HALIA'S POV
After several hours of paddling until my arms were sore, we finally reached the point where the river narrowed.
"We're here," Tönx said, directing the canoe towards the shore with his paddle.
I looked at the scenery. The high cliffs, the trees. They were so similar to where we had first landed when we left the human ship that brought us in this land. Only, the air was different. It had lost its saline essence. And now one could see the shore on the other side of the river.
It was a river. The sea had turned into a river, much narrower, and it had lost its saline essences.
I didn't expect to be relieved, but I was. I was afraid of seeing the mound, the place where the battle had taken place But we were far from the place where the blood had spilled; where I had killed, where Phi died. It was a relief.
We set foot ashore. The grains of sand and small rocks felt weird between my toes. I froze an instant. I had to get used to walking again, find my balance. I hadn't wandered about on my legs in so long. My body felt incredibly heavy out of the water.
I made a few uneasy steps and helped Tönx safely pull the canoe to shore. Far enough that the current wouldn't take it away.
"You smell like the sea," Tönx whispered as the wind brushed my hair against his face.
I pulled a tread of my now dried hair to my nose. "It's true," I said.
"It smells good," he assured me.
But my godmother would certainly beg to differ.
Aras, my godmother. I was nervous at the thought of seeing her again. Would she be angry with me? Angry that I left in such matter. Without even saying good-bye?
I was so hurt by Phi's death when I entered the sea last summer. That I just entered the waves and never looked back.
*
The village was circled by tall severed tree trunks, pointing at every directions. An inpenetrable fence. Inside, stood round constructions made out of barks. Some were longer than others. A large fire pit adorned the middle of the settlement for their nightly gatherings.
"Halia!" the Tisannieres exclaimed when they caught glimpse of me.
The three identical sisters, with green skin and wearing the exact same green dress ran towards the rest of the community screaming to whoever could hear. "It's Halia! She's back!"
Sitting by a tent, where she was tanning some skin, my godmother lifted her head up. I met her eyes. She immediately set her work aside and ran to hug me in her arms.
It was awkward to hug her. So tiny. Child-like despite the fact she was centuries older than I was.
"How dared you leave me like that!" she said. "I was so worried!"
"She's been drinking tea every night to try to get a feel of you," Tönx said by my side. "To see if you were still alive."
It only made me feel guiltier.
"I am sorry," I finally mumbled. My voice hoarse, my throat thight. "I had to go..."
"I know, child," Aras said. "I know."
She pat me on the back. All accusation had vanished from her voice.
I wondered what she really knew. She knew I was very close to Phi. But is it possible she knows of the true nature of my feelings for her? If she does, does she approve or condemn it?
A crowd of familiar faces gathered around us. They all seemed genuinely happy to see me.
I will not need to run back to the sea yet.
I continued to make my way through the village, bringing the crowd with me.
"Where have you been?" the matres asked.
"She was living among the Oceanides," Tönx said, as if this was something to be proud of.
"You found her?" Ryn said, impressed.
"I am a water spirit after all, aren't I?" he said.
"We missed you," Nixie and Fossegrim told me.
I replied with a shy smile. I never liked all this attention.
Finally, I set my eyes on the merrow woman. Her belly was flat as it used to. The last time I had seen her, she had said she was only going to give birth in a few years, but I guess with the stress of the war and living outside of the hidden land, she gave birth before her time.
Behind Mrs Merrow was a small child. Blond-haired just like her. There was no doubt in my mind. The child would grow to become an astonishing creature.
"This is Ianthe," Mrs Merrow said. "Ianthe, this is my friend Halia â she just came back from a long voyage."
Ianthe, who looked as if she was about seven summers old, although she was merely more than a year old, meaning she already drank a sip of the aging tea, extended her arms to show she wanted me to kneel to her height.
"Nice to meet you, Ianthe," I said, complying with her request.
She reached out for my hair and grabbed a strand to play with.
"You went to live with mermaids?" she asked.
"Yes," I said. "In the depth of the ocean, in their silver cave."
"Are you going to go back to live with them or will you stay with us now?"
I looked at her blankly. That child! She was asking what I feared most!
"I think I will stay here for a while," I replied.
As soon as I pronounced out those words, Ianthe hugged me. And for the first time in a long time, my heart melted. I felt that perhaps I indeed had a shot at being â of not happy â at least neutral among them. No one was angry with me for leaving them, which facilitated my reapparition.
No one harboured any negativity towards me. If it weren't' for the first creatures. In my traverse across the settlement, I did not meet one pair of approving eyes on their part.
Them and Urach.
"She is just coming back to see if she can become queen," she said accusatively as she approached the group.
Urach had been a last-born like me (I am not sure the term applies anymore since that title now goes to Ianthe) and had always disliked me. Phi used to think it was out of jealousy. And I did, in fact, heard a hint of jealousy in her voice just then.
"She is allowed to try," Tönx defended me.
"What kind of ruler will she be if she leaves to the sea every time she doesn't like something?" she asked.
"Enough," said Grannie, the oldest fairy, who had just arrived in her turn. She was walking as fast as her old body let her, her fingers clung around a stick she used as a cane.
Grannie was the only fairy who never drank from the aging tea â she was born old. Or born looking old, with white hair and deep rinkles. That was because of her father. Winter. The oldest season.
"Do I need to remind you Halia came back for us when we were imprisoned in the Evil King's fortress?" Grannie went on. "She then fought bravely in the battle. If the Mother has indeed blessed her with royal powers, then she shall be queen â and a good one." She turned to me, extending a hand. "Come child," she said. "Come eat with us. Dugnai just finished baking some of her famous bread."
"And the fruits we picked are fresh and sweet," added Ryn. "You must be hungry."
I let Grannie pull me towards the center of the village where everyone, first creatures and fairies alike, were seated.
"Where is Domovoy?" I asked after a while. I did not see my hairy friend anywhere. "And Mathilda?" The woman to whom Phi and I had given her mind back.
"Domovoy did not like to live among us," Aras replied. "He went to live in the woods, sometimes with Yeh-Ah-Geh, some times with Yasik. Always cheering them up and feeding on their emotions."
"Where as for Frida," Mrs Merrow continued with Ianthe sitting close to her. "She stayed in the Hidden Land."
"I know," I said. "Tönx told me -- we have to find a way to get to her and her people."