If I Can't Have You... | Empires Smp S1

XXXII

Pearl's POV:

I am not in the right attire for this, my thoughts conclude, looking down at my flowing dress.

But remember that you chose to do this.

Katherine politely declined the offer, whilst Shrub, casting apprehensive glances at the water, said that the gnomes didn't know how to swim.

Slowly but surely, I edge towards the ocean, the tide spraying my dress with the sea - much to my dismay.

The water is lapping at thmy waist as I pull my hair back with my hand riddled with riches.

And I take a deep breath in before dipping my face into the water.

My eyes are stinging from the salt in my eyes and I blink furiously trying to adjust my vision. A blurry silhouette of blue, pink and white approaches me, lightly touching my shoulders.

"Pearl," Lizzie says, desperation clawing into her voice. "Listen to me very carefully:"

"I am in grave danger. The sand in my gills won't let me breathe above water without viciously bleeding out,"

She took a steadying breath, her eyes welling with tears.

"Tell Joel thankyou," she whispered, her voice as quiet as the silent sea. "Thankyou for everything,"

She squeezed my hand tightly and I gave her a sad smile, nodding quickly before looking up at the distorted projection of the sky.

My hands fall away from my hair, vigorously rubbing my sea-filled eyes.

As I looked towards shore, my eyes met a face I was not expecting to see.

Shrub's face lit up with a new, unseen hopefulness whilst Katherine was almost bouncing up and down on the sand, radiating pure beams of happiness.

The surprise of Joel and Pix successfully returning Jimmy to us was a minute of glory that quickly died down.

Jimmy's face was streaked with few tears, and his eyes were red and glossy, scouring the red sand with keen eyes for his sister.

I waded back to shore, wringing my dress out carefully as Katherine patted a small spot beside her, ushering me to come sit down.

"Where is she?" Jimmy asked, sprinting up to me with a hint of passive aggression.

Nice to see you too, Jimmy, I thought bitterly, almost immediately frowning upon such a thought moments after.

I carefully lifted my arm and slowly pointed towards the horizon. He watched with the intent of a million hunting dogs before leaping into the water with an unseen grace - especially for Jimmy's standards - landing in the water with a gentle splash and disappearing into the depths of the land down under.

Seconds turn into minutes and minutes turn into what feels like hours of anticipation, but a blurry of red, white and blue shoots past, pounding into the snow sending a flurrying explosion of red sand up into the air.

I unsheath my sword as two silhouettes walk into view.

The first figure steps out of the sandstorm, a blast of relentless sun beating down on his face smeared with char.

fWhip, I quickly identified his red hair thick with a coat of white sand.

The other silhouette stands up, delicately brushing the sand off their clothes in swift, clean strokes, before reaching towards long, sturdy deer antlers, checking if their presence remains.

My lips part, ready to squeal with happiness. A smile that doesn't quite reach Scott's eyes twitches at his lips.

Yet, a grim expression quickly replaces it as a shadow casts over Scott's face.

Lizzie leaps out of the water, a whisk of blue and pink. Her pupils are in snake-like slits as her sharp teeth glint maliciously, sunlight on seawater. Instead of her external gills being pressed into her neck, they are fanned out like that of a male lion's, blood trickling down her blue scales in a contrast like no other.

Her nails, menacing as daggers, grasp onto Scott, before she plunges into the water with elegance.

So much so that you wouldn't think she had any bad intentions at all...