14. Oarus

14

OARUS

“Well?” I chuckle. “What’s it going to be, Yvonne? We can stay here if you’d prefer.”

“No, I mean I’d love to. The sea is beautiful on a day like today, I could watch it for hours on end.” She pauses and sighs. “I can only imagine what’s beneath the surface.”

“You don’t have to imagine any longer if you want to come see it with me.”

“I can’t come, Oarus,” she says, frowning.

“Are you afraid?”

“Admittedly, yes… But that’s not why. I can’t exactly breathe underwater like you. I’d take you up on your offer otherwise.”

“You don’t need to worry about not breathing,” I say with a smile. I get back in the water, leaning over to close the distance between us.

“How can I follow you, exactly? You and I aren’t built the same.”

I stand by her side, pointing to the horizon. “When you’ve lived here as long as I have, you discover secrets unknown to the world. Not far from here, there grows a very unique species of grass.”

“What’s a bit of grass going to do?” she asks.

“I haven’t gotten to the good part yet,” I say teasingly. “When consumed, it grants underwater breathing, alongside the ability to talk underneath the surface.”

“Really? I don’t believe you. Just because I’m a human, it doesn’t mean you get to kid around with me.”

“I’m not joking. It’s not perfect. Its effects eventually wear off, but it’s the next best thing.”

She slicks her wet hair back. “I don’t know about this, Oarus. What if –”

“Shush,”I say, throwing a finger on her lips. “You think too much. Come along.”

I lead her out of the cavern and back to the shoreline. “Stay right here for me, I won’t be long.”

Her wide, amber eyes dart from my finger to me. I step back and plunge myself underwater. I’m already filled with excitement for both myself and for Yvonne, planning on where to take her, to places no other human or elf has been.

I wade through the shallow depths, dodging schools of casein and clusters of crells. The world under the water is stunning and I can’t wait to show Yvonne. This place is sacred and untouched.

Besides, if I am to learn more about humans from her, the least I can do is show her where a creature like me comes from.

I spot the grass lining the upper levels of the coral reef below me. I descend and grab a ripe bunch. As I do so, I hear the roar of a predator in the distance.

At first, I am alert, but I recognize that specific roar. It’s the exact sound they make when they’ve caught a meal. While I’m cautious that they linger not far from here, I can at least rest assured they’ll return to their wretched lairs.

Should they choose to mess with Yvonne, it’d be their final mistake. Having procured what I need, I make my way back to my girl. I am pleased to see she’s remained where I commanded her to.

“There you are,” she says with relief.

I wonder if she missed my company. “You didn’t think I’d leave you here, did you?” I tell her, laughing. “Now then, here’s the grass. You have to chew thoroughly so that the nutrients break free out of the stems.”

She takes the bright green grass, eyeing it suspiciously.

“Just do it,” I say.

She pinches her nose and shoves it in her mouth with a creased face. After the first few chews, she relaxes. “Hmm, that didn’t taste nearly as bad as I thought it would.”

“You see? Now come on, let’s go.”

“Wait, shouldn’t something happen?”

“It works quickly and quietly,” I say, taking her hand.

“But I think – Ah!”

I pull her underwater and take her far out in an instant to where she no longer stands on the sand. She squeezes my hand with an iron grip, and her normally light frame feels heavier than usual, but I know it’s because she’s tensing her body incredibly hard.

I can’t expect her not to be afraid, so I squeeze her hand in reassurance. She’s closed her eyes, but now she gently opens them. Her initial look of fear turns to curiosity as she looks around.

“Can you hear me?” I ask her.

Her mouth moves as if she’s talking but I cannot hear her.

“You must raise your voice a little. Don’t forget you’re underwater now.”

“Am I loud enough now?” she replies.

Nodding, I gesture for her to take it all in. I laugh as her curiosity turns to wonder and laughter as she smiles in glee, turning around impatiently to look everywhere.

“Take your time. We’ve got plenty to see, are you ready to go further?”

She nods and draws a deep breath. Through her hand, I feel she is still shaking, this time from exhilaration and not fear. I guide her down to the shallow coral reefs below.

“It’s not as scary as you thought it’d be, is it?”

“I won’t lie, I’m kind of terrified but in a good way.”

I smile and nod. “You’re the first of your kind to do this. It’s very brave of you.”

“Brave? I have you here with me, that’s why I’m not freaking out as much.”

I laugh, both from what she says and out of happiness from merely gazing at her. “One can only ever be brave when they are afraid. You’ll tell these stories in the generations to come.”

“I don’t think anyone will believe me.”

“I know how you feel,” I tell her. “I didn’t believe you were real when I first saw you.”

Her skin flushes red just as she turns away. I smile and look ahead just as the reefs approach.

“Look, Yvonne.”

“Wow,” she gasps, letting go of my hand. “This is…”

She doesn’t complete her sentence, but I know what she’s thinking. A kaleidoscopic range of colors is splashed across the coral reef, with various sealife darting to and fro in every direction. I point out their homes and where they feed.

“In a month, some of them will migrate and cross to the sea of Ter.”

“It seems so peaceful down here.”

“It is. I’ve never had anyone to show it to.”

She bites her lip in excitement and dares to swim close to a gathering of casein on the edge of the reef. I watch proudly as she extends a hand toward them. A singular casein prods at her fingers and brushes against them, prompting many more to join in.

“By the gods,” she remarks, giggling in disbelief.

“They see you as a friend.”

The casein soon depart and go their own way as Yvonne watches on.

“What else is there to see?” she asks.

I peer down to the depths below the reef, where it grows dark and deep. I take her hand and guide her away from there, knowing of the monsters that linger down there.

I take Yvonne to a set of caves. “Look,” I say, touching the walls. They are caked in a soft jelly-like substance, pink in color. “It makes for good bedding. I’ve slept here a couple of times.”

“Gods, I’ve only ever thought about diving underwater. I can’t imagine ever sleeping here. Is it not dangerous?”

“Not when you’re me.” I chuckle. “Come lay with me.”

She wades over and carefully props herself against the cave walls.

“Wow,” she gasps, closing her eyes. “Yeah, I can definitely imagine catching a nap here.”

“There’s a first time for everything. Here, try this.”

I snatch a piece of kelp wedged between the soft substance and hand it to her. “It can be used as seasoning for food, but it’s a decent snack on its own.”

She takes it without hesitation, quite the contrasting reaction she had to the grass minutes earlier. We share it and lay for a few minutes in silence as the ocean life carries on before us.

She gazes at the underwater world as I marvel at her. Every form of life here is blessed to have such a beautiful creature in their presence.

“It’s so tranquil here,” she says after a while. “It’s funny, really. Everyone on the surface world is so absorbed in their own life that no one ever talks about any of this.”

“I think that’s a good thing,” I reply. “If the surface world got their hands on this place, it’d be far different than what we’re seeing before us.”

“I suppose you’re right.” She swims away and I follow, all the while keeping an eye out for threats. I’m glad the journey has gone so smoothly.

I’m happy to let her explore for a while, to watch her reactions to everything. It never gets old. Seeing her like this ignites something within me, something I’ve never quite felt before.

She’s so carefree and open, I think to myself. Our interactions have been nothing short of pleasant, too.

I watch as she runs sea algae between her fingers and laughs at the sensation. I take pride in knowing I’m the one who’s given her this, but I have another epiphany at that moment.

I’d been so caught up in wondering what Yvonne would be like as a human woman that I never gave any thought to the effect she’d have on me.

I’ve been so lonely in my solitude that this type of companionship is something otherworldly to me.

This feeling that rushes through my veins is thrilling and heart racing. Is this what human relationships feel like? Is this the point of ‘courtship?’ Perhaps humans have some worthwhile ideas, after all.