Bab 9: Island
The Crescent Moon Festival was held on an island sacred to the goddess: a small patch of land located in the human world. It floated on an infinite ocean far from prying human eyes.
Merfolk legends said that it also served as the only remaining doorway to a forbidden world. It grew into a larger island thriving with humans after the festival.
Merfolk were naturally curious creatures but none of them had really confirmed the rumors about the place. No one was brave enough to remain on the shore to catch the sunrise.
And if there was anyone who did, they may not have survived to return home and tell the tale. Well, no one would be able to prove the rumors until Geale returned to his home world at least.
Geale could only gape at the line of shops across the beach house. It stretched from one end of the street to the other. He couldn't see the shore from where he stood, which wasn't how the place looked like the night before.
The ground itself had turned into solid stone instead of sand. The shops sold colorful trinkets, clothes, drinks, and food that Geale didn't see during the festival.
The street was also littered with humans strolling around or tending to the establishments. It was as if he was in an entirely different island from the night before.
Geale turned around to examine the beach house restaurant bar behind him. It appeared just as rustic, old, and slightly dilapidated as he remembered.
Marnthe walked out of its door with a sigh and a tote bag dangling from one shoulder. He looked at Geale and noticed how the younger man was curiously staring at the beach house, then at the shops around them.
"Oh, you just noticed. It's not quite the same place."
"What do you mean?"
"You know that rumor about the island right? How it grows when the sun lays eyes on it after the Crescent Moon Festival?"
"It's true!"
"Not quite. This will sound a bit confusing and it's because it's quite complex. The island last night is a part and version of the island we're on right now.
This island was once a sacred and safe haven for sirens in the human world before it was taken over by humans; one of the many territories under the goddess' protection in the past and the only remaining one now. As you know, we have a natural urge to walk on land from our human lineage."
"The goddess lets us satisfy that need during the Crescent Moon Festival."
"And the gathering eventually turned into a fertility ritual of sorts. Anyway, the only place we can walk on land safely and away from predators is on an island under her protection."
"This one."
"Yes, but she can't exactly kick out the humans here without causing a global uproar. So she plucks a version of the island to be a venue for the festival - the one from when it was still a sacred haven to sirens.
It can only last until the sun rises so after the festival, the island returns to it's present state. That's where we are."
"Wow! Why isn't this explained at home? Do the chroniclers know this?"
Chroniclers were merfolk who worked closely with elves and sirens to maintain historical knowledge and pass wisdom down to generations.
"It's not that important," Marnthe said, looking away.
"Why not? I'm sure I'm not the only one who had been plagued with questions about the island."
"The island is linked to the human world. Anything related to humans is not important. You know that already, don't you?"
Geale frowned. For merfolk, humans were bad news - period. They weren't worth mentioning unless it was during history class.
"Is that why you haven't returned home to tell them about the island?"
Marnthe narrowed his eyes at him.
"Enough about the island. Your priority right now should be how to adapt to the world you'll be living in starting today. A year may be a short time to merfolk, but it can feel like a long time here. What are your thoughts about humans?"
"They're despicable, greedy, narrow-minded savages."
Marnthe winced. He expected Geale to think bad about humans from the beginning.
The human world was a dangerous place for merfolk after all. Stories about merfolk being preyed on by humans had been passed down from one merfolk generation to another, warning them against reconnecting with the other half of their ancestry.
The cruelty of humans to their own kind which were heavily chronicled by elves painted a barbaric picture of human civilization. Strict rules against human contact were imposed in response to the information, not that everyone actually followed it.
"We'll be interacting with a lot of humans here, so I will greatly appreciate it if you refrain from expressing those thoughts in front of them," Marnthe explained. "I will also need you to avoid acting badly towards them solely based on that assumption."
"You're not going to make it a rule?"
"I have to admit that the description fits some humans, but definitely not all of them. It's up to you to discern who of them fits the criteria and who doesn't.
What's important to me right now is that you at least keep an open mind about interacting with them. We coexist with them now whether you like it or not after all."
Geale resignedly sighed. "Fine. I won't be rude to them if that's what you're worried about."
"Thank you. I'll also introduce you to some friends here. Please be polite to them at the very least."
"Basic cordialities, got it." That meant offering a smile or returning a greeting.
"Oh and it's market day. There will be quite a crowd in where we're going. You might get lost so-"
Geale quickly wrapped his arms around Marnthe's. "Got it," he said, grinning brightly at him.
Marnthe stared wide-eyed at him in response. "Um…You just need to stay close to me. You don't have to-"
"I get curious about things around me easily. If I'm holding you close like this, you'll be able to make sure that I don't end up missing in a crowd of land walkers."
"Sure. That…makes sense," Marnthe muttered, looking stiffly away.
It wasn't that he felt disgusted at the gesture. He actually liked having someone that close to him after years of surviving alone on his own.
He just didn't want to get used to Geale's presence knowing that he would eventually leave.
"What is that?" Geale asked, catching the large canvas tote bag slung over Marnthe's shoulder.
"It's a bag. It's where we'll put the stuff we'll be buying so that it's easier to carry."
"I can hold it for you," Geale said, batting his eyes for good measure.
"No, thank you."
"I have strong arms," Geale assured, quickly flexing his biceps.
"I bet," Marnthe muttered, remembering the firm and toned muscles all over Geale's body.
And that appendage below his…Marnthe shook his head. Geale was too good-looking for his own good.
"Let's just go now."
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