In the forest, there was a pond, an entity invoking harmless auras. In fact, everything felt normal. A swim could be had, no sense harm to come your way. No a single thing suggested the idea that there was something... off.
Draumur grew up with a song, a lullaby some might say, that was sung to him by his mother. A tale came with such a symphony as sung. One bride, along with her pond, and a corpse.
A wedding to be had
The bride was dressed in her gown, waiting eagerly for her husband-to-be. There was no minister, just two in love. Almost a Romeo and Juliet, in more aspects than romance.
Two young, two in love
They were young lovers who eloped for private marriage. After two months of sneaking out to hide from family, it was decided that a wedding was long overdue. The lake was their hideaway, in fact close to the only place where they were free to be together. No one could stop the love shared. A cloak of invincibility that protected the literary characters. However, the shield only lasted at their precious lake.
Four parents, who were not able to see
Both families had a plan, hoping for the two to be married properly. One rich, the other poor. Worlds too far from reach, a sun and moon, beautiful isolated, dangerous together. So they hid from the world, igniting the sky with flames and eclipses sheltered by a single body of water. Trees surrounded the area leaving only a patch open for grass and water, almost making a park untouched by civilians.
Their love was real
On the day of the wedding, the husband was followed into the sacred forest by a curious father, a man with hate boiling in his core. Once caught, before his wedding, poor Romeo was stabbed. Still in his suit he fell to the floor with blood staining the black coat, but not a single drop infected the beautiful white silk shirt.
A bride would find, her husband a corpse
Our Juliet roamed the forest in her mother's gown as the veil trailed in the distance while wind pushed the fabric like a wave thrusting against a boat. Oh how she looked, in fact all hope was close to being lost. Her love, was left in the open, not on accident, but as a message. A message she did find. A gasp, one without a scream. Tears would fall at the horrible sight.
Then she, was next.
In a run, swift as wind, Juliet made her way back to the pond. Went in, and never came back. Her corpse remains at the bottom to this day, rotting like food left out, growing mold from various crevices. That was the end, of Shakespeare's story and the lullaby that followed with as most believed.
Despite this, Draumur's mother was an explorer who became fascinated by the tale. So she went to the pond and sang. From her lips came the piece passed onto her son in a soft bittersweet tone. What happened next was magic; the bride arose. The ghost of a corpse in a lake stood on the water. His mother never told Draumur what occurred next. All that was said simply to her child, "Only sing to Hjarta when necessary. For you may only see her once."
Those words played through Draumur's head for year upon year. Finally, almost as if a lightbulb flickered on inside that skull of his, he came to a realization. The time come, to see poor Hjarta.
The reason was unknown, but inside it could be felt, screaming louder than any human was capable of. So to the forest Draumur went, leaving reality behind to test his mother's word seeing if the fable was true about the lake. For years trust had been enough, but now things became real, her word begun to be questioned.
There was simply one way to discover the truth, and the answer was to go there to sing a song practiced for years.
So when the first sight of water had arrived, Draumur began to softly speak the song. Ten years of passion went into each word, every syllable replicating the delicacy of a note on a piano. His honey coated voice travelled through the forest alerting nearby animals causing deer and various wildlife to raise heads.
The last line had arrived, followed by the ending.
Silence filled around leaving only chirping of crickets. Disappointment was bestowed upon the young singer who had dreams as big as the forest. Dreams were all there was to believe in, because reality became boring. Imagination simply outshined, providing possibility. All of the hopes were simply make pretend. That's all this lake was, a story, one to keep dreaming alive.
Until a sound startled the boy.
A veil could be seen rising from the water, then eventually a face, one that shed tears which slid down her cheek. In some sort of slow motion, Hjarta rose from her lake like awaking from a long slumber.
The beautiful woman did not appear like a corpse, she was beautiful. Black hair that waved down her head flowing past the shoulders. Wedding dress untouched, all aspects remained in tact. Everything appeared normal, except a singular detail. Hjarta's skin became a deathly pale white. The bride was dead though, her ghost was all that was seen. Reality had her at the bottom of the lake still rotting like before.
"Your mother," Hjarta started in a worrisome soft tone which startled Draumur. The mentioning of his mother peaked interest causing his face to encourage continuation. "Came to see me a while back. A request had been made by her."
"A sweet woman, blonde hair like yours, brown eyes replicating your father. You, were what she asked me for. A desperate human for a child to call their own. It was unfortunate of her infertility, but here you are, so I was able to help fortunately. Look how handsome. How is your mother?"
A lump caught in Draumur's throat. Despite this, he grimly choked out, "She passed away, the previous week was her last."
Hjarta grew a solemn frown at the news, for his mother was the only other to visit the ghost and learn the story of the lake, that is besides Draumur.
"So for what favor do you care to ask of me?"
"I want to have the ability to breathe underwater."
"Why such a strange wish Draumur?"
"There is a world under the surface, undiscovered territory untouched by those who live above."
"My child, why must you lie to me?"
Hjarta had easily caught Draumur in his lie, but in the end, it didn't matter. The bride had no control over her ability to grant wishes. While her holy lake was a blessing, the fluid was a curse as well. Magic was bestowed upon Hjarta, but she would be forced to live a life alone, and most importantly, unable to fully rest.
Her love, who she never was given the chance to marry died, given a gift of eternal rest. Water is dangerous, for it will drown those who cannot swim. A corpse that would bound Hjarta to her sad fate, forced to remain where life ended. Days on end, the memories of her dead Romeo played on repeat causing madness to bestow itself upon the innocent.
So, despite Draumur's lack of response, the wish was still granted. He could no longer drown. With the dangers of water gone, the truth begun to surface.
Draumur liked to believe that there was more to the world than reality, he liked to dream, and dream he did.
Without hesitation, the small form dove into the water swimming vigorously to the bottom slowly losing more sight with every descent. The ability to see was irrelevant, all that was needed was the sense of touch. His two pale hands felt around the bottom of the lake coated in dirt desperately in search of something precious and fragile.
After a long investigation, one finger grazed the prized item sending a jolt through his body. The feeling of a bone was frightening, adrenaline runs through your veins as it did his.
Draumur grasped the object and carried it gracefully to the surface, jolting off the ground with all the might that could be mustered.
He rested Hjarta's rotted corpse on the ground releasing the trapped spirit from the tight hold of the lake.
Draumur turned around and was faced with a smile, the first he's ever seen on Hjarta's face. Tears fell still, but this time from happiness.
It was time for her discharge from the chains that bound the bride. Hjarta's head leaned back acquainting her face with the sky above, slowly she disappeared, evaporating into the air.
The time had come for her closure, and inside, Draumur knew it.
