Chapter -18: And So, the Maiden Smiled
The next day would have to start off very, very early for the two seaside lovers.
Brine wanted to beat out the rising sun to sneak Torren over to his teacher's hut, get the worst of the introductions out of the way.
Brine carefully guided Torren by the hand through the village. For her, it was like tangling through a forest of seaweed underwater.
She wore her anxiety on her face and whispered out, "A-Are you sure this is ok?"
"Ya, of course!" Brine announced quietly, "Teach'll help ya get along swimmingly with everyone else."
"A-Alright." Torren nodded and went along with his suggestion for now.
Once they arrived at their destination Brine kept her behind at the bottom of the steps and approached the door made of fronds.
The sun was beginning to peek over the sea, bringing luscious tropical hues to the water. Torren stared out and clutched her hand against her melting chest, wondering how she never got to be captivated by such a sight before...
"It's amazing..." She whispered to herself.
A few bone cracks and a little stretching later, Lulu exited her house as spry as she could be at her age and was surprised to find Brine waiting for her.
She immediately widened her eyes and socked him a quick one across the hip before he could utter a word, "Ya reckless, slippery little eel! Ya know how worried ya left me...?!"
She then wrestled her arm around his neck to drag him down, where she proceeded to grit her teeth and drill her knuckles into his skull, "I'm gonna smooth that brain of yers out! Get anymore dumb ideas plumb outta yer head!"
"Good mornin' to ya too teach..." Brine said, happily playing along with her concern.
It didn't take long for Lulu to lift her head and come eye-to-eye with Torren, who found this interaction bordering on ridiculous.
Torren flinched upon realizing she was being watched and slowly tried to wave her hand up, bending her head so her eyes were as far pointed towards the ground as possible.
Lulu dropped and accidentally sent him tumbling off the steps at Torren's feet. Staring aghast at this plainly off-colored woman, she jumped to a rather...expected tone of bluntness.
"What. Do ya think. Yer doin', boy?!" She spoke through sharp, gritted teeth, her fist planted squarely into her hips.
Brine stood up and put his arm around Torren's back, the gesture of kindness enough to get her head back up. He then gestured towards Lulu and remained vigilant in his patience, "Teach...this is Torren."
"I know who the bloody wench is...! I asked what yer doin' with her!"
Brine put a finger before his lips and went, "Shhh, don't wake everyone up, teach!"
Lulu's face was plum red and she took a deep breath in and out. Her morning mood spoiled and frankly feeling as rotten as a bad squid, she marched down to the bottom of the stairs and brought her voice down as she shoved her face into his.
"What. Are. Ya. Doin'. With. HER?!"
Brine helped keep Torren from running away and together they stood their ground as he made a case for her, "It's ok now. We've vowed to never run from our problems again."
Lulu's eyes widened and she smacked her lips, "Oh, just like that?"
Brine nodded, Torren did the same but less enthusiastically.
Lulu then closed her eyes and grumbled, "Sure. Right. Just like that..."
Her eyes thrust back open and she glared Torren up to proclaim, "Not like this one didn't leave a 16-year old problem at our doorstep or nuthin'."
"I-" Torren began to speak as Lulu brandished her finger towards her face.
"Clam it. I know a fishy situation when I see it. Now ya care? Nah...ya want something out of this. Selfish git..."
Torren immediately broke into tears and started sniveling. With her head hung she bled her heart out to Lulu, no attempt at deception whatsoever, "I-I know...I've been a horrible mother, and a horrible lover..."
She got weak in the knees and fell down on them and her palms, gasping damply at the top of her lungs, "But I don't want to be afraid anymore...! I want...I want to try and be there for both of them! P-Please...I beg you, forgive me...I'm sorry, I'm sorry...I'm sorry...!"
Lulu crossed her arms and found her eyes watering as well, gritting her teeth, unable to fight off her disdain for this woman for even a second, "Yer lucky that this boy was able to raise yer girl as right as he did by his lonesome...That's the only thing keepin' me from clobbering the hide right off your bones!"
She then clicked her tongue and closed her eyes while turning away, "So make good on yer word...If I catch any trouble brewing from ye or any of yer other Sage buddies, there ain't any part of the sea I won't swim into to chase ya down..."
Torren calmed down a little, and Brine reached out to his teacher to say, "Hey...thanks."
Lulu looked over her shoulder and was visibly crying, "Dumb boy...why ya always gotta listen to yer heart 'stead of yer brain?"
She then went off to distract herself with a morning swim.
The worst of the tension was wrapped up just in time for the other folk to start waking up and beginning their daily routine.
Brine rousted Torren to her feet by holding her hand and then whispered to her in a kind tone, "Sorry. She's...got a wee bit of a harsh tongue."
Torren clutched her hands against her chest and muttered, "But...was she wrong?"
"What? No," Brine couldn't believe she was even saying this, "She may know a lot, but she ain't know a thing about ya."
He then patted her on the back to shake some spirits loose, "C'mon, I'll show ya around."
But their walk led them straight to Brine's hut, and Torren retracted their hand away from his grasp as her body tensed up.
"H-Hold on...!" She squirmed, "I'm...I'm not ready to meet her yet..."
"Huh?" Brine was mite confused, tossing a few glances between her and the hut before realizing she could sense Tina inside with her aura.
He approached her and whispered, "Alright, I promised we'd go at yer pace...But what am I supposed to say? Can't really hide yer appearance..."
"Ummmm..." Torren fiddled around with her fingers and turned her head back and forth with an agape mouth.
She then looked at Brine and nodded, "I-I'll think of something..."
Brine smiled and wandered up the steps to knock on the door frame, "Hey hey, sleepyhead! Yer gonna miss out on the best bites!"
"Dad...?" Groaned Tina, just waking up from a disturbed night's rest.
Not that you'd believe that from how quickly she ran out the door to hug him, "Welcome home! I missed you!"
While father and daughter shared a tender moment, Torren tried to poke her head around to get a look at the young girl.
She could only sneak quick peeks before her heart felt the strain of tension getting the better of it.
But then the girl forced her full appearance into her eyes, and Torren's whole demeanor collapsed upon itself instantly.
It was looking into a partial mirror. She had a lot of her traits, while also getting her hair and eyes from her father.
She was so...cute, a precious little sea angel with teeth like pearls and eyes that could capture sunshine right out of the sky.
And that left her starting to have doubts about being here.
Her heart was still too mulched with filth, just being around this precious girl could spoil her peerless smile and adventurous spirit, leaving her to drown in much the same sort of cesspool that Torren found herself in for years.
While Torren thought this over, Tina snuck up on her, reaching the bottom of the steps with an inquisitive remark towards her dad, "Who is this girl?"
She turned her head slightly and looked worried, "She seems nervous..."
Torren choked on her words with her mouth half open, already set on abandoning this idea of trying to integrate back into the family she left behind.
Until Brine stepped in with a hand on his daughter's shoulder and calmly said, "Eh, she arrived here from another Tribe. She just ain't too used to the sand."
Brine flashed a wink her way and Torren calmed her breaths, laying a hand on her hand and twisting her head away while murmuring, "I-It's rough on my toes..."
Tina leaned forward and suggested cheerfully, "If you want, I can make you some sandals!"
Torren sprang upright and waved her hands out, "T-That's ok...I..."
She kept finding herself being forced to stare her daughter straight in the eyes, easily able to match her looks with the little baby she only brief carried in her arms...
"I'll...adjust..." Her tone became somber near the end.
Brine stared at her for a bit and then patted Tina on the back, "Why don'tcha help out at the market today, Tina while I give our guest a tour?"
"You got it!" Tina saluted, then ran over to Torren and held her hand out.
"I'm Tina, pleased to meet ya!"
Torren extended her hand and was surprised at how hard the little girl shook it. She smiled back at her and whispered, "I'm...Torren."
Tina paused with her eyes gleaming with a curious light. She curled her lower lip and with a gentle hum pulled away and ran off elsewhere.
Torren looked at her hand and felt a few motes of her aura fizzling out of sight.
"Huh...?"
Brine curled his lips in a worrisome smile and muttered, "Well...that went better than expected."
Torren curled her fingers and bowed her head, "I'm sorry..."
"Eh, water under the docks," Brine waved his hand out and with a warm smile looked lovingly into her eyes to say, "So. Whaddya think of her?"
"She's amazing..." Nothing but honesty came through in her voice, "You raised her so well, Brine."
Brine rubbed the back of his head and chuckled, "Ehhh, to be honest I dunno how she got that way around me..."
Torren lunged out and shouted, "Don't be silly! You're a very, v-very kind soul..."
And once she mustered up that much force she was completely and utterly drained in the face, letting out a shrill "Eep!" before crossing her hands together against her beating chest.
Brine blushed and then closed his eyes with a heart grin, "Heh heh...! If ya say so, Torren."
Once the mood had passed over a bit he wondered, "So. Anything in particular ya want me to show ya?"
"I-I think...I just want to take it easy today." She whispered, nervous around all the prying gazes of the village folk.
"Heh! Well if there's anything we're good for, it's relaxation!"
He then looked away while scratching the side of his face, "A-Actually...there was a favor I was hopin' to ask of ya."
"I want to...learn how to swim."
Torren was shocked to hear that, "But what about your fear...?"
Brine shook his head, "'Bout time I got over it, don'tcha think?"
Hearing him reaching out for her aid elevated her spirits and made her demeanor come across more radiant than before, "O-Of course! I'd love to help!"
They made their way to the water's edge and Torren walked ankle deep before turning to grace her hand out his way.
"We'll start in shallow water." She suggested.
Brine looked at the sea and got the shivers. He bit his lower lip and waded out.
The nearby fishermen making their way onto their boats started whispering aloud, "Is that Brine going into the water?"
"No way…"
"Whose that pretty catch with him?"
Torren felt a bit nervous with all these eyes on her. She focused on him alone and took a deep breath, lifting his hands by the fingertips to pace him deeper into the water.
"Ummm…" She started to point her head downward, then stopped completely when they were both knee-high into the water.
"I don't…know how to teach you how to swim." She admitted with timid sincerity.
"What?" Brine uttered.
Torren smiled and giggled, "I-I've always just known how by instinct. Nobody taught me."
"Ooooh…"
Torren raised her head and wondered, "So…I wouldn't want to risk you drowning. Sorry…you were so excited to try and-"
"Give it a shot anyways," Brine said calmly, "We'll just take it niiiiice and slow."
Torren's head sprang all the way back up and she stuttered, "If…you insist?"
She then put on a courageous face and nodded, "Ok…ok…! Follow me."
They took their time to get deep enough into the water so that Brine could lift his feet off the ground. His nerves were frayed but having her by his side was the boost he needed to stay afloat.
He knew the basics about paddling his legs, but was surprised to find that wasn't as easy as walking or rowing was.
His chin kept bobbing beneath the surface, causing Torren to let out a light, nervous chuckle and started stroking her arms out from before her chest.
"You need to do this too, Brine."
Brine tried to copy her motions but wound up going too fast and caused his body to bob in and out of the water, "Like this?"
Torren paddled over, reached out, and grabbed his hands gently to help slow his pace, "No, this way."
She was lost in his eyes, making it hard to let go. It felt right to lean in closer and give him a kiss, perhaps right on the nose, but not when people were watching…
She withdrew her gaze away and let go, allowing him to paddle his arms appropriately.
"Feels so weird. My body's lighter!" Brine said in his jolly tone.
Torren smiled at him and said, "Right? When you're fully submerged it…it is like you're a small fish."
She then lowered her head and wondered, "Hey…does our d-daughter…know how to swim?"
"Sure does. Didn't want it, but teach was pretty forceful about getting her in the water and well…"
"She seems…hard to deal with." Torren suggested.
"Only when she's fired up! But I wouldn't be a good fisherman without her."
"Huh…"
Brine then looked around and wondered, "How much longer should I ought to be here?"
"Do…do you want to go deeper?" Torren said with concern.
Brine clicked his tongue and muttered, "Eh, my legs are clamming up on me. Maybe another time."
Torren huffed a quick sigh of relief and whispered, "Good…"
Once out of the water they saw that a small crowd was focusing on their little venture. A couple snickers came from the other adults.
Torren shyly waddled behind his side and remarked, "They're looking at me."
Brine waved behind his shoulder and murmured, "It's alright."
He then waved out to the crowd and shouted, "C'mon, mates! Ya gonna scare off our guest with yer fish eyes!"
When they began to disperse he faced Torren and caught her trembling all over.
"Gettin' to be too much?" He said empathetically.
She nodded.
He suggested, "Hmm, let's go to our usual spot and relax for a bit."
"You sure?" She remarked.
"Ya! Ain't a soul gonna bother us there."
Thus they climbed the rock pond habitat on the south side of the shore and spent most of the day watching the different fish skipping up to the top.
With no one to cause a scene, Torren was free to observe their society and how everyone worked together to make it function.
"Hrrmm…"
Over the next few days she made progress on getting Brine to swim, on top of steadily getting used to large crowds.
Tina would frequently interrupt their time together to try and get to know Torren. She could muster a few words of conversation but melted in the face of the girl's overwhelming sociable nature.
But one day, she saw Tina walking around with a bunch of coconuts in nets and made a move on her.
"Can I…help carry those?" She offered in a reclusive tone.
"Huh? Sure! Aunt Lulu wants them near the bonfire pit!" Tina handed one net to Torren, who pulled them along with ease.
Her spirits began to rise as she put herself out there more, little by little earning the trust of the villagers.
She couldn't shake off her timidness completely, and compliments tended to leave her a plum red blubbering mess.
A couple weeks flew by before any of them knew it. Lulu remained hostile, but kept it to glares.
Soon, a surprise guest came by to visit when she finished another swimming lesson with Brine.
No one could mistake the towering presence of Stonestein in the sand, the sun beaming off the back of his head.
He was very out of place, but nobody made a peep.
Torren stammered, "L-Lord Stonestein…"
Brine at least seemed to know what was going on, "Oi, whatcha doing in these parts big guy?"
Stonestein crossed his arms and had a slight blush on his face, "Forgive my intrusion. Torren?"
Torren bobbed her head.
"May I have a moment?" He asked.
Brine wondered, "Sure ya don't need me too?"
Stonestein shook his head, "This is in regards to Lilith."
Torren froze up with shrunken pupils, "W-What…?!"
Stonestein remained calm, "Relax. She is not after you."
Brine looked at her too and said, "Sounds like this is important. But if ya don't wanna go…"
Torren clutched her hand above her chest and muttered, "I-I can't run away anymore, remember?"
Brine was proud to hear that and nudged her along with a couple pats on the back. She then stepped up next to Stonestein and asked, "Can we talk somewhere more private?"
Stonestein agreed and they went near her and Brine's special place, with her taking residence at the edge of the bottom pond, one knee bent up below her chin.
The first thought on Torren's mind was, "How did you know where to find me?"
Stonestein was upfront with his information, "Auris told me."
Torren stuttered, "R-Right…that doesn't really…answer my question…"
Stonestein opened his eyes and sighed, "Are you treated well here?"
Torren raised her head and nodded, "Y-Yeah, I'm…starting to get the hang of living here…"
She then hastily scrambled towards the point of this conversation, "Lilith…What…Why now?"
"I want to know what you know." He uttered.
Torren hung her head and mumbled with clear fright in her voice, "W-We barely talked. She just kept giving me orders to collect Aquamoria's Wellspring."
She dug her fingertips into the side of her head and grit her teeth, trembling all over like she was cold, "E-Even now I still hear her wearing me down in my head…!"
Stonestein furrowed his brows and closed his eyes, "Orders to collect the Wellspring…"
"That fits Vermilion's testimony."
Torren looked stunned, "V-V-Vermilion…? What did…she do?"
"She's working alongside Lilith to undermine Borealis."
Torren let out a gasp, "No way…Borealis…doesn't…know what's going on?"
"Unfortunately, no."
Torren bit her fingernails while wondering aloud, "Wh-What is wrong with her…?"
"I cannot say." He replied, his tone heavy with regret.
"Are you sure you know nothing else?"
Torren shook her head a lot more, insisting at the top of her lungs, "I don't…I don't want to have to think about her ever again! …Even if I did know something."
Stonestein closed his eyes and furrowed his brows, "Sorry for causing such undue stress, Torren."
"J-Just…tell me…" Torren curled her fingertips over her legs, her eyes shaky and watery, "Are you…going to be able to stop her?"
"We will do what we can."
Torren was starting to have guilty thoughts about thrusting these problems off to someone else, but in the back of her mind no amount of mental anguish Lilith caused her could wipe out the fact that she helped deliver her child into this world…
Yet, as though reading her mind, Stonestein had this to say, "You have a daughter here."
Torren's heart fluttered with surprise as she turned her eyes towards him. He looked at her, putting on a solid expression of guilt as his brows hung low, "I sensed her aura, similar to yours…"
He then closed his eyes and bobbed his head, "If I had only known…"
"Do not force yourself into our fight," He advised, taking a long pause before telling her, "Be safe. Be strong. Be loving."
"I'm sorry I couldn't help more." Torren whispered.
"You helped enough," Stonestein reassured her, "I can determine what her endgame is."
He then walked over and reached out to help her stand off the rock, looking at her with a smile while asking, "Have you found where you belong?"
She looked out to the village and saw her daughter and Brine faintly working together to skin some fish for tonight's bonfire feast.
The glistening sheen of the young girl's smile matching with her father's undying optimism left her heart drifting in a sea of bliss, upon which she laid her hand and whispered, "I think…I'm still trying."
"Then I am content. Keep living, Torren."
That was the last regard he made towards her before departing out of the village.
Torren slipped back into Brine's company without much to say about the conversation, just the reassurance that everything was going to be ok.
And she drifted through the rest of the day and into night, where many villagers gathered around a towering bonfire to roast sealife and drink coconut milk until their stomachs flooded over.
The Aqua family was together to enjoy a meal, with Brine wedged between mother and daughter for the time being.
Carmine was invited to this event but had to postpone his visit for another day, but still provided the festivities with a variety of vegetables to enhance the fish.
This would be Torren's first time eating cooked fish in a long while and though she fumbled her meal due to how hot it was, she eventually stuck it onto a frond plate and was able to take a bite.
Her skin twitched top to bottom with a warm, electrifying pulse of strong flavors gushing through her nerves. It made her squeeze her eyes tight and drip with tears.
"I-I forgot how good this tasted…!"
Tina leaned out and asked, "You ok?"
Torren put her hands down onto her lap and nodded, "Mmm hmm, thank you for asking, Tina."
She then looked into the bonfire and for now, such destructive power was beautiful. The way it crackled in the air seemed to suggest it was dancing against the sea breeze.
Torren slowly nibbled away at a fantastic meal until she caught Tina hopping up out of the corner of her eyes.
Brine chuckled and waved the back of his hand out. Tina then approached the fire and stood on one foot, twirling around in place, and stopping with her back turned to the fire.
Torren's heart skipped a beat and Brine nudged her with his elbow to say, "Here ya go. Pay attention."
Some of the villagers pumped their fists into the air and let out a tribal cheer.
Tina giggled and gestured her hands through the air, calling forth water to swirl around her body as she began to dance around the bonfire.
The flames burned into her silhouette, their light reflecting through the water to give it a hot glow.
Her body was as fluid as her element, not a single step wasted on creating a spectacular show of art for all to see.
Torren saw many of her old moves being played out by her child, and it left her heart riddled with goosebumps.
And her audience? They loved her. She received their praise and sing-song voices and kept laughing along, spreading that love like a productive disease.
Torren watched this all in silence until eventually, her body moved all on it's own, guiding it's way over to this wonderful child.
Tina stopped, and the audience was anticipating what would happen next with confusion.
Torren stretched out her hand, laid the other on her chest, and greeted Tina with a smile.
"May I join you?" She whispered.
"Sure!" Tina said, not a question needing to be spared.
She continued where she left off, and Torren strode to match the motion of her body. Her movements were a little more rigid, but were compensated by her own brand of water, birthed from aura.
What followed was a once-in-a-lifetime show that the citizens of Aquamoria wouldn't forget for generations to come.
This duo of dances were a natural fit for each other, tangling their trails of water together to amplify the memorability of their movements.
Tina pointed her gaze at Torren multiple times and seemed to be inquiring about her every chance she had.
This woman was such a natural dancer, and so beautiful as well. But more importantly…she felt familiar, a bond tethered between them as thin and intangible as the soul.
Water…she danced with water.
At one point their dance brought one hand together with another, as they twirled clockwise around the bonfire.
And during that period, Tina's curiosity couldn't be held back any longer, "Torren? Who are you? Really?"
Torren smiled and with tears sparkling in her eyes she told her in a crystal clear, motherly tone of voice, "Someone who will protect your smile…Now…and forever."
As they broke off from their duet, Torren twirled her way towards Brine, who from his perspective saw time begin to slow down, allowing him to capture a rare sight, and locked it away in his heart.
Torren's smile merrily pushed her cheeks out. Her body was radiant, and stood with confidence.
The maiden looked to the night sky, moon hung high, and reached out as the embers rose overhead.
"Goodbye my friend…" Her tears rolled down the sides of her smile, "I'm finally where I belong…"
Next Time: Light's Chosen Blasphemer