A Ripple In The Ocean

Chapter 9, part 1- Sorin

The grey waves crashed loudly against the dull rocks.  When it was sunny the cliffs looked better than any gold could.
The ocean spray caught the wind and brushed upwards. The wind caught my sodden hair and sent it flying.

I waited by the harbor.

Ships around me had been anchored down and tightly bound to the shore. Their bells and loose ropes rattled about in the wind making a chaotic symphony.

I watched Sorin walk down the pier. The wind pulled at his brown hair and pushed it into his eyes. His lips were pulled into a tight line and his eyes darted about.

I smiled, "Hey"

He clutched my cloak tightly in his arms. "Ceto...".
I had always loved that pet name he had given me, it always sounded right on his tongue but now his voice was filled with urgency. "People are-" the wind cut him off, his gentle voice disappearing in the road of the wind. even with my immortal hearing he was still too quiet.

I clung to the ladder as the waves crashed into me, "Sorin, I can't hear you" I said above all the sound.

He threw a glance down the pier where figures began emerging the light mist that had settled this morning. "Y-you have to go" he urged. Sorin looked back down to me, panic in his eyes.
I understood what was happening, it had happened before. I'm seen as more of a pest than a magical being, no matter how much I blessed this small town.

I shook my head.

"Please" Sorin silently whined and couched down to meet me. His eyes began to tear up.

I drew my trident out of the water. "I'm not leaving you".

The wind batted his coat and his muddy-brown hair about. "You have to" he begged.

The figures became more clear as the walked closer.

I hastily began the spell.
"Ceto. Don't." Sorin pleaded.

Under the water I wriggled my new toes before climbing up the ladder. The wet clothing that clung to me almost dragged me back down. "No".

He didn't bother to object and passed my cloak to me.
I stood up, leaning on the trident for support and put the thick fabric around my shoulders. "I won't leave you" I promised.

Sorin nodded before shuffling behind me.

The townspeople came fully into view but stopped roughly thirty steps away. One held a small lantern that did little to light up the storm. "Hand it over and no one will get hurt." One woman near the front of the group said to Sorin.

He didn't reply.

I hit the floor with my trident and the waves even paused to hear me. "Leave him out of this" I was thankful I didn't need to shout over the wind. "What do you want from me?"

A cloaked person stepped forward, "A man is offering us enough money to turn this town into a city just for your scales." He shrugged casually "...And your power is too dangerous to keep around".

My stomach tightened at the words. I should have known; Fear, greed.

Before I could reply Sorin growled a curse. "You touch him and I swear I'll put an end to your miserable existence!"

The man grinned coldly. "You can try"

I slammed the trident down but harder this time, a thunder clap in the distance followed. "There will be no bloodshed". My cloak flapped violently in the growing wind.
Through the roar I heard the sound of a bowstring being drawn.
I searched the crowd and the surrounding town. They must be well hidden, I can't find them.

The waves lapped over the side of the pier and brushed against me in warning.

I raised my trident and tried to focus on where that archer was hidden.

"Ceto, what is it?" Sorin placed a hand on my shoulder.

I heard the snap before my instincts kicked in. I raised my trident, I felt the arrow hit it. Followed by the sound of flesh piercing.
A sharp pain that flashed across my shoulder.
I blinked twice.
I looked down at my shoulder, it was fine.

Desperately trying to figure out what had happened, I looked to the group in front of us and back.

A short gasping breath sounded from behind me. "Ceto" the wind stopped at my nickname, only replaced by a ringing in my ears.

I turned around too slowly as I saw Sorin fall to his knees.
An arrow protruding from his left shoulder.
The arrow that had ricocheted off my trident.

The pain in my shoulder grew.  My throat seized up. It hurt, so much. I knew why.

I caught Sorin and held him close to my chest. His blood staining my damp white shirt.
My chest heaved and my heart ached. "Help", I cried out but my plea was left unanswered.

All that remained off the group was that man and two others. They walked closer slowly.

Sorin gripped my wet shirt. "Ceto, go" he breathed.

Unable to form words; I shook my head and scooped him up. I blindly grabbed my weapon.

The man let out a heartless laugh. "Not so tough now are you" he growled and pointed a sword at me.

I shook my head, "I never was". Before he could even utter another word I dove into the murky water.

I resurfaced again just off the shore with Sorin in my arms. He let out a cough and groaned.
I repeated his name again and again, like pray. As if it could keep him here with me.

"I knew" he whispered hoarsely. His blood combined with the sea colouring it a bright red.

My breathing sped up and a sob broke free. He knew, of course he did. It was so god damn obvious.

I could smell the saltiness of his tears over the smell of the sea. "I love you" he smiled and placed a hand on my cheek. The sparkle in his eyes began to fade.

I grit my teeth a the pain and forced more words out. "Sorin don't go… please"

"I know, I know. I don't want to leave" Sorin said through clenched teeth.

I placed my hand on top of his. "I-i will find you in your next life" I quietly whispered but loud enough for him to hear.

"You promise?"

I nodded quickly.

"Good, I will find you" he held my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

I smiled sadly and wiped the sea weed of his hair. "Not if I find you first" I whispered.

his voice was lost in the waves. His lips formed two pained words, 'Don't forget'.

I smiled and rested my head against his, I could feel the breaths get shorted and his warmth fade, "I love you" I whispered.
I could feel his smile, his final joy.

I floated there with him until his chest didn't rise.

A sob racked through my body. the waves tried to calm me because they knew what came next.

But I would never see his smile again, never hear his voice… a hole in my chest began to form, it teared through all this happiness that had built up over the last couple year's.
I cry rattled through me and thunder rattled the earth. The waves began to grow but they couldn't fix the hole in my heart. A tear broke free.

A siren's tears. Everyone knows, they cause storms, hurricanes even, that last for weeks on end. Countless ships and vessels could disappear during the storms, thousands of lives are lost. Dangerous just like the townspeople said.
The silvery tear landed in the water. A shooting star in the night sky.
The storm began.

____________
Note:

Aaahhhhhhh. No joke I cried when I wrote this. I loved Sorin so much ):
Sorry for not updating last week.
Don't forget to leave a vote or a comment.
Thanks for reading.