Amphitrite - Wilbur Soot

~six~

The yellow gem had become a sort of comfort item throughout the day. I would turn it over and over in my palm and rub it with my thumb. It held a certain warmth to it that I couldn't explain, but I wasn't complaining at all. I had grown so used to being cold that the constant heat was a welcome surprise.

"How long have you been sitting here?" Daphne asked me. I was sitting on the shore, my toes occasionally getting washed over with saltwater as the waves rolled in. She was barely peeking up over the surface of the water for fear of being spotted. It was strange. Even though us naiads have been around since the beginning of time, the people of Helia continue to deny our existence. Every naiad they've captured inevitably ends up maimed and thrown back in the ocean to die.

"Couple hours. I've got nothing else to do until Lilith arrives," I said. She nodded and closed her eyes, letting the waves pull back over her. When she emerged from the water again, her black eyes were trained on something behind me.

"She's here. Good luck. I'll go get Mother Thetis." And then she was gone, leaving me alone with the goddess behind me.

"Good evening, madam. I don't suppose you've seen a tall, pale, black-haired woman, have you?" Her voice was saccharine sweet and motherly almost. I could feel her eyes on me as I stood up to face her. She was tall, and her black cloaks blew in the breeze.

"She is coming, Goddess." I kept my head down. "She shouldn't be long." I watched as her black boots took one step closer, and then another. Behind my back, my fingers fidgeted with the gem Charlotte had given me.

"You have a very pleasant voice for a mortal. Who do you belong to?" She asked, a single sleek dark purple hand reaching out to me, lifting my face up so she could see my eyes. I made a point to keep my gaze away from her eyes. I wasn't about to get murdered.

"I belong to no one, Goddess." She chuckled a little, but without malice. A kind god? My mind was breaking at the thought.

"Well, that doesn't make a lot of sense. You're quite the specimen. What gets you in association with Thetis?" She asked.

"If you ask any of the village people why they don't go to the beach they'll tell you. I don't like talking about my supposed death," I said. She nodded and moved her hand back to her side.

"Good evening Lilith." That was Thetis' voice, coming from the ocean behind me. I took the hint and stepped to the side, my head hung low. Thetis would have my head if I caused a scene.

"Ah, you look great! How long has it been?" Lilith said. I risked a glance up and saw the two tall women in a very one-sided hug. I'll let you figure out who was putting forth the effort.

"Couple hundred years," Thetis replied. She was always bad at talking to people.

"Why don't you come to the Angel's dinner tonight? He said he invited you." I could hear the smile in her voice, but also an underlying message. She was asking if Thetis was on good terms with the Angel yet.

"I can never forgive him for the pain he has caused me." Thetis' voice was cold. "Over four hundred years and my prized reef has yet to return to its former glory. Just so he could decorate some stupid creation of his." I felt like I was hearing things I shouldn't be. Why was I there again?

"Thetis dear, I understand how painful that must be. He quite literally murdered me." Lilith laughed. "But, don't you think that what you've done to him is rather harsh?" She asked. She was lucky she was older than Thetis, otherwise she would have died for a second time.

"I didn't even curse him."
"You cursed his firstborn. That's almost the same thing," Lilith said. I looked up again, and saw Wilbur sitting on a rock watching the interaction, out of sight of the goddesses.