A Mermaid's Heart

Chapter One.

I awoke in bed with Caleb lying next to me. There was no sign of Blue but I knew from the coat that I wore and the shard of blanket tied around my palm that I hadn’t been dreaming. I sat up on the feather mattress, glancing around at the room, clouded in the grey light of morning. Caleb stirred beside me, moving to turn onto his side so that his back was to me, the sheets kicked aside carelessly, draping over the edge of the bed and onto the floor below. I stood up, being careful not to wake him and made my way to the bathroom, unwinding the makeshift bandage in the process to reveal my scarred and bloody hand. I knew from the sight of it that it would never completely heal, the marks would remain no matter how many years would pass me by. I flexed my fingers, feeling the flesh sticking together then ripping apart. The bleeding had stopped so I dipped my hand into the sink and washed it clean of any dried blood. I then stripped out of the coat, letting it drop with a thud to the floor before I left the bathroom in search of something lighter to wear and a new roll of bandages for my hands. I decided on a black skirt and white ruffled top. The skirt went down to my ankles and the shirt had long sleeves, almost hiding the bandages at the ends of my arms. The markings on my neck had lightened but I still couldn’t stand the sight of them, deciding to bandage my throat regardless. I headed above deck after having tugged my boots onto my feet and grabbed my hat from a hook on the wall. The deck was filled with crewmembers, some quietly drinking and others going about their own business. Ben was mopping up the water that had been trapped onboard the ship and wrung it out into buckets that he would then tip over the railing to return to the sea. My eyes caught sight of something beyond him on the figurehead and I stilled. Blue was stood watching the ocean, her hair dried and matted, swaying in the breeze with her tail sticking out beneath the trim of her coat. Her pale figure along with the dreary background and dark coat made the sight seem almost haunting, as though she was a ghost that only I could see. Ben began to whistle an old tune while he worked and managed to catch her attention. She turned, her eyes landing onto him, watching him with her head tilted to the side and big, intrigued blue eyes. He lifted a bucket and tipped it over the edge, letting the water splash into the sea two stories below. Blue then seemed to notice me, turning fully so that her front was facing me. It was as if no one else could see her when she stared at me, as if the moment had been frozen in time with only the two of us locked in an endless few seconds. She moved to step forward, her body beginning to tilt as if she was to step down from the figurehead and onto the deck but before her feet could meet the wood, her body turned to water that splattered across the surface, her coat bunching in its puddle. I blinked my eyes then began searching for her, gaze darting across the deck, to the railing, the bow, the sails but she was nowhere to be found “Lassie?” Nolan questioned from beside me when he noticed that something was wrong. I was too caught up in finding her to even look in his direction when her voice whispered into my ear, causing my muscles to stiffen and my eyes to widen “Corner’s Coast” they had been spoken out loud, low but there with a slight struggle in pronunciation as if she still wasn’t quite used to using her voice. It was as if she was stood right beside me then vanished before anyone could even know that she was there. My hand tightened its hold on my hat and I slowly began to raise it, perching it on the top of my head, pushing down with my palm “Set course for Corner’s Coast” I ordered Nolan who had his eyebrows furrowed up in confusion. My words caused his forehead to crease even more. I wasn’t the Captain, I wasn’t even a true pirate yet there I was casting orders like I had a place to do so “What be that, las?” Nolan questioned to make sure that he had heard me right. I had to reach the Coast whether it was with their help or without. There were so many things that I still didn’t understand, like how does one defeat a god? But I knew the answers lied there, where she had directed me to go. My eyes locked onto the rest of the crew, glowing vibrantly, one blue, one white “Set course for Corner’s Coast!” everyone went silent, their gazes falling to me including Ben who stiffened at my demand. It was out of character for me to order people around and everyone knew this “Are ye-?” before Nolan could finish his question, it died in the back of his throat when my eyes locked onto his, my pupils slit and their depths menacing from beneath the brim of my first mate’s hat. He nodded “Lower the sails, raise the anchor!” he bellowed as an attempt to help me. The crew only stared to which the Irishman took a threatening step toward them and bit out past clenched gold and yellow teeth “What are ye waiting for, ye useless dogs!” they jumped then started doing as they were told. Ben dropped the mop and hopped up onto the railing, using the netting to scale his way up to the sails. He hooked his legs around a wooden beam and began his work on the strings while other men rushed to raise the anchor, the chains scrapping against the side of the ship. Before long the ship jerked into motion and the winds were carrying us away from the Port. I retrieved Blue’s coat then climbed the steps to the helm and watched as the home I had known for two years grew smaller and smaller until all that was left was a small speck of land in the distance “You know, Mary had her moments but she was never this blunt” Rebecca’s voice drew me out of my thoughts, forcing me to turn and look at her. She was manning the wheel of the ship, looking at ease and in her element while she did so “And Evangeline?” I questioned. She hummed, eyes looking out on the open sea, the sky and water still as grey as before. She tilted her head back a bit and let her arm rest on the wheel while her free hand held it steady “She was feisty, yes, however-.” She turned her head to the side, a playful grin on her lips when she met my gaze, no longer glowing. The wind whipped through her fiery red locks, causing them to dance and twist behind her “The two of them together appear to be bloody chaos” I threw my head back laughing to which she joined me and shook her head, a small smile creeping onto her lips when she returned her attention back to the sea “You’re like the sea” I froze from her sudden comment, my head whirling so that I could look at her. I wasn’t really sure what she meant or whether it was a good thing or not. Ben was mopping the helm and listened in on our conversation “You can be so calm and beautiful-.” I knew that from the way her eyes softened on the open water that she harbored a certain love for the open ocean. She was a pirate after all and most pirates, apart from Ben and Caleb had a love for the sea. I thought about Blue’s explanation of ‘hearts’ and wondered whether pirates weren’t mostly made up of humans with hearts of the sea “But unpredictable and deadly at the same time” Ben jokingly added when he wrung out his mop into the bucket and dropped it back to the deck to look up at me with a sly grin tugging at the corner of his lips. I rolled my eyes, causing him to chuckle “Why thank you” I sarcastically retorted when a loud bang caught my attention on deck. Caleb had shot through the door to the Captain’s quarters and was tugging his red coat onto his shoulders as he stomped his way toward the helm “Why in the bloody hell are we moving?” I watched him stomp his way onto the helm, his face red and eyes still half filled with sleep. His voice was much louder, hoarser catching the attention of the rest of his crew. Ben flinched but I sighed, turning to meet the storm that was Caleb Campbell head on “Good morning” my tone was flat, disinterested in his questioning lion’s roar. His nostrils flared like they always did when he became enraged. When he didn’t get the response he wanted from me, he turned his glare to Ben “Well?” he bit out, causing the navigator to look at me with a plea for help in his eyes but it was Nolan who came to his aid “Ye first mate ordered it so” feeling somewhat betrayed by the Irishman, I shot him a look over the railing of the helm to where he was stood on the deck below. He chuckled “She did, but it was Nolan who got the crew to set sail” Rebecca said, causing a clouded look to pale Nolan’s features. She laughed when he playfully glared up at her “Course!” Caleb ordered, leaning over the railing, his hand holding the wood with an iron grip. Nolan hurriedly returned his attention back to his leader “Corner’s Coast, Captain” for a moment Caleb stilled, for a moment frozen in time before he rounded on me, his fist connecting with the railing. Normally I would’ve jumped but I wouldn’t be worth calling Evangeline Sillvan if I hadn’t grown used to it by then “Ye be setting sail for a witch’s flock?” in all fairness I had no idea where we were going other than the name, never mind that it was a nesting ground for witches but Blue did say that the witch from my memories, Alexandria was to help us overthrow Neptune “I can explain” Rebecca and Ben shared a look while Caleb leaned back a bit as if to say ‘Go ahead then’. I parted my lips and pondered over what to say and how to say it “A nymph came to me in the night” silence, a long ongoing silence that left me wondering whether I had said something wrong Caleb blinked and Rebecca muttered under her breath “A nymph?” as if the thought was absurd when really, after having seen sirens, mermaids, giant turtles and witches one would think that they’d be a little more open minded? “Have ye been drinking salt water?” I fumed at Caleb’s insinuation that I was going mad and crossed my arms over my chest. A light chuckle had escaped Nolan but I chose to ignore it “No, the nymph told me to set sail for Corner’s Coast” this is when the mocking began, Caleb who didn’t believe a word I was saying lifted his brows as if intrigued and nodded “And what else did the nymph say?” it was a sarcastic question, one that made me want to smack him upside the head to see if that might get him to take me seriously. Both Ben and Rebecca were looking on, amused while Al made bird noises in the crow’s nest above “That I have to help her defeat the sea god” again the ongoing silence followed until Nolan burst out laughing the sound harsh in comparison to the prior stillness. Rebecca was trying her best to refrain from laughing while Ben looked to be processing it all, being the most open-minded of the group. The rest most likely thought that I had gone insane after discovering that I was in fact Mary and not Evangeline like I had believed for over two years “Y-Ye? Defeat a go-god?” Nolan managed to get out in between his fits of laughter. Honestly, I felt like laughing too, the thought of me overthrowing a god was beyond impossible and entirely insane but I also felt frustrated, confused and like crying because so much weight had been placed on my shoulders. The weight of the sea folk and their memories “How exactly are ye planning on destroying a god?” Caleb bluntly asked. It was exactly what I was wondering myself. Blue hadn’t said anything about how she intended for me to kill Neptune so I decided to respond truthfully “I don’t know yet” it was all so hard to explain. Where do I begin? What do I say first? Why do I have to defeat Neptune? I turned my back to him and crossed my arms cover my chest when his eyes looked at me like I was some loon in an asylum “Ye’ve gone mad” I gritted my teeth and snapped back around. The winds were growing stronger, almost as if they could sense my anger, the waves grew more violent and struck the ship, causing it to rock. Perhaps I really was like the sea, as angry and violent as the waves “I’m not mad, Blue does-!” my words were cut short by a familiar one in the back of my mind saying a single word that not only drew my attention to the owner but the rest of the crew as well ‘Yes?’ Blue was stood on the railing of the ship’s helm looking at us with a tilted head and a nude figure. She was hardly aware of her nakedness and didn’t bother looking at anyone else besides Ben and I. It was as though I’d summoned her, as if her name on my lips had called out to her. Caleb was taken off guard, stunned by her sudden appearance much like the rest of them “I’m not mad” I repeated, my eyes locking onto Caleb’s before I turned to scoop the dark coat that Blue had previously worn up from the mapping table in the center of the helm. I then headed in her direction, reading the article of clothing to tug it onto her shoulders.

We were gathered in the navigation room where Blue and I had spoken the night before. The nymph and I were sat at the table while Ben, Nolan, Rebecca and the Captain stood around us, waiting expectantly for an explanation as to what exactly was going on. I wasn’t sure where to begin, crossing my legs and leaning my elbows on the table in front of me as I looked at the nymph who sat at the other end of it. I had left my hat on a hook by the doors, my boots long since having been discarded. Despite having been raised a noble, I hated restricting clothing or wearing shoes. I disliked being a proper lady as a whole “Care to explain?” Caleb questioned, his words directed toward me but his eyes were glued to the pale, blue woman who was too busy studying Ben intently to bother noticing the rest of their peering gazes. Her big sapphire eyes roamed over the fisherman’s form as if to take in every last inch of him. I crossed my arms and leaned back in my seat, examining the creature that was so similar to me yet appeared so different “I am a heart of the sea-.” I began after having sucked in a deep breath. Blue could easily speak to everyone around her through the link she had with their minds but instead of helping me try to explain everything, she was too distracted by Ben and he by her “A heart is a human being born with an intense love for the sea” Rebecca nodded to signal that she was listening while Blue reached for Ben’s sleeve, tugging on it like a small child would tug on the skirt of their mother’s dress of the fabric of their father’s trousers. The navigator was caught off guard and chose to remain completely still for fear of agitating her. He wasn’t sure how she would react, whether she would lash out and attack or if she was going to press him to her chest like a little girl would embrace a small dog “When a heart comes in contact with the sea, Neptune sends a nymph to awaken them” Blue pulled the sleeve of his white shirt back and yanked Ben forward so that she could get a more detailed look at the knife shaped scar on his wrist. He nearly stumbled and fell on top of her from the force of her pull. She hadn’t intended to be that rough but she had yet to regain control over her strength which was much stronger than that of humans. Her own coat was slipping down her lean shoulders but stopped just above her breasts as she leaned forward to inspect the flesh. Her eyes widened and narrowed almost allowing us to see the thoughts going through her mind “A witch is then used to seal away the memories of their human lives, forcing them to believe that they were born into the sea” Blue sniffed at the scar, her nose scrunching and her nostrils flared. She raised her head only to look at me when I’d finished speaking and gave a sharp nod, the action snapping both Caleb and Rebecca out of their trance, caused by Blue’s beauty and unique features. The movement placed some of their attention back onto me, making it feel like I wasn’t just talking to myself “Blue is taking me to see that witch and to stop Neptune from erasing anymore memories” her name on my lips made her falter in her act of sniffing Ben. Whenever I would speak her name, she would tense, as if it was sort of enchanting call that made her only ever see me and no one else. She had stood, her hand still on his wrist as her nose trailed along his throat to take in his scent but she had stopped at the mention of her name. The brunette looked terrified but intrigued at the same time, wondering why she was so interested in him? ‘Indeed’ the single word was a confirmation that I had made the right assumption that Alexandria was indeed waiting for us in Corner’s Coast. Nolan poured himself a cup of wine and watched as Blue continued to examine Ben, choosing to down the rest of his drink in one, quick gulp “She be messin with me head” he declared like the thought of her speaking directly to his mind would drive him insane, his trembling hand pointing at her from across the room. He touched his forehead where beads of sweat had started to gather then patted his soaked palm against the leg of his pants “I thought ye a wollaper, Captain!” Nolan blurted out which was beyond idiotic from his part. I pressed my lips together in a thin line to stop the laughter that threatened to bubble up from my chest and averted my eyes. The Irishman had somehow got it in his head that Blue could read his mind but if that had been the case then she would’ve been much more honest and blunt. In his frantic attempt to clear his guilty conscience he had blurted his earlier thoughts, figuring that he would do it before she could. Caleb turned his head, glaring eyes falling onto Nolan, harsh and cutting. It was a word that was often used by Irishmen to mean ‘moron’ and Caleb knew this. Blue abruptly let go of Ben to drop back down onto her seat, the weight and force causing the wood of the chair to groan beneath her ‘I cannot read minds, only speak to them’ Nolan paled at her words, his face void of all blood making it seem as though he had been struck by ice water. Rebecca burst out laughing beside the dark eyed man and bent over, gripping her knee with one hand while the other held onto her stomach. Caleb’s fingers flexed at his sides then began to ball into fists, slowly, threateningly “I of course be kidding, Captain” Nolan rushed out, quick to try and cover up his deepest, darkest thoughts. Although if those were the darkest thoughts he had then they weren’t as dark as most. I couldn’t blame him for thinking that Caleb was a moron because, after all, I had thought him an i***t numerous times before during arguments or confusing things that happened between us in the past. I hid my smile behind the sleeve of my white blouse when the thought of an argument from long ago surfaced in the back of my mind. It had taken place in a time when I was still just Mary, sneaking out at night to meet him by the docks. I was dressed in my most inexpensive dress, covered in an old brown cloak with the hood pulled up to hide my face from the view of others. A fisherman had just docked his boat for the night and was unloading buckets of freshly caught fish when I stumbled into him, not having paid attention as to where I was going. I gasped and stumbled back, my hood falling flat onto my shoulders when I met his aged eyes. He was around sixty with grey hair and a long grey beard. He had dropped the buckets he’d been carrying and hurried to pick the fish back up from the docks, scooping ice into his hands. I fell to my knees in front of him and began helping “I beg your pardon, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going” I rushed out the words, sounding much more formal than I did as Evangeline. The man glanced up at me again, this time allowing his eyes to rest for a much longer period of time, recognition filling his dark gaze. I shot him a friendly smile when I’d finished helping him clean the mess we had made and stood, padding out the wrinkles in the skirt of my cream colored gown “Lady-.” the man’s words were cut short when my eyes caught sight of the man stood on the edge of the docks, waiting for me “If you’ll excuse me” I interrupted him before he could finish and before I could realize that he had figured out my true identity. I moved around him and rushed to the edge of the docks into welcoming arms, arms that made me feel safe in their embrace, arms that held me as close to his heart as they possibly could “I’ve missed you” I informed, pulling back just enough to smile up at the pirate Captain. His golden eyes lit up at the sight of my beaming face and raised his hand to grip my chin between his forefinger and thumb “Ye’re lying” he stated as plain as day with a frown on his lips. I was taken off guard and backed away from him, tearing my chin from his hold to set my lips in a thin line across my face with my arms dangling limply at my sides “How would you know?” of course I’d missed him, all I could think about was him, every moment of every waking day while I sat at the piano or stood for the tailor to take my measurements. His face was the first image I would see when I woke in the mornings, the last thing I’d see before I’d drift off to sleep late at night. He was my obsession and he knew it “Because, love-.” he stalked closer to me, his steps almost threatening, almost deadly as if warning me to run in the opposite direction, away from him but no matter how menacing he made himself appear, I could never run from him “How could a nobleman’s daughter possibly miss a filthy pirate?” a grin broke out on his lips and I felt the air leave my lips in a sigh of relief. He had been kidding. I smacked his shoulder as hard as I could, the orange blue light of twilight illuminating my relieved features “Don’t ever scare me like that again!” he began to chuckle when I turned my back to him, hiding the red tint of my cheeks from his gaze so that he wouldn’t see how worried I’d been. I’d thought that he didn’t believe that I cared about him enough to miss him when really I cared too much. Caleb’s hand moved to cup my cheek, turning my head to place a small peck to my lips. My eyes widened when he pulled away, the red tint growing brighter. My body yearned for him, for his touch, his heat and taste. His kiss didn’t help to ease my need for him in that moment so I quickly distanced myself by pulling away from him and averting my eyes, shaking my head “You’re an i***t” I muttered, shooting his smirking face a glance before I stalked in the direction of the shore. He followed me, laughing at the effect that his teasing had on me. I was too consumed in Caleb to notice the fisherman as he headed in the direction of the town. He would be the one to inform my parents of what he had seen, of Caleb and I. He would trigger the series of events that lead to me wanting to take my own life, the birth of Evangeline and eventually unsealing my hidden memories. I was snapped back to reality by Caleb’s voice asking “How are we to defeat a god?” I wanted to respond but I had no answer to his question. I was just as confused and in the dark about it as he was. It was Blue who spoke, replying to the asked question, her voice dancing in the back of our minds ‘All will be revealed in due time’ she was referring to when we would finally reach Corner’s Coast and meet with Alexandria. It was only a matter of how quickly the sea would carry us. Caleb looked to me, shot a glare in Nolan’s direction then nodded “Corner’s Coast it be then” he unlocked the double doors to step out onto the deck, giving orders for the rest of the crew to tighten the sails, to ready the ropes to tie down the barrels and crates that littered the ship’s surface. I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair, eyes staring down at the table in front of me “You called him a moron but you take the cake” Rebecca taunted Nolan, still laughing from his idiocy. Blue looked at me, silent apart from a deep rumbling that came from the depths of her stomach. She glanced down at herself, almost as if the sound was something foreign, eyebrows furrowed together in a mixture of confusion and curiosity.