Chapter 9.
The Aquatics.
They had been walking most of the morning,
And Felicity was flagging.
Fortunately,
At that moment,
Reuben called a halt.
We stop here for an hour or so.
I must talk with the aquatics,
He said.
Felicity,
He called out,
Not seeing her at first.
Follow me,
He commanded.
Felicity looked around.
There were no wide,
Open spaces or exotic landscapes,
Just thick thorny hedges,
Mulchy paths and plenty of rain.
How on earth was this squabby place supposed to energise her?
Reuben stopped and held her hand.
He breathed deeply,
With his eyes closed.
Then slowly,
With his warm hand holding hers,
She felt a balmy,
Soothing energy fill her up.
From her tingling toes up through her calves,
Across her lower back,
Around her tummy.
It just rolled on and on.
She found herself breathing a deep,
Deep breath as the lovely feeling travelled up through her chest,
Over her shoulders,
And then down her arms to her fingertips.
Reuben opened his eyes and looked at her.
Their hazel brown depths flickered and shone.
Good,
He said,
Smiling.
Yes,
She replied,
Smiling back at him so that he noticed the little dimple in her left cheek.
She blushed as his gaze stayed on her face.
Come on,
He said suddenly,
Breaking the spell.
They walked through dark,
Green paths until Felicity was utterly disorientated.
Was there no open space in this stuffy land?
Then finally they ended a clearing.
The thick hedges had ended abruptly,
And they stood in a small meadow,
With a brook softly babbling at the far side.
The rain had stopped,
And a pale sun was shining onto the wet grass.
Reuben let go of her hand and squatted down,
Peering into the stream.
He swished the water as if trying to see something move clearly.
Then he lay right down and turned his ear towards the water.
What are you doing?
Felicity said,
Trying not to giggle.
Shhh,
He replied.
Felicity was silent.
The water gurgled and spat a little.
Reuben lay very quietly.
Felicity flopped down,
Her eyes closed,
And her face turned to the water.
Suddenly,
Felicity flopped down on the soggy grass,
Trying to put the corner of the cape under her bottom.
In the quiet of the moment,
Her ears picked up a strange sound.
A new noise.
It was like a soft wind travelling down a tunnel.
What's that noise?
Her voice was loud in this peaceful place.
Shhh,
Said Reuben,
Frowning with concentration.
He sat up but continued to stare intently into the bubbling flow.
As Felicity accustomed herself to the strange noise,
She realised it had pattern and rhythm.
It was a chorus of sibilant whispers,
Rising and falling like an orchestra of wind.
And as she tuned her ear to its sounds,
She heard its music.
The aquatics were singing.
Singing to Reuben.
Their rubbery tendrils gently rising and falling in time with the crescendo and diminuendo of sound.
Wait.
Wait,
Said Reuben.
Please wait.
I have questions.
And he swirled the water around with his hand.
But the tendrils had stopped rising and falling,
And they slowly retracted down deep back into the watercourse.
Reuben dropped his head.
Felicity sat still.
She chewed her bottom lip.
It felt cold.
She looked up.
Big grey clouds scudded above them.
Her damp hair whipped her cheek.
She shivered.
Reuben continued to sit absolutely still.
Felicity struggled to her feet,
Stiff with immobility.
She walked down the small slope towards Reuben.
But hesitated as she came close.
He looks so sad,
She thought.
Sit by me,
Felicity.
Sit and be.
Reuben spoke softly.
Felicity knelt down and laid her hand tenderly on his arm.
She couldn't help it.
She knew she was beginning to care very much about this kind,
Brave,
Young Orion.
But she couldn't help it.
Reuben's shoulders lifted as he took a huge breath and then slowly,
Slowly let it out.
Felicity could smell his warm,
Musky scent.
They were so close she could see the beads of damp moisture clinging to a lock of hair that flicked his temple to the breeze.
She closed her eyes.
Then he spoke.
She was not sure whether this voice was in her head or in her ears.
Felicity,
Dear Felicity,
I have so much to tell you about me and my world.
This quest demands much from me,
But you must know,
Young Felicity,
How my heart is eased to have you come and share my path.
Once we leave the temperate north,
Which we must very soon,
I will tell you of my people I long to share with you.
My time is close.
My enharmonic calls me to soul bond and let us both reach our maturity.
You will know more of me,
Felicity,
Once she triggers my maturity.
I promise you,
Dear Felicity,
He was whispering now,
I will find a way.
And Felicity felt his warm breath on her face.
She couldn't breathe.
What does he mean?
But nothing mattered.
Her mind was simply full of his voice,
Of his smell,
Of his almond-shaped eyes.
He smiled and then gently backed away.
He knows,
She thought,
How I feel.
A flock of birds broke the silence as they flapped up from a bush,
Disturbed by someone.
Reuben grabbed her hand and they ran to the nearest hedge.
Reuben,
Felicity,
Growled Pippi's familiar voice as she burst into the clearing.
The day passes.
She leapt to stand between them.
Kneeling down,
She offered Felicity her back.
A ride,
Said Felicity.
Yes,
Pippi is right.
We've delayed too long,
Said Reuben.
Felicity climbed up carefully using Pippi's bent front leg to help her mount.
Wow,
She said,
And then grabbed the coarse fur as Pippi bounded away.
