A Mermaid for the Lonely

~ Learning Letters ~

The afternoon sunlight spilled through the small windows of Lyam's boat, casting a warm glow over the cozy space they now shared. Lyam sat cross-legged on a makeshift cushion, stacks of old books and scraps of parchment spread around him. Sirène hovered beside him, her curiosity alight as she leaned over to inspect the collection.

"What are all of these?" she asked, her fingers tracing the faded covers.

"These," he began with a smile, "are books. I know you've seen some of them in the village, but today, I thought I'd show you more about how to read them."

Sirène's eyes sparkled as she took one of the books in her hands, carefully opening it. She flipped through the pages, her gaze darting over the lines of text. "There are so many marks. It looks like a language, but I don't... understand."

"That's what I'm here for." Lyam's voice was gentle and encouraging. "Think of it like learning to fish. It might seem confusing at first, but if we go slowly, you'll start to see patterns."

She nodded, curiosity pushing her to try. "Alright, show me."

Lyam opened one of the books to the first page, pointing to a single letter. "This is 'A,'" he explained, drawing his finger across the shape. "It's the beginning of a lot of words. Like... anchor." He gestured toward a sketch he'd made, showing a simple drawing of an anchor.

Sirène tilted her head, focusing intently as she traced the letter with her finger. "'A,'" she repeated softly, testing it out. "Like... an anchor. I've seen many of those."

He smiled, nodding encouragingly. "Exactly. Now, we'll go one letter at a time. Each letter has its own sound, and together, they create words."

They continued slowly, Lyam guiding her through each of the letters with patience and care. She followed his instruction intently, her face lighting up whenever she managed to sound out a letter correctly. He introduced her to simple words first, names of things she knew: "sea," "wave," "shell." With each new word, she seemed to grow more confident, her enthusiasm spilling over with every small victory.

After an hour or so, she let out a sigh, setting the book down with a smile that was both proud and a bit exhausted. "It's a lot of shapes to remember," she admitted, glancing over at him.

Lyam chuckled, nodding. "It is. But you're picking it up so quickly. You just learned the first few letters, and already you're recognizing them." He turned the book to a simple passage, running his finger under each word. "Now, let's try putting some words together."

She hesitated, but his encouraging smile steadied her. Following his guidance, she read out each word, her voice halting but clear, with Lyam correcting her gently whenever she stumbled. Her cheeks flushed when she managed to get through an entire sentence without error, her excitement shining in her eyes.

"This is... amazing," she murmured, her hand brushing over the words on the page as though they were a treasure. "It's like... unlocking secrets."

Lyam nodded, watching her with a look of admiration. "That's exactly how I felt when I first learned to read. Every book is full of stories, ideas, and knowledge from people who lived before us. Even people who lived far away, whose lives we could never imagine."

Sirène's expression softened, a spark of understanding igniting in her gaze. "So, these marks are like... voices from the past?"

"Exactly." He handed her a small piece of parchment, encouraging her to practice tracing letters on it. "They're voices, and once you know how to read them, you can hear their stories as if they're speaking to you."

Sirène held the parchment carefully, focusing intently as she attempted to copy the letters he'd shown her. Her fingers were clumsy at first, the lines crooked and uneven, but she was determined, tracing each letter until she could form them clearly. She looked up at him, beaming with pride as she held out her work.

He studied her handwriting, smiling at the faintly crooked but unmistakable letters. "You did great," he said warmly. "Better than my first attempt, that's for sure."

They laughed, the warmth of their shared moment filling the small cabin. Lyam reached for another book, a small one filled with simple words and illustrations. "Here," he said, holding it out to her. "This one's for you. It's a story about a sea spirit who helps fishermen find their way home."

Her eyes lit up, her hands trembling slightly as she accepted the book. "A sea spirit?" she asked, her voice a blend of awe and excitement. "Like... me?"

He nodded, his gaze soft and full of affection. "Exactly like you. When I first read it, it made me think of you—of someone kind and mysterious, looking out for those she cares about."

Sirène's cheeks flushed, and she opened the book, her fingers brushing over the pages as if she were holding something precious. "I want to be able to read this myself someday," she whispered, glancing up at him. "To know the story as you do."

Lyam reached out, his hand resting over hers. "You will," he promised, his voice steady and full of quiet conviction. "I'll help you, every step of the way."

They sat together, her head leaning against his shoulder as they poured over the simple book, each word like a step on a path they were walking together. The golden light from the setting sun poured through the windows, casting a gentle glow over them as they laughed and stumbled through words, side by side.