Milo was bored.

Ever since the day Gu mentioned that his boat friends would be arriving soon, time seemed to pass by in an agonizing crawl. The boy busied himself with everything he could think of but nothing seemed to be able to hold his attention for more than a few minutes. After raking the non-existent leaves, tilling the already-tilled garden, filling the already full woodshed, and cleaning the already clean house, the boy was declared a menace and sent away. Gu kicked Milo out of the house for the day and told him to go play in the woods. Which he did with great glee, until the forest kicked him out as well.

Everything started out fine. When Milo arrived in the northern forest, all of the usual creatures came out to play. He hid nuts for the squirrels and played a one-sided game of fetch with them; built a little stone bath for the small birds to wash in; rolled the multi-coloured blobs around and smooshed them into all sorts of different shapes; found the pack of three-eyed wolves and subjected them to a barrage of pets and rubs; looked under hidden flower patches and spooked the grass sprites; and so on. The creatures of the forest had no issues with this. In fact, they were delighted by the attention and by all the creative ways to play that the boy was showing them. But then an hour passed. And another. And another. And, although Milo was an infinite well of energy, the beasts and fey were not.

One by one, the wildlife started to beat stealthy retreats. Whenever Milo turned his attention to a different direction, his previous play-captive would slink away into the woods. One by one, the creatures made their silent escapes. Soon, only two were left: a lone blob and Little Spirit. But even they were starting to tire out.

Milo stretched his squishy three-dotted friend into a pancake. The blob slowly dragged itself, inch by inch, back to its original form. Milo reached down to mold it into yet another shape, but it bounced up before he could grab it – pop – and rolled left to right.

“Are you done, little guy?” Milo asked and put his hands down.

It bounced up and down. All done.

“Okay, thanks for playing. It was fun!” He patted the blob and stood up. After dusting the dirt and leaves off of himself, Milo stretched both arms to the sky.

Plop. Plop.

Little Spirit shot out two beads of water. One landed in front of the little blob, and one landed directly onto Milo’s nose. The boy jumped back with a start – his stretch abruptly ruined by the cold splash. Meanwhile, the blob rolled over and drank the drop of water. It turned to face the creek and bounced up and down. Then, after thanking the water spirit, it rolled into a bush and out of sight.

“Bye bye!” Milo waved at the departing blob then looked over at Little Spirit.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Standing on top of the creek, Little Spirit looked at Milo with her arms folded. Beads of disapproval dripped from her fingertips into the water.

Drip.

Drip.

“Uh. What is it, Little Spirit? Do you want to play some more?”

Drip.

Drip.

She tapped her foot on the water’s surface.

“I guess not.” Milo scratched his head. “Is there something you want to say?”

Little Spirit nodded and launched into a flurry of gestures. Though she didn’t speak a word, her frustrated gestures were so obvious that Milo had no problem understanding them this time.

Who is this child filled with oceans of joy?

What makes you think that the world is your toy?

How can you play with such infinite mirth?

Where was this wellspring of energy birthed?

When you next see all the creatures you've sought,

Why don’t you patch up the terror you've brought.

With a humph, the water spirit folded her arms again and waited for the boy to reply.

Drip.

Drip.

“Was…it really that bad?” Milo asked.

Little Spirit immediately nodded.

“Oh. Okay, I’ll bring some food for them next time.”

Satisfied with the answer, Little Spirit granted him pardon. She unfolded her arms and started conjuring up a ball of water to show the overactive child in front of her. The ball shook and rippled, unable to settle.

“What’s this for?” Milo asked.

She pointed to her chest, and then to Milo’s.

“My chest?”

The ball of water briefly formed a heart and then returned to a trembling, agitated mess after the child saw the change.

“Oh, you’re saying this is my heart.”

Little Spirit nodded. She pointed at Milo, then pointed at the ball of water. Slowly, the ripples stilled. The bubbles halted. What was a disorganized mass of water just moments ago turned into a stable, crystal clear orb that hovered in the air without a trace of movement. It remained in this tranquil state for quite some time while Milo watched.

The wind blew, bringing the trees and plants to life with a burst of motion. It passed over the orb and caused the entire surface to ripple and shake. But once the air calmed, the water settled back into placidity. Stillness resumed. Little Spirit pointed at Milo again.

“I guess you’re right. I was just so excited about ‘boat day’ finally arriving,” he said.

She smiled and flicked water at the boy.

“Thanks, Little Spirit. I’ll bring you something later, too, next time I come back,” Milo said with a wave.

The water spirit waved back and merged into the creek.

Seeing the sun start its early descent, Milo made his way back home from the forest.

♢♢♢

“Has the tempest run its course?” Gu asked the moment Milo walked through the door.

“...” Milo stood dumbly in the doorway. “What tempest?”

“The Milo Tempest,” Gu said. “It ravaged home, land, forest, and waters.”

“Oh. The Milo Tempest has calmed down. I played with all my friends in the forest and then Little Spirit lectured me.”

“Good.”

“Speaking of which, can you help me pick out some gifts to give the creatures I played with?” Milo asked after closing the door.

Gu nodded. “Which ones?”

“All of them.”

“...” Gu had no words.

“Little Spirit said the same thing.”

“...”

“She also looked at me just like that. I think you two would get along. Have you ever met her? She lives in the creek. Or maybe she is the creek, I’m not sure.”

“I’m going to make tea.” Gu walked into the kitchen without waiting for a reply.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“Okay, me too please,” Milo said. He took a seat on the tidy, spotless couch and started swinging his legs. The entire living room sparkled with a sheen that had never been seen before, and would likely never be seen again. It was very clean. Even the fireplace glimmered thanks to his efforts. The house looked newer than new and Milo was quite pleased with the result despite the scolding he got for ‘wreaking havoc’ and ‘making a commotion’ in the early morning.

Gu returned with two cups of tea. He handed one to Milo before taking a seat at the polished table.

“I have news. But only if you stay calm,” Gu said.

With a serious nod, Milo replied, “I’ll be calm.”

“If you clean anything before the sun rises, you’ll sleep in the wood shed.”

“Little Spirit helped me see the error of my ways. Until we leave on seabound paths, I’ll calmly count the days.”

Gu gave Milo a look and said, “They arrive tomorrow. If things go to plan, we leave the day after.”

“En. I am calm,” Milo nodded.

“Good.”

“But in case I wasn’t calm, I have a question,” Milo said. “Little Spirit told me that I should keep my heart still so that it doesn’t get all stirred up and splash everyone.”

“That’s not a question,” Gu said.

Milo glared at him, “Little Spirit told me to keep my heart still. How do I do that?”

Gu’s hand paused halfway through taking his next drink. He brought the teacup to his lips and took a long sip while contemplating. The nature of being Bound meant that the two of them were equal in all ways. No longer were debts or repayments required. No longer were thanks or apologies needed. As far as the world of souls were concerned, the two of them were as one. And yet, despite being connected in this way, it was impossible for them to truly be equal in all ways. Gu often forgot that the skills and experiences that he took to be basic expectations had yet to be developed in the boy who had just turned ten. Although they were made equals through the Binding of the soul, they were far from it with regards to life.

Gu put down his drink. “You’re young. It’s okay to be excited.”

“But I don’t want to bother anyone.”

“It’s not a bother,” Gu said. “...It’s just a lot.”

“I just want to be more like everyone else – more calm, more knowing. It feels like everybody already knows everything, and I’m the only one who has to fumble around in the dark to figure things out,” Milo said, downcast.

Gu, once again, was made to realize that he was anything but a good teacher. He taught Milo in the same way that he himself was taught: through experience and failure. Suddenly in charge of a child of his own, Gu was thrown back into this sink-or-swim process of learning and figuring things out bit by bit. He, too, was fumbling through the darkness – treading water beyond his depths – but that didn’t mean the boy should have to do the same.

“Do you remember what we’ll do after coming back from sea?”

“...Seeing the teacher about Balance things?” Milo guessed.

“En. When you train The Sight, you’ll learn to be calm. You’ll learn the ways of whimsy. Don’t worry for now.”

“Okay. So I can be excited?”

“En.”

“I’m going to clean the kitch–”

“Go to bed,” Gu stopped him.

“Okay.”

♢♢♢

The next morning.

Milo threw his blankets aside and jumped off the couch as soon as the first hint of light graced the sky. The birds were chirping. The insects were singing. Today was the day.

Quietly, he opened the door and brought in a few armfuls of wood from the shed. He left the big pieces in the box beside the fireplace then fed the coals with small bits of kindling. After fanning the embers, the kindling caught and the fire crackled back to life. He threw in a big log and left to do other chores.

Milo found plenty of ways to quietly keep himself busy while he waited. He quietly folded his blankets and tidied the couch. He quietly transferred some embers to the kitchen wood stove and rekindled the fire. Quietly brought the pot of leftovers to reheat. Quietly laid out his set of utensils. Accidentally knocked the pot lid onto the floor with a bang. Winced. Quietly picked the lid back up and put it on the counter, eyes clenched shut. Quietly watched the leftover fish stew start to simmer.

The sun crested the mountaintops. Fish stew cooled on the countertop.

Milo brought the steaming leftovers to the table and sat down to eat breakfast. The stealth mission was mostly successful. Although he might have fumbled the loudest possible part, everything else went off without a hitch. That probably counted for something. The boy leaned an elbow onto the table and started to absently scoop spoon after spoon of stew into his mouth while he stared out the window. He hoped that something would happen, or that someone would show up on the road.

Greys turned to blues. Blues turned to yellows. The morning sun rose higher and higher.

So much time had passed but still not a single person had walked down the road yet. Milo was slightly disappointed. He leaned back on his chair and let out a sigh. It seemed like the day was going to be a long one. Milo sent his spoon back into the pot in search of another mouthful of stew, but it came back empty – nothing but a hollow clank. He was so focused on not missing anything outside that it seemed like, in his absence, his body developed a mind of its own. Without realizing it, he had finished off the entire pot. On top of being disappointed, he was now also uncomfortably full. In any case, since he was unable to move, there was nothing better to do than continue staring out the window.

The light of the sun finally came out in full force. Warm rays thawed the frosted grass. Eventually, after another hour, his patience was rewarded. In the distance, Milo saw a traveller approaching. They were dressed more colourfully than most of the local villagers in the area and accompanied by an ox with a large flatbed cart in tow.

Milo tempered his excitement. They might just be a passerby heading to the next town. He didn’t want to get his hopes up too early. He watched. And waited. He was calm. Still like water.

The traveller slowed and paused when they reached the side path that branched to Gu’s house. After looking around and seeing the boat, they nudged the ox and started walking closer.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Milo’s leg bounced up and down as the calm facade he wore was slowly starting to crack. The mental dam that he had painstakingly built up was now punctured with countless holes. The excitement was too powerful to contain. When the traveller walked past the garden, Milo couldn’t hold himself back any more. All pretenses of calm were thrown out the window. Even the most tranquil of ponds would turn into a creek if given a path – an outlet. Besides, Milo was more like a river. He threw the door open and rushed over to greet the new stranger.

The stranger was of average height and slender build. Their clothes were finely crafted. Elegant, yet travel-worthy. Durable, yet soft. The tunic fit perfectly against their lithe and powerful frame, and the blues and yellows evoked a certain air of class. They carried themselves with the type of quiet confidence that spoke more about their bearing than any flowery words could. Milo decided to test them.

“Greetings, kindly stranger. Welcome to our home. I hope that travels brought you here without much roaming wrongly down the wayward paths,” the boy bowed. “My name is Milo. If you follow me, I’ll show you ‘round to see the place where you can rest. Your ox is also free to graze. Could I offer you a cup of tea?”

If the sudden appearance of a young boy bursting out of the home came as a surprise to the stranger, then it certainly wasn’t evident on their face. They remained polite and impassive, and replied with the Noble Tongue in kind.

“Thank you for your offer, Milo. Tea would be obliged,” the stranger bowed back with a smile. “My name is Nahla. With your lead, I’d gladly come inside.”

Milo beamed and grabbed both of Nahla’s hands. They were strong and calloused, an artifact of years of hard work. Without allowing them to get another word in, Milo quickly pulled his new friend into the house and settled them onto the couch while he brewed tea.

After setting their belongings down on the floor, Nahla leaned into the fire and rubbed both hands together. The living room was comfortable and warm – the perfect place to thaw out while waiting for the host to return.

♢♢♢

In the kitchen, Milo was doing his best to recreate the drink that he had seen Gu make countless times. He seldom made tea by himself, but after watching it being made every day, multiple times per day, the boy figured that he should be able to do a decent job. It would probably be fine. He set some water on the stove to boil and went to the storeroom to fetch tea leaves from a few random containers that Gu often used. When the water was ready, he poured it into a teapot and threw in the leaves. After a generous round of stirring, he fished out the leafy bits and set them aside on a saucer. With everything done, Milo fashioned two cups of tea and brought them over to the living room. He handed one to Nahla, who cupped it in both hands gratefully.

“Is this the famous tea of Gu that I’ve heard so much about?” Nahla asked. They looked at the clear amber liquid and inhaled the floral scents while the warmth radiating from the cup seeped into their hands.

“Not exactly. Gu’s sleeping right now so I made the tea instead. I’ve been watching and learning from him for a while,” Milo said proudly.

“I see.” Nahla took a drink.

“How is it?” Milo asked with sparkling eyes.

“It’s interesting.”

“Great!” Milo was happy to have his hospitality well-received. He turned his chair around to face the couch and joined his guest in drinking tea.

The two looked at each other and continued without a word. Nahla didn’t quite know how to react to the eagerness of the child-host sitting across, whose eyes seemed to be searching intently for something. The guest spoke up before Milo’s gaze could burn a hole through their face.

“Will you be joining us on the voyage?” Nahla asked.

“Yes! I’ve been waiting a very long time for this trip. I even learned all the skills to survive at sea! Gu taught me,” Milo bubbled with excitement.

“Oh? How long have you been waiting for, then?”

“Three days,” Milo said. “Four now, actually. They were very long. The longest days of my life.”

“...I see,” Nahla said and took another long drink.

“Are you one of Gu’s friends?”

“Gu?” Nahla pondered. “Oh, The Boatman. No, we’re not exactly friends as such. My father and ‘Gu’ are the ones with longstanding friendship. He sent me this time to gain experience, and to perhaps return with a hide if things go well.”

“You’re the tailor’s kid!” Milo exclaimed.

Nahla smiled tactfully. “If that’s what I’ve been called, then yes. I’m the ‘tailor’s kid.’”

Milo continued staring at the face of his guest. “Um…”

“What is it, Milo?” Nahla asked.

“Um…Can I ask a question?”

“Sure,” Nahla nodded and took a drink–

“Are you a boy or a girl?”

“Pfftt.”

–then spat it all over Milo and the floor.