The young dolphins called the child Beeweeabee, but Zelana didnt really think that was appropriate, since it approximately translated into Short-Fin-With-No-Tail. Despite her habits and her companions, the little girl was still a land animal, so Zelana unleashed her poetic talents and ultimately arrived at Eleria. It had a nice musical sound to it, and it rhymed with several very pleasant words.
The little girl didnt seem to care for the name, but after a while she would answer to it when Zelana called her, so the name more or less did what it was supposed to.
The seasons continued to turn, but Zelana had long since realized that they could do that on their own, so she didnt have to prompt them.
Then in the autumn of Elerias fifth year, Dahlaine came by again. How are things progressing with your child, dear sister? he asked Zelana.
Its a bit hard to say, Zelana replied. I havent had any contact with the man-creatures for more than ten eons, and Im sure theyve changed in that many years. I cant really be sure whats normal for them at Elerias age. She spends most of her time in the water, though, so she doesnt stink the way most of her kind did when I turned my back on them.
Where is she? Dahlaine asked, looking around the grotto.
Probably out playing with her friends, Zelana said, most likely somewhere along the coast of the Isle.
She has friends? Dahlaine seemed a bit surprised. I didnt know there were any people here on the Isle.
There arent, and even if there were, I wouldnt permit her to associate with them.
Youre going to have to get over that, sister. Eventually she will be required to have dealings with her own kind.
What for?
Shell have to tell them what theyre supposed to do, Zelana. If her playmates arent people, what exactly are they?
Dolphins, of course. She and the young dolphins get along very well.
I didnt know that dolphins can move around on dry land.
They cant. Eleria swims with them.
Are you mad? Dahlaine almost screamed. Shes only five years old! You cant just turn her loose in Mother Sea like that!
Stop worrying so much, Dahlaine. She swims almost as well as her playmates do, and she finds most of her food out there in deep water. It saves me all sorts of time. She feeds herself, so I dont have to bother. She does seem to like berries when theyre in season but most of the time she eats fish.
How does she cook them if shes out there in the water?
What is cook? Zelana asked curiously.
Just a custom, really, Dahlaine replied evasively. You ought to try to keep her out of deep water, though.
Why? She swims mostly along the surface, so what difference does it make how much waters down below her?
Dahlaine gave up. There was just no talking with Zelana.
2
Though Zelana would not have admitted it even to herself, her life was much more pleasant now that she had Eleria to love and to care for. Since Eleria was able to find her own food and she had playmates enough to keep her occupied, her presence in the grotto in the evenings was hardly any inconvenience at all. Zelana was still able to create poetry and compose music, and Eleria served as a ready-made audience. She loved to have Zelana sing to her, and she seemed to enjoy listening to the recitation of Zelanas poems even though she didnt understand a single word. She was now well into her sixth year, but she continued to speak exclusively in the squeaky, piping language of the dolphins.
Zelana considered that. It wasnt really all that much of a problem, since she herself was also fluent in that language. She decided, though, that perhaps one of these days she might teach the young one the rudiments of the language she spoke and shared with her sister and her brothers. It shouldnt be too difficult. Zelana had discovered that Eleria was very quick.
As it turned out, however, Eleria was about two jumps ahead of her. Zelana had been reciting poetry to the child since Elerias infancy, and one day in the early autumn of Elerias sixth year Zelana happened to overhear the child reciting one of the poems to her playmates, translating each line into their own language as she went along. Zelanas poetry took on whole new dimensions when delivered in the squeaks and burbles of the dolphin language. Zelana was fairly sure that the young dolphins werent really all that interested in poetry, but Elerias habit of rewarding their attention with kisses and embraces kept them obediently in place. Zelana was very fond of dolphins herself, but the notion of kissing them had never occurred to her. Eleria, however, seemed to have discovered early in her life that dolphins would do almost anything for kisses.
Zelana decided at that point that it might not be a bad idea to start paying closer attention to the progress of the young child. Lately it seemed that every time she turned around, Eleria had a new surprise for her.
Eleria, she said a bit later when the two of them were alone in the grotto.
Eleria responded with a squeaky little dolphin sound.
Speak in words, child, Zelana commanded.
Eleria stared at her in astonishment. It is not proper that I should, Beloved, she replied quite formally. Thy speech is not to be used for mundane purposes or ordinary times. It is reserved for stately utterances. I would not for all this world profane it by reducing its stature to the commonplace.
Zelana immediately realized where she had blundered. In a peculiar sort of way shed treated Eleria in much the same way the child was now treating her dolphin playmates. Eleria had been something on the order of a captive audience but not quite completely captive. The child had drawn her own conclusions. There was a certain logic behind Elerias conviction that Zelanas language was reserved for poetry alone, since the only times when Zelana had spoken that language to her had been during those recitations. Ordinary conversations between them had been in the language of the dolphins.
Come here, child, Zelana said. I think its time for us to get to know each other a bit better.
Eleria seemed apprehensive. Have I done something wrong, Beloved? she asked. Are you angry with me because I told your poems to the finned ones? You didnt want me to do that, did you? Your poems were love, and they were for me alone. Now I have spoiled them. Elerias eyes filled with tears. Please dont send me away, Beloved! she wailed. I promise that I wont do it again!
A wave of emotion swept over Zelana, and she felt her own eyes clouding over. She held out her arms to the child. Come to me, she said.
Eleria rushed to her, and they clung to each other. Both of them were weeping now, yet they were filled with a kind of joy.
Zelana and Eleria spent all of their time together in the grotto after that. The dolphins brought fish for Eleria to eat, and the trickling spring provided water, so there was no real need for the child to go out into Mother Sea. Her playmates were a bit sulky at first, but that soon passed.