Unknown POV:
To tell the rest of this story I must first tell the story of another. It's a tragic tale of blood and the curse of a dead man. It's a tale like none other… I can still feel the wind in my hair and salt spray on my face. I only wish that I could feel it again… but sadly I must wait…. So let this tale begin.
I walked the down the sandy beach of my safe haven island. I very much enjoyed this island… it was nothing like my home in the sky but I loved the way the air smelled of the sea. That was something I couldn't get where I was now. On the horizon a ship flew on the vast waves of the ocean. I willed the water in front of me to support my feet and walked out onto the water. I reached the ship after a while and climbed on. In my form now, no one could see me, not unless I willed it to be. I marveled at the works of man as I trailed my hand along the rail of the ship. Oh, to be a human… I could only wish. I made my way slowly to the cabin at the far end of the ship.
I opened the door and peered inside. Gold and finery lay strewn about the floor and furniture. I lightly touched one of the dresses and a smile came to my lips. It was white and gold… my favorite colors. I would have to manifest something like it when I went back to my heavenly home in the sky. I moved to the desk at the far end. A man lay, asleep in his chair, head rested atop that desk. I looked at this man. He had a perfect face, one that even I could admire. His hair glittered gold in the sun, like the treasure that cluttered around the room. Such a beautiful face he had… and a fine body to match. Strong shoulders and fit arms… What am I saying? I'm an immortal goddess. I could never be with a mortal man. But… I could afford to at least touch him. Just to make sure he was real, and not a figure of my very powerful imagination.
My fingers lightly grazed across the cheek of this beautiful man. He shifted in his sleep, like mortals often did. I turned around and held my hand. My fingers still tingled from the touch of his skin. How was that possible… I couldn't feel such emotion… It was against the laws. My logical brain told me to leave this instant but something new inside of my tugged at the other direction…. Back to the man
"Uuuuuhhhg. Who's here… Alexander, is that you?" He said, I panicked as I realized that my touch had woken him. Then I did something I should have never done… I took human form.
"It was I… Captain. I'm sorry for disturbing you." I said, stumbling on human words. I only home that the captain was not as cunning as he was beautiful… I was wrong.
"I don't remember allowing a woman aboard…. 'Tis bad luck. Did one of the men manage to grab out last raid?" He said sleepily. Oh great heavens…. What was I to do now? Make up a story… I only hoped my human brain was as imaginative as my immortal one.
"No… My ship was attacked some time ago, I drifted for a long time until I climbed onto your ship. I'll be glad to leave; I just had to rest my legs a bit." I said, feeling uncomfortable in my new tangible state. I took a step towards the door.
"And the name of this ship?" He called. I turned back to face him for the first time. My gods he had the most beautiful eyes. Grey and wise, like they could peer into my soul… Nonsense… remember your story.
"The St. Mary-Anne. I assume you've heard of it." I said, hoping my faltering interior wouldn't betray what the man saw.
"I'm afraid not… and what, my dear, do they call you." He said with a smirk, he knew of my lies.
"The Har…." I said, almost giving up my identity, "Hannah…"
"Well, the Hannah. Let's introduce you to the crew." He said, offering me his arm… I didn't know what else to do but accept, so I did. He walked boldly outside and into the bright sunlight.
"Hey! This lass be Hannah! She's t' be riding with us after her ship the St. Mary-Anne has wreaked!" He said, with harsh slashed English.
"I haven't heard of any 'St. Mary-Anne'." A man said from inside the masses.
"Well, would such a lass be lying?" He questioned, and I tensed to hear a response from the crowd.
"Well, just lookit that hair Captin'. It's just not natural. Sea-Green locks…. Not right." Another voice said. A couple of 'Ayes' followed, to my dismay.
"Does one judge another by the color of his, or rather her, hair?" The captain said chuckling slightly, "If so, then what would that say for yours Barley…" I saw the man he was addressing. He was bald.
"My hair is very natural where I come from." I said with confidence.
"Matter dismissed! Go back to your work!" He said harshly. He pulled back to his quarters.
"You're a very good liar, my dear." He said, with a chuckle, "But unfortunately… so am I."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." I said, with what I hope was an air of elegance.
"See, there you go again, I'm Captain Calcifer… And you're real name, love?" He said.
"Hannah…" I argued.
"Stubborn too I see. It's not a very good trait for a lady to have. But I suppose it's what makes her all the more appealing."
"Why do you talk so calmly now with me, but so roughly and poorly to the crew? Could it be that you have something to hide?"
"Ah…turning the tables now, are we?"
"No… just a thought."
"Well, it's my turn. What's one good reason for me to not throw you overboard at this very second."
I thought at this, this wasn't turning out to be such a good ship after all. But I sensed great bravery, courage and kindness in this 'Calcifer'. I was determined to find out more about this curiousness.
"Because you find me 'Oh so' compelling." I said, wittily.
"True, true, but so many women are. What makes you different?" He countered with a smirk.
"I… I have green hair?" I said, maybe too quickly.
"Aye, I see that, but you said that it was common in your town."
"Not common, just that it was normal…"
"And where exactly do you live?"
I gave this some thought and decided to use the name of the town I had graced with my heavenly presence. It was a very prosperous town. And it held the well of creation that either corrupted or created miracles. That was a place of great power and blessing.
"Evening Star Valley," I said, with confidence.
"Then we will return you there! After, of course, we take care of our business." Calcifer said, "Seeing as we were just there."
"How…how kind..." I said, with a grateful tone to my voice.
I couldn't help but think Calcifer was up to more, but I shook that off… Once I was at the island I would go back to my old life. The Captain shared his quarters with me, giving be a nice bed in the far corner of the room. I dined with Captain Calcifer and sampled many great foods…by far apples were my favorite. He was amazed at the lack of my knowledge of cuisine, and I was amazed at the abundance of it. In my home in the sky we didn't need to eat… most of use chose not to. I learned much about the Captain and after that night gained the privilege of calling him Cal. Also after that night, I had realized how amazing the range of human emotions was and still is. I couldn't understand the emotions that were jumbled up inside of me, but I knew that I didn't want to let them go…
Days aboard the ship turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. My relationship grew and grew with Cal, and my knowledge of the human world expanded. That emotion I felt around him grew more and more intense and then all most at once I realized it.
"Cal…" I said to him one time when we were havening supper outside under the stars.
"Yes, Hannah. Have you another one of your endless questions for me?" He said, with a beautiful smile.
"Why would you automatically assume that? Maybe I just wanted another apple?"I said, with a happy smile.
"I just know you by now. That tone of voice is your questioning tone." He said in with a knowing look.
"Oh is it?" I laughed.
"It is. Now ask your question." He replied.
"Cal…What… what is love?" I asked.
"Hannah? Can you really… Can you really not know?" He said, with a blushing face.
"I know that it's intense passion and care for another? But that doesn't tell me anything. What does it feel like?" I said, now I was the one blushing, but I really had to know.
"Umm… well. You know that tingly feeling you get when you talk to someone. When you feel like you can tell that person every one of your secrets. When you can automatically connect with that person and talk about everything with them. When just being with that person makes you the happiest person in the world and staying away is like tearing yourself in half and throwing it overboard…. That's love." He said, and I knew. I understood now. Everything he said was true… true about me towards him. But how could I admit that to him.
"And you know this from experience…" I said, feeling a little bit envious.
"Yes… yes I do…" He said, gazing out into the sea with a far-way look in his eyes.
"I understand…. She must be very beautiful… Is she waiting for you on shore?" I said, breaking his train of thought. He suddenly burst into a fit of laughter and my slight blush took over my entire face.
"You don't see it Hannah, don't you?" He said after he could talk, "I love you…All those thing I said were about you. I knew it the moment I saw you. I tried to suppress it cause a pirate is only suppose to love riches and the sea. But I love you…I love you perhaps too much."
"Is there such a thing, Cal? Cause if so… Then I too love you too much." I said after I realized what he said.
"Me? You can love me? You know what I did! You know the evil I committed yet you dare love me. You truly are a mad woman." He said with a scowl.
"You've told me off all that and it is terrible, yes. I cannot deny that fact, but, Cal, You've changed now…. I can feel it…" I said.
"You say that. How can you know?... So many times I've wanted to kill myself just to rid myself of the guilt. That's not normal, Hannah. Not normal at all…" He said
"I just know… You have to trust me… I'm the.." I covered my mouth. I almost gave up my secret.
"You're what…. Oh… The Hannah. So great and mighty Hannah! Tell me how you can decipher my true disposition…. I don't deserve to love you. I never will." He said with such emotion that it was killing me.
"Yes. Well, until I met you, I didn't even know I could love. I still don't know how it's possible. For a divine being to be with a mortal… It goes against all the rules." I almost yelled.
"What? What do you mean?" He said.
"What I mean is that I'm not like you… not at all. I'm the Harvest goddess." I said quickly, tired of keeping secrets.
"Yeah… and my first mate is Zeus… Stop messing around Hannah." He shook his head and looked out to the sea again.
"Shield your eyes, mortal." I said as I pushed back my chair. I broke the holds of my mortal body. I reviled my true form… it was almost exactly like my human form but my skin gave off a mystical glow and I was wearing the garb of the divine. A long white cloth tied in places like a toga with golden stings and belts.
"Look Cal… and see my true form." I said.
"Hannah… what…" He squinted at first to see past the light and then I remembered to turn down the light.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner… but this is how I know. I love you more than I should… More than a Goddess should. But…" I thought.
Why hadn't I thought of this sooner? The rules of consort… I could take a human consort into the heavenly gates to live with me, but he would never be able to come back… I told Cal of this and he smiled.
"You would take such an unworthy being into your home in the sky. Would I become immortal, too?" He asked.
"You are not unworthy. I just said you were and I'm a goddess. And… No, you wouldn't become immortal, that is a burden too heavy to carry by mortals. "I said.
"Then I would die without you and you would live the rest of your life alone." He explained, and I nodded.
"As you have said, It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." I repeated and he smiled a worried smile. Most likely I would fade after he died. Fade into nothingness. It was like death for us immortals, except we didn't go to the other world.
"I can't leave you alone like that. There's no telling what trouble you'll get into." He exasperated.
"Dearest, I would just fade into nothingness. It doesn't hurt, people say. Just a tingle and then nothingness." I explained.
"No! That's terrible! You have to keep living, no matter what. I will find the secret to immortality." He vowed.
"There is always the well in my home village. But it is said to corrupt people…" I started but didn't finish.
"There is no danger that I wouldn't face for an eternity with you, my love." He said valiantly.
The next day we sailed to Evening Star Valley. It was a harsh sail but we pushed forth. It seemed as if all the forces of nature were against us. When we finally reached my village we were accepted into open arms. We were placed into the nice tavern they built over the well and Cal immediately went to work finding it. Once he did… I would find this world would be turned around.
"That power corrupts people, Hannah. Don't let him do this!" A short woman with black hair told us, "The prophecy is strictly clear that he will be the doom of us all."
"Cal is too kind, too good…" I started.
"And the well will rob him of that." She concluded. I thought about it, but it was too late. Cal had gone through with his plan.
The changes were obvious. Almost at once he sent his men to pillage the town. He killed men, women, children… everyone. I had to seal my love in a cave to the east of town and strike down his men. I wept for 40 days, which the people now call the days of the flood. After that, Evening Star Valley got too lakes both named after us, Hannah lake and Calcifer lake. I would never forget that day and I would never again show myself to a mortal. Until these children arrived…
Mira's POV:
I woke with a start and saw that my dream had been just that… a dream. How long had I been asleep? The man from my dream sat in the corner of my room so I assume he had taken me home…
"Hey! Who are you anyways?" I yelled to him, it couldn't be that they had the same name.
"Ah, you're awake, love." He said with a voice all too familiar, "My name is…Calcifer."
Then I believe I fainted again….