"the moon and me are like this 🤞"
ᴍᴇʀᴍᴀɪᴅ ᴏᴄ
A tale of two impoverished sisters.
Luna and Marina were once nobles in an underwater kingdom formerly known as "Esdelle." That was until one day, humans came and wiped them out in what is now known as...
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⋆.ೃ࿔*:･₊ ⊹
"This island is cursed. You're the first outsider to step foot here without dying."
Luna's eyes widened as he spoke the words. For some reason, she wasn't so much surprised as she was confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Hanako island.. You've never heard of us?" He said, tilting his head slightly.
Luna shook her head.
"Well, we're better known as 'Deadman's Island.' No one can step foot on this land, and no one can leave it. It's been like this for a full decade now."
"He's right. It's completely cut off our way of trade with any foreign nations.." The blonde, bespectacled man chimed in, his expression hardening. "Anyone who tries to come or leave will be hit with a wicked sickness. Deadlier than any poison."
Woah.. Luna thought.
"Deadlier?.."
"That's right," The brunette answered, a small smirk creeping on his face. "The effects start almost immediately. First, their movements become slow and lethargic before becoming completely immobilized. After that, their mouths start bubbling and foaming, and in some cases, they'll cough up their own blood. Then give or take two hours, and they're dead. Sounds like quite the exhilarating way to go if it didn't come with the pain.."
Luna's eyes were wide when he finished explaining. He had emphasized the words with his hands as if it were just a normal thing, then pointed at her.
"But for you, it looks like something different is happening."
"What?" She quickly asked, beginning to freak out a little. She looked down at her arms and hands as if something might be wrong with them, but she felt fine. In fact, she felt great.
"Well, nothing right now..right?" He said with a faint smirk, sliding the palm of his hand along the back of one of the finely carved dining chairs.
Luna just looked at him. She didn't know if it was just her, but there was something in the air she didn't like. She was going to have to figure out another means of escape. She only had one shot at this human thing, and she was not going to waste it here with potential threats.
However, she decided that could wait just a little longer. Because the food she was eating right now was way too good to pass up. The flavors blended together into a symphony on her tongue. Tastes she had long since forgotten.
"Well, let's try to stay on schedule today," The blonde man began, turning to his comrade. "It'd be nice if we actually got the supplies this time. The King's probably getting impatient at this rate."
"The King?" Luna said.
"That's right," The brunette chimed in once again. "We serve directly under the King, and His majesty wants you under our supervision for the time being, so hurry and eat, little lady. After this, we're going on an excursion."
After eating, Luna found herself trailing behind the two men through the spacious halls. 'Lord commandant Kunikida' and his second-in-command, 'Grand marshal Dazai', but to just call them 'Kunikida and Dazai', they'd said.
She couldn't help but notice all the riches and fancy furnishing as they advanced down the halls. Big, silver picture frames hung on the walls. They seemed to be paintings of old, historic battles. Soldiers in navy uniforms on horseback holding swords, raising them towards the sky.
Battle of Cumorah Battle of the Hill Gobt Siege of Tohoku Luna's eyes scanned each picture, trying to find the Battle of Fort Esdelle, but there was nothing of the sort. All of these battles seemed to have taken place on land.
Her mind wandered back to that night. The night of the battle, but no image came to her mind. Because in truth, she didn't recall a thing about that battle. Whatever she said about it was to reassure her sister. But in reality, she had long since blocked out whatever memories she had of it.
The only thing she remembered was the aftermath. The cold and deafening silence after Marina dragged her into safety and broke the news. She remembered going crazy. Even after all the years that passed, there were still some times where she felt like her heartbeat was still there in that room.
Luna furrowed her brows, her eyes landing on more pictures as they approached the end of the hall.
There was a picture of an older man. It looked like he was in one of the building's rooms, the ocean visible through the windows in the background. He was holding a sword with the head pointed towards the ground, and he had a resolute look on his face, a robe draped over his back and his head held up high.
King Fukuzawa. The name read.
Luna thought to herself for a moment.
So that's their King, huh? Their world isn't really all that different from ours..
Luna looked back at the men in front of her. At their uniforms. The sheathed weapons at their sides. So they were knights. She proceeded to follow them out a set of large, arched, glass doors. Luna was immediately overwhelmed when she set foot on the concrete, the wind hitting her face and gently weaving through her hair, lifting it slightly off her shoulders.
They were on a balcony of some sort, palm trees and hills surrounding them. The ocean sparkled in the distance like she had never seen it before, like it was greeting her for the very first time again. She'd spent all her life under the water, confined to a hidden life. But to be here, seeing the surface like this, was entirely something else.
She looked up. Here, water was no longer blocking her view. Here, the sky was endless. She couldn't help but let out that low giggle once again.
Both men froze and turned to her. She dropped the smile immediately and widened her eyes at them.
