I looks at the ocean and wonder what the last 17 years would have been like with him. How beautiful he would've been, what he might have liked, if he would've loved me. I sigh and ignore my killing loneliness. My caving pride. My new husband isn't what I imgined him to be. He is more quiet, some people say he is half elvish but he hardly talks to me about himself. It is always about the country and the state of the economy, or something about a new book. I wish he would ask me how I am doing. I wish he would let me decide but he believes the right thing is listening to the people of the country. But he is so.... I do not understand Pyralis, even if he tries to explain things to me. He has become something....inhuman. I cannot connect with him in any way. He has walls larger than the ones of the palace. But he is kind, he is beautiful, he is smart, still when I gently kiss him I imagine my Aonghus.

"Eilidh?" His gently voice says. "Are you alright?" He says, his beautiful gown swaying back and forth as he walks up to me. When he walks it almost looks as if he glides, no he floats. "It has been seventeen years.....I cannot believe how much I have aged since he died." "You are young, your life will be long Eilidh, do not worry." "You are nine years younger Pyralis. We both married each other for our countries." "And still you have never been anything but perfect Eilidh." He grabs my hand and walks towards the door. "They're waiting for you." He kisses my forehead and a tear escapes my eye. "Do not forget hope your majesty."

Arid

My name is Arid. I am the child of the most hated man in the kingdom. And I am proud to be his son. I have a better father than most people. Chladaich have been the kingdoms number one enemy. The Chladaich used to be the only ones living in the kingdom but when the humans came three generations ago they began using the ocean for magic. The difference was that their magic wasn't in harmony with nature, they wanted more than it could offer so they started abusing the holy ancestors. The chladaich are the children of the holy ancestor of the sea, gifted with magic and the privilige to protect the sea. And so they did their duty. But they were enslaved or murdered till a young Chladaich decided not to be afraid of the darker practices of our people. He is the reason the king died, he is the reason they have died young for three generations, he is the reason why there are so many floods, the reason music is prohibited. He is my father, he is kind....

I draw figures into the sand near the water inside of our beautiful torqouise cave. Drawing a face that resembles mine, a face that isn't as perfect as the ones I see on a daily basis. "Hey Human!" Merwyn screams as he appears in the water. His silver high ponytail beautifully perfect and dry as if he didn't just emerge from the water. He is my trainer. "You are going to be late" I sigh and nod. "Do you have a bad hair day again?" He says while smirking, implying I am not perfect enough. I frown, he always teases me with not being a chladaich. I don't know what it is but Merwyn cannot afford to be nice somehow. He is the only chladaich who is around my age and apart from Narcissus he is also the only boy. (They are born from the sea, they do not need parents.)

He jumps into the water and disappears, I sigh and dive into the water, my material body disappearing and my soul is carried by the current where it wants to be. We emerge from the water again at the training cave and grab some weapons.

"Right, do you think you've gotten better?" he says with a smirk. I shrug, and start to fight him. I am frustrated to find that he is still as good as he always is. It frustrates me that he never let's me win, or even gives me the chance to show I am not a bad fighter. "Come on little human, still cannot defeat me." I feel a surge through my veins and before he really knows it blue blood is flowing from a cut through his eye. "Son of a...." He cuts himself off, chladaich cannot lie. They can only twist their words. His purple eyes start to glow and his fingertips start to glow with that luminous blue colour we are known for. I slowly try to back away, all chladaich have magic and Merwyn is skilled in one of the abilities I am extremely scared of. I want to run away but I cannot move, shit. I was too late. I feel my own hand with the blade near my own face. "Please merwyn," "Right now your mind is mine." merwyn says with a maniacal smile. I feel a stinging pain as the blade traces my face.

I sit on the terrace behind the house when I hear the gentle footsteps of my father. "Arid, what happened?" He says while sitting down and looking at the shallow wound. "Nothing dad." I wince as he cleans the wound with a cloth. He looks at me and raises his eyebrows, "Really?" My father sighs and smiles while wiping his incredibly long blue silver hair out of his face. "You know....when you were seven you promised me something after you broke auntie Lyris' vase remember." I nod. "You promised not to lie, only to twist words. So....what happened arid?" "I did it myself." "So it was Merwyn?" He says with a frown. I nod. "Are you alright Arid?" I shake my head. "I wish I was more like you dad. I wish I really was your son, I wish I knew I knew people like me." "You know I cannot lie to other people of the sea. We promised eachother I would tell you who your parents are if you asked." "I do not want to know dad." he nods. "Tell Lyris to gather everyone." He says while he stands up. "Throne room?" He nods.

We all walk into the throne room, the walls look like they are made out of ice, but in reality they are made of water. My father is sitting on a throne made of seashells and pearls. "There are two thing I need to adress." My father says. He looks at Merwyn. "Merwyn, step forward." Merwyn steps forward, clearly frightened as Narcissus walks up to him and circles around him like a vulture. "tell me, what is the first rule of a trainer?" He looks down and trembles as he answers"; "never deliberately hurt your student. sir." "Exactely. Do you know what happens to trainers that break that rule." "No sir." "Me neither, shall we find out?" He says while his blue eyes start to darken they slowly turn black as he closes them and kisses Merwyn on the forehead. Merwyn suddenly turns pale and when my father opens his eyes again Merwyn falls on the ground, looking weak and frail. "Abuse of powers means loss of them." My father murmurs as he sits down on the throne.

"Now for the real reason. We have a problem honoured citizen of the sea. I have been sensing a new magical power, one that is human. It is feeding off the holy energy again. We must find out who it is and eliminate them before they can do more demage. But than someone shall return to the world of humans. Which hasn't happened in seventeen years, Lyris, our former liason has retired since than. Who volenteers?" I take a deep breath and raise my hand. I need to see what it is like to live as a human. Yes we are free to go there everyday but not for longer than a day, if I am a liason, that is exactely what I will do. "Are you certain my son?" "I am." I answer. "Who will be your companion?" I look around when I see the crying shadow of Merwyn and feel a strong pain in my chest. "Merwyn." I say. My father hesitates before nodding slightly. "The kelpies will be ready in the stables."

I put my curly red hair with it's white streaks in a bun and put on the human clothes they gave to me before walking to the stables. Merwyn is waiting for me there. "Why did you choose me?" He hisses. "Have I not been clear enough I do not wish to spend time with you?" he asks. I chuckle and shake my head. "Exactely." I say as I mount my kelpie and he mocks me as he rolls his eyes. I chuckle. "You'll like me eventually trust me." I say. "Want to bet?" I laugh and we start riding when I notice a small smile on his face.

"So where is a logical place to start?" I ask as the Kelpies emerge from the water and turn into beautiful but frightening black horses. We are both stunned by the bright sun as it caresses our faces and the beautiful songs of birds we did not know. But as I look around I catch Merwyn staring at me. "What is it?" "Your eyes......they look like earth and sea...." He says and look down immediately while smiling. "Are you okay? I didn't want my father to take away your powers." He chuckles mockingly. "Don't lie." "I am serious. I am sorry...." He looks at me and sighs. "We will see." he sighs. "I envy you, I wish I could simply lie if I wanted to. I mean yes I can lie to humans, but I cannot lie to the people I care about. To save their feelings. To save my feelings." He says and I smile. "That's a noble way to lie...." I see a palace, "We should look if the answer is in there!" I say while spurring my 'horse' "No! don't be so reckless!" He screams but I hardly hear him because I am too far away.

"Hi, have you seen any traces of magic?" I ask the guard in front of the palace while dismounting my horse. "What kind of question is that?" The guard asks with a frown. "A normal one right?" I ask. "Magic, like the ones with cards your know." A deck of cards appear in my hands and the guard jumps up in excitement....or is it fear? "Pick a card." I say, he picks a card. "Memorise it." I say with a smile before grabbing it and snipping my fingers. The key that is supposed to be on his belt is in my hand all of a sudden. "Oopsie." I say with a mischieveous smile as I run into the castle. "Kelp, wait for me at the backdoor" "We don;t even have one!" One of the guards pursuing me screams in confusion. "My bad, first time visitor." I say while jumping into the fountain and letting my consceince being carried by the murky water. I wonder whether this was a good idea..... But I appear inside a beautiful corridor. I run towards the biggest door in the corridor and storm into the great hall.

The people sitting on the thrones stare at me in confusion. The guard with strawberry blonde hair grabs his sword but the androgynous blonde young man sitting on the throne holds up his hand. "He is here with a reason, let him approach the thrones." he says with a kind a smile and I somehow recognise the way he carries himself and his eyes....they look like my father's. I slowly walk up to the thrones I notice my hair accidently unraveled itself. My long red hair and white streak bounce with every step and the woman on the throne looks at my freckled face with a fearful expresion. What is so frightening about me? I fiddle with the necklace I have always worn and bow. The woman is the first human that remotely looks like me with her curly red locks. "I am here to investigate some magical activity." "How dare you insult us like that!" The woman screams as she stands up and the strawberry blonde guard immediately grabs him sword and I decide to turn around and start to run away again.

I enter another room and I am mesmerized by all the planets hanging on it's ceiling and the books lying around everywhere. I am mesmerised by all the beautiful precious stones lying around and the burning sage smells heavenly. I lock the door and walk towards the closed window. "Who's there?" A girl's voice asks. "Nobody" I say and immediately put my hand in fron of my mouth. "So, an Idiot." She says as she emerges from behind the books. He hazelnut brown hair looks golden in the light and her eyes are almost a green version of brown. I am shocked. "You are beautiful......And you have keen hearing." I say clumsily. Enchanted by her beauty. "Are you a witch? Because I am looking for one and you have enchanted me." I say while leaning on a cabinet that apperantly isn't there. So I try not to fall. "Sure, I am a witch, and you are?" "A fugitive, pleased to meet you my beautiful mistress, my name is Arid; King of ruler." She smirks. "Even your name is arrogant." I nod. "Certainly. Will you help me to escape my fair maiden." She smiles. "If you can say one charming thing." "I will write a song about you and sing it for you if you give me your name." She blushes "Breaking a whole law for me, only for my name" and helps me open the window. "Open the door, we think there might be a warlock there!" A voice says while someone knocks on her door. "You are a warlock? Hurry up." She says I nod and climb out of the window. She looks back "I am coming dad." "Wait." I grab her hand. "Give me your name fair maiden." She smiles and blushes again. "I am Eiblín, I hope I will hear your song once Arid." I smile as she closes the window and I let myself fall into the shrubberies under it.

"Ouch....." I groan. The two kelpies are standing there and Merwyn is inspecting his nails casually. "Found anything?" I groan and we both mount our horses, but I catch myself smiling as I look back at her window.

Merwyn

We are staring at the stars that night. I smile and roll on my side to look at Arid and tell him something mean, but not too mean. Just something fun but he starts ta;lking dreamily: "I met someone. Have I told you already? DId I tell you? I think I like her, no I know I like her. I like her so much..... She is so....wonderful. And funny." He says while he looks at the stars. I feel my smile fade and quickly composing itself again. I bite my lip and take a breath. "I am so happy for you. But be careful around humans Arid." "Do you love somebody?"I chuckle and think for a second. "I...I do...  I like him, he's kind, he is.........I don't know. But I like him. Although I am pretty sure he doesn't like me. But really, that's not too strange. I guess there are many people who do not like me. I...like him, he won't like me. I don't like me either really..." He looks at me. "You are likable Merwyn. Don't kid yourself." I chuckle. "I wish." I say while looking back at the stars. Hiding a tear.

Adair

"We both know it was him! Those eyes are not something you can replicate! It was my son!" "I.....I know....." I say while looking down. "I couldn't do it my queen. I simply.... Kill me, I am sorry but I cannot kill that baby again." "Good thing you won't have to." I feel a tear fall on the ground as she grabs a sword. "Find him, and bring him to me" She says while throwing the sword to me.