Fluss

“Ein gutmütiger Junge. Er gehört zu den Flüssen, wie die Flüsse ihm gehören. Er schwimmt mit dem Fisch, er springt mit dem Fisch, er ist einer. Er hält den Fluss in seinen Augen und den Lehm in seinem Körper. Er ist Fluss.”

The sky and the river a tragedy before it began. Were they cursed? Some view primal eyes as a gift from the gods while others view them as a curse. Fluss saw his as a curse. A symbol of what? Privilege? Ha! What a thought…they imprisoned him.

“Raise your chin!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Straighten your shoulders!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Eyes forward!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You have been bestowed a gift from the Tidelord himself and you can’t even stop slouching.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Head up!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Knee and ankle in line when you sit!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You’re a disgrace to water dragons”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He was to be a pretty perfect primal. A symbol to the water dragons of the power the tidelord held.
Always obey, always listen, always smile, always…

He felt the world stop for a moment when he saw her- the sky. She was as free as air. Her movements were free-flowing and fluid. His movements were ridge and poised. She wasn’t weighed down by people’s expectations and opinions; she wasn’t drowning from responsibility. Watching her fly so freely through that sky while he sat perfectly poised stirred something inside him.

As hours grew into days and days into weeks he watched her from his post. It was memorizing to watch her in the sky, the way she glided so effortlessly through the air. The twists, swoops, and loops she made.
“In the air without a care.” he’d think as he watched her.

As the night shadows grew into morning daylight Fluss continually thought about her. He was bemused by her, oh what it would like to be as free as the sky…To be able to breathe without someone breathing down your neck for you slouching. He closed his eyes envisioning a world where he was free to do as he pleased. How ironic.. he thought, to be named river and be so structured and still.
Fluss had a complex. His complex was his eyes, to put it into perspective; he was a river only he had a dam that blocked his flow. That dam was impassable and a constant block. That dam was his primal eyes. He couldn’t go somewhere without being stared at, he couldn’t stand the constant bombardment of compliments and praises he got. He never asked for this, for people to wish to be him. Oh, how they told him how they envied him and his position, if only they knew what it was like to be him.

“Himmel” she smiled softly.

“Fluss” he smiled back.

It was her. That dragon in the sky.

“River?”Sky?” They said simultaneously which caused them to break out into nervous laughter.

“Ja kennst du Deutsch?”

“Ein bisschen”

“I go by Himm for short. What do your friends call you?”

“Himm that’s pretty cute..”

“Your pret—” a Voice cut her off
“FLUSS!”
Fluss heaved a sign, “I’ll see you around Himm...” he spun around starting slowly towards the voice.


“Yeah you will” she called after him

That night he laid awake thinking about her. He tossed and turned thinking about their conversation. His face flushed as he thought about what he’d said,
“By the Tidelord, why am I so cringeworthy?”
He continually tossed and turned as mauled over their conversation before finally deciding to go on an early morning flight.
Perched atop the windowsill he watched the sky. Closing his eyes he drew a deep breath in and spread his wings preparing to take flight.

“Jump already.” Came a sarcastic voice from above him.

His eyes flew open and looking up he spotted Himmel.

“Himm?”

“The one and only.” She smirked

She hopped down beside him pushing one of his wings,
“Hey, make some room for a lady would you?”

“Oh sorry, my highness.” He said giving her a mock bow.

To be continued...