Gifts Given By the Ocean can also be taken back.
After the death of the Village Head, estranged cousins Mandeeq and Shermake reunite at their Grandfather's funeral where their fathers fight over who would be the Heir to the village. With tensions ru...
Dhubuq-dhubuq hore dhabanno-hays dambe ayay leedahay
~He who makes haste at first will clutch at his head afterwards~
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MANDEEQ
The first sound Mandeeq heard was the sound of the ocean. She gently opened her eyes, a gray wall meeting her gaze. She quickly sat up, regretting it instantly as a wave of nausea hit her so she fell back down on what felt like the softest cotton. She spread out her hand, trying to get a feel for the material but couldn't quite place it.
"You shouldn't sit up that quickly." A soft feminine voice warned her. "Also, that's a bed of sea vegetation weaved together to create a new material that you humans don't have. It's super soft, right?"
Mandeeq glanced towards the direction the voice came from, revealing a mermaid sitting by some rocks. Mandeeq shook her head, as if that would help clear her head. Maybe even clear her vision to make sure that her eyes did not deceive her. The mermaid had what appeared to be purple hair but upon closer inspection, it seemed like scales made to be hair. Her skin was a wonderful mix of blues and greens with an iridescent purple sheen. Each colour blended effortlessly together. Her tail was the most majestic tail Mandeeq had ever laid eyes on. It shimmered similar to how the sun's light reflected off the sea. For some reason, Mandeeq felt familiar and comfortable with her. As if they were both the same.
The excitement that ran through Mandeeq's body urged her to speak. She opened her mouth to speak but no sounds came out. Where was her cousin? She looked around her in a panic only to calm once she saw her cousin laying beside her, still unconscious. He had something green slathered on his forehead.
"That's some snail slime. It's good for injuries. He had a nasty bump on his head." Mandeeq nodded and continued to look at her cousin.
Seeing him sleep like this reminded her of how they would lay under the stars when they were kids. So hopeful towards the future. That time seemed so far away, as if decades have passed. She was filled with the urge to protect her vulnerable cousin as she knew his distrust of mermaids. Despite all of that, she couldn't help but be filled with curiosity.
The room itself was small, with what appeared to be a roof and four walls. The roof had mismatched shells lining every corner. There were a couple of jelly fish in jars acting as a light source. The gray walls had grooves dug in as shelves, lining the entire room. Each shelf was filled with trinkets. Some Mandeeq has seen, some she has not. She could've sworn she saw an arrow hidden amongst the items. Even the floor was lined with items. So the mermaid was a collector? The inventor inside of her grew even more curious. She itched to ask about each and every single item but she knew now wasn't the time or place. They nearly just died.
"Sorry for the mess. I haven't had any visitors in a while." The mermaid sheepishly pushed some tinkers aside with her tail. "I'm sure you have many questions for me." She spoke, her voice as calming as the sounds of the sea. She got up from the rocks and swam towards a bench. "Before we get into it, why don't you try some of these sea berries? They're nutritious and really delicious." She turned around holding out a bowl of berries. They appeared to be blue in colour and were the size of grapes. "They're a very common fruit and they grow on vines."
