Just a Crooner
Dasha is a crooner; the bottom rung on the ladder to becoming a prophetess. Yet she is the first to feel and find out the reason for the sea's angst a man and a mermaid have been seen together, and worse, gotten married. The gods are furious and will do anything to fix this, but somehow, this anything involves Dasha (A mix between the Disney version and the original. Takes place right after Eric and Ariel's marriage no Melody. Please R/R!) Rated T just in case
Chapter One
Dasha entered into Shime Temple-a sacred and reverent place to pray and seek visions. She stroked the smooth white marble floor and gazed in awe at the mural on the wall. Painted onto the stone was the sea. A priestess by the name of Dianae had painted it after receiving a vision, and never before had there ever been a more realistic picture of anything. It depicted a time when the sea was wild-powerful and beautiful. It filled Dasha with a frantic, pulsing energy and she wanted to reach out her hand and touch the sea as she had touched the stone. The overwhelming pulse of the ocean filled her head and she breathed out deeply, smelling salt water and misty perfumes from the depth of the waters.
As a child, she had always felt a lingering presence in the back of her mind. When the Sages had begun their search for the next generation of prophetesses, Dasha had been found to hold a strong connection to the sea. This lead to tests from the Sages and prayers to the gods, and Dasha was chosen to receive the benediction of Emira-that of a life of virginity and chastity. A priestess. Starting as a crooner, and then moving to a minstrel, then a priestess. Rare was it to become a prophetess, and only the elite few became Sages.
Since she held such a powerful bond to the sea, she was given that as her area of protection. Most crooners began with something simple, such as a home, town, or for some, a province. But because of her gift, she was entrusted to be the keeper of the sea as well as the going-ons between the sea and the land. Those of Emira held the highest degree of power, for they were the ones who were pledged to protect the world. Gifted somewhat supernaturally, they existed as almost half-gods.
Dasha walked to the middle of the temple and poured water into the silver bowl that rested on the marble pedestal. Then, clearing her minds, she prepared to listen.
The usual sounds of the sea greeted her. The humming sounds of the gods and goddesses, the sounds of the mer-people, and the ocean's harmony itself. Titters from the sea animals barely reached Dasha's ears, and soon were engulfed by the soft, yet powerful thrum of the ocean.
Dasha sighed slowly. The disturbance that she had felt yesterday seemed to have disappeared. The sea was at peace. There must have been some squabble that resulted in chaos-something large enough to have justified what she had felt.
A screech of pain pounded at Dasha and she clutched her head. The tremor that she had felt yesterday had returned, and was now stronger. It was screaming at her the intensity of it almost killing her. Something was not right-not at all. She gasped and doubled over, holding herself tightly, begging for the cacophony to stop.
Her hands were shaking and her head ached when she realized it was over. Or at least, she thought it was. She could feel it in the back of her mind, throbbing intensely. The ocean was in pain or disturbed, and the gods were angry. Very angry.
Why are they angry? She grabbed the pedestal and slowly pulled herself off of the floor. The clear water was now murky, and she breathed out slowly, then dipped her finger into the middle. The waters instantly cleared, and she searched the sea.
A hum of discord ran throughout the entire ocean. Searching further, there was some dissonance on the land as well. It was as if it was all thrown completely out of balance. Her panic heightened, what on earth?
In times of great trouble, the sages and prophetesses would sometimes try to contact the gods directly. But before doing that, they had to undergo a rigorous purification process before even attempting. And even after that, there was no likelihood that the gods would respond or even listen. Never had a crooner attempted contact with the gods-the one time that a rash maiden had, she had been struck mute and went insane.
But this is an emergency. Surely I can justify trying to speak to them. Oh... Dasha mentally went through her options, and the pros and cons to each. How can I do this? I can't try to talk to a god! After all, it's a god. This is an emergency, but the consequences. She buried her face in her hands. The greater good, Dasha. Think of the great good.
Her fingers trembling, she sought out the presence of a god with her mind.