Page 6 of Whispers of the Starlit Sea
Sorcha twisted away, zipping around a group of mermaids discussing hairstyles and the best pronglesnaffers to use for untangling knots. They tsked in annoyance.
“Stop acting like guppies!” one of them shouted.
Too late, Sorcha realized Rona was among them. No chance Mother wouldn’t hear about it now. Oh, well.
Ciara grabbed Sorcha’s hand. “Come on.”
Together, they swam past the palace — a towering structure of rock and coral in the center of the grotto. Along the base of the palace, nestled within small caves and gentle openings, lay the offices of the various guilds and ministers, where the wheels of governance turned with an undercurrent of efficiency and harmony.
Ascending the levels of the palace, Sorcha's eyes were drawn to the regal quarters of the royal family, her own among them. A sense of grace and elegance permeated these private sanctuaries, where the blend of comfort and opulence painted a picture of a cherished retreat. Beyond the royal chambers, the infirmary and apothecary offered healing and solace, attending to the well-being of the merfolk community.
At the pinnacle of the palace, Queen Brigid’s throne stood as a testament to the bond between ruler and people. Its intricate patterns and ethereal glow mesmerized Sorcha, drawing her in with their captivating beauty. As a child, she would insist on going up with her mother, then promptly abandon her to play amid the vibrant palette of the coral formations. It was said that with each new reign, the colors and designs would shift, a reflection of the ever-changing tide of leadership. Although Sorcha was too young to recall her grandfather's reign, Ciara said she remembered it being more green than the current yellow tones that matched Mother’s tail.
In this wondrous underwater realm, where living organisms melded with the magnificence of nature, Sorcha reveled in the kaleidoscope of colors that embraced her. The grotto's curved ceiling, a tribute to the awe-inspiring craftsmanship of the ocean itself, served as a natural amphitheater, carrying the soothing melodies of Mother's voice to all who gathered. It was a place of unity, where the enchanting beauty of the surroundings mirrored the harmony and solidarity of the merfolk community, bound together by their shared love for this iridescent underwater haven.
No matter how often she saw it, Sorcha never failed to find something new and marvelous in the grotto.
Father waved to them, a smile on his tired face as they swam through the grotto’s opening. His own domain lay just outside. There, the Watchers trained and lived in smaller caves or on shelves of coral.
“Any sharks, Father?” Ciara asked.
“Not today, thankfully. You girls are free to explore; just don’t stay out too long.”
“More storms?” Sorcha frowned.
Father shook his head. “It doesn’t look like it, but the weather above has been…unpredictable of late.” A Watcher swam to a stop beside them, his fist over his heart in a salute. Father waved the girls off and turned to take the report.
“I still don’t want to go to the wreck,” Sorcha said. Even without sharks — or the drowned humans who drew them there — the newly sunken ship would be too eerie to explore.
Ciara shook her head, studying her sister’s face. “No, not today. Today is for sunshine and gentle breezes.”
Sorcha rolled her eyes at her sister again, turning to hide the dark shadows under her eyes. “You know we don’t need sunlight the way humans do.”
“I disagree. Look at your tail – it’s looking so drab lately. The sun will brighten that up.”
With a laugh, they shot upward and broke through the surface, where the warmth of the sun beckoned them to play amid the waves. Sorcha had to admit that her scales shimmered a brighter blue in the light, and she enjoyed racing her sister, who swam just below the sea foam that collected on top of the water.
Arickturnedtowardthevoices and noticed two sailors passing outside the door, carrying something between them.
“Oh, ’scuse us, sirs,” the first man said. “We’ve been told to bring this settee down here to the sitting room.”
The men were looking to him for an answer, but Arick deferred to Thomas with a pointed glance.
“Uh, go ahead,” Thomas told them. As the men proceeded to find a spot for the settee, he leaned close to Arick. “Do you think mermaids are real?”
Arick laughed. “The stories of merfolk are more than a hundred years old. If they ever did exist, they’ve died out by now.”
“That’s just what I said, sir,” the gruff one said. “Cliodna don’t work with mermaids.”
Councilman MacIsaac and the captain chose that moment to join them. MacIsaac glared at the men. “Back to work. And enough of this fanciful talk of mermaids and sea witches. No need to frighten the prince.”
Thomas blinked. “I’m not frightened. I’d love to meet a mermaid.”
“Be that as it may, there are none to meet,” MacIsaac replied dryly.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that,” Blair said, his eyes twinkling.
“You’ve seen one!” Thomas turned to the captain.
