She was so ethereal, yet so normal.
"What are you?" I asked.
"The savior you're looking for," she giggled.
Was she insane?
"Thanks weird woman but I'm way past being helped."
She sat on her knees and leaned over to search into my eyes.
I didn't mean to give her the stank face but it happened, "Girl, back u-"
"You're in love," she interrupted.
I sighed and put a hand to my chest, shocked that it still ached. "Was, you mean."
"Why'd you leave him?" she backed away and tilted her head.
"He told m-"
"That it would bring him sorrow if you stayed, right?"
"Um...yeah?"
She stood and smoothed down her flowing white dress, "Ah...men. Not the best communicators in the world," she took my hand and forced me to stand, "Come on. We're going to put a smile on that sad face."
I rolled my eyes, "I'm not sad."
She unzipped the tent and walked out with me, "I don't see any rain. Do you?"
"How do you know about tha-"
She turned back into an old lady.
"Sorry," she humped over, holding the cane. "I'm never allowed to show my true self."
Oh...so she was like me.
But why did she turn old?
"Why did I turn old?" she asked.
Did she just read my mind again?
She smiled and lead me to a lake.
Those were real? I had never seen one in my district before.
She turned back into herself, "Whew lawdy, my back."
I gave her half a smile.
"Why do you do that?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Smile when you're not even happy?"
I didn't answer.
She got up close to my face again, "Why are you so dull? Cheer up! Who cares if the world floods or burns."
"I do."
"Of course," she mumbled and picked up dead grass. "One day you're going to have to accept yourself, even when no one else does."
I sat back against a tree, ignoring her.
"What? Have you heard this all before from a certain someone?" she smirked.
How does she do that?
She laughed a little and the dead grass turned to ash between her fingers, "I've been an outcast too. Believe it or not, I was hated because my beauty exceeded everyone else's."
She sat down and laid back in the grass, reminiscing, "Their husbands, sons, brothers would come to me without shame. I was hated for it. I couldn't choose myself so I changed myself and left. I found myself in this village in a different form and they named me the chief, but of course... they've never truly seen me."
She started chasing a butterfly, "And one thing I've always noticed is that wherever I go, there is only light. It can not rain wherever I stand. Weird right?"
I picked up a rock and threw it in the lake, totally dissing everything she said, "When is the last time it's rained here?"
"Hasn't rained since I've arrived," she sat up from the grass, smiling at me.
"That's why I drew you here. We need each other if you want to break this curse."
"I can't help you. Nothing ends up right when I try."
She sighed. "Well Naven was right about one thing."
"You know Naven?"
"Of course," she smiled and transformed back into an old woman.
How did they know each other?
She popped her back, "I better get back before the children declare to the whole village that I've been abducted."
"Yeah," I said, thinking about him again.
She stopped in her tracks immediately, "Well, well, well... didn't think mister 'leave me alone get out my face' would try to return. Be on the lookout miss."
I rose an eyebrow, "Mister who now?"
"Oh just some man riding on one leg to come find his woman who never thought to turn her back."
"Oh," I said obliviously and turned my attention back to the lake.
Her mouth dropped open at my dumb expression, "Girl, you're too lost for your own good."
"Huh?"
Oh.
Wait.
"Naven?"
•••
[ a month and a half later]
"We are proud to crown you as the bringer of moons and plentiful rain."
I bowed as they placed a woven crown made of moon flowers atop my head.
"Please let us all give our thanks to the Moon Rain Princess of Kleowqa."
I smiled as I watched the crowd cry tears of joy while holding up torches and offering me all the moon flowers in the world. They only grew because of me.
My rain was a blessing to them. And for once, not a burden.
•••
I fell to the floor and burried my face in my hands, the tears flowing uncontrollably.
It had only rained once in this village since I had come, and though it was enough to provide for them, my heart couldn't bear feeling so empty anymore.
I took off my crown and went to the bathroom.
The shower was the only way I'd be able to relive those moments of life I had shared with Naven.
I sat in the shower, in my coronation dress, wishing he were here with me.
I did it so often now that my happiness never showed itself. I was sure it could no longer bring me rain.
Will we never see each other again? I thought.
There was too many what ifs and my mind couldn't rest.
What if he was dead now?
What if I had turned my back?
I cried so much, I was sure it could give way to a new ocean.
The pain in my chest wouldn't stop.
I wanted to vanish.
"Kaia..." Liara looked at me as I soaked under the shower faucet. She knew better than to ask.
"We can get rid of your powers now if you'd like. I think I found a way." She played with her fingers as she listened to my silence, hoping I'd react, but I didn't.
She knew I missed him, but she hated to see me like this.
"Hey, well look at the bright side. You're a princess now! Yaysies!"
I stared at the wall, "Can you leave now?"
She hesitated then frowned and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, "Yes. I'm sorry." She left and closed the door.
I was afraid to ever be happy again. All things ever seemed to do around me was fall apart.
I was waiting for the night. To escape this place. To forget my life.
•••
I unclothed myself and stepped into the lake, letting the moon drape over me.
I kept replaying the lyrics Naven sang into my ear within the rain that day. His name wouldn't leave my mind. The feel of his lips on mine was a drug I craved.
I needed him.
"And when we dance in the rain, we'll be relieved of all our pain..." Iwhispered.
Naven,
I sprinkled water over myself, "When it's over and done, there will be no more sun, just moon and rain..."
Please...
I started to let myself sink as I cried, "Never to be alone...only chasing after the love that makes us sane..."
I'm so sorry.
And down I went. The sound of nature drowned out by the body of water engulfing me.
Please be alive...
I closed my eyes and accepted my fate.
You made me happy, and I don't want to be here without you....
No one would suffer anymore.
I want us.
Please save me.
Before I could take my final breath, I felt a hand start to pull me up.
It wasn't over for me yet.