( Since I have left you hanging for a couple week's I thought I would refresh your minds with Chapter 1 & 2. If you don't want to re-read it, please scan down to Chapter 3. Enjoy! I will post the next chapter in a few days.)
Chapter 1
She walked along the water's edge as the hypnotic waves lapped over her feet gently. The water drifting over her toes was warm and comforting to her. Her heels sunk in the sand as the waves slowly drifted back to the ocean, only to come to her again and again. As she looked around the darkened beach there was not another person in sight. Just her and the infinite ocean under the bright moonlight. It was a full moon and a beautiful ball of soft light lit the night sky. It was rather quiet except for the sound of the ocean's waves drifting back and forth. There was something calming about that.
Megan was at a turning point in her life. She was not happy and she needed to make changes. What changes she didn't know.. but somehow she hoped that walking along the beach under the moonlight would clear the muck from her mind and give her some clarity. She was beautiful but didn't know it which made her even more appealing than she realized. She stopped for a moment and closed her eyes. Her mind drifted to the events that played out earlier in the evening. She had made a decision and she allowed it to replay in her mind.
Jake had sat there listening calmly to her as she told him she wanted to end their four year relationship. He didn't understand. He thought everything between them was just fine, however Megan didn't have the words to explain that she couldn't be happy with him and didn't want to settle for a mediocre life that wasn't part of her plan. Heck she didn't even know what her plan was, but she was certain he wasn't to be part of it. He wanted to marry her soon and settle down and have three children. He talked about it as if it had already been laid in stone and never noticed she didn't seem as thrilled with the idea as he was. She wanted a husband and a family eventually, but not right now and not Jake. She saw the puzzled look in his eyes and had to look away. How could she explain to him what she was feeling inside when she couldn't even explain it to herself. She just knew that deep inside Jake was not what she wanted or needed.
Megan needed to find out what truly made her happy and what she wanted in her life. In a stifled relationship she wasn't able to explore those options. It wasn't that Jake was bad to her or anything, it was quite the opposite in fact. He was a good man and caring and gentle. He was very protective of her and would make somebody a good husband, but she needed to stand on her own two feet and find her own way if her life was to have any meaning at all. He deserved better than that and so did she. In the end Jake cried and she couldn't bare to see him do that. She had to walk away and let him be with his own feelings. It was one of the hardest things she had ever done, however she had always put everyone's needs before her own and it was time she started living life on her own terms.
Megan felt like she had just been drifting through life after college. She wanted her life to have meaning. She wanted to do something that was worthwhile that had substance. Sure, she liked her job well enough but it wasn't her passion. She was employed by an insurance company that she had worked for since graduation. A stable income but wasn't there more to life than this? Here she was twenty-eight years old and still struggling to find her way in life. She felt like there was something great within her and she wanted to find out what that was. It was like standing at the edge of the abyss and waiting to jump off. Would she risk it? Could she? If she didn't take the chance now, would she ever have the courage to?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sound from the sea. Not just the waves but something different. She adjusted her eyes and looked out over the water. For a moment she didn't see anything other than the waves ebbing and flowing, then there in the distance she spotted something bobbing up and down in the water. She heard the noise again. It was a clicking sound. It was a dolphin! She had seen plenty of dolphin before in the water swimming along the horizon as they swam gracefully up and down the shore, however this particular dolphin was facing her and it almost seemed to be calling to her. She shook her head. That was just silly. Why would a dolphin be calling to her? Yet sure enough the dolphin faced her and kept squeaking and clicking as if it was trying to get her attention and communicate with her.
She walked a few feet in the water's edge and the dolphin's click's got louder and more insistent. It wanted her to come to it. She had never had the opportunity to get this close to a dolphin and only for a split second did she hesitate. If she was going to jump off the abyss it meant taking a risk, so she walked out further into the water until she was nearly waist deep. For a millisecond she felt frightened because the water was dark and she couldn't see clearly through it. She thought what if there is a shark in the water and it sensed her fear? The dolphin made it's clicking sounds and drew her attention back to it. It seemed to know what she was thinking and it swam closer to her as if to greet her warmly and ease her fears.
Megan was intent on reaching the dolphin and it seemed to want her to come closer and closer. Soon she realized she was up to her neck in the water with her feet barely touching the ocean's floor. The waves cresting and falling had her flowing with the soothing motion like being gently rocked while the dolphin sang it's lullaby song to her. The dolphin swam right up to her and Megan tentatively put her hand out to touch it. It seemed to be exactly what the dolphin wanted as it circled her as she smiled and touched it's slick soft skin. Megan had never experienced anything like this in her life. It felt exhilarating and made her want to laugh out loud for joy.
She didn't know that she would get another surprise in a moment and one that would change her life forever. She watched as the dolphin disappeared under the surface and before she knew it playfully nudged her and came up underneath her. She laughed as she straddled the gentle animal and she held to it's fin as it took off in the waters swimming out deeper into the ocean. Never before had she felt the way she did in this moment as she held on to the dolphin as it whipped through the water with ease. She wanted to scream to the top of her lungs in a good way because there was such a feeling of excitement coursing through her body. On and on the dolphin swam with skill and speed as Megan held tightly, the wind blowing through her hair and the ocean's spray bathing her face.
Nobody would ever believe this, yet here she was in the warm water riding the back of a dolphin as it glided over the ocean's waves. Never in a million years would she believe this would happen to her. She half wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. The dolphin slowed as she realized they were way out in the middle of the ocean and the shore was but a distant memory. She wondered how she would swim back or if the dolphin would take her back.
As if it read her thoughts, it squeaked and clicked to her as if to tell her something. It turned and started swimming again only this time it gave her one last quick glance right before it took her below the surface of the water. She didn't panic but held on steadfast. She looked up through the water and saw the moonlight before she shut her eyes.
On the surface of the water, all was quiet again and one could only hear the lap of the waves ebbing and flowing in the moonlight's soft glow.
Chapter 2
Megan held steadfast to the dolphin as they made a descent down into through the ocean's salty waters. She thought she should be panicking considering she was under water and could only hold her breath so long, but there was a calmness about her that seemed to emit from the dolphin and she felt no fear. For a moment she wondered if she was delusional. A few bubbles escaped from her mouth as she questioned if this was to be the end of the road for her. Before she could answer her own thoughts, the dolphin changed directions. It veered to the right for a while and then made a steady descent downward. The beautiful creature seemed to know where he was going and he glided through the waters easily with quickness and skill.
Like the speed of lightening it seemed as if everything was all of the sudden going into high gear and moving swiftly. Megan opened her eyes to look around her and she saw all kinds of colorful fish blazing by, but it wasn't that the fish were swimming by quickly, it was Megan and the dolphin who were going swiftly through the warm waters with the acceleration. Her long red tresses fanning out behind her as they went further down into the depths towards the ocean floor. Megan had never been under the ocean before and the world and the bountiful life in all it's vividness amazed her. She was entranced by all she was seeing. Who would have known that it was this beautiful and amazing? Sure she had seen documentaries that droned on and on about ocean life but it was nothing compared to what she was experiencing for herself.
The dolphin came to a cave like structure that was dark and mossy. Quickly it darted in and Megan tried to see in the darkness. Even with her eyes wide open she could see nothing as she waited for something to new to happen. She was about to run out of air and it amazed her she was able to hold her breath for as long as she had. But how was that possible? Even divers with tanks surely wouldn't be able to go to the ocean floor without breathing problems and she had nothing but the dolphin who was now swimming through some sort of an opening in the back of the cave wall. She waited anxiously to see what would happen next.
She didn't have to wait long for in the blink of an eye they came up into a small opening and broke the surface of the water inside some sort of air pocket. It was cavernous-like inside and dimly lit but it did not smell musty or dank. Thankfully Megan took a deep breath and swallowed air gratefully. It wasn't that she felt she was in any danger but still she took nice deep cleansing breaths of air. A voice startled her.
"I've been waiting for you to arrive." she heard a woman's voice say. The dolphin began clicking and squeaking as if it was excited. She looked around sharply and there before her in a golden shimmering gown that looked like fish scales glimmering in the dim light, was the most beautiful angelic woman she'd ever seen in her life.
Megan gasped and was nearly speechless however she found her voice to ask a question. "Am I dead?"
The blond woman laughed, "No my dear, you are not dead. Quite the contrary... for you are just beginning to live." The woman walked over to where Megan and the dolphin were still bobbing in the water.
Megan watched as the woman greeted the dolphin warmly and rewarded him with a fish. The dolphin clearly knew her and the woman did a quick hand signal which the dolphin acknowledged by answering her.
"Joque has gotten you here safely I see. Did you enjoy the ride?" she asked as she held an outstretched hand towards Megan.
"Yes...I.... "Megan stammered. "But I don't understand..." Megan trailed off.
"Then come and all will be revealed to you." The woman took Megan by the hand and lifted her out of the water as Joque went below the surface and disappeared beneath the water. The woman turned and started walking towards a door that Megan just noticed in the cavern wall. Had it been there moments before or was she so enthralled with the whole situation that she didn't even notice?
Still there was a calmness that persisted within her. Somehow she knew that everything would be alright. Megan looked back at the water for a moment then followed the woman.
Chapter 3
Megan followed the blond woman through the cavern door and it was like being in a whole other world the moment she stepped across the threshold. There was a flurry of commotion going on as people gathered around and whispered and smiled warmly to greet Megan. She felt a bit like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz when the house dropped on the witch. Maybe she was dreaming, she thought, for surely this couldn't be real. The blond woman made a motion for the group to quiet down. She seemed to be some sort of leader to them.
"Quiet down everyone... we don't want to frighten our guest." the beautiful woman said with a smile as she turned towards Megan.
Megan shifted from one foot to the other. "Where am I?" she asked.
"You are in the Land of Aquarious where the creatures of the sea are our friends. Joque came to you because we sent him to you." the blond woman said. "Let me introduce myself properly, Megan. I am Shamira, Queen of Aquarious and these are my people." she gestured towards the group of onlookers.
"But why am I here and how do you know me?" Megan questioned.
"My dear Megan... you called for us. You want to know where you are going in life and what is out there for you." Shamira said. She continued. "You have been confused about life's questions and we are here to help you find your way."
There was something comforting in Shamira's words and Megan listened with intent. Maybe she was dead and this was actually heaven although she would have never thought it was on the bottom of the ocean floor, she thought more upwards towards the clouds would be the case.
Shamira jarred her out of her thoughts. "Let me show you around our humble abode Megan, and then we will have a feast to honor your arrival."
Megan nodded her head still in amazement as she followed Shamira into the crowd. The people parted for them to walk through. Megan glanced to her right and her left and into the faces of happy people in all shapes and sizes. They wore colorful shiny clothes that shimmered like crystals in bright hues of green and blue and pinks and corals. Beautiful beads adorned the cloth and made them look sparkly and new. Megan noticed that everyone smiled and chattered among themselves gleefully.
Shamira led her into another huge room that looked like nothing she had ever seen. Large massive crystals in every imaginable color hung down from the walls and ceilings of the cave like structure. There was a huge glass window on one side wall that looked out into the ocean water where hundreds of fish and sea life of every kind large and small swam in front of to and fro like graceful ballet dancers. Beautiful shades of blue and silver were adorned over what seemed like seating of some kind. For all the bright colors it still seemed very warm and inviting.
Megan noticed other entrances to this great cavern room that seemed to be passage ways of some sort. It was truly magical in that it seemed like an icy igloo cavern yet the warmth of the people and the energy here made her feel secure and comfortable.
Shamira let her take it all in before she spoke again. She could see that Megan was enthralled by their home and it made her smile. It was always a pleasure to her when there was a new visitor to see the enchantment in their eyes.
"Unbelievable isn't it?" Shamira said as she took a seat.
"Yes...I..." Megan paused still standing and looking around. "I see it with my own eyes yet it is still unimaginable to me."
Shamira chuckled, "Yet we've been here for centuries." Megan looked at her quizzically.
"It's true. Many have been within these walls and my people have been in your world as well since the beginning of time." she went on. "The wee ones know of us, yet as they grow up like yourself, they forget and erase us from their memory." A look of sadness crossed Shamira's delicate face.
"What do you mean?" Megan asked as she sat across from the queen concerned.
"Well, take you, for instance. You knew us when you were but a small child. I believe Princess Fiona was your playmate many years ago, if my memory serves me correct" Shamira looked to see if Megan would recognize the name.
Megan thought back to her own childhood and like a distant fog the memory came drifting back to her. "Yes... yes.. Princess Fiona was the little pixie fairy I played with and nobody would ever believe me when I tried to tell them about her!" she exclaimed.
"My auntie used to tell me to stop making up fanciful stories and to be a proper young lady and act my age." Megan spoke with a far away childlike voice. "I was acting my age and she was real... I saw her."
"Yes, you did and she was real. Just as real as you and I sitting here together now Megan." Shamira said gently.
"I stopped going to the woods to play and Princess Fiona did not come to me again.... I wondered why for the longest time and then I convinced myself that maybe I did make it all up after all."
"I know... It hurt Fiona's feelings terribly, yet she always kept track of you throughout the years."
Megan looked surprised. "You mean she is from here?"
"Why yes dear, she is! In fact she can't wait to see you again. She was very excited to hear you were coming." Shamir told her.
"Where is she?" she asked excitedly.
"You will see her very soon my dear girl. Now let's show you to the guest quarters to freshen up and then we will join the feast. After all, you are the guest of honor!" Shamira rose and took Megan's hand and lead her through one of the side passage ways.
Megan took it all in as they walked along this amazing beautiful underwater world. Her mind drifted back to her younger years and she could feel the excitement building within her at the though of seeing Princess Fiona after all these years.
Shamira could sense her thoughts and she just smiled to herself. There was still a lot to discuss but there was time for that. All in good time she thought as she led the younger woman to her room.
PolarB © 2007
