Chapter Text
The clear blue waves crashed as the ship made its way through the ocean. On board board Prince Neteyam sat on one of the masts and helped the other sailors tie knots around the sail to keep it secure as the light breeze hit his skin. Neteyam loved sailing even though his parents wished he would take his job as crown prince a bit more seriously than he did. Neteyam had just finished tying a knot when he looked down and saw a crowd of sailors gathering near the front of the shop. Neteyam noticed that his other siblings: Kiri and Lo’ak also taking notice and rushed to see what the cause of the commotion was as Neteyam climbed down to join them.
“Get another one lads she’s a fast one!” A fellow sailor: Mulligan shouted to a crew mate as he threw a harpoon into the water. ”What are they doing?” Thought Neteyam as he pushed through the crowd to get to Mulligan. “Oi, what’s going on here?” Shouted Lo’ak as he tapped Mulligan’s shoulder. “What’s going on here?” Lo’ak shouted over the commotion and waves crashing. “A metkayina sire!” Mulligan shouted as a young sailor handed him another harpoon. “A metkayina?” Kiri asked clearly not believing the sailor. Mulligan may have been their friend but sometimes he didn’t get all of the facts right. “Use your eyes!” Neteyam shouted as he pointed to the “mermaid”. A dolphin jumped out of the water and disappeared beneath the waves. Mulligan looked a bit embarrassed as he put the harpoon back. “But sire these are dangerous waters!” Mulligan said as he followed Neteyam as the crowd dispersed. “And dangerous times!” Shouted another sailor as he walked into the lower decks.
“He’s right they say tonight is the coral moon. The stories say that this is when the sea king calls his children to lure sailors to their deaths!” Mulligan said adding to the other sailor’s claim. “Is that what the stories say?” Kiri asked as she helped with the sails. “Yes, they say the king’s youngest son has the most enchanting voice that no one can resist and that he’s the most dangerous of all of the sea king’s children.” “Oh Mulligan your just being paranoid.” Lo’ak said as he looked out of a spyglass to examine the waters. “Your majesties!” The 3 siblings look to see their mentor and the Kingdom’s Prime Minister: Benjamin walking towards looking a bit seasick. “Your majesties I’ve been looking for you all over this ship and-“ Benjamin paused as he saw Neteyam climbing onto the bowsprit to make some adjustments to the spirit sail. “Neteyam what in Eywa’s name are you doing?!” Neteyam looked at his frazzled friend. “Uh, fixing the sail?” He replied not sure what the problem was. Benjamin groaned to himself Lo’ak, Kiri, and Neteyam both have differently gotten this adventurous spirit from their father: Jake, although Kiri was a bit more cautious than her brothers like her Mother: Neytiri. As Neteyam fished tying a knot in the rope when a wave rocked the ship and Neteyam fell off but caught himself. “Bro are you alight?!” Lo’ak shouted in a mix of concern and amusement as Kiri gave handed Neteyam a rope so he could swing back onto the deck.
“Sire please you must be more careful I do not want to be the one that has to tell the King and Queen that their eldest son and heir had fallen overboard and on his birthday of all days.” Said a worried Benjamin as Neteyam swung and landed safely on the deck. “Oh come on Benjamin you worry too much.” He replied as he walked to the quarterdeck. “You know I saw a few Spanish ships heading east I figured we could follow them and follow them to the port and see what they have to trade” Neteyam told Benjamin as he looked through a spyglass. Benjamin grabbed the spyglass “Please Neteyam we are going home we’ve been out at sea for the past 8 weeks your mother and father are already worried as it is.” He told the distracted prince. A wave rocked the boat and Benjamin lost his balance. Neteyam caught him but the spyglass fell into the ocean. ”Well I guess it will be something for the metkayina to enjoy.” Neteyam thought as the spyglass disappeared beneath the waves. As Neteyam took Benjamin below deck to calm his nerves Neteyam thought he heard someone singing but as quickly as he heard it the voice disappeared.
Meanwhile, beneath the waves, the world below was busy as the metkayina and sea creatures swam to get set up for the coral moon celebration that evening. As the celebration was being set up 3 metkayina made their way to the royal palace. They were the sea kings children that were arriving from all over the oceans to report to their father: King Tonowari about the status of the ocean and to see their father since the coral moon was one of the few times they all saw each other every year. One of the King’s daughters: Tsireya swam as her beautiful purple and turquoise tail propelled her forward. She swam through the throne room where she saw 2 of her siblings: Kaia and Arnav, hugging each other having not seen each other since the new year ceremony a few months ago. When they saw her the swam up and hugged her. “Tsireya it’s so good to see you,” Arnav said as he hugged his sister. “Same to you big bro.” She replied as Kaia swam up and hugged her as well. The one of guards sounded his conch horn announcing the arrival of their father: King Tonowari. Tonowari swam into the room and hugged his children and then took a seat on the throne. The others took a seat on smaller thrones that were arranged in a circle. Tonowari was about to speak when he noticed that one of the thrones was empty “Where is Ao’nung?” He asked. The 3 shrugged unsure where their sibling was. Tonowari sighed Ao’nung was always the adventurous one taking after his mother: the late Queen Ronal. This was a thought that scared Tonowari as he remembered his late wife and queen. Tonowari took a moment to compose himself and sighed. All he wanted was to celebrate the coral moon with his children all of his children. He turned to his right-hand crab: Norm. Norm was trying to sneak away when Tonowari pinned him with his finger. “Norm you were supposed to make sure Ao’nung was here on time.” He told Norm who was still pinned by his finger. “I tried to your majesty but what more can a crustacean do?” Norm replied. “You can go find him.” The King responded as he lifted his finger. “Yes your majesty,” “I’ll be lucky if I only have to search one ocean.” Norm told himself as he started his search.