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On the rare occasions that Lycorias needed some time alone, she would swim out to the Thelxiepeia Gardens just a stone’s throw from the east wing of the Palace. The gardens held an elegant maze of stone-lined paths winding through a kaleidoscopic assortment of corals in every color and shape one could possibly imagine. At the center of the maze was a small meadow of verdant seagrass with a simple statue of the first king of Hydropolis. It was rumored that the Founder King himself had planted one of the first coral polyps here after he’d successfully united the many tribes of merfolk into a single great nation.
The history of the Thelxiepeia Gardens was not one that Lycorias had been taught in school. She only learned of the truth behind their existence after she befriended one of the librarians of the Royal Archives, a fellow history and mythology enthusiast, back when she was still training. These elegant coral gardens were once an exclusive retreat for the upper echelons of merfolk society. Sometimes Lycorias would imagine what it must have been like to stand in the gardens during their halcyon days, when those of highborn status would mingle amongst themselves in their finest robes of elegantly woven brocades and delicate seraphic silks as they waited for an audience with their ruler. She envisioned the sweetest serenades from musicians and vocalists of great renown filling the water while servants waited on the esteemed guests with trays of exotic refreshments from Autumnia and the Summerlands.
Then Lycorias would come back to reality as she pictured how such merfolk would undoubtedly turn their noses up at her worn-out sandals and her damaged right pauldron she could not afford to repair. The common merfolk were not banned from the gardens outright, but most had stayed away out of fear of ridicule. After all, there was nothing like standing around in a plain tunic amongst the finest vestments guilders could buy to make one very conscious of their lowly social status.
All of that had changed when a human managed to forge a kingsbond with Brineskimmer and became the new ruler of Hydropolis. The humans of the kingdom, who lived above the lagoon in squalor while the merfolk beneath the waves enjoyed the full bounty of their home, could no longer be ignored by the noble houses from then on. With the ascension of Queen Nerea’s ancestor to the throne, those seeking an audience with the king moved into the air-filled halls of the royal palace, which were much more accessible to both species.
Subsequently, the Thelxiepeia Gardens gained something of a reputation as a location frequented by those of anti-human sentiments. Many clandestine meetings between nobles dissatisfied with their current monarch took place there, to the point it was rumored that the king had built the Eye of Hydropolis as a way to survey every inch of his kingdom in order to deter such conspirators. Nowadays, Queen Nerea—as all the previous monarchs before her had done—ordered the royal gardeners to diligently maintain the coral beds and seagrass lawns but never set foot in the gardens herself.
Was it perhaps similarly uncouth for a member of the Palace Guard, especially a full-blood merwoman, to seek solace in the all but deserted gardens? The Queen had never explicitly forbidden anyone from entering the place. During her days as a trainee guard, Lycorias had come here in tears a few times when her instructor’s harsh words or the teasing of her peers got to be too much for her. On one of those occasions, she even felt the gaze of the all-seeing Eye upon her, yet never received any punishment. When she returned to the Palace later that day, Lycorias learned that three of her worst tormentors had either been released from service or reassigned to a regiment at the other end of the kingdom. Although surely that had just been a fortunate coincidence.
Not that it would matter in a year or so. The Thelxiepeia Gardens would be long gone, reduced to ash and sand, along with the rest of Hydropolis.
Ever since she’d been old enough to hold a picture book, Lycorias had vicariously devoured all of the tales starring Hydropolis’ pantheon of heroes that she could get her hands on. From a young age, she knew it was her destiny to follow in the footsteps of her idols and perform legendary feats of her own. Her family, simple fisherfolk who had never earned more than enough guilders to keep their heads above water, laughed at her dream. But Lycorias would not let their mockery stop her.
In the hopes of gaining the skills she would need to fulfill her future career as a famous heroine, Lycorias had enlisted in the Palace Guard when she came of age. Once her training was complete and she had settled into life in the Palace, the young merwoman slowly noticed that she’d developed a stronger sense of discipline and greater proficiency with her spear over the course of the grueling three months. Though Lycorias took pride in her oath to protect Queen and country, the role left a lot to be desired when it came to actively confronting the forces that threatened Hydropolis head on. Her new duties rarely allowed her to leave the Palace, let alone the kingdom.
Still, Lycorias tried to make the best of her circumstances. Her usual posting, in the hallway just outside of the throne room, did put her very close to the Queen. She told herself that if some fiend ever tried to attack Her Majesty directly, the wretched scoundrel would have to deal with the might of Lycorias first!
However, not a soul in the kingdom was foolish enough to attack Queen Nerea directly, not even as tensions rose within the kingdom. The restrictive Four Pillars were made into law seemingly out of nowhere and harshly enforced throughout Hydropolis regardless of social status by Archon Leander and the Royal Guard. Yet no one dared to even complain in public.
These strange new laws became another reason for Lycorias to be content with her role in the Palace. She had been mentally preparing herself for the trials of heroism since she was a little girl, but she didn’t think she had it in her heart to send someone to the dungeons for falling ill or arrest someone for declaring their love for another. Surely if someone were sick, a visit to the doctor would be more appropriate. How could caring deeply for another person be considered a crime? Whenever she saw another civilian accused of breaking the Four Pillars being marched down to the dungeons, Lycorias could only shake her head in helpless confusion.
However, Her Majesty’s words were law. Ever since she was handed the crown, Queen Nerea had always placed the wellbeing of her subjects above all else. Lycorias reasoned that the queen must have her reasons for enacting these draconian laws, even if her rationale was beyond Lycorias’ understanding.
Lycorias’ posting had another bright side; most days, she was now on the same rotation as her new friend Cydippe. Despite growing up in very different circumstances, the sandy-haired merwoman was one of the most compassionate individuals Lycorias had ever met… as well as one of the worst gossip mongers. Not that Lycorias was about to complain to their commander. Together, they found out that if the door to the throne room was left open just a smidge, they could hear every word exchanged between the occupants of the room. Dione and Panopea could usually be persuaded to look the other way. On the days when Her Majesty and the Archon were passing lovesick glances when the other was unaware, the two Palace sorceresses wouldn’t even bother to keep up the pretense that they weren’t also listening in with Cydippe and Lycorias.
During such eavesdropping, while the young King Evan of Evermore and his unusual companions were in audience with the Queen Nerea and Archon Leander, the four merwomen were the first Hydropolitans to learn the big news. Cydippe and the two sorceresses had to quickly stifle their squeals of delight—the Archon had finally agreed to marry the Queen!—before their snooping could be discovered.
Lycorias wanted to argue that they were getting worked up over nothing; Archon Leander Aristides would never break Hydropolitan tradition and propose without the customary red coral ring! However, she was still caught up on what the Archon and Her Majesty had revealed before that.
A spell which had kept Hydropolis from certain destruction by reversing time once a year? One which Her Majesty had maintained for the past three centuries but now resolved to end, thus breaking the cycle? What would befall Hydropolis once the enchantment faded completely? What would happen to everyone in the kingdom? Even the Queen herself seemed unsure. Would the underwater volcano simply erupt and claim the ocean that Hydropolis stood upon as it had always meant to, or would the three hundred years that had passed in the waters outside of the kingdom affect the Hydropolitans all at once, aging them to dust and bone?
As a wave of dread washed over her, Lycorias could not help but be consumed by the nagging thought: what of her childhood dream of becoming a famous heroine? Had it just been dashed before her eyes, or was there still a chance for her to make her dream a reality?
“Hello? Is someone here?” A familiar voice brought Lycorias back into the present. “In the name of the Queen, reveal yourself, intruder!”
“Here I am, and I am not an intruder!” the red-haired merwoman declared as she turned to face the newcomer with a scowl. “As a citizen of Hydropolis and a member of the Palace Guard, I have just as much right to be here as you, Phorkys!”
Outside of the battlefield, where his considerable skills with a warhammer were legendary, Lycorias did not know what to make of the highly-praised soldier. Unlike her, Phorkys was from a long bloodline well-renowned for their military prowess. He certainly carried himself like a proper officer and gentlemerman on the few occasions Lycorias had interacted with him. Cydippe and many women, as well as some men, were prone to swooning over his dashing good looks, especially now that the ban on love had been lifted.
Lycorias could not deny that he was handsome, yet there was something artificial about his handsomeness that she could never quite put a finger on. In her eyes, Phorkys’ attractiveness was like that of a masterful portrait: one had the vaguest inkling that the most aesthetically pleasing aspects came from the skill of the painter rather than their subject.
Though Phorkys had never been anything less than unfailingly polite to her, Lycorias had seen the ugly side of several other officers from similarly distinguished families. Her direct superior as a trainee has been one such merman who felt entitled to respect he had not, in Lycorias’ opinion, earned through any noble deed but instead due to his noble blood. Lycorias had vowed to never become that sort of merwoman; a true heroine would only judge others by their actions and not their social status.
“Ah, my sincerest apologies.” Phorkys sounded strangely relieved as he emerged from behind a dense patch of jade coral. “I meant no offense, Lycorias. Since Queen Nerea signed the Declaration of Interdependence and removed the restrictions on who may cross our borders, I confess that I have been more wary of late.”
“Not about all the new visitors to the kingdom, of course,” he quickly added upon noticing Lycorias’ questioning gaze. “It has been far too long since Hydropolis has seen new faces, and I can only imagine what they must think of us all as the world outside has changed so much in the past three hundred years!”
Phorkys face fell again. “However, even with all of the joyous news of late, I cannot help but worry that we are letting our guard down too soon. Considering the loss of Her Majesty’s kingsbond and the protection of Brineskimmer, our kingdom’s means of defending ourselves has been greatly diminished.”
Though Lycorias was silently relieved to hear another warrior of Hydropolis validate her concerns, something in the merman’s tone set her teeth on edge. Was he blaming the queen for falling under the dark wizard’s spell and having her kingsbond stolen? She asserted, “What you say is true, but surely Queen Nerea would not have sent Archon Leander off to Evermore if she was worried about the safety of the kingdom.”
“That is a fair point,” Phorkys admitted evenly, causing the merwoman to question if she’d misread his intent. “No one knows more about Hydropolis than the queen after all. But enough about me, what brings you here? I had always thought that I was the only one who remembered this place existed, save for the royal gardeners.”
This piqued Lycorias’ interest. “I only come here when I need to be alone with my thoughts and there’s nowhere else to go. What about you? I feel that for most merfolk, being here is kinda… oh, what’s the word…?”
“Taboo?” the merman finished for her. “Indeed, the noble houses of Hydropolis in particular prefer to pretend that these gardens no longer exist so they can be spared from having to acknowledge our kingdom’s history between humans and merfolk. I for one believe that if one is to learn from the mistakes of the past, they must accept the whole truth of what has transpired—glorious and shameful moments alike. However, far too many of our kind would rather bury their heads in the sand and forget entirely.”
As he sadly shook his head, Lycorias stared back in stunned silence. There was, in fact, a real merman behind the glossy portrait after all.
“Still, there is hope for the future. Now that we are now allies with a kingdom composed of many different cultures and species, perhaps the citizens of Hydropolis will have a reason to reconsider our own history.” Phorkys motioned toward the palace and concluded optimistically, “It is my hope that Evermore’s influence might bring about some change in these matters, especially with King Evan being of mixed ancestry himself.”
Lycorias nodded along. Everything she had heard about the fledgeling kingdom across the sea made it sound so different and exciting. Surely a young heroine could be of use there, especially with that kingsbond thief still at large and King Evan’s own kingmaker being so…shrimpy.
The very idea threatened to sweep Lycorias up in her fantasies of future valor and away from the harsh reality that anchored her to the present. What of her obligations to Hydropolis? She couldn’t abandon the Queen and kingdom she’d sworn fealty to.
After a moment’s hesitation, Phorkys added, “If I may be completely honest, I am also here to get some precious time alone as well.”
“Ah ha, so you’re hiding from your legion of fans, then?” Lycorias teased.
“Hiding? Certainly not!” Phorkys retorted automatically. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, but Lycorias could swear that she saw a tinge of turquoise in his cheeks. “It has been impossible to perform my duties as of late without interruption by unceasing professions of love. I merely ducked in here for a moment to clear my head, that’s all!”
Surprised at the hint of genuine distress in his voice, Lycorias asked, “Why don’t you just tell them that you don’t feel the same way?”
“Well,” the soldier muttered, shifting in place uncomfortably, “when someone is baring their entire heart and soul to you, it’s rather difficult to tell them that you don’t reciprocate their feelings. I have never been the best at denying a request from someone, so…”
Lycorias was gobsmacked. The flawless Phorkys did in fact have a weakness after all.
“If I may be perfectly honest, I’m not sure what it is that they see in me,” the merman continued in polite annoyance. “Outside of military matters, I’m quite terrible at holding interesting conversations, so I avoid most social events if I can help it. I wouldn’t think that to be an attractive quality in a partner for most folks.”
It took all of Lycorias’ training not to laugh. “No offense, but I don’t think that all of your admirers are lining up to throw themselves at you for your personality, Phorkys.”
“Huh?” The merman stared back at her blankly until some realization clicked. “Ah, you believe that this is all due to the ban on love being repealed? Then, I certainly hope that you are right and that this will all cease once the kingdom settles back into a state of normalcy, sooner rather than later.”
Oh, dear. Would it be kinder for Lycorias to tell him the truth, or let him live in ignorance?
“Enough about my woes. What has driven you to seek solace in the gardens?” Phorkys asked with a concerned frown. “You have never struck me as someone who has any trouble speaking her mind.”
“I have? Well… “ Lycorias paused and took a deep breath. Phorkys had been so honest and straightforward with her. Maybe as a fellow soldier, he would understand her dilemma? “Have you heard the reports of a monster tainted by darkness that was spotted on an island to the east?”
“The creature that attacked a pair of fishing vessels that stopped there to repair their nets?” Phorkys glanced over at her in confusion. “As far as I am aware, both crews made it back to Hydropolis safe and sound, if that was your concern.”
Cydippe, concerned that Lycorias’ family might be among those attacked, had already given Lycorias the news. As she turned away slightly, the merwoman clarified, “No, that’s not what’s been bothering me. My friend was telling me about the attack earlier and King Evan just so happened to be in the Palace and overheard me mention the creature. Without a moment’s hesitation, he offered to track it down and slay it himself!”
“Ah, so you’re worried for His Majesty’s safety? You have nothing to fear, Lycorias,” Phorkys declared confidently. “After all, King Evan has personally defeated two Realmwreckers! I doubt a single monster will give him much trouble, tainted by darkness or not. Besides, Archon Leander is with him and the rest of his companions seem combat capable enough.”
“No! No, that’s not it either!” Lycorias cried out with a stomp of her foot as she swiveled back to face the merman. How could the other soldier not understand? Though Queen Nerea was one of the most powerful wizards in the world, surely no one would expect her to be out there hunting monsters when she had more important duties to attend to as the ruler of a nation!
Phorkys didn’t flinch per se at Lycorias’ sudden outburst, but he did furrow his brows rather dramatically. “Then what exactly is the problem?” he asked with a slow and deliberate tone, like that of someone trying to calm a frantic beast. “Please, help me understand.”
In any other instance, Lycorias would have found his request patronizing. However, she could hear the rising panic in her own voice and after taking a deep breath she tried to mirror his collected demeanor in her response. “Ever since I was a little girl, I knew in my heart that it was my destiny to become a famous heroine. I want to be as strong and brave as the heroes of the Hydropolitan legends, even if no one else believes I can do it!”
Now it was Lycorias’ turn to flush turquoise. She shifted her feet uncomfortably and stared down at the seagrass, unable to face Phorkys, as she continued, “That’s why I enlisted in the Guard in the first place. However, it’s that very same oath I took to serve Queen Nerea that prevents me from going out and protecting others from threats! I shouldn’t need to involve King Evan in this, not when I know I’m more than capable of defeating the evil beast on my own!”
Out of the corner of her eye, Lycorias saw Phorkys open his mouth to respond. However, she continued on before he could get a word in, desperate to put her feelings into words before they threatened to smother her from within. “There’s something else too. While we were talking, King Evan also offered me a place in his kingdom! I couldn’t believe it, me, not even famous yet and already getting a personal invitation from a king! Even so, I could never accept his request in good conscience, not when I failed to notice that Queen Nerea had fallen under that evil wizard’s spell and completely missed her vanishing from the palace despite being stationed right outside the throne room this whole time!”
“However, I know that I’ll never be able to fulfill my dream if I stay! And… and…” Try as she might, Lycorias couldn’t keep the slight hitch out of her voice, her emotions bubbling back up to the surface with her pitch. “And I’m running out of time! Who knows what will happen to us and the rest of Hydropolis when Queen Nerea’s spell fades away completely? I can’t stand the thought of never getting to accomplish my childhood dream, but I can’t just abandon my duties here! Oh, Phorkys, what should I do?!”
Lycorias hadn’t realized that her voice had risen to a near-hysterical shriek until she heard her final plea echoing back through the empty gardens. Though she knew it was too late to take it all back, she clasped her hands over her mouth in horror. She hadn’t told another soul about her deepest fears regarding the enchantment on Hydropolis, not even Cydippe!
The merwoman didn’t dare look up at Phorkys until she’d managed to blink away the tears in her eyes. When Lycorias finally pulled herself together and met his gaze again, she found the soldier standing there in shocked silence, staring past her with blank eyes and an unreadable expression.
“I… I had completely forgotten about the spell ending,” Phorkys began quietly after a moment, before Lycorias could apologize for her emotional outburst and for bringing up such a heavy subject matter in the first place. “I’ve been trying so hard to wrap my head around the notion that we have been living through the same year for the past three hundred years that I haven’t even thought about what comes next. So much of what we all thought to be true wasn’t, even though the Queen had the best of intentions in her deception. Now we must all face an uncertain future…”
They stood there in grim, contemplative silence for some time. The afternoon sunlight above refracted through the sea and shimmered off the seagrass lawns around them, sparkling like a thousand tiny prism shards. A shadow overhead briefly obscured the light, cast by a vessel that was no doubt carrying curious tourists from Evermore or Goldpaw, hoping to see the kingdom lost to time in person before it was too late.
“Lycorias? Can I tell you something?” Phorkys sounded almost nervous, which made her uneasy in turn. “I think… I’m jealous of you right now.”
The merman’s words caused Lycorias to sputter and stare back at him. Did she hear that correctly? “Jealous of me? But why?”
“I’ve never really given any serious thought to my future,” Phorkys admitted, turning his head away to follow the passing ship above as it left the lagoon. “With my family’s celebrated history, it was never a question of if but when I was to enlist in the Hydropolitan Navy. The course of my life had already been decided for me before I was born, so I was content enough to coast along with everyone’s expectations of me until either retirement or death. With the end of Hydropolis in sight, I’ve realized now that I don’t have the first clue what I want to spend the rest of my life doing.”
“But you have an actual goal to strive for, something that you pursue with your whole heart because you want it, not because it is expected of you.” Phorky turned back to meet her gaze with an expression of utmost sincerity that Lycorias’ skepticism couldn’t wave away. “I think that’s admirable, and I think you shouldn’t let this opportunity go to waste.”
“Really? You don’t find my dream selfish?” Lycorias stared at him in disbelief, but the merman just shook his head.
“Not at all.” There was a hint of elation in Phorky’s voice, some for her and possibly some for the possibilities of a future he was beginning to consider for the first time. “Lycorias, do you remember what you said about the Queen sending Archon Leander away? Despite how it might sting our pride to have to rely on our allies for protection instead of a Kingmaker, I would think that Hydropolis is strong enough that our kingdom would be fine with one less Palace Guard. I’ve seen posts on Leafbook about the bandit problem in the Heartlands, so I’m sure Evermore and its King need all the help they can get.”
Despite his positivity, Lycorias couldn’t shake off her own feelings of guilt. “But what about my oath to the Queen? How could King Evan accept me as a loyal subject if I just abandon my sworn duties here like it’s nothing?”
“Queen Nerea has spent three entire centuries keeping each and every one of her subjects alive because she couldn’t bear to watch them suffer. Of course I can’t speak for Her Majesty, but I don’t believe that she would want any of her people to be unhappy, even if pursuing that happiness means them leaving Hydropolis for good.” With such a candid smile and an unshakeable confidence to his voice, Lycorias could almost see what had charmed so many people about Phorkys. Almost. “Also, I believe King Evan values the happiness of his subjects so much that it’s Evermore’s national motto, so he ought to understand.”
“And,” Phorkys concluded before Lycorias could protest, “I suspect your heart has already made the decision. You just needed someone to say it out loud for your mind to catch up.”
“I suppose you’re right…” Could she really do it? Could Lycorias be the heroine that Evermore… no, that the world needed?
One final doubt lingered in Lycorias’ head. “Really though, Phorkys, there’s nothing your heart yearns for? Nothing at all? Even something trivial, like the world’s best bowl of Hydropolitan stew you’ve ever tasted?”
The merman let out a rather undignified chortle. “Well, I would like to be left alone by my ‘admirers’ as you call them, so that I can perform my duties without interruption. However, I feel like that’s against the spirit of the question, so I—”
“Lycorias! Where are you? King Evan’s just returned, and he’s looking for you! Argh, this stupid maze…!” Cydippe’s singsong voice rang out from somewhere nearby in the coral maze. Lycorias noticed Phorkys tense up just a tiny bit once she finally found the path to them. Cydippe’s eyes widened as she spotted the much-sought after soldier with her friend then narrowed as she scrutinized the two of them to determine the exact nature of this secret liaison in the secluded gardens.
“Well, I guess this is goodbye then, Phorkys,” announced Lycorias, not wanting to draw out the awkward moment any longer for his sake. Behind her, Cydippe let out a quiet, confused gasp. “You’ll have to let me know on Leafbook when you figure it out.” It took her half a second to remember that not everyone had one of the strange new devices from Broadleaf. “Wait, you have a Leafbook account, right?”
“Of course I do! You must let me know what your impressions of Evermore are as well.” Phorkys replied, inching toward the other exit ever so slightly to escape the glared daggers Cydippe had thrown towards Lycorias. “Perhaps if it is as fantastic a place as the rumors say, then I might take some leave and visit. Farewell, Lycorias! I hope you fulfill your dream.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Phorkys! I’m on Leafbook too! Take me out to dinner and I can make all of your dreams come true!” Cydippe yelled after him as the merman disappeared into the maze at top speed. With a roll of her eyes, Lycorias grabbed her friend and led her away.
“Do you really mean it this time, Lycorias? Are you really gonna leave us for Evermore?” Cydippe only had to glance at her friend’s growing smile for her answer. “Aw… Well, then, you’d better come back and visit us at least once before… before…”
Cydippe’s voice faltered with a soft sniffle, but she quickly regained her composure before Lycorias turned her head. “Before it’s too late, okay?! And I better see loads of pictures on Leafbook of all the cool heroine stuff you do, and pictures of all the places you go, and all the cute guys you meet, especially if they’re single, and…”
Lycorias laughed, her heart considerably lightened as she and Cydippe left the Thelxiepeia Gardens behind. She wondered if Evermore would have its own royal gardens someday. They would probably be filled with plants instead of coral, but Lycorias could picture a lush expanse of green with lined pathways and a series of tiered fountains. If Archon Leander hadn’t already spoken to King Evan about it, then Lycorias would have to suggest it to him.
She had no idea what would be awaiting her in Evermore. Then again, none of the heroes and heroines who had inspired her knew how their stories would end when they’d taken their first steps and answered the call to adventure. If the end of Hydropolis was inevitable, then Lycorias would have to make sure that she made such a splash in Evermore that tales of her heroic deeds spread throughout the world! Maybe she would even inspire another aspiring heroine to pursue dreams of greatness?
Only time would tell.