The gnomes, full of fish and well-rested, packed up their things and continued their march down the shoreline. "Where do you suppose they are off to?" Aurora said as she watched them leave.
Phoca unconsciously shivered. "They have been above ground more than normal these days and messing about outside the ice barrier. We water-loving creatures are usually safe outside the barrier. We have a water cavern to get ourselves back home when we need it. But the gnomes, they rarely venture beyond their own little holes. To see them out here is truly frightening."
"Will they come back?" Devrim asked.
The selkie under his left arm, named Luna, answered, "I do not think so. They seemed pretty intent on heading east. They may be trying to get around to the other side of the lake, though why they would not do that inside the ice barrier is beyond me."
"They are trying not to be seen doing anything suspicious where magical eyes might be spying," Aurora mused.
"Did you hear the name that they used for their contact in Valiant?" Devrim changed the subject. "It sounded familiar."
Aurora nodded. "It did. We can talk about it later. For now, I think it is safe to go to shore." The humans and selkies made their way to the beach. Outside the water, the air was much colder. Aurora and Devrim spent a good deal of time trying to dry out all of their belongings. Thankfully the things that were actually stowed inside the cloak were still dry or they might never have finished. The sun was low in the sky as they packed everything back up. The selkies brought the humans fish, and Aurora built a small fire on which to cook them. As the long day finally was ending, the selkies said goodbye. "I will check on you in the morning, dears," Phoca said warmly. "A few words of advice. There is a storm coming, so pitch your tents well tonight. If we hear any more from the gnomes, we will wake you." She turned her whiskery nose to Devrim. "I recommend you go to bed early tonight, young man. You are likely not ready for what happens when the moon comes up."
"What do you mean?" Devrim was embarrassed again.
"Stay awake and find out if you like, but the lady with you might not forgive you." The selkie disappeared into the water with her grey and brown companions.
Left alone on the beach, Aurora and Devrim cleaned up from their meal. They took out their single-person tents that were coated with oil. The waterproof canvas would keep them dry if a storm came as the selkie had suggested. Devrim pitched his tent on the beach, but Aurora hesitated. She looked over at the grass just a short distance away. Its soft, low stalks seemed a much better bed than the shifting sand. The Empress had grown accustomed to the hard ground, but a night in a soft bed was more than welcome.
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"I am going to set up in the grass over there," she told Devrim.
"But…" The grey-eyed man took one look at Aurora's challenging glare and stopped. He shrugged. "Suit yourself," he sighed.
Confident in her choice, Aurora strolled over to the grass and laid out her tent. She reflected on how she had made a fire, cooked a dinner and was now making her own bed. Her mother would have been horrified to do such things, but Aurora found a sense of satisfaction in being independent. Life was far too short to always rely on someone else to get things done.
With her tent pitched, the Empress went back to her companion who was sitting at the water's edge. Stars were peeking out from their hiding places and beginning their trek across the sky. There were stars here that Aurora had never seen. She sat next to Devrim and hooked her arm through his. Lately he had pulled away when she moved toward him, but just now he leaned in. The motion gave her an extreme sense of pleasure. They stared at the stars in silence.
Finally Devrim spoke, "You scared me today. When you were nearly washed from the rock, I thought I might lose you."
"I was scared too," Aurora admitted, "but you'll have to try harder than that to get rid of me." Devrim smiled weakly at her joke.
"You mean the world to me. All this," he motioned to the night sky, "holds no beauty without you next to me." The Empress's heart fluttered at his words. She hoped he would say more, but he fell into a pensive silence.
Aurora nodded and laid her head on the man's shoulder. There would be no words of love tonight, yet she was content. "I am here. Let us enjoy the sky together," she said.
As time passed, neither of them saw the moon rise. Aurora was actually growing sleepy when she heard a beautiful song begin to fill the air. At first it was one voice. Aurora recognized it immediately. "It is Phoca!" Aurora whispered to Devrim. Soon other voices joined the song, and as the moon rose high into the air, the singers could be seen sitting on an outcrop of rocks a short distance down the beach.
Where the Empress had expected to see the seal-like selkies, a dozen beautiful women sat staring at the sea singing a melancholy melody. Their milky skin glowed in the moonlight, and they appeared like glimmering diamonds on the rock. Their song was sweet and sad, full of great longing in a language that Aurora didn't know. On the rocks at the ladies' feet were brown and grey skins. 'The seal skins! They must shed their skin to bask in the moonlight,' Aurora realized.
Having come to the same conclusion, Devrim grew tense beside the dark-haired woman. "Are they…?" he couldn't say the word 'naked'. Aurora smiled, very glad he was embarrassed.
"Yes," she answered him. "And don't you dare go and stare! As Phoca said, I might not forgive you."
Devrim did not need her scolding. He was at heart a gentleman and had no desire to interfere with the selkies' song. "I am off to bed." He told her. "I advise you do the same."
"I will go in a moment. I want to hear the end of the song." Aurora let her companion leave. She stared at the stars glowing brightly overhead. If she listened carefully and focused, the words of the song filled her head with pictures. She could see the world with magical creatures and humans living together. It was beautiful and seemed perfect. Then humans became discontent without magic powers and the ice barrier had to be formed. Separation was the only answer. The song ended with a longing for what once was. The Empress felt tears sliding down her face. The melody was powerful. Wiping her eyes, Aurora stood.
Waving her hand in the air, the Empress bid farewell to the selkies from afar. Phoca waved in return as she began the next song. This was a song Aurora recognized. It was the one Nanny had sung to her to guide her way. The Empress climbed into her tent and closed her eyes. She drifted off to sleep, and with the help of the songstresses, she dreamed of the many adventures yet to come.