Unravel

Prologue

Praia Da Arrifana, Spain

11 Year's Ago

A fair-skinned woman stood on the shore, looking out at the ocean draped in bright orange, the sun almost setting. One of her flip-flopped feet drums impatiently on the gritty sand, barely touching the lapping of the waves against the golden shore. A cold breeze blew her shoulder-past coppery-brown hair and brushed restlessly at the top of her gray cardigan. Her gaze fixed on the undulating waves towards the horizon where the setting sun meets the ocean.

What's taking them so long?, Her brows furrowed in frustration as she slowly started pacing back and forth, arms crossed on her chest, and her startling gray eyes still planted on the vast sea. He promised her they would be back before sundown and tuck the kids for bedtime. He has always been true to his words and on time — not a minute late but early. Now it's already thirty past eight and nowhere to be seen. Or did they have a change of plans to stay the night instead? If so, why hasn't anyone sent her a word? He wouldn't let her worry like this, this would be the first time in all the years they'd been together.

Has something terrible happened?, Her chest tightened on that thought. A fervor of dread encompassed her, as she deduced the reason for the nonstop immense pounding on her chest way before she came waiting. No, he wouldn't let anything or anyone harm them. He promised. She consoled herself and regained her composure. There must be a considerable reason why they're late. I trust him. She wished she'd at least gotten a heads up instead to calm the worry she has been feeling.

Shortly after, a man surfaced through the water. Her eyes widen, baffled at the figure of the man closing in, not minding the indefinite stares from the public — how he popped out from the sea itself. It didn't matter what other people think right now because all she cared for was the safe arrival of her loved ones. But the man isn't her husband. She'd know if it was him, even from far away, even if only a faint light stroked the outline of his face down to his body. He was a friend of her husband's.

The man trudged through the shallow water, sloshing small amounts of water as it parted. He was carrying two children, one on every shoulder — a boy and a girl, one lighter than the other. The woman ran towards the man, carrying towels she plopped down earlier on the sand. She gently wrapped it on the children, their tails still in the process of shifting to normal legs. She wouldn't want to raise any more suspicions. It's much slower on children and greatly painful. The two let out faint mewls and groans from the pain, still deep in slumber.

As the man lays down the children on the sand, their legs now have turned to normal — scales started to shed off their skin until there is no indication it was there, it dissolved into sand blown away by the wind. The woman searched her children for signs of marks and bruises and was relieved that there's none.

She walked towards the shallow water, looking for someone — them. They must have been just a little behind. She can't seem to muster up the words properly as she asks, "Where ... where are ... they?", she turned her face to the man, waiting for an answer. She braced herself for an answer she knows she won't like. But the man didn't answer.

She paced her way back to him, his back facing her. Her face deathly pale at what she just noticed: the man's battle armor glistens from the light coming from behind — pitted and significantly bruised; his body unscathed.

She asks again, with tension in her voice. "What happened?", but she already knows. Something did happen. She composed herself, not letting her emotions get the best of her.

The man lowered his head and looked at the ground, his eyes full of guilt and remorse. He doesn't know how to break the news to her. Instead, he knelt in front of her to pay his respect. "Your majesty"

"You know, you don't have to do that" she reached for his arm to rise. "I just want to know why my husband isn't here together with my son"

The man's dark eyebrows knit together at the question and started stating what happened. "The palace was ambushed, his majesty trusted their safety to our elite men and went in battle with me; he ordered me to check on their progress, only to find these two lying on the floor, their pulses weak. There were signs of blood on the floor, but I don't know whose and sure it isn't one of theirs. His majesty is still under, searching far and wide for your son"

The woman fell to her knees and burst into tears, "No ... No, he promised he won't let anything happen to them!"

The man knelt beside her as he looked at the woman with pity, full of sorrow and regret. He blamed himself for his failure to arrive before it happened. He blamed himself for his failure to protect the crown.

•••

But her husband didn't return, nor did her son. Only to find her husband, weeks after, washed up ashore, lifeless — her son still lost deep beneath the ocean.