Chapter 1: Children of the sea
The waves lapped against the shore, where three teens pushed out their fishing boats and oars, intending to go around the inner edges of the reef. Kai, the eldest, lead the fleet, and commanded that his best friends do what he said, as the captain of the vessel. Both Miriam and Cordelia couldn't help but laugh at this, to his dismay. The trio had been friends for years, since they had all lived on the island their entire lives, and in the small village everyone knew everyone. "Cori! Check it out, look at this old stone!" Miriam called, grabbing something from the shallow ocean floor and showing it to the other girl nearby. Whilst Miriam had long dark hair, Cori's was much shorter and blonde. Kai stared at them both for a moment, before rowing closer to take a look, Miriam passing him the rock. Indeed, it was beautiful, decorated with vague markings of what looked like rays or seahorses. With a smile, he passed it back, before hearing a familiar shout and turning, seeing their young friend Lucia waving at them from shore. Hastily all three went inland, docking the boats and greeting the birthday girl.
Lucia was turning twelve that day and was very excited, since it meant that she was "growing up" just like the others, who were all sixteen. The little girl instantly hugged Kai, his dark skin a contrast to her own pale colour, despite being in the sun all day. Miriam and Cori gave her hugs too, before spotting their elder, Stavros, and smiling at him. A retired sailor, or so it was said, and an old man now, Stavros had been through a lot and had the scars to prove it. A harpoon mark on his cheek, a shark bite on his leg, everything had happened to the old man and he had still lived to tell the tales- and what tales he told! When he was in a good mood he would tell the village stories of old reefs and legends of vain queens and stars. But today was all about his adopted daughter Lucia, so he planned to spend it with her. Approaching Kai and the girls, he greeted them.
"Good morning Kai, Miriam and Cordelia. Were you out on the reef today?" he asked, Kai nodding. "Check it out, we found this rock! It's got some cool markings on it!" he explained, pointing at the little engravings. Stavros looked at it for a moment, his eyes changing, but it was quickly replaced with his knowing smile. "You should beware the ocean young ones. Who knows what could happen...you could encounter a mermaid." he winked, Kai rolling his eyes. "Those things don't exist! Plus, we go out to catch fish with our families too much anyway. It's boring!" he replied, Cori and Miriam both nodding in agreement with a smile. "Yesterday mum took me out to find some fish for dinner. What followed was two hours where I've never wanted to drown myself more." Cori joked, everyone giggling. Lucia then tugged at her father's arm. "Papa, can I go in the sea today? I am twelve now!" she argued, but Stavros's stern stare silenced her. "You know the rules my child." he responded, before turning back to the group. "I almost forgot! Would you join us for dinner tonight at my home? Seeing as my daughter asked to celebrate with you." he asked, and Kai instantly nodded. The two girls thought for a moment, nodding too and smiling. "I'll ask my parents, but they should be fine with it!" Miriam replied, Lucia beaming at this.
After a day of fishing and sailing, all three teenagers were excited for a change of scenery. Sure, the ocean was beautiful, but sailing around the same three rocks for hours was boring for them. They had managed to make a few good catches, enough to prepare food before they headed out to Lucia's birthday party. Kai even found a beautiful shell as a gift for Lucia, since he hadn't managed to get her something beforehand. They headed up the trail toward Stavros's home, one of the highest on the mountainous island, and the furthest away, so they'd probably have to leave a little earlier to make sure they were home on time. They knocked at the door, holding their little wrapped presents, and Stavros greeted them, smiling, and brought them inside the house.
The group sat on the floor of the living room, where there were mats set out for comfort, and Lucia awaited them, Stavros handing her a gift first. "This belonged to me when I was very little, sweetheart. My mother gave it to me." he explained, as she tore off the wrapping and gazed down at the gift, eyes wide. A beautiful seahorse necklace, golden and encrusted with sapphires for eyes, and tied with a brown cord. Instantly, the little girl put it around her neck, Stavros smiling. "My mother told me that it would protect me. Maybe that's why I never got too badly injured despite getting myself into a tricky situation." he laughed, Lucia also laughing a little. "Papa, where is your mother?" she asked, Stavros's eyes going a little sad. "Well, I hope she went to Elysium..." he responded, taking his daughter's hands in his own, "but she'll protect you for as long as I love you." Lucia scrunched up her face for a moment. "How long is that?" she asked, Stavros chuckling. "Until the end of time."
The three teenagers watched the exchange with a smile. Lucia had been lucky to be adopted by such a kind and gentle man. Kai then moved closer to her. "Here, I got you this!" he spoke, proudly handing her the present he'd found. Lucia gratefully took it, opening it to find a beautiful horse conch which shimmered in the light. She instantly hugged Kai, who grinned. "If you put it to your ear you can hear the sea." he whispered, Lucia instantly trying and her eyes going wide when the sound echoed. Cori and Miriam then approached, holding a shared present. "We made you these a while ago when we spent a day collecting coral, but we added the special rock on today." Miriam explained, Lucia opening the gift to find a charm made of cord and different pieces of rock, including the one they found that day. Beaming, Lucia hugged them too, before settling down next to Kai. "Hey Lucia, did you ever hear of a mermaid's wine glass?" he asked, the little girl shaking her head. With a smile, Kai came up with a story.
"Well a little fish told me that there used to be a tiny race of mermaids who lived inside clam shells, but when they got old enough they could drink wine from the plants!" he spoke, Lucia's eyes going wide. "Is that true? I want to see!" she exclaimed, Kai suddenly smirking. "Well I can show you if you'd like, just close your eyes." he offered, pulling something out of his pocket. Lucia following his order but curious, suddenly felt him stick something to her nose and gasped. Giggling, Kai watched her open her eyes and pull a little plant off her. "Want some wine?" he laughed, Miriam snorting with laughter behind him. "Next time I'll get you back!" the little girl insisted, Kai raising an eyebrow. "Next time I'll take you to the reef and you can find one of these, then." he smiled, before Stavros interrupted by clearing his throat. "Alright well, that's enough for now. Lucia, it's getting late so you should go to bed." he spoke, Lucia looking at him in surprise, but one look at his face told her to go. Slightly annoyed that she had to go to bed early on her birthday, she wished everyone goodnight and walked out of the room, Stavros looking at Kai with a slight glare. Unsure what he did wrong, Kai turned to face him, Stavros sighing.
"Sorry young ones...I just can't let her near the ocean. It's for her own safety." he explained, before pulling something out of his pocket. A small piece of tile, upon which there was a depiction of a dark-haired woman holding a jar. Stavros took a deep breath. "When...when Lucia came to me, this was all she had. She washed up as a baby on the shore near my boat all those years ago, strapped to a plank of driftwood to keep her afloat." he spoke, Cori's eyes going wide. "Really? How do you think she survived that?" the girl asked, Stavros shrugging. "I wish I could tell you." he replied, Miriam holding her hand out for the tile piece. "Do you think it could be a drawing of Lucia's mother? They've both got brown hair, but hers is darker..." she observed, pointing at the hair of the woman on the art. Stavros shook his head, though. "Turn it over, it's really old." he replied, Miriam nodding upon seeing the decay and dust on the back. "Whilst I don't know exactly where Lucia was from, have you ever heard of the mainland Itar, where your ancestors came from?" he asked, all three teens shaking their heads. With a sigh, Stavros nodded, and began his long story.
"When I was a young boy, I lived in the city of Itar, a huge part of the mainland. There were hundreds of thousands of residents in that place, and a lot of them weren't the best type- they drank, they cursed, they refused to change their sinful ways, and so many of them were dangerous and brutal- one night on the street near my home there was a murder because a woman wouldn't give her friend some wine." he explained, Miriam looking worried. "Did the murderer face consequences?" she asked, but Stavros shook his head. "Justice didn't matter in Itar. It was ruled by a corrupt leader and their lieges, so crimes weren't punished properly. So, the gods took it into their own hands." he surmised, remembering the fateful night.
"One night after the sun went down, a huge storm began. I recall that many of the Itarian children were summoned to the great hall for their protection, but my father grabbed me and put me in a fishing boat instead, where we and a few other families managed to escape, rowing away as the storm picked up. My mother didn't make it, unfortunately, but she handed me the necklace before we left, promising Hermes would always protect me. After a while of sailing south, we landed on this island, and started settling down into our new lives, trying to escape the past." he sighed, Miriam putting an arm around him, which was received with a smile. "Thank you young one. Anyway, that night, the gods sunk Itar into the ocean through the power of the legendary sea spirit, where it crumbled and became an underwater kingdom full of monsters. Some of the worst beasts imaginable live there, and I for one am glad they live underwater and not above it, for they are dangerous and a threat to our island."
Kai thought for a moment, before speaking. "Well, Stavros, does that mean Lucia could have come from Itar?" he asked, but Stavros glared at him. "Are you saying my daughter is a monster, Kai!?" he growled, Kai instantly shaking his head. "No sir! I...I was just-" he stumbled, both Cori and Miriam unable to meet his eyes for fear of getting into trouble themselves. Stavros peered at him for a moment, before Kai spoke again. "I'm sorry...I just thought that the crumbled tile could mean something..." he mumbled, Stavros calming down and patting him on the back. "No, child, I'm sorry. I was the rude one, forgive me." he spoke, gentle once more, and Kai nodded, taking breaths to calm down. Stavros then turned to the rest of the group. "Apologies, young ones. Well, it is getting late so I think you should head back home to sleep." he offered, all three teens giving a smile and heading out, Miriam leaving the tile piece on a mat before leaving.
From behind the wall, a little girl listened, wondering why her father had never told her about her origins. Hearing Stavros approaching, Lucia hid behind a vase, watching as he grabbed his lantern and supplies to do his nightly rounds in the village and make sure everyone was alright. As he walked out the door, Lucia took her chance, a plan forming in her mind. She grabbed a compass, Stavros had said they'd sailed south, and the tile piece from the mat, putting both in a satchel along with a bunch of grapes and a scarf in case it got too cold. Running down the path toward the shore, she avoided the village and instead ran through the foliage, finding herself on the beach where her father's boat sat. Dare she steal it and go looking for Itar? She took a deep breath and began to push it out to sea, grabbing the oars and trying to sail away. A memory of Stavros putting up a sail formed in her mind, so she began tying the knots and managed to put it up, instantly propelling the boat forward. Taking one last look at her home, she began to row, propelled forward by the wind and sailing into the night.