A/N: The song can't get out of my head
Regret Message
The sea curled around her ankles.
She is still, holding a glass bottle tightly against her chest. The sea breeze tugs at the hem of her dress and rustles her feathers.
Her feet are sore after walking miles after miles. She didn't fly. It doesn't feel right without him.
She can almost feel him here, with that annoying smirk on his face. She can almost hear his 'I told you so'-s. She can almost feel his heat that encompassed her.
She can remember him, as clear as day.
"Mistress, have you heard about the legend?" Diaval asked, returning from his trip from the village.
"What legend?"
"The legend of the sea!" he exclaimed with overwhelming excitement, expecting her to know what he was talking about.
She raised a questioning eyebrow. She obviously had no clue. She didn't really mix well with humans and none of them would bother telling her about their legends and myths. They were still wary of her.
"Please, may we go to the sea?" Diaval requested, looking at her with pleading eyes.
"Fine," she sighed. There wasn't any harm going to the sea. Besides, she was a little curious about the legend.
He perked up. "We need bottles and some paper," he stated.
She was starting to regret it.
After gathering everything they needed, she spread her wings, ready to take flight.
"We can't fly there, mistress. We have to walk," Diaval stopped her.
Her eyes narrowed down on his. Now he wanted her to walk.
"Walking shows our sincerity," he smiled.
She bit her lips, trying not to groan. She wanted to stop him but his enthusiasm was too adorable and she could not bring herself to dash his hopes.
So they walked to the sea, their feet cold and sore.
She stood at the shore, just close enough for the water to tickle her feet.
He handed her a piece of paper and a black quill. "Write your wish on paper and fold it into half. Put it into the bottle," he instructed.
She looked skeptically at him but did as he had instructed. Well, it could be amusing.
She tried to peek at his paper but he shielded it away, a blush tinting his face.
"Come on, let me see it," she smirked, a slight teasing undertone to her words.
He cleared his throat and rolled up the paper, slotting it into the empty glass bottle. "Give the bottle to the sea and your dreams will come true."
She hummed, not believing his words. "It's a legend, Diaval. Dreams won't come true."
"It will!" he insisted. "It came true once."
"Oh. And what did you wish for?" her eyebrows were arched, curious yet suspicious of his wish.
"Nothing," he blushed a pretty shade of pink.
The corners of her lips lifted. "Wished for a mate?" she teased.
"N-No!" he stammered, looking incredibly suspicious.
"Really? Who has captured your pretty heart?" she leaned towards him, her eyes piercing his.
He pursed his lips, refusing to answer her. She continued to glare at him, laughing at the redness of his cheeks inside.
She pulled away, pitying him. "What do I do with this?" she asked, holding the bottle.
He released a sigh of relief. "We release it to the sea."
He took her free hand and they went into the sea, the waters up to their mid calf.
She tried to ignore the warmth of his hands, the way her heart sped up, the blush that threatened to creep up her throat. She was acting like a child.
"Give the bottle to the sea," he murmured into her ears, his breath warm against her cold neck.
He was standing behind her, his arms around hers and they released the bottles, watching them float away into the moonlight.
He was so warm.
"Mistress, what did you wish for?" he asked softly.
"It's a secret," she turned her head, giving him a playful smile despite the gentleness of her voice.
"Are you going to let go of me, little bird?"
His eyes widened in shock and he stumbled back. He lost his balance, and fell on his bottom, soaked by the sea.
Looking at his twisted expression, she couldn't help but laugh, her shoulders shaking.
He looked at her, his shocked expression slowly disintegrating into a wide grin.
She never got to find out his wishes.
There is a tinge of regret mixed with guilt.
He has been with her for so many years as her faithful servant, fulfilling all her wishes and yet, she hasn't done anything for him.
He was always there for her, no matter how absurd, how stupid, how selfish her demands were. For sixteen years, she had been blinded by vengeance, unwilling to allow anyone inside her heart.
He had to put up with her rage, her wilfulness, her hatred. She cut him off, she ran when things got difficult, she refused to listen.
He was the only one who dared to talk back to her. He was the only one who understood her.
She wonders if he ever gotten mad, if he ever felt like giving up on her.
She misses him.
She misses his annoying chatter that doesn't seem so annoying anymore.
She misses his laugh that filled the air.
She misses his presence that gave her a sense of safety.
She misses his vanity, how he always had to preen.
She misses him preening her feathers.
There is an emptiness inside of her, a wide gaping hole that glared angrily at her.
It is her fault that he is gone.
A tear slides down her burning eyes and she releases the bottle.
A bottle filled with unsaid emotions, feelings that can no longer be said.
She watches as the bottle floats away, glistening in the soft moonlight.
She can only leave it to the sea to convey how much she misses her partner.
The bottle slowly fades away from her sight, carried by the waves of woe.
She looks down, seeing her own reflection, without Diaval perched on her shoulder, without Diaval standing next to her.
If only she had-
But she didn't.
It is too late now, far too late.
Her hair billows in the wind.
…..
I wish that Mistress will learn how to smile once more.
….
I wish that Diaval would be with me till the end of time.
…...
I wish that Mistress would continue smiling, even when I'm no longer with her.
….
I wish that in our next life, we would meet again. This time, I will be your servant.