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Through Perils Unknown
Part Three
Meraoli bobbed in and out of the cool waters, her essence ebbing away as the wind played with seaweed in her hair, as if toying with a little pearl glimmering there. She almost thought she could hear the wind calling her. "Mera...mera..." It sounded so like a beloved voice she once knew...so far away now....
The dolphin sped through the dark waters in search of Meraoli. Leaping out of the sea every so often he clucked and chittered unhappily before swimming away from the cove. Where was she? He had last seen her swimming round the strange ship with the mermaid tied to the front. She was strangely attracted to this ship. Was she trying to rescue the mermaid from the ship? He must warn her of the activity at the cove. His head felt bad...bad!
Chuk was nearing the atoll when he sensed her presence but it was very faint. The mermen were needed. Chuk didn't want to be anywhere near when THEY arrived! He still remembered the pain from the stinging sticks even though they hadn't touched him!
No longer a pup, he was still closely attached to the mermaid, bonded in kinship, each having lost their families.
He had been playing with the pod when he received a *call* from the Sirenai, her Set of three Sirens. He couldn't tell which one of the three made a call but would first make for the cove to find Meraoli. If he failed to find her there he would do a search! He knew they thought of him as a messenger but he would please himself whether he helped them or not!
He was a very smart dolphin. Now and then he would throw some seaweed on his head and sit on the rock beside her and imitate the Sirens. Most times Meraoli would slip away and leave him there for a while. They all thought it was great fun until the mermen found out and came with their sticks and nets. They had done something to him before Meraoli rescued him. He wasn't sure what but he knew it hadn't worked properly. Meraoli had tried to explain but all he could understand was when she called, he had to return to her.
Her scent was fading rapidly...he was losing it! He must hurry!
Meraoli listened to the voice in the wind...tried to follow the beloved sound...to reach it with her mind. With a soft sigh she let her spirit flow out towards the sound...and carried on the wind she soon became aware of strange, muffled mutterings from somewhere around her.
Her body felt so heavy! She could feel hands round her arms and legs, tugging and pulling. Images flashed through her mind. Dolphins...ships...danger! She was being taken downwards. Her neck ached and felt wet and sticky. Her eyes fluttered opened for a moment revealing a horrific sight!
Man-things were carrying her along a wooden floor. She couldn't move her legs! LEGS! I don't have legs! What's happening to me? Before she lost consciousness she sensed the Sea-Goddess nearby. There was no mistaking that magic!
Chuk saw the floating body among the reeds near the atoll. Meraoli was drowning...her gills were covered with weeds, choking her. He pushed her about with his beak and nibbled at the weeds...when a boom hit him...Meraoli and the dolphin were washed onto the atoll!
Isa quickly recovered from her involuntary episode when she spotted Ramiere and Lady Eowyn's raven friend flying in a similar pattern towards the ship. Ramiere found Isa's leather gauntlet on her left forearm and landed. She raised her arm to meet his gaze as he leaned his small plumed head against the side of her face in an effort to quell the emotions his friend was feeling. Isa stroked the back of his head and being satisfied with his effort in comforting Isa, he took off and began to circle for a third time on this adventure. Isa thought to herself, "You are a dear friend Ramiere and you know me too well." With a half nod, Isa grabbed her gear and made her way towards Lady Eowyn and the Captain.
She had regained most of her composure but knew her face still showed the stresses of their last encounter. Putting herself back in order, Isa heaved a great sigh and with a purposeful gait rounded the corner from her place on the bow. As she did so, Lady Eowyn beckoned to her. Hastening her movements and preparing to inform her employer of her hawk friends warning, Isa replied, "Yes?"
"There are two sloops concealed within the smuggler's cove ahead," the shopkeeper began in a clipped, even tone. "I'd thought that we'd be able to easily outdistance them, but it seems that they're armed with Rivenland cannon."
"Isa's sight and aim may be of use, Captain, Lolindir's as well. And hopefully Sylvin can learn something advantageous from our 'guest' below."
The shopkeeper paused, pursing her lips in thought as a glint of an idea sparked.
"Your Mr. Rigsword looks as if he too might be gifted in the art of persuasion. Perhaps he…"
The rest of her words were lost in the sudden explosive rip of cannon fire off the port bow. They had been spotted and the attack had begun.
Before anyone had time to react to the explosion, Isa grabbed a length of rope and began to climb the foremast with great agility. Seconds later she reached the top of the jib. She ran the rope around each thigh and then around her waist to make a harness to hold her in place so both hands would be free to use her bow. She had learned how to make this fashion with a 'quick release' in case she had to move fast and repel down the mast for a hasty escape. She tested her contraption for lift, moved her ring to her right middle finger and grabbed a small leather pouch from her side. Isa took out a small glass orb from inside the pouch, and as if on cue Sir Ramiere came to Isa's side. From below you could see she was talking to the small hawk, but what was being said was anyone's guess. Their conversation seemed to end as quickly as it began and Ramiere took flight once again. This time the stealth hawk seemed to have vanished from view.
The sea swell was enough to cause Isa a slight sway in her perch above the deck and this she would have to consider in her strategy. But for now she needed to wait for a signal that would reveal all was ready….
As canon roared once more and the sea swell washed over Meraoli and the dolphin's still forms, dark shadows moved unseen through the deep towards the cove. The dolphin's dying call had been heard...and answered! The mermen were anticipating a good Harvesting!
The fire in Meraoli's head had diminished but still she couldn't move! Waves washed over her gills keeping them from drying out...keeping her alive...just barely!
Whispered words echoed through her mind..."mera...", "danger...", "harvest...". Was it the wind? Was it her mate...long lost to her many Harvestings ago? More mutterings she couldn't understand.
A strange sound was weaving in and out her thoughts, stirring up even stranger images. A dark shadowy figure standing on a ship...strange music surrounding the shape on the ship. Meraoli could no longer hear the music but still it flowed through her as she lay on the coral reef, struggling to move.
The music flowed like ribbons of red through her body. Where had it come from? Slowly, like the ribbons of music energising her body, her memory stirred!
The ship...the lost Harvest...the Sea Goddess on the ship...the Singing...the bleached coral...aaaah! The Singing from the Sea Goddess on the ship! The ship was protected by the Sea Goddess and she had been forgiven for Harvesting a protected ship.
A little tug on her head where the pearl remained was a gentle reminder of what remained of the stolen soul! Her only connection to the lost Harvesting, the one who had escaped and now survived on the ship!
Meraoli's head ached! Her body now thrummed and buzzed to the strange energy passing through her. The cold waves that lashed over her were refreshing and calming. The buzzing subsided and she found she could sit up.
Leaning on her elbow, her gaze encountered the still form of the dolphin lying near her. She made the psi-call to him as she struggled over to him...trailing her grey, dull fish tail after her, still stiff from the drying air.
There was no return call...only an emptiness where dolphin energy should be! He was gone! The playmate of her babies, her nursemaid! How the twins had dived and swum with him among the clown fish and leapfrogged over the toadstool corals. Now he too was gone! They had never found her babies...though they had searched for many nights until finally her mate had gone to the SeaWitch for help...and had never come back! So many Harvests ago! Her body began to tremble with the beginnings of the the SirenSong as her sadness welled up from the depth of her being...but before it took hold, the little pearl in her seaweed green hair began to glow, as if in sympathy! The glow seemed to seep through her skull like a song of its own with the same unknown mutterings she remembered from the ship.
Her song hesitated as she remembered "the other" - the lost Harvestmate on the ship. The ship was in danger! Danger! Chuk the dolphin's last call! His energy was completely gone. None remained to collect for her soul's memory! He was lost to her forever with the others! Her body convulsed with unsung song as she gently rolled the dolphin's body into the water for his own kin to collect and flopped in after him.
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