Quick Note: This is technically a Famtheon fanfic that I’m crazy passionate about. Hope people like it, so I can post more. I could ramble endlessly about my plans for this, so please ask questions or share your thoughts. Also, I am aware this isn’t perfectly accurate to Greek mythology, but I’m not going for accurate; I’m going for a retelling, so just keep that in mind.
Prologue
“Stop her!” cried the hiereus, running down the marble steps of the temple, “Stop her! She took an offering! Thief!”
Amphitrite peered over her shoulder. The color drained from her face as several pairs of eyes fell upon her. They all narrowed, and the faces they belonged to twisted into visages of anger. She ran faster, nearly stumbling over her own feet in her haste.
“Stop that kid!” yelled another voice. She could hear several new pairs of footfalls join the chase, and that only spared her own.
A glass bottle flew past her and shattered on the ground. She yelped and just barely dodged the shards of glass. There was a roar of annoyance as another one was thrown, a few of the shards caressing her heels.
She weaved through the marketplace, ducking under stalls and squeezing through the crowd.
“Someone grab her!”
Amphitrite gasped, immediately turning and darting down an alleyway, hoping to put distance between her and anyone who might hear the hiereus’s demands. She looked behind her, her stomach sinking at the sight of a small crowd entering the alley, the hiereus leading the pack.
“Hey!” was all the warning she got before she collided head-on with something. She stumbled back, looking up as the dizziness faded. A man stood before her, broad and imposing. Messy beard and hair surrounded a face that was sunburned and scarred. He regarded her with a pair of eyes black as coal.
Amphitrite began to back away, only for the stranger to snatch her by the back of her robes and yank her back towards him. As the mob closed in, he stepped in front of her, the large metal bits on his boots clanking.
Everyone stopped behind the hiereus, who walked forward, leering down at the girl, “Well done. Now, hand her over.”
The stranger spoke with a deep, gravelly voice, like a rock was lodged in his throat, “What could you lot possibly want with her?”
The hiereus straightened, his patience already wearing thin, “She’s a thief. A dirty little rat who thought it okay to steal from the gods.”
Amphitrite shrank away when the stranger looked down at her. He looked her up and down, raising a brow, “Is that so?” He held out his other hand, wrapped in a black glove, “Show me what you’ve taken, little one.”
She gulped, slipping a hand into her pocket and withdrawing a bright red apple, which she held up to him. He gingerly took it from her and held it up, turning it this way and that in his hand.
“All this… for an apple?” he mused, smiling at how the hiereus’s face kept getting redder.
“It is an offering to the gods. It belongs to the gods.”
The stranger fell silent, holding the apple closer to his face. The crowd murmured as he opened his mouth and took a bite out of it, loudly chewing with his mouth open for all to see. Even Amphitrite’s eyes widened, watching the bite of fruit disappearing down his throat.
“That so?” he said.
The hiereus’s eyes looked as if they were about ready to tumble out of his head. He looked the man up and down, mouth agape, “You… You dare eat what belongs to the-“
“Alright, this is getting old.” The man pulled back his cloak, revealing a scabbard strapped to his belt. The crowd murmured and began to back away. Amphitrite gasped as the man withdrew a silver sword and pointed it straight at the hiereus, “Run along now.”
The crowd turned on their heels and ran, leaving the hiereus all on his own. He whipped his head around and then back at the stranger. He stumbled back before fleeing from the alleyway.
Amphitrite nervously looked up at the stranger, putting away his sword. He turned and looked down. Her eyes flicked back down to the hilt, involuntarily taking a small step back. The stranger’s face remained emotionless, never breaking eye contact as he took another bite of the apple.
He wiped the juice from his mouth and tossed the fruit over his shoulder. Amphitrite started forward only for a gloved hand to stop her. She looked up at the man, pleadingly, too scared to speak.
The man scoffed and reached into a hidden pocket on his person, ” ‘ere.” He held out a loukoumade. Her eyes widened. She looked up at the man in disbelief. When he said nothing, she took the pastry and bit into it. The sweet cinnamon made her eyes water; it was so delightful.
Above her, the man let out a grunt that might have been his version of a laugh. He lowered himself down to her level, placing a hand on her shoulder, “Funny. Isn’t it?”
Amphitrite said nothing, taking another nibble of the loukoumade, savoring it for as long as she could.
The man jerked his head back, “How we give up our food to them, when we need it much more than they ever could. It’s strange, isn’t it?”
She slowly nodded, not fully grasping what the man was getting at.
“Where are your parents?”
Amphitrite froze mid-chew, slowly swallowing before her throat began to tighten and her eyes began to sting. She remained silent, her hands trembling. A quiet sniffle escaped her. Wet hot tears trickled from her eyes and down her face.
“Stop crying.”
He didn’t say it to be comforting. It was an order.
“Tears do nothing. There’s no good in them. Stop it now.”
Amphitrite hiccupped and quickly wiped at her eyes.
The man smiled, his eyes softening, “Good.” He held out his hand to her, “Elias.” She tentatively took the man’s hand. He raised a brow when she remained quiet, “And what do you call yourself?”
Am… Amphitrite.”
“Big name for such a little girl.” He joked, ruffling her hair. Elias stood up, his hand still on her shoulder, “Won’t you join me?”
Before she could answer, he began leading her forward.
“I will take you somewhere where you needn’t serve gods. Where you can serve yourself and your kind instead.”
Chapter 1
Partners in Crime
It was quiet, a little too quiet for Amphitrite’s liking for the middle of the day. However, much of this wasn’t to her liking. Nevertheless, she trudged forward, paying little mind to the man who walked beside her.
The tall young man walking alongside her closed the distance between them till they were shoulder to shoulder. “You’re not still mad at me, are you?” He muttered.
Amphitrite sighed, refusing to look at him, “I’m not mad. Just a little peeved.”
“Really? Because you only use those fancy words when you’re upset.”
She scoffed, “Peeved isn’t a fancy word.”
“Sure sounds like it.”
“That’s because you have the vocabulary of a child.” She muttered.
The man next to her laughed, clapping a hand onto her shoulder, “And when you’re mad, you have the vocabulary of one of these stuck-ups.” he smiled and waved as a palace official passed them, who was too busy muttering to himself to even notice.
“Perhaps you should learn a few ‘fancy words’, if you want to blend in.”
They strode under a stone archway hollowed out from the wall that surrounded the luxurious building before them. If their visit here wasn’t such a brief one, Amphitrite might have enjoyed marveling at the beautiful palace for much longer than she’d allow herself now. She mustn’t get distracted, not even by the breathtaking gardens on either side of the gravel path that wound up to the front door.
“I don’t need fancy words,” whispered Atticus, “She’s already pleased with me enough. Best not overdo it.”
“Alright,” she whispered, looking to change the subject to the mission at hand, “Well, since you didn’t provide me with any idea of the layout or what I’m working with here, how do you expect me to manage this?”
“Sophia, per my request, has made sure we’ll be alone. All you have to do is follow us until it’s time.”
Amphitrite looked around, noting the clear absence of any guards. “How did you manage to convince her to agree?”
“What can I say?” chuckled Atticus, “She can’t get enough of me, which makes this all the more unfortunate for her. I wonder if she’ll miss me at all.”
“Will you miss her?”
“Not in the slightest.”
He stopped before the stone steps leading up to the mahogany doors, smoothing out his hair. Amphitrite rolled her eyes and stepped into the flower bushes outlining the building. She ducked down as Atticus jogged up the steps and knocked on the door.
Hurried footsteps and then the door flew open, “Oh, Theodore!” squealed a woman.
Amphitrite peered through the bramble. A young woman with long, lush brown hair and a bright pink dress lunged at Atticus, wrapping her arms around him. He chuckled, hugging the woman back.
“It’s wonderful to see you, my love,” said Atticus, cupping his hands around the woman’s face and leaning in for a kiss. The woman eagerly kissed him back, the sound of her soft moans making Amphitrite grimace. Did she really have to be here for this bit?
Sophia finally pulled away, “Come in! Come in.” She took Atticus by the hand and dragged him inside. Instead of closing the door behind him, he left it wide open.
Amphitrite waited for their footsteps to die away, her heart pounding with nervous anticipation, before rising from the bushes and slipping through the open door. She sneaked down the ornate palace halls, following the sound of the princess’s laughter and squeals of delight.
She came upon a door cracked open and tentatively peeked inside. Sophia had her back to the door as she shoved Atticus onto a luxurious four-poster bed. For a split second, his eyes darted over to the door, and she was sure he had spotted her. He lounged back, reaching out and caressing the princess’s face.
“My, you look absolutely breathtaking,” he pulled her closer, “I’d say you outdo Aphrodite herself.”
“Shhh!” hissed the woman, covering Atticus’s mouth but unable to contain her giggles, “Don’t let her hear you saying such things.”
While the two were distracted in a fit of stifled giggles, Amphitrite carefully opened the door further and slipped inside. As silently as possible, she darted past the bed and hid behind the oversized curtains that were meant to cover the oversized window that looked out into the garden.
“Oh, would you look at those.” She sneaked a quick peek. Atticus was gently fiddling with the crystal earrings hanging from the woman’s ears, “Those gems perfectly match your eyes.”
Sophia giggled, “Oh, stop it.”
Atticus laughed, “Though, I suppose any gemstone would look good on you.”
“Well, I suppose I do, though I have yet to try every single one of them on.”
He straightened up, sliding off the bed and sauntering over to her vanity, “Well then, why don’t we fix that? I’d love to see you wear each and every one of them.”
Sophia slid off the bed, joining him at the vanity, “Oh, do I dare spoil you? Perhaps if you say please?”
Atticus cupped his hand to her face, “Please, my love?”
She laughed, grabbing his hand and kissing it, “How could I ever say no to you?” She grabbed a bejeweled box from the vanity, “Shall we start with bracelets?”
“Whatever you wish.”
The next thirty minutes were perhaps the longest of Amphitrite’s entire life. It was an endless circle of Sophia whipping out a piece of jewelry, making a show of putting it on, and Atticus showering her with compliments while urging her to move on to the next one.
Finally, after dozens of bracelets and dozens of earrings, she had started to show off her necklaces. She went through five or six before Atticus spoke up, “My, look at that one.”
Sophia giggled, “I know, Daddy gifted it to me when he got back from Thebes.”
He stood up and delicately lifted the necklace from her bosom to admire it.”What kind of stone is it?”
“I don’t know. Daddy said it cost a fortune, though. Shame I don’t love the color blue.”
Atticus let go of the necklace, and the princess removed it. She set it down on the vanity on top of the small pile of other jewelry pieces and reached to grab another necklace.
“You know,” crooned Atticus, closing the space between them and caressing her collarbone, “I can’t help but wonder what you’d look like wearing only this.” he reached down and held up a necklace with a purple gemstone, “I’d quite like for you to show me.”
Sophia burst into a fit of giggles, “Oh, you…”
Atticus leaned in and slipped the necklace on, leaving a trail of his down her neck. The princess reached to slide off a sleeve of her dress, only for him to stop her, “No, not here. Let’s find somewhere a little more hidden away from the world. So it can just be you and me.”
She giggled and allowed him to lead her out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Amphitrite sighed with relief and stepped out behind the curtain. The princess’s giggles echoed in her ears, making her want to groan. Gods, if any man ever managed to get her acting like that, she would ask someone to politely chop her head off.
She pushed aside her disgust at what she’d witnessed and headed straight for the vanity table. The blue necklace lay on top of the pile of jewelry, tantalizingly glinting in the sunlight. Amphitrite looked around the room before snatching it and shoving it into her pocket.
Okay. Time to get out.
With the cautiousness of someone walking past a sleeping dragon, she crept over to the door and slowly opened it. To her relief, the halls remained empty, but that didn’t stop her from keeping close to the wall and keeping an ear open for any sound whatsoever.
The front doors remained open. As she approached, she straightened up and put on her best attempt at nobility, even though the tattered robes she wore told a much different story. She briskly walked through the garden and under the wall, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her chest as she left the palace behind her.
In stark contrast to earlier, the city was brimming with activity. Men hurriedly laid out tables and hung up decorations while women brought out baked goods and made flower arrangements. No one paid any mind to Amphitrite, who walked past the festivities with a blank expression.
A towering oak tree sat in the city’s center, and a small gathering of people surrounded it, laying out bluebells, roses, irises, and all sorts of colorful flowers at its base. A few hummed prayers to themselves, kissing the petals of a flower before laying it with the rest.
She briskly walked past the scene, her face unreadable.
An old woman approached her, a bouquet in her arms, “A flower for you, sweet child.” She plucked a hyacinth from the patch and held it out to her, “To show your love and gratitude for this day the gods have given us.”
Amphitrite froze, but quickly put on a warm smile and took the flower, “Thank you, ma’am.” The old woman smiled before turning and leaving her.
She held up the pink flower, twirling it in her fingers. Her eyes surveyed the crowd, only lingering for a second on the oak before they landed on a little girl. She was standing alone, watching the goings on around her, and clutching a doll made of straw.
Amphitrite approached her slowly. The girl looked up and smiled at her. She smiled back and knelt down, holding out the flower, “This would look pretty in your hair.” The girl gave her a toothy smile and took the flower from her. Amphitrite helped her tuck it behind her ear before standing up and waving goodbye.
The noise died down as she left the center of the city behind and made her way down to the docks. There, lazily bobbing up and down in the water, was their ship, the Kronessa. It had been Elias’s pride and joy, fitted with two sails, each painted with warm colors that resembled flames creeping up the fabric.
She hurried up the gangway and stepped on board.
“Where’s the captain?”
Cleophus, one of the dozen men chosen to accompany them, approached her. She raised a brow. Hello to you too.
“He’ll be along. He’s just taking care of some… business.”
Cleophus rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what she was referring to, “Lucky bastard. Did he say anything else? New orders?”
She thought for a moment. Atticus hadn’t said anything, “He said to prepare the ship for our departure. Check the food supply. Make sure we have enough to get us to Ithaca.”
He nodded, turning and marching off, invigorated to carry out the captain’s “orders”.
Amphitrite walked over to the side of the boat and sat down, pulling the necklace out of her pocket and twirling the chain between her fingers. Hopefully, when Atticus got back, he’d be willing to answer some of her questions, now that the deed had been done. All he had told her was that it was for Ode, a prolific blacksmith whom the guild had employed dozens of times.
What was strange was that Ode had always accepted payment in coins, so why this time was his price the necklace? There was no doubt it was worth a fortune, but he could have had that in coins. What were they paying for that was this expensive and worth the trip?
She sighed, stuffing the necklace back in her pocket. She stood up and joined the crew in their preparations.
. . .
Amphitrite began to worry when, after several hours, Atticus wasn’t back yet. Though her anxiety was unfounded, for just as the sun began to set, a loud cheer rose from the ship.
“Captain!” cried Cleophus, running down the gangway to meet Atticus on the docks. He grinned at them, proudly boarding the ship.
He spotted Amphitrite and beckoned her over. She joined him at his side, the captain’s first mate, “Well,” he clapped his hands together, “I’d say today was a triumph.” he nudged her, “Show them the spoils.”
She nodded, pulling out the necklace and handing it to him. Atticus took it and held it up for the crew to see, “Took it right out from under her spoiled nose.” Amphitrite cheered alongside the crowd, taking back the necklace as Atticus handed it down to her.
“Shall we ready for departure?”
Atticus shook his head, still addressing the whole of the crew, “Take the night off. Go into town, stay on the ship, and take a nap, go for a swim, do whatever you want.”
Amphitrite grabbed his hand, “But Atticus-“
“That includes you,” he ruffled her hair, a habit he’d carried from their childhood and wasn’t keen on letting go, “We all deserve a little break. The ocean will still be there in the morning.”
“Yeah, but we shouldn’t be here come morning.” She protested, “What if your little consort tries and-“
“Sophia doesn’t even know one of her hundreds of jewels is missing.” He flashed her a smirk, “And I bet she’s still… recovering.” The murmur of laughter came from the crew, some even whistled.
Amphitrite rolled her eyes, “Gods, you are so disgusting sometimes.”
“Hey, you needed a distraction, I delivered.” He turned to the crew, “And speaking of distractions, why don’t all of you go and find something to distract yourselves? Eat, drink, sleep, party, whatever you please. Just be ready for tomorrow.”
“Atticus, what are you doing?”
He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a couple of pats while steering her towards the gangway, “Let’s go for a walk. I’ve got something to show you.”
He hurried forward and leaped down to the dock. Amphitrite raised a brow, but followed him. The moment she caught up with him, he grinned and ran up the docks to the beach. She stopped, shook her head, and ran after him, “Slow down!” Atticus laughed but slowed down just a hair, letting her catch up to him. She gave him a light shove, scoffing.
The two walked down the beach, just out of reach of the small waves that crept up onto shore. Though she’d never admit it, she wasn’t much of a fan of the salty sea smell but had begrudgingly grown accustomed to it over the years. As they walked, the faint sounds of the celebration in the city echoed in the distance. Atticus turned in the direction of the sound and wrinkled his nose. Amphitrite did the same.
“Where are we going?” She finally asked when Atticus began walking up the beach towards a grassy hillside.
“You’ll see.” He mused, starting to hike up the hill.
Amphitrite followed, “You know I hate surprises.”
“No,” argued Atticus, “You hate not being prepared.”
She huffed, “Same thing.”
“Hmm, I don’t think it is. “
She sighed, but smiled to herself.
He stopped at the crest of the hill and held out his hand to her. She took it and allowed him to help pull her up the rest of the way.
Before them was a temple. Every single pillar was cracked, and a few had even broken into pieces. The steps leading up to it had more in common with a jagged mountainside than the polished marble it was supposed to be. What was strange, though, was the lack of greenery. There were no vines, no stray blades of grass, no overgrowth that mirrored the temple’s abandoned state.
Amphitrite slowly stepped forward, staring at the structure, perplexed, “What is this?”
Atticus chuckled, “Didn’t want to keep the fun all to myself.” He grabbed her hand, “Now come on.”
She opened her mouth to question him, but he was already dragging her along as he ran up to the temple. The two stopped at the bottom of the steps. Atticus flashed her another smirk before dashing up them.
He reached the top and turned to look down at her, hastily waving his hand, “Come on!”
Amphitrite hesitated for a moment before starting to jog up the crumbling steps. When she reached the top, Atticus gestured inside. She gave him a confused look, but peered in.
The inside wasn’t much better than the outside. The floor was cracked, pots were shattered, and the only thing on the altar was rubble. There was one thing, however, that wasn’t broken in some way, shape, or form. On a short stone pillar behind the altar, there was a statue.
It reached up to the ceiling, casting a long shadow over the two. Polished marble outlined the harsh features of a man, impressive in both stature and build. Long, straight hair trailed all the way to the ground like a waterfall. One hand was curled into a fist at the man’s side, while the other held a trident up triumphantly.
Atticus appeared at her side, smirking up at the statue, “Well?”
Amphitrite raised a brow, “Well, what? Am I supposed to be impressed?”
He placed a hand on her shoulder and pointed up at the statue, “Look. See all that blue?”
She followed his finger with her eyes and scrutinized the statue. The entirety of the statue’s right arm was bedazzled with blue stones. They twinkled in the light, casting little blue specks of light across the walls.
Her eyes widened, “Are… are those-“
“Aquamarine gemstones.” Finished Atticus, “And a fortune’s worth of them too.”
Amphitrite’s lips moved around incoherently, whipping her head to look from the state to Atticus. She couldn’t possibly be seeing clearly, “How… where…”
“Sophia told me about it.” He idly strolled forward, “Said several generations ago, after a flood struck the island, the king at the time erected this temple and statue. He hoped such a tribute would please Poseidon enough to earn his good graces.”
“But… but why does it look like this?” She gestured to the cracked stone.
Atticus shrugged, “I’m not entirely sure. Perhaps it wasn’t enough for him.” He snorted, “Ridiculous. He gets rewarded a temple for acting like an asshole, and doesn’t even care.” He turned and looked her in the eye, “Though, I suppose they’re good at that, aren’t they?”
Amphitrite averted her gaze. An icy shard that burned like fire jabbed at her heart, prodding the most sensitive part. Her jaw tightened, but she remained resolute. “Why are we here?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Atticus climbed onto the altar while withdrawing a dagger from his pocket. He stared up at the statue for a moment, before bringing down the hilt on the statue’s arms. Amphitrite yelped, slapping a hand over her mouth. The statue’s bejeweled arm cracked. He hit it again, and again, until finally, it could hold on no longer.
With a proud grin, Atticus gripped the arm and broke it off the statue. His eyes twinkled as he looked down at it, the glimmer of the gems reflecting in his eyes.
Amphitrite lowered her hands, gaping at him, “What have you done?”
He hopped down from the altar, carrying the arm triumphantly, “Taking back what belongs to humans, that’s what.” His smile fell at the look on her face. He held out the arm to her, and she backed away like it was a live serpent, “Don’t tell me you think he needs this more than we do.”
“I… I don’t, but…”
“Think about all the things these jewels could buy. Surely that’s putting them to better use than just letting them gather dust.” His eyes hardened, and he turned to look back up at the statue, “To make some self-serving git feel-“
“Atti!” she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, “What… what if…” she looked up at the statue, at the angry visage and the deadly trident. She lowered her voice to a whisper, “You know I agree with you, but they still… what if… doing something like this is. Just… Are you trying to get yourself killed?!”
Atticus frowned, his lips curling back into a thin line, “So what? You’re on their side?”
“What? No, no, of course not,” she pleaded, “But I can still worry about them. What… what they might…”
His eyes softened. He tucked the arm under his own and stepped closer, “You’re afraid.” He took her hand and caressed it with his thumb.
Amphitrite hung her head, nodding, “Of course I am.”
She flinched as Atticus’s hand moved up to her face. He leaned in even closer, gazing down at her tenderly while holding her.
“You shouldn’t have to be.” He pressed his lips to her forehead, “If they wish to lay a finger on you, I’ll be there, ready to slice their head off.”
Amphitrite leaned into his touch, a hint of shame entering her at her fearful display. She was supposed to be better than this. She should be better than this. She should be more like him.
“Hey.” He whispered. “Think about what Elias would have wanted. What would he have wanted?”
She closed her eyes and sighed before pulling away. Her expression hardened and she reached for the arm. Atticus let her take it from him, “To do what’s best for the Prometheans.”
This was why Atticus was in charge and not her. He had what it took. He could hold up the mantle that Elias created and carried. He could lead them, protect them, love them… all things the Gods had failed to do.
Atticus smiled at her, clapping a hand on her shoulder, “That’s what we’ll do. What we’ll always do.” He took the arm back from her and briskly walked towards the exit.
Amphitrite lagged behind. She turned and stared up at the statue, armless and crippled. Though her insides fluttered with nerves, she stepped closer.
“Look at you now.” She whispered, addressing not the statue, but everything it represented, “How does it feel to be abandoned. Alone in this temple with no one to care.” She spat on the floor, “It’s more than you deserve.”
She turned and followed Atticus out.
As they descended the cracked marble steps, Amphitrite peered out over the rolling hills and at the sunset. The sun was slowly sinking into the sea, and with it, the light. What was the purpose of the night? The purpose of the darkness? How come the Gods couldn’t give them endless days? Nothing would ever end; it would just go on, like them.
Though perhaps that’s exactly why. Everything else must end, except for them. For whatever reason, they deserved to live on, unchanged.
She shook her head, trying to rid herself of this spiral. Atticus glanced over his shoulder and stopped. His brow furrowed, and he turned around.
“Everything alright?”
Amphitrite nodded, refusing to look at him and instead to continue to face the horizon, “Yeah. Yeah…” she muttered, “I just… I think I could use a little time by myself, if it’s alright by you?”
He thought for a moment before nodding slowly, “Alright. Just make sure you get back before nightfall, unless you want to stumble back in the dark.”
“Thank you,” she breathed, “I promise I won’t be long. Just a little stroll.”
He nodded again, slinging the sparkling arm over his shoulder, “See you back at the ship.”
She plastered on a smile and turned to leave.
“Oh! Just one more thing.” She turned back around. Atticus gestured to the small fortune slung over his shoulder, “Let’s keep this between us. Wouldn’t want to stir up anything among the crew.”
Amphitrite tilted her head in confusion but nodded nonetheless. Atticus beamed and waved goodbye, turning on his heel and walking away. She wasn’t sure how he planned to sneak in a massive stone arm, but that wasn’t her problem to fret over.
The distant soft sound of the waves caught her attention. She started down the hillside and onto the beach. The cooling twilight air made the sand cool and made the salty sea spray more troublesome rather than refreshing. Her and Atticus’s footprints still lay in the sand, the waves unable to reach them and wash them away.
She continued the path the footprints would have followed if they hadn’t pivoted. Small waves crept up the beach, mere inches away from her, before they pulled back and retreated. She dragged her feet in the sand, hands behind her back, and head down. Now that she was alone, what was she supposed to think about that she couldn’t have in the presence of others? She wasn’t sure.
The soft splashing of the waves calmed her mind, yet didn’t prevent it from wandering to forbidden depths. Amphitrite stared out over the horizon at the dying day.
“Talk to me, mother.” She whispered, “Father. Elias. Talk to me.”
Of course, there was no response. At least not out loud.
An old tune drifted into the forefront of her mind. Its nostalgic melody echoed in her ears, along with the beautiful, soft voice that sang to her.
She continued to walk, humming the song to herself. Gradually, her hum transformed into words. No one was here to witness, so she had no reservations about letting her voice drift out to sea, where it would remain unheard.
“Someday, my love will reach you.”
“It’ll find you on the sand.”
“No matter what.”
“No matter when.”
“It’ll find you on the sand.”
Amphitrite closed her eyes. Her hands let go of each other and fell to her sides.
“It’ll find you on the seas, it’ll find you on land.”
“There is nothing, my love.”
“In its path that can stand.”
“Nothing will stop me from reaching-“
A shriek pierced through the air, shattering any semblance of peace. Amphitrite fell silent almost immediately. Her insides squirmed at the sound ringing in her ear. She clutched at her chest, as if to try and prevent her frantic heart from escaping.
It came again, a hoarse screech that made her throat ache just from listening to it. She stared in the direction it was coming from.
There was something on the beach, at least a hundred meters away. From where she stood, it was formless, just a strange mass that didn’t blend in with the sand.
Her legs began to carry her forward, towards whatever it was. Another cry rang out. It was quieter and weaker, but had a much more troubling, desperate air to it. She began to run, the mass becoming more distinct.
It was a girl.
Curled up on the beach was the top half of a young woman. Her skin was sunburned and peeling, painful to even look at. A tangled mess of blonde hair so bright it looked white was strewn around a head like dried-up kelp.
As Amphitrite’s eyes trailed down her bare torso, she froze.
Where a pair of legs should have been, there was a long, frilly fish tail. Orange and yellow scales glistened in the sun, some strewn around the body, having fallen off.
She stared down in horror, her eyes drifting to the claw-like fingernails on the woman’s hand. This was no woman.
Amphitrite began to back away, only to freeze when the creature stirred. It moaned and slowly lifted its head, trembling from the effort it took. Its hair fell away and revealed a youthful face that had no business looking so hollow and sunken in.
Bright blue eyes with slit pupils stared up at her, “P-P….p-please.”
Its head fell back onto the sand, the act of speaking too much.
Amphitrite’s stomach sank, her insides aching at the sight. If she were none the wiser, she’d guess this siren had barely reached maturity. It… She was…
She closed her eyes and shook her head. No, no! Don’t be stupid! This was obviously some sort of trick. It was just pretending, hoping some idiot like her would come along and feel sorry for it.
But it was working. She did feel sorry for it.
No! no! She berated herself.
She glared down at the creature, only for her expression to instantly melt.
Those blue eyes had begun to water. Tears crept out from behind bloodshot eyes and fell onto the sand. The creature’s lips quivered, and it clawed at the sand, “P-please… p-please.” Its voice cracked and turned into a sob.
Amphitrite’s throat constricted, going as dry as the siren in front of her. She balled her hands into fists, shaking as two sides of her pulled her in opposite directions.
Like a dagger to the heart, those eyes continued to stare pleadingly up at her. They were filled with nothing but desperation. The kind of desperation a starving animal exhibits when it’s on the brink of death.
She mentally berated herself, grabbing at chunks of her hair and turning in a circle. This is crazy. You’re crazy.
Finally, she sighed, stopping to face the siren once more. Its eyes had glazed over, and the life in its features was fading away. She took a deep breath and stepped closer. The creature’s eyes widened, but it remained motionless.
Once close enough, she fell to her knees. She stared down at the dying creature, jaw clenched and mind running amok.
With the caution of handling a precious jewel, she slid her arms underneath the body, pulling it into her. The creature flinched at her touch at first, but quickly melted into it. Once she had a good hold on her, one arm supporting its shoulders and the other tucked under its tail, she lifted it.
The siren was lighter than she had expected, though that shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise, what with the visible ribs. She grunted and pulled the body closer to her, cradling it like a bride.
She turned and trudged down the beach towards the shoreline. The rolling waves reached her, covering her feet and soaking her robes. She continued to struggle forward, careful not to jostle the siren in her arms.
The water reached up to her waist, soaking her bottom half and causing goosebumps to appear from the cold. She loosened her grip on the siren before carefully submerging its body.
The effect was instant. Its eyes flew open. It greedily gasped, the water flowing through its gills. Its tail flicked about, testing the waters. Amphitrite let go entirely, backing away as the creature sprang back to life.
She sighed with relief, further rising out of the water. The creature raised its head and slowly turned it.
The color drained from Amphitrite’s face.
The creature’s lips had curled back to reveal jagged fangs. A mad look had over taken its face. Its eyes bore into her like a shark staring down a fish.
It lunged at her. She screamed and scrambled to get away, but it was far too late. A pair of clawed hands slammed into her and shoved her beneath the waves. She thrashed and kicked, her lungs aching as they quickly began to run out of air. Her heart hammered, and its pounding beat rang in her ears.
“I’m sorry.”
The voice did little to stop her struggle, but it did cause her to stop for a fraction of a second. She opened her eyes, the salt water stinging. The siren stared down at her, teeth no longer bared, but the same crazed look in its eyes. But there was something else there… something that made fresh tears trickle down its face.
“I’m… I’m sorry.” It croaked, voice shaking. The clawed fingers clutching her dug deeper into her shoulders, “I’m just… just so… so hungry.”
The hunger in its eyes gave way just for a moment to an avalanche of grief.
“I’m… I’m so… so sorry. I’ll… I’ll try and make it quick… and painless.”
She leaned in closer, holding her down as she opened her mouth. Amphitrite continued to struggle as the teeth closed in, aimed for her neck.
“HEY!”
A muffled yell came from above the surface. The siren raised its head. Its eyes widened, and in the blink of an eye, it disappeared, swimming into the depths of the sea.
A hand grabbed her arm and yanked her up. She gasped for air when her head reached the surface. An arm snaked under her arm and heaved her further out of the water. The ocean was left behind, and she was laid out on the sand.
Atticus’s face appeared over her, his eyes wide and his face pale. He struggled to catch his breath, his body trembling slightly, “Say something. Tell me you’re alright.”
Amphitrite’s breathing slowed, and she nodded, “I’m… I’m fine.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and seized her, pulling her into his embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder, doing everything she could not to let a single tear leave her. He stroked her hair, his hold tightening.
“What… what happened?! How did-” He shook his head and hugged her even tighter, “Never scare me like that again!”
She fell limp in his arms, unable to muster the strength to return his affections. That didn’t seem to bother him.
He lifted her to her feet alongside him, still holding her like at any moment she’d disappear, “You’re okay. You’re okay,” he breathed, “Everything’s okay.”
Amphitrite remained silent, letting him lead her forward without putting up any resistance. She glanced out to sea, her heart unsure whether to sink or to float.
submitted by /u/FrostedSugarCookies1
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