Count the Stars

Chapter 9 - A Revelation

To get to the Fountain of Youth, one must simply follow the growth of the twirling ivy that grows along the barks of the trees in a forest.

It could be any forest. It could be every forest. The Fountain of Youth moved about constantly, both to reach out to travellers, and to stay hidden from any it did not care to meet. As long as you followed the garden ivy, you would get there.

The real question was whether or not they would let you in.

For two days and two nights, we traveled. The road we were taking was one so full of thorns and brambles that could not be easy to manoeuvre on horseback, so we were stuck on foot.

At first, Rylan kept me amused by showing me how to whistle to the songbirds perched on the highest branches. By pursing his lips and blowing sharply, he managed to produce a piercing, bright sound that caused nearby songbirds to whistle back, in a decidedly sweeter tone.

When the novelty of that wore off, I pointed out various plants and herbs, and stated their uses. I taught him which plants were safe to eat, and which ones to steer clear from.

At the end of the first day, we walked back to the main road and found an inn to stay for the night. The both of us didn't talk much -- our throats were dry from maintaining the constant stream of chatter on the road. The silence that came if we didn't fill it up felt too awkward, and too stifling.

I was glad for my exhaustion, however, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The next morning, our conversation seemed to have run itself dry. We walked in silence, occasionally only speaking to ask for a small break, or a warning for a low lying thorn.

The stars were particularly bright that evening, and we decided to camp out in the forest, where we had a clear view of the stars. We set our things down at the base of a large tree, next to the quiet rush of a small lake that streamed past. Rylan set about trying to make us some dinner from the supplies that we had.

Meanwhile, I walked over to the lake, sitting down on the edge of the riverbank. I peeled off my boots, letting out a sigh of relief as I wriggled my toes. I was still unused to wearing heavy walking shoes, instead of running barefoot everywhere. Of course, back in the House of Heaven, I was also able to fly around as I pleased.

Dipping my feet into the cool water felt like a fresh breath of air after a long period of solitary confinement. I sighed again, leaning back to look up at the stars. Bliss.

I missed being able to do anything that I pleased. Even though I was down here, and still immortal, I felt none of the magic that tingled through my body that I felt when I was at home. It felt strangely vulnerable, and there was something beautiful about that. (??)

Rylan plopped down next to me, handing me two thick slices of bread and a handful of dried berries.

"Dinner," he announced, "Is served. Cavemen food, a la Rylan."

"Delicious."

He slipped his own bare feet into the water as well. "Now this," he said, "I could definitely get used to."

"I just realised," he said, in a way that made me think he did not JUST realise. "About your name."

He was looking at me so intently it made me nervous.

"What about it?" I said.

"You were named after the Moon Goddess?"

"Yeah. Sure."

After a beat of silence, Rylan said, "Cool."

"Is that all you really have to say?" I said. I wasn't sure whether or not to be offended.

"No, no." Ronan smiled. "I meant it just made sense."

I looked at him, raising my eyebrows as if to say.

"You know that these fairy tales are true." He continued. "Nobody believes in them. Your parents and you must be big believers in the stories."

"You believe in them," I pointed out.

"But I'm special."

I laughed. "So am I, then."

"Right, but..."

"But?"

He shot me a meaningful look. "I believe," he said carefully, "Gods have been known to walk the earth in disguise."

I kept my face neutral. This mortal was proving himself to be a lot smarter than he looked.

"There are lots of stories about the gods, aren't there?" I mused. "I suppose it just goes to show that everyone gets in trouble and makes mistakes sometimes."

Rylan said nothing after that. I didn't either.

The next morning, we pushed on.

In the near distance, I spotted a glimpse of golden leaves, and saw the trees thinning. A slow smile spread across my face. "We made it," I said to Rylan.

His face was unreadable as he charged forward, dashing through the trees with a renewed sense of energy.

We emerged in a beautiful garden full of bright yellow flowers, stretching out as far as the eye could see.

"Helichrysum," Rylan said. "The immortal flower."

I smiled. "Isn't that fitting?"

"I suppose so," he said, bounding up ahead of me, stepping deliberately. I watched him run around like a delighted dog and felt both exasperated and amused.

He turned back to grin at me widely, dimples flashing, and the sunlight seemed to frame him perfectl. In the light, his hair turned a rich velvet brown, his lashes catching droplets of buttery gold, his features turning bronze and bright.

"You coming, Nima?" he asked, in a voice laced with sugar and warmth, holding out a hand. I was going to scoff in his face and refuse, but something stopped me.

This was my chance to act human for once, to forget I was a fallen immortal on a mission. I was with someone, who most probably knew I was a goddess, but had not acted on it yet.

Today, I would let my guard down. I would put down my defences, and I would let someone else in.

I slid my hand in his, feeling the warmth of his hand seep into mine. His fingers folded over mine completely, and we fit like a glove.

He tugged gently, eyebrows quirking cheekily, and I rolled my eyes. But I let him haul me along. I let him drag me down the hills, I let him pull me along as we ran down fields of gold.