The Cultivated Girl

Chapter 34 - Benediction

"Sarsaura my sweetly bred foot," Simone spluttered, trying to spot the Outcasts through the meringue tipped waves. For all she knew the rocky outcrops were way ahead of her or had already fallen behind. Simone tried to remember Joli's coaching; slow your breathing down and lengthen your strokes. There's a long way to go. Pace yourself. Don't panic. She wondered how poor Nada was getting on.

It was beautiful here, floating in the middle of a vast expanse of azure blue. Pale limestone cliffs soared above her, dotted with the occasional tree and the water, although cold, wasn't debilitating as long as she kept swimming.

There, the first of the Outcasts, Toto. Simone's second escape attempt seemed like a distant memory and this time she didn't have Due to guide her. Sanctuary taught them never to regret their actions as every lived experience was a lesson leant. Simone decided that at least she'd learnt not to get too close to the sheer rocks. She cast aside all thoughts of monsters in the deep and the Guild of Destroyers and relaxed into the task at hand. The rest of the swim passed in a trance like state. She felt like she was the only novice in the water although every now and then she'd catch a glimpse of another swimmer passing her. Finally she reached the furthest point of the swim, the last of the Outcasts, and swam around it as instructed, in a clockwise direction, preparing to turn east towards the Hole in the Wall.

A sleek, dark shape appeared in the water beneath her, coming up towards her at a rapid pace. Simone's heart started hammering and she looked around wildly. There was no-one else to be seen. Panicking, she tried to swim away but this shortened her stride and her flailing, splashing arms did little to accelerate her speed.

Before she could draw breath, another three shapes surrounded her. She almost screamed then one popped to the surface, revealing a dolphin's clown face. "Oh my gosh you scared the hell out of me." She started giggling hysterically. "Dolphin or dolketian?"

The creature looked at her quizzically, a bit like Cloud or Skoggi when she was saying something particularly ridiculous. The biggest, covered in a network of scars, playfully jumped out of the water in a graceful arc. Soon, all four were boisterously playing around her.

Simone suddenly realised she was wasting time. "I have to go, I have to finish the swim." The distraction had given her a bit of a lift but she was starting to tire. The dolphins started to get more aggressive, nudging her in a different direction, as if they were trying to lead her somewhere else.

"Easy there. I have to go." This was odd. Animals usually responded really well to Simone without her having to make too much effort. She tried to quell her mounting fear at being miles from shore at the mercy of a pack of sea creatures.

A stockier version of the scarred leader, with white patches, slipped underneath her as support.

"Oh, I get it. You know a shortcut. Can I hang onto you?"

At this point Simone wasn't even surprised when it nodded its head rapidly. She clung to its dorsal fin with her left hand and the leader with her right. The dolphins took off at remarkable speed and before she knew it Simone was planeing through the Hole in the Wall.

"Much easier. Thank you dolphin mobile," she thought to herself. Then the dolphins veered downwards, dragging her under the waves. Simone held her breath, hoping they were just ducking under momentarily but they didn't pause, dragging her deeper and deeper into the crushing depths of the ocean.

Letting go she started to struggle to the surface, only to see the two dolphins bringing up the vanguard of the posse transforming into half-human, half-dolphin forms. Her last thought as something soft was pushed over her head was, "Dolketians!" before soft fuzzy edges vignetted her consciousness.