Submission (#4559) Approved

For years Fleur had lived in Bellmoril happily working at the bookstore reading fantastical stories filled with adventure and intrigue. Customers that visited often shared their own recent travels and while she found it all interesting, Fleur had never really felt inclined to go on one of her own. 

At least not until the opportunity to join Caspian had become a missed opportunity when he left Bellmoril after the miasma lifted well over a year ago. 

His absence had left a hole that could not be filled by the pages of a book and often led to her looking up in anticipated excitement when the bell above the door would ring. But seeing that it was not who she wanted it to be, that flicker of hope dimmed into something that could barely light a room let alone bring joy to her eyes. 

Almost half a year had gone by since she had last seen her friend. 

Caspian had left with a promise to return with more stories and treasures. However, no real time frame had been given, so Fleur had waited patiently as the weeks passed for Caspian to return. But as weeks turned into months, realization that she might have been forgotten started to sink in.

That is until three kittoms came tumbling into the shop through an open door. It was three months ago to the day when Caspian, Loken and Aurelia showed up to view the Prismatic Rain with her. 

Their stay was not long, but this time when it was time for them to return to the Palu’Au Islands, Fleur didn’t hesitated when asked to join them. In truth, although she’d never admit it out loud to any of them, there had been a bag packed in her room ready and waiting just in case.

“FLEUR!” Aurelia’s shouted above the crashing waves behind her. “Fleur, you should join us!” she beckoned just as Caspian resurfaced next to her with a conch in hand. 

“I-I’m fine, thanks,” she politely declined much to her new friends chagrin. “I’m happy here.” On the beach, next to the towels and sandcastle they had built. Where it was safe and dry and couldn’t get water stuck in her ears because she swam too deep. Oh that last one was quite discomforting and a pain deal with since no amount of shaking her head relieved the pressure. 

“You don’t know what you’re missing.” Aurelia switched up her tactics and rather than bait Fleur with guilt she tried a different method, to appeal to her curiosities instead. Unfortunately for her, Fleur was intelligent enough to pick up on her schemes and was rather firm in her decision.

“She’ll join us when she’s ready,” Caspian chided. He then motioned with his head for Auralia to follow as he swam back to shore to show off the uniquely spiraled shell to Fleur but she shook her head and decided to swim a bit longer and give the two some time chit chat without her being a nuisance around them.

“What’s that?” Fleur asked when he got near enough for her to see what he had dove down to get. 

“It’s a special shell. If you hold it up to your ear and listen closely you can hear the sound of the ocean inside of it.” Carefully he set the Palu’Au treasure on the side beside her. “If you’re not comfortable swimming in it then maybe you can enjoy listening to it.” Aside from the waterfalls in Bellmoril, there wasn’t really much opportunity in the way of swimming where Fleur was from, not like here anyway. He knew, without her having to say anything, that she was not comfortable going out too far and did not want to push her the way Aure seemed so inclined to do.

“I see.” Intrigued, Fleur lowered her head to inspect it further when a sharp yelp and frantic splashing of water demanded their attention. 

“ARUE?!” they each shouted in unison as the two shot up and ran out to where the water raced up the beach. Fleur faltered in her footsteps when the waves got elbow deep. “I’ll get her, you stay here!” Caspian shouted as he dove under a cresting wave just so he wouldn’t get pushed back towards shore. 

Fleur could feel her heart beat quicken in panic. Knowing she was not a strong swimmer and would only be a burden upon him if she couldn’t keep her head above water she did as he had instructed. More than once she glanced back a the shore, at the tropical huts and hammocks tied between trees hoping, if not praying, that and adult or someone else would see them struggling and come help. 

Caspian swam hard, drawing in deep breaths of air before diving when Aurelia’s head disappeared beneath a wave. But when he got close enough, he realized that she was not struggling to stay afloat. “What are you doing?” his eyes narrowed at her angrily. 

Unable to meet his gaze, Aruelia looked over towards the beach where Fleur stood in worry. “I- I was just playing.” A joke that obviously wasn’t as funny in real life as it was in her head. 

“Fleur is terrified of drawing, this trick of yours will probably be what keeps her from ever coming out here with us.” There was hurt in his eyes and voice knowing that whatever chance he had at sharing this part of the Islands with Fleur was likely ruined. 

“I know you like her, and she like you too, Caspian. You went all the way to see her and even brought her here. But she is just so scared of everything. I-” Arue bowed her head in shame. “I’ll go apologize.” 

Caspian couldn’t blame her for trying but somehow along the way, in these last few months, he had accepted Fleur along with her fears and apprehensions and swore not to push her and let her try things on her own in her own time. She was not an adventurer as he was and he understood that this would take time. Hopefully Aurelia would figure that out soon because he didn’t want to lose Fleur as a friend.