A Melody of Water

Chapter 1: A Mermaid, A Knight called Waters and A Fisher Boy

Sayaka Miki floated around in a pitch black void, how long had she been there, she couldn't say. The last thing the girl remembered had being the witch Oktavia von Seckendorff, facing down her rival Kyoko Sakura only for the spear wielder to kill them both in a suicide attack, then she found herself in this empty vacuum, is this what happened to all the magical girls that became witches? No kingdom in the clouds or lakes of fires, just an empty black void that goes on forever. It wasn't that bad compared to being a witch but hardly ideal.

With nothing else do but think, Sayaka reflected on her past regrets of how her indecision cost Mami her life, her feelings of bitterness and jealousy towards Hitomi, treating Madoka like dirt, attacking those men on the subway, and turning into a witch.

If only she had been stronger, then maybe things might have out turned out differently. Maybe she could be the hero she strived to be, or could have at least lived a nice long normal life. But now it was too late and all Sayaka could do was float around in this black void for eternity.

She suddenly began to feel tired, 'strange' Sayaka thought. She no longer had a body so how was possible her to be tired. Now she was starting to feel dizzy, maybe she should try to get some sleep?

"Wake up you lazy ass!" Jason Harlaw groaned as his eyes slowly opened, he was met with the sight of a familiar face, the retired hedge knight Clifford Waters.

About three years ago on a rainy night Clifford wandered into the town on the back of a brown horse and proceeded to barged into the inn, his armour and black hair soaking wet with rain water. He then proceeded to buy himself a drink, gulped it down at an unusually fast speed, dropped some money onto his table and then rented a room.

Ever since that day, Clifford had been living in the village doing jobs for the locals in exchange for extending his room time. At first everyone had been more than a little suspicious of the hedge knight, after all why would any self-respecting knight retire while still in his prime? (the fact he was a bastard might have had something to do with it too) but over time Clifford had become an integrated and respected member of the community. Which was probably why Clifford was the one interrupting Jason's sleep.

Jason gave a frustrated sigh, "what do you want Sir Waters?" He asked, too irritated to hide his annoyance. The Hedge Knight seemed unfazed by the boy's rudeness, grabbed hold of a large fishing net that had been resting beside him. He thrust it into Jason's face. "Your father has asked me to help with your fishing or to be more accurate he wants me to get your lazy ass on the boat and for you to do your job." Jason pulled himself up, not having any good reason to refuse.

Jason begrudgingly followed Clifford to the river where a boat was waiting for them. Clifford started pushing it onto the water, making very slow progress, he turned to the boy and said "are you going to stand around like a lay-about or are going to help me?"

Jason walked over, grabbed the boat and started to help. "You know," Clifford said, "I will never understand why you hate working so much. I mean there isn't much else to do out here; if you didn't work I reckon you would go insane."

Jason rolled his eyes, "Well I will never understand why anyone would abandon the life a hedge knight so they could live out the rest of their days in a dull village in the middle of nowhere, must be a very interesting story."

"And one day I might tell you that story," Clifford responded as the boat finally began to float on the Green Fork. "When will that be?" Jason asked as Clifford stepped onto the boat. "When you improve that attitude of yours," the former hedge knight said. Jason shrugged his shoulders and joined Clifford on the fishing boat.

After a short time the fishing boat had entered the middle of the river, where the fishing would be at its best. Clifford and Jason threw their fishing net into water and waited and waited. After while they pulled the net back into the boat, it was empty. "Dam it" Jason cursed; this was the eighth time in a row that he failed on the first try. Granted Jason trips normally needed multiple tries before they bore any fish. But one out every five or six times he might get lucky and have all the fish he needed after first go. Sadly for Jason his luck had turned very rotten, he hadn't had a short fishing trip in over ten, now eleven after adding today.

Clifford ignored Jason's questionable language and began rowing the boat to a new spot, while the fifteen year old stared lazily across the Fork.

The sun was shining high in the blue sky which was dotted with white clouds. The clear water shinning as brightly as the sun and was flanked by tall green grasses on bank and dirty brown weeds in shallow water. It was a brilliant view; it was just about the only thing that Jason that he liked about the village besides his parents.

Jason had lived in the little village of River Spit since he was born. Being settled a very long time ago a small village on the bank of the Green Fork it wasn't very noticeable. In fact it could disappear off the face of the world and no one would notice for at least of a week and of the few who did notice only a tiny number of them would care. Jason wouldn't blame them, River Spit was really boring place. The average story from River Spit went something like this, you would be born in River Spit, you would grow up, become a fisherman, an inn worker or become the village's septon depending on the circumstances. After that you will probably get married and have some kids. Then die of old age, or if you are unlucky, disease or war if there was one going at the time.

Most folks were okay with that. Sure every boy dreamed of becoming a knight or some other kind of valiant hero but most grew out of it when they reached adulthood and never really tried. But for Jason that wasn't enough he wanted to be something more or at least try to. Sometimes Jason considered going up to Sir Clifford and begging him to leave the village and take Jason with him. Sadly that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon, the hedge knight seemed determined to rot here until the day he died.

Jason was about to turn away from the landscape view, when he spotted something floating in the water. The sun made it hard to figure out what it was so Jason used his hands to cast a shadow over his eyes. It took a moment or two to figure out what it was but when he did he tapped Clifford on the shoulder. "Sir Waters their something the water I think it's a body."

Clifford stood up quickly rocking the boat. He immediately sat back down, "Jason, take the oars and row I will drag them into the boat." Clifford said with urgency. Jason grabbed the oars and rowed as fast as he possibly could.

When the boat caught up to the mysterious body, Clifford pulled the poor fellow into the boat. Clifford inspected the body. "She still alive and breathing," He said.

'She!' Jason thought, he stared over Clifford's shoulder and saw what he thought was the most beautiful creature had ever seen. She was a naked girl around his age may be a little younger, unusually tall for a girl her age. But what really drew Jason's attention was her unusually white skin and most of all her hair. It an exotic sky blue and had two small golden clips in it.

Jason's gobsmacked starring was only interrupted by irritated yelling of Sir Clifford's booming voice. "Would you stop gawping at her?!" Clifford cried "and row the bloody boat! We need to get her to the inn as soon as possible."

Jason took up the oars once more and began to take the fishing boat back to land.

A/N: I would like to thank everyone that helped me edit this chapter. Thank you for reading and please review at your pleasure.