Daughters of the Land

X.| The Sea Children

Nukula starred down at the Sea Children who glared back. Their human-like faces were mesmerising and their innocent eyes widened until their pupils dilated. Nukula kept her eyes fixated to theirs, whilst attempting to bring her feet up out of their trap, but the monsters followed her motion and floated up until they sat just beneath her chin.

She shrieked inwardly, although she remained calm. A little part of her believed in the Dears when they said, the Sea Children brought no harm. They were nothing like the stories her mother and father had told nor what her service teachers had claimed. They were everything the Dears spoke of, with the exception of hair- they were bold and that they only existed in Uta.

"What is it?", she whispered to the hovering fish-like humans. They starred up at her and frolicked, splashing their shiny fins, causing commotion in the dark silence that had been.

"Stop, stop...sssh", she hissed raising her finger to her lips, in an attempt to be understood by them and unheard by any others. The distant noise had subsided and a calm of silence was beginning to grow.

The Sea Children followed her instructions and awaited her next move. Their slightly larger heads seemed too heavy for their fragile bodies, which were covered in iridescent scales. They were beautiful unlike the stories that spoke of them having devilish faces and sharp teeth.

They were fixated on her until the eldest in appearance, suddenly looked away; dissatisfaction and fear indicated through his human expressions. He began forward with the others in succession.

She watched helplessly when she realised she would soon be alone again. "Oh will you stop...", a sudden voice gasped from below.

The Sea Children grew their eyes large and faced her with immediate shock. Their glare spun over to the smallest of their two, who remained closer to her.

Nukula had heard that Sea Children could talk but never believed in it. It was however credible now that she had seen them in the flesh, making the acceptance of having other human traits very much possible. After all, this was a world that homed the likes of Dragons, Witches, magic and evil Emperor's.

Nukula searched the water with her eyes. "Di-did you just- I don't believe-".

"Oh you've done it now Robedd, father's going to be cross-", a soft voice interrupted.

Panicking and causing small splashes, the smallest of the Sea Children looked around apologetically to the others. "I didn't mean to, he was nudging me-".

"No I wasn't, you were just too close-".

Nukula watched them quarrel with intrigue. She had seen terrors in the dark and magic roam the land, but never foreign creatures that spoke similarly to her.

They had noticed her starring and froze like dead fish. "The Dears were right, Sea Children speak?", she whispered more to herself than to them.

After moments of silent floating, the largest male creature spoke. "Do forgive my brother, he's young and has no business in frightening you. We were just passing-".

"No, no he didn't frighten me. I was a little nervous but I see there's no reason to be", she said focusing her gaze on Robedd who kept his face down in embarrassment.

He looked up to Nukula's warm words and smiled, flashing his beautiful sapphire eyes. "I like her, she's very pretty-".

"Stop! You stop right there Robedd, don't you think about it!", wailed the only female creature, as she rushed in front of his gleaming face.

The other Sea Children circled the little creature too, leaving Nukula. Their whispers echoed in the silence. "She is not ours to take, don't you dare, we've already done too much", she heard one say.