Work Text:
The temperament of the sea was never certain. It wasn’t like a book or map, with clear lines or stars to follow. It took a sharp mind to read the waves and interpret them.
Artemisia, Commander of the Persian Navy, had been the most successful. With a sweep of her eyes along the horizon and sky, she knew what to expect. The ships would prepare accordingly and sail on.
In order to define success, however, one must also have failure.
Artemisia scanned the horizon with a trained eye. It was clear and calm on the water, promising a calm night. She went to her chambers as if it was so.
Though someone or something in the cosmos decided to throw a wrench into their journey. After the sun had moved beneath the horizon, a loud burst of thunder exploded above them. Wave after wave pounded mercilessly into the side of the ships.
It would have been easier to ignore, if she couldn’t hear her men shouting from the above decks. Rolling her eyes, she made her way up to command the guards and workers.
About half-way to where she needed to be, a particularly hard wave shifted the vessel. The sudden change threw off her balance and sent her slamming into a nearby wall. She let out a frustrated growl.
The scene above was very similar. Hard waves and jostles of the boat sent men across the deck. Wind whipped the rain like a lash, soaking her thoroughly in moments. She was forced to tie it back quickly in order to see.
“Commander, three of the generals have been thrown over by the storm!” A soldier yelled over the howling wind.
“They’ll have already been drowned,” Artemisia yelled back, “Seperate the fleet!”
Her command was relayed from soldier to soldier quickly. Then, using a special signal involving fire and arrows, those manning the ships attempted to move them away from one another. Putting some distance would cut down on the loss of vessels.
“Who have we lost?” She asked a nearby general.
“Kaveh, Arash, and Bahman.”
With a nod, she had accepted the fate of her men and moved on. There were more pressing issues at hand. She could replace generals.
As the ships rose with the waves, the lightning outlined their forms. Only the gods could see what was truly occuring.
——
The morning after was a humid, wet affair. Manning the vessels expertly had left no time for sleep. Now, with white knuckles, Artemisia clutched the railing of the commanding ship. No sleep was serving to make her mood very sour.
Of the dozens thrown overboard, five had been generals. The losses would make it tedious to locate more.
“Commander!” A voice yelled from somewhere behind her, making her sigh.
“What?” She asked.
“The bodies of the generals have been recovered.”
Artemisia looked up suddenly, expression full of fury. Her eyes nearly begged the man to say something foolish, to tell her of the only who’d gone behind her back to retrieve them.
“I never ordered their recovery.” Artemisia snapped.
“Nobody went, Commander. They were thrown on-board.”
Not believing such a thing, Artemisia gripped the soldier by his throat, squeezing tightly. He gasped and clawed at her hand.
“I am in no mood for stories.”
The man tried to explain that it wasn’t a story, but her grip was strong. Instead, he pointed. It was the only way he had to communicate.
Artemisia’s eyes followed his finger, until she was looking down into the water. And into a pair of eyes. She startled for a moment, before seeming to realize you’d been the one to return the dead.
Grudgingly, she let the man go.
“Are you the one to do this?” She asked you, motioning to the returned bodies, to which you offered a nod, “Then surely we owe you a debt.”
Her eyes scanned up and down your visible form, looking almost perplexed by you.
Your eyes glimmered and twinkled in the sunlight, nearly hidden by your hair. She was intrigued by the shy way you hid behind your hair, yet your obvious eagerness to help.
There were stories and legends of sea-people, who lived below the waves and boasted brilliant tails. Such people were regarded as signs of luck. Though few were bold enough to approach such a massive fleet.
“I can take care of her, Commander.” One man said, readying a large spear and aiming it for you.
“No.” Artemisia snapped immediately, “She’s done us a service of returning our dead.”
Any act of violence against a mermaid would be sure to have dire consequences. They brought luck by living, killing one would destroy all of them.
To preserve the luck they offered, you were to give them gifts in gratitude. To repay them for their actions.
“Bring something valuable to the deck.” Artemisia instructed.
The men scrambled to various places, returning with containers of valuable items for you to choose from. With a nod to you, they offered them. Artemisia watched as you inched forward with interest.
You came closer, but made no attempt to speak. The bright things they offered intrigued you. Glittering coins and a lightly tarnished piece of jewelry were the most interesting. You’d seen all of them before though, you wanted something else. Something new.
When you didn’t reach for anything they offered, Artemisia rolled her eyes. You were being unreasonably picky in her opinion.
“Are these not good enough?” She asked with a sneer, “Will nothing please you?”
Her sharp tone made you shrink away from the ship, looking timid now. Perhaps it hadn’t been a good idea to engage with any humans. You had merely been trying to help, but now you feared only one wrong move stood between you and a quick end. Humans were a violent species.
Artemisia stood up to walk away from the scene, the light catching a brightly colored jewel at her neck. It made you perk up. It looked nearly black to the eye, but was a beautiful emerald green when it caught the sunlight. A piece of dark metal was wrapped around it artfully. You couldn’t take your gaze off of it.
She seemed to notice. Rather than continue on her way, she hesitated, watching you with curiosity.
As if attracted by a force, you pulled yourself up on the deck, reaching to hopefully examine the piece at her neck. Soldiers stopped you as they shoved you back into the water roughly. One of their sharp swords sliced at your skin, making you shriek and cower away.
“Get back!” Artemisia snarled viciously, “I did not order you to engage!”
The swords were pulled back instantly, but you paid them no attention. You were concerned with the wound on your arm. The blood spilt was minimal, but the pain was throbbing. A mermaid’s skin was strong against abrasive textures like coral and stone. Cold, sharp metal was a different story.
Once again, Artemisia knelt down to your level. You cowered away from her being so close, but the jewel at her neck was the object of your attention. She looked down at it.
“You have a refined taste.” She commented, looking amused.
You said nothing. Only moved your gaze back and forth from her face to her necklace, clutching your arm tightly. Shock resonated through the crew, and you, when she unclasped it from her neck.
“Will this please you?” Artemisia asked, holding it out.
An eager nod followed her question. With a curiously pleasant smirk, she let you pluck it from her palm. The wound on your arm was momentarily forgotten as you cradled it in your hands. It sparkled pleasantly, making you smile.
Mimicking the woman in front of you, you slid the necklace around your own neck. You had to be careful not to catch it on your gills though. It took a bit of maneuvering before it was situated.
You looked up at Artemisia with sparkling eyes. She watched you with a carefully indifferent expression, but you could swear there was something else there too.
“It suits you.” Was all she said.
Expecting the necklace to be a token of gratitude, you went to swim away when you heard a ripping sound. As you remained frozen in confusion, Artemisia ripped a strip of cloth from her clothing, reaching out to wrap it around your wound. You didn’t know what to do. So you gave her a small smile and nod, before vanishing back into the waves.
Artemisia knelt near the water until she could no longer see you beneath the surface. Then she stood, looking out over the water with a pensive expression.
“Do you believe she’s granted us luck as the legend promises, Commander?” One general asked.
“Yes. The seas will be smooth in the coming days.” Artemisia nodded.
Without another word or command, Artemisia vanished into her personal chambers. Leaving behind a crew of astonished men and a sea of calm waves.
——
As she said, there was only smooth sailing from that day on. The fortune of the sea-people had smiled on them. But in time, all things run out.
Artemisia’s personal ship was intercepted by an unforeseen vessel. The guards on board were rendered useless to decapitation, meaning that the Commander was left unguarded on the upper deck.
The sudden situation of finding herself surrounded had infuriated her. She used that fury to fight them off. But there were dozens and she was only one. She was being forced to the railing of the deck.
“What have you to say, oh great Commander ?” An unknown man sneered, holding a knife to her throat as he forced her to bend against the railing.
Not daring to dignify someone below her with a response, she spit in his face rather than responding. He flinched away, before hitting her across the face.
She let out a grunt of pain. It’d been a long time since someone had raised a hand to her.
“You’re going back to where you belong, you-“ The man started, before stopping suddenly. He let out a wet choking noise instead of words.
Artemisia could see something sticking out of his neck and shoved him away, hard. His body flew backward and slammed onto the deck. A light held by one of the men illuminated it, showing a shard of seashell embedded in the skin.
Turning around, Artemisia saw you sitting on the railing, baring your teeth in a snarl. Her eyes widened in surprise. The men surrounding her took steps back, not expecting you to be there.
Not wanting to tempt the fates, the men turned and fled the scene. And much to your surprise Artemisia did not pursue them. Instead, she stood and stared at you.
“The Gods continue to place me in your path,” Artemisia said at last, “I owe you my gratitude.”
You said nothing, simply gave her a nod and smile. People of the sea were picky with whom they shared their voice. And though you’d come to her aid twice now, you weren’t sure whether or not to trust her.
“I’m out of treasures to offer you, since you claimed the jewel around your neck.” She added, with a motion to the emerald resting against your sternum.
While she spoke, you propped your chin up on your palm. Artemisia rolled her eyes and slowly moved closer to you. She moved until there were only a few steps between the two of you.
“What token do you desire?”
You looked her over for anything of aesthetic value, coming up on nothing. Not that it was what you wanted. Wordlessly, you held your hand out to her, motioning for her to come closer.
Artemisia hesitated and narrowed her eyes, examining you thoroughly for a beat. Then she moved ever closer to you. Slowly, so as not to raise her hackles, you placed a hand on her cheek.
Her eyes widened, but you didn’t pay it any mind. You leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. When you pulled away, she turned to look at you. And in doing so your lips nearly met. It sent a pleasant flush through you.
Before you could do any more, you gave her a shy smile, and dove back into the water. Not looking back to see her watching your departure.
——
Since her second encounter with you, Artemisia declared that any sighting of you was to be reported to her. It was an odd request. However, none of them were brave enough to question her. It would mean their own death.
So when they caught sight of a fishing vessel with a familiarly shaped creature in the nets, two guards were sent—at a run—to Artemisia’s chambers.
“Commander, she’s been spotted!”
Her reaction was instantaneous. Any other activity she’d been engaged it was forgotten as she climbed to the top deck, looking to lay her eyes on you.
Shock colored her face, followed by fury, as she heard your screeches. You were no longer in the net of the vessel, but being poked and prodded on the deck. The hard metal of their swords and harpoons were slicing your skin. Blood was pooling from your various wounds while you attempted to move away from them.
“Get us near the vessel.” Artemisia demanded.
While generals and soldiers scrambled to fulfill her request, she retrieved her swords from her chambers. She wasted no time in boarding the fishing vessel when they were close enough. Easily, she cut down one of the men slashing at you.
“Release her.” She ordered.
“Who are you to give me an order, woman?” The fisherman sneered.
“Release her or I will force your hand.”
“I’d love to see you try.”
With a concentrated flick of her wrist, Artemisia swept her sword upwards, knocking the harpoon from his grasp with ease. The tip of her sword nearly slashed the man, leaving a hole in his shirt. He looked at the spot in terror. Then, he fled the scene.
“Anyone else feeling foolishly confident?” Artemisia asked, raising a well-used eyebrow.
All the men shared a look, before deciding to run at her. A sickening grin spread on the commander’s face as she beat them back easily. With her left hand she parried, with her right she cut them down. The deck ran red with their essence.
Soon enough, only she was left standing. Her chest rose and fell with harsh breaths. The look in her eyes was distant, separated from anything you’d seen of her before. She returned to the present moment with some difficulty, sheathing her swords on her hips.
You flinched out of habit when she approached you. Her steps faltered for a moment, almost short enough to be completely unnoticeable. Kneeling next to you, she examined the wounds in your flesh. Most were shallow to your relief. One, however, had cut your neck just above where the emerald rested.
Artemisia ordered one of the nearby men to fetch a clean towel. When he did so, she used it to soak up the purple blood drying near the wound. You let out a hiss at the rough material against the open flesh.
“Can you explain to me how it is you found yourself in such danger?” She inquired, glancing up into your face.
“Nets are difficult to see in the morning light.” You said in a rough voice.
She reeled back for a moment, clearly not expecting to receive a response. Though her recovery was quick.
“I thought the sea-people had excellent sight?”
“We do. The nets looked like the surface waves, I was confused.”
“Clearly.”
“For someone who came to help me, you’re not being especially kind.” You pointed out, giving her a look.
“And for someone bearing my property, you’re not doing well to protect it.” Artemisia retorted easily.
“If you want it back, you can have it. I owe you a debt.”
“Keep it.”
“Then how am I to repay you? I know little of human desires.”
“There’s no need of repayment,” Artemisia assured you.
Her tone had a note of finality. She wouldn’t accept anything worldly--or even anything at all--as a repayment for coming to your aid. But it wasn’t your way to leave people without something.
The bleeding had stopped, to your relief. Artemisia was patching it quickly and securely. She would hazard a look at your face every few moments, as if looking for something, before returning to her work.
It reminded you of the last encounter you’d had, where you’d left her with a kiss on the cheek. Kissing was a human custom you’d been dying to attempt. You had little knowledge on the intricacies of such an act, though somehow, placing one on the cheek didn’t feel like enough.
When she had finished helping you, Artemisia leaned back to examine her work. The patch on your skin was secure and clean. She nodded to herself, as if commending her handiwork. Looking back up at you, she was surprised to find your face close to her’s.
Your eyes zeroed in on her lips, an unsure feeling churning in you. The knowledge you possessed was little; beyond watching a shared kiss between humans—many of them in secret—hiding along the banks of your waters. Once there had even been a pair aboard a small boat. The woman had wrapped herself in strange linens and hidden near boxes of cargo, startling as her lover wrapped arms around her waist from behind. He had shushed her with a smile before capturing her lips. You’d watched the interaction with curious eyes, until the woman let out strange noises when the kisses wandered. Something about such noises felt entirely too personal to hear.
Now, as you were inches from a similar kiss, you felt overwhelmingly worried. Would you do it correctly? What if she didn’t like kissing you? The texture of your skin was different than a human’s and you worried about scaring her off.
With the decision that you’d wasted enough time, you finally pressed your lips to the Commander’s. She froze the slightest bit under your affection and you feared it had been a grave mistake. But then her hand came to hold the back of your neck as she led the kiss.
Kissing was nothing like you had expected. It was pleasant to be held so close to someone so beautiful, but there was more to it than you believed. That much was obvious when Artemisia ran her tongue along your bottom lip. An action so sudden had startled you and you let out a gasp. That had been the perfect opportunity for her.
It felt as if no time had passed, but it must have, for there was a burning in your lungs that was building. You needed air. Unable to pull away, you let out a whimper.
Artemisia released you quickly. Her hands were pulled back from you like they had been burned. Blindly, you clutched at her arms, keeping her from pulling too far out of reach.
“What was that?” She demanded.
“I needed to breathe.” You gasped out, trying to compose yourself.
“Not that.” Artemisia snapped, making you realize she had been asking what prompted the kiss.
“You saved me and I was repaying you.”
Artemisia’s blank look made you uneasy. Perhaps you shouldn’t have kissed her, as she seemed entirely too detached from you to have enjoyed it.
“That wasn’t nearly enough payment.” She said finally, a smirk forming, “I’ll require more than that.”
Perking up, you couldn’t hold back the bright smile you allowed onto your face. You wasted no time in pulling her back into another kiss. Her chuckle against your lips was so intoxicating that you swore you could taste it, sweeter and more overpowering than any potion or alcohol. You let out a laugh of your own.
The others of the deep warned about humans, about how dangerous they were to your kind. This must have been what they meant. One kiss and you were dangerously hooked on her.
“I must go.” You said finally, regret pooling in your gut when her face dropped some of it’s amusement.
“Should I believe this is the last time?” Artemisia asked.
Such a question caught you off guard. In your mind, you knew it should be. You knew that this attachment would only bring you danger, but you didn’t mind so much. What was a life if not dangerously lived?
“My indefinite absence would likely bring you to harm,” You said softly, “I have no desire to have such guilt on my conscience.”
A small smirk formed at the corner of her mouth and she nodded. Her grip on you loosened, allowing you to slip back into the water. Before you did, however, you stole a quick kiss.
Artemisia rolled her eyes with amusement as you dove back into the water, vanishing in the waves, assured you would return one day soon.
——
Years and years later, sailors would hear a legend. A tale of what delight the seas could bring.
The legend tells that eternal fortune had befallen the great Persian Commander, Artemisia. For she was one to make history. Anyone could encounter the sea-people, but it was another to make them laugh. Even rarer was it to obtain their heart. The powerful Commander had done all three.
So while her foes sailed through deadly storms and fought uphill battles, Artemisia had the calm waves and advantage. She also boasted a most beautiful companion, if one looked closely.
None could tear Artemisia from the sea, lest you face her wrath. The people would avert their eyes, wary of the stories which surrounded her. Only the eyes of children could confirm the true image of the strong warrior and the sea-woman who granted her many gifts.
Whether on business or pleasure, Artemisia never strayed far from the sea, or the beautiful woman living within it.
For those to which the sea called, the story only made the call louder; proving that the waves could offer one true happiness for all days.