The Hunter's Pursuit

38. Of Mer and Men

    "My true name is Thalas," Viviane began. The words came out quieter than she intended. Her mouth had gone dry with nervousness and her tongue felt thick and clumsy. She cleared her throat and clasped her hands together. "I imagine you've heard it spoken a time or two."

    Jacob inclined his head, causing a few locks of hair to fall across his brow. She tightened her grip on her palms, quelling the urge to smooth them back. "The Cerva told stories about the great Defender of the Deep. But they also called you the Vanished Warrior."

    "Because I vanished when I left my people." Viviane tugged her tangled braid over her shoulder and began to toy with the end of it. Her legs crossed while she rested her elbows atop her knees. Jacob's shirt hung loose about her, but to his credit, his gaze didn't leave her face.

    "I was trained to defend my sisters from danger at a young age and my skills advanced rapidly. Queen Marilla was the only warrior in our sisterhood at the time, so she oversaw my lessons. When my training was complete, I left Queen Marilla's tutelage and took on my task alone."

    "Anywhere my sisters went, I had to accompany them. If a dangerous creature attacked, one they could not control, I was the one who drove it away and made sure my sisters made it to safety. And as my skills in battle grew, so did my magic."

    "More and more, my people began to liken me to our Queen, saying I was her equal and might someday become her successor. But that was never what I wanted. I was too curious about the world beyond our own. I wanted to learn and explore, and I knew that if I became Queen, I would never have that chance."

    The corners of her mouth twitched up as she recalled the next part of her tale. "I snuck away whenever I could, to visit the world above. Many of Falorea's land dwellers knew who I was as soon as they saw me, but that never posed any danger to me."

    "I was respected and often asked to share my people's stories. Usually I would decline, but sometimes, I could be persuaded to. I also disobeyed our laws against helping drowning or injured seafarers. I rescued many sailors in my lifetime, and some remain friends with me to this day."

    "Pops is one of them," Jacob guessed. "I always thought it seemed like you two knew each other more than you tried to let on."

    "Yes, he's one of the men I rescued," Viviane confirmed. She moved on with her story before Jacob could ask anything more. "Eventually, I learned that my sisters' whisperings were true. Queen Marilla intended to take me before our Goddess and proclaim me her Heir."

    "I chose to leave before she could ever approach me on the subject. I told no one where I was going. No one even knew I was leaving. They simply woke up one morning and found that I was gone." Viviane's gaze remained fixed on her toes as she sighed.

    "In doing so, I forsook my people and disobeyed our most sacred of laws. I chose to live in the world of men and made a name for myself by doing the same thing I did for my sisters, killing monsters. I settled in Port, far enough away that I knew my sisters wouldn't come looking for me, and that's where I stayed."

    "What would happen if your sisters came for you?"

    "They would have the right to execute me or banish me. They could even beseech Cantata to take my Mer body and leave me Human. That would force my true age to catch up to me and reduce me to nothing but dust."

    "What is your true age?"

    "230 years." Jacob's eyes widened and Viviane turned away. "I look young for my age, I know."

    "I...yeah. How..." His cheeks puffed as he blew a heavy breath. "How can you live that long? I know the Syreni can live for centuries. Do you age like them or...?"