The Romance of the Condor Heroes

I -- Silent Love Under the Moon -- Part I

Golden leaves spread throughout the emerald lake. A group of young girls uttered their amazement as their boat sailed through it. The leaves wove into the sparkling ripples, making it a scene to behold. It looked as if some fairies had tossed a cauldron of gold coins onto the lake. Merry chortle filled the autumn air as the girls began singing, praising the beauty of Mother Nature. Red robins chirped along from the tree branches, creating a harmony symphony.

A girl, twelve of age, stood on the front bow, paddling in a rhythmic way. The curves of her body were visible through her white sleek dress with every of her sturdy yet graceful movements. Her black voluminous hair, tied in a long ponytail, danced along with the breeze.

At intervals, she would look behind her shoulders at her passengers, wearing a serene mien. Sometimes, she would hum along at the tunes she was familiar with. But most of the time, she concentrated on the route she took. Not long after, she gave the oar some pressure as she took the left turn, sailing past a shore of mangroves. A family of monkeys dodged into the leaves at the sight of the human. The girls pointed to the apes and giggled at their clumsiness.

The boat trip was supposed to be fun. However, it didn't take more than two heartbeats when Yenny stopped paddling. Raising a hand, she alerted her passengers. The group fell silent. In front, a veil of fog covered the lake surface. The surroundings were quiet; only the girls' heavy breathing was palpably clear. The clouds above them had turned grey all of a sudden. Anxiously, Yenny stretched out her hand to wipe away the fog but to no avail.

"I can't see what's inside or behind the fog. It might be dangerous. We should return," she cautioned, amidst wiping a bead of sweat flowing down from her forehead. Her face paled as she shuddered at whatever horrible image she'd conjured in her mind. "If anything bad happens--"

"There are five of us! Nothing to be afraid of! Plus I've just learned some kicks from Daddy." The smallest girl, eight years old, balled her fists. Fiery determination burned in her black pupils. She had her short black hair plaited into two braids, tied with red ribbons, making her look rather cute than intimidating. Unlike her peers who wore just cotton textiles, this girl clad in a silky long-sleeved top and long pants. The hems of her pink attire were stitched with gold threads.

Yenny shook her head as she regarded the smallest girl. "Precious, if there is--"

"You are just being overly anxious, sister Yenny! There's nothing behind that fog actually!"

The rest of the girls shouted their agreement, "Precious is right! Let's get going!"

Precious smirked. Despite her age, she seemed to have a dynamite influence among the group.

"Alright! Alright!" Yenny had no choice but to relent after being pestered by her passengers. Her parents had passed away and it was Precious' parents who took care of her. To repay their generosity, she would do anything to bring happiness to their daughter.

She kept chanting a train of mantra under her breaths as she paddled through the fog. Meanwhile, Precious took out a lotus seed from a packet, removed its shell and the tiny bitter germ, before chewing it at her heart's content. Her pink cheeks balled up in an adorable way. She was indeed adorable, in spite of her rowdy behaviour. Recklessly, she tossed the shell into the lake. Some curious fish swam towards the foreign particle and began nibbling at it.

Like disciples following the teaching of their leader, Precious' friends mimicked her action.

A gurgling sound soon filled the air as fish of every hue frolicked around the lotus shells.

Yenny shook her head disapprovingly but she kept the contemplation to herself.

Moments later, Yenny's anxiety was proven worthless as a panoramic view welcomed them. Pink lotus flowers blossomed along the bank. Frogs leaped from one lotus leaf to another. The chirping of the red robins resumed. They had actually returned to the dock near their houses.