The Maiden and The Four Waters
Chapter Fourteen

The three woman, Crowe, Walla and Melana walked into the tavern. They took their seats at an empty table. The three of them remained silent on their experience with Mariana, the three of them remained silent on the legend of the four waters. The three woman shared the same thought and that was We need to save the town, though none of them knew how to do it.

Walla glanced up as she noticed the bar maid lean down and place three glasses full of cider, her eyes drifted down to the glass as the bar maid adjusted her stance before turning her back on Walla and walking away from the table.

She shifted her eyes slightly over to the bar maid; her apologetic gaze barely meet the bar maid’s chest as Walla quickly shifted her gaze back to her table.

Crowe and Melana both took a sip from their glasses as Walla felt hands slide down her shoulders and over her chest.

Walla tilted her gaze to Clarinne, the brothel owner kissed Walla’s cheek before sitting herself down next to Walla.

“Ladies, I have a curious question to ask.”

The three woman listened.

Clarinne slinked her arms off Walla before reaching for Walla’s glass and taking a sip, she licked her lips as she placed the glass down on the table.

“Is it true that our dear Walla here, is hiding something from our village?”

Walla adjusted her glare at Clarinne, something had changed in the brothel owner’s tone. Something that Walla couldn’t put her finger on.

“Clarinne…” Walla barely had a chance to find her words as Clarinne pressed her lips closer to Walla’s ear.

“Our dear little one has foolishly found herself a handsome prince.” Clarinne giggled as she reached for Walla’s glass again.

The bar maid placed three plates filled with cuts of bread and a mixed salad.

Walla shifted her glance up to the bar maid “Rala” She sighed.

Rala, the bar maid pursed her lips together “I have no time for you and your lies, my father was right. Your just like your father.” She swiftly turned her back the table and walked back to the bar.

Walla looked up at Crowe and Melana, someone had clearly started a rumour that Walla was ready to squish if only she knew what it was.

“Clarinne” Walla battered her eyelashes as she adjusted herself to face the brothel owner “What’s going on?”

Clarinne calmly picked at Walla’s plate “My dear love” she chewed on a torn piece of bread “The reason you won’t let our men on the river is because you’ve found a handsome prince, your wanting to forget us as you move up the ranks.”

Walla felt confused, she knew that her and Clarinne had talked about the four waters. She knew that Clarinne had promised to not say anything of Walla’s uncertain discovery.

Clarinne picked at a piece of lettuce as she used her other hand to reach for Walla’s glass.

Walla stepped up on the chair, she watched her footing as she stepped up on the table, She stared at the people who had managed to fit themselves around the scattered tables in the tavern “Is that what you all think? All think that I’m abandoning you for a handsome prince?”

Everyone stopped what they were doing as they shifted their glance to Walla.

“There is no man on the river, there is a creature that takes our men. I have risked my life to find what it is, I’ve yet to discover the creature either on land or below. I’ve tried my hardest.” She refused to allow the words of Mariana to slip from her mind to her lips.

“Walla, it’s not that we don’t believe you but it’s just you’ve survived the river.” Called out Maxim, the bar maid’s father as he positioned himself to sit comfortably behind the bar.

Walla turned her attention to Maxim as she sighed, she lowered her head as she forced herself to keep the four water hidden amongst her thoughts “Maybe the creature doesn’t like men?” she looked up at Maxim “Ungrateful men. I was arguing with Pont and Emerany seconds before they began fishing.” She swallowed her words as she tried to keep the four waters hidden amongst her thoughts. “A woman is without her husband; a child is without their father and families are without their sons. Besides Pont and Emerany, we’ve had six men disappear from the river.”

“Beldi and Rali survived, what makes them different?” Called Swig as he chugged from his mug.

Walla shrugged, she wanted to jokingly throw out insults but knew better than to even toss a joke of an insult into the air fearing she’d have her village turn their back on her.

“Maybe you had something to do with it, a little miss like yourself. A bitch from the groin of a gambler, a grunt of a seed from a liar, a frump who was abandoned by her own bitch of a mother.” Rose a man from his seat.

Walla kept her calm as she stared at Deacon, he had something against Walla’s family, something she never understand for why. She looked at the five other men that sat at his table, each of various sizes and each with their own daft personality. She noticed how the younger ones followed Deacon’s trend as they fumbled with their own idea of not only woman but also of Walla, herself.

Crowe rose up to her feet “Deacon, I would sit if I was you. Last thing we need is another man drowning.”

Deacon scoffed as he eyed Crowe “Drowning, all I bloody hear is drowning. The clock is ticking little miss, if you don’t do something. I will.” He shoved his way out of the tavern.

Walla let a small sigh escape from her lips as she realised there’d be no point arguing with her village any further since her words mostly fall on deaf ears.

With a slight thump, Walla sat herself back down.

Clarinne laid her head on Walla’s shoulder “It’ll be fine, my love.” She brushed Walla’s hair with her fingers.

Crowe and Melana watched as Walla lowered her gaze to her near empty plate.

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