I know this author's note is long, but it contains info on the sequel and a massive thank you to you all, so I'd appreciate it if you'd read it :) xxx
My Lord! A quick update! Just over a week later! Dun daaaah! What can I say? All of your amazingly lovely reviews inspired me XD
So here is, what I believe will be, the penultimate chapter of High Tides, which is exciting and also rather heart-breaking, for me anyway. While I'm here though, I just want to take this opportunity to thank you all for everything. This was my third stab at a multi-chapter fic, and it's been, by far my most successful, which is mainly down to you, my readers and reviewers. You are the people who have kept me writing over the course of the last three years, even when I was wailing and banging my head on the table. You are the people who kept following and reviewing this story even when I didn't update for months. And you are people who have given me enough confidence to begin to develop my writing skills and apply for English and Creative Writing. And you are the people who have helped me to get a university place that I didn't think I had a chance in hell of getting. And if I do, by some miracle ever get my own books published, you will have helped me to achieve that dream. And for that I could not be more thankful and more grateful, because you were there when my writing was at its most vulnerable, and you helped me instead of turning away. And all I can really do is thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And for those of you who have asked, yes there is going to be a sequel XD It's called Dangerous Waters, and I'm hopefully going to start posting it in autumn. I want to try and write most of it over the summer, so that I can update more regularly instead of in the sporadic style that I've been updating this fic XD But I haven't written out a proper plan for it yet, so I'm not promising anything, timing wise! But with a bit of luck, I'll get started on it in the holidays :D
Sorry if this chapter's rubbish; it's mainly tidying up loose ends, but things hot up nearer the end :D x
This chapter is dedicated to 41, Arysthae, Rainwater, harrypotterfreakhier , GenesisChi , BookLuver55 and cleo. Thank you all so much!
Chapter Twenty
We follow the sound of my baby half-brother's cries through a tunnel to the left, which is thankfully wider than the one I entered through. I keep shooting nervous glances at Faro; he looks as composed as ever, but he's paler than usual, and my stomach churns with worry every time I catch sight of his arm. My own wounds, thankfully, aren't as bad as his. The cut on my leg is shallow, more of a scrape, and actually isn't bleeding that much at all. The back of my head is throbbing, but thankfully not bleeding. I managed to cushion it when Mortarow was charging me, so I think the worst I have there is a couple of bruises on one side, and on my cheek. My tongue is bleeding a little; I think I bit the edge of it at one point. By now I'm pretty sure that my arm's broken, but that's not going to kill me imminently, so I'm just trying to ignore it as best I can, even though now and then a particularly sharp jab of pain will go through it and I'll begin to feel nauseous once more.
What on earth is Mum going to say…No. I'll think about Mum later; not here, not now. I'll deal with air problems when Mordowrgi is safe and I'm out of Ingo.
"There there, babi byhan…"
Both of us come to an abrupt halt as we hear a rather desperate man's voice from around the next bend in the tunnel.
"It's okay…stop crying…"
"I…I wan' my mammow!" I hear a child wail in response, followed by even more desperate crying.
I glance at Faro. So Mordowrgi is definitely alive then.
"We…we'll get you back to your mammow soon, don't you worry." The man says in a rather terrified voice. "Don't worry. We're not going to hurt you. Just…please stop crying…please…just…shut up…"
"Oh for goodness sake, Daveth! I left you alone with him for five minutes!" A woman appears to have entered.
"I'm sorry!" Daveth sounds suitably cowed. "I'm sorry Nessa! I tried jiggling him but he just wouldn't stop crying…"
"Come here, babi." Nessa croons in a gentle voice. "Don't worry, this clopin is leaving us now. I'll look after you until we get you back to your mammow. All right?"
Morgodwrgi sniffles slightly, but seems to calm down, so I assume that Nessa has him. "Daveth, go and do something useful, like checking on the situation. We haven't heard anything for a while."
"Fine, fine…" Daveth huffs grumpily, before adding in a low voice; "I wouldn't get too fond of it, Nessa. It's not like he's truly Mer…"
"More than half blood, Daveth." Nessa hisses back, so Mordowrgi can't hear.
"Still divided." He mumbles.
"That may be. But he's still only a child. We might find a way to cure him."
"Maybe…" Silence falls for a moment, except for Mordowrgi's sniffling, so I assume Daveth's left.
"You must be tired, babi." Nessa says softly. "I'll sing you to sleep, shall I?"
"My…wan' my mammow."
"You'll see her soon, don't worry, kerensa. Just close your eyes and have a little sleep…
Y'n kosel eur a an gorthuher p'eur an golanes kelyon lent,
Dhe aga kerrek byw an enys hag kri del jei mos…"
I glance at Faro again as she begins to sing what I recognise in the human world as an Irish folksong. For fanatical followers, them seem strangely…normal. Apart from the whole argument about Mordowrgi's blood status. Somehow, their normality makes them even scarier.
"Dyworth pub chi a an penn tir golow dalleth dhe golowi y'n tewal,
Hag an disliw yeynder bys kelli an stevel tomm hag kosel…"
If normal people…Mer…can be sucked in by those like Mortarow and Ervys…if normal, kindly Mer can believe that half-bloods, like me, are abominations... that we need to be 'cured'…I shudder slightly at the thought.
Sapphire. I think Mordowrgi's asleep. If we strike now… Faro thinks to me.
I give a tiny nod. Let's not hurt her. Just tell her that Mortarow's dead, and that…that everything's over and stuff and she might give him up?
Or we could take him by force. Faro grips his knife tightly, although his face looks more pained than angry. It occurs to me suddenly that he probably knows the two of them. You heard what they were saying about Mer like us.
No, Faro. We shouldn't sink to their level. I don't like having this weapons as it is. You were the one who told me that the Mer don't use human weapons. The sooner we can get rid of them, the better.
He gives me a long look before sighing. Fine. Have it your way. Come on, let's go!
He suddenly moves forwards, into the room around the corner. I follow him, and see a woman with black hair and silvery eyes staring at us in shock.
"Human!" She squeaks in a scared voice, clutching Mordowrgi. "Cleft!"
I feel myself flush slightly, feeling upset that this woman is scared of me, and slightly indignant at the 'cleft'. "Look, we don't want to hurt you." I say, holding out my hands in what I hope is a pacifying gesture. "Mortarow is dead. Your leader is gone. All we want is an end to this fighting. We just want to take my brother, and leave. Can you please just give him to us, so we can go on our way?"
"You…you…you're lying!" She squeaks, backing away. "Your kind lives to hurt Ingo! And Mortarow…he…he can't be dead! He can't!"
"Then how are we here?" I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "He tried to kill us, and we stopped him. Look, I know what they've told you about humans, but it's not all true. Yes, some humans are horrible and kill each other and hurt the world, but some humans try to help the seas, and stop the fighting. Are the Mer any different? Look at the fighting going on now! Is this how the Mer are meant to be?"
She chews her lip, giving her head a tiny shake so that her black hair swirls around her face. "You…you…you're a half-blood! And him too! Half-blood's are dangerous…their human blood makes them want to kill us all! You're not…not wanted! Ingo hates you! You want to harm Ingo, harm all of us…" She says, but her voice is much less certain.
"Listen to me. I've made the Crossing of Ingo. The dolphins helped me. I've experience a flight of dolphins…they gave me a recognition pattern…Friend-Of-Ingo. I don't want to hurt you, or Ingo. I just want peace, and my brother back, safe. Please, please just give him to us."
She hesitates for a moment. I hold my breath, hoping against hope that she'll help. She turns to Faro after a moment, her eyes roaming over him searchingly, as if looking for some kind of confirmation.
"We've met before, Nessa." He says in a soft voice. "You were friends with my sister, Elvira once."
"T-that's before I knew what you were…"
"Nessa, she's telling the truth. We don't want to hurt you. Please trust me when I say that. I'll let you see my mind, if it will make you feel better."
Nessa hesitates, watching Faro closely for signs of a trap, before reluctantly nodding. "F-fine. Open your mind to me." Faro nods and her eyes become unfocused as she searches through his thoughts. After a moment or so, she nods in return, looking slightly shaken. "For the dolphins." She says hesitently, holding out Mordowrgi. "And Elvira."
Faro and I both have injured arms, so we're not sure which of us should take him; he's a lot bigger than he was when I first met him; he must be about three now, in human years. Eventually I take him, wrapping both arms around him, but being careful not to exert too much pressure on my left arm.
"Go." Nessa says, her eyes darting around. "Go quickly. I'll…I'll stay here."
"Come with us." Faro says eagerly, and for a second I wonder whether he's eager for her to come to boost our 'ranks' as they were, to prove that not everyone thinks that we're monsters, or because she's very pretty. A wave of jealously floods through me, but I hastily push it away. Really not the time, Sapphire.
"I can't." She shakes her head. "My little brother is here. I can't leave Daveth."
Faro nods. "Thank you, Nessa. This will not be forgotten."
Together we turn and begin to swim back the way we came.
-x-
The journey back through the tunnels is a nightmare. The worm like creatures show us the way again, but we have to swim back through the cavern where Mortarow's body is lying, back through the tight, claustrophobic shafts which make my heart thrum with fear. And to top it all off, I'm carrying a rather heavy mer-toddler who wakes up half way back and begins to cry because he's scared of the dark, forcing me to give a rendition of The Fisherman's Night Song, the English version of Nessa's lullaby.
"In the calm hour of the evening when the seagulls fly slow,
To their rocks on the island and cry as they go…"
I have never tried jiggling a child when in possession of a broken arm before, and I'm not going to start now, and there's not really room to rock him, so I just keep singing as we squeeze through the tunnels.
"From each house on the headland lights begin to twinkle in the gloom,
And the pale cold world dwindles to a warm quiet room…"
When we finally emerge from the tunnel, it's to come face to face with a mass of Mer people who do not look very pleased with us.
"When we said 'Neither of you go charging off'," Brytin says, her arms folded. "We meant it."
-x-
As my wounds aren't really life threatening, the healer simply gives my arm a little help with the healing process, and heals my larger cuts before moving onto those with more pressing injuries. As in life threatening injuries. There is more than one casualty from the battle the Mer were fighting elsewhere, but that battle was put on hold once Sawya arrived. Sweet, lovely Sawya! She went straight to the fighting and told them where Faro and I had gone, which luckily effectively stopped the combat, as we had technically fulfilled the terms of Mortarow's arrangement. She then led a select group of Mer to the tunnel entrance, which they had just been debating whether or not to enter when we emerged. The news of Mortarow's death quickly spread, and many of his followers have given themselves up. It seems that being on the losing side twice was really enough for some of them.
I know that I should really start heading home, but I just have to wait and see if Faro's okay. Brave Faro, who even though he was injured, refused to leave with Sawya and sent her for help instead, before following me into the tunnels. I've saved his life today, and he has saved mine, and I won't ever forget it. We are bound more than ever now, and I can't return to the Air until I know he's going to be all right. Finally I find him, sitting with a healer a little way away from everyone else. I hover nearby until the healer's finished, before going over to him. "Hello," I say softly, and he looks up and grins at me.
"Hello? Is that all you can say?"
I laugh and hug him. How's the wound?
Healed. It's left an impressive scar though. It makes me look even more dashing than ever.
I smirk. You never looked dashing to begin with.
Lies! All lies! He pulls away and grins at me. How're you?
Better. Arm will take a little while to heal, but it hurts less now. I suppose it may detract some attention from the matter of my whereabouts when I get home.
He stares at me for a moment. You're going back to the air, then?
I blink. Well, of course. I mean…Mum's there, and Conor, and Rowan and Rainbow and Sadie…even Roger.
Mordowrgi's here in Ingo. He reminds me. And…and so am I.
I feel my heart pinch at the slightly lost look in his eyes, remembering how lonely he must be with Elvira gone. I'll come back here, Faro, you know I will. I just can't…stay. Not forever. I can't…I can't make that decision. Not yet. Maybe one day…I don't know.
He seems to brighten at this thought slightly. Maybe indeed. We never know what the future may bring after all, Sapphire.
I smile softly. I should leave now, really. I think I've been gone for about a day…Conor might have thought up an excuse, but if not Mum'll be worried sick…
He sighs, but nods. Fine. Leave now. But promise you'll come back. Come back soon. Promise.
I take his hand and squeeze it tightly for a moment. I promise.
-x-
A wave of exhaustion washes over me the moment I break through the skin. My stomach growls angrily at me as I stagger through the shallows and onto the beach, exiting the water all together, washed in on the tide like a battered piece of driftwood. I pad through the wet, cloying sand, leaving a line of footprints stretching out behind me, like a shipwreck survivor arriving on a desert island, before stumbling through the dry, powdery sand which sticks to my damp feet, as I make my way towards the cliffs. Somehow I manage to climb up one handed, using the elbow of my left arm to help balance myself, unable to put pressure on the wrist which is beginning to throb hotly again; whatever the healer did to numb the pain is beginning to wear off. After a long, desperate struggle, during which I almost fall down the rock face more than once, I finally haul myself up over the lip of the cliff and onto the prickly grass, wincing at the gorse which stabs at my hands when I attempt to find some kind of leverage to help me haul my tired body further away from the edge. I finally succeed in dragging myself entirely back onto dry land, water running off of my sopping wetsuit and turning the crumbly earth into salty mud. I fall still and roll onto my back, staring up at the sky while I attempt to catch my breath, trying to ignore the shooting stabs of pain in my wrist. It would be easy, so easy just to close my eyes, to lie here forever, listening to the cries of seagulls wheeling overhead, the soft wash of the waves on sand, the lapping of water against rock… No, Sapphire!
I force my eyes open. There will be time for sleeping later. I force myself to my feet, every muscle in my body screaming in protest as I haul myself up with the aid of a nearby granite formation, and begin to stagger toward home, along the dirt trail, the long grass whipping at my legs. I push past the mass of brambles and bracken and emerge on the coastal path. I can see home now in the distance. I try to think about what I'm going to say, but my head is too foggy with pain and exhaustion. I can barely keep my eyes open and am having trouble walking in a straight line. I climb over the stile, and keep moving down the earthen track, hardly noticing the stones digging into my bare feet. Almost there. Almost there. I undo the gate, my hands shaking, and shut it behind me, making my way to the door. I hear Sadie beginning to bark from inside, almost as if she can sense my presence, and the familiar sound fills me with warmth, giving me the strength to move those last few feet and open the door, pushing it open. I step inside the kitchen, and am hit by a whirl of golden fur.
"Down, girl…" I say, and the feeble, cracked quality of my voice shocks me. I glance up and see my reflection in microwave window. I look like a zombie; skin so pale it's almost blue, eyes ringed with dark shadows, my face bruised and battered, my lip swollen, bruises ringing my neck, dark hair plastered to my face and body, matted with seaweed and congealed blood.
Sadie whines and presses her body against my leg. I can feel that she's trembling like mad.
"It's okay girl…" I whisper. "I'm back. I'm home."
"Sadie?" A tired voice calls from further inside the cottage, drawing closer. "What is it girl? Sad-"
Mum breaks off, staring at me as if I'm a ghost. I stare back, not knowing what to do, or what to say.
"Jennie? What's wrong?" Roger enters the kitchen as well, and stops dead in his tracks, just behind Mum, looking at me in shock.
"Sapphire…" He says after a long moment. "What…where…?"
"Mum…Roger…" I say in my cracked, creaky voice. "I'm so sorry…I…I…"
"What on earth happened to you?" Roger says, taking in my battered appearance, his eyes lighting on my swollen wrist. "Your arm…"
"Pretty sure it's broken…" I mumble. "Got smashed against a rock..."
Roger steps forwards as I begin to sway slightly, catching me just as my legs give out.
"Jennie, call an ambulance!" I hear him cry, as the world begins to fade out. Great. I'd never been in a hospital in my life until Mortarow started messing things up. Now I've been in one twice in the last few months. But that's not the real issue here, I remind myself as my eyes drift shut. From Mum and Roger's reactions, it hasn't just been a day. Definitely not just a day.
Just how long have I been missing for?
Reviews, as ever, are greatly appreciated :) xxx