Eclipsis: Water

Chapter 39

Though incredibly tired from the events at Lune, as well as the escaping with Alara and Kōri, Ondine was restless. She could not fall asleep as quickly as some of the others, her worry keeping her wide-awake. What if her father had sent Moons after them? What if they never made it back to the water kingdom? What if they did, but were ambushed only a short amount of time later? She knew they would have to explain to King Lir and Queen Océane what had happened, warn them about the possible attack, but were the people of the water kingdom even ready for that? Were they prepared in any way at all?

Ondine was not ready for a war. She knew she had always been living in one, since the day she was born, as the war between the Moons and the Suns had gone on for centuries, but the last attack the Moons had planned was the one where she lost her father, which hadn't been for years. She didn't know what an attack from him would look like. Would there even be one? He had said part of the reason he chose to stay as King of Lune was to protect her, to protect Sol. But she had escaped from him. She wasn't sure if he wanted to protect her anymore. Would that mean the attack, if there was one, would be a thousand times worse? She knew he was angry, furious even, that she had escaped from him a second time. She knew that he acted on emotion. Would his rage really overpower the love he had for his own daughter?

She rolled over to face Alara, who was next to her. Alara had her eyes shut, and was breathing regularly, but somehow Ondine could tell her sister was just as awake as she was. Alara wouldn't let herself go to sleep if Ondine kept worrying. The water-nymph expelled a breath, and Alara's nose twitched ever so slightly. To confirm her suspicions, she reached across to grasp one of her older sister's hands gently. There was a certain type of relief she felt at Alara squeezing back. She really was awake.

The soft lighting from the fluorescent plants surrounding them illuminated a pair of midnight-blue eyes. Alara smiled at Ondine, who returned it. She could tell that her younger sister wanted to talk. She tapped a finger on her mouth to indicate silence, then stood up slowly, pulling Ondine up with her. Alara looked back at where Kōri was, a respectful distance from her, just to check he was sleeping, then did the same to Cetus. They both seemed as though they were in deep slumber.

Meanwhile, Ondine looked around for a place they could talk where they would not disturb others, and pointed in the direction of the four hippocampi guards who were on watch-duty when Alara turned back to her. Together, they manoeuvred past all the hippocampi who were closely huddled together, their tails wrapped around plants to stop them from floating away.

"We're just going to talk for a few minutes." Alara told the four hippocampi in a quiet voice when they reached them.

The pink one nodded. "Don't go too far," He warned. "We still want to see you, for your safety."

The sisters nodded to show they understood, then walked amongst the pebbles and plants - it was weird to walk in water - until they reached the edge of the rock. It was like a cliff, and they sat down a little further from the edge, their feet hanging off it. Ondine had discarded the shoes she had worn whilst in Lune, returning to being barefoot. She wiggled her webbed toes as she waited for Alara to get the all-clear from the hippocampi on-guard.

"Tell me what's wrong," Alara said, bumping her shoulder gently against Ondine's. "I mean, I know what's wrong, but talk to me."

Ondine voiced the thoughts she had been having, feeling comfort that she was able to be close enough to someone to talk to about this. Alara listened patiently for her to finish, not saying anything until she was done.