The Pull of the River

This is rough it may be edited and added too. It is meant to be the first in two or more short stories. If I actually will write the other ones I dunno. This was just a fun exercise in imagination. I didn't look over it for typos - so excuse those.



Giomanach treked through the undergrowth enjoying the crunch of new fallen leaves and the gentle glow of sunrise. Lancelot was not such an early riser. He curled around Giomanach's neck, his ringed tail falling down past his waist. Lancelot was a ring tailed lemur. He had claimed Gio during a trip to one of the bigger southern islands. He was North now, treking through a lush forest at the beginning of autumn. Giomanach was a ranger of 6'3. Broad shouldered and athletic from his occupation he had grey-green eyes like waves crashing through them. His hair was the color of chocolate and fell just above his eyes. Gio was like his wave-eyes. Restless - he always needed to move. He was not in search of anything particular at the moment just enjoying being in the trees.

Listening, Gio heard the soft flow of water and walked toward it. He found a river about a half mile to his west. He sat down to splash water on his face, Lancelot objected this and jumped down to shake his fur off in a disgusted manner. Lancelot's ears suddenly perked forward. His fur was standing on end and his long tail flat to the ground. Lemurs tended to hold their tails high so they could be found easily. This behavior worried Gio, it was Lance's verson of hiding. Although that lemur would never hide from anything. Stubborn little guy. Giomanach sensed nothing unusual but strung his bow just in case. As he sat, wary, the current from the river seemed to pick up. Soon the waves were roaring and Gio was on his feet. In front of him the waves seemed to reach impossible heights. Throwing water everywhere. An unsettling thing on a windless day. When it was about five and a half feet high is seems to form shapes. With every new wave that crashed into this giant form the shapes sharpened. It was roughly a human shape. Female. Then before him stood a vision from his wildest dreams. A woman stood, all of water. With a gown whose ends flowed into the river itself and waves for hair cascading down her back. Her sea blue flashing eyes were captivating and unnatural. Gio was stunned. He did only what instinct told him. put an arrow to his bow string and drew. The water thing laughed. The sound a spring showering dripping into a calm lake. "What do you think that little thing will do to water my dear?" her voice was beautiful and must be the essense of the river when calm. "Courage young Hunter, for I mean to ask for aide, not harm."

"What manner of creature are you?" Demanded Hunter, slow to let his guard down.

"Most would call me a water sprite. Although this term is not correct. I was once like you, a human. I was tricked into this form which is a prison for me by men who neither knew or cared for who I was or what my life might have been. My name is Caille. Veil. For I was known to be pure of spirit. I ask your help - to free me from my watery prison."

"What form is the help?"

"My dear Giomanach, you distrust me still. You need only to fill your flask with water from my river. Bring it to Druid named Malaki. He will know what to do. Just take a flask of water, this is all I ask. He is not far. If you travel 10 miles east through this very forest you will find a groove of oak trees you will find him there."

"This seems a small act to right a great wrong. I must go to the city beyond these trees but I see no reason to not see this Druid man on my return trip." Gio pulled out a spare flask and filled it with water from the river.

Cialle laughed delightedly. "Thank you. You truly are my savior. Take a drink from my waters, the water is clean and with my blessing will give you extra strength for the rest of your journey."

Gio bent down to cup the water in his hands. There was an angry hiss. Lancelot - forgotten until now leaped at Gio's hands spilling the water. "Lance! Now is not a play time. Stop that. I will have a drink to restore my strength and we will be off." picking up the lemur and holding him fondly he continued " This has been a long journey for us both little guy, just calm down." Giomanach set the lemur on his should. Lance wrapped his long tail around Gio's neck and let it hang, but was shaking as if scared or angry. Gio leaned down to drink the water. It was cool and clean. He felt the extra energy surge through him and smiled. "Thank you Lady Cialle, the strength was much needed. I wish you luck in your endeavor to escape." With that Cialle sank into her river and it was again still.

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Two days later Giomanach sat eating midday with an old friend. They were in a large estate that his friend owned enjoying the colors of autumn by taking their meal out in the courtyard. Kivanc was slender and ill kept. A scholar to the core he did not much notice things like how he dressed or how his hair looked. Giomanach was regailing him with stories of his travelling. "You know Kivanc, I had the most bizarre occurrence just a couple days ago in the forest. A water sprite popped right out of the river and asked for help." Kivanc looked troubled.

"A Water Sprite? hmm. How odd. What happened.?" As Giomanach told his story Kivanc looked grave. As he concluded telling him about how the water gave him strength Kinvach replied sadly "Gio, my good friend. You know not what you have done."

Giomanach was rather offended. Had he not done what any self respecting man would do, help a lady in trouble? "I have done my duty. What problem do you find with that Kivanc."

"Cialle means veil. But she was not named as such for her purity as she told you. But for her ability to veil her intentions and her true nature. Cialle was a Druid. She was rebellious and believed it to be the time for Druids to be in power. She enchanted and seduced the princeling. Even the Druids where against this form of falsery. Her only alley was her dark mentor Malaki. When the king heard of this plot he sentenced her to a watery prison. It seems Malaki has found a way to free her."

Giomanach sat, troubled. He felt with all his being that this was a lie. Things just didn't make sense. Kivanc was his oldest friend and a renowned scholar. But what he said just didn't feel right. "Well, there is time to consider this," he thought out loud. "I still have the flask and have not yet delivered it."

Kivanc did not look comforted. "I am afraid it is worse than that old friend. By drinking of her essence you have bound yourself to her. You will be unable to resist her will until the tie is broken."

Giomanach was stunned. He had been tricked and decieved that was certain. He felt angry, confused, and even shamed at allowing this to happen to him.

"We will look for a way to unbind you. Most likely we will need a druid to do the actual unbinding as neither of us has the power. That should not be a problem. The majority of druids would be only to willing to cut off her escape plan."

"This seems the only way. Let's look for a way to unbind me." At these words Giomanach screamed. He fell to the floor gasping. Being pounded to the ground by invisible rapids. Slowly the pressure abated and he sat up gasping.

It seemed Caille would not let her prize go so easily.