ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇɪʟᴇᴅ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇ

Chapter V: Fortune favors the bold

Lorraine immediately obeyed Sylvia's request. Knowing how timid and polite Sylvia often was, this confident side of her felt like it couldn't be dismissed and had to be trusted. It's like Lorraine wasn't thinking straight and believed in Sylvia's words.

However, the sudden slow down of the ship's course was noticed by the captain, who stomped to the surface level from his cabin, looking confused and grumpy.

"Lorraine, why are we stopping? We're just near Yebrana, keep on going!" he ordered, but the female pirate only glanced at Sylvia, who was frantically looking at the water, as if she was looking for something. Faulkner walked up to her to question what had caused the unexpected pause.

"What are you doing-" he asked, being interrupted by Sylvia's shouts as she caught sight of something in the bright sea.
"There! There's something there! Is there a boat I can be lowered down to?"

The elf suddenly started yelling and everyone peeked over at what was causing such a ruckus. There appeared to be something big and snowy in color moving in the water in a distraught manner. Arthur took action by getting a wooden boat to lower into the water, asking for help from the other crew members as he wanted to go down along with Sylvia just in case it was something of threat.

The two were slowly and cautiously lowered into the waves near the moving object. While Arthur had a more confused and wary expression, Sylvia's gaze radiated sympathy and the urge to help.

"Hey, hey, hey. Please, calm down. I'm only here to help." she began speaking to whatever the thing was, some people on the ship looking at her like she was crazy, talking to an object or some animal. However both Arthur and Sylvia could see small glimpses of what looked like a face in the water.

"Wait a minute, is it a mermaid?" Arthur questioned, his expression softening upon the realization. Once the entity realized the people were not of any harm, its movements began slowing down, allowing for the two to look at it better.

Sylvia's eyes widened as in front of her was truly a mermaid, who was caught in a net. Arthur quickly pulled out a dagger strapped to a vest of his and began cutting open the plastic as the pale woman stared directly at Sylvia with her wide, lilac eyes.

When the mermaid was free, she carefully lifted her arms to rest on the edge of the boat, studying the people and the pirate ship in front of her.

"Ah, Black Rose. I see you've come for trading to Yebrana. I give you my greatest thank you for freeing me from that net. I can't believe you noticed me."

Sylvia thought. Black Rose, that's the name of the pirates' crew. Another thing revealed she did not know about these humans.

"Yes, well.. Sylvia here noticed you." Arthur replied, shifting the appreciation merely on the elf and her apparent instincts. The mermaid inspected Sylvia more with a burning stare. The pale seawoman was utterly gorgeous. She was topless, however her long white hair covered her chest. Sylvia already knew from books that the merfolk had ears like the elves, only much longer and thinner. She could not stop looking the pale woman in front of her, the same going for the mermaid,

"You're an elf, huh? How curious.. How did you end up on a Spaudan pirate ship?"

Sylvia gave a troubled chuckle.

"Oh, that's a rather long story.. What is your name? Aren't the sea people usually more colorful?" Sylvia asked, her curiosity taking over. Arthur looked at her with a surprised look.

"Sylvia, you can't say stuff like that.." he whispered, however the mermaid only smiled.

"No, don't worry. It's alright. My name is Mesi. You're correct about the people from Yebrana looking less white, however I've been born with albinism."
"Ah, you're albino! That is so cool, I've read a bit about that!"