by James Dale
'Not washed up,' he suddenly remembered. He had been carried by an angel.
Jack sat up and scanned the sparkling blue sea, finding his rescuer standing shoulder deep among the waves about fifty yards offshore. He struggled to his feet and walked slowly to the edge of the water. "Ummm... hello," he called, lifting his voice above the sound of the gently surf.
The water angel smiled at him but made no move to come closer.
"Thank you!" he shouted. She had spoken to him earlier. He knew it hadn't been a delusion. She'd even called him something.... Cu'ath'dathu?
Dim memories struggled to make their way to the surface; memories taken from the infinite mind of Leviathan about...about silver eyes and powerful magic, beings who lived beneath the waves, the ocean their home, their kingdom the sea. Sea Children! That's what the monster had called them. She wasn’t an angel after all. She was one of the Sea Children. If she was a...child of the sea, perhaps...perhaps the only way she could communicate with him was through Mindspeak? It was the only logical answer. He certainly hadn’t been physically talking to her under water.
'What the hell?' Jack shrugged. If he had to get wet again to thank his guardian angel, it was a small price to pay. He sat down in the sand and stripped off his water logged socks, then because his shirt practically hung in tatters, pulled it off as well.
The warm water soon reached his chest with gentle swells almost lapping his chin, but the woman was still twenty yards away. He took another two steps and suddenly found himself foundering beneath the waves, but his beautiful angel was there in an instant, lifting him back to the surface.
She held his head above water easily, her strong but slender arms encircling his waist. Braedan was suddenly, embarrassingly conscious of the silky feel of generous, very naked breasts against his own shirtless chest. Before he could stop himself, he looked down into the crystal-clear water and examined his savior. Beautiful, pale, and unmistakably female was her perfect form, until just below the swell of hips where her soft skin became sparkling copper and gold scales! His guardian angel was...was a mermaid!
Braedan tore his gaze away from her lovely, wondrous body back to her smiling face. He focused on her silver eyes, trying valiantly to ignore the feel of her soft flesh pressing against him. "Could you...do you think you could...ummm, take me back to where I can stand?" he asked.
She blinked in confusion and her silver eyes became bluer than the sea. Continuing to support him easily, she lifted one hand and brushed wet hair from his forehead. He repeated the request in Mindspeak.
"As you wish Cu'ath'dathu," the beautiful mermaid replied, and with a few powerful strokes of her copper and gold tail, she carried him inland.
When the mermaid placed him on his feet again, the water only reached his waist. Nor was it any higher on his unlikely savior. She was balanced on her magnificent tail, its scales glistening like polished coins in the bright, tropical sun. As Braedan admired her in wonder, a wavering shimmer of light, like heat waves rising from scorched desert sands, blurred the mermaid's lower half. Before his widening eyes, her copper and gold tail became a pair of long, shapely legs, perfectly human in every detail from her toes up the downy triangle of pale blonde hair above her...
"It will be easier this way," she said.
"What will be easier?" Jack asked quickly, shifting his gaze back to the relative safety of her sparkling blue eyes.
"You asked me to take you where you could stand," the mermaid replied. "I could not balance long on my tail. It would be...uncomfortable."
"Of course," he sighed, relieved she hadn't meant...well, every sailor who'd looked at the sea at one time or another had dreamed of beautiful mermaids. Who wouldn't have such fleeting fantasies with the familiar way her hands still rested on his waist? My God, she was beautiful! Perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Second most, he corrected himself quickly, flushing guiltily. "What...does it mean, Cu'ath'dathu?" he asked, searching for something, anything to distract his mind from her hands and the nearness of her bare...He was doing it again!
'Concentrate on her eyes Jack!' he scolded himself.
"It is who you are," she replied, her smile widening. "Long ago you were promised to save the Aerfal'Miera from the Great Serpent. Though in truth, it was not foreseen the Cu'ath'dathu would be a human. That you are not of my people matters little me. You slew the bane of the Sea Children. How could I not then come to your aid?"
"I thank you for that," he nodded. "But please, call me Jack. It’s my name."
"Jack?" the mermaid smiled. "A strong name, a warrior's name. You have as many scars as a Dau'tua elder," she continued, her blue eyes roaming appreciatively over his muscular chest. She mercifully took a hand from his waist, but only to trace a delicate finger along the diagonal, raised flesh on his stomach where an al ‘Qaeda bayonet had nearly ended his life.
"What...what is your name?" Jack stammered. This Child of the Sea had powerful magic all right, and not just the ability to transform her tail into legs. Though he wanted to reach down and take her hands away, her seductive spell would not let his body obey.
"Elua'danna'ma'chaea'aerfal'mai," she smiled.
"That’s quite a mouth full. May I call you...Elua?" Braedan asked, finally summoning the will to remove her hands from his waist, though he couldn't bring himself to let go of her completely and held them in his own.
"Elua? Yes. I would like it very much," the mermaid laughed softly.
"Thank you for saving my life Elua," Jack said.
"I could not have done it alone," she replied, and for the first time a rosy blush colored her snowy cheeks. "The Dau'tua guarded while I took you to safety."
"The Dau'tua?"
"Shall I call them?" Elua asked. "They are anxious to meet the Cu'ath'dathu. When you slew the Great Serpent, you saved their race as well."
"I would be honored," he bowed, then quickly sought the safety of her smiling face again when his gaze wandered down to ethereal beauty of Elua's form.
The mermaid's eyes briefly became silver again and a musical song of high-pitched chirps and squeals filled Braedan's head. Gray dorsal fins soon began to appear out in the surf and a pod of bottle nosed dolphins quickly surrounded them. There were twenty or more of the graceful, sea faring mammals, but only one came close enough to reach out and touch.
"This is Elder Mika'na'chill’dua'tua," Elua said.
An old dolphin, his gray hide covered with scars, rolled over and inspected Braedan with an intelligent, blue eye.
"Honored elder," Jack said, freeing one of his hands to caress the ancient dolphin's flank.
"Cu'ath'dathu," the dolphin beamed. It’s mind stronger than Eaudreuil’s. Or Long Tooth’s even! "The Dau'tua are in your debt. You slew the Great Serpent. Should you ever have need, all Dau'tua will answer your call."
“I only did what needed doing to stay alive, Mika-elder," Jack replied. "I am glad it was a benefit your kind as well. And thank you. Should the Dau'tua ever have need of me, I will come to their aid."
"We must resume our watch Elua'danna'ma'chaea'aerfel'mai," the dolphin informed Elua. "There are yet Skae'rika nearby."
"The Dau'tua are honor and courage made flesh," the mermaid smiled.
With a playful splash of his flippers, the old dolphin turned and swam back out to sea. The others followed with joyful leaps and a noisy farewell in their chirping, native tongue. The beautiful mermaid laughed with delight as she watched the frolicking pod disappear into the waves, her eyes turning silver again as she sang to them in a language Braedan could not understand, but made his heart soar with childlike glee.
"You could…join them, Jack," Elua said hesitantly, when pod had moved beyond hearing. "We could. My magic is strong enough to..."
"Elua..."
"You could swim with the Dau'tua...and with me," the mermaid continued softly, her silver eyes changing to a hopeful, longing, blue. "The Aerfal'Miera would honor the Cu'ath'dathu, even as changeling human, if he came among
them as...my mate."
"I can't Elua," Jack stammered. "I...I already have a mate."
"Ah'nah?" she asked.
"How...how did you know her name?"
"When I found you...you ask me to tell her you loved her, and you were sorry," the mermaid replied.
"Elua," Jack said softly, summoning every last strength of his will. "You...you are very beautiful and very brave. If things were...not as they are, I would be honored to live among the Aerfal'Miera as your mate...but..."
"I understand," the mermaid sighed. "You must love this Ah'nah very much."
"I do," he nodded. "Yet even if there was no one in my heart, I...I could not stay with you. The Great Serpent was not the only evil in the world. There is...a danger threatening my land, an evil stronger and deadlier than even the Great Serpent. It is my duty to oppose it if I can."
"Elua, where are we?" asked Jack suddenly. "Where have you brought me?"
"It is the only land in this part of the sea," the mermaid replied softly. "I do not know how it is named by humans, but...there is much power here."
"Thank God," Jack sighed, “Thank you, Elua'danna ...mi...chi..."
"Elua'danna'ma'chaea'aerfal'mai," the mermaid prompted.
"Elua'danna'ma'chaea'aerfal'mai," Jack smiled, "You call me Cu'ath'dathu for the service I have done your people, yet you have done my people a service just as great by aiding me. Your name will be remembered forever in Aralon for bringing me here."
"It would...please me if only you remembered it, Jack," she sighed, laying her head on his shoulder.
Braedan was again very conspicuously aware of soft, velvety flesh pressed against him. Before the seductive strength of her Aerfal'Miera magic rendered him unable to refuse her, he gently pushed the beautiful mermaid safely to arm’s length and concentrated on her eyes. "Elua, how long..." he struggled for a way to ask his question without leading her on, without the mermaid reading more into his words than he intended. "How long can you hold your...human form?"
"Because..." Braedan explained quickly, "Because I came here, to this land, to claim a powerful weapon. Representatives of many people accompanied me to be witnesses. I would...I would like for you to be there as well. The Aerfal'Miera...you Elua, have done as much as anyone to allow...to give me the chance to claim my heritage. If you can...if you would like to, I mean?"
"I would be honored to represent my people as Cu'ath'dathu claims even greater power," the mermaid smiled.
"But you can only come if you call me Jack," he smiled, "I don't allow my friends to call me anything else."
"I would be honored, Jack," Elua laughed softly.
"If I come back to this spot, tomorrow or the next day, around this same time, will you hear me if I call?"
"I will come here tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, and wait for you," the Aerfal'Miera smiled. "For the price of a kiss."
"Elua..."
"Would your Ah’nah begrudge me a single kiss?" the mermaid asked playfully. "As a bounty for saving her mate's life?"
"You've obviously never met a Horsemaiden before," Jack said aloud.
"One kiss?" she suggested, her blue eyes sparkling. "As a bond of friendship between our people?"
'Anna knows you kiss Ailicia all the time,' a voice inside Jack's head rationalized thoughtfully. 'A simple kiss of friendship would not threaten her. "Okay Elua. But just a friendly..."
The Aerfal'Miera female pulled him to her. Jack truthfully intended to keep it chaste, but the softness of her body, the salty taste of her lips, then her tongue, ignited an involuntary passion and he found himself returning it with enthusiasm.
"She is a fortunate woman," Elua sighed, finally releasing him.
"Hmmm...Who?" Jack whispered, his head spinning.
"Your mate?" the mermaid laughed softly. "Ah’nah?"
"Oh? Yes!" Jack blushed, "I have to be going." 'Now!' he thought to himself.
"You will come back?" the mermaid asked.
"I will," he promised. "I guess I'd better...ummm, bring you something to wear," Jack added with a furtive glance at her pale, supple body. Only to judge her size of course, he assured his guilty conscience. God, what had he been thinking? He should never have kissed her!
"I shall be waiting, Jack," Elua smiled, then turned and dove into the sea.
Chapter Fourteen
Lordsisle
Braedan stood entranced he watched the beautiful mermaid swim away. The Aerfal'Miera had powerful magic, of that there was no doubt, but fortunately for him, another woman had already cast a spell over his heart. If not for Annawyn's own magic, he would have been lost. If not for the magic of her love, the last descendant of Ljmarn Bra'Adan would be transforming at this moment into a half man, half fish, preparing to spend his life beneath the sea, and Aralon would have been lost as well. Once more Anna had saved him.
The sobering thought finally broke the hypnotic spell of the ethereal beauty of Elua. With his mind clear again, Braedan suddenly realized he hadn't thought to ask about Muriel's Revenge. Captivated by the seductive Aerfal'Miera, the fate of his friends and shipmates had never even crossed his mind.
"Elua! Wait!" he cried. "What...do you know what happened to my ship!"
The mermaid turned to grace him with another angelic smile, then waved farewell, and with a flash of her magnificent gold and copper tail she was gone.
With a muttered, guilty curse, Jack turned and waded back to the sandy shore. He regarded the lush forest twenty yards away with a heavy sigh. He knew practically nothing about Lordsisle, save it was the home of the Staffclave since the end of the Second War of the Stones; the resting place of the Highsword Yhswyndyr since the death of Ljmarn. He'd never see a map of the island. He didn't know where the Temple of the Sword was located, whether on the coast or deep within the island's interior. If it was a tropical island, which the look of the dense vegetation promised, he could wander around through thick jungles for God only knew how long before he stumbled upon it. Even worse, if it was a large land mass, like say...Australia, there could be deserts and mountains and trackless forests to cross. He might be months searching the island for Highsword, while every day Graith was growing stronger and stronger.
For almost half a year, he'd known this island was his ultimate destination. With the wealth of knowledge available to him at the library in Brythond and from Cilidon's nearly millennium of life, Braedan should have by now known every square inch of Lordsisle. But he'd never once thought to inquire about the depository of the Sword of Life. He'd perhaps naively, foolishly counted on someone, anyone, to be with him when it came time to enter the temple. He could only pray Aralon would not have to pay for his lack of foresight.
"Some Heir you turned out to be," he chided himself, picking his shirt up and shaking off sand. "Graith could be crossing the bloody Whesguard and you don't even know where to begin looking for your bloody sword."
He picked up his wet socks, then threw them away in disgust. Looking up to search the sky for the sun, he found it about forty-five degrees above the treetops. He found a nearby stick and poked it into the sand, marked its shadow, and waited ten minutes. At least he now knew he was on the eastern coast of Lordsisle.
It was probably only a couple of hours until sunset. Amazingly it had almost been ten hours since he had foolishly leapt on Leviathan's head and been dragged into the sea Elua must have carried him some distance, using her magic to sustain him. If Muriel's Revenge had not been too badly damaged by Leviathan, the Annothian dreadnought would likely have arrived on Lordsisle. They were probably rushing to inform the Staffclave he had been lost at sea. They had no way of knowing his insane act had not resulted in total disaster. They couldn't know Rhondiyana was dead, or a mermaid had plucked him from the sea seconds away from drowning.
Ara’fael would probably box his ears when she found out he'd survived. When she learned he'd actually been careless enough to kiss Elua, she would likely burn him to cinders! Jack picked up his tattered shirt, wrung as
much water from it as he could, and then slipped it over his head.
Looking at the imposing forest, Jack began to wonder if he wouldn't have been better off living among the Aerfal'Miera and battling sharks for the rest of his life. It would be safer than facing the Ailfar Spellweaver's wrath. With the prospect of soon becoming a human charcoal brick, he entered the forest of Lordsisle.
After traveling only a few dozen yards inland, Braedan began to doubt Ara’fael would ever get the chance to barbecue him. The vegetation of Lordsisle was as thick as anything he'd seen in Aralon. It was thicker than the Ailsantain by far. He soon found himself in a true tropical jungle. But he'd survived jungles before. Surviving this one, barefoot and weaponless, would be a small price to pay for his mad bravery, and for foolishly kissing Elua.
When darkness came to the island, Jack had traveled at least ten miles inland. In the silence of the surrounding jungle, with the call of the indigenous birds growing quiet and the insects yet to begin their song, he heard the quiet murmur of a nearby stream. Working his way through thick undergrowth, he came upon a swift flowing brook. After drinking his fill, he found a fallen log, and by touch alone located a large grub. Jack bounced it in his palm for a second, then tossed it away. He wasn't that hungry. Yet. He stamped out a comfortable bed in the rushes surrounding the stream and settled down for sleep.
Thus, ended his first day on Lordsisle.
When morning broke, Jack stretched the kinks out of his back and considered his options. Travel through the jungle, breaking trail all the way, or walk up the stream bed? The stream would most likely eventually lead to a river, and the smooth rocks would be easier on his bare feet. He would certainly make better time traveling it than pushing on through the thick undergrowth.
"The stream it is," he decided. After filling his belly with the cool, clear water, he was off again.
