Ocean Master

Tethys looked on from the shallows as he did every dawn. He enjoyed watching the humans get into their boats and chase sea life all morning. Some would drag themselves onto the docks like they needed just one more precious hour of sleep. Others, well they were just too eager. Even for him, he thought he was pretty energetic. Must have been whatever was in those tubes they drank from as they loaded their boats.

These humans were different from the ones that had the huge commercial fishing boats. These humans only caught what they needed to survive. Sell a little and eat a little. Tethys could admire them for their lack of greed. True, they wanted good lives for themselves and their families, but they did it modestly. The humans he watched on other shores would fish, net and beach thousands of creatures, no regard for populations they were killing off, or even their own fellow humans they were screwing over by taking all of the sea life.

Then there was her. Tethys did not know her name, but in his heart he called her Cari. She came out every morning with one of the more aged human males. She was neither dragging herself to the docks nor too eager. She was. Just was. He could hear sirens singing when she came within eyesight.

Tethys sighed. Then caught himself. His Cari could never be his. How would he ever win over such a mercurial creature?

“You could talk to her sire….” A soft voice offered from beside him.

Tethys almost jumped out of the water. He was so enthralled by his Cari that he forgot momentarily his envoy floated just out of sight under the current. “And say what Nyr? Oh, excuse me - the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on- would you come home with me and live with me under the ocean the rest of our lives? Oh, and by the way… ignore my tail?” Tethys swacked at the water in Nyr’s direction. “Don’t be absurd.”

Looking back to the boats, Tethys lost sight of “The Natalie”, the vessel his Cari and the older male was sailing. “Who do you think is the male with her?” he wondered out loud.

“The way the two interact it is not romantic. I assume a podmate. Father? Brother? Uncle?” Nyr offered.

Tethys nodded to himself as he listened to Nyr. The porpoise had a point. Tethys had been daydreaming again. All of the boats had gone their own ways. Tethys sighed again. 

“I guess its time for the morning report.” Tethys dove back under the waves flicking his tail as he went under. Nyr was quick to follow, barely breaking the surface.

***

“What are you staring at my dear?” The older man asked his daughter. “I caught you daydreaming again.” 

“I thought I saw that most beautiful fish again. Maybe a dolphin? Its fin didn’t look like a dolphin. There were so many colors.” Her voice drifted off wistfully. 

The older man chuckled softly. “You are so like your mother. Natalie would stare at the ocean for hours” His daughter sighed.

“Maybe I should have been a fish…” Her father sobered at her words. 

“If you were a fish, some fisherman would catch you.”

“I would be a smart fish. I would know not to get caught in a net or on a hook.”

***

This was the fifth-teenth dignitary to give a report. Tethys stifled a yawn, only eight more to go for today. By the time the last report is given they should have renamed it to Morning-until-almost-late-afternoon report. These stodgy old codgers were long winded. And most of those complaints are differences of opinion they could have resolved themselves.

As the last dignitary gave his region’s report, there was no need for deliberation. It was over. Finally. Tethys gladly and as politely as possible excused himself and left so fast he almost swished all of the decorations off their displays. 

He was going to miss the fishermen returning from their morning fishing trip. He always made sure the same number that left for the morning came back in the afternoon. If they did not, he would look for them and figure out how to get them home safely without them catching on. He loved this little town. Not just because it was his Cira’s town, but because he had been watching this town for centuries. From crude thatch huts, to little shanties to nice modest homes. He was just as much part of this town as the fisherman.

Why was it so dark? It was mid aft…….. A storm. Storms are not huge news, but to a fisherman caught adrift, it would be dangerous if it was a bad storm. Was Tethys so preoccupied he forgot to look into the weather for today? No.. It was supposed to be clear skies. What was this random storm doing?

Tethys quickly scanned the shoreline around the docks. “One, two, three, four….” He got up to 15 and ran out of boats to count. He was missing three. “Ruby, Gretchen and … no… The Natalie.” Where were they?

“Nyr, get your best to find these boats. There is a typhoon brewing. And..”

“Say no more, I’m on it!” Nyr flitted away as fast as his fins could carry him, calling for the rest of his pod. As Tethys turned to the shore, there was another boat making its way hastily to the dock. Gretchen. Good. One down and two more to go. The Natalie was a wooden 30 foot small cabin fishing boat. It could easily be destroyed in a typhoon. It also did not help that the boat had to be from last century. The Ruby was a newer cuddy cabin boat. Nice solid structure. It could still be flipped, but it was less likely to be demolished unless it hit a reef or crop of rocks.

***

“Dad! This storm is getting worse! Can you get the motor started yet?!” 

“No! I need a pin! Do we have anymore?!” He yelled back over the crashing water and wind.

“I’ll see if you have any in the box!” She yelled back as the thunder throttled their ears.

Such a simple task sounded so easy. In reality she had to climb the edge of the boat around the cabin to get to the door inside. In a typhoon. In the middle of the ocean. The rocking was horrible, she was almost touching the ocean when the boat tipped to and fro. She was soaked to the bone, and couldn’t feel her fingers.

***

Nyr swam his heart out. His second in command found the Ruby and led it back to the docks. The Natalie was in trouble. He had to tell Tethys. Nyr left a few of his pod to watch the boat as he made his way back to Tethys. He didn’t have to go far, Tethys was already heading out in the direction Nyr needed him to go.

“Did you find it? Did you find her?” Tethys asked breathlessly. He was swimming as fast as his inhuman godlike fins could carry him. Nyr was having trouble keeping pace with the demigod. He wasn’t even sure Tethys could hear his replies.

They arrived at the boat in record time. A few of the dolphins were holding something above the water. But not able to do much more without limbs. Tethys went to them, dread seizing his heart. Cari.... “Is she?...”

“No my liege she is alive, she slipped in this rain and hit her head. She knocked herself out. We are keeping her out of the water so she wouldn’t drown. Tethys swam to her and very gingerly held her up. This was as close as he had ever been to her and he had certainly not touched her before.

“Sir, look. Her necklace.” Nyr called attention to the intricate necklace, “What is a human doing with the seal of Nethlri?” Tethys shifted his Cari to better see the necklace. He gasped.

“What of this? Cari… What secrets are you holding?” 

“Meredith! Meredith! Where are you?!” The old man screamed in vain.

Meredith. So that was her name then. The irony. Her name meant ocean ruler where some humans were from. And she carried around her neck the seal of the oldest ruling house known in the oceans. Tethys had to act fast. The older human shouldn’t see him. She would get washed right off the deck if he put her back. And he couldn’t leave her to drown. He had a plan. He turned to Nyr.

“Get him back to the docks. I’m going to fix her and figure out the necklace. I’ll reunite them when I’m done.” Nyr nodded to Tethys and went to action, getting his pod to start turning the boat and guiding it back to the docks. Not sure how they would explain their actions to the human. But if Tethys ordered, they obeyed. They would try to stay out of sight as much as possible.

Tethys held Meredith to his chest, she was freezing. He had to move fast. He waved his hand slow and methodical over her necklace and the runes started to glow a gentle teal. Meredith shuddered then went still. She was alive, and the necklace should grant Meredith safety in his realm. He dove and swam to his home, he swam for her life.

***

Reaching his palace, he discreetly ducked into his chambers and laid Meredith on his bed, covering her with every blanket he owned. He knew the necklace would allow her to breathe, but he wasn't sure about the temperature. This was all new for him. He went to find the physician.

***

Meredith slowly opened her eyes with the worst headache she ever had. Everything was thick. The air was thick, her movements felt like she was in soup. What was going on. And the room she was in, she definitely was not home. And this wasn’t the cabin on their boat. This room was gilded in metallic. Silver? It was beautiful. And the bed… it was the size of a small third world country.

“There you are, you’re finally awake.” Meredith got goosebumps from the man’s voice. It was so melodic and smooth. She had to grind her thighs together to kill the sensation.

“Where am I?” Meredith asked. Yeah, get him talking again, smart.

“You are safe, in my room. Our physician looked you over. You have a concussion and he gave you medicine. You will recover.” Tethys answered plainly. He saw her shiver. “Are you cold still?”

“Cold? No..” She couldn’t tell him his voice made her melt under her skin.

“Where did you get the necklace?” He asked gently.

“My necklace?” She instinctively touched it. “My mother gave it to me before she left us.”

“You’re majesty.” Tethys turned to face his advisor. He didn’t want anyone addressing him as such around Meredith. He wasn’t looking at Tethys. He was bowed towards Meredith.

“What is this Eurgo?” Tethys blocked Eurgo’s view of Meredith.

“She carries the seal of Nethlri. She is heir apparent of the house of Nethlri. Dorin proves it.”

Dorin was the physician. That sneaky eel. He must have seen the necklace. Tethys wanted answers but not like this.

“So Meredith is queen?” Tethys asked quietly.

“Nethlri is Empressma. So… Meredith is Empress.” Eurgo slowed down on Meredith’s name. It didn’t flow easy, the language was not common for him.

“Hello? I’m here. I’m Meredith. What are you two talking about? If it's about me I want to know.”

“Go, I’ll explain this to her.” Eurgo nodded and swam off. He swam off. The other man in the room swam off. 

“Did he just swim away?” Meredith felt faint, but she held it together.

“We are ocean dwellers Meredith. We all swim.”

“Ohhh, ok…” Meredith slid off the bed in a daze not quite believing him. When her feet touched the floor she jumped a little. It was very plush and mossy, she wasn’t expecting that. “Who are you? And where am I?” She grabbed her throat expecting to gasp. “Am I underwater? Why am I not drowning? Am I dead???”

“First. No, you are not dead. Nor drowning. I am Tethys.” Tethys swam over as gently as he could to not scare her and steadied her to her feet. “Please do not be scared of me, I would as soon cut off my own hand than harm you.” Tethys gently moved his hand to her lower arm to keep her steady but to not seem as imposing.

“I don’t feel scared of you. But I need some answers.” Meredith looked down, He was a little more buff than any man she has ever spoken to, or had the right to. And his long tied hair made him look like a God from one of her romance novels papa didn’t know she read. She did a double take. “Are… you a mermaid?”

Tethys sputtered on the words he was about to say when she asked that. “Mermaid? No. I’m a male Cira. And mermaids are a different species. We are… I do not know a term that sounds good in human.” 

“Try me?” Meredith sat back on the side of the bed. Standing was too much.

“We are.. Above? Over? They are not like your myths.” Tethys sat down next to her. “They do not sing musicals with crabs and dream of land.”

Meredith laughed. The sound made Tethys jump. “You know about the little Mermaid?” Tethys looked lost. “Its a children’s story. For little kids. How do you know about that?”

“I’ve seen the pictures in the box…” Tethys chuckled. “And you are in my house.” His subject changed. He didn’t want to get into the conversation on how long he’s been watching those docks.

“And where is that exactly?” 

“In a trench under the ocean? The coordinates would be meaningless, so about 50 or so of your human kilometers?”

“From where?”

“Your docks?”

“You know where my docks are?”

“I do.” Tethys touched her hand gently. “I make sure your fishermen are safe when they go out. It's my duty.” 

“So what am I doing here?”

“You hit your head and fell off of your boat. I brought you here to see our physician and to see why you were wearing that necklace.”

“My mother gave me the necklace.” Meredith had to hold onto something solid.

“As you said. Did she tell you what it was or what it meant?”

“No, just that it was a family heirloom and it was very important I never take it off.”

“Good, never take it off.” Tethys took her hand and placed it on the necklace. “Look at it.”

“It's glowing? It's never done that before.” Meredith stared at it in amazement.

“It is called the seal of Nethlri. Nethlri is a … I’m not sure about the word. Deity?”

“Naught-lee?” Meredith played with the word in her head. “My mother’s name was Natalie.” Tethys closed his eyes and held back a sigh.

“Well. Not only are you wearing the seal of Nethlri. It seems Nethlri is your mother. She had disappeared for a few decades. Was tired of ruling. She came back only several years ago. Named me king, then she put herself into obscurity.” Tethys grimaced. He didn’t catch his tongue in time.

“You’re… wait.. My mother is still alive?” Meredith incredulously asked.

“As far as I…” She cut him off.

“You’re a king??” she took a huge scoot away from him, he immediately felt the coldness from her absence. He had to sit on his hand to stop himself from reaching for her.

Tethys pointed to his crown. “We don’t all wear these.” He was trying to make light of the situation. She seemed more scared of him being royalty than him being legless.

“Hey… Hey cheer up. It doesn’t mean you have to jump off the bed.” Meredith side eyed him. “You actually are higher than me. I should be jumping across the room.” He tried to lighten the mood.

“So what does all of this mean?” Meredith tried to relax a little.

“You Cira, are a Demigod. And you are ruler of the 12 realms.”