Etherea: The Lost Daughter

14

The water was shockingly warm as Nia sank to the bottom. It was a small mercy, at least, to not die in freezing depths. She watched the duckweed disappear above her, its roots slid against her arms. The light she cast faded further as she drifted towards the bottom. Nias eyes shot open wide as a body swam around her, half fish, half woman. A mermaid. She could hardly believe it, and did not fight as the beautiful woman wrapped her hands around her. This is it, she thought as she recalled Torrins words of how deceitful merfolk were, I am surely dead. Nias head spun as they glided through the water. It took only seconds, yet as Nias breath quickly ran out; it felt like eons.

The surface did not arrive quick enough, her eyes shut of their own accord. Torrins fretful pacing stopped as the water rippled. The woman pushed Nia to the earth. Without a second thought, he rushed to her side, his knees skidded across the mud as her shook her lifeless body "Nia wake up" he pleaded as he checked her breathing. When no breath came from her lips, Torrin rushed to push on her chest. "This is not the end for you" Torrin desperately prayed for her eyes to open, to no avail.

He had no choice, he brought his lips to hers; if she would not breathe alone, he would give his breath to her. Nia spluttered as the water gurgled up her throat. Greedily she drank the air around her as her consciousness returned. Rian looked on with shaking hands. She had been lifeless as she was dragged to the surface. Her skin, a deathly shade of pale. Uaine loosed the breath he had been holding and turned to thank the woman who had saved her. "Thank you Airna, I owe you once more" the glistening creature smiled at the Fae, her skin shimmering green. Algae clung to her shoulders "what was that?" Nia gasped, still desperate for oxygen to refill her lungs. Airna cast a sorrowful look at the girl, Torrin worked quickly to heal the gaping wounds that pierced Nias shoulders "that, was the Ellén Trechend of the Mallaithe mountains " Airna told them. 

The Fae stared once more at Nia with disbelief. They had not seen what took her in the darkness, only heard her cries as it stole her away. Nia looked at them with narrowed eyes "You said mermaids were not to be trusted" she said to Torrin, an accusation in her tone. She had believed the woman had arrived to drag her to her death. Nia was not so impressed with Lorcan either, she understood the strange Elven words that they used; he had sent her to 'cursed' mountains. No sane person would expect safe passage through a place with such a name. Airna scoffed "I am not a mermaid" she laughed "Airna" Uaine gave her a stern look before turning to Nia; the light had begun to return to her face "she is a Merrow, a much gentler people than their cousins who enjoy trapping mortal sailors with their song" the blood had stopped gushing from her wounds, Nia noticed the exhaustion on Torrins face and rested a bloody hand on his before she turned to Airna "thank you, for saving me" the Merrows eyes gleamed as she looked curiously at the Elf.

"Our folk will always be here for you and your kin, miss Elvinia, for what your mother did for us many years ago" Airna gave a respectful nod, Nias brows furrowed "what did Ciar do to your people?" She asked, her curiosity always getting the better of her "that fool?" Airna laughed once more "he could not hurt my people if he tried, we were here before the first Fae and we will be here after. No, your mother saved someone very important to us, it is a tale I will let her tell you; for the years have no doubt done it little justice" Nia wondered if there was any part of Etherea her mother was not revered.

"What news of faoi thalamh?" Uaine asked as he sat by the lakes edge. Underground, Nia recognised, he was asking about the Fae. Nia looked at the merrow with curiosity, could she travel through the mountain? Were there pools so far below? Airna rested her arms on the bank and sighed heavily "not good Uaine, the darkness is ebbing away at their spirits. I fear the Dorchadas will consume them" Merrows were honest creatures, unlike their deceitful kin; it gave Uaine pause. Darkness, that is what threatened the trapped. Nia rang the water from her cloak as she looked back at those towering pointed peaks above the mountain, capped with snow; one would never presume by looking at them that an entire people was within. Sorrow filled her, the Merrows glistening green eyes examined Nia before she reached into the water beneath her.