Dark Oceans
Book One: The Ocean Series
__________
Rhonda Nelson
Dark Oceans
Copyright © 2019 by Rhonda Nelson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author.
ISBN 978-1539966463
Printed in USA by Amazon (www.Amazon.com)
Dedication
YOU KNOW HOW IT IS. You pick up a book, flip to the dedication, and find that, once again, the author has dedicated a book to someone else and not you. Well, not this time. In addition to JC Jones Hubbard, Rick Hubbard for being the best adoptive parents EVER, Peter Avery, who believed in me and pushed me when I had no desire or energy to do anything, and A special thank you to my family and community in that special group that always encourages me and helps me even on my darkest days. You guys know who you are. I dedicate this book to all of my readers that have ever felt different or maybe just a bit mischievous.
Prologue
The figure raced down the abandoned narrow path, holding tight onto the reins of the horse. The swaddled infant gripped firmly under his arm, protected from the pouring rain. Everywhere was almost completely black and the rain half-blinded him as he struggled through the storm. There was a cascade of rocks to the left of him, caves of all sizes stared gloomily down at him, swallowing the darkness of the night. He climbed off his horse and tied the reins to a nearby tree; his fingers were numb from the bitter winter air. Gently, he picked the baby up in his arms and climbed carefully up the steep slope of the rock face, blinking back the leaves that spun around in the sky.
The baby stared up at him curiously, reaching up and pulling on a strand of his hair. He pulled away from the baby's grip and set him down at the entrance to a cave. "Dada," the child said uncertainly, trying to stretch his chubby hands towards him. But he hardened his heart since he held no love for this child. None at all. Without a second's doubt, he climbed steadily back down the rock face and galloped back through the deserted forest. He heard crying being carried through the wind, but he ignored it. The baby was a mistake...a mistake that should never have happened. And there was no chance that he was going to repeat the past ever again.
Chapter One
*7 years later*
"Kelsie? Listen to me when I am talking to you." Kelsie rolled her eyes and casually leaned back in her seat; in the typical troublemaker way. Her tutor looked at her with disapproval through his grey bushy eyebrows, which were abnormally large - although suited him perfectly.
"Care to explain what I have just been talking about for the last ten minutes?" He pressed on.
Kelsie considered. "Nah."
Next to her Alyssa's hand shot straight up. "Yes, Alyssa," he sighed.
"The punishments and tortures of the modern-day era. Basically, what happens when elves disobey the law and break the peace of the kingdom," that probably took about three seconds for Alyssa to say in Kelsie's opinion. Always a smartass.
"Yes, thank you, Alyssa, did you get any of that Kelsie?"
"No," oh, how she loved being difficult. "Alyssa spoke too fast."
Mr. Wright pushed back his greying hair in frustration. "Just make sure you're paying attention “so where was I..." Kelsie faked a yawn. "...limits of boundaries have trespassed the user will be..."
She sneaked a glance at Alyssa, who was doing her usual 'intently focused' act. Though in this case, it wasn't an act. How she wanted to sit in a class and learn things was beyond her imagination. Kelsie was looking forward to reaching sixteen then she wouldn't have to take these stupidly boring lessons anymore.
"...without magic, the body cannot function, every elf..." Kelsie stared at the clock. Ten past one. Great. 50 more minutes in torture. It wasn't that she didn't like Mr. Wright; she just hated sitting still for so long. Especially when she was being forced to learn things. Eww. The only other student with her was Alyssa. Her best friend...probably the smartest girl in the history of forever. How Alyssa could find these lessons interesting Kelsie would never know.
"...thus, turning them to stone." Mr. Wright finished his paragraph and his awful diagram on the chalkboard. "So, Kelsie, my dear explain one example of a punishment us elves use."
"Tying annoying tutors to trees and shooting them with arrows?" Mr. Wright pursed his lips. Alyssa cast a glance at Kelsie.
"No, and I would rather you not to talk like that in my lessons. Alyssa?"
"Stripping the magic from an elf can turn him or her completely to stone. Unlike humans, elves cannot die they are forever immortal this is the only way to come closest to death since elves bodies cannot survive without magic." Kelsie wondered just how she could recite that off the top of her head.
"Excellent, Alyssa now if you would both follow me..." Mr. Wright led the way out of the stuffy room and into the cool refreshing corridor. The ceiling went high above her head and was decorated with pictures drawn by the best artists the king could afford. Alyssa strolled out gracefully, her feet hardly making a sound on the polished marble floor. Unlike Kelsie who definitely wasn't a princess and let her boots make as much noise as they pleased. She honestly didn't care about what anyone thought of her, she inherited it from her father.
Mr. Wright led them through a maze of corridors and rooms and finally into the breathtakingly beautiful grand hall. Two sentries stood at the door; their expressions unreadable as they uncrossed their spears to let them in. Arched domes, pillars, encrusted diamonds, and crystals. A wide red carpet stretched up towards the empty thrones at the far end of the room. Its beauty never ceased to amaze Kelsie. Mr. Wright led them over to one of the humungous windows, that refracted the beaming sunlight hypnotizingly. There was an elegantly carved stone statue of a handsome elf. Although his features looked out of place in this magnificent room. He scowled heavily as if he were looking at somebody he really didn't like. The detail of his clothing and tunic was breathtakingly perfect, it looked as though the loose pieces of fabric were blowing to the side in the wind. How the artist had managed to make it look so...flawless, it was incredible.
"This is..." Of course, Kelsie had always noticed these whenever she went over to play with Alyssa. But after that lesson, could they really be... "...an actual elf. They can still see and hear what's going on around them. This one can even hear our conversation right now, but he can't move at all."
"That's horrible!" Alyssa gasped. Moving slightly away from the statue. "What crime did he commit?"
"If my memory serves me right, he tried to start a rebellion against your father. Many joined him but he didn't succeed."
"Ha, fail," Kelsie put in. Alyssa and her tutor turned to look at her with strange expressions. "What?"
Mr. Wright continued to lead them around the grand hall and gave a brief talk about each elf's history. Murder...Massacre...Rape...consorting with enemies, he told them about each one in the entire room. All but one. Kelsie remembered leaving the grand hall without looking at one in the far corner. The elf's face was hidden since she was curled up. Her head was buried in her knees. She wore a long-ragged dress that might've been stunning once but now looked frayed and torn. Kelsie was surprised Alyssa didn't notice it. But she was certain that Mr. Wright was keeping a secret from them.
After saying goodbye to Kelsie at the end of tuition, Alyssa made her way down to the stables. At the age of ten, Alyssa was already smarter than a lot of fully-grown elves. The only thing she really hated about herself was her height. No one took her seriously because either she was too small or too young. She couldn't wait to reach sixteen. The first day of her adulthood and the first day her father will let
her finally use magic. "Hi, Travis!" She greeted the curly-haired stable boy with enthusiasm. "Where's Connor?"
Travis frowned. "He said he was going to the palace Kitchens, I don’t know." Poor Travis, if only he remembered that Katie was a Kitchenmaid. "So, what can I do for you? Anything? Did you ask your Father if I can perform at your masquerade? I'll be so awesome!"
Oops. She forgot. "How about you can join me on a horse ride I'll even let you pickpocket some of the villagers," she said trying to change the subject.
Travis' face lit up in a mischievous grin. "Yeah, sure let's go." He sped into the stable and returned with two dark brown horses, saddled and ready to go. "Do you need help getting on, like last time?" He asked innocently. Alyssa's face flushed. She playfully shoved Travis into his horse. "No, it was raining last time and it was too slippery."
"Sure, whatever you say, princess."
"Let's just go, ok?"
The group of bandits were laughing and shoving each other. They wore earth-colored clothes and carried heavy metal swords. In the middle of the clearing, they were making a fire, which looked dangerous since there were many dry autumn leaves on the ground. They smelt completely human to Ben. He gripped the side of his branch and looked closer at them, he wondered whether he should waste his time on them or not. A wooden cart stood to the side of the bandits. It was big enough to fit a person. Or several. It looked old and battered like it had been used many times - and it probably had. Anger flared up inside of Ben, no one should treat people like that. It wasn't right. He could sense a presence there. Or was it two? Nevertheless, he was going to find out. He dropped down from his tree overlooking the clearing, landing with a soft thud.
The bandits stopped laughing and turned around to face him. Their faces were cruel and prepared for an attack, they gripped the hilts of their swords with large beefy hands. Their eyebrows rose at the sight of the weaponless ten years before they started laughing again. Their voices echoed around the forest and got lost in the wind... "Look, Nico! See what kind of terrible enemy has turned up!" the tallest one mocked.
A dark-haired man pushed his way forward, brandishing his sword. "Is this some sort of joke?"
"No," Ben said. "I'll give you two choices release your captives or I'll release them for you."
The leader stepped forward. "How about 'no' little boy. You don't even have a sword."
"I don't need one to defeat you." The leader scowled. "Someone just takes him away I am not going to waste my time on children." A bandit stepped forward. Before he could reach him, he disappeared. There was a stunned silence. A pile of dust lay on the ground, unaffected by the wind. The bandits backed away, before running as fast as they could into the trees. Their expressions pure horror. Ben concentrated on the lock of the cart and it clicked open. Inside were two trembling children. The youngest was seven who had brown curly hair and golden eyes. The other stood protectively in front of the girl his eyes narrowed and judging.
"You're free to go," Ben said softly.
"W - where the bandits?" the girl asked.
"Gone. I scared them off," the other boy raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Just believe me. Do you know your way home from here?" The girl nodded, staring in wonder at Ben. The boy pulled on her arm. "Come on, let's go."
"But what about you?" The girl said, staring at Ben. "Who are you? How come you managed to scare off the bandits?" The girl spoke maturely for a seven-year-old. Both were most likely elves. Human seven-year-olds sounded childish in his opinion.
"You can call me Ben, although I don't know my real name. As for scaring the bandits, I've had a lot of practice." It was true. Ben didn't know his real name. Maybe no one even gave him a name when he was born. He wouldn't be surprised...he was abandoned at the age of one in a cave far away from civilization. The girl nodded but looked disappointed that Ben wouldn't give her any more information. The boy tugged on her arm again and they both sped off into the wood at a speed only elves could run at.
"Uurrgh, it's really foggy here."
"Stop complaining, you've said that for the last half hour!" Alyssa chided. They were both going at a snail's pace on the backs of their horses, trying to see through the thick blinding fog.
"Sorry, your highness race you to the nearest village!" Travis gave her a teasing smile and pushed a lock of curly hair behind his ear. He really needs to get it cut. His horse suddenly bolted forward and they both disappeared in the thick white mist. Pressing her horse's side with her feet she galloped after him trying to see through the fog.
"Travis!" She called. But there was no response. "Travis! Come back!" But only her voice echoed back to her. The woods were completely silent around her. She looked around her for any signs of life. Nothing. Not even the leaves on the trees were moving. Stupid Travis. She continued to gallop but she knew in her heart she wasn't going to find him. Panic welled up in her chest. "Travis!" If only she could use magic! It frustrated her that she wasn't allowed to, until her sixteenth birthday. She had no idea where she was. She mentally slapped herself for being so foolish and straying so far from the castle. Everywhere was shrouded in a veil of white; nothing seemed familiar as she weaved her way in and out of the trees.
An hour must have passed. She was getting nowhere. Her hands were frozen from the cold and her hope of finding her way back home was fading. Her horse had slowed down in its place, she had really pushed it to its limits. All she could do is wait for the fog to go away.
"You seem lost." Alyssa blinked. In front of her was a person that had not been there a few seconds ago. Her horse stopped as if under a spell. The person pushed down their hood, revealing a red-haired woman. Her eyes were a deep shade of violet, mysterious and emotionless. She was beautiful in a different and mysterious sort of way, although her eyes were half-closed as if she were indescribably tired. "You're in my territory."
Alyssa frowned. Who was this woman and what right did she have to order her around? Alyssa was the princess of Mylvehil, no one in the whole world was higher than her apart from her father. "I don't know where to go," Alyssa said, trying to move her horse but the horse didn't oblige.
"You can't escape from here you know. The fog is never going to go away unless I let it." Her voice was completely void of emotion. Fear gripped Alyssa. What was happening?
"Who are you?" She asked timidly.
"A soothsayer, no one knows my real name, but I tell everyone it's 'Rachel'" the woman said, her violet eyes glowing slightly. "I'll let you go if you can complete the task, I have set for you."
Alyssa wondered what that meant. "All I want you to do is kill one mermaid. Bring it to me within the next hour." The idea of mermaids seemed so ridiculous Alyssa wanted to laugh. But she couldn't. Something about Rachel's voice told her she was telling the truth.
"A mermaid?" was all she could say. Her voice trembled slightly, though she wasn't sure why.
"Yes, a mermaid," Rachel said irritably. "Mermaid tails are vital for my newest potions...also they are quite a delicacy to eat when cooked correctly and added with a pinch of basil...well I must be and by the way - you are more than welcome to stay for dinner...if you bring the mermaid. It's always nice to have more than one guest..." Her body dissolved into the fog and then she was gone.
Alyssa was alone again. Did that really just happen? Or was she hallucinating? Where was she supposed to find a mermaid? If Rachel had really been telling the truth, then Alyssa would have to start looking. Or she would be stuck here forever. Her entire life came crashing down on her. Did this mean that mermaids existed? Were there any other monsters out there - the thought frightened her. She was shivering from the cold and apprehension.
How was she supposed to fight a mermaid and win? All she had with her was a dagger and she couldn't use it very well. She thought back to Mr. Wright's lessons about creatures of magic. Mermaids could survive on land and in water. They were beautiful in a hypnotizing way and would lure sailors to their deaths with their haunting melodies. But that was all she r
emembered; it was so long ago since Mr. Wright gave them a lesson about mythological creatures. Now it was coming alive and Alyssa didn't like it one bit. Alyssa tried to think of their weaknesses. What was it? Something to do with their tails...she couldn't remember what was it? Too late. For through the thick fog, Alyssa could just make out a dark figure, with icy cold eyes that stared straight into her own. An aura of power clung to its body. Every instinct in Alyssa screamed 'run!' But she couldn't. There were only two options. Stay and fight or stay trapped in this fog forever.
Chapter Two
"Rachel."
"Aww, Ben you came back," she replied, leaning down and pinching Ben's cheek. Ben stepped back towards the door.
This woman really freaked him out. “I need another potion."
"Of course, Ben a little girl is just fetching the ingredients for me," Rachel said patronizingly. She started collecting herbs off her table and threw them one by one in a cauldron.
"A little girl?" Rachel laughed, though Ben had no idea why.
"She trespassed into my territory so I told her to bring me back a mermaid or I wouldn't let her out of the fog."
"A mermaid?"
"Yes, yes," Rachel said impatiently, her violet eyes flashed. "It's a vital part of the potion without it the potion could go incredibly wrong and you'll most likely turn into a goldfish."
Ben stepped back again. "So basically, you're turning me into a cannibal?"
"Well. No, ok yeah but it doesn't matter! Anyway, I eat mermaids all the time, incredibly tasty, you know."
Ben felt sick. This woman was really starting to creep him out. The only reason he came here was so he could keep his two legs. Maybe it wasn't any better. "I think I might go..."
"No! Stay, you want your potion, don't you? I doubt you would find it interesting at the bottom of the ocean. You can help me cook dinner if you like maybe we can invite that nice little girl, that is if she succeeds."
Dark Oceans (Ocean Series Book 1) Page 1
