Nymphology

The rain was coming down hard. It didn’t bother Brittany in the least, though. Most days were like this for her, and they had been ever since she was four years old. It had been twelve years since she’d come to live with her aunt who most people thought was crazy. It had been twelve years since that fateful day at the mall.1

Because of that single event, Brittany went to a psychiatrist three times a week and didn’t make friends. It was her opinion that she should never get close to anyone, because losing them would just do more damage. She didn’t even interact with her aunt more than necessary.2

Brittany walked up the stairs to her aunt’s house. The kids at school called it “The Mansion” when they thought she couldn’t hear them. Brittany didn’t mind. She didn’t mind most things, in fact. Her psychiatrist would say she had SPD or Schizoid Personality Disorder and therefore was incapable of any empathetic feelings toward others and had no desire to learn. 3

Her aunt, Lisa, Brittany remembered as she saw the woman, maintained the diagnosis of SPD was incorrect. It wasn’t that Brittany had no empathetic feelings, it was that she didn’t know how to handle them. Like most humans who run into things they can’t handle, Brittany chose to avoid her feelings. Unfortunately, feelings are something that cannot be avoided unless a wall is built within the mind. So, Brittany did just that when she was only four years old.4

“Raining again, I see,” Lisa said as she opened the door for Brittany. “Anything happen at school today?”5

Brittany shuffled past her. “No,” she said in the monotone voice she’d had for as long as she could remember. Slowly, as she did everything, Brittany moved toward the stairs.6

“Come down when you’ve put your things away. There’s someone here to see you.”7

Brittany paused. “It’s Friday,” she stated. “I don’t have an appointment until tomorrow.”8

Lisa made a face. “It’s not that shrink they insist you see. If I could find a way to get around that stupid order, I would, and well you know it.”9

Brittany shrugged. Her aunt hated the judge that ruled Brittany would continue to see a psychiatrist until the time her “condition” improved. Lisa also encouraged Brittany to throw the pills her shrink prescribed her down the sink instead of taking them. It was her aunt’s firm belief that there was nothing wrong with Brittany, and no amount of medication would help her reconnect with her emotions.10

In spite of herself, Brittany found she was curious as to the identity of this mysterious visitor. It consumed her mind as nothing had...ever…as she walked up the stairs and to her room. Quickly, well quickly compared to her normal pace, Brittany set her backpack on the floor by her desk and took her jacket off. She laid her jacket across the bed and headed toward the steps to go down to the living room. 11

The person who’d come to see her would be in the living room, she knew, because that was where her aunt entertained all of her guests. They would sit on the couch or in the armchair waiting, and Aunt Lisa would offer to bring them some tea. Aunt Lisa never drank coffee, and she would never offer it. 12

“How long has it been since her sixteenth birthday?”13

Brittany paused. The voice wasn’t coming from the living room as it should have, but the kitchen. Confused now, as well as curious, Brittany changed her direction and headed toward the kitchen. As long as she could remember, Lisa had never invited a guest into her kitchen. Lisa always said the kitchen was her place of refuge within the house, and she would not allow strangers to corrupt the atmosphere of her sanctuary. People she didn’t like and those she’d known after Brittany arrived all counted as strangers, and would never be allowed to step foot into Lisa’s precious kitchen.14

“She turned sixteen four days ago. Her powers should’ve kicked in by now, but there’s nothing. I can’t even get the girl to cry or scream let alone smile. I think I’m in over my head here.” This was Lisa’s voice, and Brittany found herself remembering odd occurrences with a newfound clarity.15

Yesterday, when Lisa had gone through her things in her room and been confused when Brittany had only shrugged and straightened everything up began to mean more than just Lisa being her normal odd self. All the times in the past four days Lisa had insisted Brittany accompany her on outings to strange places like haunted houses and the butcher shop. Each time Brittany remembered Lisa sighing when Brittany showed no emotional response, and each time Brittany became less and less concerned with the things going on around her. 16

Brittany turned the corner and could now see the source of the other voice. It was a girl who appeared to be about Brittany’s own age, perhaps a few months older, leaning on the countertop of the island in the middle of the kitchen. She had black jeans on and a light blue t-shirt that was just barely long enough to go all the way the waistband on what were, apparently, low-rise jeans. Her black hair fell loosely over her shoulder to hide the length from Brittany’s view. From what Brittany could see, the girl was in excellent shape, being not only thin, but evenly muscled as well. Her skin was a smooth brown color, but for some reason, it didn’t look like a tan. Her aunt must’ve been standing at the stove, preparing more tea.17

“Tell me something, Lisandra,” the girl said, her voice seeming to hold more than just tone and inflection, more than the normal range of emotions normally found in a voice. “How long has it been raining here?”18

Lisa tilted her head. “I don’t know,” she responded. “About four days, I suppose.”19

The girl nodded. “Don’t forget she is partly of my people. The rain will follow her as long as she is sad.”20

“Sad?” Lisa repeated. “Why should she be sad? I’ve provided everything she could ever want or need.”21

“That you have. Brittany? Why don’t you explain to your aunt why you’re sad.”22

Brittany walked the rest of the way into the kitchen as the girl and her aunt moved from the kitchen to sit in a chair at the table where there were three cups of tea cooling. She wasn’t surprised the girl had noticed her even though she hadn’t been seen. She felt nothing as she joined her aunt and the stranger at the table and took a sip of tea. 23

“I don’t know who you are,” Brittany said, after a couple sips.24

The girl smiled. As she’d moved to the table, Brittany had noticed her hair fell to her waist, and she had bangs that fell over her left eye. Mischief danced in their violet depths. 25

Lisa cleared her throat softly. “Brittany, this is Saej Hellwren. She’s a friend of mine, and your mother’s, from before you were born.”26

“Nice to meet you,” Brittany said. 27

Saej said nothing. She looked at Brittany for a long while, sipping her tea every so often. Finally, she said. “The death of your parents was a great loss to my organization.”28

Something inside Brittany cracked. How dare she come into the house that belonged to her aunt, the place she called home, and say such things to her? “What?” she said, her voice nothing more than a whisper.29

“The death of your mother was a great loss to my people,” Saej continued, watching Brittany’s reaction carefully.30

Brittany withdrew inside herself. She wouldn’t listen to this stranger speak of her parents. She didn’t even listen to her psychiatrist speak of her parents.31

“Brittany, is that your name?” Saej asked, softening her voice. She hadn’t quite gotten the feel of the girl yet, so she would back off a little.32

Focusing, Brittany nodded slowly. 33

“Brittany, what’s your favorite color?”34

“Purple,” Brittany said, softly. “It was the color of my mother’s favorite flower.”35

“What flower was that?”36

“The orchid.” 37

Lisa sat still, not wanting to move or even breathe. Brittany had not spoken a single word of her mother or father in the twelve years since their death. She usually just pretended to not remember anything. When the psychiatrist asked her questions like these, Brittany would stand and walk out of the session. It was one of the things that pushed the psychiatrist toward SPD. No one could convince the good doctor that it was simple denial.38

Saej tilted her head slightly. She was finally inside Brittany’s brain and could see the wall the girl had constructed to stay away from her feelings.39

“Tell me why you’re sad, Brittany,” Saej said gently. “Tell me why the sky sheds your tears.”40

Brittany felt that thing within her crack even further. “I don’t know…”41

Saej interrupted her denial. “You cannot lie to me as you lie to yourself, Brittany. I can feel the sorrow within you.”42

“I’m not sad,” Brittany said.43

“Why are you sad, Brittany?” Saej asked her again. 44

“I’m not sad.” Brittany’s voice got louder.45

‘Why are you sad, Brittany?” Saej was steady. Nothing in her voice or tone changed.46

“I’m not sad!” This time, Brittany screamed it. Tears fell down her face as she began to cry. Who was this person to demand she share the thing she’d locked away from even herself?47

Brittany glared up at Saej, immense hatred in her eyes. “Who are you?” she demanded. 48

Saej stood and walked toward her. She knelt down to be on the same level as Brittany, so the girl could see into her eyes. “Why are you sad, Brittany?” she asked once again. 49

Suddenly Brittany was lost in the violet of Saej’s eyes. She was four years old again, watching her memories unfold before her. She was seeing that day again as if it were happening right there and then.50

“No,” Brittany sobbed, coming out of the memory and back to reality. 51

Once again, Saej posed the question. “Why are you sad, Brittany?”52

“Because they left me!” she sobbed. “They left me alone and they didn’t come back! She promised to come back!” Brittany let her head drop into her hands as the tears continued to flow, violent sobs rocking her body.53

Cool, soothing fingers removed her hands and tilted her chin to look, once again, into mesmerizing violet eyes. “Listen to me, Brittany,” Saej said. “Your mother and father did not choose to leave you. They were forced. But they made sure your Aunt Lisa would be here to take care of you, didn’t they? They did what they could for you.”54

Brittany found herself nodding. All these years she’d caused her aunt worry. If she’d only smiled once or even cried a couple times, the worry could’ve been stopped. With tears in her eyes, she turned to her aunt.55

“Oh, Aunt Lisa,” she said. “I am so sorry. For everything.” She threw herself in her aunt’s arms, the tears that had almost stopped, flowing steadily once again. 56

Lisa stroked her niece’s hair, making comforting shushing noises. “It’s alright, sweeting. I forgive you. It’s okay, now.” Lisa held Brittany away from her when her sobs had quieted. “Now, there are some things we have to talk about. I know this is all a lot to handle right now, but I need you to be brave. Can you do that?”57

Sniffling and wiping her tears from her eyes, Brittany nodded.58

“Good,” Lisa said. “As I said before, this is Saej Hellwren. She’s here to help you understand your new abilities.”59

Brittany looked back and forth from Saej to her aunt. Somehow, facing what had happened so long ago, and admitting what it was she was actually feeling made her feel almost normal. She felt like whatever it was Saej was going to tell her, she would be able to handle it without shutting herself into a dark corner of her own mind.60

“What new abilities?” she asked. 61

Saej, who’d reclaimed her chair when Brittany threw herself at her aunt, took another sip of her tea, and then set the tea mug down.62

“In order to understand what you have become,” she said. “You must first understand where you have come from.”63

“Okay,” Brittany said, drawing out the end of the word and furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. 64

Standing, Saej said, “come with me.” She then led Brittany out of the kitchen and to a window in the living room. She gestured outside. “What do you see?”65

“The sun is shining on my front lawn?” 66

“More importantly,” Saej said. “It’s not raining anymore.”67

“Finally,” Brittany responded. “It’s been raining for four days straight. I was beginning to think it would flood.”68

“It stopped raining because you were able to cry your own tears.”69

Brittany looked up at Saej. “What? That’s just silly.”70

Saej nodded slightly. “I agree, for a human that would be silly. Nature is not so attuned with humans as they would like to think, but for a nymph, it’s not silly at all. You, my dear Brittany, are the daughter of a nymph.”71

“If I’m a nymph, and I’m not saying I even believe nymphs are real,” Brittany said slowly. “Then why hasn’t the sky cried for me all of my life? Why has it only rained for the past four days?”72

“Your mother was a half nymph. Because of that, any offspring of hers would either be half or less than half nymph. Depending on who she married and bred with, some of her children might not have had any nymph in them at all.73

“Your father was a warlock, and your aunt, his sister, is a witch. Because your father was a magical being, you, his daughter, maintained all of your nymph heritage which means you are half nymph.”74

Saej paused, and Brittany pounced. “That doesn’t answer my question, but it does create more.”75

Saej held up her hand. “I am about to answer your question. It hasn’t rained all your life because you did not come into your nymph heritage until you turned 16, four days ago.” 76

Brittany thought about that, and then laughed as she sat on the couch. “So, let me get this straight. My mother was a nymph, which makes me a nymph. My father was a warlock, and my aunt is a witch? Where did you come from, lady? I can recommend a good psychiatrist.”77

Saej simply looked at her, and Brittany noticed her image slowly began to change. Her skin took on a green hue and almost red-brown swirls formed around her arms and legs. Her pants and t-shirt had disappeared, and in their place was a covering made out of vines. The vines twisted around her breasts thickly, thoroughly covering her, thinned out to leave her abdomen mostly exposed, and then twisted around her legs to provide adequate coverage there. Her shoes disappeared as well, and two golden anklets on her right ankle were all that adorned her feet. Her hair had bled to deep burgundy color with light green and silver highlights in it, and her violet eyes, now surrounded by green hued skin, glowed with an otherworldly light. Her ears moved a little ways up her head, and elongated into points that stuck through her hair. A few of the red-brown swirls crept up her chin to lick her face when the transformation was complete.78

“Do you still think there is no such thing as nymphs and warlocks?” Saej asked, revealing fangs when she opened her mouth. 79

Lisa walked into the living room. “She didn’t believe you then?” she asked Saej, non-responsive to her new appearance. She sat on the couch next to Brittany and took the girl’s hands in her own. “Brittany, sweeting, everything Saej has said to you is true. You must believe her.”80

Brittany swallowed, slightly shocked by what she saw in front of her. “Let me get this straight,” she said slowly. “You’re a nymph, right?”81

Saej nodded. “That is correct.”82

“Am I gonna look like you?”83

Saej smiled. “No,” she said. “I’m a full-blooded nymph. You are only half. You will never have the true form of the nymph, and your magic will never be as strong as mine, but you do have magic and you will need to learn how to use it.”84

Brittany turned to look at her aunt. “And, Aunt Lisa, you’re a witch?”85

Lisa nodded, smiling. It was a good thing Brittany had so much practice at taking things in stride and not being affected by them. She’d heard the last half nymph who’d been told what she was only after her powers had set in had gone insane and had to be locked away with her powers bound. Dave, God rest his soul, would never forgive her if she let such a thing happen to his precious baby girl.86

“So, why are you telling me all this now? I mean, why did you wait so long?”87

“Lisandra called on me when you first came to her with your peculiar condition,” Saej said. “You’re mother was a cousin of mine, and as the Hellwren I am well known among those who are more than human. I loved Belinda and was very grieved to hear of her death, and so I came at once. Without the nymph blood in you being active, however, there was nothing I could do to pull you out of your state of denial. In that state, it would’ve been detrimental to introduce you to my world.”88

Brittany nodded. She understood that, strangely enough, and accepted it. She also found herself accepting, with relative ease, everything else she’d been told that night. 89

“So, what happens next?” she asked tentatively. “You teach me to use my powers, and then what? I just go back to being an ordinary girl?”90

Saej shifted back into her human guise and shook her head slowly. “No. Once you enter my world, you will never again be able to go back. You have a choice to make, Daughter of the House of Payne. If you wish to return to your human life with your newfound freedom, I can bind your powers permanently, and they will never bother you.”91

“No,” Brittany said as she shook her head. “This is part of me, a gift from my mother. I will not turn my back on her memory a second time.”92

Saej smiled. “Come with me then, Brittany Payne, and prepare to embrace your destiny.”93