The Legends of Famora: Dangerous Waters

            Dennis knew his Aunt Sarrah meant well by keeping them hidden from the world. He knew that Dryadaliz had been hunted since he was a baby. She had found an abandoned farm many years ago in the forest and takes care of anyone who dares enter the wooded arena surrounding their home. The local villagers had not ventured through since Dennis was a wee one. The only one who braved the other side of the bridge was Junee. She brought them gifts and local news every few weeks.             The last visit she spoke highly of the annual festival in the village, where they celebrate the creator and life. According to Junee, the villagers were in need of something to celebrate,n to take their attention off of the land decaying more every year. Rumors were that their village had some of the most fruitful crops of any surrounding them. Junee suggested that Aunt Sarrah and Dennis come to the festival since they had not heard anything about the hunt in many years.             “You can not keep him locked away forever.” Dennis had overheard Junee telling Sarrah. “He will come to resent you, plus everyone needs to feel like they are apart of something. You both need to get out, and I could tell the villagers that you’re my cousins visiting for the festival.”             “I know you are right. I cannot keep him locked away forever, but I can try.” Sarrah had laughed. “I will consult the moons of Theos tonight about the festival, but not a word to Dennis that I am considering. I do not want to get his hopes up, if the moons are not in favor.” Junee had clapped for joy, she seemed to want to get them out the farm as much as Dennis wanted to explore and meet others.             He headed to the river to do some fishing. That is where the boundary line went. He usually stayed up river from the bridge so the temptation to cross over and run away fast and hard did not over come him. he had tried two years ago but his aunt showed up magically the same instant his foot hit the bridge. She carted him by the ear for a about a mile. Fear and determination heavily on her aura.             “You try that again, and I will skin you myself! And believe it! that would be a blessing compared to the tortures of the Barron!” She had scolded him. Dennis had not truly realized how terrified Sarrah was of the outer world, until that day.             However, he had been anticipating the festival and his feet led him to the rivers bridge. Aunt Sarrah had yet to tell him whether they would be going, but he had high hopes. As he nears the river Dennis sees a petite young woman washing linens on the other side of the river. He stays at the tree line to observe the woman. She kept sweeping the black stands of hair that persisted to cover her dirty face. He saw that her face was distorted from scars and when she rolled up her sleeves, he could tell the trauma had not ended at her face. Her white aura glowed brightly, so much that he felt drawn to the woman, or maybe he was just drawn to her because she was another person and Dennis longed to know other people. She was hunched over a wash board scrubbing hard, and Dennis would swear he seen the trees and shrubs leaning toward her, as if the forest felt the same pull he did.             A large splash jolted his attention away. There was something very big in the river. Despite the young woman’s presence, Dennis consciously chose to leap at the chance to catch such a large fish in the water and be discovered by the person across the river. The girl jumped back startled from Dennis’s sudden appearance and began to eye him suspiciously.             “Did you see that!” Dennis hollered. “Whatever it was, is huge!” He shouted excitedly and threw his line into the river. The water tugged at the thin string, trying to carry it down stream, but an experienced fisherman knows when the river tugs versus a fish bite. The girl continued to eye him curiously. Dennis thought she gawk at him, as if he were a deer talking as people do, but he could have just misread the body language. He certainly was not an expert of people. The girl began to gather her clothes to leave despite the basket full of untouched linens.             “Oh please do not leave on my account, the rivers plenty big for the both of us.” Dennis hollered across the river. Then his line pulled hard. He snatched his prey, but based on the resistance, he doubted he had caught the prize fish. He pulled the string by arm lengths at a time until a green scaled, slimy trout came into sight. The fish had sores across the body, and Dennis gagged.             The girl had stood by watching the whole scene, then burst into tears.             “It’s all my fault.” She sobbed. Then took off down the path, holding the basket awkwardly with black hair dancing to each step to cover her face again. Dennis stood dumbfounded. He did not understand why she thought the fish was her fault or why she was so timid. He wondered if he looked scary to other people, but Junee had always told him that he was a fine-looking young man and all the girls in town would be falling at his feet if they laid eyes on him.             On the way home he analyzed every part of his exciting trip. First ending up at the river, then seeing the earthy girl doing her chores, and how she reacted to him and the fish, and then he thought hard about the sick fish. If the fish were sick, that would mean their food source was becoming scarce. They got by, but that was about it. Aunt Sarrah liked to talk about a time when animals roamed the lands in herds, deer that would eat from ones hand, flowers that blossomed during different seasons, trees stood tall overflowing with brilliant green leaves, and the land would have vibrant green grass for miles and miles, as far as the eye could see. Aunt Sarrah chalked up the degeneration to Barron. ‘Before his attack everything flourished.’ Dennis smiled just thinking about the beautiful world that had once been. The little food the villagers were able to make were taxed heavily, and more than half usually went to the Barron’s castle.              Dennis slapped the fish on the table in front of Aunt Sarrah once he got home. She sat at the table fiddling with a stick. Dennis had asked her one day if it were normal for women to wear trousers, after finishing up a book. He had begun to notice that all the women in the stories wore dresses like Junee, but aunt Sarrah wore trousers, a shirt, and leather boots that reached halfway up her calves. ‘I’ve no man to impress, or social standards to hold up to, not way out here’. She had told him.             “EEK!” She shrieked. “What is that?” She asked Dennis disgusted. A chuckle escaped Dennis despite the seriousness of the situation. His Aunt rarely reacted so he enjoyed seeing her frazzled for a moment.             “That would be our dinner.” Dennis said matter-of-factly then sent her a sarcastic smile.             “No but seriously, this was what I caught in the river right after hearing the biggest splash of the universe.” Dennis informed his aunt. “I was hoping to catch a big ole fish, but this came up.” Dennis added gesturing toward the slimy scales. He had no intentions of letting his aunt know of the girl with the scarred face. If he did, she would forbid him going back to the bridge. Dennis wanted to see the girl again, and she ought to be back soon with the unwashed load.             He definitely wanted to know more about other people after the girl’s strong reactions to him, and the pull he felt to be closer to the woman.             “This is not good.” Aunt Sarrah looked down thoughtful. “No this is not good at all.”             “What does this mean?” Dennis asked his aunt.             “I received a sign from the moons many years ago. ‘Great troubles follow the poisoned sea’.” She told him.             “What does that mean?” Dennis asked again. He hated when his aunt talked in the mysterious tone, leaving so much unsaid.             “That means we stay close to the house. I do not want you even going to the river. I need to consult the moons again and see if Junee has any news of the happenings outside.” She replied. Outside meant anywhere outside their farm and even outside the village.             “What about the festival?” Dennis bellowed. Aunt Sarrah’s eyes furrowed, then she looked him straight in the eyes, which meant she wanted Dennis to explain himself. He looked down shamefully. “I overheard you and Junee talking last time she was here. I know you were going to ask the moons, but you never said anything.”             “Oh Dennis, I know staying locked in this bubble is not easy. But if we went to the festival there are far more repercussions. Not just Barron. I am afraid that if we go out, we will be more miserable by knowing what we are missing out on, and I just can not lose you too. I have lost so much because of Barron. If he were to catch you with just one slip up…” Aunt Sarrah seemed to get lost in thought as she relayed her fears to him.             “I can’t stay locked away my whole life, Aunt Sarrah. I have this stirring in me, an itch to go out and be apart of something. I want a wife and kids to take care of one day.” Dennis knew he was using Junee’s words, but they were the best way to describe how he felt. He thought of the young woman at the river. Could she be his wife one day? He had felt that strong pull, maybe that is what it felt like to like a girl. Dennis wondered.             “A wife?” Aunt Sarrah’s red hair bounced about, as she shook her head. “Our people were slaughtered. Even if there were another Dryadaliz woman out there, she would be hiding as we are. I thought you understood that.” Sarrah stated.             “Why does it have to be a Dryadaliz woman? I can be with one of the villagers.” Dennis countered and Aunt Sarrah gasped.             “That is unheard of! Absolutely not! The woman would wither away before you hit your prime. I have seen many cry out in pain as they lost a mundane spouse to illness or old-age. I have seen others cross into the Odiare Spiritum trying to save their loved one. Plus, with the poor state of the land, people would not think twice to turn you over for just a few coins. Then you of all people…” Aunt Sarrah paused. “Absolutely not.”             “Aunt Sarrah, what do you mean by me of all people?” Dennis felt a fire in the pit of his stomach. She acted as if he planned to go knock on the Barron’s door or something, but all he wanted was to live out his dreams of having friends and a partner to share his thoughts with, and to see children run around his home. He was beginning to resent Aunt Sarrah, just as Junee had said. She always seemed to leave things half said, and he was more than willing to take a little risk to meet people, while she was not. He felt like life would be boring and meaningless if they continued the way they had been.             “All I meant is you are a young and healthy young lad, with many years ahead of you. Theos will make a way if it is meant to be.” She replied, but Dennis felt like she was once again, not telling him the whole truth.  He went to bed that night knowing one thing, he was going to the river tomorrow in case the girl returned and began to develop a plan to get him away from the farm tomorrow.