Titus asked that Cole and Marty not tell Jedediah and Robbie, but to keep it to themselves; Titus knew they might be tempted to tell the humans about the coming decrease in the fish population. Even Cole was tempted to warn others, but knew it would only lead to more questions of how he knew it was to be and that could get complicated.
Titus also prepared the Fijians for what was to come as well as their people on Kaloki Island. The mer began to stock up their food supply and also additional amounts for future breeding. Time would soon show her destruction. Titus prayed that he would have the courage to do as his forefathers had done and be able to go into the Leviathan’s underwater volcanic lair and destroy all of her eggs but two. Only the mer could withstand the boiling waters where she made her home near the American Samoa Islands.
Titus entered his home and saw Lana up with Titan; Tarrock now lived with his dolphins in the home of his parents before they became King and Queen.
“Have you not slept?” he asked with concern.
“Yeah, you might say we had a nap.” She smiled.
“He only wanted the nearness of his mother.” Titus went and ran his fingers through Lana’s hair.
“And he wanted to say hello to his daddy.”
“Yes, hello my son,” Titus said as he took Titan from her.
Titan fussed and swished his tail back and forth almost able to slip from his father’s grasp.
“Now, now, my son; I will not have you acting like that.” Titus smiled and raised his brows to Titan.
Titan smiled and let out a giggle.
“See, I told you he was waiting for his daddy.” Lana kissed Titan on the cheek and then Titus.
“These are the days I live for, to see my beautiful wife and happy children.”
“Yeah, even if they’re spread out a bit and also our grandson Ahanu.”
“Yes, even Ahanu. I can see him and Titan becoming very good friends.”
“I can too.”
Titus wrapped his arms around Lana and she wrapped hers around Titan.”
“Titus what’s wrong?”
“I can hide nothing from you,” he let out a sigh.
“No you can’t; you better just tell me before I get mad.” She raised her brows as she looked into his eyes.
“The Leviathan has left her lair and is now feeding on the Seas of the world.”
“But we’ve saved up enough food haven’t we?”
“Yes, but it will effect all people of the world both above and below the Seas.”
“Oh Titus, I hope there will still be enough food for everyone.”
“As long as she satisfies herself quickly, but that has never been done before. I also worry that she might surface.”
“Surface, I thought she could only stay below the water.”
“It has been said that some even walk upon the land and devour all they can.”
“Titus, surely she won’t do that?”
“Time will tell, only I have to be ready to do my part.”
“Titus, I don’t like the thought of you going into her lair.”
“Yet I must my love, as King Titan and his fathers did before me.”
“I hope for all our sakes she fills herself quickly from the Sea.”
“That is my prayer also.”
The three of them nestled together and prayed for all the people of the earth.
~~~
Jedediah was finding it harder and harder to stay away from Seturus and his mer family as he went to school each week. Even Kawikani began to find other friends to spend time with since Jedediah was gone so often. Jedediah mostly did his studies during the week and then couldn’t wait to drop anchor above Tullius.
When he finally arrived, Seturus took him to their grotto like she had many times before. When they surfaced Jedediah saw a warm fire glowing in the center of a ring of stones. He smelled a seafood stew boiling just like his aunt Tarra made.
“Are you pleased?”
“You know I am; it reminds me of my uncle Micah and aunt Tarra’s grotto. Why do you have so many lobsters and crabs in the grotto?”
Seturus was torn with being honest with Jedediah, but also obeying the King’s command not to say anything to him about the Leviathan. “I brought them inside to give them a new home and to be available for you to eat when you want.” That much was true.
“That’s pretty cool.” He took her in his arms. “You know how much I dream about seeing you?”
“I do the same,” she giggled as he nibbled on her ear.
“I sure can’t wait for spring break in a few months and then I’ll be able to stay longer.”
“Then I too wish for spring break.” She smiled as she looked up to him.
“I’m gonna look into taking some of my classes on line and only going when I have to be there in real time.”
“I would like that Jedediah; if it means we can spend more days together.”
“Yep, but I’ll still have to do my studies on the yacht when I need to.” He wrapped her tighter. I just wanna stay here like this forever, he thought.
Seturus giggled.
“I do you know,” he said seriously looking into her eyes.
“I know.” She wrapped her arms behind his neck and pulled him down and kissed him tenderly.
~~~
King Titus now bore the weight of what it really was to be a King. He had to put his people above everything else and look to their survival. He felt bad about not telling Jedediah and especially with him now being the intended of Seturus. He also knew that he truly was the next Guardian of the mer.
Titus had to be patient and see what was to be; everything depended upon the beast and how much the Leviathan would take before her final rest. He posted sentries near her lair and they knew her coming and going. Sometimes she was gone for days before coming back.
She was getting larger every day and was a sight to see with her tail like that of a boa constrictor writhing in the Sea. Her body was covered in dark green scales that locked down and prevented anything from piercing her skin. She had a dragon-like head with black horns rising at the top and a long course tongue that stuck out when she breathed fire; when she did under the water, it caused it to boil and above on the land she destroyed all her flames touched. Her nostrils spouted smoke and sparks of light. She had three rows of razor sharp teeth that met perfectly when they clamped together. Her eyes were like that of two shining lamps as bright as the sun. Her claws were black and long; they were as large as walrus tusks set upon her two forearms that were like large tree trunks as well as her back legs. She also had one wing on either side of the enormous girth of her back, which had six spikes at the end of each fold at the top of her wings; they could rip a mer apart with one swipe. Her underbelly was covered with three rows of fins like that of a shark, only as hard as iron from her chest down to the tip of her serpents tail. There was no weapon that could harm her. It would only bring her wrath down upon the one who tried; and so the mer waited.
~~~
Jedediah and Kawikani had gone with a field research dive team to the Suva barrier reef for coral studies. They both had ventured further from the rest of the team. Jedediah couldn’t help but enjoy all the life surrounding the reef and Kawikani followed him.
Prince Tristan had gone against his better judgment and allowed his sister Seturus and Princess Talei to join him on his patrols. Seturus had requested it for some time and now that she was Jedediah’s intended he relented.
Seturus was very protective of Jedediah; she knew he had some of the strength of the mer, but she was also concerned for him with the Leviathan roaming the area. She and the rest stayed some distance from Jedediah as to not have him sense their presence.
“Hey, look at this speckled moray…” Darn, I wish you could read my thoughts Kawikani, it would be so much better,” Jedediah thought as they swam above a large outcropping of coral on the outside of the barrier.
While they looked below them, they didn’t see the school of
hammerhead sharks beginning to circle above them. They were becoming aggressive as they were trying to flee from the Leviathan.
Seturus and Talei did not ask Tristan, but swam as quickly as they could to head them off. The sharks were so aggressive that they did not swim from the mer as they normally would. Seturus and Talei tossed several with their tails, but then had no choice but to grab Jedediah and Kawikani and quickly swim them away.
Jedediah spoke to Seturus in his mind, “Whoa, what’s going on?”
“The hammerheads have been stirred up and would have bitten you and Kawikani,” said Seturus as she swam him to safer waters within the reef.
“Meet me at the yacht.”
“Yes Jedediah,” Seturus said reluctantly.
As soon as they were safe, Seturus and Talei let them go and swam so quickly away that Kawikani had no time to see them.
Jedediah and Kawikani surfaced and took off their masks and mouthpiece.
“What was that?” asked Kawikani
“I’m not sure,” said Jedediah not wanting him to even guess what it was.
“It felt like someone grabbed me up!”
“Yeah, how crazy is that? It must have been some sort of tide thing that also brought those hammerheads.”
“I guess so, but it felt just like someone was holding me under my arms.”
“Yeah, me too; strange,” Jedediah said, but knew he needed to find out why Seturus was there in the first place.
~~~
When Jedediah got back to the yacht, Seturus was already there. Prince Tristan and Talei waited further out to allow them some privacy.
Jedediah hopped into the boat and threw his gear down. He took of his t-shirt and dove off the back into the water. He swam beneath the yacht where Seturus was waiting. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her tenderly.
“I am glad you are well.” She grinned.
“Yeah, how come you happened to be there right when I needed you?” He raised both his brows and grinned.
“How can I not wish to be near you,” she giggled.
“Have you always been nearby?”
“I have not, but now I see that it would be good for me to do so.”
“I kinda like it, but I don’t want you so close that someone else might see you.”
“I know Jedediah; it has taken me this long to convince my brother that I should join him as he guards you.”
“I know he’s only been doing what Titus and Lana asked him to. I guess I have to let go of the ego thing; you’re much stronger and faster than I am,” he chuckled.
“Yes.” She smiled as she squeezed him tightly.
“Okay, be gentle,” he teased and then nibbled on her ear.
Seturus laughed and then said, “Talei wishes me to ask you about Kawikani; is he a good man?”
“Yeah, he seems like a pretty nice guy, why does she wanna know?” He smiled.
“She thinks he is handsome for a human.”
“She does,” he chuckled.
“Enough about Kawikani,” she said as she placed her hands behind Jedediah’s neck and pulled him in for another kiss.
“Kawi who?” Jedediah smiled and then kissed her deeply.
~~~~~
Chapter 27
COURAGE OF A KING
King Titus wished now more than ever that he had the counsel of King Titan. All he could do was remember what he taught him and do as he had instructed so many times before.
The Leviathan had depleted much of the South Pacific’s food supply and now she was gone weeks at a time. There were reports of her leaving the water and ravaging some of the remote areas on land; even burning several acres.
Titus wished there was a way to drive her back into her lair, but for now all he could do was pray that she would satisfy herself quickly before any of the humans saw her or became her victims.
Cole and Marty kept a lookout for the Leviathan in the North Atlantic, but knew there was little they could do if they were to confront her. The catches were small and all the signs showed she had been there.
Titus had sent out guardsmen assigned to the various Oceans. He also sent out three guardsmen to follow her and to report to the others as she traveled in their bodies of water. He asked them to report back if she ever left the water.
Titus was weighing all things in his mind as he sat upon his golden throne.
Tarrock swam into the Hall after commanding Servo and Salvus to remain within his home, “Father isn’t there anything I can do to help?”
“No my son, I would not allow the future King to risk his life.”
“Father, can’t I just go with you when you face her?”
“No my son, you cannot.” Titus said firmly.
“Tell me what you’re going to do.”
“I will go into her lair and destroy all of her eggs but two.”
“Why do you leave any?”
“Arius has created the Leviathan to keep balance in the Seas. He has created the mer to keep balance of the Leviathan.”
“How do you know the eggs will be each a male and a female?”
“It is not my job to know, but Arius will decide which is to be.”
“How will you know when she has laid her eggs?”
“King Titan said that when she has not left her lair for a seven days, then you will know she has laid her eggs.”
“May it be so soon.” Tarrock bowed his head.
“Yes my son, may it be soon.”
~~~
“Man you guys don’t know how good you got it,” said Jedediah as he lay on his stomach on top of his surfboard while Seturus slowly spun him around.
Seturus giggled.
Talei swam up and pushed the surfboard from beneath causing Jedediah to roll into the water.
Jedediah came up laughing and got back onto the board.
“You have become lazy living in the South Pacific,” Maiele teased and all of the cousins laughed.
“Hey now, I work pretty hard at school, I just know how to let it all go when I’m off.”
Seturus swam up out of the water and kissed him.
“So do any of you guys know why the fish markets are down?” Jedediah asked while now lying on his back and let his legs dangle in the water.
No one answered him and they all guarded their thoughts.
“Wait a minute! You do know!” Jedediah said sitting up.
All the other mer swam away except for Seturus.
“Is it a secret?” he asked her seriously.
Seturus slowly rose up out of the water again to face him, “Do not ask me to go against the command of my King,” she said sadly as she looked into his eyes.
“Hey, its okay, I’ll talk to him myself,” Jedediah said with understanding and love for her; seeing it caused her pain to keep it from him. He gently pulled her up and sat her sideways next to him on his board. Then he brushed his hand across her cheek and kissed her again.
~~~
Jedediah knew this was too important for Titus to come to him, so he slipped into his scuba gear and swam into the city of Tullius and into the Hall where he would ask him face to face.
“Welcome my brother, what has brought you here?” Titus already knew what it must be.
“I wanna know what’s so secret that Seturus can’t tell me?”
“She has only obeyed my command.”
“No doubt; what’s up Titus?”
“I can see that you are determined to find out. First I will tell you that it is a secret long kept by my people and that we have done all we can to lesson the damage.”
“Okay?” Jedediah didn’t like the sound of that.
“There is a Leviathan that lives in the deep. She only awakens every one hundred winters or so and she eats all she can before she lays her eggs.”
“Wow, no wonder there isn’t any fish.”
“We have stored up as much as we can for food and for future breeding.”
Legend of the Mer II THE NEW GUARDIAN Page 23
