Lady of the Sea

Ch 33

Marina's eyes fluttered open, the world around her blurry at first. Her body felt heavy, as though she had been anchored in place for days. Slowly, her vision sharpened, revealing the wooden walls of the cabin she was in, but she did not recognize the place.

For a moment, she lay still, letting her mind catch up to her body. She could remember fragments—her mission to find her father, the confrontation aboard his ship, and then... darkness. What had happened after? The thought brought a surge of frustration and anxiety. Where was Jack? The last thing she remembered was him... but the memory of him felt distant, like a half-remembered dream.

As Marina shifted to sit up, she let out a groan in pain. Both her thighs were covered with thick leaves. That's when she remembered what happened, her father slashing her legs, pushing her in the sea, and telling her to go meet her mother.

A soft rustling sound caught her attention. From the corner of the room, Tia's presence felt like a familiar shadow. The woman's dark, knowing eyes watched her intently, as if she had been waiting for this moment.

"You are awake, den," Tia murmured, her voice as soothing as the ebb and flow of the tide. "How do you feel, child?"

Marina winced as she tried to move, her body still aching from whatever ordeal she had gone through, "Who are you? How long have I been out?"

"Long enough," Tia said cryptically, stepping closer to Marina. "I be a friend o' Jack's, he brought y' here."

Marina nodded, her gaze distant, lost in a void of swirling thoughts. She felt overwhelmed, as if the weight of her emotions had rendered her numb, her mind racing until it felt completely empty.

"What's wrong, my child?" Tia asked gently, noticing Marina's faraway look.

Marina continued to stare blankly, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't know who I am anymore."

Tia smiled, a mysterious glint in her eyes. "You know what runs in your blood. You may not have fully embraced it, but it is dere. Waiting."

Marina's heart skipped a beat as the truth began to dawn on her. To hear Tia speak of it so plainly unsettled her. "I don't understand it," she whispered, shaking her head.

Tia chuckled softly, moving to sit beside her. "You cannot deny de sea's call, Marina. It is who you are. You felt it when you went to face your father, no?"

Marina closed her eyes, remembering the surge of strength she had felt when her legs became a mermaid tail after her father pushed her in the sea. "I don't want to be like him," she whispered. "I don't want to lose myself."

Tia reached out, placing a gentle hand on Marina's shoulder. "You are not him, child. De choices you make will be your own. But you must accept what lies within you. Only then will you have de strength to face what is to come."

For a long moment, Marina was silent, absorbing Tia's words. She had come so far, fought so hard to find her father, to uncover the truth about herself. And now, standing at the edge of this revelation, she felt both fear and resolve. She could no longer run from what she was.

"What do I do now?" she asked quietly.

Tia stood, her presence looming like the vast ocean itself. "You listen to de sea, Marina. You listen to your heart. Both will guide you." She paused, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "And maybe... you speak to Jack Sparrow. For dere are other matters to settle, no?"

Marina couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, even amidst the storm of emotions swirling within her. Tia was right—there was so much left unresolved between her and Jack, and she had no idea where to begin. Guilt washed over her for the harsh words she had thrown at him during their fight. That laughter soon morphed into tears, as the weight of everything she had been through finally pressed down on her. She felt emotionally drained; it was as if a dam had broken, and she needed to release it all.

Tia moved closer, her presence warm and reassuring. "Child, ya need to take time to heal," she said softly, her voice a soothing balm. "Don't rush the process. Let the storm within ya settle. It's alright to feel what ya feel."

Marina nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Marina felt a flicker of hope as Tia's words wrapped around her like a gentle embrace. "Thank you," she whispered.