Cordelia tried on some of the outfits and one by one the old woman wrapped them in brown paper. After almost an hour in the shop, Mazu had one last request.
“Do you happen to sell bathing costumes?”
“Sure we do,” said the old lady who was already half way up a ladder. She climbed far up the ladder to the top shelf where she located a box and blew the dust from the lid. “We don’t get many requests for bathing garments, not for women but I’ve started keeping a couple in stock just in case. There’s talk that sea bathing will become quite popular.”
“I’ve no doubt that it will,” said Mazu.
“Well, that’s if you can believe what you read. Mind you, I wouldn’t want to be in the sea myself now, not after that storm last week. Did you hear about that poor fisherman?”
Cordelia turned to face the door and took a deep breath as she fought to hold back the tears.
“We really ought to be going,” said Mazu. “You’ve been awfully kind.”
“I hear he left that young girl all alone. It’s terrible really. Not to mention poor Jerry. He’s nobody to catch fish for him now. His business won’t survive on perrywinkles.”
As Cordelia edged nearer to the door, the light from the window caught the silver strands in her hair. The old woman’s mouth fell open and before she could say anything else, Cordelia let out a mighty shriek that shattered the windowpanes. She ran into the street and Mazu followed close behind, her arms laden with brown paper parcels.
“I’m sorry,” said Cordelia as they travelled back to the lighthouse. “I didn’t know I could break windows by screaming.”
“No harm done,” said Mazu. “You’ll soon discover the extent of your abilities and those jewels I left will more than cover the cost of the clothes and new windows. Don’t you worry about that.”
Back at the lighthouse, Cordelia sat in her chamber looking at her jar of gemstones, trying to understand how she had broken the windows. Trying to understand who she was. Wondering what she would become. She was on the cusp of something new, something she would try to accept, even though her heart was aching. She put on one of her new outfits and glanced at herself in the mirror. She hardly recognised herself. She’d thought it had looked okay in the shop. She liked the lace up boots but she wasn’t used to dresses and frills. Life on a boat hadn’t really lent itself to fancy dresses so Flynn had raised her wearing trousers, which were much better for climbing about on the rocks. She slumped down on the bed and sighed.
“At least you won’t smell now,” said a strange voice.
“Who’s there?” asked Cordelia, startled.
The candles flickered as a girl appeared by the fireplace.
“You’ve been wearing this outfit all week,” she said, picking the garments up in turn between one finger and thumb as though they were the grubbiest things she had ever seen and tossing them on the fire. “They must wreak by now.”
“How did you get in?!” asked Cordelia.
“I have my ways.”
“You can’t burn people’s clothes like that.”
“I can do whatever I like,” said the girl and she walked straight through the cave wall into the tunnel.
Cordelia sprung from her bed and opened the door to see where the girl had gone but there was no sign of her.
The smell of food wafted through the tunnel; Cordelia followed the scent to another chamber where rows of students were seated for lunch. She stood in the doorway. Slowly the chatter stopped and they all stared at her.
“Don’t just stand there,” said Morwen Vanora as she beckoned Cordelia into the room.
“Look at her hair!” said one of the boys.
“She looks like she’s seen a ghost!” said another.
“I heard she broke all the windows in town with her shrill screaming.”
“Can you believe she’s nearly sixteen and she didn’t know she’s a mermaid?”
“She’ll never be a mermaid. Not a good one anyway.”
“I thought this school was supposed to be for the elite.”
The comments were coming from two boys at the far side of the room.
“Enough!” said Triton, entering the room. He was standing with a student who made her way over to Cordelia.
“Hello, I’m Lana. Lana Seymour. Please, come and sit with us.”
Cordelia followed the tall redhead to a table where she was introduced to identical twins, Masika and Nerissa Murphy.
“Pleased to meet you,” they said.
Nerissa leaned across the table with wide eyes, “Is it true?” she asked. “Did you really have no idea you’re a mermaid?”
Cordelia shook her head. “Have you always known?”
“Of course,” explained Masika in a matter of fact tone, “our parents are merfolk so it’s natural that we would be too.”
“I’ve always known too,” said Lana. “It’s hard not to when your father’s a teacher here.” Lana looked towards the table of teachers and sure enough, there was a man sporting the same red hair as she.
“Irvin Seymour, the lighthouse keeper,” smiled Nerissa.
“Lighthouse keeper?” questioned Cordelia.
Nerissa nodded. “They need someone to play the part if anyone should come knocking, but they never do.”
“Play the part?” said Lana. “He takes his job very seriously I’ll have you know.”
“I thought you said he was a teacher,” said Cordelia.
“He is,” replied Lana between mouthfuls of food. “He’s a man of many talents.”
“Is your mother here too?” asked Cordelia.
“No, she’s back home with my brothers and sisters.”
“Lana’s one of twelve,” said Nerissa. “I’d love a big family like that one day.”
“Twelve? Do you have siblings here?” asked Cordelia.
Lana shook her head. “Not yet.”
“This school isn’t for everyone,” said Masika, “they only accept the best.”
Cordelia’s eyes reverted to the boys who’d been unkind to her. They were whispering and laughing at her.
“Ignore them,” said Lana, eyeballing the boys.
“That’s Rafferty Hurley and Maxwell Jordan,” said Nerissa. “Rafe and Max to their friends.”
“They think they’re something special, but they’re not,” said Masika.
“Rafe’s father was the captain of the swimming team when he was here,” said Nerissa. “Something of a legend by all accounts.”
“He’s got it into his head that just because his father won a trophy or two, he can do whatever he likes,” said Masika.
“Someone else said that earlier,” said Cordelia. “said she could do whatever she likes and burnt my clothes on the fire.”
“Do you know who it was?” asked Lana.
“No, she disappeared through the wall. I’ve no idea where she went.”
“That’ll be Nixie,” said Lana. “She’s a water dwelling spirit but she sometimes likes to come into the caves if she feels left out.”
“She likes to get up to mischief,” said Nerissa.
“Is she a ghost?” asked Cordelia.
“Yes, but not just any ghost, merghosts are very rare,” said Lana.
“I thought mermaids couldn’t drown.”
“They can’t,” said Masika abruptly, “but even some fish are not survivors of nature.”
“She hit her head on the rocks,” said Lana.
Their conversation was ended by Triton standing up and banging his silver topped cane on the floor three times. The noise echoed around the room and the voices fell silent.
“Mazu and I are going away for a while. Mazu is needed in the East and I have other matters to attend to. In our absence we hope that you will continue to learn and develop into outstanding merfolk. This is the school of the elite and we hope that you will become guardians of the seven seas and the Kingdom of Meren. We are always watching so work hard and be kind. Until we return we shall leave you in the good han
ds of Morwen and her team.”
Cordelia’s heart sank. She was just getting to know these people and already they were leaving. She cast her eyes along the table where the adults were sitting, wondering if they were all as kind as Mazu.
Morwen rose to her feet and raised a goblet to Mazu and Triton. “May the tides be always in your favour.”
“Hear hear,” said the staff as they too raised their goblets.
“Students, you are dismissed,” said Morwen.
Having finished their lunch, Cordelia had the rest of the day to herself and returned to her chamber. She wondered, having never been to school, what lessons her friends were attending. Once again she studied her own reflection in the mirror. There hadn’t been a full-length mirror on the boat and she wasn’t used to looking at herself in this way, but she knew the clothes made her look different; she felt different. Cordelia was truly grateful to Mazu for the clothes and she knew she looked just as well dressed as any of the ladies in town, but it wasn’t her. ‘How am I supposed to climb about the rocks in these long skirts?’ she thought. Cordelia tugged at the frills and ruffles of her outfit as she looked at herself from different angles and her cheeks turned red in fluster.
“Be careful doing that. You’ll rip your clothes.” It was Nixie.
“What do you care?” asked Cordelia. “You quite happily burnt my clothes on the fire this morning.”
“Sorry,” said Nixie. “I was only trying to help. You’d been wearing those clothes all week.”
Cordelia realised that Nixie made a valid point. “Well perhaps you could help me with these, they’re too fussy.”
“Too fussy?”
“Too frilly. Too pretty.”
“Too girly?”
“Perhaps. Will you help me or not?”
“Wait there.”
Nixie disappeared through the wall and came back moments later with a sewing box filled to the brim with needles, thread and scissors.
“Where did you get that from?” asked Cordelia.
“Morwen Vanora, she’s always mending things. Make do and mend is her motto.”
“Does she know we’ve got it?”
“I’m sure she won’t mind, we’ll have it back before the end of afternoon lessons.”
Cordelia and Nixie spent the afternoon altering Cordelia’s clothes until she was comfortably satisfied with her new attire. They’d cut the front out of every skirt and dress, leaving them long at the back and much shorter at the front and chopped the frills off everything, including Cordelia’s bathing costumes. With her hands on her hips, Cordelia admired herself in the mirror. Her dress sat perfectly above the knee and showed off her lace up boots beautifully.
“There’s something missing,” said Nixie.
Cordelia looked closer at her reflection and a look of panic appeared on her face.
“How about a jacket?” asked Nixie.
“It’s gone!” gasped Cordelia, holding a hand to her collarbone. She inspected the floor and paced the room, upturning everything that she laid her hands on.
“What’s gone?”
“My necklace,” replied Cordelia. “Flynn gave it to me.”
Cordelia paused. She realised that she hadn’t seen it since the storm. She’d been so upset about the whole ordeal that she hadn’t noticed it was missing.
“It belonged to his wife.”
“And now it belongs to you,” said Nixie. “I’m sure it will turn up.”
“Like Flynn?”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Cordelia sat and observed the ghost standing in front of her. ‘A ghost.’ She thought. ‘How could I be so thoughtless? At least I’m alive.’
“What happened to you Nixie?” asked Cordelia, having realised she wasn’t the only mermaid around here with problems.
Nixie sat beside Cordelia on the edge of the bed. “I was the captain of the diving team. I won every competition since I started here but one-day, things didn’t go to plan. I slipped on a patch of algae and hit my head on the rocks. That was forty three years ago now.”
“Forty three years?!” exclaimed Cordelia. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.”
“It’s fine. At least I’ve kept my youthful looks.”
“What’s it like being a ghost?”
“It’s alright. I’m used to it now. I’ve been a ghost longer than I was alive.”
“What does it feel like when you walk through walls?”
“It doesn’t feel like anything, I just do it. I’ve seen a lot of things though. I know everything.”
“Everything?” Cordelia wondered if she knew where Flynn was but before she had a chance to ask, Nixie had vanished.
The sewing box was still in the room with reels of thread scattered on the floor.
“Oh great,” muttered Cordelia under her breath.
As she knelt down to pack the contents away, there came a hurried knock at the door.
“Cordelia, are you there? It’s Lana.”
Cordelia jumped to her feet and opened the door.
“Wow! Look at you! Where did you get this outfit?”
“Nixie and I made some alterations to the clothes Mazu bought me. What do you think?”
“It’s different... I love it! I’m not sure what Morwen will say though.”
“Speaking of Morwen, Nixie borrowed this sewing box from her room and I need to get it back before she realises it’s missing.”
Lana raised her eyebrows, “You’ve been here a week and you’re already making waves. Come on, I’ll take you.”
Lana led Cordelia through the cave network until they came to a set of steps leading to Morwen’s chamber.
“You don’t think she’s up there do you?” whispered Cordelia.
“Only one way to find out.”
The wind howled through the tunnel as they cautiously climbed the steps. The door was closed and displayed a sign which read, Morwen Vanora. Lana and Cordelia pressed their ears to the door and listened for any sounds coming from within the room. All seemed quiet. Cordelia slowly turned the door handle and opened the door just enough to peer through. There didn’t seem to be anyone there so Cordelia dashed into the room and placed the sewing box on a chest of drawers.
“Not there,” said Nixie. “It goes over here with the sewing machine.”
“I wish you wouldn’t keep...”
Nixie was gone.
“Why does she do that?” asked Cordelia.
“The perks of being a ghost,” replied Lana.
“I hadn’t associated perks with being dead before.”
“Shhh!” said Lana. “Morwen’s coming. This way.”
Lana led Cordelia across Morwen’s chamber to a small door on the far side.
“It’s locked!” exclaimed Cordelia, trying the handle.
The girls looked around, frantically trying to find the key to the door. Nixie took great delight in watching them panic; not that she meant to be unkind, she just found it entertaining. Just as Morwen approached the bottom of the steps, Nixie appeared with the key.
“Quick! She’s coming!”
Lana grappled with the lock and the door flung open with a gust of wind to reveal the rocks and the sea. The girls made their escape, closing the door behind them just in time.
Morwen entered her chamber and paused. She sniffed the air while her eyes darted around the room. “Someone’s been in here,” she said and marched over to the small door where the key was still in the lock.
Cordelia and Lana hurriedly made their way along the rocks.
“In here!” Nixie was bobbing up and down in the water at the entrance to a cave.
Lana dived straight in. “Cordelia! Come on!”
Cordelia glanced over her shoulder to see Morwen standing on the rocks outside her chamber. Without further hesitation, Cordelia joined Lana and Nixie in the water and swam into the cave.
It was dark in the cave and the sea slopped in and out.
“Where are you?�
� asked Cordelia.
“Here.” Lana stretched out her hand. “There’s a ledge in front of you, can you feel it?”
Cordelia felt the ledge with her hands, it was covered in Irish moss which made kneeling on it more bearable. Cordelia hauled herself out of the water and sat beside Lana.
“What will she do if she finds us?” asked Cordelia anxiously.
“We’d be given extra studies and locked in our rooms at all other times. She’d probably tell my father too.”
“I suppose I don’t need to worry about that.”
“It’s best not to get on the wrong side of Morwen. She’s Welsh, she’s probably got dragons blood running through her veins.”
Cordelia raised an eyebrow.
“I’m joking,” said Lana. “Morwen comes from an ancient line of merfolk, she wouldn’t be head of school if she wasn’t.”
“If she’s head of school, what does that make Mazu and Triton? I got the impression they were in charge.”
“They are when they’re here. I suppose they’re what you call executive heads. This isn’t the only school for merfolk you know, there’s another one in the East and this one covers the West. Together they cover the seven seas. Triton and Mazu visit both schools, tending to important matters. They’re also the first point of contact for the Kingdom of Meren.”
“Forgive me for sounding really dumb but what exactly is the Kingdom of Meren?”
Lana tried not to show how surprised she was by Cordelia’s question. Everyone in the sea community knew about the Kingdom of Meren, everyone except Cordelia.
“Merfolk royalty,” began Lana. “It’s a proper royal family, just like Queen Victoria’s, except for ours has a king and he rules the seven seas and the creatures who live there.”
“What’s the king’s name?”
“Lorcan. King Lorcan of Meren.”
“Does he have a palace?”
“A castle. I’ve heard it’s quite impressive.”
“I’d love to see it.”
“It’s on an island not far from here. Impossible to see it though, it’s surrounded by rocks and guarded day and night. Visits to the castle are strictly by invitation only.”
ELEMENTS: Acquiesce Page 3
