Orsgadts
The Regret Waterfall

The sounds of birds and wind were faintly heard among the pounding of water that fell from a height of fifty meters. The natural pool below the waterfall is deep and dangerous enough to dive but the shallow edges become a comfortable soaking place in the spring. Regret Waterfall, such is the name given and passed on from generation to generation.

Almost every place in Ulrych has a legend believed by the inhabitants. The Mountain of Exile, the Farewell Hill and the Heartbroken Lake are other places that also have their own legends.

“What pathetic. Those sad names broke my heart. They should just change the name of this waterfall to ‘Rangi’ Falls or ‘Happiness Waterfall’. Try to think, this natural beauty feels useless if juxtaposed with the name ‘Air Falls Regrets’,” chatter Daniela. Her golden-colored hair was neatly woven on the front. He was watching his shadow on the surface of the water. “I think my eyes are too big that young people are reluctant to approach me,” he murmured.

“There is nothing wrong with your eyes. They just don't see how beautiful your heart is,” Mineda said. He took a small stone and threw it right in the shadow of Daniela. Daniela screamed as water splashed onto her face and clothes.

Daniela growled furiously. Without a second thought he got into the water and pulled Mineda. Mineda screamed, surprised because he knew it was already in the pool and of course wet. The two flush each other regardless of their bodies and full clothes that are now soaked. Mineda's black hair that is not woven into frown.

“You! Just look at what you did.”

“Oh come on, we're at the waterfall so we have to play water.”

A female figure stood up while shaking her waist at the edge of the pool. She was wearing a swimsuit that looked like a mini dress. His hair was fluttering in the wind.

“You forgot me!” screams loud. He wanted to make the sound of the waterfall.

Daniela and Mineda turned their heads and exclaimed happily, “Emune!”

Emune came later because he had to replace Clarice collecting chicken eggs. Aunt Mary had told him to go see Mineda and Daniela but Emune insisted on helping.

“I don't know how else. Why can't they be like you who's sweet and helpful? Fighting until they push each other and get hurt. Don't they have anything else to fuss about? I would be very happy if they were to get married soon but I would also feel very sorry for their husband. Maybe I'm less hard on them. What do you think, Emune?” ask Aunt Mary at the end of her tirade.

Emune grimaced, “I think Auntie has been pretty firm on them,” she replied.

“Ah Emune, please collect the chicken eggs after that after your friends. They must have been waiting.”

Finally Emune finished with the eggs and he darted away towards the waterfall. This morning the villagers began to clean and decorate the square. Village celebrations are still one day away but due to the large number of visitors from neighboring villages, they prepare early.

“Are you going to stay there?” daniea shouted from the pool.

Emune jumped into the water. He joined his two friends. They are like the fairy-tale ruler of the waterfall. If any stranger passed by and saw them, he must have thought they were really fairies. All three are beautiful and tall slender. Daniela and Mineda pulled over for a while to take off their soaking-soaked dresses on the rocks by the pool so they could wear them on their way home.

“I'm not in the middle. Just here. My back feels comfortable when my feet don't touch the bottom of the pool.”

“Sounds exciting. I'll try it,” said Daniela.

Daniela swims with Mineda. The three were now busy chattering and laughing cheerfully. Every month they always take time to picnic and swim in this place. They love this place because it is always quiet. Actually the girls are not allowed to come to this place because it will bring bad luck but Emune and his friends do not care. They've played here a lot and nothing bad has happened. All three believed that it was just the delusion of the villagers.

After a while, they were tired of also playing in the water. The three of them came out of the pool and basked in the sun. Mineda and Daniela's clothes had not dried yet so they had to be patient sunbathing longer with the swimsuits they were wearing at the moment.

“I don't know with you but I feel very sleepy,” muttered Mineda.

“I too. I think we should sunbathe over there. Emune, are you coming?”

“I'll change clothes and wait for you here.”

Emune stared at the backs of his two friends who were looking for a place to sunbathe. He smiled as the two spread a cloth and lay in the not-so-hot sun. He immediately changed his swimsuit. Although there was no sign of anyone else but the three of them, Emune used a piece of cloth to cover her body.

Emune checked on her two friends who were sunbathing. He laughed, they fell asleep. After being sure that both of them were safe, Emune returned to his original place. He gulped honey water from their supply leather bottle. He also felt a little sleepy earlier but the honey water made his sleepiness disappear. There was a piece of cheese and an apple Urndie gave you yesterday. He promised to share it with others. They must taste the delicacy of the apple of Imperia.

Emune took off her hair. He looked for a comb but could not find it. Emune uses the surface of the pool water as a mirror. His fingers combed his long brown hair. Aunt Mary used to say that her hair was beautiful. Aunt Mary also taught her to make simple hair braids when she was nine years old. He still loves that connection to this day.

Above the surface of the water, Emune saw the shape of his face that was oval. His brown hair was well-woven and he was sidelined on his left shoulder. His eyebrows grew neat and curved to form the character of his face. Her eyes looked mediocre, a brown color older than her hair color. Her nose was sharp, just like the other women in the village. Then Emune looked towards her lips. Unconsciously he touched it.

Since living with Uncle and Aunt, he has slowly been able to accept his father's departure. Until now Emune did not know the reason for his father's departure. Uncle Henry and Aunt Mary never talked about it either. Not to him and not to anyone else.

Emune asked in her heart, does she look like her mother? He doesn't know what his mother is like. Is she as warm and tender as Aunt Mary? His father never told him about his mother. He is dead, his father said with a sad face. Emune didn't want to see her father sad so she never asked about her mother again.

Emune Steggar, his full name. Childhood memories always popped into his mind whenever the name was mentioned in his heart. The Alder Mountains north of Arsyna are where he grew up. His father became a herder and hunted wild animals to make ends meet. A patch of land became their little pride and happiness. Emune loves her father. His father was a strong man. He took care of Emune alone and during that time he never wanted to marry again.

Emune suddenly felt very sleepy. His eyes felt heavy, he could vaguely see the waterfall that kept falling hit the surface of the pool but his ears heard nothing. After yawning three times in a row, he lay down and fell asleep.

From the ball of huge rows of rocks, a black figure approached Emune who was sound asleep. The figure revealed some of the hair covering Emune's face. He looked at the girl's face without blinking. His hand reached for the dagger that was sheathed at the waist, lifted the dagger high and plunged it down.