Perth looks at the dumfounded human in front of him. Might as well get to know the person he will spend eternity with. But the person in question doesn't seem very intelligent if the continued silence is to go by.
Perth sighs. "Do you have a name?"
"Saint. My name is Saint." The human then starts to dust off Perth's robe, to the God's surprise.
"What are you doing?" Perth asks.
"Your robe-" Saint starts to speak but his voice is drowned out by an elder speaking out.
"How insolent! Touching the Divine One's clothes!" This one is a gray-haired old man sitting down on a chair not far from where the God is kneeling next to Saint.
"Kneel." Perth purses his lips, annoyed. He really does not like humans.
A younger woman kneeling beside the elder touches her forehead to the ground in reverence to the God. "Please forgive my grandfather, Divine Water God. He has bad knees and so cannot kneel. He means no disrespect."
Perth waves his hand, the other still holding Saint's hand. "Very well. But he will do well to remember his place." He looks at the elder whose head is bowed down. "Do not interrupt Saint again."
From behind him, Aisha floats closer, still invisible to anyone but Perth. "Ooh how protective."
Perth rolls his eyes at Aisha and then gets up on his feet, pulling Saint up to stand. He frowns when he sees the human wincing. "What's wrong with you?"
The Oracle, the gold orb that was on Saint's lap earlier, springs up to life and hovers at Saint's feet.
"I think I injured my foot..." Saint says.
Perth glances at Aisha.
Aisha shakes her head. "Don't look at me, you can heal that yourself, you lazy God."
Perth sighs. He is quite tired of being in the presence of humans for so long and wishes to disappear and not deal with all of this.
"I can still walk." Saint proceeds to do so and promptly veers to the right, almost falling.
Perth catches him in his arms. "Clearly not." He carries Saint as if the human is as light as a feather.
From her spot, Aisha grins but quickly smothers her smile before Perth could see.
"Please put me down," Saint protests. "I can walk, truly. I don't want to bother you, Divine Water God."
"You are not bothering me." Perth ponders where to take Saint to heal his foot. "I can't take you to my realm yet. Is there any place more private than here? I am tired of this crowd."
From the women at one side that are all kneeling down, Tasanee raises her head. "Divine One, my home is not far from here. It is quite comfortable there and quiet. My family would be honored if you'll use our house."
From the crowd, her parents murmur their agreements, pleased that their daughter is talking to the God.
Saint looks at his friend, concerned. "Tasanee, your clothes are getting dirty."
"You know her?" Perth asks.
Saint nods. "She's my friend."
"Friend huh?" Perth says.
"Friends, those that you don't have." Aisha laughs when Perth glares at her. "Fine, I'll get lost. I'm quite sure you'll keep your word anyway. See you soon, child." She smiles at Saint even though he can't see her and then disappears even from Perth's sight.
"Lead the way then, human," Perth says to the girl.
Tasanee silently stands up and walks down the stairs. Her parents accompany her and they all head to where a line of rickshaws are waiting. The attendant quickly helps Tasanee settle into one and then her parents on another, glancing nervously at the ethereal being behind them who is carrying a full-grown man. Perth looks more human now just walking on the ground and without the water tendrils around him but his presence still cannot be ignored. Besides, the Oracle is still circling the two of them, it's golden hue fascinating.
"Will you take a rickshaw, Divine One?" Tasanee asks.
Perth shakes his head. "Just show me the way."
"I can walk," Saint insists again. "Or I can take a rickshaw."
He really can't. He has no money for it. But perhaps Tasanee will let him borrow if he asks. He can pay her back by doing chores for her family.
"Go ahead, we'll follow," Perth says to Tasanee.
Once the rickshaws move, Perth turns to Saint and instead of carrying him lying down, he shifts the human so that he is holding him by the waist, clutching him close. Saint instinctively holds onto Perth's shoulder, his face turning red in embarassment. Even as a child, no one has carried him this way. Despite literally holding him captive in this position, Perth's hold is gentle, light. Saint marvels at the contrast.
All throughout the short travel to Tasanee's house, Perth carries Saint like that. Halfway there, made braver by the darkness, Saint decides to talk to the God.
"Did you mean it?"
The Water God hums in question. "Did I mean what?"
"Me being the chosen one. Why me?"
Perth scoffs. "That's a question for that pesky orb following you around."
The orb in question slams against Perth's back in retaliation and then settles on Saint's hand.
"This golden orb?" Saint lets the orb bounce on his hand as it wishes.
"I call it the Oracle and it's supposed to amplify it's owner's power - previously me, now you as well. It's not easily won over but it likes you. That's impressive and it means you're the chosen one." Perth omits the part where he stupidly asked the Oracle to choose his bride thinking it won't choose anyone.
Before they know it, they arrive at Tasanee's house already. Tasanee and her parents are already waiting by the door. Today's event might be surprising but the young girl's parents for sure will not let go of the chance to please the Water God.
Tasanee herself is quiet and expressionless as she guides them to a spare room. Saint has never seen his friend quite like this.
Perth, on the other hand, is observing his surrounding. They pass by barrels, most of them containing some water, but the ground must not have received much of those water because it is dry and parched. He takes note of that fact but doesn't pay too much attention on it otherwise.
At the room Tasanee shows them to, Perth gently puts Saint down on the bed.
"If you need anything else, Divine One, you can just call for us," Tasanee says before quickly retreating out of the room.
Saint hopes he can talk to her later. However, his attention is brought back to the present when a cold but soothing sensation envelops his injured foot which he finds out to be water that came out of nowhere. When it drips down and seeps through the wooden floor, Saint is almost sad. Growing up with limited water means he values it so much and does not want to see it go to waste.
He is so deep in that thought that he doesn't immediately notice that his foot is healed. It catches him by his surprise when he turns his foot and there is no pain. He looks at Perth, surprised.
"Now you don't have to limp around," the Water God says.
"Thank you," Saint smiles, sincerely grateful.
Perth stares at Saint's smile. 'This human really is so beautiful.'
Saint yawns, his smile turning apologetic after. It's been a long day and the night is deepening.
"Go to sleep, Saint."
Saint lies down and before long, he loses the battle against sleep.
"How incredibly trusting," Perth whispers. He wonders if Saint is just naturally like this.
At the corner of his eye, the Water God sees the Oracle flying towards the bed but before it can lie down next to the human, Perth blocks it with his hand.
"You'll disturb his slumber. Come on, you're going with me. We have to talk to that human girl."
The man on the bed sleeps on, oblivious, as the God and the golden orb leaves the room.
When Saint wakes up, he thinks he just had the most bizarre dream ever.
He is taken aback when he sees that he is in an unfamiliar room but refuses to believe still that the events of yesterday are real. There is no way that he, the cursed child, is chosen as the Water God's bride. That's ridiculous.
"Good morning." The door opens and in comes Tasanee. She might be greeting him but there is no smile on her face.
"Tass! Where am I?"
"My house," Tasanee says.
Saint jumps off the bed and hurriedly smoothens the sheets. "Oh no, why am I sleeping in this bed. Don't worry, I'll wash these. It just might take a while because I have little ration of water left..." He thinks about the water back in his Aunt and Uncle's house. He spent his own ration on cleaning himself up for the festival.
Tasanee shakes her head. "You don't have to worry about water. The Divine One made sure our barrels are full of water and he promised he'll give us more once he comes back to take you away."
Saint lets go of the sheets. "The Divine One?"
"Yes, the Water God. He left his gold orb." She points to the side of the bed where indeed the Oracle is peeking out.
Saint gently picks up the orb. "So you're real. The Oracle. I wasn't dreaming," he whispers, in awe.
"I wonder how I should address you now. 'O holy one'?"
Tasanee's sarcastic voice makes Saint turn to her. She is clutching her skirt, her hands trembling.
"Tass, what are you saying? Why would you call me like that?"
When Tasanee looks at him, there are tears in her eyes. "Because you're going to be the Water God's bride. I thought it was going to be me, you know, the one from legend. I always thought all those rituals with those fake maidens are just because it's not yet my turn." She wipes away her tears and glares at him. "But it's you. Why Saint? Haven't I been kind to you? When everyone in this town hated you, I helped you. But they were right. You bring bad luck and now you're taking away my dream."
"Tass, please don't cry." At a loss on what to do, Saint's eyes land on the Oracle. He remembers what the Water God told him - that the orb was the one who chose him.
Saint feels guilty because to be honest, he had been happy to be chosen. No one ever chooses the orphan cursed child for anything good. And the Water God had been so gentle, so kind to him. That's why he did not protest when the God called him his 'chosen one'. But of course he doesn't deserve it. Tasanee is far more deserving to be the Water God's bride.
Saint holds out the Oracle in front of Tasanee. "Here, he'll choose you if you have this."
Affronted, the orb breaks free from Saint's hand and nestles close on his chest, right where it can feel his heart beating rapidly.
"Come on, please. You made a mistake. It should be Tasanee," Saint pleads with the Oracle.
"It's no use, Saint. Everything already happened." Tasanee sniffs and then starts to head to the door. "Let's go, I'll take you to your breakfast. Your soon to be husband will be angry if we don't serve you well."
"Tass..."
She does not turn to look at him. "It's Tasanee. 'Tass' is just for my friends, O Holy One."
Saint feels like he'd been slapped. As he follows Tasanee, he thinks about her words. She had said that the Water God will come take him away, which means he has a chance to talk to him again.
'That's right, it's not yet over. I can still make this right.'
And Saint is determined to do so.