The Real Treasure

The wind whistled softly, calling me to the open sea. I looked out across the water and the deck of my ship. There were no other ships on the horizon. The weather was peaceful. It was the best time as any to go hunting. 

“How are we looking, Cordelia,” I called. My first mate, and the only other woman on the ship, rushed to my side. 

“The course has been charted, Captain Nerida,” she answered. I grinned and nodded. 

“Good, and the rest of the crew?”

“Ready to follow you into the storm.” I nodded again and looked to the horizon. In the distance, a storm was brewing. Everyone on the ship could practically smell it. The air shifted as we drew closer. I half expected someone to object, but no one did. When I had started as a female captain, everyone objected to everything I did. Half of the men threatened to quit until I set them straight. Amazing how much people will respect you after you best them in sword combat. 

I breathed in the sea air once more, feeling the sway of the waves under the ship. Then, I felt it. A slight bump, barely noticeable. 

“Steer us to the left a few degrees,” I ordered. Cordelia nodded and raced to the helm, doing as she was told. As we turned away, I caught a glimpse of a gray fin sticking out of the water. Slowly, it followed my ship. Once it was close enough, I snarled and threw my hand over the water. The creature struggled slightly but eventually shrunk back. That will teach you to mess with my ship, I thought, and straightened. None of the crew seemed fazed; it was doubtful they even saw anything. I continued as if I was simply looked to the horizon. Small footsteps echoed on wooden planks as one of the crewmates walked up to me.

“Remind me again, captain, what it is we are looking for,” one of the new lads asked. Some of the older deck hands laughed. 

“Have you never heard the tale of the lost maiden, mate? Just who do you think you are coming on this ship,” another cajoled. 

“Peace,” I said and turned to the young boy. He was around fifteen or so with light brown hair and eyes as blue and bright as the sea itself. Castor, his name was. The newest addition to our ship. 

“Have you never heard the tale of the lost maiden, Castor,” I asked gently. One of the crew snorted, but I ignored them. The boy just shook his head. “Well, you ‘ought to know. Come into my quarters, and I’ll tell the tale. The rest of you, get back to work.”

“Ay, ay, captain,” they cried in unison and scurried off. Even Cordelia nodded and returned to her place at the helm. Meanwhile, I ushered Castor to the other end of the ship where my quarters were. Caster shuddered against my touch. He was new to the pirate life, though his father had been a fisherman. The boy craved adventure; you could see it in his eyes. After all my years on that ship, I had mastered the art of finding the best shipmates. I was never wrong. 

When we stepped through the door, the boy gasped. I had traveled for many years and had obtained quite a few priceless artifacts. Sometimes, I forgot how people reacted to them. 

“Is that real gold,” Caster inquired as he buzzed around the room. 

“Yes, it is. Pirates don’t keep fake gold. Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll tell you the legend,’ I suggested. He did as he was told, but his eyes still wandered the room. I couldn’t blame him. At times, the extent of my travels amazed me as well. 

“As most good legends do, this one has magic,” I began. That piqued his interest. He sat perfectly straight with his eyes on me. “This story began long ago with a woman. As most women do, she fell in love with a handsome soldier. The legend says that the two were so madly in love, they couldn’t stand to be separated from each other. But, the soldier had to go to war. The woman longed to follow him, but she couldn’t not. She watched her beloved sail across the sea until he was no more than a spec on the horizon. Then, she waited. Most say that she sat on the seashore every day, looking for just a glimpse of a ship. No ship ever came.”

“Did the man die,” Castor questioned, his eyes wide. I shrugged. 

“No one knows for sure. All the legend says is that he never came home,” I replied. 

“Tell me more,” he said eagerly. I smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm. No matter how many times I told the story it never got old. 

“When she couldn’t find it in her heart to wait any longer, the woman hired some men and ordered them to help her find the lost love. Most men thought it was folly, but the other women in the town were eager to find the lost ones. They had watched their men on the ships before, so they knew how it worked. They were unprepared, however, for the storms that awaited them. After a few weeks on the sea, they were all caught in a horrific storm. The waves came up the side. The wind nearly broke the mast. The sails tore. It was chaos. When the storm cleared, all that was left was the wreckage and less than half the crew. The crew was adrift for days until they came to an island. Well, one person came to the island.”

“The woman,” the boy guessed. I nodded. 

“She was all that remained of that ship. She shouted at the sea and the air and the earth beneath her feet, demanding a response. Finally, she was given one. The legend says that the gods of the sea, the air, and the earth blessed her. She would be able to find anyone’s lost love, but she would never find her own.” 

“That sounds more like a curse.”

“I suppose to some, it would be. However, think of all the people she helped. Anyone who dares to find her island will be able to find the love of their life, no strings attached. That woman is practically a savior.”

“Some people say it’s a man,” Cordelia’s voice rang from behind the door. It creaked open, and my first mate bowed. “Forgive me for eavesdropping, Captain. I was just coming to tell you that we are approaching the storm.” I just waved my hand. 

“It’s fine, Cordelia. Some legends do say the lost maiden is a man. No one has confirmed or denied either version,” I replied. “Cordelia, tell the crew to brace themselves. Let us pray that the gods of the sea will be merciful.” 

“They are all prepared, Captain.”

“Good, then come sit,” I said. She took the other place at the table. Castor seemed to get shy. 

“Aren’t you worried about the storm, Captain,” he asked sheepishly. I shook my head. 

“No one dies in those storms anymore. The lost one forbids it. Most say the gods forbid it. These waters are already tainted,” I explained. He still looked frightened. 

“Worry not, lad. I’ve been through these waters before. The storms are just meant to scare away the weak-hearted,” Cordelia assured him. I grinned. Yep, that was why she was the first mate. She had accompanied both royal and pirate ships through the storms. There was a sort of truce between the crown and the pirates when it came to the lost maiden. No one attacked in the vicinity. There were no prisoners taken in these waters. Anyone who wanted to find their love was allowed to. That much the world seemed to agree on. 

Castor still fidgeted in his seat.

“You still have something to say. Well, go ahead. Say it,” I noted. 

“There are legends about you, too, Captain,” he muttered. Well, that wasn’t out of the ordinary. Of course, I had heard most of the legends, but new ones were always surfacing. 

“I’d love to hear them,” I declared, leaning back in the wooden chair. He swallowed and cleared his throat. 

“They say that you are a captain who never ages, who has sailed the seas for centuries and doesn’t step foot on the land,” he began. I gestured for him to go on. “My father used to say that if I came on your ship, it was as if being chosen by the sea itself. Some of the traders call you the daughter of the sea. There’s one big legend surrounding you. I used to hear some of the other captains talk about it. One of them said that you’ve been searching for your lost love, and that’s why you need to find the lost maiden.” Then he looked up at Cordelia.

“Have you seen the lost one,” he asked. My first mate shook her head.

“Only those who are searching can see the maiden. The crew is usually left on the shore,” Cordelia answered. Castor nodded and continued.

“Anyway, there are rumors that you were born from the sea itself,” he said and lowers his voice. “They say you’re a mermaid. Is that true?” I just laughed at his wide eyes. 

“Now, where did you hear that,” I asked. He shrunk back.

“My father and the others at the dock,” he muttered. Cordelia laughed, louder than I. 

“I suppose word does get around, Captain Nerida,” she noted with her eyes bright. Yes, the word did seem to travel fast. Then again, it had been quite a few years since that rumor started. If I remembered correctly, Cordelia was the one who started it. That was before she joined the crew, though, and learned the truth. 

“Do you believe that,” I asked, leaning on the table. Castor looked at me and nodded. 

“You commanded that shark as though it were nothing,” he murmured. So, someone did see, I thought. The kid was brighter than he looked. On my ship, that was a good thing. 

“Captain Nerida is not just a mermaid,” Cordelia began. “She’s the goddess of the sea herself.” I smirked as Castor stood, knocking his chair over. His eyes were wide with fright, and his hand started to shake. Without another word, he fell on his knees, muttering some sort of prayer. Cordelia just looked amused. 

“At ease, Castor. Cordelia is just being dramatic,” I chuckled. 

“But, but, are you,” he stammered. 

“I am, but you needn’t worry,” I assured him. He hesitated but stood. He still wouldn’t meet my eye, though. 

“Was it you, then, who cursed the maiden,” he muttered. 

“I’m not entirely sure where that legend came from, but no. I never cursed a lost maiden, and honestly, I’m not even sure if the rest of the legend is true. What I do know is that everyone who meets the lost one finds their lost love,” I breathed. “And I need to find him.” Just saying the words brought back memories. Gosh, it must have been centuries ago that I first saw him. He was walking along the seashore, though he never left any footprints. You’d think it would be easier for one god to recognize another, but it wasn’t. I was just in the water being held up by a little whirlpool. It wasn’t until he turned that I saw the perfect brown eyes. Well, it wasn’t just the eyes. It was the knowledge behind them. This man couldn’t be a mere mortal. 

“I was wondering if I’d ever run into the goddess of the sea,” he mused, beckoning me closer. It was then that I truly realized who he was. The age, how plainly he spoke. 

“You must be Haldor,” I said by way of greeting. 

“And you must be Nerida,” he replied. I came up to the shore, increasing the size of the whirlpool until we were level. I knew that I couldn’t step on the dry earth, and he couldn’t step in the water. Those were the rules of the world. I had tried once or twice after I met him, but every time I tried, I felt sick. It was hard to say when I first fell in love with him, but we met a few times after, always in the same place. His words were sweet, and he was handsome. We met every week or so, and I found myself looking forward to it. At the time, I lived in an underwater cave with only fish for the company. Most of the gods didn’t care about each other. 

Then, one day, he just stopped coming. I went to the same spot for weeks and weeks, but he had disappeared. For once in my life, I cried out to the other god, the one of the air, but there was no response. 

“Lyra,” I had screamed, but no one answered. I called out to the sea, searching for him. There was nothing. It wasn’t until I heard about the myth of the lost maiden that I had hope. I searched for people who would join me willingly. The captain of the navy owed his life to me, so it wasn’t hard to obtain a crew. Through the years, the crew came and went, but my mission never wavered. The location of the lost one was usually kept a secret. It took a while for me to find someone who knew the exact location and the course to chart. Cordelia was one of the first. Of course, there were others, but at those times, there were other ships there. According to popular belief, the lost one never saw more than one person per day. So, I just left. 

“Captain Nerida,” Cordelia interrupted, shaking me from my thoughts. She was dabbing a cloth on my face, and it took me a moment to realize that I had been crying. 

“Apologies, Cordelia. I must have gotten lost in my thoughts,” I declared. “Where’s Castor?”

“I sent him back on deck,” she replied and paused. “We’re here, captain.” I stood up quickly, knocking my chair over in the process. I raced out the door and up to the deck where my crew was waiting for me. 

“Are we the only ones here,” I questioned. They nodded. 

“Cordelia, send two men to meet the lost one. Bring it here,” I ordered and started to let release the rowboat. The men did as they were told and rowed to the island. The sun was starting to set, but I didn’t mind. If we had to spend the whole night there, we would. I refused to leave when I was so close. The crew would understand. If fact, I suppose they sympathized. F I was willing to go all the way to the lost one, I was desperate. 

The men returned in thirty minutes or so, much faster than I expected them to, but the lost one wasn’t with them. Anger bubbled in my chest, and I nearly bit their heads off. 

“Easy, captain,” Cordelia whispered in my ear. Waves crashed against the side of the boat as two of my men emerged. 

“Where is the lost one,” I demanded, not bothering to hide the fury in my voice. 

“We did as you said, captain. We asked if he would come to see you, but he just smiled,” one of them, John, said. “He wanted us to give you a message.” He, I wondered. Then, there was silence. You could hear the waves hitting the ship. 

“Well, spit it out,” I snapped. The men looked uncertain and glanced at each other. 

“You heard the captain. Spit it out,” Cordelia ordered. 

“He said that you must be Nerida,” John muttered, and I let it sink in. Then, the boat rocked. I knew for certain that it wasn’t the ocean causing it, not directly. There was something deeper. Slowly, I looked toward the shore. We were still a ways away, of course. We couldn’t dock directly on the island. Even from that distance, I could see him. I saw the lost one. 

“Captain Nerida,” Cordelia shouted as I hurled myself into the water. Actually, the whole crew was shouting, calling my name. Their words were lost to me. They meant nothing. Those eyes were all that mattered. That man was all that mattered. 

I arrived at the edge of the water, completely breathless. I concocted a whirlpool and rose to the height of the lost one. I rose until I was looking right into those dirt brown eyes. I was looking into the eyes of the lost one. 

“You must be Nerida,” he breathed. Salty tears were running down my face. Without another thought, I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around the person I thought I had lost.

“And you must be Haldor,” I muttered in his ear. He pulled me as close as he could, and I breathed him in. For the first time in a long time, I felt complete. The sea met the land, and everything was in harmony. I had found my real treasure.