The singing maiden came back up and with her she brought a fruit back. It was purplish red, star shaped fruit and had small bumps all over it. She presented the fruit to Sam and said, "Eat this".
Sam breaks the fruit into two parts and starts eating it's pulp. In an instant he devours the whole fruit and licked his fingers clean. "So tasty. Say, what is the name of this fruit?", he asked.
Seeing him finish the fruit quickly the maiden laughed a little, "It is called Star fruit".
"Do you have more?", Sam couldn't help but ask for seconds.
"Hehe, looks like the star did it's magic on you. Wait a minute", she dived back in the water and this time came up with three star fruits. Sam took two while offered one to her.
Sitting on the shore, eating fruits while enjoying the company of a beautiful girl, while glancing at her, 'This.. this is a real holiday', he thought.
"You have a beautiful voice", Sam broke the ice by complimenting her.
"Thanks", Joy replied with a little shy.
"I am Sam. I was swimming there when a strong current swept me here", explained Sam while pointing at the beach.
"I am Joy", smilingly Joy also introduced her.
"The song that you were singing earlier, can you sing it one more time for me".
Joy looked at Sam and her cheeks became red in embarrassment. She hid her face behind her hand and denied by nodding her head sideways.
'Cute', Sam inwardly smiled seeing her reaction. "Pretty please", he continued insisting her. Finally Joy gave up and went up the rock she was earlier sitting on.
"🎵.."
Sam was so into the song that he didn't notice it end. He could feel the song touching his soul even though he didn't understand it.
Getting no reaction from Sam, she got little disappointed thinking her performance was not good this time.
*Clap clap clap
Sam came to reality and started clapping with vigor. "It was beautiful. I felt the song touching my soul".
"Is that so, hehe. Thanks", getting praised Joy got happy.
Sam noticed that the waves have calm down and it was time for him to go back. "I have to go now", he gave Joy a flower that he picked from around and swam back to the shore.
"Bye bye", Joy waived him goodbye.
Sam reached the shore and found that they all had gone back to the inn. "They couldn't even bother about me", he also went back to the inn.
Alden was busy feeding the horses while Goth was cleaning his weapons. It was already dinner time and Sam was feeling hungry. The fruits that Joy gave him earlier were good but they didn't fill his stomach.Â
"What is for the dinner", asking the lady responsible for serving dinner to the guests Sam took a spot.
"Crab soup with vegetables and rice", the lady told Sam and placed a soup bowl and rice bowl.
Getting a whiff of the soup's fragrance, Sam's mouth immediately started drooling and took a mouthful of the soup.
The powerful flavors of the soup and mellowness of crab all created a harmony of delicious taste in his mouth. Placing his hands on his mouth he told, "This is delicious! hmm~".
"This soup is a specialty of this town. Feel free to ask for second serving", the lady told him and went back to the counter. Sam didn't hesitated to ask for a second and even third serving, that is how much he liked its taste.Â
"Maybe I should bring Joy here to thank her", he thought while enjoying the soup.
After having his dinner, Sam went back to his room to rest. "You are here", Freid who was present in the room said when he noticed Sam come in.
"What did you do while we were at the beach, Freid?"..
"Nothing, just kept an eye on here".
"You know that we are supposed to take turns in keeping an eye on her. Yours start at 2a.m.", Freid reminded Sam.
"Wake me up then", Sam said night to Freid and went to sleep.Â
---Atlantis, under the sea
"Welcome back princess", a woman greeted Joy. Beautiful face, long floating hair, body covered in colorful scales and fish like tail instead of legs. Both Joy and the woman were Mermaids.
Joy was the youngest princess of the underground city, Atlantis. Atlantis was once a very big kingdom, with thousands of mermaids and other sea people living there.
But now it was just one-third part left.
"Yes, Wix. Is mother alright?", Joy asked while the expression on Wix face changed to that of concern.
"I am afraid princess. The queen is still not conscious", she replied.
"Continent reporting any news about her to me".
"Yes".
Joy was the last in line for the throne of Atlantis and thus enjoyed extra freedom. The land on which Sam and her met, was actually a marker that lead to the kingdom's entrances.
She reached her hand out and opened the door. On the other side of the door, a very big city existed, with the castle being visible in the far on a hill'.
She entered the city and moves to the castle.
"Fuu~quite a tiring day" , she laid down on her bed and started thinking about her encounter with Sam.
"Will I be able to meet him again?", she drifted to sleep soon with a flower in her hands.