The Lily's Splendor

Chapter 17

It felt like flying. That’s what it feels like when Henry kisses me. It feels like I’m floating into this glorious fog where nothing exists or matters except me and Henry and this moment.

“Does that mean that you forgive me for not bringing your knife?” I asked once he pulled away. He chuckles, a sound low and soft as he plants one more lingering kiss on my lips before continuing our walk.

“It means that there is nothing you can do to drive me away. Or forgive.” he said with a promise. I stopped in my tracks as I remembered my conversation with my grandmother.

“What is it?” his eye-brows together in concern.

“You say you know pretty much everything about a Water Lily. Do you? Do you know our power?”

“Yes.” he took his time in replying, no doubt wondering where this was coming from.

“Then you know what I can do to a man with just one kiss.” My voice faltered but I held steady.

“Yes.” Henry still gave a lost look, not understanding where I was going.

“So why did you kiss me?”

“Why did I kiss you?” he asked incredulously.

“I mean, weren’t you afraid that I would use my power over you?” I clarified. Understanding dawned on his face and he took a step closer to me. “No. I wasn’t afraid. I trust you with all of my heart,” he confessed as he took my hand in his and brought it up to his lips.

“You amaze me, Henry.” I said in awe. I stepped into his arms for an embrace that I wished would never have to end.

“Not as much as you amaze me.” he murmured. Pulling away, we continued our walk, hand-in-hand until we came to open sands with an erected lighthouse to the far right.

“It’s beautiful.” I breathed as I took in the scenery. Not too far away, I sensed a fresh water lake. It must be the magic in me.

“Is there a lake nearby?”

“Yup, right in through that clearing. My cottage isn’t too far either.”

“Must be beautiful to wake up to this.”I said as I looked around, taking in the trees that were covered with pink blossoms, the purple hydrangeas that bordered the paths, and the distant sound of the sea-gulls' cries, alerting us to the close proximity of the ocean.

“No.” his tone had me turn to look at him. I found him watching me with tender, mesmerized eyes that spoke of something else.

“I wouldn’t care if I woke up in a smoggy, dirty city as long as I saw you.” I felt myself blush as I looked away from his intense eyes.

“So, can we go inside?” I asked as I looked at the lighthouse.

“Of course. It’s been abandoned for years. And it’s also my favorite thinking spot, I mean besides the cave. Come on.” He took my hand and led me to the entrance. Something warm inside me spread at the thought of Henry showing me his intimate and secret place.

“Careful.” he cautioned as we walked through the doorway where the door was barely hanging from its hinges. We took the narrow, spiraling stair-case up until we reached the top.

“Wow.” I heard myself whisper as I took in the vast ocean and the horizon from the wide, floor-to-ceiling, glassless, window.

“I hope you didn’t eat breakfast,” Henry said as he retrieved a basket from the corner. My stomach gurgled loudly in response and Henry smiled.“Packed this earlier for us.” he spread a pale blue blanket out in front of the window. He then went on setting the food out; croissants, a hunk of cheese, an assortment of fruit, and a tall glass bottle of orange juice.

“I hope I did okay? Unless you prefer other foods, I can run to the cottage and get something else.” His eyes followed me as I sat down next to him before giving him a smile.

“It’s perfect Henry.” His shoulders relaxed as he poured orange juice into two glasses before handing one to me.

“So what would you like to know about yourself?” he asked as soon as we both had a plate of food. I chewed thoughtfully. “Actually, I’d rather hear about you.” I said, watching him pause in carving cheese.

“What would you like to know?” he asked cautiously.

“Anything; your childhood, what it’s like growing up in the ocean, your parents. Since mermaids are supposed to be a myth, all I know about them is from what I saw in The Little Mermaid.” Henry snorted, trying hard not to laugh at me.I helplessly shrugged.

“Mermaids have been around for a long time. We don’t let ourselves be known because then humans would hunt us and study us like animals. So we stay hidden.”

“You’re not doing a good job of it. I’ve seen reports and pictures in the newspaper of Mermaid sightings.” I pointed out. Henry grimaced. “Yeah well, a lot of us find humans fascinating and like to taunt them. Not all of us are smart. But one of our major secrets is that we can transform into humans and blend in.” I nodded, my eyes telling him that I wouldn’t tell a soul.

“So what’s it like growing up as a prince?”

“I guess you can say I had a royally happy childhood until . . .” his eyes darkened with anger and sadness.

“Until what?” I placed my hand over his; he grasped it tightly.

“When I was fourteen, we were attacked by the Adaros. A lot of lives were lost, including my mother’s.”

“Henry, I’m so sorry. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” My heart went out to him. His hand squeezed mine reassuringly as his eyes gently smiled. “No, I want to.”

“My mother,” Henry began after taking a deep breath, “she wasn’t killed in the fight. She was taken; no doubt to be a plaything for their king.” Henry spat furiously. “So I know how you feel Kyra; wondering ceaselessly if your mother is alive. I feel sorry for my sister who hardly got to know our mother. This happened on her thirteenth birthday,” he added quietly.

Oh, Lillian, I thought, I’m so sorry.

“You know our mother named her after you. Well, not you, you. She named her after the Water Lily. Mermaids hold the Water Lily in very high regard. You guys are practically royalty.”

“Wow. Why?” I wondered.

“Because, it takes a lot to earn high favor from the fair-folk. And when someone does— which rarely happens— they must be incredibly gifted and powerful. I am born with a high status Kyra. That is something that no-one could have changed. To be given what you have . . . Faeries aren’t always giving you know. For them to ever do that, they obviously see something that none of us can; something very precious.”

“Tell me about the Faeries. They aren’t like Tinker-bell I assume?” Henry chuckled and shook his head. “God no! Faeries are very hard to describe. They are all different but ethereal beings. The one thing they have in common though is marbled white skin glittered with gold specks.” His last words had my eyes widen.

“I think I have met a Faerie.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, a long time ago, when I was little.” My lips formed into a smile at the memory. “She befriended me when no one else did. And no one else could see her. I thought I had just conjured up an imaginary friend with butterfly wings.” I shook my head in awe.

“Did she give you her name?” Henry asked curiously. I nodded. “Her name was Aimee.” I pronounced her name exactly as she had.“You know, I never saw her when I went into middle school. I figured that since she was of my imagination and I was no longer a child, that I didn’t need her anymore.” I frowned.

“What is it?” Henry asked.

“I wish I could see her again so I can thank her.” Henry gave my hand a comforting squeeze. “Who knows, maybe someday you will.”

“I’m still amazed though. Faeries actually exist! Are the fables and stories true about them?” Henry made a face and I laughed. “Well then tell me how they are?”

“First, you should know that most Faeries reside in their realm called Avalon. Yup, human storybooks got that right. Humans can’t enter though.”

“Why?”

“The entrance is underwater; the same water where Calista, the first Water Lily, was thrown in. Humans would drown if they ever tried. Even if they were equipped with an oxygen tank, it would still take them forever to locate the gate and they would eventually run out of air.”

“Where is the entrance exactly? Does anyone know?”

“Of course mermaids know.” Henry paused, getting a contemplative look.“It’s here,” he finally said after deciding that he could trust me with the location.

“Here?” I heard my voice squeak. “Where exactly is here?”

“That freshwater lake near my cottage. It runs deep and the entrance is very hard to find. Only mermaids know how to get in.”

“So you know how to get in?”

“Yes.” Henry nodded. But then his eyes changed as he said, “You aren’t thinking of going, are you? If you want to find Aimee, I can ask my father.”

“No, Henry. It’s okay, take a deep breath. I’m not going anywhere.” I patted his hand as he released a sigh of relief. “What’s wrong with going there anyways?” I studied him, wondering why he had overreacted like he did.

“Not all Faeries are good, Kyra. Some are responsible for the Adaros and their existence. And like the Adaros, they wouldn’t wish you well. Promise me that you won’t ever try to go on your own,” Henry pleaded.

“I promise Henry.” I squeezed his hand back in reassurance. “Tell me how the good ones are then.” For the next hour, Henry launched into tales of the Faeries, their Four Courts of the Seasons, how they lived, and the High rulers of Avalon, which were four Faeries, each one from a Court.

“I think you’ve had enough for today,” Henry stated after two hours had passed.“Let’s go for a swim. Amiel has been asking for you.” he grinned as he got up and offered his hand to help me up.

“Okay.” At first I was dismayed for I wanted to learn more about these Faeries that were responsible for me and my ancestors, but my skin began to tingle with anticipation at the thought of being under water. We walked back down the stairs and to the shoreline where we took our shoes off. I turned away when Henry began to whip off his shirt and shed his khakis to reveal swimming trunks.

Hurriedly, I slipped off my shorts, noticing from the corner of my eye that Henry had courteously turned around, busying himself with something else. He placed his discarded t-shirt and shorts to the side along with his sandals. I gathered my stuff and placed them alongside his before joining him in the ankle-deep water.

We smoothly made our way in until we were hip-deep. The water didn’t resist our force but welcomed it; embraced it.

“Why don’t you have a tail?” I looked down at his bare legs.

“Just because we are in water doesn’t mean that we will automatically change into mermaids. I’m sure you noticed that we don’t use our tails in swim class.” he c****d his eyebrow and I smirked and nodded.

“We can will them to appear. But we can’t stay in human form for too long without changing. It becomes a need, and only then will our legs be traded in for a tail without our consent. For today, I’ve decided to keep my legs.” he smiled crookedly before diving into an oncoming wave. I quickly followed suit. I didn’t have to fight to stay under and not be pulled back up to the surface. It just happened naturally.

I followed Henry further into the ocean, feeling my chest swell with wonder at how much life thrived under the surface. Henry took my hand and brought me to swim alongside of him. He turned to me and said, “You look like you’re seeing the ocean for the first time.”

“How can you get used to it?”

“You don’t,” he said softly. We took our time in swimming, letting ourselves bask in the sun's rays that broke through the surface. I frowned when I saw a piece of an old tin can, half buried in the sand.

“That’s also why not many of us converse with humans, when they trash our home.” Henry said when he caught me staring at the other pollutants surrounding the can. I released his hand when I caught sight of a bright silver fish pecking at the plastic rings that come when you buy soda cans. It instantly got stuck in between one of the rings and furiously began to struggle.

Let me help, I said soothingly to it through my mind. It stopped struggling and waited as my fingers pried and stretched the plastic until it broke.

Thank you, it said rather timidly before swimming away. I made sure I broke all the rings before swimming back to Henry.

“You’re bleeding.” he said as he took one of my hands in his. I noticed a small cut on the inside of my index finger with a clear substance oozing out.

“That’s my blood?”

“You didn’t expect it to be red, did you?” Henry asked as he put pressure on it. I shrugged. I hadn’t expected to bleed like a plant does but I guess I did.

“How did you know that I was bleeding? Even I didn’t notice the cut.”

“The water carried the scent.”

“What’s it smell like?” I asked, intrigued. Henry released my finger and brought it up to my face. I took a sniff and was instantly hit with a light perfume of some sort of tropical flower. “Is that how a water lily smells? Like the actual flower, because I have never even seen a water lily.” Henry nodded. He rechecked my finger.

“It’s fine Henry. It was just a small cut.”

“Kyra, it is dangerous for you. Your blood attracts Adaros; even the smallest drop can be sensed a mile away,” Henry said critically. I gulped, swallowing down the sudden fear and nausea that came at the mention of their name. Henry pulled me into his arms, saying fiercely “I won’t let them hurt you Kyra, I promise.” I buried my head into his chest, right over his heart. My eyes grew wide when I noticed a faint shadow swimming towards us. It closely resembled a shark. I gasped when it revealed to be a great white shark. Henry turned his head to see and smiled. “It’s okay Kyra. They are harmless to us. They are truly pretty friendly.” Henry actually gave the shark a chin-up as it swam past us. His ‘hello’ echoed through my mind as he stopped and bowed his head to us before continuing on his way.

“Uh, Kyra? It’s okay.” Henry chuckled into my hair as he pried my tight fingers away from his forearm. I slowly raised my head to look up at him and he startled me by bursting out laughing. “I’m sorry.” he apologized through his hand as he tried to get control over himself. “You look like a fish who stuck its fin into a light socket.” He laughed but then coughed and cleared his throat when I just stared at him with pursed lips.

“I’m sorry Kyra. Forgive me. I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings.” Henry’s expression turned sober as his hands cupped my face and studied my eyes. I decided to play along and torment him. After all, he did just call me a fish. I turned my face away from his hands as I folded my arms across my middle.

“Kyra, I’m sorry. Please, tell me what I can do to earn your forgiveness.” Henry pleaded. I turned away from him and felt his hands go to my shoulders. “Kyra?” he tried.

“There is one thing you can do.” I said, careful to mask my voice with a hint of sadness and sniffles.

“Anything,” Henry promised. I slowly turned so I was in his arms and slyly looked up at him. “You can kiss me. That is if you don’t mind kissing an electrocuted fish.” I batted my eyelashes and saw that Henry finally understood. He smiled coyly as he gathered my face into his hands before planting a lingering kiss on my lips. When we pulled apart, I giggled.

“Guess I had it coming. Now I know never to call a Water Lily a fish.” Henry said seriously, though his visible dimples deceived him. I gave him a quick kiss before we continued on our way and spent the rest of the day holding onto the fins of dolphins as they leaped in and out of the sea for us.