The girl is three
years old. She is precious, the kelpie thought as he followed the boat. The
tiny little girl sat on her mother's lap as the father moved the oars back and
forth through the river. Her sing song voice told her parents about the pretty
black horse hiding in the water. The father just laughed but the mother looked
somewhat uncomfortable. As well she should, the Kelpie thought. It had been
years since the woman had returned to her family home in Scotland, she had all
but abandoned her heritage for the american man she now called husband. Oh what
fun it would be to pull him beneath the water's surface... watching his breath
leave him in a parade of tiny bubbles.
"Can I pet him?" asked the child, eagerly pulling
away from the mother towards the edge of the boat.
"Sure sweetie," the father said through his
chuckles, "But let's get to the shore first." He smile fell a bit
when he caught sight of his young wife's stern face.
"No." She said firmly. She turned the child to
face her, holding the little face in both hands. "You must never pet the black horse in
the water. Kelpies are not nice." She looked deeply into the little pools
of amber on the now pouting face, eyes that matched her own. She released the
girl satisfied that the child
understood. The husband on the other hand, did not.
"What's the big deal?" H asked, his tone held
slight irritation.
"When my father bought this land, he was told it was
cursed. Over twenty people had drowned in the river that ran across the
property and no would go near it. So my parent being as superstitious as they
were, did research and came to believe a Kelpie guarded the area." Her
unease pleased the kelpie, it meant she remembered everything.
"What is a Kelpie?" The husband asked, his tone
implying she was foolish to believe in whater it was.
"Its a nature spirit.... a faerie of sorts." The
husband snorted, interrupting her, but she continued on. "They appear as
black horses and live in lakes or rivers. They are known drown people and eat
them." At that the husband laughed outright, seeming unaware that his
toddler was staring past him intently, smiling at the dark creature directly
behind her father.
"Faeries? Don't tell me you believe in the-" He
grunted as one of the oars was almost ripped from his grasp. "Must have
hit a rock...." He muttered. He looked at the alarm on hi wife's face.
"What?"
"Don't disrespect them. My family owns this land, as
such the kelpie is less inclined to harm us... but if you insult it then-"
"Nothing." The husband cut her off, seemingly fed
up with the conversation. They breached the shore and he got out, pulling the
canoe deeper into the sand. "Nothing will happen. They don't exist and
frankly i never knew you were so superstitious." His tone conveyed his
disdain and disapproval so the wife didn't continue. She merely looked out over
the river anxiously, holding her wiggling daughter closer to her. Stupid
man.... thought the kelpie, but he was glad that the young woman hadn't
forgotten about him. Looking over her mother's shoulders, she waved happily to
the black horse waiting in the water.
-------
The girl is now a few years older.
Despite the wishes of her father, her mother had continued
to teach her to respect it, lest she anger the kelpie that lived there. She
often enjoyed the late night stories of faeries and elves. Still young, she
didn't understand why her father would get so mad at her mother for telling her
stories. She loved to hear of how the kelpie killed the evildoers who had
harmed her mother’s family in the past, although it had been years since the
last.
“He’s the guardian of these lands; he will protect what is
his.” Her mother would say solemnly.
One day she and her mother had been walking along the
riverbank when they found some trash that had been thrown in… one of her
father's bear cans. He had been napping at the picnic area and they took the
time to enjoy the quiet, but seeing the litter agitated her mother.
"Remember love," her mother had said as she waded
into the river, her pants rolled up to her knees. "Don't throw trash into
the river. Always put it in the trash can." She grabbed the can from the
water and made her way back to the girl. With the can in one hand, and the
other holding the child's, they made their way back to the picnic. Suddenly she
had a thought.
"Mum!" She said, hastily grabbing the picnic
basket and running for the water. Before her mother could stop her she threw
the entire thing into the water. Hearing her call out, the father awoke from
his nap. He blinked in confusion and then grew angry, as he usually did after
drinking.
"Why the hell would you do that?" He roared,
getting up. Quickly the wife stepped in front of the child and tried to calm
down her husband. "Shut up."
He grunted. With his full angry gaze on
the child she began to cry. Quickly the mother dropped down and held her.
"Why did you throw the food in the water?" She
asked her daughter gently.
"The kelpie... you said it eats people but no one had
drowned in years, so I thought that he might be hungry." She sniffled. The
wife embraced her, half to comfort her and half to shield her from the rage she
knew would come from her husband. That
night the air was full of the sounds of whimpering and the sound of flesh
striking flesh.
Her father was found dead only days later.
The girl thinks about how the funeral had been over very
quickly. She looked out of her bedroom window to the river that had claimed her
father's life. She was sad, angry, and grateful for the river. A knock on the
door brought the girl out of her reverie and back into her room as her mother
entered. Without waiting to see what her mom wanted to say she blurted out what
she had been questioning since she first heard about her father's death.
"Did the kelpie kill him?" she asked.
The mom's face froze and she bent her head in shame. Without
a word she nodded. The girl looked at her mother, who seemed more guilty than
sad. She wanted to ask why, but although she was still just a child, she could
sense that it wasn't something her mother would be able to answer at the
moment.
That night she snuck out of her room and went to the river.
Although she had never seen the kelpie after the first canoe ride, she
remembered him very clearly. Her mother had been afraid but she didn't see why.
She tried to conjure up his image, wondering if he was watching now.
"Kelpie!" she called, hoping he could hear her.
She didn't want to wake her mother but she had questions and figured it was
better to go to the source. When nothing happened she rolled up her pajama
pants and walked into the water. It was cold against her ankles but she liked
it. Because of the kelpie she wasn't allowed to be in the water alone, but she
now she and it wasn't scary at all. She began to splash around, loving the way
that the water made waves where her feet landed.
She heard a sound behind her and turned. Nothing. There was
only the river, quietly continuing on its course. Having remembered the picnic beforehand,
she pulled out a sandwich and tossed it as far as she could. Maybe food would
make the kelpie come out?
child, what are you
doing? a voice floated through her head. It wasn't a voice she heard with
her ears but she heard it nonetheless. Looking around, but she couldn't see
anything.
"Hello?" she asked, suddenly a little scared. She
stopped splashing, and stood very still. Squinting her eyes she tried to see
where he was. Her mother had taught her that even though they were horses,
kelpies could talk. Since she heard his voice she knew he had to be close by.
When she never got a response she walked a little deeper into the water. It was
up to her knees now, and her pajamas were starting to get wet.
Your mother will be
cross if she find you out here. He said amused. He looked at the girl, she
was so small... he tilted his head when he saw her shiver. He was half tempted
to stand next to her, so that his body heat would warm her, but decided against
it.
It was clear the girl had come for a reason, to prevent prolonged exposure
to the cold climate he bluntly asked, What
do you want child?
"Why did you kill my father?" she asked, her voice
shook from fear, but her stance was defiant. The kelpie felt pride, and then
puzzlement. Why did this girl stir such emotions within him? He wanted her out
of the cold water so he answered her without remorse.
He angered me. He
said matter-of -factly. The girl didn't know what kind of response she was
expecting, but the hurt and anger she felt overwhelmed her. She never thought
to ask how her father angered the kelpie, if she had then he would have told
her about the bruises he had seen on the mother. The girl knew her father was
an angry drunk, but the kelpie knew him to be a violent one. In her innocent
ignorance, the girl kicked the water in grief and ran back to the house. The
kelpie watched her go, pondering the feelings of grief. All things die... why was it so hard to part with them? The girl
did not return to the river for several years.
-----------
The girl is now a
teenager. She is celebrating her sixteenth birthday with her boyfriend and
several friends. In the thrall of the party, she and the boy sneak off by the
river. At first they are kissing and laughing and all is well. The kelpie sees
them but feels no indication to interfere or make his presence known. He
remains a bystander until he hears the girl's tone of voice change. She sounds
agitated so he comes nearer, his curiosity turning to rage when he hears her
voice turn fearful.
"I said stop!" The girl cried, her boyfriend
roughly holder down on the river bank. They had both been drinking and she knew
he wasn't thinking clearly, but still she felt afraid. He simply grunts and
wrestles to get on top of her. She struggles but knows she is no match for him.
She closes her eyes and feels tears slip down her cheeks when suddenly his
weight is gone. Instead she hears a choking sound. Opening her eyes she sees a
naked man infront of her, holding her drunken boyfriend off the ground by the
throat.
He is a beautiful man. His build is tall and firm with the
well defined muscles of a swimmer. He has a mop of black wavy hair and strong,
sharp jawline. He turns his gaze from the struggling boy in his vice like grip,
and looks down at her. His eyes are black and as deep as the river they are
beside. She can see deadly rage there, in the black pools, and yet the soften
when they meet her own. She knows immediately who this man is; the kelpie.
Faeries, kelpies included, had the ability to appear human for short amounts of
time. She had seen, nor heard, from him in years since her father's death and
yet in a moment of crisis he appeared to her aid. The moment the realization
hits her, all feelings of fear disappear.
"Go back to the party, child." He says, his voice
strong and eerily familiar. She can hear his anger and knows instantly that the
boy wriggling and gasping for air was not long for this world. She cast a
hesitant look to the boy who only moments before would have violated her,
wondering if she should say something to save him. "Go back, child. Forget
what you have seen." The kelpie’s voice sounded in her ears and she knew she
should obey.
The boy's body was found a day later down river. Although
the cause of death was drowning, the coroner was puzzled at what kind of
scavenger had gotten a hold of the boy's corpse. Although he had only been dead
for a day, half of his body had been eaten by some sort of animal. Despite half
of the skin missing, the fear was still frozen in the glazed eyes.
After that, the girl was considered cursed. Within a short
time, she was soon without many friends and found herself very lonely. Not
knowing why, she found herself standing on the riverbed, her toes sinking in
the sandy mud. She knew she wasn't cursed, nor was her land. All the death and drowning
had come from the kelpie...and yet she could not feel anger towards him. She
had long since gotten over her father's death and this new killing had been
done in order to save her. She smiled, and timidly called out to the creature.
She never saw him, but it took only a minute for him to breach the water's
surface to hear her.
Her days were soon filled with school work and stress from
finding a job. She remained lonely but found solace in talking to the kelpie.
He never spoke back, but she still continued to talk at him, day after day. It
crossed her mind, that maybe he was as lonely as she was; this thought overcame
her doubt and insured her daily return to the water's edge.
--------
The girl is now a
young woman. Her mother is ill and on her deathbed, tucked softly into bed,
yet she can find no comfort. calling the girl to her, she says that she must
confess something. When the girl asks what she is referring to, the mother
makes her promise not to interrupt. Confused, the girl agrees.
"I....killed your father." The mother's now old
feeble voice squeaks. "He was a very angry drunk, and he drank quite
often. One night, after you had gone to bed he hit me. When he did it again, i
went to the river and begged the kelpie for help." She tried to talk
quickly, her guilt rushing to be released,
but had to gasp for breath. A single tear fell from her old amber eyes
and the girl gently wiped it away. "If...If you ever need help.. got to
him." She wheezed.
The girl was confused; all her life the mother had told
her to stay away from the kelpie and that he only brought death and bad luck.
The girl said as much and was quieted by the painful look that crossed her
dyeing mother's face.
"He...brings death." She said, her voice much
quieter now. "But... he protects all those who he considers to belong in
his territory." She closed her eyes and held her daughter's hand. "He
saved my brother from drowning... he killed your father... life and death.
Promise..."she huffed, her breathing growing shallow. The girl began to
cry but promised. Nodding, the mother said she loved the girl and within
minutes all was quiet; the old hand that held the girl's grew limp.
They buried the mother next to the father. The grief at
losing her mother chased the girl away from her family home and she did not
return for ten years.
-----
The girl is now a mother and a successful business woman.
She has married and had two children, a daughter and a son. Although in
America, the girl made sure to teach her children all about the faeries and
their tricks. She even told them about the dangerous but mysterious kelpie. Her
husband, soon jealous of her success, left her to raise both children alone.
After the divorce the girl returned to Scotland, eager to set eyes on the home
and the river of her childhood.
The girl was nervous to approach the river, after having
been gone for so long. Holding the hands of both her children, she crept to the
water's edge. Calling softly to the kelpie, she prayed he would see her. It
took almost no time for the kelpie to figure out who the beautiful woman was,
although her face was older, he recognized his precious child. He held little
resentment for her absence, although he had missed her greatly. Beautiful younglings, he said as he
approached. He knew she could not see him, but the youngest child, the boy of
maybe two or three, did. The boy had his mother's amber eyes and the daughter
had her long red hair; both children were beautiful to him as they reflected
pieces of the girl.
Once satisfied that the kelpie had accepted her children she
resettled into her childhood home. Unlike her mother, the girl taught her
children to respect, but not fear the kelpie. She made a pact with the
creature; in exchange for never leaving Scotland again, he would never harm her
children or descendants.
It was a summer day when the girl was making apple pies to
surprise her children. It was her daughter's birthday and she, with friends,
had been playing outside in the yard. While making the dough she had the sudden
urge to check on the children. When she left the door way she was greeted by
her daughter, who wore a look of pure terror.
"What is it!?" the girl snapped, fear seizing her
heart. The daughter burst into tears and sobbed. Her younger brother had
wandered away from the group while she was playing and had disappeared.
Barking orders for all the children to go inside, the girl
ran to the river. Calling out for he son, her frantic eyes scanned the river
bank. She ran down, calling out, tears almost drowning out her screams. She cried for the Kelpie to take her to her son.
It
wasn't until the heard a smooth deep voice say, come, that she allowed herself to breathe. Running down the riverbed she found her boy
playing in a shallow pool fed by runoff from the river.
"What have you been doing!?" she shouted, scoping
him up in her arms. Her tears of relief ran freely as she hugged him to her
heart, the boy sounded confused but answered his mother happily.
"I was playing with the horsie..." He giggled and
waved behind her. Turning sharply, she scanned for any sign of the kelpie.
Although she knew she would not see him, her eyes still searched. Quietly, her
shaking voice thanked him.
The kelpie looked at the girl, his precious girl, and
smiled. He could not allow her son to drown. Although he had been trying to
call one of the daughter's friends to the river, it was the boy who heard him.
He resembled his mother to such an extent that the kelpie couldn't resist and
allowed the boy onto his back. He almost regretted causing her such pain and
worry, yet it had granted him sacred moments with her. He watched them return
to the house, and resumed his tempting of the local children to his waters...
-------
The girl is now an
old woman. Surrounded by loved ones, she smiles. Both of her children had
brought home beautiful families. Her son, and his children had decided to move
into the family home and she knew that the kelpie would continue to look after
them. She knew she was dying, as did her family. They had all gathered, far and
wide, to bid her farewell. Feeling more loved than she had her entire life, she
waited until all were asleep under the blanket of nightfall to slowly make her
way out of the house. She glanced back at the home that had brought her years
of joy and many tears. Her wonderful children would carry on its legacy and she
would miss them terribly. With a tired sigh she made her way to the river.
"Kelpie." She called, her voice barely audible. It
took a few more calls before he heard her. Rising instantly he faced her and
knew her time was short.
Child? He
asked. For the first time in many years, his heart grew heavy as he looked into
her beautiful amber eyes. Her red hair was now more gray with streaks of faded
rose water. He still found her lovely and precious. She blinked and when her
eyes opened she gasped. Before her was a noble black horse, with a mane that
looked as thick as river weeds but soft as the water's surface. Just like when
she was a babe, she had the urge to pet him.
Her feeble legs carried her further into the water, the
current causing her to lose her balance. Before she could fall, the strong neck
of the kelpie braced her and eased her back into balance. They stared at each
other for a long moment and both knowing she would be gone soon. Her breathing
was already labored as she struggled to remain upright. Bending down, he made
himself as low as possible, allowing her to ease herself on top of him. Her
hands griped his thick mane and he slid back into the deeper water. He carried
her in the water, smiling and even laughing as she rode him, until she was
silent. He felt a piece of his heart break when her hands went limp and her
body floated off of his back.
For the first time ever, the kelpie felt loss. The girl was
dead. Her passing was peaceful and he took comfort in knowing she had seen him
one last time before her soul parted with his. As per her will, when the family
retrieved the body, the girl was buried with her mother and father. Ten years
later, when her body had time to decay but her bones remained; she had wished
them to be cleaned and returned. Her faithful son, who beheld her amber eyes,
carried the bones to the river.
"She loved you." He said, his voice thick with
emotion. He hoped that the kelpie had seen him and was watching now. He shook
his head. His mother had always told him about the black faerie horse that
lived in the river, yet he had no memory of him. His mother had wished that her
bones would be returned to the kelpie and the river would unify them. Setting
the bones down in the sand, he cast a final look at what once was his mother
and returned to the house. It wasn't until nightfall that the kelpie approached
his precious girl, and carried her into the river with him. There they remained
for the rest of his days, together.
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