by E J Pay
“Please forgive my not having first addressed you. It is customary that I first meet with those under my command like Pisces before introducing myself to our new entrants. Since, however, I have met with you on the highway, I have had to deviate a bit from protocol. As I am sure you understand from Pisces, I am Lady Pescara.”
I struggle to find my voice and croak out my answer. “I’m Evelyn. Evelyn Marin.” Lady Pescara looks at me like my name is not new to her – like she has been waiting for me. I swear I feel a similar emotion from Pisces.
“Of course, Evelyn. We have been expecting you and I can certainly see the family resemblance in your face. Pisces, I will escort Ms. Marin from here.” Pisces dips his head in a bow and I release my grip on the handles of his bridle. I swing my leg over his back and slide to the stone pathway beneath my feet. Pisces raises up his head again, faces me and bows once more before swimming back toward the gates. I turn to Lady Pescara. “I’m sure you have many questions for me Evelyn,” she says. “Why don’t we walk together to the temple and I will do what I can to enlighten you about your new situation.”
“Thank you, I would like that very much,” I say. I more than like it. I need it.
I can barely move. This evening is more astounding to me than my first encounter with water. I have experienced so many emotions that I feel exhausted as I turn to follow Lady Pescara. She swims gracefully by my side, guiding me by the elbow while I move slowly in my jeans and tennis shoes through the water. The more I look around me, the more I see I am an anomaly. Everyone else here is dressed in clothes made from the ocean. Shells and seaweed make up most of the attire on those around me. I take a closer look and see that shoes are rare, at least my kind of shoes. Many people are barefoot with the beginnings of webbing on their toes. Others, closer to my age, have makeshift webbing made from some kind of sea plant and fitted over their feet. And yet others, have full fins like Lady Pescara. All are headed in the same direction. I do my best to turn my attention to what Lady Pescara is saying to me.
“I have lived full time in Atlantis for over 40 years and have command over several of the brigades here. In my human life, I lived for the sea and her secrets. I studied Marine Biology until I finally realized my own capabilities with the sea. It was shortly thereafter that I chose Atlantis as my home. This is a choice that you will one day have, but you have much to learn before a decision of this magnitude can be made.”
“Right now I can’t do much more than follow where you are leading me,” I say. I am glassy-eyed as I look around. Everything I see is both distinct and blurry. I want to see it all and close my eyes at the same time.
“Yes, I know you will have many questions in the coming weeks,” Lady Pescara says. “We will begin your training shortly, but for now, the best place for you to start learning is the war council.”
War council? Training? I have no idea where I am headed or what this woman-creature is talking about. I should be scared out of my wits, but I keep following Lady Pescara. I hope my instincts are leading me in the right direction.
Lady Pescara and I stop at what I assume is the temple. It is an ancient-looking building with a large spire over the door. Two more spires are situated on either side of the first and even those loom above me in the darkness. We enter the building with the mass of people. My eyes adjust to the indoor environment quickly. The glowing lights from the rest of the city are ensconced here triple fold. We are in some kind of corridor that loops around the main room. It is circular in shape and wide enough to accommodate the hundreds of people stopping, talking, and swimming in the space. We make our way through the crowd, her hand still on my elbow to help my water-logged jeans move a little faster.
As we make our way through the large, decaying doors of the inner room, Lady Pescara turns her attention from me. She still holds my elbow but isn’t speaking to me anymore. Instead, she addresses several men to her left. Again, some are finned, some are not. She directs them where to sit. “The balcony to the left,” I hear her say, “I need to take this new recruit to the ground floor. She’s a Marin.” Surprise crosses the faces of most of the men, the oldest keep their reactions in check. I don’t know what is so surprising about my last name, but I am more concerned about being referred to as a new recruit. I haven’t agreed to anything. I don’t even know why I am here. But I’m willing to bet that Lady Pescara knows a lot. Everyone here must have some kind of answers for me if my name is so recognizable.
“Excuse me Lady Pescara,” I interrupt, “I don’t have any idea what is going on. I don’t know anything about a war. All I want is to find out more about my dad. I’m sorry, but I think I have to go.” Lady Pescara looks at me with raised eyebrows and slightly widened eyes.
“Evelyn. I’m surprised you don’t already know about your father. I assumed you were here because you were completely aware of his life and talents.” I know my father was a good man who gave his life for his family, but my father is dead. What I want to know is why and how. What led him to his death? Did he suffer long? Was he happy to be in the ocean at least? Did he think of me and my mom when he died or was he too afraid?
Lady Pescara interrupts my thoughts. “Evelyn, we will take time to fill you in, but for now, let me take you to where the new recruits are sitting. You can decide later if you want to stay or not, but please just sit and listen through the meeting. You will learn more than you think.” She takes me by the elbow again and ushers me away from the group. I follow her silently until we join a group of people my age. Most are wearing a mixture of land clothes and sea clothes. I see a lot of seaweed and several shining shells. I see only one or two wearing denim shorts (better than my long jeans) and some land-use swimwear. Most have very short hair, the rest have their hair in tight buns or braids. Only one or two of the girls have their long hair down, letting it flow in the water. I am suddenly conscious of my heavy clothing. Lady Pescara leaves me with the group and I get a few glances as I move to a seat on the marble bench. The only opening is in the middle so that is where I head. Before I sit, my attention is frozen. I hear a voice I know.
Chapter 9
“Well, it certainly took you long enough to get here. I was beginning to think I was going to have to handle all of this by myself.”
I turn to see who is speaking to me, but the churning in my stomach tells me that I already know. I’m not sure how much more of this I can take in a day. I turn around and see, two rows behind me, the brilliant blonde hair I detest most. It is tied neatly in a bun which is good because I am in the kind of reckless mood that would make me pull anything else. Celia Salvesen is looking right at me. She is the last person I expected or wanted to see on this day of days. The smug look on her face is enough to tell me that she has been watching me for a long time and knew this would happen long before I did. Of course she knew.
“Celia!” What is going on?” I say it louder than I mean to. In fact, I yell it. The people around us stop their conversations to observe this new person yelling in their midst. There is so much green seaweed swirling around me that I am getting dizzy. I can tell that Celia has come up with something terribly intelligent and witty as a reply, but when she opens her mouth to speak, everything around me goes black and I am falling.
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I see fantastical fish and half-people all around me. Many are ignoring me, but others are openly pointing at me and laughing. I am tied to a pair of cement shoes, trying to walk to a bench. I can only move an inch at a time and all the while more and more people are turning their attention to me. The laughter grows louder until I can’t handle the sound anymore. I cover my ears and start screaming to shut them out. I hear my name. “Evelyn!” I stop screaming as awareness fills my mind. I have heard that voice before. It is reaching out to me through my nightmare.
I open my eyes slowly, trying to take in my surroundings. I am in a plain, square room lying on a cot that looks like it has seen better days. The room is quiet and empty
except for me. I look to the window above my head. There are seaweed curtains and I know I am still in Atlantis. I feel a wave of nausea warning that I will black out again, so I close my eyes and just focus on my breathing.
I hear someone come in through the doors, but I keep my eyes shut. I’m not sure I can keep from being dizzy again or, even worse, being ill. I can tell that whoever has come in, has done so quietly and is sitting by my bed. I hear lady Pescara’s voice from the door.
“Are you sure she’s ready for you? She seems to be unable to cope with the events of the day. Maybe you had better try talking to her tomorrow.”
“No, I’m sure she needs to see me now,” says the soothing, familiar voice.
I am mortified and ready to hide in those hideous seaweed curtains, but I am not a magician.
“Evelyn. Evelyn, can you hear me?” Yes, I hear him, but I’m not ready to open my eyes, so I nod. “Evelyn, everything is going to be okay. I’m here with you. You are okay and I can explain everything.”
“You should have explained long before today, Jack.” I can’t handle this new strain and I turn over to cry, willing myself not to be sick. Jack, my boss and the guy I have been falling for, is here. I think I am having a very, very bad dream this time. There is no way that so many people in my life are actually in the water too and have not bothered to tell me. This is insanity.
“Evelyn. I’m sorry. But it doesn’t work that way. You had to find us on your own. That’s the only way you would have been ready for everything.” I don’t feel ready for everything I have seen today. “Evelyn, look at me. Let me talk to you. I can tell you anything you want to know. What can I do to help you right now?”
His hand is on my shoulder now. I know that hand. I have looked at it almost daily for months, and yet it is like I don’t even know the man it is attached to. This is a new life. It is like a lie he kept hidden from me. I don’t expect Jack to tell me all of his secrets, but I feel betrayed. He could have helped me before today. He could have been the one to answer my questions rather than let me get it via shock. He could have helped me more the first time I breathed water. He could have told me then that he could breathe it too. Why on earth did he not tell me anything? Why did he have to leave it to James to tell me? To let me be broken again by the same person who did it before? I am so uncomfortable with these two people in this close space. There is only one thing I want right now.
“Jack, I just want to go home. I can’t do this right now. Please, Jack. Please let me go home.”
“You’d better take her. We can reconvene the council tomorrow.” Lady Pescara has an air of leadership in her tone. Did they call off a war council just because one new recruit passed out? That doesn’t make any sense, but really I don’t care anymore. I just want to go home. I need to cry and I need my bed. Somewhere inside me, I want my mom, but I know that is out of the question. I am going to be alone this time and that will have to be enough.
Jack puts his arm under my back to lift me up. I refuse to open my eyes when he is so close to my face. I allow him to get me into the upright position and I sit up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.
“I’m fine, Jack. You don’t have to hold me up.” Once I feel Jack’s arm leave me, I open my eyes. Lady Pescara is floating in the water in front of me. Her face is largely unreadable since she stands in front of the light, but there is unmistakable disappointment in her voice.
“Given your parentage, I thought you would have been more capable of handling your new situation today. You did step into the open water freely, did you not? Nobody pushed you, did they?”
“No, I wasn’t pushed, but I wasn’t expecting…well, I’m not sure what I expected. I just wasn’t ready for it, that’s all. I’m sorry, Lady Pescara.” Even though I don’t know this woman, I feel guilty for letting her down. Maybe it’s because she is a commander in an army, maybe it’s because she is disappointed in me. It isn’t anger she expresses. It isn’t cruelty. It’s the feeling that she knows I can do better but have fallen short of my capabilities. Whatever the reason, I know I want to be in Lady Pescara’s good favor.
“If I can just go home and rest and think for a while, I think it would help a lot. I can come back again tomorrow if that’s okay. I just need to have some space to myself.”
A measure of satisfaction enters Lady Pescara’s voice. “I think that is agreeable. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow then.” She pauses, assessing me. “Be sure to get plenty of rest, fluids, and good nutrition. I want you to be strong when we next meet. There is much to discuss and much to take care of.”
“Yes ma’am. I’ll be ready.”
“Good. Jack, please help Evelyn get home, then come back here and we will talk about how to proceed.”
“Yes, Lady Pescara. Right away,” Jack answers. Lady Pescara goes out to the hall and Jack and I are left in the silence. I make my way to my feet, shrugging off his hand when he offers help. I needed him before and he wasn’t there. I am determined to not need him now.
“Look Jack, I don’t really want your help getting home. My problem is that I have no idea how to get there from here so I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
Jack smiles and nods, “How about you just let me escort you home and we’ll let that be it for today?”
“Agreed.”
Jack leads me from the room, but I am slow in my heavy clothing. I allow him to hold me by the elbow and guide me. We make our way through hallways and corridors, some with ceilings, some without. I’m not keeping track of where we are going. I just go where I am led. Eventually, we make our way outside and to the city gates. The life that was missing there when I first arrived has now made its way home. The meeting is over.
Tired as I am, I am still fascinated to see the life that swims outside. People and fish are intermingling in the streets, having conversations and cleaning up for the night. Some turn to look at Jack and me as we make our way to shore, but for the most part, everyone ignores us. I see one or two couples in the crowd, but no children. Just adults. Everyone here is an adult. I want to ask Jack about it, but I still am not ready to be on speaking terms with him.
We make our way to the bottom of the Continental Slope where several large fish are waiting with harnesses on their backs. We are not the only ones leaving for the night. I count at least 12 others who are mounting fish. After only a moment or two, two large fish head toward us. One fish Jack mounts quietly. The other fish I recognize is Pisces.
Pisces comes to my side and turns so I can easily mount his back. I climb into the saddle and am comforted by the silent creature beneath me. I trusted him and he led me to something entirely new and overwhelming. And yet, I cannot help but feel comfortable in his presence. It feels like a great burden falls from my shoulders as I grab the reigns and Pisces swims forward. I swear he is trying to comfort me. I am happy to be with him again.
In 15 minutes, Jack and I are at the edge of the Continental Shelf. Our fish swim about 50 feet forward onto the shelf and stop. I know it is time to dismount. I reluctantly climb down from Pisces and cast a remorseful glance in his direction. Jack’s fish has already turned away, but Pisces looks steadily into my eyes. He is telling me something that I can understand. It is reassuring. I need that communication. I need Pisces. I know I will be back.
I touch Pisces just below the strap on his lower mouth to say goodbye. I turn away and am guided by Jack until I can swim with reasonable speed on my own.
Jack is respectful of my need for silence as we venture toward my dorm. I find my apartment door unlocked and head inside. I turn to Jack who stands, waiting, outside my door, a look of concern on his face. I must look like something the cat dragged in.
“I’ll be fine Jack. I promise. Thank you for bringing me home. I promised Lady Pescara I would return and I will. I just need to recoup a bit first.”
Jack gives me a silent nod and turns to leave. There is more I want to say to him, more I want to ask, but I cannot find the wor
ds. I close the door, make my way through the dark to my room, and lay on my bed. I am soaked, but it doesn’t matter. I turn my face toward the pillow and let myself cry. I lay like that for hours, but eventually, as the sun begins to make my window light, I fall asleep.
Chapter 10
When I finally open my eyes, a different light penetrates my window pane – the light of evening. I slept the entire day. At first my sleep was barraged with dreams of fantasy. I tossed and turned and even once woke myself up when I yelled out loud. I felt like I was being attacked by something, but my reactions to its grasp were slow and inhibited. Eventually, sleep overcame my hysteria. I felt warmth and comfort again and was able to let go of my frantic thoughts. It was a deep and resounding sleep that allowed me to gain my much needed peace. I stopped dreaming and all was darkness and quiet. It is strange to now open my eyes to an eerie evening light. I feel out of place. Everything feels out of place. I am unwanted by my boyfriend, ignored by my roommates, and I am merely tolerated by some fantastical mermaid.
I make some movement in my bed as I try to get to my feet, but I am unnerved by my appearance. The heavy, wet clothing that clung to me as I fell asleep in the early morning hours is gone. Instead, I am wearing fresh pajamas. Not my pajamas, but Celia’s. I am suddenly very aware of how I got this way. As I sit up in bed, Celia enters the room.
“Lady Pescara assigned me to look after you last night. I was sure that you would be fine on your own, but she insisted. It’s a good thing too. When I got home you were a shivering mess. I got you dressed into something warm and dry and you finally conked out.