First Day

Water droplets hitting my face roused me. Faint ocean smell, earthy damp air. Fading foot stomping. High pitched whistling and screaming. Animal or human? Both? Chaotic noises. A riot.

I laid there for what seemed an eternity before I fully woke up and mustered up the courage to assess the situation.

Breathing, check. Pulse, check. Safety, maybe check?

When I felt safe enough, I checked for all five senses, one after another.

Sight, negative. Hearing, positive. Touch, positive. Smell, positive. Taste, mmm, why is my mouth salty?

I silently processed the factors I had gathered. Past twenty-four-hour recollection.

Somehow, I survived the fall from the balcony. Hopefully uninjured. Got lifted to the skies. Fell back to what was probably an ocean. Drowned. Then, I’m in a new location that is not the hospital. A musky cloth is covering me which means that someone is looking after me. Question is, why am I naked?

I slowly touched my immediate surroundings in the dark. Investigated the squamous bed.

Why is it raising up and down slightly? Is it from my own breathing? The shaking ground from the commotion outside earlier?

My wandering hands didn’t get far when the bed started to move. Stripped of my clothes in the dark, I had nowhere to go. I hid under the furry blanket and closed my eyes. I felt the bed I was on, or what I thought was a bed, moved forward to a breezier location. Once the movement stopped, I waited a good few minutes before I peered out.

Please don’t be a monster. I already had too much misfortune.

I slowly opened my eyes and was met with a huge pair of blue eyes glowing in the dark, paired with a low hiss.

Of course it is. OF COURSE IT JUST HAD TO BE!

Speechless, I shook and teared up in silence. Whilst bundled in the fur blanket, the creature took hold of me around my waist. What I thought was a bed, became my shackles. I haven’t been lifted by an elephant with its trunk before, but I could assume that the experience would be comparable.

If falling didn’t kill me, drowning didn’t kill me, this surely will. Three times the charm.

‘Please don’t hurt me. I don’t know how I got here. Please forgive me.’ I said in a low shaking voice, almost a whisper. I had to try surviving despite questioning fate, as we descended into further darkness.

Well.. If I was food then I would’ve been taken care off before I had the chance to wake up. Uhuh! That’s right! It didn’t eat me!.. Yet... Well, not yet anyways… I hope it doesn’t eat me. Did I somehow offend a god?

‘Hey. You’re not actually a bad guy, or creature, is it not?’

‘Hiss.’

I shuddered at the vibration of the creatures response.

But wait a minute, is it talking back to me? Can it understand me?

A distinct saline breeze hit my face. My eyes adjusted to the small light in the distance. Soft calculated drops from the dark endless ceiling, lines of moist stones that extend from the ground, varying in length, and some from above too, decorate the venue.

It is the insides of a cave after all!

With what my eyes can see, I inspected the length of the strong, shiny and scaly bind around me, only to see what seems to be the massive head of a snake at the other end.

DO NOT SCREAM! Hold it back. 1,2,3, breath in, 1,2,3, breath out. Do not pass out on me now Ina.

‘W-Where are you taking me?’ I asked almost shyly while also gagging in my own breath, and that’s all of my physical and mental strength can muster. The answer soon showed itself. The entrance of the cave welcomed us to the vast nature.

My vision was overwhelmed with an endless dreamscape. An eternal expanse of sapphire blue sea is blanketed by a gentle mist that carefully intertwines with the glittery aquamarine sky. A parade of rocks line the distant skies from north west to south east. One of the moons being central to supplying the golden sheen that illuminates everything. Another smaller yet also perfect crescent shaped moon hints a pink into the right side of the horizon. One diamond up in the sky shines on its own and is the last moon within my sight.

Real beauty. A photo of this night should be placed beside the word “breathtaking” in all encyclopaedias.

I did not realise that the creature had long let go of me and placed me softly on the nearest grass patch. My mouth was agape from the explosion of beauty in front of me. I do not know how long I was gazing into the night when I was grabbed by an appendage and gently turned around.

Kiss. I was met with a kiss.

…what?…

I was still in the shock of everything and my instant impulse to push away someone taking up my personal space did not kick in.

My first kiss.

I wasn’t able to push away by instinct, but I reacted honestly enough in slapping whatever it was across its face afterwards. For one millisecond I felt bad that I did not put a cap on the strength I put in. I just let it rip.

*slap*

My hands made contact with a soft face that did not budge with sudden force.

‘I apologize for kissing you, your highness.’ A man said as he stepped back.

In front of me stood a gorgeous man that could match the beauty of the scenery. His long flowy clothes blended with the dark background of the skies, making his light complexion stand out. His silvery white long hair waved with the light wind. His blue eyes pleading, shining like the stars. There is something about his face that would make any judge say ‘found innocent’.

‘I am able to exchange and share language capabilities with you by kissing.’

How is that even possible?

I did not know where to even begin. Panicked, I started to have word vomit.

‘THAT was my first kiss! Who are you? Where am I? Am I dead? Where is the huge snake?’ I put one hand on my mouth and one on my waist.

His demeanor changed. From strong and dignified to blushing, shy, and taken aback.

‘You haven’t changed princess.’ He giggled in a manner that would garner him fangirls back on earth. Or on another part of the earth, if I just happen to end up on another hidden continent like the Atlantis.

’Where on earth am I? Literally asking.’ I had to hold back a giggle for that one but a snort escaped.

The mysterious creature looked puzzled trying to understand what was funny. Maybe I can explain the meaning of puns later to him.

‘Where am I then? Why did you take me here?’ I might’ve asked in a demanding tone.

‘My name is Celphi. I am here to take you to safety, princess Raiona.’ A faint hint of smile and soft gaze. ‘And I am the “creature” you are referring to.’

What is he talking about? What safety? Being adorable isn’t going to calm me… I mean, well…

‘I am Ina.’ I said as I pointed to myself. ‘You got the wrong person.’

‘Is that what you go by as now? I would very much want to hear of your adventures and travels, my princess.’

‘Do not call me that. I am not anyone else, specially not a princess. If anything, I am more of a pauper.’ I complained. I definitely was still annoyed but I also felt like I can be honestly brutal with my feelings and I won’t be harmed.

‘In fact, you cannot go around kissing a random girl you just met. Won’t your princess feel offended if you did that to her without consent? How dare you!?’ I said as I pointed a finger to the middle of his chest, almost touching him. I saw a faint glimmer in his eyes that vanished as I took my hand back.

‘Will your princess even be happy that you are out here giving away free kisses and lovey-dovey eyes to the next damsel in distress that you picked up? What if she asks for me to be beheaded? I sure will do that if I was her.’ There was no stopping me. Except his reactions. He was very attentive and if I could assume, looked excitable beneath his composed demeanour.

‘You can call me Ina.’ I calmly added. Eventually. Celphi remained polite and kept a nice space between us, as he waited for me to finish blowing off steam.

His lips slowly stretched into a thin line and his silver eyelashes fluttered as he looked down ever so slightly to avert my gaze. I hate to admit that I found this tiny movement very attractive, in addition to the fact the he hung onto my every word.

‘And where do you intend to bring this Raiona person anyways? Why do I have to drown just for a case of mistaken identity?’

The being that calls himself Celphi tilted his head in an adorable manner and observed me with an inquisitive expression. ‘Did you perhaps lose your memory princess?’

‘I most certainly did not!’ My frown made him giggle. ‘Also, I am Ina.’

Well… I did lose a huge chunk of my memory from a young age, so he is not wrong there. Though I am very sure I am no royalty.

‘You would find it acceptable if I addressed you as Ina?’ His light blue eyes with slit-shaped pupils appealed to me.

‘Yes. I would prefer that over princess.’ I hesitated before I asked. ‘Are you really that huge snake looking creature earlier?’ 

Celphi didn’t miss a beat and changed his form before my very eyes. As much as the mist and gentle light coming out from him would allowed me to see. Human to huge snake-like creature.

I took a step back and fell down. Where Celphi stood is a monstrous sized white reptile that resembles a snake, with pinkish sheen on scales that seems to have a rainbow iridescent glow. Long body, maybe five meters or more? Rolled into a neat pile. An alluring aura and curious cerulean eyes. Even in this form, he matched the background. And nothing about him is threatening, well maybe his size. But that’s it. If anything, he was inviting, and quite frankly, loveable.

‘Hiss.’ The creature tilts its head.

So cute! He is huge and towering over me but I do not feel any fear. Not with those huge faultless blue eyes reflecting me.

‘Sorry Celphi, I was taken aback at how huge you are. Believe me when I say that you are beautiful.’ I was finally able to look at this magnificent creature in front of me. Moonlight maximized the ethereal beauty that comes from the entirety of Celphi. What looked like a demonic creature when in the shadows, was actually angelic in full view. Flawless from nose to the tip of the tail, with a solid shade of pearly white and elegant demeanor. His massive reptilian head was bigger than my torso, but his tail tapered thin and was capable of gently carrying me.

I reached out my hand. ‘May I touch you?’ As I enquired the blue eyes.

My hands were met halfway by a silky nose area. I waited for a forked tongue to come out like a snake would but I didn’t see any.

‘You are beautiful Celphi.’ Such a smooth and cool snout. ‘I wonder if you can fit me inside your mouth in this form.’ I laugh at my gruesome thought while moving on to pat his cheeks and admiring his light blue eyes.

Celphi transforms once more before my eyes, also in my very hands.