Happy weekend, my friends! 😃
And thank you for joining me in this ongoing story.
In Part One of this episode:
Swift Wind and Catra are there for Glimmer when she needs them, and Etheria is renewed.
I am dedicating this week's chapter to our wonderful Quinn ( @ProfessorQuinn ) because they sounded kinda excited when I teased a little bit of this, and I think they'll like the Seamista!
It's time now to see how the aftermath of the struggle to save Etheria plays out in Salineas.
This is for you. Enjoy! 😊
A peaceful quiet permeates the magnificent throne room of Salineas. At the top of the dais on the shallow rise of stairs at the far end of the chamber, the great shell seat of royal power remains curiously unoccupied.
The only sound is the gentle rushing of clearest seawater from the waterfalls flanking either side of the hall.
All at once, the tall entrance doors are flung wide, and an energetic figure leaps across the threshold dramatically!
Sea Hawk: [in a loud and cheerful voice] Mer-miiiii-staaa! Come and see! The sun on the waters glistens like the bright gaze of young lovers, and the foam on the care-free meandering waves . . . !
He stops short and gazes around the empty room with a perplexed expression, slightly deflated.
Again, he rallies and straightens up confidently, trotting to one side of the room, then the other, peeking around the alcoves and into the waterfalls, as if he might locate his sweetheart somehow.
Sea Hawk: [encouragingly] Errm, yes! It is a, uh . . . glorious day! The . . . the water is . . . blue and . . . most pleasingly wet! [continuing to look around helplessly in unlikely places] The sand of the seashore is . . . soft and . . . gritty! Just . . . just how you like it, my dear. And the . . . tide-pools are especially . . . lovely.
Ending a little weakly, he slumps in disappointment. Leaning against the wall, he extracts from behind his back a large, bright bundle of sea grass, kelp, and colorful anemone-like growths.
Sea Hawk: [softly] I picked a bouquet for you.
Sea Hawk regards the bouquet and sighs deeply.
After a moment, he sets his gaze firmly, raises his eyebrow reflectively, and strides purposefully back to the entrance of the throne room. He exits.
Seconds later, Sea Hawk’s head and upper body jut into the throne room again, a steady hand at his brow, his eyes squinting, as if to take in the horizon. This time, he is accompanied by Mermista’s closest Salinean Attendant, around whose shoulders he has flung a friendly and insistent arm. The Attendant bears an expression of wide-eyed surprise.
Sea Hawk: [congenially, to the Attendant] Do you, by chance, see Princess Mermista anywhere about?
For a moment, the Attendant joins in with Sea Hawk’s innocent antics, narrowing his eyes and shifting his head around to earnestly examine the entire room.
Attendant: [seriously] I do not, Captain Sea Hawk.
Sea Hawk looks at the man, nodding and patting his shoulder with spirit.
Sea Hawk: [genuinely] Good man! Good eyes! For I, too, do not see her here.
The Attendant smiles at this compliment. Sea Hawk looks away into the chamber with determined pensiveness. Then the man startles slightly and disappears from view as Sea Hawk gives him a slight nudge to return him to his place just outside the doors.
Sea Hawk: [considering] Hmm.
He steps fully into the room again, one hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Sea Hawk: [profoundly] This . . . is a bit of a myst-ery.
At the far end of the room, down in the waters of the pool surrounding Mermista’s throne . . .
There is . . . another throne!
Mermista lounges listlessly on the bed of a giant sea clam, her body stretched out and her head resting against the palm of her hand. Her long dark hair waves in slight buoyancy around her face, and her eyes are cast downward, her expression empty and morose.
Her shoulders heave in a silent sigh.
A dim shadow crosses the light from the chamber above, and she turns her gaze upward.
The familiar silhouette of Sea Hawk passes over as he walks across the room overhead. Mermista rolls her eyes and slumps. Her lips part to emit a sustained stream of monotone bubbles in a muted groan.
There is a sudden dull crashing sound from above, and the waters stir forcefully around her! Mermista stiffens and grits her teeth, her eyes bulging a bit in surprise.
She glances over to see the svelte figure of Sea Hawk (without his jacket or boots) drifting gently down to rest in a casual position upon the floor of the pool beside her feet.
He smiles innocently up at her and bobs his eyebrows in a friendly greeting.
She gives him a wry look of mild annoyance, shakes her head and looks the other direction.
Sea Hawk remains where he is, beaming magnificently.
Mermista darts a couple of curious but unimpressed glances in his direction without turning her head or altering her demeanor of disengaged boredom.
After a minute, Sea Hawk begins to look decidedly uncomfortable and fidgety.
Finally, with a look of slight distress, Sea Hawk leaps up and propels himself to the surface. Mermista watches him go with an expression of mild disinterest, then returns to staring vacantly into the sea water.
A few moments later, the water is disturbed again with a muted splash, causing Mermista to tense up and glare into the distance with unsettlement.
Sea Hawk sinks peacefully into position beside Mermista, who tosses him a fierce look, turning her palm to the heavens and raising an annoyed and questioning eyebrow. Sea Hawk smiles back at her with a little wave.
Mermista rolls her eyes with her entire head and turns to face the other direction.
After another minute or so, during which Sea Hawk tries to further deny his need to breathe, he again shoots up to the surface.
This time, Mermista turns to watch him with slightly more interest than before. Her eyes continue to watch after him until, predictably, the water swirls with bubbles and he comes into view again, returning to his spot beside her.
She looks down at him with a blank stare, and he grins sweetly, gazing into her eyes.
She does not turn away, but instead watches curiously as he becomes gradually more and more uncomfortable. His grin seems to get bigger in response to his increasing difficulty. Finally, he can’t bear it any longer and springs up through the water to the surface. Mermista watches him go, this time letting slip a little smile. After a moment, she rises and pushes off upward after him, swimming with strong grace.
Sea Hawk’s head breaks the surface and he grips the floor by the pool, leaning his head forward and coughing. He collects himself, takes a few quick breaths followed by a deep gasp, then pushes downward into the water once again.
The moment he does so, Mermista’s head pops out of the water beside where he just was, and she immediately reaches one hand down after him, dragging him out by the scruff of the neck.
Sea Hawk emerges like a very wet and surprised dog, staring at Mermista almost nose-to-nose.
Mermista: [firmly] Sea Hawwwk! Would you pleeeease stop drowning yourself? It’s super distracting.
He stares at her lamely.
Sea Hawk: Hello!
Mermista groans and shakes her head as she lets go of his shirt. Sea Hawk takes hold of the edge of the pool, and Mermista leans against her forearms turning away.
Mermista: [wearily] What do you want?
Sea Hawk suddenly rises up on his arms and vigorously shakes his hair out before hopping out and sitting on the floor, leaning his head down even with Mermista.
Sea Hawk: [sighing] Ahhh! I missed you, Mermista, and wondered where you could be. Do you not realize that the entire land is in celebration?! [with enthusiasm] You are a laudable hero, and everyone wishes to express their affection and gratitude for how you saved Etheria!!
Sea Hawk watches for her reaction, and she finally turns her head to look at him.
Mermista: I mean like, that is . . . really nice, but . . . to be honest, I’m not really feeling it right now.
Sea Hawk’s smile fades, and he frowns.
Mermista: What?
Sea Hawk: [softly, with concern] Mermista . . .
Mermista: What?
Sea Hawk: You have been . . . weeping.
Mermista bristles a little, leaning back and raising up, surprised.
Mermista: [flustered] What?! I have . . . No. I mean . . . [pointedly] Sea Hawk. I have been . . . literally under sea water for like the last half hour or whatever. So, how can you . . . Why would you . . . ?
Suddenly, she relaxes, looking slightly downward, her attitude more vulnerable.
At last she raises her eyes to him, and he regards her with the same earnest concern as before.
Mermista: [quietly] How did you know?
Sea Hawk: [with a small smile of encouragement] Because a very good friend can always see.
Mermista smiles sadly at him, then tilts her head to one side, looking down at the water, reflectively.
Mermista: Yeah. So. It’s just that . . . sure. We saved Etheria. But then . . . it took away our magic. [pause] And now it’s gone. [pause] So, . . . I’m just [sadly] . . . I’m not . . . [she struggles a moment] . . . I’m not . . . awesome . . . [quietly] anymore.
Sea Hawk frowns in feeling for her, and then he gently touches her hand.
Sea Hawk: Mermista. If I may?
She looks up at him and narrows her eyes a little.
Sea Hawk: [quickly] No shanties!
Mermista relaxes and takes Sea Hawk’s hand. She nods to him.
Sea Hawk squeezes her hand, and for a moment his eyes seem to be looking far away.
Sea Hawk: [nostalgically] This old sailor has seen his share of wonders on the ocean. Seabirds flying day and night without rest, bearing a constant course, perfect and true for all the thousands of miles they journey to reach their places of nesting. Dolphins defying gravity to leap high above the water over the bows of mighty vessels, . . . with the ease of an arcing rainbow leaping from the heels of a storm.
He turns his eyes to Mermista’s.
Sea Hawk: [gently] And you. Shining brilliantly as you inspire your people, or fighting, shoulder to shoulder with your friends in battle. Standing against injustice with courage and grace.
Mermista looks away, her cheeks coloring.
Mermista: [pleased and embarrassed] Stop.
Sea Hawk: [seriously, but smiling] Or even . . . occasionally, laughing at my little follies!
Mermista: [grinning slightly] I don’t do that.
Sea Hawk: In all of these things I have seen, what touched me with awestruck wonder was never the wings of the bird, the fins of the dolphin, or . . . magic.
Mermista looks back at him, frowning.
Sea Hawk: [with loving sincerity] It was their hearts that filled me with wonder and awe. Hearts that made them fly . . . and leap . . . and shine.
For a moment, Mermista just holds his gaze, and her eyes begin to glisten.
Mermista: Uuuuum. Yeah. I mean, you’re right. And I’m . . . yeah, it’s fine. And I’m totally okay with it.
She smiles at him.
Mermista: Thanks.
There is a beat, and neither of them speaks. But then Mermista’s face begins to crinkle a little, and her lip starts to tremble.
Mermista: [quickly, with a wavering voice] Okay, bye.
Letting go of Sea Hawk’s hand, she quickly turns and dives back down into the water.
Sea Hawk continues to sit there, calmly smiling.
He reaches behind his back and produces a carton of ice cream, which he places on the floor by the pool.
Seconds later, Mermista’s head pops out of the water, and she stares at the carton with wonder. She looks at Sea Hawk, who holds out a spoon to her. She smiles and takes the spoon from him.
Sea Hawk stands up, picks up his jacket and boots, and then executes a respectful bow to Mermista, about to take his leave.
Sea Hawk: My lady.
Mermista: [quickly] Wait!
He pauses and turns back to her.
Mermista: Sea Hawk. [she smiles] Stay. If you want. And, like . . . pull up a spoon.
He drops happily down to join her, producing a second spoon as she opens the carton of ice cream. Together, they begin to share it.
