Into the Depths Below

Chapter 9

Two months after the incident was when any sort of normalcy returned to the Olusola household.

Marina had been recovering very well thanks to the help of Harmony and Azura. Harmony would visit once a week to give the young girl healing potions and tell stories from her kingdom. Marina would argue that the stories were her favorite part of the Fairy Queen's weekly visits.

Azura would pop in to hand off whatever trinkets they thought might entertain the seven year old. It helped tremendously whenever Nadira had to give her daughter medicine. Azura would provide a distraction while Nadira would give her child her daily injections. A local doctor recommended by Simon had come to give the girl some medications and injections that would help speed up the healing process. When Nadira asked the fee, she was pleasantly surprised to hear it had all been paid for by a mystery benefactor.

She went to confront Dalathu about it yet he denied any involvement in it. A keen eye could tell he was proud of himself for taking care of it.

The two men she had found herself getting close to emotionally had visited her and her daughter from time to time. Simon would bring books that were above Marina's reading level which left the young girl with many questions. Simon was more than happy to indulge Marina in any question she threw at him. Though, on occasion, the pale man would shoot Nadira a sympathetic look that read 'This is what you deal with everyday?' Nadira would simply nod and smile. Her daughter's curiosity was something she took pride in, clearly Marina inherited it from her.

Marina had asked many questions about the few days when she was out cold. Dalathu and Nadira both recounted the story to her multiple times over the last two months, mutually agreeing to leave out the part where Marina had attacked her mother while under the siren's control. Sitting over the mantle in the Olusola household was the pendant Azura had gifted Nadira to help her on her journey to save her daughter. The three adults even promised her that when she got better they'd take her to the Bazaar where they met Azura and Maia.

Speaking of the human geologist, Maia visited once. She gifted Marina a sapphire, much like the dust her mother had used in the potion to help her breathe underwater. Maia even let her true identity slip, revealing to the young girl her status as a shapeshifter. Marina was endlessly entertained by asking Maia to change into different animals and creatures. At first, the shape shifter was shy and embarrassed but soon became honored at the child's fascination with her powers.

The one person who never visited was Shyla. That was due to her work at the mansion. So the two, once Marina got better control of her legs, went to visit her. Azura had dropped off a device to help Marina with walking. The elf swore up and down that they had nothing to do with building the walker but the pride in their work shone in their eyes. The two thanked Azura profusely.

"Mommy, Shyla is the mermaid, right?" Nadira made a noise of confirmation as they were about halfway down the walk to the mansion where she once stayed. "That's cool. I've always loved mermaids." Marina prattled on about her love for the half human, half fish creatures while Nadira mindlessly nodded along.

Nadira was lost in thought.

If her daughter hadn't been stolen by the siren, she may never have learned about the magic that was all around them. The magic that blew in the wind, that filled the air she breathes, that flows in the water she drinks, that sparkles in the light that reflects all around.

Her eyes had been opened to a world she never would've imagined possible.

"But you were never scared, even for a second, were you mommy? You're a true hero!"

Marina had stopped pushing her walker along the path to stare at her mother with stars reflected in her eyes.

To Marina, her mother was her savior, her super hero. She had saved her from certain doom. Nadira had sacrificed a lot to save her. Her mother did everything she could to save her and she did it! Marina was scared to think what would've happened if she didn't have her super mom to rescue her.