Oceans Call

Chapter 7: Crippled

My bubble's surface was cool to the touch, as chilled as the rest of my cave. Even the statue-like guards shivered, rubbing their goosebumps away. I closed my eyes tightly, my body tensing instinctively, waiting for the pain of the breakthrough to begin. But all I felt was humiliation as Aaronarra began to laugh at me, along with Eriladar.

"What?" I snapped. "Why are you laughing at me?"

"I will not be entering your mind, child. Only physical and mental contact with these mystical waters will trigger your breakthrough."

"How am I supposed to do that if I can't breath underwater?" I asked, sounding and feeling exhausted.

"That is the point," Aaronarra chuckled. "You will not be able to breathe, initially," he added before I could protest. "But most likely, now that you know of your Undine roots, you will be ready. The breakthrough will most likely happen immediately," Aaronarra said.

"Most likely. Good to know that my life is riding on 'most likely'." My voice trembled like a cooked noodle in a tornado.

Aaronarra's eyes glowed a pale green - completely different from their usual dark tone - and glazed over, taking on the appearance of misty sea glass. Suddenly, my bubble began to shimmer and quiver before slowly dissipating into the surrounding water completely, no longer visible to the eye. I choked and clutched at my throat as the water collapsed over me, soaking into my skin. My eyes bulged and I felt myself writhing in agony, desperate for sweet air to enter my lungs once more.

An unexpected peace came over me and I realized what was happening. This "breakthrough" was like a mental  battle between myself and all my doubts, the things I had been to afraid to consider.

Did my mother just throw me on the beach because she didn't want me? Am I supposed to become a princess? What if my people don't like me? There will be so much to learn, what if they all despise me? What if I become a Shadow? Do the people even need me? Is this real? Will I ever see my family again? Should I trust Aaronarra and Eriladar? Should I trust myself?

I had to overcome them. I had to step into the role I was destined to, take the path that I would forge for myself. I had to believe in myself and not just shove my doubts away, but overcome them. I had to adopt myself, both my strengths and my faults. I wasn't going to hide my face in shame. I would lead these people. I would become who I was meant to be.

As I breathed in my first gulp of water, I knew who I was. I wasn't a princess. I wasn't unwanted. I wasn't despised or rejected. I wasn't even human, though the flawed side of me certainly was. And I wasn't Undine either. 

I was Melody. Just Melody. Not Princess Melody or Queen Melody. It was just me and the water, like it had been on the beach all those times. 

Strength poured into me, like the water poured into my lungs. No longer was I trapped in a cage. I was free. And I was going to stay that way.

Aaronarra's eyes faded back to their original fern green and the bubble cell popped back up, this time empty. The cavern around me lent little light, though the bubble seemed to give off a light of its own, like a spotlight revealing its star, or in this case prisoner.

"She did it..." Eriladar murmured.

Aaronarra studied me intensively. "Fascinating... never has someone adjusted so quickly after breathing air for such an extended period of time. Especially considering that you never knew of your capabilities. Simply marvelous." I squirmed slightly under his gaze, uncomfortable with the strange glint in his eye. Like I was an exotic insect beneath a microscope's lens and he was wondering whether to crush me or lock me in a cage. 

"So... what now?" I asked awkwardly. 

"Now we will take you home, to your chambers to rest," Eriladar said, an awed expression still pasted on his face. "These past few nights have been long, and I think you deserve a bed to sleep in." 

Got that right, I thought.

"Then, when you're ready, we'll introduce you to the people. I will call upon the best tutors to educate you on monarchy, battle tactics, martial arts, science, Undine culture, and any other classes that I think will prove useful to you," he finished.

The whole process seemed too casual and easy to me. Can I trust them? What if this is some crazy science experiment I don't recall signing up for? I shoved the thoughts away before they could work themselves into my mind permanently.

I yawned, glancing at Aaronarra as he did the same, showcasing his sharp, pearly white teeth. His tongue was different from that of a human or Undine. It was broad and flat, the tip dividing into two spades.Weird...

Eriladar started out of the cave and, reluctantly, I followed. I gave my guards mock salutes as I passed, laughing when they returned them, confused expressions on their faces. Eriladar turned to swim towards the entrance, and I spun in the water after him. He swam with ease, cutting through the water effortlessly. He let his arms drift in the water beside him, leaving his legs to propel him through the water. I tried to mimic his pose, but I just ended up doing the breaststroke.

The cavern seemed to be an elaborate prison. Each long corridor I peered into seemed to contain one or more bubble cells. I wonder if there are other humans locked within them. Individual cells had one to two guards in addition to the two posted at the hall's entrance. Some cells were accommodated, but most were empty. Nothing discerned the halls from each other save runes engraved in the walls. I suspected that either they were Undine letters, or a secret code that only the guard knew of, making escape even more difficult for unenlightened prisoners. 

As we neared the entrance, the main tunnel grew taller. After swimming through it for a half an hour, we arrived at a dead end. Aaronarra came up behind me, only his glowing green eyes visible in the dark water. The wall towered at least sixty feet over me. It was seamless, but the guards beside it told me that it must open. As expected, the hidden door let out a groan before grinding open. 

I inhaled sharply as I surveyed the beautiful waters around me. We stood on a island of rock, (underwater of course), covered in vibrantly colored lichens, mosses, coral, and other aquatic plants. Gleaming fish danced through the water towards us. They weren't afraid of our party, instead begging for my attention and nibbling my fingers gently with their toothless mouths and flicking their long fins over my skin, tickling me. I turned around, expecting some magical prison, but all I saw was the dark wall of stone that was the cavern's entrance, sealed shut. If I hadn't just witnessed it's movement, I wouldn't have even known the door existed. I shuddered and spun around again, wishing I could erase the memory from my mind. 

"How do people get inside the prison? Is there a knocking pattern?" I asked. 

Eriladar shook his head and pointed up. I had to crane my neck to see the prison's roof. Among the rocky outcroppings perched at least four guards, gazing down at us curiously. "They admit who I have allowed access to the prison."

We continued forward, growing ever closer to the cliff's edge. I never thought someone would enjoy living beside a prison, I thought as the fish left us to swim amongst themselves, scales gleaming cheerily. 

"So... Is this home?" I gestured to the prison behind us. 

Eriladar laughed heartily. "No, no, no!" He shook his finger at me. "We live over there." He pointed to a distant island that I had somehow missed.

"But first, we have to get across the trench."
~*~*~*~

A/N
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