Jilted Guilt: the Mermaid and the Hunter - Chapter 5
One day, the goddess of the sea, Dianta, fell asleep. No one knew why.
But the ocean, where one could feel her touch and gaze, echoed with the sound of the slumbering goddess’s breath.
So, even though a long time had passed since Dianta fell asleep, the mermaids harbored no doubts.
Dianta had bestowed her abilities upon the mermaids born with her strong bloodline, enabling them to protect each other and stay safe in their precious sanctuary until her return.
The mermaids anticipated the day when they would no longer need their mother’s blessing, when Dianta would return.
They continued to raise new generations of mermaids. The mermaid who had lived the longest passed on her position to Lavinia and, in doing so, transformed into foam.
Larme was a sacred place nourished by Dianta’s tears, and the birth of a new princess to inherit it was a grand occasion.
Lavinia was believed to be the last mermaid bearing Dianta’s blue blood, the guardian of the island.
Lavinia used her abilities to heal injured mermaids. She couldn’t mend her own wounds, but merfolks’ bodies were exceptionally resilient so this wasn’t much of an issue.
Aside from occasionally dealing with creatures disrupting the order, the mermaid world was a place of constant peace.
This is why when Lavinia explained what had happened with Heliante to her other siblings, they found it hard to believe. Why would the sea serpents of this place attack their protector?
No one paid heed to the opinion of their youngest, Lavinia. They refused to acknowledge the possibility that sea creatures from the outside world could encroach upon their sanctuary, even though the external world was becoming a potential threat to the merfolk.
The stories said that humans were dangerous, but she wanted to learn more about this unknown world.
Lavinia, against all warnings, swam out of Larme’s cave, which led to the other side of the human world.
* * *
Sooner or later, they would catch the scent of the sea and come to this place.
Lavinia urgently bit down on the rope, grateful for the ignorance and arrogance of the humans who hadn’t thought to gag her.
With one hand that was soon freed, Lavinia used her sharp teeth to gnaw through the taut rope. Before long, ducked beneath the surface of the water, finally free to breathe.
The dense shade allowed her to see nothing but the shadows of the trees above the surface.
Dianta once warned the mermaids that if they harmed anyone, it would come back to them.
The mermaids, who were supposed to help each other survive, heeded her words and lived in peaceful coexistence.
But Lavinia couldn’t afford to listen to a mother who couldn’t grant her prayers. After all, she needed to survive, didn’t she?
She didn’t want to feel as helpless as she did when she lost Heliante. If her life were threatened, she was willing to kill if it came to that.
Her hair, spreading out like seaweed in the water, felt cold but pleasant. Lavinia smiled softly.
A subtle amusement settled on her face as her anxiety and fear faded, replaced with finally feeling awake. The ropes that had bound her wrists like shackles would remain as a memento of her small victory.
Lavinia pressed her hands against the bottom of the pond. Now, she had to wait for the right moment to catch the prey on the surface.
