Chapter 1
The IslandName known to both sea and land, a princess to both.
She was never the same as other girls, she swam before she could stand on two legs and ran before she could walk. Vigorous in life and deeply affectionate, stubborn and utterly determined, she was everything her mother and grandmother looked forward to.
Dark brown hair that swept down to the middle of her back in waves like the sea, her sturdy brown skin glistened like the seashell littered sands. Perfectly aquamarine blue eyes were aware, curious, and ever wandering. Glittering like the calm seas when she was happy and raging like the greatest storm when she was angered.
Princess Marina, daughter of Queen Melody.
"Mother!" her voice was clearly angered running barefooted down the palace stairs in nothing but her nightgown. "Mother!" she shouted again one hand pushing open the double doors to the banquet hall. There her father, King Justin, was conversing with his raven-haired wife and graying red-haired mother-in-law.
Melody turned to look at her daughter and shook her head, "Marina I've told you time and time again to not walk around barefooted."
"Uh huh, sure fine, no bare feet. Where is Sebastian?" she demanded combing her fingers through her thick hair.
All of them seemed to grow quiet for a moment and Marina turned to her grandmother.
"Grandma?"
Ariel was still, she shook her head and stood to come eye to eye with her thirteen year old granddaughter. "Grandma, me, Sebastian and Scuttle were supposed to swim to the island today."
"Marina," she started, her voice gentle. "Your great-grandfather isn't doing very well, Sebastian won't be back for some time."
"W-what's wrong with grandpa Triton?" her voice shook, not liking the sound of this; she wasn't a baby anymore.
"He's sick Marina, we have to let him rest."
"Can I see him?"
"That probably wouldn't be a good idea." Melody started, standing along side her husband. Her blue eyes reflected Ariel's in a look of understanding.
"Marina, I'll be heading back to the sea to help Aunt Aquata with the arrangements on Atlantica. When we've situated everything I'll come back so you may visit him. Until than try not to swim to far from home and have someone with you at all times." Ariel's voice was kind, but Marina understood, she never swam as much as her mother had, of course she also never walked about as much as her grandmother had either.
"Yes grandma."
"That's a good girl. I'll be back as soon as I can, your grandfather must be in a panic being left all alone down there." She chuckled lightly and walked out from the hall her simple blue gown all she'd need until she got to the water's edge.
"Mother?" Marina turned back to her mother.
"What is it Marina?" she sat down her blue eyes downcast.
"Can I still go to the island with Scuttle?"
Melody thought about it for a moment's time before nodding her head in agreement. "As long as you're back before dinner." Marina grinned and nodded her head.
Racing up the stairs two at a time she was quick and agile -she'd always desired to be faster than this but her legs could only take so much strain- as the wind blew through the window into her face as she opened the door to her bedroom.
"Hey there girlie, find the crab?" Scuttle was perched precariously on the edge of the windowsill teetering back and forth daringly. Marina shook her head pulling her hair back into a ribbon.
"Nuh uh, Grandpa Triton is sick so Sebastian is taking care of him."
"Sick aye? Didn't think that was possible with the King of the Sea." He replied.
"Everyone gets sick Scuttle, even mighty ol' you." She giggled and grabbed a few knick-knacks from her dresser drawers and walking out the door. Marina was down the stairs in mere seconds her feet still bare.
Brown trousers and ivory shirt were all that would cover her for now. When she reached the water she dove in, Scuttle soared above her carelessly, making a trail for the small island not to far off. A decent swim for anyone but for a person like Marina it was no more than a small stroll to the kitchen.
"I'll race ya Marina."
No more to be said, Marina was off quicker than the last syllable had passed from Scuttle's beak.
The gull was quick, slicing through the air like a knife in whipped cream; Marina was like a fish, her legs strong and arms stronger. Scuttle kept getting sidetracked but Marina was all determination and will power.
Her hair stuck to the side's of her sandy skin and got in her way, but she could have swam to that island with her eyes closed. Beneath her fish and dolphins raced beside her, just as they had with the generations before her. Maybe it was a good thing to keep Sebastian out of this, he hated racing, Scuttle and Marina were always the fastest ones and crabs weren't exactly made for speed. This was good it felt perfect.
"Marina, watch out!" but before she knew it she hit shallow water and landed in a tide pool, one nasty starfish clinging to the top-right side of her face. She lifted a hand to peel the sea creature from her face. Scuttle landed next to her, on his feet surprisingly, concern in his eyes. "Ya all right there, girlie?"
Shaking off the sand from her cheeks Marina nodded tugging at her bag so it wouldn't be swept away by the current. "I didn't even realize the depth, too focused on speed." She laughed along with Scuttle's chuckle as he waddled over to a rock perching himself high on top.
"Well ya won in style." He said. She grinned, pleased with herself.
Standing Marina shook off her pant legs, the shorts underneath still wet but maneuverable. Placing one hand on a tall rock she hauled herself higher and higher until she felt the wind through every pore of her body. The velocity made her want to jump and feel it forever, she knew, however, that she'd only be filled with the sea that was still a half of her body. "Scuttle?" the bird turned his head in her direction. "What's it like to fly?"
"Why it's exhilarating, fast, furious, and ferocious!" he swept his wings this way and that seeming to fall to one side of the rock only to stumble to the other. "The wind in you're hair, the land and sea below ya, it's like being on top of the world." And as if to prove it he took flight doing a few crooked loop-de-loops in the sky.
Marina giggled throwing herself off the rock and slicing through the air before she hit the water with as much grace as the mermaids before her. Breaching the surface she took a breath and felt the water about her, it's temperature never too cold or warm for her. She swam back to the shore just as Scuttle landed, face planting this time.
"Marina, nice to see you." The bright yellow and blue was hard to miss. "How you doin' kid?"
Flounder was an old fish, but he still kept up with her grandmother very well, his grandson Angler, ever a little rebel, was beside him. Angler had been the Flounder to Marina's mermaid since the day she was born. Many suspect that if she hadn't been as adventurous as the women before her Angler would have turned out a bit more like his grandfather.
"Find Uncle Flounder, just having a nice swim and talk with Scuttle."
"Big fish, little fish …" Scuttle was chirping behind him as he poked at tide pool.
"Sounds, entertaining." Angler sounded.
"Hey, he's pretty fun for an old birdy." Marina laughed her cerulean eyes brighter than usual as she stepped into the water again. "How about a race Angler?"
Angler splashed about in excitement, there was no point in Flounder's consent, he was aware of all the dangers around the island and he was sure Marina knew how to take care of herself too.
Marina grinned so wide while listening to Flounder's deep voice. "On your mark," they positioned themselves. "Get set." She took a breath. "Go!" and they were off.
Angler had the advantage, born swimming, racing. Marina had the upper hand with a longer body length and muscles, her instinct for the water and love of a race was even more determined now than before when she'd raced Scuttle.
The mostly blue fish was turning a sharp edge at the beginning of a coral reef to turn back; Marina saw this as her chance. She dove beneath the surface and placed her bare feet against the coral reef. Blue eyes detected Angler's distance from her and she sprung herself out from the water, throwing herself into the air and over Angler hitting the water without disturbing the surface to terribly. Arms in a fluid motion strongly pulled her through the water. This time she didn't need a 'watch out' from Scuttle, she'd intended to hit shallow water and flip herself onto her back onshore.
Breathing deep she propped herself on her elbows once she was laying on her stomach. Angler was in the shallow water doing the same as his grandfather chuckled deeply.
"You win." He wheezed out.
"Thanks." Laughing a bit while she laid flat on her back again, Scuttle landed beside her replaying the race in his own words.
"Flying, soaring, right over that little fishy! Marina you were born a bird, free, and wow, that dive she was like a swordfish! Cut right through! Didn't stand a chance-" and so on. Scuttle didn't stop for another five minutes and by that time Marina was flushing a dark red.
The day was still early so she walked the perimeter of the island so Angler and Flounder could stay with her. Scuttle went in and out of the sparse trees and brush scattered around the strip of land. They collected shells that she would later make jewelry from and odds and ends of herbs that her grandmother had taught her would cure certain things. The sea was known for so much, it was a wonder that humans couldn't see just how beautiful it was.
In truth maybe even Marina couldn't tell of its beauty.
The sea had always been her home, whether it is her second or first never occurred to her. Marina's education extended from the secrets of the sea to the knowledge of land. Melody had always been so infatuated with the sea, she often begged Ariel to take over on land so that she may take to the sea. Ariel was growing older on land however, and had to stay within Atlantica just as much as Eric, her husband, had to.
When the time came Marina would be expected to take on the land kingdom, when she would probably yearn more for the sea's freedom. Either way she would lose, because there was always something that was missing whenever she was in either –never once could Marina truly admit to feeling whole.
"Hey girlie, suns going down." Scuttle's squawk was heard immediately just before he ran his beak into the ground.
"Looks like we have to get home, want us to swim with you first Marina?" Flounder questioned.
"I'm fine, I'll head straight home. Mom would have me for dinner if I'm even a second late again." She laughed and dived into the water, Scuttles wings right above her head again. "Bye Angler."
The blue fish waved one of his small fins and dived below the surface. Marina was focused on yet another race against the clock, Scuttle above her exerting himself to the limit as the thirteen year old used every natural skill she was born with to make it on shore and into the castle.
"Almost there sweetie." He called above her head, but there was another sound; a small flutter. Not like the beat of Scuttle's wings, but smaller. The splish-splash of a dolphin's dives and the beating of tiny wings. What was that? Marina tried to propel herself and look about without getting too much of the salty water in her mouth –her eyes never seemed to be affected by it.
Than her eyes caught the sight of something so small; but human, so mystical…
Stopping mid-stride Marina lowered herself so that just her eyes would show over the surface. Chocolate brown hair splayed around the water carelessly, until she felt a tug on a few strands. She turned immediately but saw nothing there, furrowing her brows in annoyance when she felt the tug again only to turn and find nothing. Scuttle a few wingspans away from here hadn't noticed that Marina stopped swimming.
Light chiming giggles danced with the current in Marina's ears. "Hello?"
The sun was getting lower and Melody would be out looking for her daughter in due time. Nothing responded to her but the small bouts of laughter, until something like a clear bell, a louder laugh caught her attention.
Marina's blue eyes turned swiftly, almost dragging in a lungful of water when she gasped.
Before her was a girl maybe a year older than her, pale sea-green eyes and pale moonlight skin that shimmered like the water. Blonde hair was loose, and such an ashy color it seemed a silver-gray in the dying light.
The mysterious girl's lips twitched into a small smile and she laughed again splashing Marina with an elegant hand.
"Hi!" she said, her voice enthusiastic and sweet.
Marina was at a loss for words swimming backwards a bit to put space in between the girl. She could tell this was no mermaid; a leg had brushed her own.
"Can you hear me?" the girl asked again her delicate pale brows furrowing low over her eyes. "Are you alright?"
Finally Marina nodded her head bringing it up fully over the water.
"Oh that's good, I thought maybe you'd pass out." She giggled so lightly and swam closer to Marina. "I'm Shimmer. And you are?"
Shimmer? Marina thought, Is that even a name? No doubt there was something about this girl, and surely her parents may have been just as odd to name their daughter Shimmer. "My name is-"
"Marina! Marina!?" the sound was Scuttle's voice looking for the princess.
Shimmer was startled and moved away from Marina quickly. "Wait, don't go." Marina was so curious. Who was she?
"I have to leave, we will meet again Marina." And with a light shimmer of light the pale blond was gone.
"Oh girlie your mother is mad, you better get home before she clips your wings." Scuttle pulled at the tips of her hair.
Marina was hardly listening, in less than two minutes she was just presented with a mystery worth her immense curiosity.
Curiosity killed the cat, but Satisfaction brought it Back.