Capture the tide.

Chapter 12

Marina found herself unable to contain her joy and anticipation as her and her grandmother strode for the town square, seeing everything with fresh eyes. Feeling as if it had been many months since she had been amongst the town instead of just under two weeks. 

"Beautiful morning for a walk" Her grandmother noted, gesturing towards the clear skies and the overgrown grass that grew halfway up their calves beside the dirt road. Marina walked closer to the edge, letting the stalks tickle her bare leg before she bent down, running her fingers through the thick brush and pulling one loose to fiddle with as they walked. 

Marina's long hair flowed gently in the soft cool wind, her knee length white laced dress and cream wooled cardigan being all she needed in the autumn sun.

Marina turned her heard towards the sky and breathed in the crisp farm air, letting her eyes fluttered closed as she soaked in every second of the sun beaming down on her tanned skin that had lost its glow from the days she'd spent in doors.

"How you're not absolutely freezing in that thin dress of yours, I'll never know" Her grandmother glanced at her sideways, well-hidden worry tinged in the darkness beneath her brown eyes.

"It's not even that cold, grandmother" Marina let out a chuckled sigh as her eyes caught on lone flowers and buzzing bees around the area between the tall trees and the overgrown bushes. 

A beautiful morning for a walk indeed, she found herself thinking as she watched the flora and fauna unite in the sunlight as everything melded into one, breathing life into the open air. 

"Winter is arriving far earlier this year chicken" Worry tinged her grandmother's words, the same as it had every year prior. Marina didn't understand why her grandmother always worried about the coming of winter... the crops still flourished even in the winter months, and it never grew cold enough for the river to freeze over and become useless. 

But still, every winter her grandmother would spend her time starring out the open chilled windows, unable to take her eyes off the farm. Watching so intently it was as if she were waiting for something... or perhaps someone.

Who or what? Marina didn't know.

Marina hummed in reply as she shot a look towards her grandmother in her deep brown knee length dress with her three-quarter length pants tied up underneath for extra warmth. The dress was embroidered with tiny flowers and bees towards the bottom that swished when she walked, making them seem almost as alive as the ones that buzzed around them. A thick forest green coat now hanging loosely over her chest after she had unbuttoned it five minutes into their walk, a thin layer of sweat coated her brow although Marina knew more than anything that her grandmother would never admit that she was quite warm in the autumn weather. Her grandmothers short bob bounced as she waddled along quicker than a lady her age should be able to walk, the rings on her fingers catching the light and glinting in the sun.

The soft patter of the grassy dirt road turned to the hard beat of cobblestone as they made their way into town towards the market. Excitement bubbled in Marina's chest as she heard the murmuring of voices build as they neared. 

Marina couldn't contain her smile in hearing the bubbling of the fountain and the hundreds of happy voices milling about as they sold and brought goods, Marina found her legs speeding up on their own accord as her grandmother gave her a knowing smile before they finally turned the last corner and Marina took in a deep breath of fresh sweet-smelling food, feeling the best she had in the last two weeks.

The markets were right in the middle of the town square near a large cobblestone fountain that currently contained over a thousand dollars' worth of quarters from all the wishes that had been cast in there since their town was founded, the silver pieces glowing in the sun through the sparkling clear water that rushed out from the blowholes atop the stoned dolphins and into the shallow pond belong.