Noelle's conversation with James had long ended some while ago, as she could be seen presently assuming a sitting position alone upon the quiet seashore brown sands.
It was evening already.
Noelle's flowing waist length, black hairs were continuously being send backwards forcefully by the formidable northern wind which was accelerating past her every now and then.
Noelle's eyes stared away into the vast sea which seemed infinite. She had been living alone, helpless and hopeless beneath the sea for ten whole year. The sea had been her home, support and shelter for so long. Presently, she now felt quite peculiar about staying on land, it felt extremely awkward to her now.
Was she missing the sea already? Apparently, of course not. Perhaps it's just a nostalgic feeling which was normal and would probably go away soon.
This were part of the reasons why she wanted to leave James' home quickly. The sea was currently somehow alluring her in a way that she couldn't quite place her fingers on or understood.
…
Earlier, Noelle had already done the calculations of her age in her head. She knew beforehand that she was nine years old when her nanny brought her into the sea. Therefore adding nine years to the ten years that has already passed by. Noelle figured out that she presently was nineteen years old.
Noelle folded her knees. Her eyes were occupied with extreme longings.
'Father you would've been quite happy knowing that I've grown into such a beautiful young lady. If only you, mother, and my elder brothers were all still alive untill this day. We would've lived happily together as a wonderful family. Wouldn't we?'
Noelle sighed groggily.
"It's so sad that we have to depart from eachother so soon, like we never existed in the first place," Noelle fumfered ruefully.
She couldn't even cry. Noelle had already cried alone so much this past few years that she had already healed from it already, especially because she had no one who would console her. She had no more tears to shed. She now felt utterly numb.
The only thing burning up in her was excess rage, with some pure and undescribable fury. And the thirst for vengeance and revenge couldn't help but occupy her mind thoroughly like never before.
"I swear upon the heavens today. Using the sea as my oath. That I would seek revenge over that evil dragon king who brought destruction upon our kingdom, and I will avenge your deaths even if it's the last thing I do," Noelle stated aggravatedly.
"I will haunt you down totally King Axel. And won't rest until the day I see your body lying lifelessly on the ground, just like what you did to my family ten years ago."
Noelle panted intensely. Eventually laying her head upon her knees, sobbing quietly. Her eyes had already turned red. She sniffled.
Noelle stopped when she noticed some faint sounds of footsteps approaching her figure slowly. Noelle swiftly raised her head from her knee, and immediately wiped off the profound tears that were sliding down from her already red cheeks with the sleeve of her long white gown.
She glanced backwards to see who it was. That was when she saw Silvia pacing towards her happily with a tray in her firm clasp.
Silvia smiled at her when their face met. And Noelle tried to forge a fake smile on her trembling lips too, but that didn't work, so she just rapidly looked away from Silvia, to avoid her from percepting those depressing looks that were overwhelming her face.
Upon getting closer to Noelle. Silvia sat beside her on the seashore and pointed the tray towards her. On the tray were some freshly baked muffins.
"I've been looking all around for you Noelle. Anyways that aside, father told me to give you some muffins. He just finished baking them not too long ago, they're still fresh and warm. So please try some. And don't worry, I've tasted them. I can assure you that they're extremely delicious. My father is a wonderful baker."
Noelle glanced sideways at Silvia. She could tell that Silvia was such a sweet young lady. Although Noelle wasn't hungry, but perceiving how well the muffin scented, and how mouthwatering it appeared, and even how eager Silvia really wanted her to taste it. She had no choice.
"Okay I'll have some," Noelle agreed.
She picked a muffin, then took a bite out of it.
"How is it?" Silvia asked. Raising her eyebrows.
Chewing it, "Surprisingly it tastes just as good as it looks. Indeed I can finally agree with you that Sir James is such a good baker. The muffin exceeded my expectations to be honest." Noelle grinned, obviously giving the replies that Silvia really wanted to hear. Not like she lied anyways.
"See. I told you didn't I?" Silvia replied, also grabbing a muffin from the tray, she ate it slowly. Staring away into the vast sea together with Noelle.
"The sea is indeed so beautiful. So beautiful to have even been able to snatch the attention of someone as beautiful as you, Nurse Noelle. You're so beautiful, you look like a mythical creature from the multiple books I've read," Silvia praised, staring sideways at charismatic Noelle amusedly.
Nervously Noelle objected. "You flatter me Silvia. Of course that's not the case. I'm also a mere human being just like you and your father. Don't get the wrong assumptions."
Knowing that she was a mermaid and she was bound to be abundantly beautiful, as she had been blessed with impeccable beauty and perfections by the seven seas on the day she transformed into a divine mermaid. Some of that exquisite features had remained with her eventhough she was currently now a human being.
Glaring at Noelle's eyes, "Your eyes… they are so rare. I've never seen someone with an emerald colored eyeballs before in my entire life, at least not up until this point. By the way Noelle, where are you from?" Silvia asked.
"Um… I'm from… from one of the neighbouring kingdoms. I only came because your father wrote to me about your severe illness. I'll probably be going back soon. In two days time to be precised," Noelle informed.
Noelle had grown close to Silvia as she was apparently a sweet lady who talks too much unlike herself. Therefore it's only fair that she let Silvia know about the day of her final departure from them.
"So soon?" Silvia pouted.
"Yes. Since you're already healed. I have no reasons to stay here anymore. And asides from that, I am a nurse. I have multiple patient waiting for me to get back to them. It would be quite unprofessional of me to keep them waiting," Noelle explained her lies briefly.
"I see…" Silvia sighed. "You're right Noelle. It's rather extremely selfish of me to want you to stay much longer. It would be nice to have you as a friend though. Please visit us anytime you're free alright?"
"Of course I would," Noelle assured. Elevating her hands she pinched Silvia's cheek tenderly. "I assume you live alone here with your father, right? It must be quite lonely here?"
"Yes. We've been alone since my mother died during the last war. And her last wish was to be buried beside the waters. So my father buried her over there, and afterwards we also move here so as to be close with her," Silvia pointed towards a neatly made burial somewhere upon the seashore, and Noelle turned to see it.
"Oh… I'm sorry about that," Noelle apologize upon seeing the burial.
"That's okay. Enough talks about me anyways. I barely know anything about you. What about your parents Noelle? You're quite young, so I assume you would still be living with your family right?"
"My parents…?" Noelle hesitated. Her eyes became slightly darkened, and her considerable demeanor became somber.
"Silvia my parents had died a long time ago when I was young. And I currently have no family to rely on. But don't worry, I've managed to work things out on my own, and even managed to secure a nursing job for myself. So I have nothing to be too sad about, and I don't have to worry about my future being a total bust."
"That's so sad to hear. But it's good that you're finally getting grasp of things yourself." Silvia consoled, feeling extremely bad for the beautiful lady sitting next to her. At least she has a father to care for her. Unlike Noelle who had none.
"I know, right? I'm sure my parents are probably still watching over me from somewhere above. And I'm sure that your mother is also watching over you from above too Silvia," Noelle comforted. Holding onto Silvia's hand gently. She smiled at her.
And afterwards they both watched as the sun set into the western horizon somewhere behind the vast sea. With both of them possessing eyes filled with forlorn hopes, and yearning for their late loved ones.
Noelle glanced sideways at Silvia who deemed happy simply because she was sitting beside her.
Noelle could only and easily guessed that Silvia had presently became quite found of her in just a short period of time due to her using the siren song to heal her. It only made sense that her siren song had managed to awakened, and lured a strong sensation of affection upon Silvia towards Noelle.
Indeed the siren of a mermaid is a very powerful weapon. It could even make the most hateful enemies of theirs turned into their lover immediately. However singing it wrongly can be quite dangerous in the worst case scenario.
Noelle could only wiggle her head trivially in awe of all this.
Sadly she wouldn't be able to use the siren song often as she pleases. Simply because she was already in her human form, so it wouldn't work even though she sang beautifully.
Ignoring all that. Since it's been long that she had a natural conversation with someone her age, "How old are you Silvia?" Noelle questioned meekly. Staring sideways at the blonde young lady, with a blanche skin sitting beside her.
"I'm eighteen," Silvia uttered genuinely. "What about you Noelle?" She anticipated.
"I'm nineteen," Noelle replied, "Well then I guess you could just assume me as your older sister from now henceforth Silvia. And I'll also assume you as my sweet little sister from now henceforth also, deal?" the exceptionally beautiful mermaid asked.
"Woah… I'll be a little sister to someone as beautiful as you. It's a deal of course," Silvia concurred enthusiastically, as her smile enlightened.
Noelle chuckled, "You're a grown up Silvia, but here you are acting like a child." she teased.