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Chapter 4 “Water Petal”

/Erick

Dawn - with darkness fading, it’s getting brighter.

Still in bed. Feeling the warmth of sheets on my skin. Breathing in chilly air.

Oh, I did leave the window opened for the night.

Cannot recall the dream I had. As the morning goes - have to get up. Today there’s plenty of work in need of my attention.

Getting up from the bed was the toughest part. My tendency of liking towards the warmth is bigger than love for cold. Fetching next to bed my long sleeve shirt and jeans to wear for today.

Although it’s the end of summer, yet mornings are pretty chilly. Thin frost clinging to petals, grass and trees, covering houses and window sills. I find it fascinating to observe the transition from the crystals of cold into the tiny water drops. That eventually falls down or evaporates, uncovering a world with enhanced contrast.

My room looked like a schizophrenic mess created by some stray artisan, who went through here as a gust of wind. Multiple canvases, books, paints, brushes, papers with random writing on them scattered around. Through all that I made my way to the kitchen.

My morning typically starts with coffee. Yet Today somehow I craved green tea. Guess my body is a bit fed up with coffee. In a cupboard I grabbed the container with white leaf tea. Was this one a present from a company?

Boiling kettle was whistling cheerfully. I could feel a bit of satisfaction as it also woke up to greet the new day with me.

Took out my favourite tea set. Handmade, very exquisite work, it was expensive and really hard to get. The two-colored set of tea cups and tea pot had a unique mixture of black and blue. Person who made this beauty put a lot of effort, thought and soul into them. I admire the intricacies of different craftsmanship.

It felt like a swirl of tea poetry - putting tea leaves in the pot, pouring boiled water in. I felt like it was a little ceremony. The kind of ritual between me and my tea, my cups and tea pot.

Kind of like the tea ceremonies in Japan or China, for what I have read about them. The preparations, the delicate handling of cups and pots. The happening of intimate momentum – a mysteriously charming ritual.

Once on the tray - cups, tea, piece of cake, I went to sit in the conservatory.

The outside scenery – dew drops forming on almost everything, sun is slowly up, shining and warming the earth. Pushing the cold away and swaying the dance of nature.

Up on the tree branches I heard a few birds - their charming, melodic singing. A Neighbor cat came to sit on my porch, giving me a glance as if greeting me, then absorbed himself in his morning cleaning routine. This cat had a tendency of licking himself clean on my porch and then sleeping there for the better half of a day. I do admit that that place had sunshine drawn to it. And this cat loves sunshine.

Preoccupied by the joy of a beautiful morning, I did not notice that Orchid passed through the hall and into the kitchen.

“Good morning. I see you already enjoy your... tea?” - She said with a slight confusion. Her eyebrows in a knit, messy bun on her head, night-dress, in cream pink that hung freely, her widened eyes staring at me - like I’ve committed a crime.

“Is it a crime to drink tea in the morning?” - I asked, my brow raised.

“Ah… Eh…” - She was digesting the new view. - “Guess that’s more healthy.”

She said and went to make coffee. Once done, she walked closer, her back against the doorframe of the conservatory.

She shook her head slightly, as her eyes drifted aside to view my morning tea and me.

I felt her stare, yet I was more preoccupied with the cat on my porch.

The way he meticulously cleaned himself. Then turned to lay on his stomach, looking into the distance.

“There’s a long forgotten legend. Told by old men. A legend about the Water Petal. That was quite an exquisite story.” - I looked inside my cup, which had a tea leaf floating in the middle. This sight just somehow reminded me of that “petal” legend.

“Care to share?” - Orchid let out a sigh, speaking in an indifferent tone.

She has been frustrated lately. Not sure if all the credit goes to me.

Her frustration was really getting me to smile.

“Well, that’s that you get for your curiosity.” - my mind spat out. 

I looked back into the distance, the same endless view cat was eyeing.

“Long ago, in the lands of forests and mountains. Was a cave with a garden inside. It held great treasure - The Goddess of Rivers. It was told that possessing the heart of the Goddess gave you the power to all the waters on earth. With such hearsay there were many men eager to capture the Goddess. To rip her heart and use it for power. Long expeditions in search of her went through the forest of the mountain Sekka. It was said that she lived in the lake, inside the mountain.”

“Somehow men who searched the far forest - died. Mainly towards the middle part of the north side of the mountain. For whatever reason - many could not pass that point. Those who returned - said that evil spirits were chasing them out as they went there. Ones who did not listen were dragged into the dark - to never appear again.”

“With such a strange story - a young girl decided to try her luck at finding the Goddess. Girls’ motive was simply to see her. She believed that she could learn from Goddess about the world.”

“One summer night, as the moon shone bright, a young girl, called Mai, went up the mountain. With the light of the moon shimmering through leaves, yet darkness lurking around each corner - she mustered bravely and kept on. Later - she reached the part that was said to have demons hidden. The rustling of leaves gave her a scare, yet she came closer - stumbling upon a harmed hare. Without a moments thought she got closer to hare, examining the wound - it bled. ‘I am not of harm to you, just bear with me dear!’ - as she spoke, she tore a strip from her dress, wrapped it around the hares leg, taking him in her care. She held him with softness and bitterly said: ‘Who could have done such atrocity?’”

“‘Humans did. Ones who were here to find the Goddess of Rivers. They tormented us. In fear I run off.’ Amazed by the fact that hare spoke - Mai was looking at its ears. She rubbed one with utter care: ‘I am seeking for Goddess as well, but unlike others who come here, I am willing to learn from her. My name is Mai.’

‘Mai you say…’ - hare sniffled her, - ‘I’ll lead you to her.’”

I paused, as I sensed that Orchid let out another deep sigh. She cared less of the story. She had her own worry.

I did not really care, I just like this particular story. Therefore with a faint satisfactory smile I went on.

“Hare led her towards a cave higher up the mountain. Entrance moonlit, fireflies floating around like small lanterns. Mai walked through the cave to discover dazzling light of the sun inside. A garden stretched out in front of her eyes - the kind like she’d never seen in her life. The grandiose view of flowers, trees, bushes, small fountains and rivers inside. With stairs leading upwards to a simple and beautiful shrine.”

“Having hare leading the way - Mai went up. She stood still in front of the gate that led inside. ‘Oh Goddess of Rivers, I apologize for disturbing your peace.’ - Mai said as she bowed to the gates of the shrine. Moment passed and she heard a chuckle inside. Shrine doors silently opened in front of her. The Goddess of Rivers sat inside having tea with the hare. She smiled and offered a seat at the table to Mai - ‘Come, here’s plenty of tea to share.’”

“‘I told her the intention you arrived with here.’ - Hare spoke, holding a small cup made of translucent blue clay.”

“May nodded. Goddess smiled softly - ‘I shall teach you. I shall give you the knowledge.But you have to promise me that if I die, you will be looking after the shrine.’ Mai was feeling strange regarding words of death, but promised that she’ll keep watch over the shrine if it so happens that Goddesses cease to exist.”

“Years passed. Mai learned a lot, became wiser, more observant. Now, there was a new sort of desire inside her - stirring her up making it hard to breathe. One night she dreamed of some heat urging her feeling so sweet - leaving her breathless. So amazing it made her head spin - with butterflies fluttering within. She spoke about it to the Goddess. Two of them sitting in Goddesses room. Mai was ordered to undress. Revealing bare body to Goddess.”

“That day Mai experienced all she felt in her dream. Goddess caressed her body, kissed her lips, touched her soft rosy spot, and felt it through from within. Made Mai moan and scream, from all the feelings Goddess stirred inside her. After that every night for a week the Goddess caressed Mai. Later unveiling that Mai is the bearer of Goddesses child.”

“Mai began feeling that she had something inside her, bit by bit swelling to bloom.”

“Months passed and one day, as Mai was being with the child, the Goddess asked her to go, hide in the forest outside - the south side. Stay there for three nights and come back as she might. Goddess called out the hare, which led Mai to the shrine. Making a hare drink breath from a cup. Hare became human with the given name Naire. Then the Goddess asked Naire to take good care over Mai and her child.”

“Mai and Naire went to stay on the south side. During that time they heard an awful fire - saw the smokes, heard the blasts. They were afraid. On the third night Mai had a dream: she came to the shrine. Her kids by her side - looked after a grey haired Naire. The next day, as Mai and Naire came back to the shrine, they saw land rampaged by an outrageous disaster. Mai rushed towards ruins - which once were  the shrine. She stumbled towards the remains of the Goddesses room - the place where they were together to feel flutters and heat. Mai found a small box left untouched. She took it in hands, opening the lid - inside was a note with a Water Petal. Note said that it was the heart of the Goddess - which will forever belong to Mai.”

“People of villages nearby, had now the legend up about the strange shrine that fell over. When hunters found it, with no Goddess in sight, or bounty of heart - they took what they deemed valuable, burning rest to the ground.”

“Years later, the villages around had a saying which floated. About a shrine in the mountains with a wise old hag, helping people in need, teaching them, nursing them. This old hag has a daughter, beauty of legends, and wiser than mother.”

“One day, just as Mai was on the verge of her death, came the Goddess of Rivers. Making her young again, then holding her one last time - making her feel heat and pleasure. After Mai disappeared in thin air - Goddess came to power again. She met her daughter - daughter of Mai, saying that now this child shall be keeper of the shrine, for the rest of the time. As long as she keeps the box with the Water Petal inside, the Petal which holds all the heart loving soul of the Goddess that fell in love with a simple girl.”

“This story also had a different setting - that in search of the goddess a man came, and upon the death of the Goddess he was the one holding her hand. Eventually the last what was left of her - became Petal of Water. Which he held dear. And then Water Petal was eaten by daughter of his. That transformed her into the Goddess of Rivers.”

For some reason I prefer the story about Mai. She did her best to share the knowledge she inherited during her time with the Goddess. Restored the shrine, made it save heaven for the lost and withered.

The love and sacrifice made it more appealing to me.

I enjoyed tea, still watching the cat on the porch.

Orchid once again let out her unhappy sigh, turning on heels and leaving.

I could hear her mumble: “What random story.” - as she left.

“Pfft! Ha-ha!” - I laughed.

She surely is now deeply in her issues.

Fluff ball on the porch was very appealing. I opened the door and pet him. Such soft fur. He purred.

“You know,” - I softly said to the cat, - “I think I remembered something… He had porcelain skin and soft hair… There was something about bond and love.”

I smiled, watching the sun shine, day unfold.

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