Love Beyond Tides

A Survivor's Vigil

For a moment Diana lost her voice. Then her lips trembled. "What be yer desire from this humble sailor?" Diana's voice shook.

He blinked slowly, his dark eyes had no white in them. It disturbed her to be under his gaze. The creature lazily raised a hand and the winds calmed some.

"What I want," he spoke again unimpeded by the wind, "depends on what you have."

Growing up, her "uncle" often told her stories of the sea. Of how there were creatures below the surface that made deals with humans or sent them to their deaths.

Diana's eyes narrowed, dried by the cold winds. "Can you grant wishes?" She tested the waters.

"I think you've mistaken me for some kind of benevolent being. I can help you attain what you desire most but for a cost."

What can you give me in exchange?

"I only have life and limb," she sat and hugged her legs to her chest. She looked past the siren at the dark floating objects. Her mind painted the picture of the wreckage she had seen earlier that day and her lashes trembled. "I've lost everything." Her gaze moved back to him, his eyes had widened slightly. "What?"

The creature tilted his head. His eyes glanced back and forth as if he was remembering. "It's odd."

"What be strikin'ly peculiar?"

"You maintain an exceptionally composed demeanour," he locked eyes with her. A chill ran down Diana's spine. She broke away from his gaze but the creature continued. "Even facing a storm and emerging practically unscathed. Are you... different?"

Diana choked up. She's always been different from others, not in a way she could understand. "I was lucky..."

Luck? No, he didn't believe in such frivolity. Yet, as he stood in the presence of Diana, an enigma.

"You are a peculiar individual, indeed." The corners of his lips curved up even wider, though his eyes remained as blank and unchanging as before. "Indeed, it befits the circumstance. Though I must confess, I have encountered a multitude of individuals, yet never have I beheld eyes akin to yours."

"M- my eyes?" Diana felt dread well up.

"Permit me to pose my query initially. Your eyes possess a rare and exquisite beauty. Pray, enlighten me on how you came to have those vibrant eyes of yours?"

"I suppose I got them from my mother. Since my father had brown eyes..." Diana tiled away from him, watching him wearily, "You won't try to take them will you?"

She did say she only has life and limb, but she isn't keen on parting with it.

"There is no cause for trepidation," his smile inched higher and amusement entered those dark eyes. The act gave off an unnatural feeling that made Diana uneasy. Yet, after a breath, she truly relaxed. "Are you so trusting?"

"You won't hurt me."

She said it with such conviction that he almost believed her. "I sincerely hope you do not extend your trust with such ease to everyone, for such a disposition might prove perilous."

"Fret not, I harbour no such thoughts." She had her conviction, since throughout this interaction, she hadn't itched to scream once.

The intermittent pause brought a respite, and an easeful silence wove its way through the air. The wind, a capricious maestro, had resumed its whispered symphony, orchestrating a delicate dance among the leaves. Diana huddled herself, trying to keep warm. She could feel the dark eyes studying her intently. The gaze, as if cast from the shadows, bore into her very essence, unravelling the layers of her thoughts and emotions.

It was uncomfortable.

"What do you want?" The creature asked again after a long silence.

"To live." She deflated with a sigh, "to grow up and start a family of my own."

"Verily, the bond of family serves as a potent motivation, indeed," he hummed. The sound is pleasing to the ear. "If you desire, I can offer you safe passage back to the surface world."

Her expression twisted. "I be rootless on solid ground. No hearth nor kin to call me own," she smiled and hoped it was lighthearted.

"My apologies," a breathy whisper emerged, a mere wisp against the canvas of stillness.

Her lips twisted, and again, only the winds spoke between them. A sudden gust whipped sand against her tender skin and a soft hiss escaped her lips. Abruptly, a shield against the relentless gusts materialised. A presence, felt more than seen, interposed itself between Diana and the abrasive onslaught.

"Should you linger in this place, it portends an imminent demise."

Diana's head snapped up, her limbs became statuesque. The man was much closer, hovering over her. His proximity, an intrusion upon the sanctity of her personal space, made her suck in a startled breath. His otherworldly features were suppressed but it did little to diminish his beauty. Even in the moon's muted glow, she discerned the regality of his high blonde hair, remnants of its original iridescence catching stray beams of light. His eyes, however, emerged as the pièce de résistance, profound as the briny deep and containing an ancient wisdom that spoke across the chasm of time.

"How?" Her eyes started downward then snapped back to his face. He had muscular legs but... he wasn't wearing much. "Uhm, yes, I understand," she stuttered.

"You do not." He went quiet for a moment. "These islands are dangerous. Especially to an outsider like you." He held her eyes, "before I embark upon further discourse, I must pose a question. Would you truly be inclined to forsake the prospect of a return to the surface world?"

"I be tellin' ye, there be naught awaitin' me on the horizon"

"Very well," he nodded, "would you want to come with me, and live among my people? You shall be bound by our customs and convictions, which may not invariably harmonise with your own. Your safety shall be ensured, yet departure shall be precluded."

How many others would kill for such an opportunity? Diana dared not deny herself.

"Yes," she couldn't hide her excitement.

Seemingly her excitement was contagious, his lips quirked up breaking his serious expression. "Very well. I shall be your guide and ensure your safety among my people," he nodded, "so, how can you benefit us?"

"I don't have anyth-"

"You must have a skill or some high knowledge," he cut her off.

Diana could read and write but she wasn't particularly knowledgeable, but she did have a gift, "there be somethin' I'm good for."

"And what is that?"

"I possess the knack to sense the approach of peril on the wind."

A light akin to recognition filled his eyes. "Is that so?" Then he chuckled, "a skill unseen in decades? How intriguing," he murmured, his fingers playing with the chain of pearls around his waist. "I must confess, having an individual endowed with your capabilities amidst our company would prove to be most advantageous indeed." Seeing Diana's relieved expression he chuckled. "Very well," he said, taking her hand to lead her into the water.

Diana winced as unseen hands coaxed her back to an upright position. Sore joints, like dormant beasts, protested the sudden movement, yet determination trumped the silent plea for respite. The young lady, resolute, diverted her gaze, cautiously fixing her eyes upon the enigmatic countenance of her companion or the lapping waves along the shore. Each step, a testament to a quiet fortitude, carried her forward despite the silent cries of her protesting body.

They came to a stop where the chilling waves were lapping at her ankles. Diana looked at him confused.

"I am Thassasalin," he declared, the name rolling off his tongue with an otherworldly cadence, "and you are?"

"I be Diana," she responded with a gracious smile, "at yer service."

"Then," he gestures towards the dark waters, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Shall we, Diana?"

She looked out at the dark ocean. Fear gripped her but she nodded resolutely. "Ready."

He admired her bravery, he'd give her that much.

Her hand in his, he guided her further from the shore until their heads were covered. Diana sucked in a deep breath before the ethereal embrace of the water enveloped them, initiating a metamorphosis in their surroundings. The once vibrant hues of the terrestrial world dulled and shifted into a mesmerising palette of cerulean and turquoise, while the cacophony of terrestrial life gave way to a symphony of muted whispers and gentle undulations.

The comforting hold on her hand loosened and Diana panicked. She quickly reached to her right, and transformative energy pulsated through her. The currents seemed to swirl as he gracefully unfurled a set of iridescent fins. Diana, wide-eyed and spellbound, witnessed the metamorphosis with a mixture of astonishment and fascination. Contrary to her expectation, he had a long, slender tail that swayed from side to side like a snake.

With a subtle gesture of his hand, a subtle ripple of power coursed through the water, and Diana's eyes ignited with newfound luminescence, her vision transcending the limitations of the terrestrial realm.

Below them, a veritable cornucopia of aquatic wonders unfurled like an otherworldly tapestry. Schools of iridescent fish darted and danced with synchronised precision, their scales shimmering like shards of liquid sunlight. Ribbons of seaweed swayed in the gentle currents, their sinuous movements akin to a ballet performed for the ocean's silent audience.

But it was the coral reefs that stole the breath from Diana's lungs. She covered her mouth when she noticed bubbles escaping from her.

Thassasalin observed Diana's rapturous expression with a mixture of amusement and satisfaction, his own heart swelling with pride at her awe-inspired reaction. "It's quite magnificent, isn't it?" he hummed his voice a melodic whisper that resonated through the aqueous expanse. "Welcome to the underwater realm of the Naiads."