Avelyn's Ocean

The vast sparkling blue stretched out far beyond the young woman’s eye sight. It’s enormity had both excited and terrified her as a girl. The very thought of it’s immense depth, the strange creatures lurking below the surface, had given her cause to shudder. And as time went on, the excitement surpassed the terror and she began to long of traveling across the ocean, searching through it.
         Her grandfather had done so many times in his days and he would often tell her stories of his adventuring. Once, he had even told her a tale of his meeting with a sea serpent. She knew not whether to believe it, but she hoped it to be true.
         As a lad of sixteen, his story went, he had been swept out to sea, for the ship he had sailed upon struck rocks. He had managed to cling onto a plank from the wreck and so was able to prolong his life for a time.
         Shaking with cold, he drifted on, praying to find another ship to rescue him. But none came. What did come, however, was nothing like he had ever seen before. For a few moments, he believed himself to be hallucinating. It was a creature both frightening and beautiful; an enormous animal covered all in green scales with a mouthful of sharp, pointed teeth and a terribly long tail. It then spoke to him in a whispery voice and brushed across his arm. It urged him to climb upon it’s back and promised to bring him to safety.
         Now trembling with fear as well as cold, he clumsily obeyed the beast. As he saw it, he had little choice. If he stayed, he would surely either freeze to death or drown.
         At first, her grandfather explained, the serpent spoke little, but as they went on, and as he had shown an intense interest, the creature opened up. It talked of the many wondrous places it had traveled to, of all sorts of creatures he had assumed to be unreal (of crossbreeds of fish and humans it spoke rather highly of- they were intelligent, noble sorts of creatures; another crossbreed consisting of sharks and humans- this race it did not approve of as they were dark creatures, vicious and cunning; and lastly, of a mysterious type of creature he knew little about, but described as mischievous and playful- they could take the shape of any sea creature, though could be identified by some distinct marking located somewhere on the body. The serpent revealed that it had never before seen their true form).
         And so it was the young woman’s dearest dream was to explore the sea and to find these fairytale creatures. But, she was a lady descended from a line of very proper, proud nobles, and so it was not to be. Her mother and father had long since drilled that into her head.
         The woman took one last look at the sea before going to bed. It was truly beautiful. She almost longed to fling herself from the balcony she stood upon into the watery depths. Instead, she turned toward the door and headed inside.
         In her room, she found it much to hot to get comfortable and wished for the cool night breeze once more to brush across her skin. She didn’t go back outside, however. It was getting late so she forced her eyes closed and lay on her bed, waiting for sleep to come. It did eventually, though not for an hour’s time, and she was enveloped into a different, wonderful world where she could do as she pleased and her grandfather still existed to tell her stories and pat her head.
         The young lady had such a pleasant time dreaming that when morning came, despite it’s sunny appearance, it felt only dreary and dull. She pushed herself out of bed, gloom overtaking her, and with a sigh, strode to her wash basin and rinsed herself. It helped a small amount- throwing cold water over her face. She felt somewhat refreshed and awake. An ache in her heart still remained, though. How awful this world was compared to the one she had visited in the night where she had felt so much freedom and life. Desperately, she wanted to run to her grandfather, set on his lap and either speak to him or merely listen to more tales as she had done as a child. Why had he gone at the time she needed him the most?
         Tears welled in her eyes, but not one dropped. She felt anger besides sadness. Why was she taunted so at night? Why was she given such beautiful dreams only to have them shattered by real life? She nearly wanted to never fall asleep again, but sleep was her favorite activity- her only escape. Without her wondrous dreams, she feared she might go mad.
No, she could not stand it if she were never to dream again. It’d be best to fall asleep forever.
She tried to force the ill thoughts from her head. It would do no good to stand around and sulk all day. Think of something else, she ordered herself. Perhaps of Marian, her sister, who had wed the year before to a young lord living about a two day’s carriage ride away. Marian, one of her greatest friends who had left her, Avelyn scowled, to spend her life with a man whom she did not love. Irritably she shoved that thought away as well.
         As Avelyn let her eyes wander about the room, she spotted something to take her mind off of her troubles, even if for only a couple minutes. A tray had been set on top of the table beside her bed. In it was her breakfast; a tall glass of fruit juice, freshly baked bread drizzled with honey, sausage, and a sliced pear. She rarely awoke early enough to take breakfast downstairs in the dining room with her parents, so it was always taken up to her.
         Because there was nothing in particular that Avelyn planned to do that day, she allowed herself to eat in a very leisurely pace. She was in the midst of taking a long sip of juice when the door to her room opened. Unable to help from being slightly irritated by the sudden disturbance, she set her glass down and frowned.
         Her maid since she was seven years of age stood in the doorway, a joyous smile on her face.
         “What is it, Sarra?” Avelyn asked impatiently when the elder woman didn’t speak. “Out with it.”
         “Lady Marian has come, miss,” the woman said, clearly expecting her to do nothing short of jump for joy. And Avelyn was excited, but she refused to allow herself to show it by anything more than a simple smile. She’d not seen her sister in over five months.
         “How strange, I was only just thinking of her,” Avelyn said. “Where is she, Sarra? I would like to see her.”
         “She’s in the sitting room at the moment, miss. But I’d wait a few minutes before going down- the lady and lord of the manor are giving her a scolding for failing to give them proper time to prepare for her and Lord Henry’s visit.”
         Avelyn’s face visibly fell. “Lord Henry is with her?”
         “Yes, miss, but he’s away in the guest room. Said he was a bit tired. I do hope he’s not fallen ill.”
          That gave Avelyn hope, for which she felt guilty of soon afterwards. Lord Henry was not a bad sort of person. In fact, he was actually quite kindhearted, though rather dull and vain at times.
         “Oh, how awful! He mustn’t be ill!” she said with added ferventness in an effort to hide the fact that she was wishing he was. But not terribly ill, she told herself, just a simple cold- something to keep him to his room for the rest of their visit.
         And with that said, she rose to her feet. Avelyn was not about to listen to Sarra’s advice. Perhaps she could save her sister from the lecturing.
         “But, miss, you didn’t finish your breakfast,” the maid protested when she realized that Avelyn was headed toward the door.
         Ignoring her, the girl hurried down the hall. She wondered if Marian had changed much and wished sorely that she hadn’t. She thought her sister perfectly find the way she was; a lovely, sweet, and cheerful woman- a woman that, as a girl, used to run about wild with her younger sister, diving into ponds and climbing up trees.
         Avelyn smiled, recalling those blissful memories. Her smile froze, however, as soon as she pushed open the sitting room door. Her breath caught in her throat and she thought her heart had stopped beating.
         “What is it, Avey? Do I really look so frightful as that?” Marian asked, a smile playing at her lips.
“Sarra didn’t tell me you were with child,” Avelyn said frankly after a few more moments of gaping.” As a matter of fact, neither did you in your letters.” Marian had changed all right. She hardly even resembled the young lady Avelyn remembered. Her eyes were tired, her hair and dress rumpled, a few wrinkles that hadn’t been there before now lined her face, but most different of all was the bulge on her stomach.
         Their father shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t like the tension in the room. “I think,” he began uncertainly, “I’ll go check on Lord Henry. I must see to it that he’s comfortable.
         “Indeed,” said his wife, eager for an excuse to leave, “let’s do that.” And they both left the room immediately.
         “Oh don’t look so upset,” Marian said, watching her sister carefully. “I wanted to tell you in person.” Avelyn’s expression of alarm mixed with a slight bit of dread never faltered. “You knew this would happen sooner or later. Wouldn’t you like a little niece or nephew?” She’d rather it have been later, but still, that wasn’t even the real reason that she was upset.
         “Oh, of course,” she hastily assured her. “It’s only that… you look so different.”
         Marian laughed as though Avelyn had just told her a particularly amusing joke. “Yes, that’s true; lately I’ve been too busy to pay much attention to my appearance. I’m still very much the same person, though.” And Avelyn found that she believed it. That spark about her still remained- that light in her eyes. Avelyn had to wonder why she’d gotten so distressed in the first place.
         “You must never go so long without visiting me again, Marian,” she declared. “I’ve missed you terribly these past months.”
         Marian laughed again- a sound Avelyn loved to hear. “But, Avey, I write you all the time,” she protested, grinning. “And, as I told you, I’ve been busy.” Her smile turned sad just then and she added softly, “I’ve missed you too.”
         Avelyn frowned, unable to stand it anymore. She hated to see her sister’s unhappiness. “Oh, why did you have to marry that horrid man?” she burst. “You needn’t have married at all!”
         Her sister merely sighed. They’d had this very same argument more than once before. And it always ended badly.
Luckily, this time they wouldn’t have to repeat it for the door abruptly swung open. “Mari!” cried the boy standing before them. It was Andriel, their young brother. He was a tall boy, for his age, and already quite handsome.
         Avelyn gave him a scarcely noticeable scowl. He always seemed to burst in at the worst of times.
         “Oh my, you’ve grown since I last saw you!” Marian exclaimed, looking more than a little relieved at the interference. “How old are you now? Twelve years, is it?” she asked slyly.
         “No, I’m only ten years of age!” he crowed gleefully then frowned and changed the subject as little boys are apt to do without warning. “Mari, why have you been away for so long? Won’t you come and play with me more often? Avey never does.” He turned his gaze briefly to Avelyn, a sulky expression on his face.
         Avelyn had to do her best to keep her eyes from rolling. She did love her brother dearly, but couldn’t stand being around him for long. The boy was awfully spoiled and often times rude. And, it seemed only to have gotten worse with Marian’s leaving. Avelyn had to wonder how her sister did it- how she was able to play with him for hours at a time and keep him in line.
         “Never?” Marian questioned in surprise.
         Andriel nodded sorrowfully. “Ever since you left all she ever does lately is watch the ocean,” he complained and then couldn’t help but add, “She puts mother and father in a foul mood.”
         Avelyn found herself glowering at her little brother. “That is not true,” she said sourly. “I do plenty more than that.” She read, slept, ate, embroidered, and often took long walks. After a moment of pause she demanded, “And what do you mean I put mother and father in a foul mood?”
         “Father says you’re just like grandfather- you yearn for the sea and shan’t be satisfied till you get it,” he said, concentrating on recalling their exact words. “And they say it’s too dangerous for a delicate lady such as yourself to go- and improper.” What did she care about what was proper? Her scowl deepened.
         Andriel didn’t seem to notice. He turned back to Marian. “Won’t you come outside? We could go down to the beach.”
         “Not right now, Andriel,” she said. “Perhaps later, after tea.” The boy pouted at this unsatisfactory response, but said nothing. He really did behave much better around Marian. With an exaggerated sigh, he left the room.
         For a couple moments afterward, Marian watched Avelyn silently. It seemed she was unable to think of anything to say. They’d never had any awkward silences between them before. “Avey, you aren’t still set upon traveling the sea, are you?” she asked finally. As children, both had longed to do so. They’d even made up imaginary games and pretended that Marian was the captain of a ship called The Griffin and Avelyn was her first mate- sometimes both were stowaways.
         Instead of answering, Avelyn pursed her lips. How could she explain how she felt in a way that Marian would understand? It would be best to refrain from even trying.
         Marian took her silence as a ‘yes’. “Oh, my dearest Avey, set your mind upon something else, won’t you?”
         Avelyn’s eyes flashed and she spoke before thinking. “What shall I set it upon, Mari? Perhaps the very thing you set yours on? Seducing a man you hardly care for into wedding you? Pretending to be in love with him? Having his child-?” She clamped her mouth shut as tightly as she could- horrified by what she was saying and by the obvious pain she’d caused her sister. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean any of it.”
         “But you did,” Marian said softly.
         “No,” Avelyn objected. “It’s not your fault. Mother and father forced you into it.” Marian made no effort to respond. Instead, she absently stroked her stomach where her child was growing.
         “Andriel,” she called, guessing he’d not gone far.
         “Yes?” the boy asked, poking his eager head inside. Apparently, she’d been correct. “Have you changed your mind?”
         “Yes, let’s go for a walk.” She slowly got to her feet. It looked as though standing was an effort for her.
         Avelyn grew worried. “Are you sure you ought to be walking in your condition?” she asked anxiously.
         Andriel gasped, noticing her stomach for the first time. “Are you going to have a baby, Mari?” he asked, looking rather shocked at his discovery.
         “Yes and yes,” Marian answered both questions shortly. “Though if you’re really so worried, you may join us, Avey.”
         A corner of Avelyn’s mouth twitched upward in the tiniest of smiles. Marian wasn’t angry with her. She always called her by her full name when she was.
         “Thank you for inviting me along,” she said. “I believe I will join you.”
         “Does that mean I’m going to be an uncle, Mari?” Andriel asked excitedly.
         Marian set a hand on his shoulder and grinned. “Yes it does.”