The water wasn't salty and opening my eyes a whole other world stretched out before me.
My throbbing isn't back subsided afford the first time in a long time my worries were gone. Life made sense under water.
Pulling myself through the water I swam down to the bottom exploring ms enjoying the water.
Just bellow the dock a large caved was carved into a small mountain that the bathhouse was built on.
The cave was large and dark and around the outside of it was strewn thousands of treasures.
Swimming closer I swam above the treasures that reminded me of stories of sunken pirate ships.
Gold glinted in the sand and chests and troves lay about half open and baring the jewels that lay inside.
Sitting in the sand the gold surrounding me I looked up at the surface.
The sun glinted of the water from the afternoon sun; it's rays creating dancing colors on the surface its beauty surpassing all of the gold surrounding me.
Looking ahead of me once more I almost choked on the water surrounding me as a great serpents head three times the size of Haku's dragon head snake it's way out of the cave.
I wanted to swim away but my body felt trapped and I could slowly freely breath leaving me.
I looked about starting to panic.
"Why are you here? To steal my treasure?"
I heard the serpents voice in my head silky and smooth but treacherous.
I shook my head vigorously trying to speak back withy mind.
"No I swear. I was just exploring."
The serpent's great big yellow eyes, each one as big as my head, stared at me vehemently.
"Really, so you don't want my gold?"
I looked at him confused the thought had never crossed my mind.
Now I was really starting to panic though my lungs were beginning to protest to the depth and I was afraid that if I left now the serpent would try to pull me back down or worse.
His large eyes stared at me curiously now the anger changing to intrigue, as he seemed to be pondering something.
"What do you want then? Answer truthfully I will know if you are lying."
His silky voice echoed in my head.
For a moment I forgot where I saw, and the slowly dying oxygen in my lungs.
What do I want, gold is just gold, it's just material. What good are material things to a nomad like me.
Then I had it, the thing that I have always wanted and know I may never get.
"To have a home…to feel like I belong somewhere I guess." I thought waiting for the serpent's reaction.
In an instant the great light green scales that shimmered in the water, deadly and beautiful, were bellow me and his great head came underneath me and pushed me up quickly to the waters surface.
Breaking the surface I inhaled the air around me, finally realizing how much I needed it.
I was now sitting on the sea serpents head a couple feet above the water.
I laughed out loud, enjoying the odd change of events.
The great snake glided through the water to a large rock a couple feet away and set me upon it.
I jumped when I heard the serpent speak, it's voice was much like the one that echoed in my head but deeper.
"That was a good answer that you gave, most people dive down to steal my treasures. I travel all around the worlds both here and the human world for my treasures, I don't want anyone to steal them." his smooth voice matched his scaly mouth as it opened and closed revealing rows of sharp white teeth.
I smiled despite the persistent fear in my bones.
"I've never had the need for treasure or gold so you don't have to worry about me." I answered giving him a big toothy grin.
"My name is Lena by the way, what's your name?" I asked.
"I am called Telnu, the sea serpent." He said a smile in his voice.
"Why are you swimming if I may ask, no one in these parts swim anymore in the sea." He asked his head lowering to be eye level with me.
The rock I sat on was flat and smooth and I sat criss crossed marveling in the experience. This was truly a remarkable place.
"To clear my head I guess. I love the water and it helps me think." I said simply shrugging my shoulders.
It was odd to think that something as simple as swimming was strange here.
"Hmmm I never thought about swimming working in that way towards us. Do you want to talk about it, what has been occupying your mind I mean? I'm not the tattling sort of serpent, I find it's much more interesting to talk and share in peace."
I laughed at that, this was really too much, intelligent snakes that wanted to have a heartfelt chat.
"Dorothy your not in Kansas anymore" I mumbled under my breath.
"Pardon? What is Kansas and who is Dorothy?" Telnu said his eyes looking at me as if I was absurd or out of my mind.
I laughed and shook my head.
"It's a human expression that means that you are out of your element ad away from home. I'm from the human world but my father was from here and I just found that out... Well today I guess. It's just that I'm not who I thought I was and my life doesn't really feel like my own anymore." I said sighing sadly.
Telnu nodded his great green head thoughtfully.
"I see that is something that calls for a good swim. Is that why you want a home, because the life or home you thought you had is no longer there?" he asked constantly surprisingly me with his insight.
I screwed up my face a bit in thought; he was close to the answer.
"Sort of, I had a home once but that was when my father was alive a long time ago. Ever since he disappeared I have felt out of place and alone. Ever since then I feel like I am always searching, but with these new events I feel even more alone and out of place."
I said looking down trying not to let the tears that were threatening to escape my eyes fall to the water.
Telnu's head came down ad rested itself on my lap, a gesture that surprised me and made me smile.
"You will find where you belong someday, I am sure of it you just have to have hope Lena. What was your fathers name maybe I know of him." He asked his throat vibrating on my legs with each word.
Tentatively reaching out I rested my hand on the smooth sea-green scales on top of his head and stroked with the scales.
I laughed with surprise when his whole being began to hum happily.
"His name was Natyarno, I don't remember a huge amount but it seems that I keep unlocking my memories today and find I remember things about him that I never did before." I said smiling at the memory I had recovered today of when we stood in front of the entrance to this world.
"Hmmm it isn't a common first name actually, I did know one man bearing that first name. A fine kind man he was... Hmmm you remind me of him actually with your smile and the color of your hair and eyes. He saved me once a long time ago when I was much younger. I had somehow entangled myself in a net and instead of passing me by like most spirits did he jumped into the water and cut me free. His last name was famous around here, Sagnaska was his last name."
He finished and I felt my skin jump as I looked at him with wide eyes. You've got to be kidding me, I thought.