Savia's Heart [Sequel to Bastian's Song] [HIATUS]

[ 25 ]

[ Lachlan ]

The water seemed to flow behind them, pushing them over leagues as quickly as the sun itself traveled. Laughter now interspersed the tense silence between the two mermen and there was hope in the light that bathed them on their journey. From the coast of Manus, the two traveled West, and into the deeper waters that humans rarely traversed.

Pinning down the location of a Selkie tribe was as difficult as speaking to the augur of the Sun, but in a way that proved to be overall less aggravating. It took them a month of searching, but they arrived in high spirits to greet the elder of the tribe.

The wizened mermaid, her hair was more grey than black at this point in her life, greeted them with a smile. "Cousin Lachlan," she greeted them. "You and your companion are welcome to stay with us a time. Your aunt mentioned you might be by for a visit, but she didn't tell me why. Ceili loves her mysteries."

Lachlan could only nod in agreement. His aunt had a way with dramatics that made him look tame by comparison. "I'm pleased to meet you, Cousin Damini. May Selene bless you with health for your kindness."

Militum, for his part, nodded to the older mermaid. She seemed to be fine with that as a greeting, because she didn't pursue anything more formal. Damini's tribe was small, as far as Selkie tribes went, and more well-traveled than most. Their family hugged the human coasts of a land the merfolk called Vrska. Lachlan didn't know the human name for it, but he was certain it would be less elegant.

"We are on a quest, cousin." He smiled at Damini. Instinct told him that the mermaid would be more open to helping them if he didn't skirt the topic. Her eyes were full of power, and he didn't want to get on her bad side.

"Mother mentioned there was a senachie here who might be able to guide us to information on a missing merperson. I know it's a long shot, but we're here to speak with them."

Damini frowned. "You seek a story to help you with a lost person?" She sounded more thoughtful than disbelieving.

Lachlan could only shrug at her. "It's a bit odd, I'll give you that. But Aunt Ceili seemed to think it could help us. We know that he's alive, we just don't know where he is. And we'd like to find him sooner rather than later. We've some inkling that he may be in need of help."

The elder reached up and twined a lock of hair around her claws. "Perhaps we can help, but what you ask of us is...difficult." Damini looked away from them, a flicker of guilt passing in her eyes before she could hide them. "You should rest for a time. I'll speak with the senachie for you, and entreat her to speak with you."

The mermen both bowed to her, placing their hands over their waists. They watched her leave the small tent that was her home, and then they looked to one another in unison.

"Aren't senachie's supposed to want to tell their stories?" Militum asked in his low voice.

"Typically. I wonder what all the secrecy is about." Lachlan shrugged again. "But there's not much we can do about the situation. If we don't get to hear what she has to say, or if it doesn't help us find Bastian, then we're still in the same situation as before. Now we know he's alive, at least, and that he's human." He shivered. The thought of a Naiad becoming human was so unnatural that it gave him chills.

"You raise a fair point," Militum conceded. "But I wonder if we're not going to bring more trouble to ourselves than we think."

Lachlan laughed. "Militum, dear friend, I think that goes without saying. We are a magnet for trouble, even without Bastian next to us."

Militum frowned. He opened his mouth to say something, and then closed his lips and frowned more deeply. Together, the two waited in companionable silence, relaxing in the small, mobile shelter that rested upon the sandy floor of the ocean.

It had been interesting to see how this Selkie tribe lived. From above, the tents that housed them looked like nothing more than peculiar outcroppings of rock nestled at odd intervals on the floor. Lachlan was sure that effect was purposeful. No doubt pretending to be rocks had saved them from many curious predators and protected them from the prying eyes of humans.

Damini's tent was smaller than the average one, and Lachlan had no idea what it was made out of, but it felt smooth to the touch. Inside the tent was only a small bag and a stone about the size of his head that gave off an incredible warmth. Trapped inside the tent, the warmth permeated the sand and gave Lachlan a sense of comfort that made him relax.

His eyes drooped and he yawned. Militum didn't stop him as he laid down on the sand and drifted off into a light sleep. When was the last time he had felt so at peace? He couldn't remember.

A soft voice woke him up, and he sat upright to see two mermaids had joined them in the tent, along with Damini. One looked to be around two hundred or so years old, her dark hair plaited behind her shoulders in an elegant style. Her face had a few creases, marks of worry, and her shoulders were slightly hunched over—as though she were afraid of being too confident.

At her side, with one of the older mermaid's hands on her shoulder, was a young mermaid. She couldn't be more than thirty five, with the rounded cheeks of youth, and golden brown skin. Her own hair was jet black and braided more messily to the side and over her shoulder. Judging by the similarity of the mermaid's tails—mostly brown but with a single streak of gray—the two were mother and daughter.

"This," Damini said in gentle voice, "is Vritika and her daughter, Chhavi."

Lachlan translated the names in his head. Thoughtful and her daughter, reflection. He smiled. "My name is Lachlan. It is a pleasure to meet you."

The two women did not return the greeting, but the little one looked up curiously at him. There was something serious about her, though he had never met a child so mature at such a young age.

"You must be the senachie?" Lachlan asked Vritika.

She shook her head and lifted her hand from Chhavi's shoulder to place it on her small head instead, as though encouraging her. Chhavi moved a hand closer to the two mermen.

"I am the one you seek," her voice had a strange accent to it. It lilted and slurred in a way different to the language of the merfolk. "I have come to tell you my story. The story of how I returned to the sea, after I was lost. The story of the Finder, and how she can help you to find your loved one."

"Lost?" Lachlan couldn't help the curiosity in his voice. "What do you mean?"

Chhavi folded her arms over her chest and stared directly at him as she spoke. "I mean that I lived on land for a time, as a human."

Suddenly, Lachlan felt that following up here was going to be far more helpful than he had dared to hope for.