"Where have you been walking, my love?"

"I walked through the misty marsh waters."

"You should be more careful, my love."

"I was safe enough, the misty marsh waters won't harm me."

"How do you know so, my love?"

"Because they told me."

"Oh, my love. You're such a sweet dreamer."

But it's true, I know I'm safe in the marshes with only thoughts of my lover for company. Today I heard the reeds whispering when I walked by, I saw them move in the breeze as if they were trying to follow me.

I think the marshes listen to my mind and I'm as sure as anything it was the reeds who sent the cold mist to surround and cling on to me. I lost my way then. My next step found water hidden beneath my feet, a few steps more and my boots were fully submerged. I spun around but the pathway had disappeared. I was trapped in the misty marsh waters and at their mercy.

The mist clung to me tighter, feeling damp and clammy on my face. It was thicker now, a dense white fog that hid all around me... and I was sinking, slowly being swallowed up by the misty marsh waters.

"Oh please, let me go."

I heard the reeds whispering again and I panicked. I kicked out at the water and threw the fog off me. I ran as best I could, my feet splashing for freedom and the misty marsh waters did nothing to stop me. The reeds let me go and within seconds I was back on firm ground, back on the pathway and safety.

What was that all about? And I swear I heard the reeds sigh in disappointment.

"What is it?" I asked them. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Or show me, I thought.

Only silence now. I knew if I wanted the answer I would have to step back into the misty marsh waters and show them I trusted them. So I did and was soon sunk up to my knees but no longer feeling afraid.

The reeds whispered again all the more, their soft voice encouraging me to wade further and further out into the marshes. The water got no deeper, so I kept on going until I reached a truly enchanted place. As the mist slowly cleared a wonderful vista lay before me, a secret watery world surrounded by bulrushes standing tall with soft, fluffy white heads looking over me.

"Oh, how beautiful."

"Sssh," hushed the bulrushes

Like the Lady of the Lake I stood silent and still in my new realm, whilst the little waves I'd made in the water settled all around me. A blue dragonfly flew past my head as he hurried to catch up with his friend. A fish jumped close by and a frog called out in the distance.

"Look, look," I thought I heard the frog croak.

I looked but saw nothing different, but when I looked down and through the clear water, I saw I was standing on silver. A whole bed of strange looking coins lay spread out at my feet. Thousands and thousands of pieces, each one a small part of a huge, long lost treasure.

"Oh my. Can I take one?" I asked. "Just one as a gift for my sweetheart?"

But no, a breeze blew across the water and the coins were hidden beneath the ripples. The treasure was to remain intact in the misty marsh waters for it no longer belonged to the world of men and women. I guess for too many people it had brought little but sadness.

In the marshes the treasure can cause no more heartache or jealousy. The silver isn't for spending, it's only for dreams and legend and there, forever it must stay...

"So why did the marshes show you their secret?" my lover asks me.

"Because I showed them mine."

"Which is?"

"How very much I love you."

"Oh, my sweet dreamer," she says. "You have such an imagination."

"But..."

"I love you too," she tells me. "Now let's get those wet boots off your feet."

My love is laughing at me now, just like the misty marsh waters did as I was leaving. Not a cruel laugh, but a gently teasing and fun loving one. I know it's not fair to expect her to believe every word I've told her, but I'm sure I wasn't dreaming. How could I have been? The reeds showed me the way and I'm convinced it was treasure I saw at my feet. I can't prove it but...

I take a seat and it becomes quite a struggle getting my soggy walking boots off. My lover has to heave and pull with all her might. Until finally a wet foot is freed, and at the very same moment something silver drops out from my boot and with a chime hits the stone floor.

"What's this?" my true love exclaims.

"It's my present to you. See, they did let me take one after all."

"It's a penny," she says, full of excitement. "A King John silver penny."

"Is it?"

"It sure is. Do you realize what this means?"

"Yes, I think so," I tell her. "It means believe in our dreams and they may just come true."

steffanie xxx