Anya

No one could sleep that night. The whole crew sat together in one of the huge parlors of the castle. Some sat down on only a rug, close to the warm fire in the big hearth, others had taken their places in the window-seats or in the other chairs. Everyone was staring at either the fire or their own feet and avoided any contact whatsoever. Only Dimitri was absent, he stayed in Anya's room. She hadn't moved one muscle since Dimitri had found her in her cabin back on the ship and everyone feared for the worst. Jim sat in an armchair by the window together with Milo and Audrey, but the three of them too kept quiet and pretended to be alone. Jim felt terrible, he still wasn't able to talk to his brother, even though that would help him to figure out what had happened to Anya. What did Eris do to her? And more importantly, could Melody help her? She said she would try, probably right about now…
Jim stood up and walked to the doors which lead to the balcony.

"Jim what are you doing?"Hissed Audrey in a high muffled voice.

"I want to know what is going on and I know the quickest way." Replied Jim determined and continued his way to the balcony. When he stood on the balcony he looked to his right. Perfect! He thought. Anya's balcony is just one jump away.

"Jim, what are you planning?"Audrey entered the balcony as well, her face highly irritated.

"I have to get to Anya's room fast and this is the quickest way." Reasoned Jim nonchalantly.

"Are you crazy? You can use the corridor to get there." Tried Audrey, but Jim ignored her and readied to jump. He heard Audrey sigh, but he didn't care. If he went through the corridor, someone in Anya's room might hear him coming and flee before he could do anything. This someone could either be Eris or Melody. Melody liked her powers to be secret and so she might panic if she heard someone approach while she did her curing ritual. Jim had to have a chance to talk to her, hear from her firsthand how bad Anya's condition was.
Jim made the jump and landed on all his fours, just behind the low barrier around Anya's Balcony. When he looked back Audrey was gone, she probably went through the corridor to Anya's room and dragged Milo with her. Jim had to be quick. He tried the balcony doors which were looked. His only option was the window, just above his head. It was a small square, but big enough for him to go through. Jim stretched out his hands towards it and jumped. He reached it! With all his strength he pulled himself up and sat his feet in the window frame. So glad he made it, he jumped right down on the floor and made too much noise. For a moment he had forgotten to be quiet.

Dimitri woke up with a start and for a brief moment he saw Melody's face as she quickly floated away from Anya's head. Dimitri stood up from his chair, which faced Anya's pillow from the other side and almost knocked it over in the process. Startled by Dimitri's reaction, Melody hasted away and came to a halt behind Jim.

"What is going on?"Asked Dimitri confused, he clearly wasn't mad at Melody, but Jim was not so sure Melody realized that. When Jim looked behind he was shocked by her mournful eyes. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Jim." She whispered and after that she made her escape from the same window Jim had used. In an impulse Jim grabbed her hand to stop her, but once again all he felt were little drops of water. Jim looked at his brother and waited. First he had to explain everything to him, then he could go look for Melody.

Dimitri looked at Anya's sleeping face and then back to Jim. "What is going on, Jim?" He started, thankfully in a normal manner. "What was that just now, it looked like Melody in some sort of spirit form."

"That was Melody, she tried to cure Anya the same way she cures the villagers and sailors who come here with an injury." Jim had no choice but to tell Dimitri everything he knew. He had the right to know. "Melody is the grand-granddaughter of the ocean god Poseidon, she has the will over the fog. She can cloak herself with it and visit her patients, that's what you just saw." Jim gave Dimitri a very serious look. "But she is very shy and likes herself to be invisible to others. Until now, I was the only one who knew of this. That she is not fully human." Jim finished that last bit with a bitter taste on his tongue, it felt like an insult towards her. "Her mother was a mermaid-princess from Atlantis."

"And that woman on the ship, Kida?" Asked Dimitri interested, he clearly was putting the facts together in his head and didn't want Jim to hold anything back. He was ready for anything now.

"Kida is a messenger, sent by Melody's grandfather king Triton. The sea king." Explained Jim thoroughly.

"I see, well can she save Anya?"

It took Jim some time to give him his answer, he had to choose his words carefully and didn't want to alarm Dimitri too soon. "Melody promised me she would help." He said eventually, but then the image of Melody's face appeared in his head. She had tears in her eyes, had she failed? Jim had to talk to her now. "Sorry Dimitri." He said hastily. "I have to find Melody and talk to her."Jim didn't want to be stopped so he ran out of the room and avoided Dimitri's face as he ran passed him.
As Jim had predicted were Milo and Audrey eavesdropping at the door and they looked quite shocked when he stormed out.

"Hey wait up Jim, where are you going?" Jim heard Milo shout after him, but he had no time to explain things again. After a while he heard footsteps behind him, but he didn't care. Let them follow. He thought. I only need to find that door. During one of his strolls through the castle, Jim found a small backdoor which lead to a few stairs around the village and straight to the beach. Jim hurried off the staircases, descending three steps at the time. After the last one, he looked about. It had to be here somewhere. Ah there! Jim's heart merrily skipped a beat as he saw the small narrow door, at the far corner of the large hall. Jim grabbed the handle ant swung it open. In a second he stood outside, looking through the dark night to the harbor and Captain Amelia's ship. Behind it lay the sea, calm and peaceful. A cool breeze blew in Jim's face. It was a beautiful night and all the stars sparkled brightly above his head. Jim quickly descended the small stairs to the bottom of the elevation on which the village was built and ran to the beach.
Half on the beach, half in the sea lay a figure on her stomach: Melody.

She had her head in her arms and looked very pitiful. Jim quickened his step and when he came closer he could hear her talking to herself.

"What good help am I? What should I do, I can't even save one person from Eris. What hope of freeing myself have I? Nothing, I'm doomed." She told herself though big sobs.

Even though it might be true what she said, Jim didn't want her to feel this way. He made the last few steps in her direction and spoke:

"Am I glad you speak in English to yourself, or otherwise I wouldn't know what to say right now."

"Jim!" Melody's head shot up and she looked at him. Jim gave her a small grin and crouched down before her so that they could talk. For a moment he looked down at her body, she had transformed herself into a mermaid again.

"Why are you lying here?"He asked her carefully.

I always lie down in the water when I'm upset. It is where I belong. At such times I want more than anything to swim away into the open sea and never return." Melody sobbed in pure misery.

"Once you asked me what it's like to be free. I will show you if I could. Right now." Jim pulled her up so she could sit in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. He wiped her tears away with his finger and then went on with his hand to her hair. He held her head towards him. Should he be doing this? Shut suddenly through his head. She was just a child, but then again so was he. In a few years their age wouldn't matter anymore. What if he ran away with her right now? Eris wouldn't notice, it was nighttime after all!

"Jim?" Began Melody softly as he broke the kiss. "I will keep trying, but I'm afraid that Anya is in great danger." Tears began to form in her eyes again.

"What happened to her?" Asked Jim shocked, he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to hear it.

"Eris brought her into a deep sleep, I can't reach her mind to talk to her." Answered Melody. Normally I talk to the patients, explaining things to them and also speaking with them in a ritual, but Anya has to response. I was trying to reach her with my own mind, but I was interrupted-"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." Jim felt terrible, it was his fault again.

"No I can try tomorrow." Jim looked her closely in the eye. Her eyes sparkled suddenly with hope and she even gave him a faint smile. "I know I can, I just remembered something!"

AN: So, what do you think? My time at the theater has come to an end, it was sort but fun! More importantly, I have more time to write and think of new ideas now! I know the end is a bit random, but I hope you can forgive me for that.

Please review, it will drive me to write more!