When I reached the bottom of the hill, I plopped to a seat in weary disgust. More mountains still over that way. They had to be at least four leagues away. If I even made it that far. I would have to cross that huge lake first.
Such a shame my horse died a few days back. And here, finally! A river. I put my lips to the cool waters and drank. My supposed-to-be month-long quest seemed to stretch into an eternal pursuit. At the rate I searched, I’d be an old man before I found the mountaintop monastery.
“Hello! Hello!”
I wiped my mouth and looked around. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw another person, let alone a woman. No, still, I was alone. I stood and listened hard to the wind. Perhaps it was my mind playing tricks on me.
“He’s so handsome!”
I spun at the sound. Surely, I was alone. Yet, the giggles sounded very distinct.
“He must be weary!”
“Oh, I will give him food!”
The river. I looked down to see three water nymphs spinning where I just drank. One pushed her head out only long enough to wave at me. She had some kind of delicious-looking loaf in her hand, which soon disappeared with her below the surface.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
With a sigh, I bent into my sack. Of course I was. The giggles grew louder as I rummaged.
“I bet he brings me a gift!”
I bet not. I found my crossbow and fired it into the water. I missed, but they scattered anyway.
I always hated nymphs.
