Beyond The Mountains

The sun appeared from the mountains bringing a new day. Elindella was up early in the morning as usual because she did not get a comfortable sleep every night as her sorrows kept torturing her even in sleep. This day was a peaceful day for the residents of her mansion because their master was not home that day. He had gone out and was to return after several days.

The residents in this mansion were already introduced but not the location where it was. This beautiful place was located in a small valley where three sides were surrounded by mountains. It was a small village with few other houses situated from a distance from the mansion. A river flowed along the valley making the surroundings more beautiful. This river was called Hulia and it took a bend a few hundred feet behind the mansion. The area in which they lived was named after the river with the same name as Hulia.

This valley was situated on the boundary just outside of the Northern kingdom where Fearyan's father reigned as the former king. Twenty-five years ago, Fearyan left the palace and came to live here with his family. His guards and retinue followed him and built their houses in the valley.

Vianelle loved to see the river but she did not dare to go there due to fear that her father might scold her. She had been there once with her mother when she was young. Although she wanted to go there so badly, she did not bother her mother and Elindella also was not interested in going there again. Therefore, Vianelle did not get any chance to go there again. Since Fearyan was out for several days and it was definite that he would not return that day, Vianelle thought of asking permission from her mother to go and see the river. After much hesitation and a great deal of self-persuasion, finally, she made up her mind to ask Elindella.

When Vianelle went and tapped Elindella's door, she was already dressed up and was combing her hair in front of the mirror. "Mother It's me. Can I come in?" Vianelle asked in a timid voice.

"Yes. Come in. What is it so early in the morning?" replied Elindella in her usual calm voice. Vianelle opened the door and came in facing her mother. Even if she was not afraid to talk with her mother, her self-confidence was severely damaged by his father's ill-treatment of her. It caused her to feel that she was inferior to everyone she talked to.

"Mother, would you mind if I go to see the river?" Vianelle asked with her gaze fixed on her toes and she could hear her heart beating very fast and loud.

"You can go. Be careful and come before evening. Take Jaila with you", said Elindella looking at the mirror at her hair that she had finished braiding.

"Thank you, mother. I'll come before evening" Vianelle said with utmost happiness while her heart was on the way to flying with excitement.

As Elindella was not rude and not harsh like Fearyan she allowed Vianelle to go there with a maid. But when Fearyan was there, Elindella did not have any authority to permit such a thing without asking him. Vianelle was very happy that she could finally go out of the mansion to see the river which she was longing for, for years. Her experiences and her personality made her compress her feelings and desires inside herself than taking the risk to talk. She was not comfortable with talking to others, even to her mother about these kinds of matters.

She went back with shivering fingers and knees out of nervousness and happiness. For the first time in years, she ran calling Jaila who was her close friend than a maid. Jaila was the same age as Vianelle and she was the one who was close to Vianelle next to her mother. Jaila was a cheerful girl who had a better consciousness than many of the other maids and had rational thinking.

"Jaila! Jaila! Where are you?" Vianelle said rushing to the back side of the mansion where the kitchen and the storerooms were located. Jaila was hanging on some washed clothes to dry and came running after she heard Vianelle calling.

"What is it miss? What happened?" asked Jaila hurriedly with widened eyes holding Vianelle's hands which were ice cold with excitement.

"Come with me to go to the river. Mother permitted to go there" Vianelle said with one of her prettiest smiles which lightened her pretty face driving away the sorrowful look in her eyes.

"Oh, thank God! I thought something bad had happened. You never come searching for me hurrying like this" said Jaila seeing Vianelle smiling brightly. "You are very pretty when you smile like this", she said while Vianelles pale cheeks and ears became red in shyness. She had not been praised for her appearance ever before.

"Enough with the nonsense. Let's hurry. We have to come back after noon" she said while walking back holding Jaila's hand.

While Vianelle was hurrying with Jaila to go to see the river, four horsemen were riding North towards the mountains. They left the Sothern kingdom two weeks before and were exploring the land towards the North of their kingdom.

Vianelle and Jaila left the mansion from the back gate and walked along a footpath which led them to the south bank of the river. Jaila knew the direction as they frequently had to go here and there in the village for food supply and other purposes. As for Vianelle this was the first time in years that she went out from the gates of the mansion.

She was unable to talk as she was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness. She just followed Jaila who walked carrying a basket with their lunch and some snacks in it. The path was running between a shady area where many huge trees grew and the continuous chirping of birds seemed like they were welcoming the pretty young lady who came outside after years.

The bright sun in the early summer morning fell on the trees above them and the only soft rays which came filtering through the canopy reached them. They had to walk a few hundred feet and finally, the ground became white with fine sand indicating that they were close to the bank. The trees and the vegetation became less dense and soon after, they witnessed the glory of their destination shining in blue waters.

Vianelle was simply mesmerized by the beauty of the scenery, that she could not help tearing up thinking that she finally succeeded in the long wait to see this beautiful place. She rushed towards the river on the white marble ground lifting her long dress with both her hands while the sun fell directly on her headwear and her pale neck.

Jaila said seeing her rushing through the slight slope towards the river, "slow down miss. You might fall" and followed her. Vianelle was near the water a few seconds later and Jaila was almost there.

Vianelle touched the cold water that shone in silver from the bright sunlight and the freshness and the coldness gave her chills. She took two steps forward lifting her long skirt to step into the water until the cold water reached over her ankles. She liked the strange feeling the cold water gave her.

Jaila said, "Miss don't go further. There is a safe place a few yards to the right. If you want to go into the water, I'll take you there". That place was known by the villagers and they used the spot where the water was not deep to cross the river and children used the place to play and swim.

Vianelle seemed not to hear anything and was still looking at the sparkling silvery mass of water as if she was possessed by some invisible spirit. She stayed in this position for a long time and Jaila did not disturb her. Finally, she turned back and said "let's sit there and rest".

Both of them went to a place where there was a tree that had bent towards the river sheltering the bank and sat down in the shade. The summer winds blew carrying the fragrance of thousands of flowers that bloomed on the river banks. The mischievous wind was amused by the soft touch of the silky brown ripples of hair of these young women while tangling them as it blew.

Gradually the sun rose right above their heads indicating it was noon. The surroundings almost looked like an oil painting in which the blue sky spread to the horizon without any clouds. Two mountains to the front and one to the behind rose high as if they were competing to kiss the sky. Thousands of flowers of vivid colors bounded the white sanded banks and, in the middle, there flowed the glittering silvery mass of water. Vianelle did not miss any of the beautiful views and remembered to draw their pictures on the empty canvases which were inside her mind to watch them again while spending lonely hours in her room.

They sat there quietly and enjoyed the light lunch that Jaila brought. While they were enjoying their meal, the unknown horsemen who were exploring the North reached the same side of the riverbank and were resting under a shade of a huge tree due to the hot sun. They intended to have their meal and rest a while before they find a shallow spot to cross the river in the afternoon.

The two young women took their lunch slowly and intended to head back in a while. But the environment was very hot and they thought of waiting for a bit more. Vianelle asked suddenly, "would my mother be angry if I get into the water?"

"Your clothes might get dry soon due to the hot son. Lady Elindella wouldn't know. I'll take you to the shallow area. Go quick if you want", said Jaila smiling at Vianelle's random idea. After a few minutes, Vianelle was found surrounded by the dancing ripples of cold water and she was enjoying their cold touch.

While the other three horsemen were taking a nap under the tree, one of them came near the river in search of a shallow point to cross the river. He was a little far from the water and was walking along the river bank when he saw Vianelle among the waves of water in the river. At first, he could not believe his eyes as there was no sign of a human being anywhere near and suddenly a female figure appeared in the middle of the river. Anyone would have mistaken her as a tutelary goddess of the river.

When observed clearly, he saw Jaila who was waiting under the shade of a tree and realized they were human beings and then, curiosity conquered his rational thinking. He knew that it was not the manner of a gentleman to look at a woman in water like this but the allure of the whole scenery made his eyes uncontrollable to his conscience.

He could not see her face clearly from the distance. Her brown hair was dancing to the rhythm of the silvery waves. Her bare shoulders and neck seemed like a fine waxwork stirring his masculine mind and giving him chills in his spine. As Jaila called her, Vianelle came out of the water to head back to their mansion. When she walked out of the water, he saw the face of this beautiful water spirit and the features were engraved in his mind at once. The wet light inner dress adhered to her body uncovering the smooth curves in her figure where the eyes of the unknown explorer followed all over. He was mesmerized and felt that something which had been dormant inside his heart had awakened fastening his heartbeat and giving him chills everywhere.

When his conscience returned, the two figures had already disappeared among the trees. He shook his head with a broad smile to clear his mind but ended up in vain. He could see her figure walking out of the water when he closed his eyes and even the image in his mind tingled his stomach. He knew he could not be at peace until he finds her. "I've got to find her", he said to himself while turning back to the spot where the others were resting.

He lay under the tree intending to take a nap but the bewitching water spirit kept him awake haunting both his mind and body.