The Twins from the Sea

Chapter XIX

Moana and Ophelia returned to their room a few hours after the King's death. They swam back together in reverent silence. When they reached the main hallway, Moana saw happy and smiling people milling around the stairs and balconies, and she assumed that they hadn't been told yet. As the two teary-eyed girls rushed past the people, they were given some odd stares. Moana was slightly in front of Ophelia when they reached their room, and she sat down at the wood table as her sister quietly closed the door. Moana had her face buried in her goosebump-covered arms and she trembled and shivered. She saw her sister swallow tears.

"My God, Moana, what have we gotten ourselves into?" Ophelia asked her, dragging her hands across her face. Moana, without looking up, groaned. Ophelia was silent for awhile, then she heard her sit down on the sponge bed. She gave a weary laugh.

"Think about it. This time, just last week, our biggest worries were about... school and our social lives. Now, those seem so..." she trailed off.

"Far away?" Moana said in a muffled voice

"Yeah." Ophelia said, and looked like she wanted to say something, but was interrupted with a sharp rapping on the door. She groaned and swam over.

"Who could it be this time..." Ophelia opened the door and looked at a stranger who was surprisingly tall. He held an envelope and ran his free hand through his long, deep red hair.

"Um, Misses Murray?" he said in an American Accent. Ophelia didn't know there were American Sirens.

"That's us," she said quickly. He scratched his ear.

"It's for you." He handed the unadressed envelope to Ophelia. She wondered how paper worked underwater.

"Thank you," she said, and went to close the door. The Siren held his hand out.

"Wait! My name's Arkadios," he said, flashing a charming and toothy smile. Ophelia raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips.

"That's nice," she said, and once again attempted to close the door, and once again failed.

"I was thinking," Arkadios says and holds the door. "Maybe you wanted to go to the cafe, or the bar, sometime?"

Oh my God, thinks Ophelia. Only two days of being in Jade Bay and she already has someone hitting on her. Sure, this guy was attractive, but he looked thirty years old.

"No thanks," she says, and slams the door before Arkadios can object. Ophelia rolls her eyes and turns back to Moana, who still has her head down on the table.

"Look, Mo," Ophelia says, and shows the envelope to her sister. She looked up and screwed up her face in confusion.

"What?" she croaked. Ophelia was already tearing open the delicate paper. "For us?"

"Yeah, wonder who-" Ophelia started, but stopped when she saw the name at the bottom of the photo.

Mom.

Ophelia gasped and scrambled into a chair next to her sister, and began to read aloud.

Ophelia and Moana,

I have just been made aware of your coming to Jade Bay and am absolutely ecstatic. I hope that you are safe and you are enjoying yourselves. Well, as much as you can before the storm begins. I predict it will be coming soon.

I wanted to let you know before anyone else. But you must know, that you absolutely cannot tell anyone the contents of this letter. They will know in due time. I cannot delay any longer.

I am coming home.

Love always,

Mom

Moana's hand flew to her mouth and a cry escaped her lips. Ophelia was silent, and set the letter down on the table.

"How can we not tell anyone? How long has it been, fifteen years?" Ophelia suddenly screamed. Moana jumped from the sudden outburst.

"Ophelia-" Moana said, reaching out to touch her sister's arm.

"No, Moana, just shut up! I can't keep quiet about something like this! She has been gone from not only her Siren family, but her own children for years! Where has she been, all these years? What could possibly be more important than her family? I can't understand this. I'm leaving. I'm going to tell Grandma that mom's coming and then I'm getting out of here, with or without you!"

Ophelia made a dash to the door, but Moana was quicker. She would not betray her mother like this, no matter what her sister tried to do. She tackled Ophelia to the ground and she cried out in surprise, struggling against Moana's strong grip.

"Let, ugh, go of... meee!" Ophelia said, squirming and pushing against her sister. Moana, more determined than ever, didn't budge.

"I will not let you betray our family like this!" Moana screeched and pinned Ophelia down even harder. Both girls knew that Moana was the stronger of the two. But this didn't mean Ophelia wouldn't fight. Moana, grunting with the effort, pulled her sister up and turned her around to face her.

"STOP!" Moana yelled, causing Ophelia to lay still. She blinked, a surprised look etched on her face. "Just... stop." Moana was crying again. It took everything Ophelia had to not burst into tears, right on the spot.

"Calm down, O," Moana said, loosening her grip on Ophelia. She felt Ophelia relax. "Let's think this through, first, okay?" Ophelia weakly nodded, and Moana let go of her entirely. Ophelia sat up.

"I don't understand," Ophelia said with a deep sigh.

"Understand what?"

"Mom... Mom said she would never keep secrets from us. Do you remember that?" Ophelia looks down, and Moana nods.

"Now, I feel like our whole lives are a secret. Everything. I'm just so frustrated. But... I guess that means that I want to stay, now that I think about it. Stay, and talk to her. To figure things out," Ophelia continues. She seemed to have an epiphany as she talked.

Completely ruining the moment, there is yet another knock at the door. Ophelia groans, and lies back down. Moana gets up this time, and barely opens the door. Arkadios is standing at the other side. Moana pinches the bridge of her nose and speaks.

"What?" she said, with an irritated tone.

"I, ah, heard shouting in the hall. Just checking to make sure everything's okay," he says, trying to peer in.

"We're fine, thanks," Moana said, and gave a purse-lipped smile. "Just having a little argument."

Moana closed the door before Arkadios could object. Ophelia groaned, yet again.

"He probably thinks we're murdering each other in here," Ophelia says, laughing. Moana smiled.

"Yeah, probably," Moana said, and helped her sister to her feet.

---

hi again. I know, it's been way too long since I've updated. but I hope you enjoyed. I know I'm super excited to introduce their mom lol