The First Lost Girl

Chapter Thirty-Two: Devin

Rufio's P.O.V.
I heard Devin laughing somewhere ahead of me.
"Devin!" I whined. "Why won't you tell me?"
"Well ain't that obvious princess? If I tell you it won't be a surprise."
I huffed with annoyance. "Its still a surprise if you tell me now, seeing how I still don't know."
I heard him coming closer and felt him take my hand.
"Just come on. We're almost there."
It had been a few weeks now since Devin had started accompanying me most of the day and teaching me how to get along well with my blindness. He taught me how to visualize an object just by feeling it, how to listen to the sounds around me and determine what and where something was, different things like that. Now he was leading my somewhere "special" but wouldn't tell me where exactly that was.
He talked to me as we went, informing me of different spots to watch out for as I walked, so as not to trip.
Felix hadn't been around much this week. He was usually busy with his border duty or helping Pan keep the boys in order, and sometimes he just wasn't at camp. With no particular reason of leaving. He hadn't been talking to me much lately, I wondered why.
"Ah, we're here." Devin said.
I suddenly took note of the sound of running water.
"The spring?" I asked him.
"Yep!" I could hear the smile in his voice. "The one I told you about a while back."
I smiled as he led me down and closer to the water. I could smell the beautiful scent of the flowers around me. I remember exactly how Devin had described it. It was in a clearing, it's water crystal clear and going down fourteen feet in its deepest part, with flowers that surrounded its banks and a creek's water fall trickling into its farthest end. Devin told me that there were koi fish in the spring.
"You wanna swim?" He asked.
I turned my head in his direction.
"But I...I can't swim like this..."
"If course you can, I'll help you."
I felt my smile widen.
"Alright, just a minute." I heard the smile in his voice too.
He told me yesterday afternoon to dress lightly for today, now I know why. He wanted to make sure I could swim easily and not worry about being drug down when the water soaked through my clothes.
I had donned a simple brown cotton dress that went to my lower thighs. Now I was glad I did.
Riley let go of my hand-i hadn't noticed until just now that he was still holding it- and from what I heard, took off his shoes and socks.
He took hold of my hand again and led me into the water. I felt goosebumps form over my arms as the cool water went up to my ankles. It had been months since I had been in the water. The last time I was, I had been swimming for my life away from Captain Hook's-as we called him now-ship.
"You okay Rufio?" I heard Devin ask.
I was thigh deep in the water now.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"You're trembling."
I stopped. Sure enough, my arms and hands were shaking.
"Is the water that cold?"
"N-no." I answered, my teeth now chattering. "Just a bit nervous."
"You're okay Rufio, I've got you, see?" His grip tightened on my wrists, reassuring me that he was there. I nodded.
Suddenly, I felt something big and slick brush against my leg. I gasped and nearly jumped into Devin's arms out of fright.
"What was that?!"
Devin started laughing.
"It was just a fish Rifio, jeez, calm down!" He said, still laughing.
My face was now hot from embarrassment. I tried to clam back down.
"Oh."
"You sure you're all right?"
"I think so, I feel fine."
"Just a try to relax okay? Have some fun."
I smiled and nodded again. I was going to enjoy myself today, I was going to relax.
"I guess I don't have to take a bath then right?" I asked smiling humorously.
Devin laughed.
"I don't know, probably. I hate baths."
It was my turn to laugh.
"You're all such boys. But I guess I too prefer just swimming to taking a bath."
"Yup, you fit right in" Devin said, smiling.
I giggled and let go of him, letting myself swim in my own. I was shoulder deep now, but that was okay. I was going to have fun.