Waves of Love

FOUR

30 years old

Evan stared at the papers in irritation. "They want to tare down the temples because they aren't getting rain? Well maybe if their prayed to Aquafina she would bring them rain! What insolent fools! "

Aquafina was actually sick. After constantly traveling to Evans world to see him she had grown nauseous and ill. She assumed it was her depleted mana so she hoped some rest would help her.

Too many of the humans had stopped praying to her so her soul was growing faint. When her father heard of her ill stature he immediately sent for a doctor angle. Angels were servants of the gods who worked in the heavenly temples where they received the offerings and oracles.

The doctor used a magic device to scan her body. "Well, goddess, it would seem you are pregnant."

She stared at the doctor in horror. She didn't need to think hard about who the father was. It was a mistake in s whirlwind of a night. He was to be wed and they were both heartbroken at their forbidden love. So she cast a small spell. A forbidden spell. She made her self partially human and slept with him.

A mistake she had not regretted till now. "Oh heavens me," she gasped. "Should I inform your father?" She shook her head frantically. "No. Don't. I will figure this out on my own, thank you." Then he was gone, leaving her in her endless pool of thoughts.

Now she wasn't sure how to tell Evan. He seemed agitated at the lack of her presence and wasn't sure how to respond. He had already had kids of his own. Goddess pregnancies take three human years to create a god because of the amount of mana it takes. Signs never usually show till the last year, meaning she didn't have much time left.

"Evans," she spoke to him in his mind. This was a new skill she had acquired during her training. His face immediately brightened, "goddess?" She smiled, "yes, it is me."

He sighed a breath of relief, "oh how I've missed you! Where have you been my love?"

No one was in his office and in their moments of privacy he loved to remind her of his infinite love and emotions towards her. "I'm sorry to worry you. I was actually sick," she explained. He seemed puzzled, "sick? Can gods get sick?" She nodded even though he couldn't see her. "Not usually but I have a unique type of illness."

His face paled, "Aquafina are you dying?" She laughed at his frightened expression. "No! No. I'm just... pregnant"

He was as still as a statue. "Aquafina, did you-?" She cut him off, "no I didn't sleep with anyone else. Just you." He was even more concerned, "so that means?"

"We are having a child," she finished for him.

"You are what!" A shrill voice broke through her office room. Aquafina looked up to see her blue faced mother glaring at her through the doorway. "I've got to go," she ended the call abruptly. "Aquafina, who were you talking to?Answer me right now!"

Aquafina bite her lip to keep from saying a lie. She hated lying, but she also hated being yelled at. "Was it that human boy you are always with? I swear on the heavens if you some how got yourself pregnant by a mortal I will be the one to personally cast you out! Do you hear me!" Then her mother stormed out as suddenly as she had entered.

Aquafina crumbled back into soft desk chair behind her. Her legs had grown weak and her mind was a daze. "What am I going to do?" She touched her stomach and rubbed the now evident bump producing. Tears pricked her eyes. Over the course of the years she had played with Evan's four children on countless occasions. When he brought them on his sailing adventures he would toss them straight into the sea, to his wife's horror.

But Aquafina loved these kids as if they were her own. She would spin and toss them with the waves. The kids would laugh and cheer when they rode dolphins out into the sunset. They too were avid prayers to the water gods.

At night they would share their mini secrets with her. "Water goddess," the youngest had once spoken. "Why does mother not love me," it was a teary eyed confession. Aquafina's heart broke into a thousand pieces. These children deserved the world but their cold hearted mother had crushed their dreams and admirations under her heal like it was a disgusting rodent.

All she could do was cover his tears with the rain, and hug him through every water droplet that touched his skin.

But she still couldn't help but wonder. Even if Evan loved his own children's dearly, could he also come to live her own?

She wished at times like this that she could read his mind.

•••

35 years old

When she finally gave birth to the bastard child in her womb it was a grim day for the heavens. It was common for goddess to become abatement and remain chaste through their servitude in heaven. So Aquafina was assumed to be a goddess as well. But now she was a single mother, and a sinner amongst the gods. She was banished from the heavens, forced to roam the worlds repenting for the next century.

So she roamed. With her child at her side and a hymn in her mouth she roamed the worlds in a slow and mournful walk. Soon her child, Rain, began to hum the same hymn and walk the same mournful walk beside her. Five years passed this way.

When Rain's mother began to cry he would whisper, "don't cry mama, don't cry," and call for a rain cloud to cover her tears.

When a mortal came kneeling to their feet they would bless them. And ask only for them to build a small temple in return, and they always did. Aquafina's tears were endless, and so was the rain. They walked though cities filled with famine, and as she cried the people worshiped the merciful water goddess. They cheered, "thank you, Goddess Aquafina! Thank you!"

But she could not find the happiness in her heart to reciprocate such feelings. She could only sing, walk, and cry.

This lasted until they were walking across a familiar sea. Her rain clouds had caused the waves to lash and rise. Her son begged her to stop crying for the sake of the sailors but she couldn't. Her heart was too mournful. But then she heard a voice in the distance. "-fina!"

She looked up to the horizon and stared in bewilderment. The rain clouds slowly began to fade. "Aquafina!" The voice called again. Her heart danced, "Evan?" A small fisherman boat was riding the rough waves of the sea. It was then that she realized how dangers her storm had made the oceans for these men. So she ceased her tears and wiped at her eyes. She ordered the waves to bring the boat closer, and they did.

On the edge of the pier was the tall and muscular man she had fallen so deeply in love with. His green eyes held wisdom and strength. His long brown hair held stories that were carried by the wind.

His smile was bright as he called down to his goddess. "May I come down?" He asked. She found it unusual for him to do so since normally he would jump into the waves and assume she would catch him. She always did. But this time she promised it was okay, and watched as he swung down by a long rope and meet her at the ocean.

She could see his face with far more dimension in the evening sunset. He pulled her into a warm and loving embrace and all she could do was stand shocked. How had her mournful feet led her back to Evan's side? Was it love that guided her? Or some other form of connection between them. She looked down to the their son. "I knew he was who your heart was calling to," the little boy answered for her. A grateful smile pulled at her lips. "Thank you, Rain."

Evan looked between the two and basked at the eerie resemblance. "Is that my-." He was unsure if he should finish the sentence. Aquafina raised she child up into her arms and nuzzled her nose into his cheek. The little boy laughed squirmed in her arms. His white hair and blue eyes were a replica of Aquafina's. However, his blushed ears and lean face shape resembled his father's. She smiled to Evan. "This is your son, Rain."