“Theodora! How was your trip?” He started to cough, waving his hand at the attendant who handed him a folded cloth. Da pulled it away from his mouth and folded it but not before I saw the blood on it. “I did not expect you back so soon. I thought you would enjoy your time in the Fairy Kingdom.”
“The trip was . . .eventful.” I pull the pendant and carving out of my pocket. “I found these in a cottage near the beach that we meet the Nokken and Fairies at. Can you tell me about them?”
A faraway look came into his eyes that softens his features, he sighed, “It is time.”
He waved his hand at the attendant standing behind him. I watched as the attendant left for a minute and then returned carrying a box. He gently set the box down next to my father and stepped back to his position.
“Please leave us. The guards will hear if we call and get you.” My father didn’t even look to his attendants when he dismissed them.
“Thank you. I will let you know when we need you.” I tried to gentle his brusque nature and watched as the two men left us alone.
Once we were alone, my father removed the lid from the box. “I think it is time that I told you of your mother. You were such a small thing when she passed that I doubt you really remember her.”
“No, I have vague memories of being rocked and sung to. Of playing in the grass with her.”
“Yes, she was beautiful and loved the outdoors. I wish I had understood that when I fell in love with her. Instead I tried to tame the wind and failed.” He sat quietly for a minute. “You know you get your temperament from her. She could be so mercurial, one-minute laughing and the next sobbing. And she never could stay on task.”
He pulled out a letter from the box and handed it to me. “Read this and then we will talk.”
I take the paper from his hand and look at it. Curiosity filled me as I open it to find a letter written in a feminine flowing script.
My Dear Thea,
I hate that I must leave you, but my body isn’t strong enough for this life anymore, especially so far from the sea. I loved every minute with you, your brothers and your father, but a Nereid can’t live so long away from the ocean.
Chapter 40
My head sprang up, “My mother was a mermaid?! I don’t understand. How? I don’t look like one and I hate the ocean.”
“Read on child. Your mother made me swear that I would let her tell the story.”
Yes, I am a Nereid. If I know your father, he hasn’t taught you anything of the other Kingdoms, so you are thinking I am a mermaid. Not quite. Nereids are sea nymphs, living in the oceans, helping to maintain the balance, and visiting with the sea travelers.
That is how your father and I met. I was swimming with my family when I had the vision of a ship sinking. We swam as fast as we could to the ship, but by the time we got there, the ship was gone. The crew and passengers were on small makeshift rafts and floats. I was lucky enough to pick your father’s raft to bring to shore. It was love at first sight.
It isn’t a common practice in our realm for the different Kingdoms and creatures to intermarry, let alone have a child. But your father and I couldn’t stay away from each other. We built a house near the beach, so that we could stay together, and I wouldn’t be far from the ocean. But when the crown passed to him, he needed to be at the Keep. I made the decision to go with him.
At first everything was fine, I would go back to the ocean as I needed to and then return to your father. Your brothers were born, and we were happy, and then ecstatic when you came. But my life was with you and not at the ocean.
I tried to swim with the Nixie, but they wanted nothing to do with me, and their water hurt my gills. I became weaker by the day. Your father tried to save me by getting me back to the ocean, but it was too late.
Nothing but death could take me from my sweet babies. Know that I love you dearly.
Love, your mother
Calaeno
“Da?”
“Thea, I’m sorry for keeping it a secret, maybe it was because it was so hard to talk about her. I loved her so much and she loved you and your brothers dearly. But her family was not accepting of me or any of the Brownies.”
“But why couldn’t you talk to me about her?”
“I don’t know. I always feared that her family would try to harm you. They blamed me for taking your mother away from the sea and eventually killing her. When we married, they threatened any Brownie that sailed, no matter whose ship it was on. The shipmasters of the other Kingdoms started to refuse to carry Brownies because the Nereid refused to help the ships through the seas and to protect the sea travelers from drowning.”
“Is that why the other Kingdoms just tolerate us?” I asked, thinking back to my last adventure with Ansil and the Selkies we had met.
“It is part of the reason. They also want to be able to control the portals, but it is our magic that makes them work, so they are stuck with us. But now it is time that we think to your future.”
“My place is here! I do not need to leave the Bog.”
“You will leave the Bog! You do not belong here with that . . . that . . .that thing you brought here. You thought I would not hear of him. The second that you stepped foot in the Bog, I knew it and who was with you. He is not welcome and as long as you insist on being with him, then you will not be welcome.”
“Da! Do not make me choose. I love you and I love him. He saved my life and is not what you think.”
Da sat up, shaking in anger. “Do not dare to tell me what I think. I know more of the Selkies and their crimes against us than you will ever know. They are not capable of love.”
I looked at my father, tears filling my eyes. I didn’t want to leave like this, to have anger between us. Dad was an old man and not doing well. If I had to leave the Bog, I wanted it to be with happy memories, not anger filled. “Da, please. You told me that I was to learn for myself how the other Kingdoms treat us, to make my own decisions. I have. Not everyone feels the same way about us and painting each Selkie or Nereid with the same brush is not fair and is not the way to bring peace to our realm. Please give us a chance.”
He just glared at me, not hearing me. “My mind is made up. You will leave the Bog as long as you insist on being with him and Ansil and Ortheus. They have already been removed from the guard for their presumption.”
I stared at my father and wondered what happen to the rational man I had known all my life. In his place sat a man full of bitterness and hate. “I’m sorry Da. I love you, but I cannot do that.”
I turned and with one last look at my father, hot tears running down my face, said. “Goodbye Da.”
Chapter 41
I walked into my tent, tears streaming down my face and into the arms of Ortheus.
“He did not take it will, did he?” Ortheus, rubbed my back, offering comfort.
Shaking my head, I sobbed, “No! He. He.” I can’t get the words out.
“He is making her choose. Us or her father’s plan.” Ansil growled as he stepped into the tent. “I followed Thea, wanting to be there if she needed anything. Instead, the captain of the guard spoke with me.” His voice was hard and angry, “We have been removed from the Guard.”
Ortheus hissed. “Is he mad? No one is ever removed from the Guard unless they commit an act against the king or Bog. What have we done to deserve such a dishonor?”
I looked up at Ortheus, “You loved me and defied his plan for my life.”
Brehm took that moment to walk in, “Why the tears? I thought we would be celebrating that you are home.”
I looked at him and started crying again, unable to explain what the past hour had shown me. I waved at Ansil to explain, still crying on Ortheus’ shoulder.
“I wasn’t there for the conversation, but from what the captain of the guard told me, we are now no longer welcome in the Bog.”
“He what?” Brehm’s voice raised.
“I don’t care what he does to Ansil and me, but Thea. . . he is makin
g her choose her father or us.”
“Let’s not discuss that right now,” Ansil said, “we need to figure out where to go from here. Somewhere we can give the King time to cool down.”
I sniffed, “Where can we go? He demanded I leave the Bog with you three.”
The three men looked at each other with the silent question of where.
“We can go to the Selkie Kingdom, I have a home there that we can stay in.” Brehm offered, “But I do not know the reception that you will have there. The Selkie can have long memories and I would hate for you to be hurt by their actions.”
“What about the cottage? That is technically neutral ground.” Ortheus suggested.
“I guess it is as good as any,” I replied. “Brehm will have the sea and as long as we do not wander too far inland, we will technically not be in the Bog. But how will we make it livable?”
“Leave that to us.” Ortheus smiled. “We have ways of getting what we need. Remember it is on a beach that is neutral ground and we have allies.”
Chapter 42
“Rider coming!” Ansil called up the path from the beach. I jumped up and ran to meet him. It had been three months of no contact from Da. He knew where I was and that I technically obeyed him, but he hadn’t attempted to contact me.
“No one comes here, Da forbid it!” I hold my hand to my eyes, trying to make out who is coming, not that it does me any good. With the sun behind him, the rider could be my own brother and I wouldn’t have had a clue.
“It’s a good thing we finished the cottage. I would hate to have your first visitor from home not have somewhere to sit.” Brehm smiled down at me as he hugs me from behind.
We don’t have to wait long for the rider to reach us, his mount lathered and looking like it would fall over.
The Brownie slid off and bowed, “Princess Thea. I come at the Princes request with the sad news that the king has left us. Prince Ailar requests your presence at the funeral and crowning.” The Brownie stopped speaking to look at the men who have surrounded me. “He requests all of you to be present.”
I nodded but was unable to speak beyond the lump in my throat. I had hoped he would soften his stance, that I would be able to say goodbye to him, not have him leave me here in anger.
“How soon do we need to leave?” Ansil questioned the rider.
“Mounts will be here tonight, he requests that you come immediately. I came ahead to give you time to prepare.”
“Ailar!” I run into his arms, the arms that had held me as a child when I was hurt or injured. But this was a hurt he couldn’t fix. “I hoped. . .”
“I know. He was a stubborn old man. He loved you, but his pride held him back.” Ailar leads me into his tent, not Da’s tent. That tent and his belongings would be burnt at the funeral. “Sit.” He points to the cushions set around the living area.
“I want you to know before we go any further, all four of you are welcome back in the Kingdom. I never agreed with father and we had many arguments over his forcing you to choose. This is your home.”
My tears started anew at his words. Knowing I could walk the Bog again without fear, to see friends, to see my brother, I hadn’t thought to be able to do those things again.
“What happen to the King?” Brehm asked.
“After you left, his mind began to wander. He would start fights with the attendants, yelling that they stole something, that they were under the Nereid influence. Even though he couldn’t walk without help, he had a mean right hook. One of the attendants took it on himself to come get me in the Selkie Kingdom after he had been hit.”
“I tried to reason with him, but nothing worked. He became more belligerent. The last argument, he grasped his chest and died.”
“I’m sorry.” Brehm holds his hand over his heart and bows his head. He notices me looking at him. “In the Selkie Kingdom, when one dies, and we wish to honor their death, no matter the cause, we put our hand over our heart and bow our heads, remembering the person. It is not so much for the one that died, but for those left behind to live without him. It is a remembrance that life is short, and we need to value our time.”
“That is a touching gesture. Not that Da would appreciate it, but I do.” I smiled up at Brehm.
“Thank you, Brehm.” Ailar looked to me. “I have decided to forgo the crowning ceremony. We will celebrate at another time….”
Chapter 43
Though seeing my brother was wonderful, I still wished I could have said goodbye to Da. Now I was left with questions that had no answer. My thoughts occupied me so much that I was startled by a throat clearing. Looking up, a beautiful woman stood before me, her ebony hair blowing in the wind.
“You look a lot like her, you know?” She said.
“Like who?”
“Your mother. I knew her once, sang with her, loved her. But that was a long time ago.”
“I don’t understand. You’re a Nereid.”
“Yes,” she looked up the beach, her eyes closing for a minute, then she smiled. “There. Now we won’t be disturbed. Walk with me?”
Curious, I did as she requested, waiting for her to speak since she sought me out.
“There are two sides to every story. We decided it was time you heard ours.”
“May I ask why now?”
“We are realizing the world is changing. We need to change with it and to do that we need you. Now do you want to hear our story or not?”
I nodded my head at her and stayed quiet.
“We owned the seas and everything that touched them. We were worshiped for saving lives and keeping the demons at bay. We were happy. But then the war came, and the other races banded together to push the demons out of the realm. Slowly, the need for our assistance declined and some even forgot us.
Your mother was our oracle, giving us the gift of knowing some things that would happen in the future and we were able to keep the memory of our father and us in the people’s mind. One day she met your father on this beach and for the first time one of us experienced love. We couldn’t understand why she wished to stay on land, even if it was near the sea.
We fought, horrid battles of the elements, but she wouldn’t leave your father. Finally, he made the decision to return to his keep, away from the ocean and she agreed to save you and your brothers lives. But it killed her to be far from the ocean.
We told your father that if any Brownie stepped foot on the ocean, then they would die. He retaliated by having the memory of your mother removed from the minds of anyone who walked in the Bog.”
“You still haven’t told me why now. Why ask for my help?”
“With the day of thanks, father has regained enough life so that he lives, but it isn’t the life he knew. I want to know what you see of the future.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I might see the future, but Hades has told me to never speak on what I see. I agree with him.”
She hissed, the wind picking up, blowing my hair back and making it hard to walk. “You refuse to use your gift?”
I shook my head. “I do not refuse to use it, just to change the future to suit the needs of one.”
“I could destroy you and your men. Do you not wonder where they are? Why they let you walk the beach with me?”
I stood looking at her, pitying her that all she has to cling to is her power. “No. I know it is because of something you have done. I don’t need them to save me, it makes no difference I will not give you what you want. Maybe one day you will understand that there is more to life than the power you crave. Tell your sisters that they are welcome to come in peace, otherwise leave me and mine alone.”
I don’t wait to hear her reaction, just turned to walk back up the beach. Maybe it was knowing who I am that makes it so the Nereid’s power doesn’t affect me as it once did. It feels like I am pushing through a thick soup, but I do not stop, knowing that at the end of the path there is love and home.
About the Author
A stay at home mom with
a hubby who is a techy wonder, Kirsten Wheelock writes in her free time. She loves to read all genres, with the exceptions of non-fiction and horror, and on average can knock out reading a book a day. Dabbling in many different styles of writing, many authors have inspired her muse and creativity which has led her where she is today.
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Finding Her Wings
Chapter One
Walking through the glade, I look at the sky and see all the other Fairies flying, their flips and spins catching the sun on their gossamer wings. I wish I could be up there with them, but it’s been years since I was small enough to fly with one of the elders. Now I’m relegated to walking everywhere, never to feel the wind rushing by.
“Hey, Aislin! Where are you off to?” Braylin interrupts my thoughts, as she swoops down to land next to me, her wings folding neatly behind her. Jealousy snakes through me, though I know she feels bad for me. She is one of the few Fairies who will walk with me.
“Oh, no where really. You know I have nothing to occupy me.”
“So, did you try to paint with Marissa?”
“Oh yeah, that was an utter failure. My painting ability is nil. Along with my ability to catch light, or to coax the animals out.”
“Lin, you’ll find your purpose. You know the Creator makes everyone with a purpose.”
“Yeah, Bray, we say that, but what can I do? I have no wings, no talent. I might as well not bother. I can’t even live in the tree.”
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