The Sun Maiden

Darkness, total Darkness. The drum of a beating heart. The feeling of falling, reaching, grasping but nothing to hold onto. Utter loneliness, wanting to scream for someone but no voice will come. Suddenly a warmth comes pulling Solyra out of the darkness. Opening her eyes Solyra rises from her bed and swims to the surface. Slowly moving her arms in a ritualistic fluid motion, she feels the power surging and the sun begins to rise. "Lunetta please wake up" a man yells in the distance. Solyra's heart pangs with longing when she hears her sisters name and sees a boat in the distance. Was Lunetta on that boat? It was known that during a new moon, Lunetta would try to drown traveling Vikings and merchants much like the goddess Ran. Suddenly she remembers it was the eve of the new moon and that her sister would be trapped in her siren form until the sun has risen. Mustering up all her strength she raises the sun keeping an eye on the boat. Once the sun peaked over the horizon all went silent. Watching the boat, she caught a glimpse of Lunetta with a Viking man in an embrace. Knowing her sister was safe, Solyra dives down into the depths to return to her tribe. "who was that man?" she says out loud, looking back up to the surface, the boat gliding toward shore. As Solyra nears the tribe's home she can see Solveig waiting for her arms crossed. Approaching her mother, she bows her head and places her hand over her heart "Mother I have returned". Looking over here stern eyes darting back and forth eyebrow raised she says "your late, you know I don't like you above the surface long, your power needs to be protected and you can't handle yourself alone.". Turning Solveig begins to swim towards their temple made of coral and stone. Solyra follows close behind and sighs. It was time to start her daily duties. Cleaning the temple Solyra is lost in thought, some days she envied Lunetta's freedom and others she felt bad for her exile. Even though everyone here was descendants of Sol and Mani, Lunetta was always shunned for her curse. Why couldn't things go back to before when they would swim together singing and laughing all day long. Solyra also had a responsibility to her people and did not want to leave her mother alone. Once all the cleaning was done, Solyra went to her private chamber to clean herself up and enjoy what was left of her day. Looking into an old mirror she found in a Viking shipwreck, Solyra admired her appearance. The body of her Tail was a mixture of naturals greens and glowing gold accents with tints of aqua in the right lighting. Slowly she brushes out her cherry blossom pink hair with a fishbone comb. Staring into her own eyes she could see the hues of sea green and turquoise in her iris. Many have said she had the appearance of nature itself. Shaking her head of these silly thoughts she grabs her satchel and makes her way outside. Swimming through the coral she hears a nearby call. "Solyra! Wait for me" a mermaid around the same age yells out. Giggling she replies "Well hurry up Alva! You old manatee!". Alva rushes to Solyra's side and they continue to an open valley chatting away. Sitting on a nearby bolder Solyra takes out her sketch books and begins to sketch some nearby creatures living in their near by habitat. "Your so talented and lucky. How is it you get to be the sun bearer and artistic! If only my life could be that way, I'm stuck with a basic duty in the shadows of your glowing light" Alva says sadly "its not as easy as it seems you know, I cant even…." Solyra begins to explain her troubles to her friend but is quickly cut off by Alva. "Oh, please you're the daughter of the high priestess and the sun bearer what could possibly be wrong with your life, you'll never understand how easy things are for you. The only troubles you have is that monster of a sister you have…" Solyra rises quickly from her seat furious, she hated when someone talked about Lunetta that way. "Lunetta is not a monster, you'll never understand. I think you should go I don't have much time left anyway." Alva scoffs and swims off yelling "ill see you tomorrow, hopefully you'll have calmed down.". Solyra sits back on her rock laying her head on her arms and cries. Why was she always the one taking care of everyone else's woes? Once, she wished someone would tend to her needs. While sobbing Solyra feels a small cold nose push against her arm. Looking up she sees a small harbor seal looking at her concerned. "are you ok?" Solyra could hear in her mind. "Yes, my little Evee, I will be ok, especially now that you are here." She reaches out and embraces the small seal. Solyra could communicate with sea creatures and had befriended this lost harbor seal around the time her powers manifested. Solyra puts her things away in her satchel and carries the pup in her arms. It was almost time for the moon to rise which means she would have to go back to the darkness. With this knowledge she hugs the pup tighter.

"Do you want me to stay?" Evee says

"Always" Solyra replies petting her head. Making her way back to her chamber, she stares at the surface. Why was this their curse, what did they do to offend the gods. Reaching her chamber Evee swims into Solyra's bed snuggling into the blankets. Solyra gives a faint chuckle and lays next to Evee. The darkness was creeping upon her, her eyelids growing heavy. "Thank you Evee, I wish Lunetta could be here with me. I don't want to be alone anymore." Solyra says fading into her deep slumber. Evee whines and curls up close to her. Darkness, total Darkness. The drum of a beating heart. The feeling of falling, reaching, grasping but nothing to hold onto. Utter loneliness, wanting to scream for someone but no voice will come.