The Water Sprite

The Letter

100,000 thousand years ago.

Returning the next day, Bai Qian raced towards her little Lotus hopeful that she had not caused it too much damage.  But seeing it gently floating on the water, her smile lit up brilliantly.

"Water Sprite, I am here." she called out, as she leaned over the edge to swirl the water playfully. 

"Good, I have been waiting for you." Mo Yuan said softly as he watched her play.  "Did you bring your writing materials?" he asked, wanting to begin the lessons immediately.

Nodding her head, she lifted the bag off her small shoulders that Zhe Yan had given her.  Having informed him that her new friend was going to teach her how to write, he had smiled softly down at her and patted her head.  He wasn't normally overly affectionate with her, so she accepted it was praise for wanting to even learn, though he had sat with her for a while to show her how to keep her ink in good condition, which she found fun.  

Gliding the stone through the ink as he had shown her, she watched as the hardened ink slowly began to soften and then liquefy. That alone was exciting for her, she had only ever seen her father doing it, and because he didn't trust her to do it for him, he only ever allowed her to watch.  And the reason for his distrust was soon made apparent when the smile on Zhe Yans face turned to a frown when she got the ink all over his stone table.

Now pulling out the brushes and ink along with three blank scrolls and parchment, she suddenly jumped when a low writing desk appeared before her.  "Place your materials on the desk and sit down." Mo Yuan said as she stumbled back onto her bottom in awe.

"You're a very clever Water Sprite." she stated in amazement.  Not only had he used magic to save her from drowning, but he could also make inanimate objects appear, something no Water Sprite should be able to do, but being so young, she merely accepted it as part of the magical world she lived in without wondering why.

Laying out her materials, she pulled herself up onto her knees and waited in anticipation.  And barely a few seconds passed, before she noticed the water begin to swirl.  Watching as her little flower was forced to the edge and out of harms way, a large segment of the water began to darken until it was pitch black.  Watching on a little fearful, her eyes darted left to right unsure if she was safe or not or if she should run away.  

But as she continued to watch, she suddenly leaned up over her table as a symbol appeared in the black water.  It was crystal clear water, that glowed brightly against the deep dark murky water around it.  Clear as day the symbol in the water arranged itself before her eyes before disappearing and reappearing.

"Copy the symbol for tree in the exact same sequence that it appears." he said while watching her closely as she immediately lifted her brush and dipped it in the ink.  There was too much ink on the brush, but he did not correct her, this she would learn by practice and failure.

"Keep to the exact stroke order you see appear in the water.  This will ensure that the symbol is correct at all times.  Trying to write the symbol in any other order will cause the symbol to become uneven, and even change its meaning." he said softly as he honed in on her brush.

Realizing there was too much ink having made a mess on her first attempt, she quickly dabbed the brush off until there was a more manageable amount on the tip, then trying again, she wrote out her very first word.  Ecstatic and smiling brightly, she picked up the scroll and turned it around for him to see.

"Good.  Everyday you will learn twenty new words for one month.  At the end of that time, you will have enough words to begin a letter." he said smiling as she jumped up excitedly.