StarFall (Completed)

Ch. 20 (part 2)

I gasped for air. "I can't make it. It's too far down." I emerged from the water, drenched from head to toe.

"Anyone else want to give it a go?" Miller looked around at the averting eyes of the others.

I sighed. "Gee, thanks guys." 

I sat down on the grass, letting the sun warm my soaked, skin-stuck clothing before attempting another dive down below.

"It's not like we'd be any help even if we did go under for you." Madison sat down next to me. "We can't read the stones."

True. But, a girl can dream of not having to get way-wet when she's only sporting one set of clothes.

"Perhaps I could be of some assistance," Ghee said from behind us.

I turned. "Really?"

He nodded, and bent down. "If there is any way I could help, I am more than happy to oblige."

I thanked him, and watched as he took off his light-brown shoulder covering. Cape-like, and flowing freely, it hung past his shoulders, and stopped half a foot before touching the ground. 

"Miss Adeline, I was wondering." Ghee stopped at the edge of the water, and turned back to face me. "Why is it you can read our language, but your friends cannot?"

I paused briefly. "I'm the only one who had any interest in learning it. Well, Miller knows how to read some as well." I chuckled lightly.

He half-smiled, and nodded. "I see." He turned away from me. "Well, off I go." With that he jumped over the edge, and into the water. 

"Adeline, what's with that?" Miller looked at me.

I shrugged. "What's with what?"

He motioned to the water. "Why are you giving him answers like that?"

"I don't know. I just feel like we shouldn't tell him every little detail of why we're here."

"Smart. It's like with online-dating. Never tell them anything they could use to mess with your real life." Madison chimed in.

"He seems like a perfectly good...uh, fairy person?" 

I shrugged.

"You don't know that." Madison's pitch rose. "He could be a cannibal, or something. For all we know he wants to eat her." She nodded.

My mouth dropped open. "Why only me?"

She shrugged. "You seem edible."

I scoffed. "Is that the thanks I get for saving your life?" 

"What's wrong with being edible? It's a compliment."

Bobby began to speak, but we cut him off. "Edible, huh--"

"Nope. I know where you're going with that. Don't."

Ghee sprung up from the water, and gasped for air. He climbed out of the water, and shook off. 

"Did you get it?" I exclaimed impatiently.

He caught his breath. "I think I may have." 

We gave him some room to dry off.

"Miller?"

"I'm ready to write it down." He nodded.

"I believe it was something like...A heart of love, both vast, and deep."

Miller scribbled it down in a book. 

"Are you certain?" I asked.

He nodded. "I believe so." He hesitated. "Another question, I hope you won't mind."

I nodded.

"My people, the Foven, have handed down tales, and recountings of legends from ages long passed. As a young one, a particular favorite of mine was always about the Foven hero, Drawl'mere, and the cursed one, Mal'ool. He was a respected, and honorable warrior, protecting his people from the darkness that followed the cursed one. She was a troubled soul, cursed by the high-queen, the one with no name, and her royal family. It was to teach her a lesson, but she would not learn, she could not. In the end she succumbed to the darkness, and threatened the Foven people. Drawl'mere pierced her heart, and took her life. The light went on, darkness put to rest, at least that's how the legend goes."

I tried to follow along, but found myself becoming lost. 

"I'm sorry, Ghee, you said you had a question."

He smiled. "That's right." His smile faded, and he stared at me with a sharp, narrow gaze. "Would you happen to be a cursed one?"

I was speechless, but I had to say something, I was already looking suspicious in his eyes. 

"What?" I laughed. "Me? That's a good one." 

His stare persisted.

"Ghee, I swear to you, I'm not a cursed one, or whatever you call it." I stared back at him with the sincerest look I could find.

The tension mounted in the thick silence held between us.

He smiled. "Alright. It's only a legend after all." He laughed.

Crisis averted.

Madison groaned. "Can we please just get going now? The bugs are getting crazy out here." She swatted one away.

"Where to next?" I asked.

Miller checked the map. "Well, according to this, we have a long way to go to reach the next stone."

Ghee stood next to Miller. "Hmm. You could come to my hometown if you all would like." 

The four of us exchanged glances.

"How far out of the way is that?" I asked.

He pointed to someplace on the map. "Not far at all. About another days worth of travel. We're not too far now actually."

"Do you have food?" Bobby shouted out.

Ghee laughed. "Of course we have food, young man. And in honor of our guests we would have a grand feast."

"Sounds good to me."

"I don't care about that, do you have beds? You know, things you sleep on that aren't the ground." Madison begged.

"We have that as well, fair one."

She squealed. "I haven't had a good nights sleep in so long."

"I don't know." I looked to Miller.

"It might be worth the trip. We could all use a little rest and relaxation. I think we've earned that by now." 

I looked around at their eager faces, and sighed. "Fine. Ghee, please show us to your town."

He smiled. "Splendid. We'll be happy to have you."