Could it be a statue up there, dressed in a royal robe for distraction? No, it doesnt look like it, because hes moving. He stretched his hand out toward the sea, whispered something, and the square immediately became dark. Its the storm coming. And a moment ago the sky was clear except for the smoke from the cannons.
The kings ominous whisper travels over the land like a spell. It sounds like the mutterings of the sea priests, only its frosty.
Desdemona looked at her wrists and palms. They were covered in hoarfrost. Some creatures of water were crawling across the square and biting the flesh off the corpses left by the enemys heavy artillery. She looked down at the king again, as if he were a deity. To those watching, he probably was now, for he stood in the place where he was most likely to be killed. With his scarlet robe fluttering in the wind, he was a perfect target for the enemy. Probably he was a madman, but definitely not a monster. No matter what they say about him! He looked more like an angel with a golden head, but the pattern of tentacles of some sea animal stuck to the wall near his feet spoiled the impression. One of the tentacles rubbed his cheek, touched his crown.
The king was no longer whispering, but the echo of his whisper, like an infernal hiss, hung over the square. It rained. It washed the corpses, washed the blood from the sidewalk. Desdemona, holding her long hem with her hand, stepped over crushed skulls and disfigured bodies. What a joke of fate: she came to the festivities of the coronation, and got right into the middle of the massacre. Hell washed by the salty sea. Suddenly a storm broke out so that the enemy ships began to sink.
The king, who stood tall as if ready to sacrifice himself in case of defeat, seemed like a hero to many.
He is the one causing the storm, whispered one of the survivors.
Or it is the monster beside him, Desdemona stammered.
Someones tentacles were hugging the young king from behind, clutching his shoulders and torso, and the shouts from the sinking enemys armada were already replacing the roar of the cannonade. The enemy is sinking. This is victory! But what had the king given for it? Was no one but Desdemona willing to see that he was in the arms of a monster? Why not in her own? She suddenly felt a burning jealousy.
And this is the girl who wanted to go to a convent and spend her life serving the sea god, came a mocking voice from behind.
Desdemona turned around. In the corner, shabby children were clustered in the rain, looking more like river monsters themselves.
You know that the sea god makes his novices drown during initiation, and then they come back to life and serve him as slaves, the children, scales sprouting on their faces, said in a chorus.
Who are you? What do you want? Desdemona backed away, stumbling over dead bodies and moaning wounded. She would have helped everyone, but she didnt have the strength to even run herself. And a group of strange children were picking up anything of value left from the dead. Children or fish were biting off fingers with rings instead of removing them, tearing off womens hands with bracelets that glittered on them, pulling earrings from the corpses lobes.
Better become something other than a priestess. If you are drowned, the light in you will go out, and you will be of no use to us. Youre not meant for any other service.
What can I say to them? Shed love to. But her stepmother wants to get her out of her home as soon as possible. And the only way for a homeless woman is a convent. Do they really drown and then resurrect all the initiates as will-less zombies?
The children laughed, playing with someones severed head like a ball. The head belonged to a beautiful girl. The carnelian hoop could not be removed from her.
Well take her with us, said the fish girl, all purple scales like armor.
Who did she mean? Her gaze wandered eloquently over Desdemonas own dress. There was no need to wear her best for the feast. The velvet dress, woven with silver lilies, had been hers since her mother had been alive. The tiara in her hair was also her mothers. Desdemona would have given it to the children to keep them behind, but they wanted something else. They surrounded her in a ring. Where to go? All around were the ghastly faces of half-children and half-fish. Their mouths chattering with needle teeth. Its like a nightmare! Thats how dangerous it is to walk alone in a storm! Theres no telling what the rain and waves will bring from the sea. She had been warned that Aquilania was a dangerous country, after all, because of the elements surrounding it.
The scaled hand reached for Desdemona, and then a menacing shout sounded from the sea. Was it either a voice or a trumpet sound?
The fish girl cursed through her teeth in some incomprehensible language.
We have to go! But well come back for you! She wagged her finger in farewell. The creepy children, like a host of ghosts, drifted away into the mist of smoke and rain. Did they dissolve in the rainwater?
Desdemonas heart was pounding with fear, but she wanted to look at the majestic figure of the king in the high archway one more time. She raised her head high, exposing her face to the merciless rain. He was still standing there. The arch itself was braided with a network of tentacles. The raging sea was subsiding, taking with it the wreckage of ships and the corpses of warriors. It seemed as if the king would step down and follow the sinking enemy fleet, but he was only talking to someone invisible in the heights. Could he really be mad? But madmen dont control the elements. Though theres no guarantee he caused the storm. It could only appear that way from the outside. The formidable figure that looked like a dragon drained entirely from the water that hovered over the archway was also an illusion. The young king saw it and even spoke to it about something, and then suddenly he laughed so loudly that everyone in the square was horrified.
Desdemona shuddered. The thunder of an enemy cannonade, capable of destroying the whole country, was nothing compared to this laughter. It made her blood run cold. It echoed ferociously through the alleys. Her ears ached unbearably. It was as if a dark specter was trailing its tentacles through the streets of Aquilania. It was no longer an illusion. Desdemona barely had time to break free when some gray limbs grasped her shoulder. There were many of them here. They braided the walls and friezes and arches. It seemed as if the fog had become a sea monster with many limbs that crawled through the streets, grabbing and strangling people. There was nowhere to run, but Desdemona picked up her skirts with her hand anyway, and ran.
Voices in the mist
The kings gaze pursued her.
It is this one! He was heard to shout. His ringed hand pointed somewhere in the square. Immediately something tore from the towers and rushed after her. Or was it flying on all wings? The rustling of many pairs of wings could be heard from behind.
After running a few meters, Desdemona stopped and turned back. Nothing! No one was flying or even running after her. But the fog had grown thicker. Its an unusual fog. Its green, like swamp sludge! Clawed and webbed limbs reached out to the surviving townspeople. She must be seeing double. Shed heard too many horror stories about sacrifices to the sea god. Those who had glimpsed the god himself at rites and sacraments where only a select few were allowed described him as a monster the size of a bastion. He had many eyes and tentacles, they said. He wore on his slimy forehead a chain studded with the crowns of those rulers whom he had drowned with all their armadas. He strangled those he did not want with his slimy limbs right in the temple. And the ancient temple, located on the outskirts of the city, was half sunk. It was dangerous to even be in it.
Desdemona believed all these tales only partially. She was too sensible to believe that a real monster had taken up residence in a temple on the border between Aquilania and the sea. More likely, some priest had deliberately disfigured himself during rituals and staged mysteries to impress the congregation. Priests are always hungry for power. Peoples fear of the sea could be well capitalized on. But the sacrifices, even to an imaginary god, were real. Innocent and beautiful girls were said to be consecrated as priestesses in batches every new moon only to be drowned later.
Not long ago, she had trembled at the thought of being consecrated as a priestess to the sea god. But now that the streets were full of corpses, that thought no longer frightened her so much. It was easier to die from the volleys of enemy cannonade, or from the strange green creatures that scurried about in the fog. They bounced hastily into the alleyways if she caught a glimpse of them.
She is special! They hissed, pointing their webbed fingers in her direction. You cant touch her. Run away from her!
Desdemona was shocked. Even the creepy freaks were running away from her like a leper. Maybe something happened to her face. But if shed been hit by shrapnel, she would have felt pain. There was no pain. Could her skin have gotten a rash from the poisonous green mist? She didnt even have a mirror with her to look. The other ladies had companions who carried hand mirrors, purses, and a whole host of little things they might need to make themselves pretty. But Candidas extravagance made hiring a companion an unacceptable luxury. Even Desdemonas governess was dismissed a year ago without references. Stepmother and all hurried to raise a scandal and chase them out of the service. The family estate because of her became increasingly empty, and now the capital of Aquilania was also empty. But the stepmothers intrigues had nothing to do with it. It was as if a plague from the sea had come to the city, bringing war and horror.
There were corpses and wounded people moaning in the corners of the streets and squares, and the green creatures that had come out of the mist were leaning over them gently, whispering and running their hands into their wounds. She must be dreaming because of the fog. Everything becomes so blurry in its greenish puffs.
It never stopped raining either. Sometimes it alternated with hail, hitting the roofs like a scattering of white pearls. One hard hailstone bounced under her feet. Desdemona stooped, picked it up, and marveled. It was a real pearl! It lay in the palm of her hand like a white tear.
If all hail is made of pearls, then it would be time for children to climb the sidewalk and collect them, but there were no uninjured people around. Who could run away, who could not walk moaned on the sidewalk. Desdemona had to step over the remains of bodies on the road. The cannon volleys dismembered the bodies. Here at her feet was someones hand with a precious ring. It could be removed, but it seemed to move and become covered with green scales.
The fog made her eyes water. From the corners came groans, short screams and labored sighs, as if someone was being strangled there.
Its chaos out there, said muffled voices outside the windows of the locked tavern. The sea is about to overflow. The creatures of the deep are already here.
Thats to be expected. If one of them sits on the throne, the others will come to the city and behave like masters. How long has it been since weve heard of the Morgens?
Since they were given a princess they wanted to sacrifice.
Now, we have to find the girl they want, and then theyll go back to the depths and not come out for the next hundred years.
Desdemona pressed her ear against the binding of the window. It was still so fogged up that nothing could be seen through it, inside or out. The muffled voices were alarming. What were they talking about? It was some nonsense, but there was some truth in it. Even Candida knew the story of the heiress to the throne. She was forced to marry a sea king. And the stepmother was very sorry that she did not find such a groom. He might be a monster, but he was a king! Desdemona thought otherwise. To be given to a monster, even with good intentions, is the worst thing that can be thought of.
Princess Lilophea willingly sacrificed herself and saved us from the watermen for over a hundred years. Conclusion: sacrifice must be voluntary. Where to find such a girl, who will be very beautiful and so stupid or selfless that she herself will go into the abyss?
Its a pity that Aquilania doesnt have another princess. The old king had a niece, but it seems she died without leaving offspring.
There were several voices talking. They were all nasally, deaf, and obviously drunk. Desdemona could hardly distinguish one from the other.
This trick wont work now, someone intervened next. There was the clatter of a mug placed on a wooden table. The king himself has come from the sea to rule over us. One girl to go back to the abyss with him will not be enough for him. Even all the maidens of Aquilania wont be enough for him. Mark my word, hell rule us for a while, hell get bored, and hell flood the whole kingdom.
And how can he be the son of the very Lilophea, if so many years have already passed? asked someone sensible.
Maybe he is a grandson, not a son. He could even be a great-grandson by counting the years.
It is because you are a stranger, did not live near the sea and did not know that all the maidens who survived in the abyss, gain immortality, said a creaky old voice.
Now thats interesting! Desdemona wanted to intervene in the conversation. She jerked the handle of the door. Locked on the latch! No one inside had thought to let her in, even after knocking.
Its the Morgens fooling around! Someone spit over their shoulder inside the pub. They want to kill us, but they cant get in here. I drew symbols of protection at the door. An old fortune-teller taught me. Arent I clever?
What if theres someone in there seeking refuge?
All the survivors have already gone home. Theyre the only ones roaming the city.
Who are they? Desdemona listened, but couldnt figure it out. Who are the Morgens? The word was repeated many times and was clearly associated with creatures that crawled out of the sea. But who but crayfish and crabs could crawl ashore?
There were shouts behind her. Desdemona looked back and could not believe her eyes. The tentacles of fog were really choking people. They clung to the throats of the runners like green twine with claws and webbing, squeezed, and people fell, gasping for breath. Finished with the passersby, they reached for her.
Unlock it! Desdemona banged on the door. Im a lady here for the coronation from Adar. I have nowhere to go. My home is far away.
Dont believe it, someone inside said in a monotone. They can even pretend to be your loved ones if they want to. Morgens are masters of sorcery. If it hadnt been for my signs under the threshold, that lady would have leaked a torrent of frothy water under the door and drowned us all.
They are mad! Desdemona kicked the door with her foot in frustration. No one reacted. But the sounds of the same monotonous conversation resumed.
The rain doesnt stop for too long. The streets are already turning into channels of sewage. If it lasts more than a day, well be in trouble.
We were told that a king from the sea was coming who would turn the country into a sea hell. We didnt believe it.
Hes going to flood the whole place.
Hed better find himself another Princess Lilophea like his father did and go away with all his watery hordes.