The clear spring lake was decorated beautifully with water flowers imported from the eastern countries of serpent dragons and skilled martial artists. Adalheidis had asked her mother - an exotic beauty from a country of the flower's origin - what her people had called the elegant plant and with a fluid voice like the flowing water of the river, the language of her country streamed through her mother's lips and the little girl clapped as if she had witnessed a grand show. Her mother only laughed, her sweet tune like bells before returning to her ink painting of trees and wind.
Adalheidis skipped away in delight and her soaring mood made her body light and her giggles ring throughout the garden. Unlike others of its kind, the Duke Valentin, her esteemed father, had remodelled their main estates gardens into the likes of those found in her mother's homeland. She was told it was to make her mother content in her new life when she was first brought here.
Looking at her parent's harmonious relationship, Adalheidis wished every night that she would be able to find a love as equally as perfect so that she could live happily all the days of her life. When she blurted her thoughts out to the Duchess Valentin, she was met with a warm hug that seeped into her very bones and saw eyes full of adoration and certainty.
"My dear Adalheidis, the future you seek will surely come to you. The thought of you being brought away from me is almost unbearable, however if you are willing and happiness awaits at your destination then I will send you on your way with a smile when you are ready. Until then, I will love you with all my heart and cherish your sweet presence. My darling little girl."
The little Valentin continued her way down stone paths and past bamboo forests until she could barely see the figure of her mother sitting upon a wooden chair. Glancing around to satisfy her curiosity, she reached the end of the winding river that stretched far into the horizon. An extensive pond, more akin to a lake, greeted her eyes and dozens of colourful koi fish swam away at the sound of her less than quiet arrival.
Covering her mouth quickly, she crouched down near the edge of the pond to wait for their return. A white fish with orange splotches came up cautiously, yet too far for her to poke and play with. Pouting a little, Adalheidis leaned forward with her finger pointed outwards and ready to gently touch the shimmering scales. Overestimating her control of balance, the little girl leaned far too away and tipped into the lake with a small plop.
Panic ceased her and, desperately trying to remember her swimming lessons, she tried to swim upwards to the surface. Her layered dress soaked up the liquid around her and the weight dragged her further down into the seemingly unendingly deep lake. A shout that could barely be discerned from all the water in Adalheidis' ears alerted her that someone had seen her fall in and yet she couldn't feel any relief as the feeling of her little lungs giving way filled her with dread. The struggling girl was forced to let go of her breath and subsequently swallowed mouthfuls of water before she felt herself being pulled out and fell unconscious.
The sight of a blue lotus floating a few ways away from where she had been sinking being the last thing she had seen.
~~
Author Wants To Say:
Thank you for reading. I will hopefully update tomorrow if fate allows it.
If not then fate will begin really boiling my dumplings.
YOU ARE READING
Can't You Sense Spring?
Historical FictionLittle Adalheidis had to fall into a lake of lotuses to remember her past life. When she comes to the realisation that she is in a Japanese dating game as a pivotal character, she wonders what she will do to avoid her tragic fate.
