a/n: I wrote this a long time a go and stopped. I still believe it has potential and aim to deliver it as best as I can. Enjoy and feedback very welcome
Prologue
Larmor The Luna City
They called it the Luna City. Not because it resembled the moon's beauty but because it was the city where the moon shone its brightest. A mile away from the palace walls of the Diamond Kingdom, the city was ruled by one of the King's most trusted lords. A lawless place, the streets were filled with corruption, death and rape. To be born a female was a burden, for it was rumoured that the Diamond King was mentally imbalanced, worshipping moon gods that did not exist.
From the palace entrance, pillar like fountains of glass and gold lined the three hundred meter walkway. Like being inside a diamond case , the Diamond Kingdom was one of the most beautiful the world had ever seen, the sight dropping every jaw. Yet, the King was unsatisfied. Obsessed with capturing the moon's brilliance, he demanded that every alchemist, engineer and labourer were at his beck and call.
The King was a vain man. To the innocent he was a fair and just ruler, but beneath the innocent facade he harboured a deep and dark secret. Believing the sacrifice of beautiful women to the Moon Goddess would bring him eternal youth, he dispatched his unspoken orders to his men who carried them out with no mercy. For beneath the dungeons, he paid homage to his God. Some say the screams of the deceased women lingered deep in the dungeons; their spirits nothing but orbs of light.
Cradling his child, a young man gazed up at the godforsaken moon. Blinking back tears as he held the squalling infant close to his chest, he left the site of his beloved's grave. He would seek a good future for his daughter and himself; one that did not demand sacrificing all to the mad King.
Sixteen years later…
The seaside town bustled with activity as the sun rose above the horizon. Host to different cultures and foreign languages, the town accommodated all who sought refuge as goods were sold and exchanged for the town's famous pearls. Luminous and heavy in weight, the value of pearls increased with individual size and the number of lives.
Head bent as she carefully shucked the last of the oysters, the girl opened the shell to reveal the large white pearl glistening in the middle. Prying the pearl loose as she held it up to the sun, she flashed a smile at the jeweller's daughter who had insisted on accompanying her. It was the final piece to the jeweller's spectacular creation.
Dipping her fingers through the collection of pearls in the dish beside her, she hoped to be paid handsomely for her find. Since her father's unfortunate accident, she had taken over her father's job of diving for pearls at the bottom of the sea. Renowned for her skill at swimming, she was nicknamed 'The Mermaid', her prettiness and long, blonde hair reminding many of the fabled creatures. But pearl diving was not easy; a man's job, it required brawn and good lung capacity. Fetching more coin than other simpler occupations, the desire to pay the rest of her father's debt was too hard to ignore. Combing her fingers through her hair, she frowned. The drying effects of the sea water was doing her skin and hair no good, though it was better to risk her life beneath the churning waters than sell her body.
Lifting her face to the sun's rays, a shadow cut off all warmth. Opening her eyes to find the owner of the Black Moon and her henchmen staring down at her, she jolted into action. Not wanting the jeweller's daughter to discover the severity of her financial situation, she threw sand in the faces of her antagonists before getting to her feet.
"Run Molly, run!"