spirits of another sort

“ It’s much bigger than I expected,” She admitted, gazing over its entire length. And deep.  It wasn’t just the kiddie pool some might have in their penthouse, but a serious swimming pool. One to properly enjoy, even if one wasn’t a sea nymph torn away from their home. All the while, she was smiling, amazed that perhaps things wouldn’t be horribly cruel here.

Oberon backed away for Eirena’s comfort. He was also curious. Though he had seen many nymphs, it had been a long time since he had saw one immersed within something so dear to her. He wanted to touch. He wanted to breathe in the moment and share; to be part of that connection of the water to touch. He drew his hand away and resigned himself to a pool chair. He reclined himself and watched her fingers. They worshiped the water, adored the clear blue, and praised it rightfully. He felt his entire body relax vertebrae by vertebrae. He was reminded of a time when they lived in the groves and could taste the freshness of the springs. When the rain poured down upon them, they celebrated with dancing. Everything in nature was sacred and protected. Each fairy had a duty and those of the immortal realm had a place they belonged. Perhaps it was Oberon’s fault for not uniting the people earlier. They might have had a better chance then. His mood had dipped only a moment when Eirena spoke again. With her voice, he smiled. “That pleases me. I also, uh, collect fish. I am a collector of exotic fish and other trinkets when I go away on business. It isn’t fresh water. Neither is the pool, but it is as close as I can come to in the city. Mortals often...taint what is pure.” Eirena was something very pure and he’d be damned if someone unworthy would touch her. She had to be protected. This world was filthy and needed to be cleansed. The mortals needed to know their place and Oberon felt it would have been fitting to drown most of the world or to paralyze them in a shadowy dream they could never wake from. He sat up and placed both feet on the tile while staring at Eirena. Breaking his gaze, he glanced at his shoes. “If you wanted to swim, I could have clothes here tomorrow. We can have measurements taken for you.”

“ Perhaps the pool first? “ She answered, lifting an eyebrow, “ Or one of the guest bedrooms. I’m sure that I’ll be fine in any one of them. Whichever you find fit. “ After he had already said she might be able to change the  decor, Eirena severely doubted that where the room was would matter much to her. And size in such a large apartment hardly seemed a thing to worry about. Nervously playing with her hands, the nymph waited patiently for an answer, even if it was just a wave of a hand in a certain direction.

Of course, the pool. He should have realized she would have found that to be the most pressing matter. He kindly nodded and walked down the hallway towards the back of the penthouse. It was only three doors down from the garage. Beyond a sliding door was the pool. It was a bright room that was decorated in turquoise and gold tiles. Along the walls were mosaics using oranges, reds, and yellows to mix with the gold and turquoise. This wasn’t a room he decorated himself. It was just a pool that came with the penthouse and one he hardly used. Pulling aside the doors, he stepped aside for Eirena to take the first steps into the pool room. He watched her with growing approval and couldn’t help but hover over her a moment. It had been a long time since he had been to the ocean. There was just no need to go. Yet she was that natural addition to remind him of the water. Chlorinated water wasn’t very natural and his fish tanks were hardly anything to bring him close to nature, but Eirena was a grounding force. Oberon might have lost his heart a very long time ago, but her presence played upon something within him that he was certain he was much stronger than to be weakened by a nymph. He slowly maneuvered himself behind Eirena and walked achingly slow behind her. Once he had a moment, he leaned in for a brief smell of her hair. It was that fresh, pure smell of water. Quickly, Oberon recomposed himself and stood strong with stony eyes. “This is your pool. If you don’t like the decor, it can be changed. It hasn’t been changed since the mortal who lived here before me. This is yours.” It was likely he was going to come home from work and see her swimming here for hours on end and somehow, that delighted him. Wouldn’t that make her happy? If this life of politics and pleasing people was going to start for her, then shouldn’t she have something so vain as her own pool? The pool was large enough that it almost covered the full room. There was enough room for sitting and lounging near the pool’s edge, but only for about four people. For someone’s pool in a penthouse, it was a fairly decent size. One could swim back and forth without getting bored and it was deep enough to dive in. Whoever had lived here previously, Oberon assumed, must have enjoyed diving. Lucky for him, he mused to himself.

“ I would like… I would like to explore a bit, “ Eirena answered, pausing a second in thought, “ If you wouldn’t mind terribly. I am still… in a state of shock. “

His eyes fluttered a moment. It was a beautiful name. His former wife had a saying about names. They suited parts of your face such as your nose. Eirena suited her eyes. Beautiful and a cautious little soul. He did not want to lead on that he thought so, but he had trouble hiding the light smile that was there for just a brief moment. Instead he let it lead into something else to try and cover up his true intentions. “Well, Eirena, I am happy you’re choosing to explore. I would not give you the offer if I did not think if was appropriate... I’m not the sort who offers only to take the offer away. We can speak of business tomorrow.” He reached for her shoulder and gave a gentle pat. “I’m sure you’re eager to see your bedroom and the swimming pool.” But what to do? Should he follow after her? A gracious host would give her a tour but he wanted to show that he trusted her somewhat. Maybe there was a way to give her some of both. Running his tongue along his lip, he slowly followed after Eirena. “Is there a particular room you would like me to show you or would you like to be by yourself to discover on your own? Shall I have food sent for you?” He had lived alone for so long. Eirena was a responsibility. It wasn’t like Titania and her arguing or her independence. Eirena was frightened and he felt as if he needed to gently urge her along. It gave him this odd feeling and he didn’t know what it was. He was used to emotions overwhelming him, but this was strange and never felt before. Oberon stared at Eirena, looking over every inch of her. He had seen many nymphs throughout many lifetimes and she seemed so tame, so sweet. If he had to think of something to relate her to, perhaps gentle rainfall. There was always a chance for rainfall to quickly turn into something threatening but for the most part, it was soothing and pleasant. She was pleasant to the eyes. Always the chance to be wild, but sweet. Again, that absent minded smile leaked through, but he stopped it. This time he forced it away and started to clear his throat. “Well...”

“ … Yes, please, “ She mumbled at the comment of antiseptic.

That was a question that even Oberon had no true answer to. What was Eirena to him? He had dragged her away from safety and was keeping her locked away in his penthouse. He could keep her entertained and happy but in the end, she was a prisoner. He had taken her from her life and her home. He could start a potential war. This was all something very deadly he risked in the name of survival. “...A guest with a choice resting on her shoulders.” Oberon concluded at last. It was maybe more for himself than for Eirena. “Forgive me, but I do not know your name. What I do know is you have much importance. It would have been odd to have your name and stuff you into my car.” He left for only a moment and returned with the antiseptic and a rather large cotton ball. He dabbed gently at her wrists and winced while looking at her flesh. It had been an overreaction on his part to try and assert just how much power he had. Oberon was known for being often cruel and selfish, but admittedly this had been just too much. He muttered to himself as he continued to dab away. “There is a private pool in my home. It is for your use. If you like, I could redecorate the room you choose as well. If you would like it to remind you more of the sea, I will change it. It is only a room.” They were small requests. They meant so little and yet they brought comfort for others. Oberon could keep his room in shadowy purples and silks but that would only suit his tastes. He remembered Titania’s own quarters. They were bright and airy. It made him a little sad to linger on the thought, but she was her own person. She had loved different things than he did. He stared up at Eirena and slowly rose to his full height. He grasped the cotton in his hand tightly. The grip was so tight that it seemed to drain the blood from his hands. Yet his eyes were still softened and his voice was low. “We can speak of business or you can explore and relax. The choice is your own.”

“ What… What are the rules on how I must act? “ Eirena asked, biting back an urge to panic, “ And what should happen if I… break these rules? “ Not that she was exactly planning on doing so, but it would be better for her to have some idea of the expectations of behavior.

Weren’t nymphs said to be insufferable little things? They were somewhat like pixies, weren’t they? Just with less biting... Oberon made a partially disgusted face. That was a barbaric thought. Wasn’t that more like slavery? He had plucked human children for that purpose before Titania had forbade him from doing such, but those days were long past. Humans did not actively participate in the parties of fairies any more. “Servitude...does not work like that. Servitude is when you steal something from someone and cannot pay it back. You enter an agreement. It may be days or perhaps months. If it was particularly precious, it could be years. Or you take up servitude because you wish to observe and learn. That is how servitude works now. I believe what you speak of is what we used to do with mortals. That’s too dangerous now.” With a wistful sigh, Oberon shrugged. “They started putting faces on milk cartons, so we had to stop that practice as a whole.” It wasn’t even as if he got to reach that point. It was still the time of the toga when Titania had him promising not to partake in such. “I don’t bring many mortals up here and those who do never remember the night. You can call me anything you desire. If you want to use my mortal alias, I do not mind. If you wish to call me by my true name, you have it. I will answer.” She was a curious little thing. She was polite now that she had stopped screaming. Oberon was certain that was likely because she was scared, but he couldn’t be sure. He was second guessing himself very often these days. The flinch had been painful. Just exactly what did she think this was? Admittedly, he wasn’t about to give her much of a choice, but he wanted to convince her this was all for the best. Bloodshed wasn’t something he liked to resort to and they were two rarities. Two special little rarities in a terrifying world that was often against them. Ending her life meant he failed. He wasn’t about to fail. Hearing her question, he nodded to himself. He grunted softly in acknowledgement but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pulled out a penknife from his pocket and flipped the blade open so to gently free Eirena from her binding. “Conduct would be not to flee. You’re on the top floor and you won’t make the fall. I bring the car keys with me everywhere I go. I do have hired help and he is fae. He’s mindful of my business. Your conduct will be to be good. Read. Go for a swim. If you desire clothing, that can be arranged. I will take you to go shopping. If you desire entertainment, I can provide it. For now, you should adjust because this will be your place. It isn’t a castle, but it is home.” When the plastic was free, Oberon rubbed his fingers where the plastic had pressed against the skin. “I have antiseptic if you would like. Do not think you are a prisoner. Just consider your people are sometimes hard to negotiate with.”

“ Not many people know about this place… “ She whispered, thinking back on the secret door and the key of numbers that had been needed to enter. Now that they were in, she suspected it would be very difficult to find her.

“That is why I took you,” Oberon explained calmly as he brought the car around a winding turn and into a lit corridor. He braked the car when they had entered a small and somewhat claustrophobic space. They were suddenly lifted upwards and made a slow climb. Anticipating what was to come, Oberon turned back to look at Eirena in the seat. “The past is in the past. You will heed my words because I am king. We have to make sacrifices to survive. If this means we must accept our nymph cousins, then we shall. We cannot let you die if we can help it. And you see, we can help it.” He didn’t speak much more. Oberon was back to driving the car. This time, it was through a smaller garage. It was small and had other cars. All were luxurious and expensive. Each were glossy, like they had been freshly detailed. Everything was perfect and pristine. Oberon quickly rolled from his seat and went to help Eirena from her seat and guide her towards a door to his apartment. “This is the top floor. You know that terrible movie about the shades of grey or something like that? My apartment is similar, almost. It’s on the top floor and I have a nice view of the city. I can also get you things you want. That is where the similarities stop. I am no Mr. Grey. Mortals call me Akihiro or Mr. Yosei.” Oberon paused and looked at Eirena with a worried frown. He reached out and instead of running his hand along in some slimy way, he decided to fix her hair and straighten her clothes for her. It was the least he could do after frightening her. She likely doubted him now, but he would just have to prove to her this was the best way. “You will live here, with me. Until we decide what to do with you, you will sleep in one of the guest rooms. I will let you choose. Do you have questions?” He considered loosening the tie. She couldn’t go anywhere. He was stronger than she was and the only way out was certain death. She couldn’t fly out the window, after all. “I can try to answer them before I let you in.”

“ I… I can understand that, “ She knew what it meant to have to hide, had experienced that much in her life, “ I don’t understand what that has to do with me. Why… attack one another like this if we’re already under threat by the mortals? “ None of this was making much sense to her and she suddenly wondered if she was dumb, far too ignorant. At once, she shut her mouth, drawing into herself as her mind raced. Why her?

He felt sorry for what he did. Not for taking her. That needed to be done. He fel sorry for frightening her and being a bit rough on the ties. She could be reasoned with and she knew very well that their futures were uncertain things. Maybe perhaps the nymphs more so than the fairies. He looked back at Eirena through the mirror and puffed out a quick sigh while watching her carefully as they waited for a red light to change. Once they had started on their drive again, Oberon spoke softly. “It would be impossible to gather word and call for a court of our kind together. We must figure out something to be done about our survival and we are the closest in kind. You and I are cousin-kin.” He didn’t want to admit that. He thought himself much greater than the nymphs. They were much too wild and unrestrained, but the truth was that a fairy could be just as wild. They were equally deadly creatures and in the same breath, equally vulnerable in a world where they were outnumbered. “We’re dying out. We have to do something about this. It has troubled me for centuries, but perhaps it is time for an alliance. If you do not agree to it... I will have to make you and your people agree to it. It’s for the best, you understand?” Oberon drove towards a towering group of buildings and went into a garage. Rather than turning where a good number of others had gone right, Oberon went left and paused at what appeared to be a wall. He rolled down his window and leaned out, tapping on a sequence of buttons. The wall parted, allowing him entry through a small door. He quickly went back to his driving and sat back into the seat. “If you do not agree, the mortals will end our existence. I don’t even need to hurt you. You certainly know of what they do to us? Or perhaps I could tell you what happens to those of us who don’t remain hidden.” It was likely she knew. She likely had family who had perished because a mortal got too close. Or perhaps she knew a good mortal who died because they had shown kindness. No more. This couldn’t happen anymore. “Our people are already hurting, young one. The time comes to make a choice to protect our people.”

“ What do you want from me? “ Eirena whispered as he asked for her parting words, although her face paled even more at his last comment, “ … You’re going to kill me, aren’t you? I didn’t - We didn’t do anything to you. None of us did. We were minding our own business, I swear. We never intrude on your business. “ Before she had stayed silent to keep herself safe, but now that she suspected she might be killed, or badly hurt much more than she already was, Eirena desperately pleaded her case.

Killing a nymph would be too serious of an offense on his soul. Beings like himself, while long-lived, had to hide from the mortals. They concealed their gifts. Oberon had concealed his wings and kept his magic hidden for what must have been centuries. It felt like he was going mad with how he had to hide what he felt and what he really was. Fairies and nymphs couldn’t live like these humans were allowed to. The humans had the warmth of the sunlight while they had to writhe in the shadows, like the demons. He was no demon. Though they often called him the King of Shadows, he wouldn’t be satisfied with living only within the darkness. “What reason would I have to kill you? I do not want to ruin a pretty face. If you do not give me a reason to, you will live.” He leaned back into the seat and ran his thumb along Eirena’s jawline. She was a young nymph and he guessed that she didn’t have much insight to the world just yet. Though, he could be wrong. Oberon had to remind himself that even young eyes could see too much sorrow for their youthful years. He patted her cheek condescendingly, then shut the door. Without much ritual or without looking to see if he was spotted, Oberon slipped into the driver’s seat and drove away. “Your business is my business. We have the same business,” Oberon explained coolly while keeping his eyes on the often perilous city street. “Times have changed. I don’t suspect you remember the days when we were free. You seem barely older than a child. We are in the business of survival. Your people need to live and so do mine.” He could only wonder if she understood that. The youth knew of what a topic this could be, but even some elder fairies couldn’t understand planning for survival. He could never seem sure. “We cannot go on hiding. We have to live on and we have to see to it that this mortal blight that would keep us so isolated and hidden can no longer have a stranglehold on our lives. Can you understand that?”