It was Desmound that stepped forward next, his body slightly trembled but his eyes stayed focused as he spoke with conviction. "I am Desmound! I am a warrior and no nothing about women! Ask me any question about battle tactics and security measures for our people and I can talk for hours. I know nothing about a woman's touch or how to treat a woman properly! So I need a teacher, I need my own protector for my home and heart, I need a mate for life! I will not leave you even if death is at the door, so show me, who among you that my voice reaches, is willing to knock some sense into my thick skull!" Zephyrus and I looked at each other and felt each other cringe.
The first water ball on the far left started to glow and the nymph started to giggle. "So a virgin in every sense are we?" She said as she turned her bottom half into a solid stream and extended herself towards Desmound's face. She looked into his eyes and smiled brightly. "Yes! Yes! Yes! My Vaidehi has chosen well!" She exclaimed as she shrunk back her body and walked beside the ball that was holding a broader looking women, who looked more manly with her square jaw and broad shoulders. Yet she had a beauty to her that was unexpectedly charming that made her femininity shine through. Her skin glowed like the stars above and her curly, satin, black hair seemed to tease one's heart.
Desmound's face started to flush crimson red as he walked stiffly towards the maiden. He looked up at the nymph helplessly causing her to sigh. "Vaidehi is a wonderful mixture of man and woman. She is female 100% through but there are times that she is more stronger, more reliable and more protective then any male you have met. She is the true embodiment of an alpha wolf but many men feel inferior to her abilities and do not see her as the delicate flower her soul is."
Desmound started to grin as he placed his palms onto the ball of water. "She sounds like she would make a great mother!" he shouted happily and the maiden didn't even wait for Desmound to complete the ritual as her light engulfed him in one go. The nymph turned her gaze towards Zephyrus and I shrugging at Vaidehi's impatience.
Zephyrus didn't know who to chose. He looked left then right, then left again as he scratched the back of head. I felt my heart tighten as he stole glances at the fairest one. He looked at me and asked. "Who is your heart pinning for? I don't want to cause problems and both women are beautiful but I don't care about beauty I want someone who is willing to learn to love me for who I am. So brother who do you want? I will try to convince the last to give me a chance." he said pitifully that it caused me great pain. I could not force him to just settle.
Within seconds the maiden locked away to the left was starting to glow. Zephyrus looked over and his eyes started to sparkle. "Ah, it seems I am being summoned but.... is it okay if I go?" He asked as he turned his gaze towards me. I didn't hold back and started pushing him towards the maiden, grinning like a fool as I patted his back. I needed him to know that I was giving my blessings. The nymph quickly moved towards the light and wrapped her arms around the ball affectionately.
"This child's name is Dhara, your words have touched her heart. She's is wise yet naive, she understands life but has no clue of what is meant to be truly loved by someone. She is as slow as a calm river and is a pure as a pristine lake. So I will warn you, to be with her you need patience." The nymph said as she stroked the water ball as if she was brushing back the girl's beautiful brown hair.
"That sounds fine, if she is wise then she has much to teach me. If she's naive then I will need to remember to be cautious with what I need to teach her. I will try and win her heart even if it takes me a life time." He said as he placed his hands and forehead onto the water ball, again the girl was starting to get brighter and almost instantaneously he was swallowed up by the light.
The nymph moved away quickly so she wouldn't be caught up in the light. She then turned her gaze at me and started to move forward. "You Norell, the head of your brethren, the head of your village, the rock for your people, are now in a position that would not only endanger your brothers but also your citizens." The nymph mussed as she swayed her hips back and forth as she walked towards me.
"You see this child, the last one who has no name, is not as passionate and headstrong like her sister Veldahi, nor is she is as wise or innocent as her sister Dhara. Nor is she as cunning and openly affectionate as the young Yedda but she does love her sisters deeply. NoreII, she was the first to ask me such a strange request, she wanted to live in a world where she could be happy and free. She only wanted to be called big sister once the others started arriving... I have no advise to give about my most mysterious child. To move forward is your choice but remember your brethren have their lives in the palms of your hands. They believe in you without hesitation, so there must be something about you. My hope is with you, call this child out from slumber and make her want to live again."
I nodded my head. At the time I believed with everything I had that this was necessary for everyone to be happy. I could not let my brethren or my people down, so I looked at the nymph with my nerves steeled. "As a brethren and as the leader of my small village, I was willing to sacrifice myself for everyone else. If I fail this test, please take my soul and let everyone else free. I will work hard and try to appease the women's restless souls as their and your servant for all of eternity." I said as I bowed deeply to the nymph.
The nymph moved closer and place both of our water hands onto my face. "So you are saying you are not here to find a mate but to hopefully break the curse that plagues your village and rescue the lives of your brethren? Did you have little faith in them breaking the curse that you doomed them and planned to appease the women but self sacrifice?" She spat as she starred directly into my eyes. "No, I have faith the my brothers can win the hearts of you daughters but I have no faith in myself. I hoped that they would not need me to break the curse and the maidens would want to lift the curse because they had fallen for the best men alive." I said with conviction.
The nymph's core started to glow a brighter shade of white and lost most of the blue tone it had earlier. I wished I could see more then just transparent eyes to see what she was thinking but I had nothing to go on, so I decided to take a gamble. "Truthfully love between a man and woman is foreign to me. I know how to love my brothers, I know how to love my people and I know I am not fit to pass this test! My heart does ache when I see you trapped in a watery cage, it aches to see someone so young and beautiful throw everything away because of suffering! To entrap one's self into something for so long is not just, so please fair maiden, with skin as white as the pale moon, lips as red a blood and hair as dark as a starless sky... please allow me to at least meet you so we can talk!" I shouted hoping to awake her senses.
Soon enough the last water ball started to blow, the nymphs let me go to look at her first daughter. She started to laugh hysterically. "So child, you want to met this man and see what he has to say to you face to face? This might work!" She said as she stepped aside for me. "Test your luck young man, place your hands and forehead on to her... well as you stated, water cage and see if you can set her and the rest free." I hesitated for a bit then looked at the nymph. "And our deal?" I asked her seriously. The nymph's smile left her face and the water within her started to move around strongly. "I will think about it." She said. I nodded and moved to perform the ritual.
I placed my hands and forehead the ball and soon I felt warm wave wash over my body. I was transported to a flowery meadow, the sun was shining brightly, the air was fragment and fresh. I stood dumbfounded in the middle, turning my head in various directions trying to figure out what I needed to do. Soon a melancholy melody gently called me and I rushed towards the sound. A little bit further down the meadow was the maiden, she was sitting alone surrounded by spring flowers as she skillfully played what looked like a biwa.
I approached her cautiously as I cleared my throat. The maiden didn't skip a note as she played her biwa, she kept her eyes shut as she ignoring my presence completely. I couldn't suppress my curiosity and blatantly asked her. "Why are you hurting my people?' She strummed her last note and place her biwa gently onto the ground, she lifted her hand gracefully signalling me to help her up. As she was lifted off the ground she finally lifted her gaze onto me. I felt my world slip beneath me, she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. Her eyes were silver in colour, her face was small and round, her nose was small and slightly pointed up right while her long eyelashes resembled the wings of butterflies, gently fluttering in the spring breeze.
"Why should I care what your people are going through when they have done worse to my sisters and me?" She said in a bitter voice that sounded like angels singing from above, it melted my heart into a puddle. "Please tell me your story sweet fairy of the lake." I pleaded but my words seemed to only make her want to openly mock me with her eyes. She stretched out her hand. I didn't hesitate to grab it and she lead me up a hill.
Once we reached the top my jaw slacked. I couldn't believe my eyes. There was more than just a meadow. There were realms that consisted of different seasons, summer, winter and. I guessed we were in spring. "You see we all have our strengths and weaknesses, my sister choose to reside in a season that allows them to hone their skills. Vaidehi loves the harshness of winter so she doesn't have to remember the pain she felt when spring arrived and she was laughed at for wanting to court." She said as she pointed to the winter wonderland. There was an odd spiral of light sprouting towards the heavens and I asked the maiden about it but she ignored me and and pointed towards the fall sector.
"Yedda loves to hide and forage. She tries to find fun in everything she does, her laughter echos throughout the forest as she helps the animals out of her traps. She believes that one day those animals will get a taste of the real world and all it's harshness just like she had. She was sold off to a rich man who beat her every night until she was able to escape." She said as another light spiraled upwards.
"Hmmm..." She said as she moved her finger to the last sector. "Summer, Dhara's domain. Where you can move to the rhythm of the tide. No one can judge you for wanting to educate yourself, no one to make you race against time or smother you with expectations. To never have to live under the pressures of others and.... interesting." She said as she slowly lowered her arm and watched another light spiral go upwards. "What is interesting?" I dared to ask the maiden. She realized she never let my hand go and with a disgusted face she released my hand and cleaned hers with a light pink handkerchief.
"It seems all my sisters have chosen to leave this world to be with your brethren.... Norell, they can not leave unless I go with them. Let's make a deal, I do not wish for love, I have been hurt too deeply in the name of love and want nothing to do with it and you... it seems that you are just doing this to help your people. Give me a name, that's all I ask and I will play wife for you.'" She said somberly.
It hurt, her words hurt me. I couldn't believe the pain one would feel just because of words. I took a deep breath to steady my voice. "Alright but I expect you to play the part of a wife to perfection." The maiden looked at me with empty eyes causing my heart to shatter. I swore to myself to never love her as she will never love me. "Your name will be Sakura!" I shouted as I grabbed her waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
It was my first kiss ever and I didn't want the feeling to end. Her lips were so soft and warm unlike the glare she had given me before. I let her go and watched her wipe her mouth. I didn't think my heart could break anymore but it did. Soon a light started to encircled her feet and she stretched out her hand. I grabbed it and stepped into the light.
It was morning when I woke and was utterly surprised to see the beautiful woman from my dreams sleeping in my arms. I didn't want to disturb her so I rolled onto my back, I couldn't believe what had happened last night.
After Sakura woke up, I quickly made her a meal and excused myself to check on my people. The couple from the lastt night looked happy. I went to inquire and it had seemed that there was a second child in her womb and he just slid out after her tears had run dry. I couldn't believe it. How could their be two babies in her and no one noticed? I gave them my blessings and ran off to speak with everyone else. It had seemed that we were only gone for an hour or so. Did time move slowly in the nymphs realm?
I ran towards Desmond's home and found him trying to court a woman with broad shoulders and square face from outside his kitchen window. I felt awkward as he I watched him bent down on one knee, flowers in hand as he spouted out sweet nothings to this woman. I turned around and headed towards Earie's home. Again I needed to leave right away as I could hear laughter and loud noises from his home. I felt my face turn red as I ran towards Zephrus' home.
My eyes almost bulged out of my face, he and Dhara were sitting outside beside each other silently watching the scenery. "We passed?" I asked them. Dhara lazily tilted her head in my direction. Her hair was an unusual shade of brown that looked more like a roasted acorn. Her face was heart shaped while her eyes were round and the colour of the blue sea. I was stunned momentarily and shook my head. "Yes you all passed and now you must keep your promise with mother. Every harvest moon you must make a living offering so she can survive."
I nodded my head and walked away in a daze. I couldn't believe it. Did the nymph plant a new child in the sorrowful woman as a reward? Can I really relax and be happy for everyone in my village? A smile crept up my face. The curse was broken and I ran back to see my wife.
Little did I know that many years later I would be the cause of a new curse.