The Twins from the Sea

Chapter XVIII

Ophelia was stunned, but Moana inwardly grinned. Today had been a day full of surprises, and she was ready for practically anything.

"My... What?" Ophelia said.

"Your mother. Both of you. You look so much like her. Seeing you is like her being here again," the queen said, her eyes swimming with tears again. The poor woman was going through a lot right now. Moana frowned sympathetically, but this got Ophelia thinking. Her head spun with confusion. How did this woman know her mother? Moana beat her to it.

"How do you know her?" she asked, sounding oddly monotonous.

The queen cocked her head. "What do you mean, how I know her? Of course I know my own daughter," she said.

Ophelia could have fainted. It had all happened so fast. Suddenly they heard coughing from beind the bed curtains. The queen closed her eyes, and a painful look flashed across her face. She turned back to the bed, and slowy parted the curtains. Ophelia and Moana peered in behind her. There lied the King, their grandfather. A pang of guilt hit her, although she wasn't sure why. Then she had a sudden thought; what if her grandfather's sickness was the "horrible cost" the prophecy spoke of? If this was true, then he was going to die. The thought made a hot tear trickle down her cheek.

The King's face was pasty white. There was a blue handkerchief lying beside him, spotted red with blood. His gold eyes moved up and they were filled with a sudden light when he saw his granddaughters. He closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh.

"My beautiful," he paused, cringing, but only slightly. "Granddaughters."

Ophelia moved forward and grasped the old Siren's hand. Moana was right behind her, and placed her hand tenderly atop her sister's.

"Your... Your Majesty," Ophelia said, bowing her head. The King chuckled, but it ended in a painful-sounding cough.

"It is I," he said, "that should be bowing to you, my princesses." This made a knot form in Ophelia's stomach.

"Oh, there's no need for that," Ophelia said. Her eyes were swimming with tears again. She was a very emotional person, and it was no surprise that she had become so attached to someone she had just met.

Moana finally spoke up. "Grandfather?" she asked. Ophelia turned to look at her and was shocked to see Moana crying too. Moana hadn't shed a tear since their parents had moved away. Not even when she was stung by a jellyfish last summer.

"Yes, my dear," he said. Ophelia heard the strength leaving from his voice.

"We will save this place. I promise you. We will save it for you. And for everyone else in this kingdom. Your people will not die in vain," Moana said, and Ophelia knew that she meant it. "We will not let you die in vain."

The King smiled. "Thank you."

At this point, both Ophelia and Moana were choking back sobs. Behind them, silent tears streamed down the Queen's face.

The king was dead. The Queen swam forward and a heart wrenching sob ripped through her, shattering Ophelia's heart. She backed away to the back wall, and curled up, burying her face in her tail. She began to cry, and Moana, in an effort to console her, sat beside her sister with her head on her shoulder. It was like this for a while, the Queen mourning over her King, and Ophelia and Moana curled up in the corner. After the Queen had shed enough tears, she walked outside and nodded to the guards. They were having a hard time controlling their emotions as they swam off to inform the doctors. The Queen came back in, and sat down on one of the crimson daybeds. Moana got up and slowly swam over to where she sat, in numb silence. Ophelia stayed put.

"I don't believe that we had a proper introduction," she said, trying to find strength. The Queen shook her head.

"I don't believe we did," she said, and turned to face her granddaughter. "I am Coral, Queen of Jade Bay and all of its Sirens."

Moana smiled. "And I am, ah, Moana Sun, er, resident of, um, Dublin, Ireland," she said, trying to come up with an equally extravagant introduction. The Queen smiled.

"Princess and Heir of Jade Bay," she said. Moana blushed. Ophelia piped up from the corner.

"Ophelia Day, Princess and Heir of Jade Bay, twin sister of Moana Sun," she said, almost inaudible.

"Ah," the Queen smiled contently. "My Twins from the Sea."