The Divine Tears: Crestfallen

VI

The sailors were gawking and whistling, as if calling a dog at the mermaid that was swimming gracefully beside the ship. Her hair, a light sandy colour, her eyes were striking emeralds, and her bare breasts were floating above the water. She completely disregarded the fools who were crying out to her, she only had eyes for Daarion—who was leaning on the side of the ship. She lustfully waved her hand at the Valkan, signalling him to join her. He only smiled, clearly enjoying the welcomed attention.

'Liking what you see?' Tessriel spoke firmly.

Daarion looked over, the princess had a vexed look, squinting at the Valkan. 'Hmm—not my type.'

'Oh!' the princess stood beside Daarion, attempting to draw the Valkan's attention, 'you have a type?'

'Not too princess enough for me,' he winked at Tessriel.

She turned with a slight grin. 'Come, Daarion. I need your assistance with a matter.'

Daarion straightened himself. He shrugged and waved at the mermaid below, proceeding to tail his princess. The mermaid was furious, for her beauty could not win over a dragon. Her tail flapped; the water splashed as she descended below. The sailors cried out even louder.

From across the waters, the other dragons witnessed the quick event.

'Of course, leave it to bloody Daarion to get the attention of a mermaid,' Erwan cried with clear envy in his throat.

'Maybe next time,' Haxios laughed, 'or maybe you're just not worthy. What was it again that mermaids could see?'

'Of nobility, courage, and tranquillity,' Yara said softly, 'should've known Daarion possessed those traits.'

'And I don't?' Erwan said.

'My dear Erwan,' Lyra threw her arm over Erwan's shoulders with a bottle of strong liquor in hand, pulling him in, 'of all the traits you possess, you certainly do not have quite the nobility of that of Daarion. Not even mentioning your tranquillity. Just think, how many lasses have you slobbered over and just to disappear when they close their eyes?'

Erwan leaned on the edge of the ship, distraught over the lack of attention the mermaid graced him with. And only halfheartedly listening to Lyra. 'I'll come back. Of all who are here, to serve as witnesses, I shall return with all those traits I so do deserve yet not have found. I shall return with ship, dingy, or with the sheer will I possess. And when I do, I shall have her, the beauty I so wish to look upon, even if only a kiss—I shall return.'

With only the blowing wind as noise, all among stood, unable to even utter a word, maybe out of shame for the Valkan's dignity.

'What is wrong with you, Erwan?' Haxios finally said. 'Bloody embarrassing us all. How about you keep your mouth shut this whole journey?'

'Oh, you would love that won't you, Haxios?'

'Yes, I would.'

'Not even thinking of this agony I'm facing.'

'It's a shitting mermaid, you dramatic child. Come, let's leave Erwan to his agony, I'm thirsty.'

The damp wooden hallway was half-lit, creaking as the ship reeled back and forth. Her dark locks smelled faintly of lotus. His armour gleamed off the radiating lanterns.

'Close the door, would you,' Tessriel sat on the bed of her room.

'And what may I assist you with?' Daarion brushed his hand through his shining moist hair.

'It's another two days before we reach Celia, and as you know there's not much for a woman to do on a ship.'

'And where do I come in?' Daarion asked, though he knew what she desired.

'I want you to entertain me,' she said.

'Entertain you in what way?'

'I can think of a few things,' she said seductively, flickering her eyes at him.

•                 •                 •

They passed the cliffs of Cerelia, the Celian border. Two naval ships escorting Halder's ship halted, as they could not pass the border. The ship carrying the other four Valkans crept behind, following the white trail of water. It was only a day's sail more. The sailors disregarded their shirts, for the sun thrashed them heavily, luckily for them—they were used to the southern weather.

'Beautiful these cliffs, aren't they, Daarion,' Tessriel ogled above at the isle of sharp pillars towering over them.

'Aye,' Daarion leaned against the taffrail beside her. 'A great battle took place here centuries ago.'

She peered over at him, puzzled. 'Do tell.'

'Cerelia was her name, daughter of Zemia and Ujë, the earth and water divines. She fought against Zurèl, son of Ujë and Zûl, corrupted by the dragon of chaos. They both possessed the power to manifest and control water, Zurèl however had the advantage, being of fire and water. Their battle shook the lands, creating earthquakes of extreme calamity, some even believing they created this wide gulf we now call the narrow sea. His speed and strength were far too much for her to manage. But she was clever, she came to these waters knowing that he'll follow, and dove deep. And at the very depths, she cast with all her might the pillars we now see, impaling Zurèl. The isle of Cerelia. The Celian kingdom was named after her. But in killing Zurèl, the serpents of this ocean were born, the beisht kione. If not for the mermaids, we would've been swarmed by them by now.'

'They were born from Zurèl?' Tessriel asked, for her curiosity was creeping above, and she had not learned extensively on the matters of dragons nor the divines.

Daarion nodded, remembering his studies from excessively thick books. 'From a dragon's death, new life is born from them. But the life being born is paralleled to their mind, actions, and their fundamental beliefs within this world. A dragon that does good, with a sound mind, with no corruption within themselves, conjures beautiful life for the good of this world. However, a dragon corrupted with impurities, decaying, conjure impure beings—beisht kione as an example. But as this world grows older, those fowl beings decrease as we Valkans increase.'

'I do see a clearer light for what you do,' Tessriel said, filled with new awe. 'You're cleansing this world of all those creatures, chimeras, wraiths, basilisks, wyverns, and all those horrors, created by those corrupted dragons.'

Aye,' Daarion smirked, as his beloved showed him utter respect. 'But throughout the years, our duties have increased with the decrease of all those beasts.'

'And with the decrease of those fowl beings do you think that a time will come that peace will rule?' she asked. 'A time of no suffering.'

He stood in thought, remembering his dreams of war, the appearance of Zûl, and the dragon of death bursting from the moon. 'No. There'll always be conflict. There'll always be that one beast, that war manifested by a slip of a tongue. But I do have hope that throughout generations we will achieve peace. At some point, we will have to push aside our differences and look to the future. A man can dream.'

'I still do have that hope, no, that belief,' her soul was untainted, pure—and he saw it, he wouldn't want her to experience any slimmer of ill that he has.

The day passed swiftly for all on board, the night the sailors sang with robust voices among the quiet waves; they hammered barrels with their palms as they made a splendid melodic ruckus. They made quite the spectacle for the princess. Daarion dragged Tessriel among the dancing sailors and the flaring lanterns. He danced with her in an over-exaggerated manner shown by the sailors. The two lovers needed a well-deserved, enjoyable evening. The ship trailing behind had its own festivities, yet not as loud, for they mostly kept watch.