To his lordship Neuros of Makoul, recent events have made
it clear that the young mer known as Ivara Mare must be sent back home at once.
This decision was determined by the Master and shall not be challenged. It
should be noted that in her current state Ivara is prone to fits of hysteria,
visions and volatile episodes. If any changes occur in the girl’s personality
the Master has asked that you alert him immediately.

A khipu sent from the Arkstone to Makoul (1602 A.D.)

Ivara (1603 A.D.)

A gentle shake of her shoulder pulled Ivara out of her
slumber. A single glance around the room told her all she needed to know. Ka’I,
her eldest sister slept restlessly on one side of their dome shaped bedroom.
The twins Mele and Uhane curled up beside her deep in sleep, their tails curled
around stalagmites to hold them in place against the tide. Only one sister was
out of place, Ivara looked over to where Wyntir hovered above her. The mer
girl's face was aflame with worry and anxiety.

“He’s missing.” Was all Wyntir said when Ivara gave her an
irritated look. He being her little
sister's sea serpent, they’d all advised little Wyntir against keeping.
Unfortunately, the serpent was a gift from their mother, so none could bring
themselves to push the mer girl when she decided to make it her pet. She’d
named it Gar, and while she had tried to train it, Ivara wasn’t convinced the
thing could be trained at all. And so it was that every few days, Wyntir would
find Ivara and ask her to help chase down her pet.

“When did you realize he was gone?” Ivara asked the albino
mer girl. To which she received a disgruntled look.

“Just a moment ago. I knew something was wrong, and it woke
me up I suppose.” Wyntir’s sweet young voice trembled with worry.

Ivara nodded and untangled herself from her stalagmite
around which she’d been sleeping. Her little sister was convinced that she had
some sort of bond with the serpent. Wyntir swore she could sense when the
creature was hungry, sad, bored... on and on it went. Ivara wasn’t so sure, but
she’d been told by her father and sisters that her mother had a similar bond
with her own serpent, so it was possible she supposed.

There were multiple thin stones that jutted up from the
floor providing stability when water would push them around. The room resembled
the inside of a cavern. Barnacles and small sea creatures ate at the grime on
the walls and floor. A hole above them big enough for three, perhaps four led
out. Her teal gills flared as she took a breath of the cool morning water.

Ivara’s skin was pale but not nearly as much as her sisters
Uhane and Wyntir. Her long straight hair was a less vibrant façade of something
between blonde and brunette. And in her eyes, a pale grey storm cloud lingered.
She was not beautiful, at least not by mer standards but still she did not
dislike the mer girl that stared back at her through the mirror.

“Alright, let’s go.” Ivara gestured for her sister to lead
on.

Wyntir took after their mother’s people, known to all as the
Red Mer, everything from her hair, skin, tail, even her eyes was as white as
the giant glaciers in the far north. Ivara knew little of the Red Mer but she
remembered her mother’s skin being a vibrant crimson. It was her mother who had
once explained to Ivara that the Red Mer gained their coloration from a secret
ritual that involved their serpents but beyond that she would never elaborate.
Ivara on the other hand took after their father’s side, ash blonde hair, grey
eyes, teal tail and pale skin, she sported far more color than her younger
sister but much less than any of her elder sisters. The thought made her turn
towards her eldest sister Ka’I who was squirming in her sleep. Her tail wrapped
tightly around her night stalagmite.

Wyntir grabbed Ivara’s arm and the latter winced in pain.
The long scar on her inner arm pulsed, a thinly veiled reminder that she was
not whole. Ivara mastered herself and swam after her sister.

“She’s still angry with me.” Wyntir said once they were out
of earshot.

“Let her be. Mother leaving wasn’t anyone’s fault, least of
all yours.”

“Perhaps.” Wyntir answered shortly.

“Stop that. Mother was always going to leave. Stop blaming
yourself. You know in a way, the only reason Uhane, Mele and I were even born
is because of you. If Ka’I had been a Red Mer, who knows…”

“Thanks.” Wyntir offered her a smile, but Ivara could tell
her sister was hardly encouraged.

There was something wholesome about being able to help her
family. Though she had no memories of all those years spent in the west she did
remember the constant shame and frustration she felt when she returned to
Makoul only to realize that she had nothing to offer. Perhaps she had been a
politician, a scholar even. She would never know of course. The scar on her arm
made sure of that. Along with denying her access to the last forty-six years of
her life, it also took away her usefulness. She had left Makoul all those years
ago a helpless tad. Now all these years later she returned a mer, nearly grown
with nothing to show for all her time away save for a small mark.

A shadow passed over them and Ivara looked up. Above them a
ship passed blocking the sunlight as it journeyed over their heads. And
trailing behind it was a huge net, in it a white serpent about the width of her
waist and twice the length of her arm. Ivara muttered curses before grabbing
Wyntir and gesturing to the site.

“Gar!” Wyntir screamed and took off, but Ivara grabbed her
wrist and held her still.

“Do you have a blade?”

Wyntir nodded. “I always keep one on me.” The ship was going
slow enough for her to recognize it. It was a walker fishing ship; she’d seen
plenty of them on the outskirts of Makoul but never directly over the
city-state. It was too deep here for the walkers to catch fish. She moved
quietly below the hull of the ship pondering if they might somehow still be
able to hear her. She doubted it. Wyntir followed with her small blade in hand,
and they began taking turns cutting at the rope. Once Gar saw them, he too got
excited and began squirming around in the net.

“Wyntir he needs to calm down, the walkers will notice his
squirming! He’s shaking the whole net!”

“I’m trying!”

A walker peeked his head over the ship, and she knew they’d
been spotted. Ivara began muttering curses.

“Keep cutting, I'll be back.”

“Wait where are you going?” Wyntir reached for her.

“Just keep cutting!”
Ivara hissed in a low whisper to her sister. She swam to the front of the ship...