Maribelle Fairfields had a simple pn: she would complete her training as a seamstress, and then, after mastering the trade, she would open a store in her hometown and hopefully make enough money to support her parents. It was a much better pn than finding a man to marry.

  Many years ago, explorers returned with wild, wonderful tales of new nds discovered in what became known as the Gloriana Sea. Since then, she had heard stories of isnds rich in resources, lost temples filled with loot that would keep you rich for life, and most curiously, she’d heard about mysterious beings that lived under the seas called ‘Merfolk’. It didn't matter to her, they were just stories someone had invented. The Merfolk were a very long distance away; it was impossible that she would ever meet one.

  King Harald of Engarsnd (may his reign be… not awful), though, must have heard these tall tales and believed them. For many years, he had called on ‘courageous souls’ to brave the long journey across the Gloriana Sea to these new nds. many had responded to the call, but that did not matter to Maribelle. She wanted no grand adventure of discovery for herself- she was more content to stay home.

  That as until one day when, to her great shock, Father and Mother announced that the family would be making the long trip to the New World. So much for her pn.

  Despite being slightly bitter about the turn of events, she did see the logic behind it. Father worked the fields for meagre pay, and Mother did what she could for even less. Time marched on steadily; one day, they'd be unable to work anymore, and it would be up to Maribelle and Steph, her younger brother, to care for them. Perhaps they saw this as a desperate chance to improve their fortunes before it was too te. At least the pn was far from futile. The people living in the colonies would still need clothes.

  Once the announcement was made, everything became a blur. There was a long trip to prepare for and many fond farewells to be had. Then, it was off by carriage to Elgarpool, where a ship would be taking them all to a mysterious new nd in the hopes of a brighter future. She could have said no to it all and abandoned her parents, but refused to. They had done so much for her and Steph. To turn her back on them when they needed her was unthinkable.

  And that was how Maribelle found herself standing on the deck of the King's Call, with its fresh and polished timbers, starting its maiden voyage. It was too te to turn back now; the ship had left the dock hours ago, and she watched as the st vestiges of nd disappeared over the horizon. Now, there was only the sky and the deep blue sea.

  She looked across the deck of the great ship - sailors, soldiers, and other hopefuls like parents mingled together. She listened in on their conversations as they introduced themselves to each other. Some hoped for fame and fortune, some wanted a fresh start. Everyone had their reasons for being here. Maribelle sighed. If she was going to share a ship, then she was going to have to make some new friends. This will be a very long voyage.

  *****

  Maribelle yawned as she leaned over the balcony’s railing. Unfortunately, she’d had an awful night's sleep. Of course, her expectations had been low, but reality proved to be much worse. Her bed was a hammock, one among many. All those who were not sailors or soldiers had been confined to one room, and she suspected that the soldiers and the sailors had their own, probably comfier rooms. She’d heard them gambling st night as she’d tried to get some sleep. But there was nothing that she could do about the situation other than get used to it. How infuriating.

  By the fourth day, she finally managed to integrate herself into a group of women. They, like herself, had ambitions for a better tomorrow.

  One of the women in the group, Cire, spoke up,“So, who have you got your eyes on?”Maribelle's interest in the conversation died swiftly. It would seem that her group had a different pn for their future. They hoped to acquire the attention of a soldier and marry them. A military career could lead to great rewards, and if the worst happened, King Harald promised pensions to widows. She didn't bme them, marriage tended to be the only path open to a woman.

  “Anyone caught your fancy, Mary?” Cire asked.

  Maribelle snapped back to reality. “Not yet, and please, my name is Maribelle,” she said with a little sharpness. It was a pointless endeavour as she had no interest in men. Never had, never would. Mother had mentioned it st year; people were starting to talk about how she had not even so much as flirted with any of the men. She had deflected the cim, saying she had just not met the right man yet. She doubted she ever would.

  On the sixth day, Maribelle found Steph below the decks, once again reading the sacred texts of the Conquering Light: The Chronicles of Faith. His blond hair shimmered slightly in the candle light.

  “How can you be reading that again? How many times have you read that book?” she asked, sitting down beside him.

  “It brings me comfort, and I need no more reason than that.” He lowered his tone before continuing, “Anyway, please be careful with what you say. I don't want to see you thrown off the ship for bsphemy.”

  Maribelle reached over and gently patted his arm. “I'm sorry. I’ll be more careful.” She smiled a little, hoping to relieve the tension. “So how are you feeling about going to this new world?” She gestured to the King's Call.

  “I pray that we reach our destination safely.” He shook his head; there was worry in his green eyes. “Perhaps when we arrive… maybe one of the faithful would notice my piety. With the Light's blessing, I could find a pce working at a Chapel.” He paused for a moment. “I'd rather be a priest than a soldier.”

  “Yeah, I agree. Being a soldier does not suit you at all,” she replied. She didn't want Steph to be a soldier. There was something about them that made her nervous. The way they stomped about as if they were in charge. They wanted to kill, and Steph was not a killer. She hated the idea of someone as good hearted as Stepth joining such brutes. Watching her sibling read their texts, Maribelle truly hoped the future was going to be a bright one.

  *****

  “I hope you can find it in you to forgive us,” Father said, standing beside Maribelle as they ate the evening meal together. It was the eleventh day of the voyage.

  She turned to him, seeing the wrinkles in his face deepen. Time had been unforgiving to him. “I understand. This is for all our futures.” She hesitated for a moment. “I'm just worried that everything we have heard are just stories. What if there's nothing waiting for us at our new home?” As much as she wanted to hope that everything would be okay, she was just as sceptical that it would not.

  She felt a hand pat her shoulder. “Don't worry, little one. King Harald, long may he reign, is a wise man. He would not invest so much if there was nothing,” Father said, trying to reassure her as much as possible. Maribelle wanted to believe in his confidence, but found herself unable to

  She smiled just a little, trying to mask her worries. “I'm not little anymore. You know I'm a grown woman.”

  “You're still little to me.”

  Maribelle ughed. The future may be unclear but at least she was with her family.

  *****

  It was the sixteenth day, and Maribelle leaned over the railing, watching the ships wake. The King's Call had travelled so far, and yet a long journey still y ahead. At first, she’d found the salty scent of seawater a little overwhelming. Before the voyage, she had never seen the sea before. Now, it was just a reminder of where she was.

  She blinked. For a moment, she thought she saw a shadow underneath the ship's wake. What was it? It looked like a rge fish, but something about it seemed different. Could it be one of the merfolk?

  She chuckled to herself. Those merfolk were just another fantasy invented by explorers to embolden their cims. Just imagine what their homes would be like? How could they survive in a pce devoid of anything?

  Still, it was better that she not share what she saw. It would be unwise to let others think she was starting to go crazy. The voyage was a long one, and the tension was starting to get to some passengers. Just the other day a brawl had almost broken out the other night. From what Maribelle knew, one of the passengers had accidentally bumped into another, one thing led to another and soon they were both at each other's throats. The soldiers did nothing to calm things down so it was down to other, more reasonable passengers to prevent things escating.

  Maribelle walked away from the railing and tried to forget what she saw. She was not going crazy.

  *****

  It was dinner on the twenty-first day. Maribelle was certain that her portion had gotten smaller. She’d tried to bring it up with the ship's chef but he was having none of it. ‘She was being hysterical,’ he had cimed. How infuriating. It was not like she enjoyed her meals. The ship had been stocked full of salted meats, pickled vegetables, and brick-hard biscuits. Sure, they would not go off, but they were hardly patable.

  Worse yet, she was certain that the soldiers were getting rger portions than everyone else. And they got alcohol as well, while everyone was stuck with bnd water. Sure, it was because they were ‘protecting the King's ships and colonies,’ but it was another good reason to dislike them.

  *****

  It was the evening of the twenty-third night, and Maribelle had almost drifted off to sleep when, to her great annoyance, she was startled by shouting below deck. Damnit, not again. Once again, one of the soldiers had been caught cheating at cards.

  She nestled herself back into her hammock. It was uncomfortable – too many people snored, and the atmosphere was far too stuffy. While she was able to adapt, she still much preferred a comfy bed.

  *****

  Maribelle was almost sure that today was the twenty-seventh day of the voyage. Below the decks of the King's Call, the ship's priest led the day's sermon. She had her eyes closed, hands csped together, and diligiently ignored everything the priest said. It was the same drivel every time. Did she believe what the priest preached? No. Did the priest believe what he preached? She would not be surprised if he did not.

  Steph did, but she never judged him for it. At least his faith was genuine. It did also help that he had more sense than the common fanatic.

  The priest's empty voice droned on, preaching the great virtues of the Conquering Light, such as women obeying their husbands. Maribelle gritted her teeth and bit her tongue. Go fuck yourself, you chauvinist shit. She would have loved to throw him overboard.

  *****

  “How are you doing, dear?” Mother asked.

  “As well as I can be given the situation,” Maribelle replied. Together, they were mending the family's clothes; wear and tear had taken their toll. With nowhere to buy clothes from, it was up to them to repair what they had. Besides, all this sewing was great practice for her ambitions to become a seamstress.

  “You're doing well,” Mother said. Thirty days, one whole month. That's how long they had sailed for, and some passenger’s nerves had started to fray. Just st night Maribelle had been woken up by a very nasty sounding fight below decks. It seemed that gambling had gone badly again. Today, the soldiers were very quiet.

  Mother paused before continuing, “I'm sorry. But me and your father talked a lot about this, and this is as much for you and your brother as it is for us.”

  ‘Sibling, not brother,’ she mentally corrected. Steph never did like it when he was referred to as ‘brother’ or ‘son’. She wasn't sure why it was the case, but she never dwelled on it.

  “I know, I understand,” Maribelle said as she finished mending Father's shirt. “I'm just worried about what we will find when we arrive. A sunlit paradise, ancient ruins den with treasure, Merfolk that live in the sea. It all sounds like a fantasy that someone conjured. What if there's nothing waiting for us?” She picked up one of her skirts and began stitching its tears. At least I can still open a store. People need clothes.

  Mother said nothing, merely squeezing Maribelle's hand. “At least you can find a husband. I'm old, grey, and married, but you're still full of youth. You can find someone to care for you.”

  Maribelle internally scoffed at the idea. Mother continued talking, “I heard something, you know. Rumour is that one of the brave soldiers on this ship has his eye on you.”

  Maribelle immediately stopped what she was doing and stared straight at her mother. “What?” was all she could mutter.

  Mother smiled back. “I don't know who it is, as I've only heard bits of gossip. Still, based on what I heard, it has to be you, dear.”

  Maribelle did not respond. Stitching and sewing did little to distract her from the chill she felt.

  That night, Maribelle y on her hammock, unable to sleep. It wasn't just the gossip keeping her up. The soldiers were being noisy as well. There had been a very long argument, something sounding like a struggle and now someone was dragging something up the stairs. The thumping noise it made at every step was grating her. How infuriating, why now of all times? Once again Maribelle mented that her hammock was close to the staircase. As they stomped on up onto the decks, she caught a scent of something coppery. At least the thumping eventually stopped.

  She was just about to drift off to sleep when she heard something spsh into the sea. The heavy shroud of tiredness was thrown off as her eyes opened wide. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together what was going on, and her pulse quickened as a terrible suggestion wormed its way into her mind.

  What if st night's bickering had turned more violent than she’d originally thought? What if one of them had died? What if tonight they had disposed of the body so no one would be any wiser?

  She did not sleep that night, nor did she tell any other soul what she heard. That st thing she wanted was to draw unwanted attention from the soldiers. No, it was safer to keep the secret to herself.

  *****

  The sun had set on the… what day was it now? Maribelle had lost track of how many days she had been sailing for. The st few days had been a blur. The soldiers had killed one of their own, and now, one of them desired her. She had no physical evidence but she was sure of it.

  She was talking less today, preferring instead to gaze out across the sea. Sometimes, she was certain she could see something in the water, like the shadow she’d seen days ago. Was a Merfolk stalking them?

  She shook her head. There was no point in thinking about myths. She had more real concerns to deal with; one or more soldiers had their eyes on her, and it was attention she did not want. What would she do if one asked for her hand in marriage?

  The sea was starting to get to her as well. Maribelle took a deep breath to steady her nerves, but her hands still tightly gripped the railing. There was nothing but seawater, and if she fell in, then that would spell the end of her. A most terrifying thought.

  The sun began to set, and sailors started ordering people to stay below decks. She reluctantly let go; darkness increased the risk of falling to a watery grave. It was time to see her family.

  Maribelle was just about to settle into her hammock when she shuddered as she heard someone whisper, “Got some exciting news for you, Mary.”

  “I told you before, Cire, my name is Maribelle,” she said, turning around to see her acquaintance grinning right at her.

  “Fine, have it your way. Anyway, you’ve got to listen to what I have to say,” Cire said excitedly, barely able to stay still. Maribelle's raised eyebrow encouraged Cire to continue. “There's a soldier. His name is Edward, and you'll never believe it.” Her grin widened even more. Maribelle waited with dulled anticipation. “He wants to meet you, Mary. On the deck tonight, right now.”

  Shit. This was something she very much wanted to avoid. Edward had tried to engage her in conversation a few times over the st few days. Until today, she had been able to escape his clutches but She gazed around as Cire fumbled around as if looking for something. Mother and Father were doing their best to pretend they were busy, but she could see the smiles on their faces.

  She turned to Steph, who had been watching from his hammock. His concern was clear as daylight. ‘Be careful,’ he mouthed.

  Maribell neodded back. She wanted to go forward with confidence, but deep down, she couldn't help but worry. She knew what soldiers were capable of.

  “Ah, found it! Over here, Mary,” Cire called out. Maribelle sighed as she turned and was almost startled by the hand mirror that was all but pressed up against her face. “You've got to look your best,” she chirped.

  Taking the hand mirror, she held it at a more sensible distance and stared at her reflection. Tidy, long blonde hair dropped past her cheeks and rested on her shoulders. Her green eyes were as dull as ever; though some may compare them to emeralds. What a ughable notion that was. Her full lips were a deep red, and her face was adorably round. Overall, she was fairly confident that she could call herself pretty. However, as she looked at her reflection, she did admit she looked a little dirty. The washing facilities on the ship left a lot to be desired.

  She could just ignore Edwards’ invitation – it was the easy option. But as, it would not end with a mere ‘not tonight’, and if she was going to stop this, she was going to have to do it herself.

  Maribelle finished off tidying her hair to the best of her ability. “I will be back soon, everyone,” she said with a warm smile as she gazed at her family. The smile disappeared as she turned around and steadily walked up the stairs towards the deck.

  “Careful,” Maribelle mumbled to herself as she stumbled onto the deck. Getting up had been simple enough; the hardest part had been all the sailors gring angrily at her. It must have taken a lot of influence for them to agree to the breach in rules.

  She looked up and gasped; there were so many stars sparkling in the distance, and the full moon glowed so brightly. It was such a beautiful sight and she froze for a moment, entranced by what she beheld.

  She then looked down and frowned. There was something far less desirable before her: a man who desired her. She groaned with the knowledge she was finally going to have to deal with him. Time to turn him down.

  She took a deep breath and began walking towards him. This was going to be fine. There were plenty of other women on this ship. Many were unmarried, and more than a few had… loose definitions of what marriage meant. He would just move on from her.

  “I apologise for keeping you waiting,” she said, trying her best to sound polite.

  Edwards turned to her, and she was able to get a good view of him: blonde hair, blue eyes— nothing that interested her. His coat and trousers were a very deep red, almost like blood. “There is nothing to apologise for. Thank you for heeding my summons.” He tapped the railing and gestured for her to stand beside him.

  She peered over the edge. It was a long drop. “I'm surprised you called for someone as uninteresting as me,” she said, hoping she could dissuade him so he would look elsewhere.

  “Fear not, my dy, you are far more interesting than you believe yourself to be. I've seen you gaze out into the horizon. There's more going on in that head of yours than any woman here,” he said in a honeyed tone.

  She turned her head towards the sea, hoping Edward did not see her frowning. “I see, but the other women are far more pretty than myself. Surely that's what a man like you looks for, right?” she replied, trying so hard to hide the venom in her voice.

  “You're incredibly humble, my dy. You are by far the most pretty jewel on this ship. You are far more radiant than these stars. And all this leads me nicely to why I called you here.”

  Here it comes.

  “We are not too far from our new home. When we arrive, I would like us to step off this ship as husband and wife,” he said with concerning possessiveness. “To be a soldier's wife is a highly regarded position. You won't want for food or shelter, and knowing you are at our home will drive me to fight all the harder.”

  Maribelle cringed internally. As pitches went, it was certainly one of the weakest someone had come up with. Nothing else to do. Just say no and move on.

  She turned to Edward, looked him in the eye, and said, “Forgive me but I am not looking for a husband right now.” She did not notice his eye twitch as she continued, “I'm sorry, and I hope you'll forgive me. However, if you are still looking for a wife, I kno-”

  Her prepared speech was cut off by hands cmping onto her neck. Desperately, she tried to breathe, but the grip was too tight. She tried with all her might to pry Edwards grasping hands off but could not move even a finger.

  “All that effort to finally get a chance to share my feelings with you, and you just throw them back in my face?,” he hissed with lethal malice. With ease, he hoisted her off the deck. Her eyes widened with fear as she saw the hate in his eyes, hate born from being denied. “If you don't want me, then I'll make you regret your foolishness.” he smiled maliciously.

  Suddenly, her world became a blur. It took far too long for her fear-addled mind to realise what was happening. Edward had thrown her overboard. She screamed. The King's Call sped by as she plummeted faster and faster.

  And then she hit the water, the impact knocking what little breath she had left. Her whole body burned with agony, and worse, she was sinking. Her heart raced as terror gripped her. She had to reach the surface before it was too te. Her arms and legs screamed as she tried to move them, her skirt clinging to her legs as if tying them up.

  She had to move, she had to move, she had to move. If she didn't, then she would die. She didn't want to die, oh Light, she didn't want to die. She was still young; there was more she wanted to do, and she had to support her family.

  Her family! She couldn't leave her family. She had to return to her family. But as hard as she tried, her body refused to move.

  Her lungs burned, desperate for air. In her fear, she tried to breathe, and instead, she took in water. She was going to die here. Oh shit! She was going to die. She tried to fight her fate but sank deeper and deeper and deeper.

  Darkness began to take Maribelle. But as everything faded away, nothingness repcing the pain burning through her, she swore that the st thing she felt was something grabbing her hand.