Moonlight, Streams, and Love

Sarah Elizabeth

1608 words

She could still feel his breath hot on her neck as she stumbled back into the small cottage. Careful not to get caught she kicked off her boots before opening the door and remembered to lift it up and push so as not to drag it across the floor. Somewhere within her parents slept peacefully, and her sister lay agonizing over what she was going to tell them when they woke up.

But she had to see him. He was bitterly sweet. The exact kind of guy she had always pictured herself ending up with, not one she was in love with but all the same the kind of guy who knew the right thing to say, and needed her. Needy. He was defiantly needy. Her boyfriend wasn't needy, in fact Sean probably needed her less than he needed another whole in his head. The simple fact of the matter was Peter had needed her, and she had craved to hear him whisper in her ear how wonderful she was. She had to sneak out while they were vacationing in the Alps to see Peter, because he adored her and worshipped the ground she walked on. Sean just liked to whip her out and say "Aha! Look what I have on my arm. Look who I get to be with!" Peter was different. He held her hand under the table and stole a peck on the cheek when she least expected it. He listened to her dreams and poured his heart to her. Sean didn't once tell her what he planned to do with his life only what he planned to do to his enemies. Sean stared after other girls right in front of her. When she tried to hold his hand or kiss his cheek he acted repulsed.

May didn't see things this way. She only saw what Trinity was doing. May only saw her sister playing with two boys. It may have been easier for May to deal with had these just been two random boys but these were friends. These were boys who had defended her and she had defended. Boys who had snuck into the hospital wing to see her and slipped her the answer when she was lost in the middle of class. Trinity was just screwing with their minds and she wasn't going to have it. She waited until her sister slid under the door to pounce this on her. But Trinity waved it all off.

Too soon. She was still lost amidst some dream. A fantasy brought on from being told your beauty doesn't even pale to that of Aphrodite, and your intelligence makes even Einstein himself look like a bumbling baboon. It was a walking on water feeling Trinity knew her sister hadn't experienced in far too long. But it was too soon to care what she was saying. Trinity was still lost in her world. Still back by the stream tucked under an oak, with his arms around her under the moon light.

"I'm undeserving of you, my fair princess." Peter said kissing her neck. Trinity let loose a laugh.

"You shouldn't speak of yourself thusly. You are deserving more than you know." she gave him only a little defense. Not enough to build his confidence to a point he tried anything she didn't want but just enough that he would caress her and continue to shower her with affections.

"Do you know what is said to have happened here?" he asked his finger tips slowly dragging up her bare arm. She shook her head slightly and leaned into let his face hide in her hair as he held her. "It is said by the local villagers that, a woman too beautiful to be seen in the day light would swim in this stream in nothing but her skin. This woman would dance in the moonlight on the banks. So young men would come up on clear nights to see if they could spot this gem. She knew this and put on a splendid show for them. "Sometimes she'd take one of the men, who hid in the shadows, with her and he would lose all his sense and succumb to her wiles. When she finished with this man she'd create a boulder, or tree, or even a bush that future men would hide behind. Then one night she spotted a young man who was very shy. She called to him ' Come to me shy one. Come bath in the stream under our mother moon. Come dance with me along the banks. Come and I will show you happiness.' But the man had seen what she'd done to others, so he slipped away into the darkness. Each night for weeks he returned and she began to fall for this young shy one who wouldn't come to her. The man who didn't fall under her spell." Peter paused for a moment to kiss the back of her neck and then began tangling his fingers in her hair.

"When finally she grew tired of his game she followed him into the darkness where he so often ran. She tracked him through the meadow, and up into the mountains. She hunted him down and found him in a cave. But all this travel had left her weary and being so far from the stream and moonlight from which she gathered her strength she fell in his cave. He nursed her back to health careful not to fall under her charm. Neither knew what was growing between them. He slowly showed her his world and in turn she showed him hers. Months passed after he'd returned her to her stream and they grew closer. Finally one night she says 'Come to me my shy one. Come bath in our stream and dance in the soft light. Come to me show me what is happiness.' and he said unto her 'I have. Many times we've swam in the stream and danced in the moonlight. Many times I've held you close and done to you things which I should never think of.' She was hurt and confused. She didn't remember ever doing these things. Sad she slid into the waters. 'But why don't I know of these wonderous things weve done.' he smiled 'Because my love, we've only done them in my mind. I would relish bathing in your stream and dancing in your arms, but I would relish more living as a human.' with that he turned and left her. She waited many days for him to return and he didn't. So she sought him out in the mountains this time she knew the way, and possessed the strength when she got to him she said this 'You are my love. You live in my heart. I made those other men better things. No woman would be pleased with them. They were no longer of them own minds. No, they would have been a tick on the villages they belong. You are different you own strong will, and mind, and body. Please if only once let me taste of you.' she pleaded. 'On one term.' he said and she agreed. So the two returned to her stream and had each other. They lived long lives but as all humans do he grew old and neared his death. So she finally made good on her promise. She made him into an oak tree that would always reach high for the mountain caves he'd dwelled in, and sway in the moonlight, that would forever drink from the stream. But the woman wasn't human she was a water nymph and for her loving a human was cursed to never enjoy another males company and to always return to the oak on the stream on clear nights and weep for that which she'd lost." Chills ran up Trinity's spine as Peter's words were carried away with the wind. Bumps were raised on her skin and she with drew her feet from the stream that flowed by.

"Who told you that?" she asked him in hopes he'd say he had only made it up. Instead he slid out from under her and positioned himself over her. He leaned down and kissed her deeply.

"An old man at the flower shop." he whispered kissing her again. Trinity let herself relax to his touch. All thoughts of Sean gone. At least until Peter's fingers were struggling with his belt. Then she came back to herself.

Trinity glanced over at May who was now sleeping soundly and let out a sigh. She would never tell anyone what she had nearly done tonight. Never utter the story she heard. Her life would go on for a long time but she wouldn't allow him to seduce her again. Peter was a sweet needy boy. He wasn't her boyfriend, and hadn't been for sometime. He had known the rules and broke them. Now the two would have to live with their secret. They would never be able to look at each other again the same way.

While Trinity fought with her self, and Peter slumbered away in his bed down in the village, a beautiful woman slid out of the stream by the oak tree. She came to lounge naked on its roots. With a soft laugh, and tears streaming down her cheeks she whispered into the wind. "Young love, is a foolish thing. Dancing in the moonlight, bathing in a stream, and chasing after that which in only in the mind." she kissed the bark and melted away back into the waters she'd come from.