The Tides of Destruction
Chapter Eleven
Mother
Sélene swam and swam, no particular destination in mind, no rhyme or reason for her movement other than she simply felt she had to keep going, lest her mind remain fixated on the horrific occurrences of the past few two weeks.
The sixteen-year-old Véldenmaína had no idea what she should be feeling. Her mother—the beloved Queen Ánelthrey—had been laid to rest in the ancient burial grounds of her people's fathers fourteen days ago. Sélene, to her shame, could barely recall just what had transpired; it seemed as though she had been somewhere else while her body participated in the elaborate burial ritual. All she could remember clearly was the same phrase repeating itself in her mind, over and over without end: This isn't real. I'm going to wake up now. This isn't real! This isn't REAL!
But it was very, very real. Every single moment of it. And now . . . Now . . .
The first three nights after the burial had been the most difficult. Sélene had woken up countless times from her sleep, her eyes wide, her heart racing as the memory of her mother's demise permeated her dreams. Over and over again, she saw the Erthwélethwain man panic at the sight of her mother trying to help him, not realizing just what she was, thinking she was a shark or some other large predator as he had only glimpsed her fin from the corner of his eye. Sélene heard herself scream in horror as she saw the man's blade thrust into her mother's abdomen, saw the look of astonishment on her brave mother's face as she sank to the ocean floor. In the distance, she heard her father's roar of rage as he unleashed his fury upon the man, sending wave upon wave of tempestuous surf upon him until his body was nowhere to be found.
But she had barely registered any of that. Her eyes had remained fixated on her beloved mother's face as she cradled the dying Queen in her arms. Strangely, her mother had smiled at her in her last few moments, a single phrase, little more than a whisper leaving her lips. "Non fearénethwa, Sélene. Yeh óculina mahne tiámewelle." "Do not be afraid, Sélene. I will see you soon enough . . ."
The meaning of Ánelthrey's last words confounded and frustrated the young Véldenmaína. Unable to rest, unable to abide being near her father due to his ever-fluctuating emotional state, Sélene had spent the past few days swimming aimlessly, stopping only when her aching muscles could abide no more. Why she swam, where she went meant little to her; all she cared about was keeping herself occupied, making sure she did not have to spend more time than necessary on the painful memories coursing through her mind.
On this day, however, Sélene found herself swimming through a section of reef she had never traversed before. In the back of her mind, she knew she should turn around, that she should return to familiar waters before she became hopelessly lost. But something compelled her to continue along this path. What it was she could not describe, except to say a feeling in the very center of her being urged her on until—
The Véldenmaína instinctively emitted a small gasp as she sight before her. In the midst of a large wall of rock was an opening large enough for her to swim through. Without thinking, without hesitation, Sélene swam into the opening, her heart skipping a beat as she was momentarily plunged into terrifying darkness.
The moment was over as quickly as it had begun. As light returned to her vision, she realized she could see surface just above her. Frowning, the curious Véldenmaína propelled herself toward the lower-than-expected upper limit of her watery world, bracing herself for the worst.
Her jaw dropped in astonishment as she broke through the surface. She found herself in a small grotto, cut off from the ocean around her; whether by design or simply by millennia of erosion she could not tell. What caught her attention, however, was the sheer beauty of the small chamber. All four walls shimmered and glowed as crystalline formations protruded from them, reflecting light from some unknown source—or, perhaps, generating the light themselves in some unknown fashion.
What is this place? Sélene thought to herself. It is beyond words!It . . . It's beautiful!
As her gaze travelled across the chamber, the Véldenmaína's eyes locked upon a rock protruding from the center of the waters. Swimming towards it, Sélene's eyes widened as she saw a single item perched in the middle of the rock. It was crystalline, just like the formations upon the walls. But this . . . This was nothing like them. Its color was purest sapphire, untainted by blemish or marring. It had also been cut in the shape of a perfect sphere, such that nature could not possibly have done so on its own. It was, for lack of a better term, immaculate.
Hands shaking, Sélene held the spherical crystal in her hands, amazed at how light such a valuable object actually was. As she held the sapphire stone, her eyes fell upon another stone platform on the far side of the chamber. Before she could consciously make a decision, Sélene found herself swimming toward the platform, taking in its features. At the center of the platform was a small indentation, circular in shape. Gazing at the crystal in her hand, Sélene realized that the diameter of the indentation was exactly the same size as the diameter of the sapphire treasure she now held.
What does this mean? the Véldenmaína asked herself. Just what am I supposed to be doing here?
Realizing that no answer would come to her if she did nothing, Sélene quickly thrust the crystal onto the indentation before she had the opportunity to talk herself out of her rash course of action. Holding her breath, Sélene floated perfectly still, listening and watching for something . . . anything! When nothing happened, she felt the familiar taste of bitter disappointment roll across her tongue. Turning, she prepared to dive underwater once more, to leave this beautiful yet eerily quiet place, when—
The crystals lining the walls suddenly pulsed with intense light, glowing brighter and brighter, until Sélene was forced to cover her eyes to avoid being blinded by the brilliant luminescence. A loud musical tone rang through the chamber, rising in pitch, growing louder with each passing moment until, without warning, the sound disappeared, the light returned to normal. Opening her eyes, Sélene looked about, unsure of what had happened, until her eyes beheld the sight in the center of the chamber, just above the water's surface.
Sélene was certain she was about to pass out. This . . . This is impossible! she told herself. I'm imagining things! This . . . This can't be happening!
The countenance of a beautiful Véldenmaína floated above the water, her eyes looking at Sélene with an expression of recognition, of warmth . . . of love. Smiling, the apparition opened her mouth, a single word leaving her lips. "Sélene . . ."
Stammering, Sélene found herself unable to respond, unable to comprehend the magnitude of the vision before her. Finally, she swallowed, her lips begrudgingly obeying her mind's commands, as she began to interact with the being that could not possibly be present, yet was undeniably before her. "Ma– . . . Mánawe?!"
Maíreweth rested her arms on the rough wood of the indoor pool, her gaze focused upon the Véldenmaína floating in the waters within. Remarkable, the young woman thought to herself. I can't see anything except the occasional glow of someone's presence. Not even Mother. And yet . . . somehow, I can see her perfectly clearly.
The sea maiden's beauty never ceased to fascinate Maíreweth. The flawlessness of her skin, the inky blackness of her hair . . . these attributes alone would cause half the women in Arendelle to flock to the Véldenmaína, hoping to acquire a mere fraction of her profound loveliness. But what most captivated Maíreweth's imagination was the crimson limb that began at the sea maiden's waist, extending into a powerful yet refined—clearly feminine in some indescribable fashion—tailfin capable of propelling her through the water with little expended effort. Maíreweth found herself unable to look away from the glistening scales, the powerful muscles that rippled beneath the delicate flesh as she saw herself in her mind's eye swimming through the ocean as the Véldenmaína did, all the cares of the world behind her as she allowed the water's sweet caress to guide her toward—
"I'm up here, you know."
Startled, Maíreweth averted her eyes toward Sélene's face, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment. "Sorry," the young woman mumbled. "I just . . . I just . . . Never mind."
The Véldenmaína smiled, her eyes filled with an unreadable expression. "It's all right. I imagine I must look very strange to your people's eyes. That I must repulse you. That I look—"
"No! Of course not!" Maíreweth found herself speaking faster than she wanted to, that she could not slow down her words. "I think . . . I think you're perfect! I mean . . . Um . . ."
Laughing, Sélene smiled once more. "Thank you," she said. "And for what it is worth, I think you are just fine yourself."
Maíreweth felt her face flush once more. Eager to change the subject, she cleared her throat. "That . . . That was very nice of you to bring the cargo from the ocean floor. Kristoff said no one else could have possibly done it. Mother . . . She needs it to pay this pirate captain she's hired to take her to the Southern Isles." Frowning, Maíreweth looked at Sélene intensely. "You . . . You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
"No," Sélene responded. "I've developed quite a bit of strength over the years. Pulling men out of shipwrecks will do that to you." Her face fell slightly as the events of earlier in the day ran through her mind.
Reaching her hand across the tub, Maíreweth took hold of Sélene's hand. "It wasn't your fault," she said. "I've told you that so many times. You did the best you could. Why won't you believe me?"
Shaking her head, Sélene looked at Maíreweth. "I'm . . . I'm sorry. It's just . . . I've never lost anyone before. I've always been able to rescue everyone. Always. I . . . I'm not sure how to handle it . . ."
"Well, don't keep blaming yourself," Maíreweth said. "Please don't. I . . . I've seen too much of that from others lately. Particularly Mother. I feel like in the past few weeks, she's been hiding something from me. We used to have no secrets from each other. I felt like I could tell her anything. But now . . . Now, it's like I hardly know her anymore . . ."
Noticing the young woman's concern, Sélene brought her free hand to Maíreweth's cheek, stroking it delicately. "I'm sure it's nothing, Maíreweth. She's probably just worried about her people. That is what a good ruler does: they give of themselves for others so much that they sometimes forget that they have needs as well."
"But what if it's not that?" Maíreweth whispered. "It's only been a year since she adopted me. What if . . . What if she's having second thoughts? What if . . . What if she doesn't want me anymore?"
Sélene shook her head. "I may only be eighteen years old, Maíreweth, but I have seen my share of poor parents, both among the land-dwellers and my own people. I have seen mothers abandon their children because they find them to be little more than a nuisance. Fathers who never take the time to get to know their children, not because they are working to provide for them, but because they are so consumed with their own selfish needs that they cannot be bothered." Her free hand unconsciously grazed the necklace around her neck, her fingers running over the ridges of the sphere of sapphire crystal. "I have seen how your mother looks at you, Maíreweth. How she holds you. She loves you more than you realize. You have nothing to fear."
Maíreweth smiled slightly at the Véldenmaína's words of comfort. "Thank you," she murmured. Absentmindedly, she ran her fingers through Sélene's mane of midnight tresses, inwardly marveling at how soft the damp fibers actually were. "I wish . . . I wish I could go with you. All of you. I'm worried about everyone on this voyage, especially . . . especially Mother. I . . . I don't think this is going to end well at all."
"Is that another one of your prophecies?" Sélene asked, her hazel eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Maíreweth grimaced. "No. Just . . . Just a feeling I have." Exhaling, she looked Sélene in the eye. "You will look after them, won't you? Even though we barely know each other . . . Please?"
"I will do what I can," Sélene said. A small laugh left her throat. "Although, I will be spending most of the time in this tub on the ship until we arrive. I'm supposed to be 'secret cargo,' apparently. We will see just how that goes . . ."
Nodding, Maíreweth released the Véldenmaína's hand, looking toward the door. "Well, I . . . I'll let you rest here for another hour or so, until they come and get you. You'll want some time to yourself, I'm sure, so—"
"Stay."
The word came out more forcefully than Sélene had intended. Grimacing, she looked at Maíreweth, her eyes filled with warmth. "I mean . . . Please, if you'd like. I'd rather not be alone right now."
Smiling, Maíreweth sat next to the tub once more. "I don't mind," she said, watching as, in her mind, she saw the Véldenmaína dive under the water and resurface. "I don't mind at all . . ."
"You think I've made the wrong decision, don't you?"
Elenórathem stood motionless as Elsa turned to look at her. "Well?" the Queen asked. "What do you think? Please. Tell me."
"It is not my place to say," Elenórathem responded. "You are doing what you believe is best—"
"Elenórathem, please!" Elsa's eyes were deadly serious, filled with trepidation. "You don't have to dance around the issue. Just tell me what you think. Honestly . . ."
The blue-skinned Water Spirit took Elsa's hand, her fingers tracing the Eden-stone upon Elsa's finger that was her abode. "I think you are making the same mistake you made before. You are trying to control this fear that has risen within you by shutting yourself off emotionally."
"I'm trying to protect everyone," Elsa protested. "I do not want to hurt anybody. I can't let it happen again—"
"And how did it go the last time you acted this way?" Elenórathem's voice was firm, yet gentle. "Did it truly change anything? Have you forgotten everything you have learned? About letting others into your life? That you cannot protect the world by hiding yourself from it?"
Elsa moaned in pain as another agonizing headache raged through her temples, her right hand shaking violently as she fought to control it. Letting out a frustrated cry, she threw herself into the nearby chair, her silvery-blue eyes welling up with tears.
Elenórathem looked on, her face filled with horror at the sight. "You . . . You did not tell me it was this bad," she said softly. "What . . . What do you feel when it happens? Describe it to me."
"It hurts," Elsa whispered, her head throbbing, her trembling hand finally relaxing. "It's getting worse each and every time. And it is more unpredictable than ever. It's like a knife in every part of my body, only it cuts deeper than that. It's like the blade reaches in and cuts into my very soul . . ." Looking at Elenórathem, Elsa shook her head in desperation. "Why is this happening to me? What am I doing wrong?"
Elenórathem was at a loss. "I . . . I honestly cannot tell you, Elsa. I have seen many things before, but never anything like this. Perhaps . . . Perhaps this power the Bearer of Light gave you . . . Is it possible you are not using it properly?"
"I don't see how," Elsa said. "I have only used it when truly necessary. I understand my responsibilities. I am not carefree or juvenile."
Elenórathem nodded. "Then, perhaps we need to consider another possibility." She paused. "Of course, you have already thought of this . . ."
"You know I have," Elsa murmured. "It's too strong for me. My body cannot handle it. It's like a sickness. Like the sickness that killed Arberish." Sighing, she buried her face in her head as another headache nearly crippled her. Screaming into her hands, she felt the coldness erupt from her, the walls of her bedroom coating with ice, along with all other inanimate objects.
Looking up at Elenórathem, Elsa felt something flowing toward her lip. Wiping it away, she laughed mirthlessly at the sight. A thin layer of crimson liquid coated her finger, its red stain marring the otherwise perfectly-white flesh. Taking a cloth from her now ice-covered night table, Elsa wiped the trail of blood from beneath her nostril.
"You see?" Elsa could deny it no longer. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm going on this voyage myself because . . . because I don't think I have much time left."
"Elsa, do not think like that!" Elenórathem's face filled with worry. "Whatever is happening to you, we can find a cure."
"I hope you're right," Elsa said softly. "I really do." Looking at the symbol on her hand, she shook her head. "Now I know the reason why no other mortals have ever been given this power. I can't contain it. Not much longer." Looking at Elenórathem, she took the Water Spirit's hand. "You need to promise me something, Elenórathem. No . . . Not 'promise.' I need you to swear it."
"What?" The Water Spirit did not like the implications of Elsa's words. "What is it?"
"If . . . If the time comes when I can no longer contain myself . . . If I lose control of this power, I will cause unimaginable destruction." Elsa tightened her grip on Elenórathem's hand. "I need you to swear to me that if I become a danger to others, you will do what has to be done and stop me. Whatever it takes."
Elenórathem looked at Elsa, bewildered. "Elsa, I—"
"Swear it!" Elsa's voice was soft, but the intensity of her voice made it clear she was not to be challenged.
"I . . . I swear," Elenórathem whispered. "If that is your wish, I will do as you ask."
"It is," Elsa said. Moving to her bed, she retrieved her suitcase. "Now, we need to go. We are leaving in less than an hour." Stopping at the door, she looked back at Elenórathem, her eyes looking dismally toward her old friend. "I mean it," she said. "If you see any sign at all that I have fallen away from the light, you are going to do what has to be done. You are going to kill me. No questions asked."
AN: I apologize for how long it's taken me to update. It has been a very busy week. I will try to update more frequently, but I can only do what I can. More to come!