow as he swung over his red cloak over Tönx's shoulder.

He then swam away to the surface. Tönx gasped for air at this point.

"Where did your husband go?" I asked Mrs. Merrow.

"Since it's your first time in the ocean, he is lending Tönx his cloak which will allow him to breathe underwater. This way, you guys can enjoy the marvels of the underwater world."

"Thanks," Tönx said. "That was really nice of him."

He was not smiling as broadly as before. I guessed he was disappointed he was a creature who could not breathe under water.

"It's okay," I teased him. "You'll be able to parade around in a fancy red cloak."

He grimaced at the idea. Blue was the only colour he wished to wear. It reminded him of water, his favourite element.

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" he teased back.

We pushed each other around, splashing, playing in the waves.

The merrow woman smiled as she looked at us.

"Come," she said to both Tönx and me after a while. "Let's swim to shore."

I glanced in the distance where I had seen Nixie a few moments ago. She and Fossegrim were already far away, splitting the water at an incredible pace.

Tönx grabbed my hand and we swam together, following Mrs. Merrrow to the promised land. I could not help but notice my heart did not race the way it did when Phi and I held hands. It was different. Not that it was unpleasant. Tönx and I were sharing an intimate moment, that of discovering our element together.

We needed to say nothing. There were no words to describe how we felt. Instead, we remained quiet for the remainder of the way, too amazed at seeing the many fish and creatures that lived in the sea. For the first time ever, I felt complete. I was fully aware I was a water nymph, although I still did not know what kind of nymph I was, and water was my element. I felt free. I felt magical.

There would always be peace in my heart, as long as I was underwater.

*

We were the last ones to arrive on the shore.

The beach had soft and dry sand with many stones and sea shells. An inviting, dark forest began just a few steps away.

I would never forget that moment when we set foot on firm land.

Some of the fairies were kneeling in the sand, holding their heads in their hands, as if they could not believe what was happening to them. The dwarfs and goblins were embracing themselves, shouting cries of joy, and rushing towards the woods.

Even the old Tisannieres suddenly regained enough of their youthful energy to run off and smell the plants, flowers, and trees. Together they tasted the tree resin, chewed on a few flowers here and there.

Everyone was happy. The forest was magical. Already it felt like we had more power, more energy.

It smelled like spring. A new beginning.

I looked back at the goguelins that had stayed on the ship. They waved at us good-bye, quietly sitting on the wooden bulk-heads. It was the last time I would see them. Perhaps I was going to even miss them.