by Dee J. Stone
Please allow me to accompany you, for safety. I will remain far enough that you will have your privacy.
He will not yield until I agree, for it is his duty to protect me. Sharks are very loyal creatures. I rub the top of his head. Thank you.
I swim out of the colony with Fiske by my side. As promised, he does not utter one word to me, only remains close. If we are to see a human or a human vessel swimming about, we must dash away as quickly as possible. But fortunately, I do not see any humans. Fiske occasionally catches fish in his mouth, and offers some to me, but I do not have an appetite.
Thoughts of Princess Flora, of the crown, of my future enter my head. I shove them away. I do not want to constantly think about them.
As soon as my head breaks the surface, I see the humans in the distance, near land. Many of them are in the sea, thrashing their arms and legs as they attempt to swim. Some lie on hard objects while others sail on them. I have witnessed quite a few humans sailing on the sea in this manner. It is quite intriguing, though it seems dangerous. Farther in the distance, I see humans lying on the dry sand.
Humans. They appear so free. They are not tied to the water like the children of the sea. They do not have to remain hidden. I wonder if they have the same duties as the children of the sea. Perhaps there is a human who has a duty to his people, just as I do. Perhaps he does not feel as free as his fellow humans.
Fiske does not swim too close to the shore, for that will cause panic amongst the humans. I have heard a story of a young tiger shark growing confused and accidentally swimming too close to the surface. The humans killed him. But I suppose I cannot hold them accountable—it is the nature of the sharks to attack humans, and the humans need to protect themselves.
I continue watching them. If the king and queen were aware that I occasionally leave the colony to watch the humans, I am certain they would be most upset. Perhaps they would not grant me permission to mate with their daughter and be the king.
I am still not certain if I do indeed want the crown. Does one actually have a choice, or does one only have a destiny?
The humans shriek and splash around in the water. They seem quite content. King Palaemon constantly tells us that humans are nothing but horrendous creatures. They steal our food, throw their wastes into our sea, they trap turtles in their nets. They are the cause of the near annihilation of the large whales. We are told to fear them, for if they learn that children of the sea dwell in the ocean, they will destroy us, just as they have destroyed many other creatures in the sea.
I cannot help but wonder how these humans can be as evil as my king claims when they seem peaceful in the sea. From this distance, I am able to hear them. They talk in a strange tongue and I do not understand some of their words. I do not know what a “car” is, nor do I know what is a “Florida.”
A sound in the distance causes my head to whip around. I see a female human sailing on the sea. Her legs must be quite strong, for she balances on a hard object very effectively. I do not see birds often, but this female human resembles one. Her arms are spread outward and her head and neck are lowered, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She seems carefree and alive, as though this is the only time she feels at ease.
She is the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes upon.
My eyes snap away from her exquisite form when I see a massive wave heading toward her. She does not see it. Her eyes are narrowed as though she is deep in thought, as though she is trying to escape a part of her life, just as I am. I watch in horror as the wave washes over her. She does not reappear, only the hard object does. The wave crashes over it again before pulling it under.
“Emerge, female human,” I hiss. “Please emerge.”
She does not.
I dive into the sea and immediately see her. She is sinking toward the bottom of the sea, her arms and legs spread out on either side. Her eyes are shut, and I notice a bump on the back of her head.
I race toward her and wrap my arms around her torso. She is quite soft and light. As soon as I break the surface, I raise her as high as I can so her body can absorb the air these humans need to survive. She does not move. I shake her slightly, but she remains still in my arms.
Glancing around, I notice a large boulder in the sea. I swim toward it and carefully place the female on it. Her eyes do not open, but I am glad that her chest rises and falls, a sign she is absorbing the air into her body.
But why does she not awaken?
Damarian? Fiske’s head surfaces. When his eyes land on the female human, he startles. Damarian! That is a—
Keep your distance. I am not certain whether blood runs from her.
Fiske does not swim away, he moves closer.
Fiske! You will harm her.
I do not have a need to feast on this human. I wish to help her.
My eyebrows furrow. You still do not salivate over human flesh? I thought you would have outgrown this.
He shrugs. I suppose I am quite different from other sharks of my kind.
Yes, perhaps, I say before returning my attention to the female. She does not awaken.
Perhaps she is dead?
I shake my head. No, she cannot be dead. “Please, female human,” I whisper. “Open your eyes.”
Though her chest rises and falls steadily, she may still be dead. I do not know anything about humans. If she is not dead but injured, can I leave her here? I am certain a human vessel will eventually find her, but I cannot abandon her like this.
I reach for her hand. How…peculiar. I am aware that human bodies differ greatly from children of the sea, but I did not imagine their hands would look like this. There is no flesh between each finger. I gently touch one of them. Yes, they feel like mine, though the temperature of her body is much warmer than mine. There are as many bones in her finger as there are in mine, but I cannot fathom the partition between each finger. My gaze moves to her body, down the black coverings that end at her tail—no, not her tail, for humans do not have tails. They have legs. And the part in the middle, which I believe is called a knee, is where her skin starts to be exposed. Her skin is of a peculiar color, darker than mine. I gently put my hand over her knee before wrenching it away. It is hard, made of bone like my fin.
Now this is even more peculiar. She has fingers on her legs, and they are parted as well. Her hair, which is a lighter shade than mine, is bound in two. I have never seen hair bound in this manner. The children of the sea allow their hair to flow freely.
I nearly crash into the water at her sudden movement. She is alive! My hand seeks hers again, and my fingers involuntarily rub hers. This feels…soothing. Her hand is soft and warm and I enjoy the way it fits in mine. This human smells quite good, a scent I do not recognize. I suppose it matches the greenery that grows on land.
As I hold her hand, I realize her kind is not much different from mine.
Her eyes slowly open and stare into mine. Her eyes are beautiful, the color of land.
“Cassie!” a voice calls in the distance.
I dive into the water and disappear under the surface. Another female human approaches, riding on a noisy vessel. I had not heard the sound, for I was captivated by the beautiful human and her curious body. The other human grows near.
What if she will hurt her—my human? I cannot just abandon her like this. I swim as far away as I can without losing sight of them, and break the surface.
“Cassie!” the other female calls again.
Cassie…is this the human’s name?
The other female is at her side and shakes her shoulder, and I worry she will hurt her, perhaps throw her into the sea. But then I notice the expression on her face—she looks apprehensive. She must not be here to harm the human I rescued. She has come to help her.
The human has opened her eyes again and says, “Leah.”
Leah. Cassie. What peculiar names humans have.
Cassie attempts to sit, but I suppose she is too weak, for her head falls back. Leah removes hersel
f from the vessel and wraps an arm around Cassie. She murmurs comforting words to her and assists her in sitting. Cassie is confused and scans around, and I worry she may see me. A part of me wishes she would see me. But I quickly eradicate that thought from my head. She may have been helpless as she sank to the bottom of the sea, but I cannot trust her. She is a human.
“An angel saved me,” she tells Leah.
Is she referring to me? What is an angel? My chest feels heavy at the thought that this human may attempt to raid the sea until she finds me. Perhaps I should not have risked exposure. But I could not have allowed her to drown.
Now Leah looks around, and I pull my head under the surface. She does not seem to see anything of interest. She says a few more words to Cassie before helping her onto the noisy vessel. I stick my head out and watch them sail away. Cassie looks back, searching the water, but she cannot see me from such a distance. I do not go underneath the surface until I see Cassie safely on land.
She has seen you. Fiske swims to my side.
For only a brief moment. We locked eyes and I felt…I do not know if I can explain it. It was as though I had lost myself completely inside her eyes. But though it was short, did I expose myself?
She is not foolish, Damarian. She will know someone rescued her.
Why do you scold me? Would you have rather I let her perish?
Fiske shakes his head. It is my duty to protect you.
It is our duty to safeguard every creature of the sea. I start swimming back toward the colony.
She is human, Fiske says. She is not part of the sea. He swims before me, causing me to halt. You can never see her again.
Do you think it is my wish to see the human again?
He shrugs. Had he seen the brief moment we shared?
I push past him. You have nothing to fear. I have no wish to see the human. It is my duty to mate with Princess Flora and take the crown.
He inclines his head. Forgive me. It is only that you have always had a curiosity about humans. I worried it was your desire to join them.
I cannot imagine living on land with humans, I mutter with disgust. I envy their freedom, that is all.
He inclines his head again.
Chapter Three
My twin brothers, Syd and Syndin, hurry toward me as I enter the cave that is my home. I grab each one and toss them over my shoulders.
“Me as well, Dammy!” Zarya says.
It is quite difficult, for I only have two arms. I balance Syd on my right shoulder before wrapping my arm around Zarya and throwing her over her brother. She squeals.
“Where have you been?” Syndin asks as I swim deeper into my home.
“He has gone to Eteria!” Zarya says, seeming proud that she has the knowledge Syndin lacks.
“That is not so. Father has gone to seek King Palaemon and he has not returned with Damarian.” Syd frees himself from my hold and nods to me. “I am correct, am I not?”
“Yes, I have not been to Eteria since yesterday.”
Zarya shifts her small frame until she floats before me. “Then where have…?” Her eyes widen to the size of the largest shell in the sea. “You have gone exploring! Why have you not taken me with you?”
I wrap my tail around hers. “Do not fret, for I did not explore. And you are aware that Father does not allow you to explore without him at your side.”
She lifts her chin. “I shall be safe at your side.”
“This is so tiresome,” Syndin mumbles. “All she wishes to do is explore the sea.”
“And all you wish to do is compete with Syd!”
He folds his arms across his chest. “That is what is required of brothers.” He turns to Syd. “Is it not?”
Syd shrugs.
Mother enters the room and smiles when she sees me. “The little ones are prepared to eat. Will you eat as well?”
“Yes, Mother.”
She surveys the area. “Where is Doria?”
“She shares her time with Hareta,” Zarya says. “Again.” Her eyes roll backward.
“Zarya, do not mock your sister,” Mother says. “When you have as many moons as her, you will devote most of your hours to your friends as well.”
She shakes her head. “No, I shall not. When I have as many moons as Doria, Father will no longer treat me as a fry and I will have the freedom to explore the sea as much as I wish.”
Mother laughs before kissing her cheek. “Come eat.”
The little ones sit at the stone table located in the center of the room while Mother and I retrieve the fish we have stored in small oyster shells. We join them.
As I devour my third fish, a Sapphire enters our home. My good friend, Neren. He inclines his head to Mother and the fry before nodding to me.
“Welcome, Neren,” Mother says with a smile. “It has been a while since I have seen you. Your special Violet takes most of your time.”
Neren lowers his head as he returns the smile. He has been my good friend since we were fry and has often spent many hours here with me and my brother, Kiander. But he has not visited as of late, for he has found a female whom has taken his heart.
“I promise I shall visit more often,” he tells Mother.
“Will you join us?” She gestures to the table, where oyster shells and fish bones rest.
“Thank you, Kiandra. That is most generous. But I am afraid I have already dined.” His gaze moves to me. “I wish to speak to Damarian as soon as he has finished.”
I gather the fish bones into an oyster shell and rise from my seat. “I am finished.” I touch the top of Zarya, Syndin, and Syd’s heads, and nod to Mother. “I shall see you all soon.”
Neren and I swim out of the Sapphire colony, where I deposit the bones on the sea floor. He and I journey a short distance to an area where we will have privacy. We lower ourselves on rocks with flat surfaces.
“How are you?” he asks.
“I am well, thank you. Yourself?”
“I am well as well.”
From the expression on his face, it is quite obvious that he is more than “well.” His face shines very brightly. I can only equate it to the sun, which I see when I swim close to the surface.
“And your family?” I ask.
“Well, thank you. Illeria will give birth to her fry soon.”
His sister is the mother of five fry and will soon have her sixth. I cannot help the thoughts that strike my mind, of the fry I will have with the princess. The clans would want us to produce an heir. I close my eyes, for I do not wish to think about this.
Neren lifts off his rock and plucks seaweed off the sea floor. He returns to his seat and bends it in his hands.
“You are not at ease,” I say.
His gaze meets mine for a moment before returning to the seaweed. “I suppose there are many thoughts on my mind. As there is on yours.”
Yes, but I do not wish to discuss what lies in my head. I derive much enjoyment from my friendship with Neren, for we discuss many pleasant subjects. But now that we have many moons, our thoughts have drifted to other matters, such as females and mating and the future.
“Pelina and I…” His words are interrupted by a swallow.
“Yes?” I ask.
When he raises his head, I see that two suns have rested on his face. His smile is so wide that my own lips lift. “We are to be mated.”
I bound off my seat and lay my hands on his shoulders. “That is wonderful news!”
He rises off his seat so he can accept my embrace. I wrap my tail around his a little too vigorously. “Thank you, my friend.” His smile wanes as he stares down at the seaweed in his hands. “Our relationship has not been as easy one. We argue, we grow upset. At times, I am not certain I wish to be in the same area as her.” He looks at me and his smile returns. “But I am positive she is the right mate for me.”
It feels as though I have swallowed a rock and it presses my stomach. “How are you certain?”
He looks far in the distance as he contemplate
s my words. “Because I love her. I do not believe I can live without her. Even when I am upset with her, I wish to see her lovely face.” He laughs lightly. “When she yells at me, I wish to kiss her.” He shakes his head. “I cannot describe it, but I do not have these feelings with another being, and I do not think I will ever.”
I feel as though I have swallowed another rock.
“Damarian…”
“Yes?”
“You do not agree with some of the others, do you? That it is unfit for me to mate with a female of the Violet clan?”
It is not unheard of to mate with a child from another clan, but it is not very common. Each clan differs so greatly from the other that many believe it would be impossible to spend all eternity together. Perhaps the reason Neren and Pelina have struggled with their relationship for the past twelve moons is due to the fact that they have many differences. But that is not a reason not to mate.
“If your heart yearns for Pelina, then you must have her,” I tell him. “It is not odd for you to choose a Violet. I am to be mated with a Violet as well.”
“You are correct,” Neren says. “It appears we shall both mate with females from the same clan.” He no longer appears as apprehensive as before.
Yes, but one of us does not love the female he will mate with. The feelings Neren described, of loving Pelina even when she upsets him…what does that feel like?
“The clans will be united once you and the princess mate,” he says. “There will no longer be such disparity between them. I believe more will befriend and mate with children from other clans. It will be a different world.”
Yes, while the next king and queen create a better life for the children of the sea, will they be creating a better life for themselves as well?
Am I destined to be mated to someone I do not love for all eternity?
No, I will love the princess. She will be my mate and the mother of my fry. I will treat her with the upmost care and cherish her. I will be glad to awaken at her side every morning and she will be the last thought in my head when I close my eyes at night. We will be happy. I declare it will be so.
