Tatiana or more commonly known as Tate was an Icelander who saw the beauty in everything, literally. She saw the beauty in starvation and being abandoned, maybe because she was an unusual child, the only one who had run-ins with the man from the sea...
I got changed and brushed my hair, today I had something to do other than laundry, mama was working in the tavern so I had to help, thankfully it was only part of the day. I was deeply hoping the fish man wasn't going to be there, that would be awkward . Gunnar is practicing fishing so I hope they're helping each other.
Half an hour into my shift, I heard that deep voice "Whiskey" and turned around handing my mama the whiskey so she could pour him a glass "How's tatia today?" I could practically hear the smirk in his voice "she's working with me today,Gunnar is down at the docks learning to fish with the other fishermen" I picked out from behind the shelf and smiled, he returned the gesture "No trouble recently?" I saw her peak over her shoulder "none that I'm aware of" he got up and took the bottle, was he allowed to do that? He did it anyway and told mama that the drink was on the fisherman he walked in with then walked out. Great, just great.
Once I finished I went and found Gunnar "Tatia, you won't believe this, I'm going to where all the other fishermen are, to where your papa and viktor went. Isn't it great? I'll finally meet them." I felt my eyes go wide but put on a fake smile "yea Gunnar, that's fantastic,congratulations " he looked 'great' in his tank top and suspenders "Tatia, you are happy, yes?" I gave a fake smile" yes, yes I'm happy, just tired from the tavern" he was practically glowing with excitement, I knew I would never see him again,like my brother and father.
I sat on the edge of the bridge on the lake, it was meant for feeding ducks but there aren't anymore, I saw a grown man sit next to me "you decided not to tell him. You could be saving him y'know?" I smiled weakly"he wouldn't listen if I did, he's been looking forward to this his whole life, the boys in the town, their own aim in life is to become a full fledged fisherman and bring home fish to their wives" I saw his icy blue eyes glance at me "a woman's goal is to marry a fisherman, a mans goal is to be that fisherman. They won't listen if you tell them otherwise " this time he properly looked at me "you watch people a lot don't you? Even though you know your never going to see him again, you letting him fulfill what he wants in life" I smiled, I'd never thought of it that way "everyone has one chance at life, live it how you want to or there's no point living it, this so what he wants to do. I'm just not looking forward to saying goodbye"
I was about to go on when I heard my mother calling and saying it was time to go, to say goodbye at the train station "speak of the event" before he could say anything, I got up and and ran home and went to get my coat. We walked to the station and waited for the train "I can't wait to meet them, your papa and viktor" I gave a weak smile and waved as he ran onto the train, that left me, mama and Gunnar's mama who was weeping for her son.
My mind went back to the day I stood on this platform, with papa and to never see him again
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Flashback
"Papa do you have to go?" I stared at papa as he stroked my hair as if it was the last time he was he's ever going to see me "I'll be back before you know it, viktor will take care of you, remember this. You get one chance Tatia, one chance at life, live it your way or no way, do you understand Tatia?" I held back the tears "yes papa, my way or no way papa" I saw him smile weakly "þetta er stelpan mín(that's my girl)" I gave him a smile just once he didn't come back, many Icelandic men die when they go to where my father was going, I didn't know where that was but I knew many children fatherless because they're father had left for 'veiðiferðin sem við munum vera minnt fyrir' which translates to 'the fishing trip we will be remembered for', I hadn't gone out that day, I couldn't face Gunnar with a face which was broken. Viktor would be leaving in a few years for the same trip, and I would lose him too.
He was all I had left, the other kids called me 'Útlínur(Outsider) and villt dýralíf (wildlife freak), even sometimes spennandi leitarvél (thrill finder). In Iceland everyone was supposed to be calm and chill about everything, everything was supposed to be the same everyday but I could never settle for less, so I found new ways of entertaining myself everyday. Everyone knows how to speak Icelandic in Iceland but just incase someone don't, we speak English, that's why I didn't understand why the other kids were yelling things at me and I didn't recognise the words, so when Viktor heard the words, he rushed out and yelled back at them in the same language they were speaking, then he taught me the language."
Flashback end
As we walked back, I held back the tears but didn't manage to hide the vacant look of sadness on my face which the fishman saw as we walked back, he went to my mother as I curled up by the fire inside my home.
Arthur's POV
I saw Tatia with an expression I'd never seen her with before, loss. I went to Gina "what's with her?" We both watched as Tatia went inside the house to do god knows what "she's like that everytime someone disappears from her life, she won't speak to anyone for months,let alone come outside, then we have to watch her so she doesn't start hurting herself again" I couldn't believe this kid was able to do things as hurting herself and cutting herself off from the outside"again?" Her mother gestured to her wrists "once she starts, she struggles to stop again, last time she started was when her father left, she was doing well at stopping then Viktor left and all went back to when her father left" she traced lines against her wrist where tatia's were supposed to be and went inside.
If she wasn't going to come out for a while, I should go back to helping the rest of Iceland, then maybe in a while come back to her.
