The Princess of Pirates

Chapter 13 - [The Father]

Aina lifted herself up onto a rock and watched as the Eternal continued to sail away from her. "Another night." She whispered to herself. "He didn't come to see me again."

She dived back into the dark ocean and swam as quickly as she could, feeling the energy begin to drain out of her.

She grimaced. The Captain of the Eternal was being pulled away from her. She was losing the energy that she got from him.

She swam as fast as her weak body would let her swim. She had to see her father, he would know what to do.

The more she swam into the depths of the ocean, the darker, and colder it got. But her mermaid body wasn’t affected by it. Her eyes allowed her to see almost as clearly as she would in the water lit by sunlight, and her skin enjoyed the touch of the freezing cold water around her.

The fish around her swam as far away from her as they could. They were ugly. Not like the fish near the surface. These fish were ugly, most blind even. But as she propelled through the water, the fish felt her and swam away.

They knew the dangers of the mermaids.

When Aina reached the cave where her father rested, she felt the change in the aura around her, but ignored it. She had ignored it all her life.

Others, however, didn’t. They felt danger and fear when they came close to this cave, and stayed as far away as possible.

Aina swam deep into the cave and when she reached her father, she saw that he was sleeping.

He looked ill, lying on the floor of the cave. This is how he had been all his life. He was wearing a grey robe, lying on his back with his eyes closed. His graying black hair was long, floating around, as was his beard. And though he was fairly young, he looked very old.

He was different from her though. He did not have a fin. Instead, he had two feet.

He was no mermaid.

Her father was Nereus. The Sorcerer of the Oceans.

Aina glared at nothing, as she leaned against the wall of the cave and waited for him to awaken.

She would make the people who did this to the man who created her pay.

‘Aina.’ She heard her father call.

She turned her head and looked at him.

His eyes were open, he stared at the ceiling.

“Father.” She said as she swam over to him. “The Captain of the ship—”

‘I know.’ He said. He didn’t open his mouth when he spoke, but she heard him just the same.

“What do I do… I’m being drained of my energy.”

‘You have to wait.’

“Wait?” She asked. “What if he’s falling in love with that Princess?”

‘He is.’

 Aina’s eyes widened. “Father! What do I do?”

‘This is part of the plan, child.’He said. She heard a hint of annoyance in his voice. ‘Come here.’

Aina hesitated, but swam closer to him.

He then made her gasp when he lifted his hand up. Never in her life has she ever seen him move, other than opening or closing his eyes.

He had gained strength. She had no idea how, but somehow, he had become stronger.

She smiled as he reached out and touched her arm and her smile grew when she felt her strength return.