Chapter Four

Goddess Ansha stole my name. I would have been angrier, had the ship not consumed my mind like a hungry pauper eating scraps. I could think of nothing but that ship. Many boats had docked at our small harbour over the years, but none as grand as this one. Not this corner of the island.

The dock master brought news that the captain would be just four days, he needed to restock ready for his voyage ahead. How I wished those days away, I wished he would leave in haste and spare me the torture. It was a carrot dangled in front of a donkey, destined never to be eaten, and I was in no mood to be that ass.

“I knew I’d find you here. Come away from the window, Priestess Aura,” Priestess Ahnn put a hand on my shoulder and gently pulled, trying to beckon me away from my view of the ship.

“My name is Mara,” I said for the thousandth time.

“Not anymore,” she replied for the thousandth time.

“What was your name before?” I asked, turning away from the window. Judging by the pain that suddenly washed across her face, she wished not to tell me.

“It matters not. I am not her anymore, I have a new life, with you.”

“Well, I'm still, Mara,” I flung myself into my armchair.

“You are Priestess Aura. I saw you take your oath, I heard your words,” she raised her eyebrows at me.

“Fine. But I wish she had picked something better. ‘Glowing light’ -how original,” I scoffed.

“It’s pretty.”

“I looked in the book of dawn just now,” I pointed to the large tome resting on a carved wooden alter in the centre of the library, “there has been eight hundered and thirty six Priestess Auras since the order began a thousand years ago,” I said.

“That many?” she asked.

“That many.”

“How many Priestess Ahnn’s I wonder?” she asked with a smile, correctly guessing that I had already looked it up.

“Twenty seven,” I said with a shake of my head, “she did this on purpose.”

“Well of course, the High Priestess does nothing by accident,” she said, oh so diplomatically.

“Like forgetting to give me a golden crown?” I patted my lonely hair atop my crownless head.

“Well, I mean sometimes she does things accidentally-” she furrowed her brow.

“No – you were quite right. She does nothing by accident. She did not forget.”

“Priestess Aura, do not make such false accusations, it is cruel.”

“I am not accusing her,” I shifted in my armchair, “she admitted it just this morning.”

“I cannot believe she would withhold your crown, you have taken your oath, why would she?”

“Because gold is far too valuable for the likes of me. She thinks I shall run away with it, and trade it for safe passage away from here,” I stole a glance at the ship.

“Good heavens, why would you say such a thing, she does not think that!”

“Oh no, she does too. That was exactly what she told me this morning.”

“Then I shall certainly have a word with her this evening. You really ought to have one, you look odd without it, and besides, she trusts you enough with the amulet, surely that’s worth more?”

“True,” I lifted it from my chest and examined the crystal in its golden setting, still glowing from welcoming the dawn that morning, “but I think she believes that even I wouldn’t sell a dawn amulet, and anyway, who would buy it? Who would willingly anger Goddess Ansha?” I rolled my eyes with a snigger.

“No one, Mar- Priestess Aura,” she corrected herself but I had heard it. A wild grin tore across my face and I pointed a finger at her.

“Stop it, it was force of habit!” she protested.

“Or it was simply because that is my name,” I said with a snigger.

“It is good to see you smile again, priestess Aura,” She chuckled at herself.

“Thank you, Cecil,” I said.

“Cecil?” she roared with laughter, “good heavens! Cecil, indeed?”

“Well you shall not tell me your name, so I have made one up for you!”

“I understood you quite well, but Cecil?”

“You don’t like it?” I asked with a snort.

“It is a hideous name.”

“Like Aura,” I said.

“No. Not like Aura,” she tapped my nose with the end of a finger and shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing under her perfectly straight crown.

“I’m sure I will get used to it. In time,” I sighed and took another glance over my shoulder at the red and gold vessel swaying elegantly on the high tide.

“Now come, you cannot sit idle all day and dream of far off lands. We have work to do,” she picked up the book that was resting on the arm of my chair. She noted the torn piece of parchment that marked the halfway point of the novel as she gently placed it back onto my drift wood shelf.

“You have read a great deal of it already,” she said.

“I wish I never had to put it down,” I replied.

“Come, tell me all about it as we do our chores,” she linked my arm with hers and led me away from the library.

We swished in our matching gowns to the foyer where the crates of crystals were waiting for us. We each picked one up, being careful not to let one single crystal point slip from the pile, for the High Priestess had severe punishments for shattered crystals. Six lashes across your calves, and I had the scars to prove it. The sun crystal mine had run dry for eleven years now, and, being the bad omen that I was, I always thought the High Priestess blamed me for it - the news was brought to us on my fifth birthday after all.

It started as a bad day, Priestess Ahnn was still five years off joining the order and there was no cake for the high priestess had been in a mood – I remembered the others hiding from her in the library with me. But the poor miner; his face - dirty from the hunt - was fraught with worry as he faced the High Priestess and revealed their failures. They had blasted a new tunnel just the week before, the seventh that year and their last hope, for none of the others had resulted in new crystal veins. She had slapped him, straight across the cheek and howled that Goddess Ansha had forsaken us. Falling to her knees, she bawled like a toddler denied sugar. It had taken her weeks to compose herself, Priestess Elfredd had to comfort me each night, as I was certain we should all die in our beds, the way she carried on. Crying that she had failed, staring at the horizon across the ocean, saying shame was upon us for her actions, she refused to see me, but contrary to her moans, the dawn kept coming, and eventually her tears subsided.

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Precariously balancing the crate on a raised knee, Priestess Ahnn opened the front door, allowing the heat to drift in, and I could already tell it was going to be torture in such heavy cotton.

Stepping out onto the hot sand, it scolded my bare feet. I tried my best to navigate around the conk shells and fallen coconuts, but with the long hem of my robe and the heavy crate of precious cargo in my arms, I stumbled more than once. I wondered if the work would have been easier at the farm as I tried to regain my balance.

“Now, tell me of this book!” Priestess Ahnn breathed out as she slumped her crate into the sand, shaking her aching arms.

Awkwardly dropping mine next to hers, I circled my throbbing shoulders and cracked my knuckles.

Carefully taking each crystal and laying them out in perfect lines to bathe in the morning sun, I spoke with enthusiasm of my new book.

But I did not tell her of my growing connection to Demarion ever since Priestess Ahnn mentioned he could have been a brother. I enjoyed my secret daydreams, and I wished them just for myself. As I read his story, I placed myself right there next to him - as his long lost sister, found floating in a basket, with a hand scrawled note from our mermaid mother, simply with my name. Mara. A gift to him, so he would always have loyal company on his voyages, a good luck charm of sorts. When the cannons boomed, and sea serpents screeched, my sword would rise just as high as his, for he had taught me all he knew. Ships would surrender at the mere sight of us two with swords drawn at the helm, for our reputation as fearless demigods, preceded us wherever we sailed.

Instead I told Priestess Ahnn of his adventures exactly as they were written, and kept my fantasy for myself.

“It sounds an exciting book,” Priestess Ahnn loved to see me so happy.

“Oh, it is,” I said as I placed the last crystal down.

“And now we wait,” sighing, she flopped into the sand.

“My favourite part,” I sat down next to her, burrowing my bare feet deep down, letting my toes discover the cool, wet sand beneath the burning top layer. It was now past midday, and the wind had ceased. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tilted my face to the sun, soaking in its heat, but within moments I felt my cheeks burning.

“We should move to the shade,” I suggested, looking to priestess Ahnn, but something had caught her eye. Following her gaze, I saw a man down the beach.

“Who’s that?” I asked, nudging her.

“I’m sure I’ve never seen him before,” she suddenly averted her eyes, staring instead at the sand, her cheeks reddening.

“He looks lost,” I said, watching as he glanced behind him, then at the Dawn Palace. He took a few steps closer, before stopping and bringing his hands to his face, and turning back towards the dock.

“I’m sure he’s just enjoying the fine weather,” priestess Ahnn shook her head.

“Shall I go see if he needs any help?” I tried to stand, but she grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the sand.

“No- we must stay with the sun crystals,” she snapped.

“Are you sure you don’t know him?” I asked as he changed his mind and strode towards us once more.

He was tall and bearded, with dark skin, rugged like a man who had spent too long at sea, but despite his wrinkles he was handsome. Wearing a loose linen shirt, woven so fine you could see the outline of his chest hair underneath and trousers ripped to shorts, held up with and a belt of leather. His feet were bare like mine, but far dirtier. Atop of his head was a three cornered cap as if he were a sailing merchant, but he was not dressed like the others I had encountered; they wore finery, to show off their accumulated wealth, each gold button on their tailcoat signified their successes, for who would want to buy cheap goods from scallywags when they could buy the best from men of means?

As he walked he stared at the dawn palace, unaware we were even stretched out on the sand, as he approached, he almost stood on a crystal.

“Watch it!” Priestess Ahnn called out, I had never heard such rudeness fall from her lips before, but she composed herself as he paused, and stepped back, bowing low, “apologies sir, but our sun crystals are sacred.”

“Ho there! I meant no offence, I was distracted – what a fine building,” his voice was deep and gruff. He forced a smile, and I noted he seemed to have all his own teeth. Unusual if he were a sailor and a pleasant change from the last ‘man’ I had encountered.

“All is forgiven, now if you please, we need our peace, we are doing godly work,” Priestess Ahnn bowed her head and I looked at her perplexed, for we were doing nothing more than sunbathing with rocks.

“Aye, of course – continue, please,” he tipped his hat to us, but did not leave, he stayed staring at the sun crystals.

“Can we help you at all, sir?” Priestess Ahnn went to stand, but he raised a calloused hand to stop her.

“Nah miss, don’t stand on my account. I wish you no inconvenience - I was just – may I enquire about your crystals?” he looked over his shoulder, as if expecting someone to be there.

“Our sun crystals?” Priestess Ahnn narrowed her eyes.

“Aye, see, I’m the captain of that there ship,” he pointed to the grand vessel, still bobbing in the harbour.

“You’re the captain?” I exclaimed, sitting up straight.

“Aye, captain Lott, at your service,” he bowed low.

“Mara,” Priestess Ahnn nudged me and I corrected myself, “Priestess Aura. What’s it like?” I asked, leaning forwards towards him.

“My ship?”

“Sailing, seeing the world! Have you found any lost pirate treasure? Have you seen any giant squid? Sea dragons? Are their claws really that sharp?” my words spilled out of me like a river that had burst its banks in a storm. Priestess Ahnn squeezed my knee, begging for decorum, but I was far too excited for restraint.

“Well, miss,” he lifted his shirt, revealing sculpted muscles and a scar that ran the width of his abs. He ran a crooked finger across it and made a noise resembling the tearing of flesh.

“Thank you, sir, indeed!” Priestess Ahnn squealed as her cheeks flushed deeper. She clasped a hand over my eyes and squeezed hers tightly shut.

“Sorry, I were just playing. It’s all hidden away now,” he tucked his shirt back into his shorts.

“Was that really from a sea dragon?” I asked with a hushed voice, as if one was lurking behind the palm trees, waiting to strike.

“Maybe, maybe not” he said with a wink.

My mind raced to the chapter I had read just that night.

Demarion had battled with one near Karnatta, Isle of creatures. It had surprised them one morning as they approached the island. He was unfazed, excited, even. The water rippled and the ship rocked violently as the dragon swam directly underneath, toying with them. Drawing his golden sword, a smile crept across his face, for Demarion loved a battle, and so did I, his loyal sister. He wished me to get below deck for protection, because he loved me most in the whole world, and wanted no harm to come of me, but he knew deep down that I would never give up my place right next to him.

He ordered the port side cannons to be fired just as the creature tore up from the sea, screeching its deafening call, but he dodged each one with a twist of his scaly body.

So instead, we looked at each other and nodded, for we each knew what the other was thinking, we climbed up the rigging and jumped, diving onto the back of the beast and stabbing at his shoulders with our matching swords, gifts from our father, God Lamar. His power flowed through the blades and tore through the sea dragon with ease.

The beast thrashed in pain and Demarion lost his footing, he slipped into the ocean and the beast devoured him whole in an instant. Crying out for my brother, I wished to avenge him, and kill the wretched beast, but the crew pulled me aboard.

Watching helplessly from the deck as the dragon circled us, each member of the crew saying a final prayer, for their time had come, when it suddenly stopped. With its head lifted to the clouds above, it let out an ear-splitting moan as its flesh tore open and out from the depths of its stomach came Demarion himself. Unscathed and wielding his father’s sword. He had hacked his way out. Throwing down a rope we heaved him to the safety of our ship. He embraced me, hugging me tightly, for he feared I was lost to him forever and that thought had given him the strength he needed to slice open the dragon’s guts and get back to me, his sister.

“Priestess Aura?” Priestess Ahnn nudged me.

“What?” I shook my head and suddenly I was back on dry land again, in my heavy robes and no sword.

“You must stop this daydreaming!” she whispered, then turned her attentions back to the man, “I was just explaining to Captain Lott that unfortunately we cannot help him.”

“Help with what?” I asked.

“Sun Crystals, miss, I wanted some, for my voyage south. The days are gettin’ shorter now, and it gets awfy dark at night on a ship,” he glared at Priestess Ahnn who kept her eyes on the sand.

“Can we not spare some? Just one or two at least?” I asked, looking at the hundreds we had.

“Even if we could, the High Priestess would never allow them to leave our island,” she looked up at Captain Lott, “It would anger Goddess Ansha.”

“I wish not to anger your goddess, I’m sorry to have bothered you both,” he said.

“See that you do not interrupt our godly work again,” she said.

“I shall be leaving soon, setting sail to the south,” he raised his eyebrows.

“Good, for your ship has been nothing but a distraction from the good work that we do,” she said.

“I meant no such thing, I shall leave you,” but he did not move, he stared at the Dawn Palace.

“Do you require prayer?” I asked him, “I could take you to the dawn room, you could tell me stories of the ocean.”

“What?” he snapped, then shook his head, “apologies – no, no I do not require prayer, I am beyond saving.”

“No one is beyond saving,” I replied, looking to Priestess Ahnn for that was usually her line, but her lips were pursed.

“Aye, that may be true, but I must get on,” he glanced back at the palace, “please forget I came – forget I ever asked. I need no godly wrath.”

I watched him walk all the way back to the port and wished, with all my heart that I had gone with him.

“Do not watch him,” Priestess Ahnn clicked her fingers to pull my focus.

“I never knew you could be so rude,” I said.

“I was not rude,” she retorted.

“Oh, you were, I would have enjoyed it, had it not scared him away – he could have told me such stories,” I huffed.

“You do not need another excuse to be enamoured with that ship,” she breathed heavily, “you took your oath, priestess Aura, you cannot leave.”

“I’m still here, aren’t I?”

“Promise me you won’t do it,” she whispered.

“Do what?” I asked, but I knew the answer.

“Do not leave with that ship, it would break my heart and you took an oath, do not leave me, little bean,” she pleaded.

“I promise,” I smiled. But I was not sure I meant it.