The Demon's Curse

Valerin lay sleeping in the sand and Rem watched as a small crab walked sideways past him towards the ocean. She sat on the large rock that she always sat on and she gazed listlessly out at the rolling sea. Another day had passed and there was still no news of Senra's journey. She wondered how her cousin was doing as she glanced over at Valerin. He was looking more and more beautiful every day.

"Do you see anything?" Shalira asked as she walked up to Rem and Rem shook her head.

"I've seen a few fish jumping out of the water but that's it," Rem said and sighed. "Doesn't he look cute?"

Shalira glanced at Valerin's peaceful face and smiled. He did look cute. She sat on a smaller rock and looked at Rem. It was kind of sad, she thought, that Rem had feelings for Valerin yet Valerin could not return them.

"Look Shalira!" Rem exclaimed and Shalira glanced up. What was so exciting?

"What is it?" Shalira asked and Ram pointed to a head that had just surfaced in the water.

"A turtle. I wonder what he's doing here."

"How can you tell it's a boy?"

"I can't. They don't have..."

Her face grew flush as she tried to think of the terms her father had used to explain the different sexes to her when she was a young child. Shalira smiled and patted Rem's hand.

"I know what you're trying to say. You forget who you're talking to. I have to know all that stuff to be an effective nurse," she said.

"He's coming onto the beach."

"He's probably tired of swimming."

"Boy he moves really slow."

"Like I said, he's probably tired. What's that odd shape way off in the distance?"

Rem squinted to see what Shalira was talking about then shrugged her shoulders. She couldn't make it out either. She turned her attention to the turtle who had made a little progress up the beach then sighed.

"Maybe it's some kind of animal," Rem suggested and Shalira leaned back.

"It might be a ship," she said then glanced at Valerin. "I wonder what he's dreaming about."

"Dante probably. Isn't that what he always dreams about?"

"Oh come on. Men don't always dream about their lovers. I'm sure he's thinking about Asynia. That is his ancestral land after all."

"You're right. I wonder what I should make tonight," Rem mused Shalira stood up. 

"Cook whatever you feel like. Well it's time to wake him up. It's getting warmer," Shalira said and walked over to where Valerin lay. She knelt beside him and gazed at his face. He was so beautiful...She gently shook him and he opened an eye. "It's getting warmer, my lord."

"Thank you, Shalira," Valerin said and sat up. He stretched his arms then gazed out at the sea. "What is that?"

"That's a turtle," Rem said as she stood up on the rock. "I thought you would know that."

"I'm not talking about the turtle. I'm talking about that, way off in the distance."

"All I can see is a little dot."

"It'll be a couple of hours at last before we'll be able to see it clearly," Shalira said. "why don't we come back in a couple of hours?"

"By then it'll be too warm for me," Valerin said and Rem looked at him.

"The sun won't kill you, will it?" she asked and Valerin shook his head.

"No but we water types can suffer from heat stroke if we're out in the extreme parts of the day for too long."

"Boy you're really limited in what you can do, aren't you?" Rem asked and Valerin shrugged his shoulders.

"Every type has some sort of weakness," he replied.

"But I think wood and earth elves are the most stable out of all types," Shalira said.

"That's true. Rem and Senra aren't easily affected by extreme temperatures. They are also able to handle the water just fine, unlike fire elves."

"But didn't you say that Dante was part fire elf?" Rem asked.

"Yes he is. Ordinarily we would be incompatible but since he is also part demon, we can make it work," Valerin replied.

"Are there different types of demons?"

"I would assume that there would be but I don't know for sure."

"Why don't we go back to the cottage for a nice cold drink?" Shalira suggested.

"All right. That sounds like a good idea," Valerin said as they began walking up the beach.

"I have some fruit in cold storage," Rem said. "I could cut some up and pour fresh honey over them."

"Go ahead and do that. I don't think our lord will object," Shalira said as she glanced at Valerin.

"Why would I object?" Valerin inquired. "Besides, we have some free time before we can figure out what that object on the horizon is."