A Million Ways to Wander

Youth Prt. 1

A woman walks down the grassy path, head held high and shoulders back. It's a beautiful day, a soft island breeze blows by distracting from the humidity, a vibrant landscape all around of colorful plant life. Her robes drag behind her as she hums softly. She had the air of a leader, of someone powerful and honorable. Mystery seemed to be her calling card, streaks of blue flowing behind her, the long hair would've touched the floor if the winds calmed. She resembles the sea at night, calm and collected, a never ending pool of blue hues and pin pricks of gentle light, the kind that held you in an awe inspiring gasp of intense vigor. And beside her, a small child toddling along. "Round, round, go round, Waterwheel, go round~" The little girl chants and sings, the lady beside her laughs quietly. They sound like song birds, gentle and musical. "Go round, and call our Mr. Sun to me, Go round, and call our Mr. Sun to me~" It's remarkable, the two seem almost identical. Long blue hair that almost reached the floor, wavy and bright. Though the child had a slight tan in comparison to the milky white tones of her mother, everything else is a replication. "Birds, bugs, beasts, grass, trees, flowers~" Except for their eyes, the small girls bright green eyes were vibrant and bubbling with excitement at every note, the woman's bangs however cover her own eyes. "Bring spring and summer, fall and winter~" While the woman by girl's side might be the blending of the night and ocean, the little one beside her might own the title of the sea at sunset. "Bring spring and summer, fall and winter~" Wild and colorful, bright and mischievous, even as the people begun to leave the shore and turn in for the night, the sea continues to roar on with crashing waves of laughter and joy. Clashing of blues and warm tones, as the waves crash against the rocks, yet a gentle and private silence hangs in the air. "Round, round, go round, Waterwheel, go round~" As the sea is content to spend the changing tides alone, and happy. Yes that's the simplest way to describe the girl's aura, jubilant and wildly powerful, just her mere presence sent waves of joy washing of your soul, a child of enchantment. "Go round, and call our Mr. Sun to me, Go round, and call our Mr. Sun to me~" The woman joins in, a less childish and more alluring tone. A beautiful melody from beyond. "Birds, bugs, beasts, grass, trees, flowers~" They come round over a bend and overlook a village, majestic and beautifully big. Decorated with colorful lanterns and beautiful hues of red splashed about everywhere, the streets bustling with people and music. Yet on this ridge, it's quiet and calm except for the whisper of the wind and the gentle pair. "Flower, bear fruit, and die, Be born, grow up, and die~" The woman sits down, elegant and graceful. She sits poised on the grassy hill and the child simply waddles beside her and sits down, sneezing at a puff of grass. "Still the wind blows, the rain falls, The waterwheel goes round~" The little girl stops singing and watches the woman in curiosity. She laughs quietly and gently sets a bright hibiscus in the young ones hair. "Lifetimes come and go in turn, Lifetimes come and go in turn..." She finishes the song on her own, smiling gently. The girl beams at her and scoots closer. "Thanks mama!" She chirps brightly, her mother affectionately brushes her daughters bangs away and kisses her forehead. "Flowers fall and tides lower, but you're constant my bright eyes." The daughter makes a face and giggles, turning her attention to the village below them. "......momma?" She hums a quiet "Yes?" Her daughter pulls at the grass looking between it and the village. "Momma.... am I really going to be in charge of that one day? I'm not ready..." Her mother laughs, it's airy and soft. "Yes, but not for a long time, you'll have many years to prepare. I will guide you always." "Along with papa?" "Yes along with papa, we'll always be there to help. Even in spirit." She plays with the child's hair and smiles softly. The girl chirps in distaste. "Why can't I cut it all off? It's so long... how am I suppose to fight people!!" "A truly great leader solves their problems with wisdom, courage, and kindness. Violence and fighting are not the way to peace." The girl puffs out her cheeks and sighs. "Still don't like how long it is...." Her mother smiles looks down at her. "Not only do you look beautiful, but it's a sign of your people and heritage. Hair length has long been a measure of our people's magical prowess and capabilities. Yours is growing fast, soon you will surpass even myself." "Nuh-uh mama! You're the strongest, that's why Ama left you the bells!" "She did indeed, but there will always be someone stronger than you, unless your the great dragon of the sky's sea." The girl rolls her eyes and bleps out her tongue before snuggling up against her mother. "Who knows... but I'll always have to help me right?" "Forevermore my child, forevermore." The small girl's eyelids feel heavy and she drifts off to sleep, if only they knew what was too come.....

Only a year later did the child stagger down the beach of what once was her home, watching the island and sea deteriorate. Watching the soul and energy of every single living creature be destroyed. Ash and embers fall through the air, behind her a roaring flame of what once was her village, and people. She sways tiredly, dropping the bells uselessly to her side as she falls to her knees. Hands pressed to the floor and weeping, singed and burnt robes gently flaking off in the wind. She sheds off the burnt layers leaving her in only the lighter layers of dress. The fire making the heat unbearably anyway. She chokes back sobs and sand gets all over her, into her eyes and mouth. She sits up, chest burning with emotional and physical pain, soul cracked and chipped. It shakes and emits sparks of green much like her dimly glowing eyes which flicker in the dark. Her hair drapes over her face, she clutches the sand knuckles white. It reminded her of family, of home, of everything she lost. Her heritage, her people, her village. It was all gone, forever, not even their spirits remained. Her home decayed and crumbled underneath her very own feet, and she felt a sort of need to escape. To forget, to leave this all behind, she grabs a broken shell from the sand and gathers her hair. Cutting close to her head, stripping away the long locks as any ornaments on the sides and length fall uselessly, it all floats away in the wind and seem to burn in the fire behind her. Tears streaming down her face and float frozen, she was tired. And even as she felt a sudden loss of weight from the disappearance of the hair, she knew it meant nothing. Her people were still gone, she had still loved, she'd still been apart of them, the powers she would now never to control and the destiny that weighed her were still their. And the weight of her own magics might was still there, even if she cut away the symbol of it. And she cries softly, weeping, till it turns loud and pained, crying out into the night. "Go round, come round, come round, O distant time, Come round, call back my heart, Come round, call back my heart..." She whispers and pleas in song to nothing, crying and sniffling into the night as the sea turns still, freezing over. "Birds, bugs, beasts, grass, trees, flowers, Teach me how to feel, If I hear that you pine for me..." She swipes away at her eyes with her long sleeves, removing the ornaments from the top of her head, and burying them solemnly.

"I will return to you."