1 Into the Storms

The sounds of waves crashing and loud birds chirping was what aroused her from her deep and darkened slumber. Her body, drenched from the salty bitter sea, jerked up as she gasped for air. Her eyes wrenched open to the brightened day and then shut tightly.

Slowly, she reopened her eyes as they adjusted to the sun's light. Her arms stretched out and up releasing some of the pent of tension from her uncomfortable slumber.

A gasp escaped her lips as she glanced about looking down at her now human legs. There should have been, what her mind thought up as a tail, as she stared in awe and wonderment at the missing parts of her.

Her legs twitched and a tremor ran through them. Her memories where filled with a slight emptiness like she had forgotten something or someone important. Though the memory, or perhaps it was just her imagination, of a tail that once was where her legs burned in her mind.

The sound of a women's voice chirped at her. She slowly got up placing her hands on either side to help her up on her legs. Once she was standing she wobbled slightly, leaning forward and then backwards trying to get a hold of her legs. She glanced around looking for the women who's voice seemed to now be shouting out at her.

A women with dark black hair that was all crammed onto her head in a fashionable manner seemed to be approaching her. The women wore a dark lavender colored dress that seemed to hug her as she continued her approach. The women seemed to have concerned filling her eyes as she came to a halt in front of the soak girl.

The women's eyes where wide as she seemed to assess the semi clothed girl. The girl wore a soaked cream colored shirt that just barely grazed her knees. As the women continued her staring she spoke to the semi clothed girl, "Aren't you not Miss Marisabel?" Her eyebrow seem to raise in question and a slight taunt which caused the girl to flush to a crimson red that that touched most of her flesh.

Her mouth opened and then shut unsure if she could vocalize the words that she wanted to say. Looking up into the women's eyes, she nodded once and wobbled slightly from the movement.

"Drinkin' again have yah? Don't worry yah know I'd never tell a soul," the women spoke to Marisabel. "Come along love we better get yah back up before dem other folks notice. You know how they be gettin', with dem wild rumors and what not." She said grasping Marisabel's hand as she lead her toward the hill covered in knee high grass.

As the reached the top of the hill leading away from the pale white sandy beach, Marisabel turned and faced the sea. A deep pang seem to rush through her chest as she followed the women back towards the town and what appeared to be a bit farther off a glistening white castle. Before they got to the town they stopped at a small cottage.

"T'is is where I live Miss," she said walking over to the door and flinging it open. It made a loud obnoxious creaking sound that cause Marisabel's ears to ache. She almost had the urge to cover them but refrained from the action for she thought it may be rude. She followed her into the cottage and was almost instantly hit with the sent of fresh bread and some type of stew. Her mouth watered and her stomach growled loudly enough to be heard by the women who had brought her into her home.

A crimson flush once more touched her icy pale skin. The women turned a smile light her face and around her eyes crinkled with signs of her age.

"Poor deary, you must be starved and chilly at that." She said walking over and grabbing a soup bowl; to which she filled it with a stew of meat and vegetables and moving to where she store the bread, she grabbed two slices and then set them down on a small table next to a bed.

Marisabel sat at the table as she looked down at the plate of food. Instantly her hand lurched for the slice of bread and she dipped it into stew. Licking her parched lips, she brought the soaked bread to her mouth and devoured it in a couple of large bites. Taking the other slice, she did the same again. With only half the bowl of soup and a silver spoon in hand she robotically ate the last bit of stew, licking her lips once more when it had been completely devoured.

"Deary, here be some cleaner clothes," the women said and Marisabel looked up at where she pointed to a silk baby pink dress. " I betcha will needa little bit of helpin'. Most of em need help dressin'" she said nodding as Marisabel stood up walking the two steps to where the bed was.

The women stripped Marisabel of her only garment and replaced them with under garments and finally the silk dress on top. Her head was simply spinning with all the layers she was being weigh down with.

"There are so many stories bout yeh miss. Sayin' yeh sleep always by t'at t'ere sea." She said pointing to the direction of the ocean and the sandy beach that Marisabel's heart yearned for.

A sigh slipped from Marisabel's lips. She could never remember how she got to the beach but every morning someone would come to pick her up, feed her, dress her, and then send her on her way back toward the palace. She never quit seemed to make it there though and never knew or remember why.

"Now off yeh go." The women said gently pushing her out the door and towards the direction of the palace. No one said there name yet everyone knew her.

She approached the town getting further within the town each day. She was standing almost a block from the palace. When her eyes laid upon a man. His hair dark as the night, darker then black, his eyes like the full moon, a breath taking silver, and his skin a fair tan. Her breath seemed to have been stollen from her for she could not seem to breath.

His eyes met hers and her heart became almost frantic. She turned in her pink silk dress and headed back towards the beach. Running as fast as her legs could carry her not looking back but hearing the satin musical voice call out her name and she knew it was him.

Once at the beach she pulled on the fabric, ripping and pulling harder trying to break free as she headed into the ocean. Breaking free of most of the fabric she dived into the icy cold bitter water. Her world became blank and darkness seemed to take over her mind.