Aurora's and Devrim's eyes grew wide. Not only were the gnomes stopping, they were going fishing! Was the seal wrong; could gnomes swim? Or did they possibly have a boat?
"Why do I have to fish? I did it last time!" a gnome with a smashed nose whined. It was obvious that confrontation was a specialty of his.
"Because you are a hair taller than everyone else so you can walk a little deeper…and because I don't like you!" The red cap dwarf answered. The other dwarves jeered at the complainer. He quickly separated from the group along with a mousy-looking gnome in a light brown cap. The two gathered nets from their supplies and trudged into the water. The gnomes on land set up a makeshift camp complete with a fire and stools pulled from their packs. For mostly living underground, they were well equipped for life above the surface.
Aurora and Devrim clung to the boulder in the water. Although they were not in danger of freezing, the constant lap of the small waves threatened to dislodge them. The surface of the water had looked flat from above, but there was a steady rise and fall that was easily visible at ground level. Aurora's fingers were growing numb because of her grip on the rock. In front of them, the two gnomes waded waist deep and stopped. They began to cast nets into the water and drag them back. The humans could see the nets being cast, but could not see the fishermen. This was good, because it meant the gnomes could not see them either.
"I hate water. It's unnatural for the likes of us to go swimming about like the selkies or merfolk. I should tell the sergeant to get his own fish," the flat-nosed gnome grumbled.
The second gnome replied, "Uh, that'd probably get you another break in your nose and get us both put in the rear to march. This is the closest I've come to a bath in years. I don't want to be in the back of this smelly lot, do you?"
The first gnome muttered a curse or two, but seemed to agree. They worked quietly for a while before the first gnome worked himself into another fit. "I don't even like fish! They are slimy and taste of water. And another thing! Why are we bothering to wander around wasting time? Why not just march out to attack and be done with the filthy humans??"
"Sh, what if 'they' hear you?!" the mousy gnome whispered. "We are doing this so the Fates do not see our big move coming, which does no good if you go around yelling our plans."
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"I will yell whatever I like. The king is not here to punish me, and I ain't afraid of no Fates." The flat-nosed gnome stuck his chin out arrogantly. "That dirty Khay-fehr has been in Valiant for far too long. That lousy gnome has no interest in helping us. I say we kill him with the the rest of them."
"The 'king's chosen' will accomplish his mission or he will be cut off from his reward. And are you saying his name wrong on purpose? It is pronounced…."
"I know how to pronounce it, you dimwit!"
From the shore, the red cap gnome called to them. "Hurry up your lazy bones! Either catch something or move further out!"
Oh no! If they moved much deeper, it was very possible that Aurora and Devrim would be discovered. The seal came between them. "I will take care of this," she whispered. The humans nodded and the seal dove below the surface.
"Did you hear something?" The gnome in the brown cap asked.
"Probably just a selkie. They are swimming all around here in secret. Someday I'll catch one of them ladies on land and make them be mine." The flat nosed gnome sounded almost tender.
'What's a selkie?' Aurora wondered. She did not remember reading about them in her book. Whatever they were, the gnome was smitten. Suddenly one of Aurora's hands lost its grasp. It had been holding on to the boulder against the waves for so long that it finally could not maintain its grip. She felt her feet pulled beneath her and for a moment she lost the sensation of the ground altogether. Just as the fingers of Aurora's other hand lost purchase, Devrim wrapped his arm around her back and pushed her against the rock once more. He lifted her slightly out of the water so she could sit against him and relax her arms.
On the other side of the the rock, the second gnome chuckled quietly. "What's so funny?!?" The first gnome demanded to know.
"Ah, nothing. I just realized that the ONLY way you are getting a wife is if you steal her." He laughed out loud at his own quip.
The gnome with the flat nose reddened with anger. "That's the gnome tradition, ain't it? And I don't see anyone lining up to be your bride."
The gnome in the brown cap smiled knowingly, "That is because I have very specific taste…. Hey! Did you see that?" He pointed at the boulder in the water not far from them. The gnome caught a glimpse of Aurora's dark hair over the top of the rock as Devrim lifted her.
The fat-nosed gnome got excited, "It's a selkie! You take the nets; I am getting me a wife!" Before he could actually release the nets from his fingers, they pulled taut and nearly dragged both the gnomes under. "Help!" The beach gnomes heard the call and plunged into the water to help haul in the net. It was overflowing with fish.
"Look at that haul!" many of them cried. They would have a feast.
Behind Devrim, the seal appeared with three others. "We sent the fish their way. They should hopefully eat and move on. You must be exhausted," the seal said sympathetically. "Lean on us for a while." Devrim and Aurora released the boulder and were each buoyed by two seals behind the rock.
A fifth seal appeared. "I'll watch the boy's pack," she said and dove beneath the surface.
The noise on the shore became louder, making it safe for those in the water to speak more freely. "Thank you," Aurora said, "for your help. But may I ask, what are you? You cannot be normal seals."
The creature laughed, "We are not seals at all. My name is Phoca. I am a selkie."
"A selkie?! Then why would the gnomes want to marry you?" Devrim asked, realizing too late his question sounded rude.
Phoca took no offense. She smiled, "The best and worst thing about magic, my dears, is that looks can be deceiving." Phoca winked at him while supporting Aurora's left arm, and Devrim blushed heavily. Though why he felt embarrassed by the selkie's coquettish glance, he couldn't quite say.