The sparkling sand lay like crushed diamonds beneath my flying feet. Breaking waves rushed onto the shore, not quite reaching me . I ran into the heart of a crashing wave, diving headlong into the water. The water was silky smooth against my skin, and the waves tumbled above me as I swam. Then, suddenly, the waves began to shove me about and I felt as though someone was shaking me. I heard a soft, gentle voice pleading,
"Mari! Mari, please wake up. You'll be in big trouble with Father if you don't. "
My eyes flew open, revealing a pair of sky blue eyes staring into my own. I shrieked, jumping back. My ten- year- old sister, Anne, shrieked as well, nearly falling off the bed.
"Don't do that!" I said, reaching over to help her up. "You scared me half to death!"
"Well, you wouldn't wake up, and it's already past noon. I had to do something."
I looked at my sister, small and slight, standing at the side of the bed, holding my worn brown dress out to me."It's alright," I told her, standing and stretching. "Still, I wish you had waited a few minutes. I was having a wonderful dream. It felt so real."
I slipped my rough woolen shift over my head, put my dress on over that, and began helping Anne braid her long blonde hair.
"Your hair almost reaches your knees now." I commented, brushing out a particularly troublesome knot.
"Yes," Anne said, sounding pleased. "It's not nearly as long as yours, though."
That was true. My hair, when loose, was so long that it brushed my ankles.
Suddenly the door flew open and Father came sauntering in. He had been out early, making sure his fishing boat, the Explorer, was well stocked. He and his crew were going on an expedition out to sea, for the waters near the shore were already stripped of nearly all of its fish.
A burly, muscular man with a wild beard and crinkly blue eyes, Father had a natural, commanding air about him which was perfect for captaining a large ship.
"Hello Father,"cried Anne pulling herself away from me and flinging herself at the tall figure in the doorway. "Why are you home so early?"
Father laughed, peeling her away from his waist.
"Hello to you too, little one. I just came home to see if you girls were up. I have something I want to show you down at the harbor. One of the men found it tangled in the netting."
" When can we go see it?" I asked, curious.
"We can go right now, if you want. "
