جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

zenizensCordelia's home,lit by thousands of bioluminescents was lightly decorated for the once in a hundred years celebration of the cobalt moon. Cordelia was in the galley cutting up fish. Nherisa swam up to her sister. "Done?" "Yes" Cordelia said. Nherisa carried the tray of fish and placed it in the oven. She picked up a little cage from the ground beside the oven. From inside the cage, a frigil fish stared at her. She threw the cage into the darkness of a little space under the oven and closed it up. The scales of the frigil produced light and heat, filling the oven with heat. The water within a metre radius was extremely warm. Cordelia, unable to stand the heat, swam out into the hallway. The intense heat was too much for her. She stopped moving. She had seen something crying out to her from the corner of her eye. She turned her head. Right under her a rock carving of her mother's profile was a little necklace: a piece of rock with a s

On the eastern side of Fantasia, miles away from Encrea, which was on the western side, Cordelia and Nherisa took shelter in an underwater cave. They had nothing but the hard rock to sleep on. Nherisa floated in front of the cave. She looked up. Right above her was Fantasia, the world they kept hidden from. The world filled with everything she could need at the moment. She looked around at the resources she had to survive. Not much. There were a few fish around, but Cordelia would like things to remain that way. The only other food there could have was only available in Encrea. The only other source of livelihood was up in Fantasia. She swam up to the surface. She stuck her head out of the water. Her gills gave way for her lungs. She breathed in air for the first time in forever. As her face dried, her scales disappeared to reveal smooth human skin. She felt her face with her hands. She watched the scales on her hands clear out, too. What a

        Eric woke up to a knock on his door. He felt around the bed for Nherisa, who, yes, he let share his bed.         She wasn't there.        It was the middle of the night (or so he thought), who would be knocking on his door at the time? Could it be Nherisa playing a prank on him?         Eric stood up on his feet and went downstairs to open the door. Standing in front of him were three men, dressed in the royal attire.        "It is of royal protocol that I inform you about the royal family's departure for the haven of knowledge." Said the leader of the three. "They left at night to avoid drawing attention and we came at night for the same reason."         "Thank you." Eric said, slamming the door in their face as politely and gently as he could. He walked to the kitchen to check if Nherisa was there.         She wasn't.        "Where could she have gone?" He asked himself.                +++

"This looks better, doesn't it?" Zephyra said. Bailewick had to admit. He had been going the wrong way about it. How did Cornelia not succeed in something so easy as Zephyra had just done. The room once murderous and frightening to the average child was now looking better than Bailewick could have made it. Drawings of the target from the perspective of all known witnesses including Zephyra's were now pasted on the wall. And also on the walls were charts showing all information on sea dwellers. The tables were covered with maps showing all the places where sea dwellers had been spotted. "I have to admit," Bailewick said, impressed. "You did a wonderful job." "Of course I did." Zephyra said, holding up her head in pride. "I am my father's daughter." "Now since we have no harpoons or nets or anything to catch them, how would we ever get

        Breakfast in the dining hall of 'the regal II' was engrossed in silence. Roland sat at the head of the table, not speaking at all. Cornelia, on the other end of the table, tried to keep her mouth full in order to avoid any questions. Zephyra, on the other hand, was dying to tell the truth that had been bugging her since the last night. Bailewick just stood next to the king; watching, waiting.        "Father." Zephyra started. "I have to tell you..."         "Zephyra," Bailewick interrupted. "Mind your manners. This is a dining room."         "But I..."         "Whatever you have to say can wait." Bailewick said, giving Zephyra a look that said 'stop trying'         "I just wanted to say that..."         "We're here." The voice of the captain echoed, stopping Zephyra's words.         The king immediately stood up on his feet and walked out of the room, arm in arm with his queen.        "Zephyra, a