Sea Nymph's Mate
Maita Rue
Sea Nymph’s Mate
Copyright 2017 Maita Rue
Cover design and layout by Maita Rue
Cover Picture: pexels.com
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Dylan
Chapter 2: Terra
Chapter 3: Dylan
Chapter 4: Terra
Chapter 5: Dylan
Chapter 6: Terra
Chapter 7: Dylan
Chapter 8: Terra
Chapter 9: Dylan and Terra
About the Author
More Books from Maita
Sea Nymph’s Mate
Maita Rue
Author’s note: The Nymphs here are not based on any legend. Once in a while, they come up dry land and search for their soulmate.
Chapter 1: Dylan
In every Sea Nymph’s life, there will come a time when he has to surface and find his life mate. There can only be one and he must take her with him to the sea. The time of the Search is only one full month every three years. If he fails to find a life mate, he must choose whether to go back to the ocean mate-less or stay forever on the dry land.
For Dylan, he was determined to find the woman of his dreams. He will not leave the ocean and he will not come back empty handed. That was what he vowed the day he climbed up on the rocky ledge of the desolate bay.
The stench was horrendous. Even upon entering the bay waters, there was a sticky and stinky gunk that surrounded him. He knew the talks the others told him of the surface-dwellers. The pollution the surface-dwellers excreted in the air and the sea was horrendous. How can they bear this? he thought. The oil was sticking to his slimy skin. His eyes and his lungs burned. How would he survive his month?
A gentle hand pulled him completely out of the rocky shelves and into a warm cloth. “We have you, brother,” a voice told him. He hardly struggled for he knew the voice. It belonged to a fellow Sea Nymph named Mario. Dylan knew Mario went ahead of him a week before. “Drink this and come with us.” He was given fresh water to wash his throat. Dylan can’t help but pour some water to his face and eyes. Carefully, they dragged him with speed to a dwelling.
Dylan had prepared himself thoroughly for this month-long sojourn. He learned all about the surface dwellers from others who have been to the surface. The nymphs before him told him of man-made stone structures in strait lines that went up all the way to the skies. They also warned him that man’s heart is hard and very different from a Sea Nymph’s. They told him how to act and how to blend in. He had an idea of what to expect and how to intermingling with the “Humans” but he knew he had to be on guard.
Mario brought him to a unit in a structure across the street they called building. There were rows of them uniformly facing the sea. “I thought you’d never get here. I was waiting every night since I went up. Come, Nong Tashio is waiting for us,” Mario said.
Dylan was brought to a safe house for Sea Nymphs. An old Sea Nymph they called Nong Tashio lived and operated there. He helps young Sea Nymphs survive their month and helped them find their mates. Nong Tashio made sure these young Sea Nymphs were safe and blended well with the general human population. Dugongs and other marine mammals were endangered already. If they were discovered, they would be next on the endangered species list.
Nong Tashio’s place was large enough to house a lot of them, for there were a lot of them this time. Dylan counted six of them. Half of them, he knew. Mario was his best friend and there was Dario, Mario’s brother. There was also Pier, his neighbor. Pier and Mario came together last week. Later, he was acquainted himself with the rest of them. The other three came from the distant north three days ago, by means of a land boat called bus.
The Capital was a more sensible place to find their mates for most of the population was concentrated here. Nong Tashio said the humans call it Manila. Some from the province were lucky to find their mates waiting by the shore but for the unlucky ones, they traveled to Manila for a better chance. Nong Tashio was happy to take them in. He had been doing so for a long time since his mate passed. He decided to dry up and stay on land.
Manila was the capital city. Dylan didn’t know what that meant. Mario and the other explained that it meant there were more people here than the sea sides other place.
“Listen, young Dylan, we have to be inconspicuous les’ we scare them surface-dwellers. They easily scare, you see,” Nong Tashio explained. “You must ‘proach and befriend them with caution. They easily scare and they do not believe in Sea Nymphs.” The old man briefed him about how to act, what humans did and how they interacted every day. Dylan was then fed and given proper clothes then sent to bed after.
Dylan had a hard time wearing clothes. He usually wore woven sea vines to cover his manhood and that was it. Swimming in the ocean required freedom of movement. He couldn’t understand the amount of garment these surface dwellers needed. “You’ll get used to it,” Dario, the younger of the brothers said. Dylan had to put the shirt back in front on before he managed to put it on the right way. Mario taught him how to buckle a belt and lace his shoes. These humans were so complicated!
“Don’t worry, Bro. We’ll be here a bit more to help you get around. You’d be surprised to find this place interesting. But it’s not a place to live in, though. It’s a good tale to tell your sons,” Mario commented.
Dylan shrugged. “I can’t remember father telling me anything like this. He warned me of the dirt and thieves but I didn’t expect the overwhelming filth. No wonder he dared not come back to the surface again. Mother doesn’t want to come back either.”
In the morning, Dylan was to start blending into the populace and search for his mate. Mario handed him an apron and patted him on the back. “First thing’s first. We must teach you to blend lattes. Nong Tashio required us to serve downstairs at his café. It is a place where humans come to eat when don’t want to hunt their own food,” his friend explained. “It is three hours before we open and you must be taught all the terms.” So, Mario and Dario pushed him to the downstairs kitchen to start his training.
Dylan frowned. Humans didn’t always hunt their food? Mario explained that they would work or barter some goods with a thing called money. The money can be bartered with other things like food. The small downstairs space was where the humans can get food.
Nong Tashio acquainted him with what the world was like and what a café was. Mario and Dario filled him with details they learned while the few weeks ahead they were here before him. All Sea Nymphs had a skill to learn anything fast. Dylan definitely absorbed fast enough to be an apprentice baker and barista. He knew how the cake was made, how tarts were frosted and how to make mocha lattes all in two hours. By the time they opened, he was confident he could blend well.
Nong Tashio’s café, Flounder’s, opened promptly at seven in the morning. When the usual customers came in, Nong Tashio had another “nephew” from the province working part-time. This new “nephew” however was a real eye candy. He had a unique dark skin that was evenly toned. His pearly white teeth sparkled like stars in the night, and his eyes, they were sea green. Behind him, long jet black hair flowed like silk threads.
Best of all, he made a mean double chocolate macchiato with whip cream and a side of strawberry tarts.
But Dylan and the rest of Nong Tashio’s nephews were an odd lot. Their features were quite unique. They weren’t oriental but their eyes were slightly upturned and almond. The eyes were either deep blue or light sea green, very unique to the boys. Their jaws were curved and strong. It was their build that was also odd. An anatomy student once pointed out that the boys had a torso to leg ratio that was even, quite unusual for any race. The boys were very friendly but rarely spoke words. A smile greeted each customer as they entered the door.
Another odd thing with Nong Tashio is that he never seem to have any nieces. His nephews from the province came and went but no girls ever stayed with him.
Chapter 2: Terra
Theresa, or Terra to her friends, could simply not come out of her depression. It’s been two long years and still she was silent and unprepared for the world. Her parents have given everything but nothing would bring out a smile. An accident has rendered her impaired two years prior. Terra was now a deaf-mute. The doctors said she was not going to be normal ever again. Nothing could comfort her. Tears just trickled from her eyes. Her friends dragged her around town. She went with them but her face was blank. They were leading an empty shell.
The bay was the only place she responded to. The waves, it’s sounds, the breeze. She felt calmer and more relaxed here than in her home. Her friends took her here regularly. Terra seemed to emote while looking at the sea. If she could live in the sea, she would not need her ears. She would only need her skin to feel.
Terra knew she had to go on, move forward, but she couldn’t. It wasn’t a conscious decision she could make. They were too many thoughts of loneliness of longing. After the accident, she didn’t feel as if there was anything to live for. What was the point in life? Her parents got her everything she needed. She was done with her studies. There was just nothing in her life to yearn for except the sea. Her friends dragged her around town. The days seemed to blend into one another.
Hungry, she hand-signaled her friends that she desired to eat something. They took her to a quaint little place called Flounder’s. They frequented the café when they needed a quick bite. Her friends ordered for her a tuna melt sandwich and chocolate macchiato with whip cream. The order came promptly and served by a new barista.
Terra looked up to the man serving her. He was a dark beauty. Those unusual green eyes took her to a faraway land. It reminded her of ocean waves, of calm pacific tides and deep water that enticed her to swim. He smiled as he served her and instinctively she said thank you but not a sound came out of her. Terra put her hands to her mouth then to her eyes and then began weeping again.
Terra’s friends began to pat her and soothe her by rubbing her arm. She calmed down and ate silently without emotions again. Her friends sighed and began eating their orders too.
Chapter 3: Dylan
Dylan had no idea what just happened. He seems to be doing fine the entire morning until he served the tuna melt and the beautiful girl began to cry. Mario pulled him to the counter and made him make blueberry tarts while he served the rest of the table.
“Not to worry, lad. That girl’s always a silent type. Cries for nothing, too. Not your fault,” Nong Tashio, from behind the counter, said. “She had an accident couple years back and she wasn’t the same since.”
But Dylan was troubled. That girl… she was haunting. She was sad. Dylan felt the urge to comfort her. He wanted to go back to her and tell her he would try to make things better. After the girl and her friends ate, they paid and hurried away.
That afternoon, he and Mario toured the city. He was surprised to see a place called the Mall. His father told him of crowded open spaced markets. This was no crowded open spaced market. It was a well-organized cornucopia of shops in an enclosed building that was bright and cold. He was glad he was wearing clothes.
Mario showed him the girl that was his soul mate. She was tall and her hair was cut short. Then Dylan realized Mario’s hair was cropped short too. “She likes it this way,” Mario said. He told Dylan that the girl was a beautician. They earned their living by cutting and washing people’s hair. He was waiting for her to finally say yes to him and they would be off and into the sea.
After the day’s adventure, they went back to the bay. It was crowded in the afternoon. People strolled along the boulevard. There were people selling and people buying. He also saw people singing and people painting pictures. He thought it was interesting so he stayed and observed the painters.
That night, he dreamed of his first day’s adventure. He dreamed of missing the ocean, the mall and the girl. The girl, was crying in his dream. Dylan wanted to make her smile. When he woke, he couldn’t understand why he was so sad. He vowed to see that girl again.
Next day, they went to a different type of market, one where you buy foodstuff to use for the café. Nong Tashio called it supermarket. Indeed, for Dylan, it was super to find all you need at one place. He had a good time sampling the food called “chips” that Nong Tashio was so fond of. Though he regretted it later when his stomach revolted and made him sick for a couple days. He cursed the lost time he spent in bed. While he was sick, Mario went to fetch his own mate and left for the sea. Dylan wished he was as fortunate as Mario. He left some things for Dylan just in case he left without word. “It’s paper. It dissolves in water so you can’t take it with you. Use this pencil to draw or write on it,” Dario instructed. Mario told him not to give up and follow his instincts. It was sound advice from his friend.
Dario on the other hand was close to convincing his love of the sea life. He was busy now and had no time to entertain or to train Dylan. He was left to explore on his own as his other Nymph friends were busy wooing or searching for their mates.
Dylan loved sketching on the sand and the rocks. He realized he could do draw something more refined with the pencil and paper. When he finished his shift at Flounder’s, he went to the bayside to capture his beloved sea.
Nong Tashio had given him currency or money to buy things in the mall. Dylan bought paper and pencils. After the mall, he raced to the seaside and began sketching. He experimented with colors and different strokes. His sketches were drawing a crowd to him. They were intrigued by his vivid imagery of the sea life.
Chapter 4: Terra
Terra watched as the dark male gazed into the ocean. His sea green eyes captured the setting of the bay. He was sketching the sunset over the water. She wondered why she was so taken by this man. Was it his eyes that reminded her of the ocean? Of her silent dream?
She wished she could talk to him. Nong Tashio’s nephew was a handsome but somber man. He didn’t speak a lot but he had a serene disposition about him. If only she had the courage to approach him.
A week had passed since her latest bouts of water works and she finally returned to the bay. Her friends still shadowed her wherever she went. They were more babysitters than friends. She regretted that loss of deep meaning between them.
Terra knew they took her out in the afternoons because they pitied her. Her parents asked them to entertain her. Since Terra’s father pays them every time they go out with her, they took advantage of the excursions with her. At least they liked to go to the bay and seaside.
But she didn’t want this existence anymore.
Wretchedly, she turned her gaze back to the dark beauty with the eyes of the sea. He was enigmatic. His smile took her breath away. Terra felt a small contentment watching him sketching and smiling.
She sat beside him as he sketched. That was all her nerves could muster. She wanted to talk to him, to tell him how she wished she could swim in the sea. He smiled at her then began to sketch some more. From time to time, he showed her his progress. If only she could hear what he was saying.
Chapter 5: Dylan
Dylan watched idly as Terra ate in silence. Flounder’s was always full but he can spot her anywhere. Her friends were busy chatting but she remained emotionless.
“She th’ one, lad?” Nong Tashio asked.
Dylan was snapped back to reality as Nong Tashio’s words registered. He nodded. “I think so. I can’t seem to get her out of my mind. My heart is drawn to her.”
Nong Tashio smiled. “Yup, just as I thought… Lad, you’re in for a hard ride. I don’t know why fate gave you such a difficult task.” Dylan couldn’t understand how hard his task would be. “She’s deaf, can’t hear your sweet siren words of the sea and the life underwater. There are no songs to lure her to the water.”
Dylan was flabbergasted. A Sea Nymph
could sing to his mate and make her see the ocean in his voice. He could talk sultry poetry and woe her. Deaf? Nong Tashio’s words sunk in. Surely, there would be other ways to make her understand. Could there?
The next few days were agonizing. He kept seeing the girl watching the bay like a zombie. She did glance at him once or twice. He continued to sketch. It was the end of the week when he developed the courage to talk to her. He described the ocean knowing she couldn’t hear him. He showed her pictures of the sunset and the weedy ocean floors. He sketched the reefs with fishes and corals. She smiled a bit. Then her friends pulled her away for it was getting late.
There was a kind of understanding passing through them. They formed a routine after she visited Flounder’s. They began to meet every day. Every day, he sketched for her. He drew his home and the places he wanted her to visit. She smiled and kept the pictures, musing over them, hoping to understand what he was telling her.
But a smile was not enough. Desperately he wanted her to understand that he was inviting her to go to the sea. To go to his home. To be with him.
“You must go home tomorrow, lad. If you don’t you will dry-up and stay here like me. It’s not a good life for one such as you. With or without her, you must go home,” Nong Tashio told him. He was right, Dylan thought. Tomorrow was the last day he could stay. He didn’t want to stay here but he didn’t want to go home without a mate. Dylan was torn.
Chapter 6: Terra
Terra paced the length of her room. Nothing interested her. Not her clothes, nor her collection of jewelry, nor anything else her parents showered her with. What was the point? They were not there. They showered her with money and bribed her friends because they were too busy for her.
Her green-eyed beauty swam in her mind. If only there was something more he offered than sketches. If only they didn’t need to speak through words. She wished she could go to the places he sketched for her, to his watery imaginaries.
But the water was no longer accessible to her. Ever since the accident, her parents turned distant. They showered her with money and things but only from a distance. There were no more family excursions, no more beach outings.
