"I've always loved the ocean, Jin," the girl said, as she sat side by side with the boy from the sea. "My father was the captain of a ship. He sailed the seas, carrying all sorts of cargo from one place to another. But one day, he sailed away, and did not return. It broke my mother's heart. She never was a well woman, but when my father died, I think a part of her heart died with him. We didn't have much money, so we started to take in boarders to keep food on the table. It was hard work, and she was often so weak that she could barely stand at the end of the day. We couldn't afford to see a doctor, so we did the best we could. It was easier once I was older and could help more, but it's still difficult for us..." Jin leaned back against the rock and smiled as he listened to the gentle cadence of the girl's voice. "Aye, I hear all the menfolk hereabouts swear by yer mother's cookin'. And they say what a pretty daughter she has, as well." "Don't tease me like that!" Morgaine could feel her cheeks growing warm. "I'm sure they like my mother's stew, but I am absolutely certain no one says anything about me!" He laughed and shook his head. "Ye might be surprised. Although, for the looks of some of 'em, I have ta say, I think I'd feed 'em to the sharks for comin' within an arm's length of you, the sorry louts." "I...was surprised the other day." She shyly lowered her gaze, and continued. "I was out swimming, like I usually do, when I found something very rare and precious. It was a jewel...the most beautiful one I've ever seen. My mother and I took it to a jeweller, and he bought the stone from us for a great deal of money. So, now we can afford to take my mother to a doctor, and I just know that she's going to get better!" "I hope that she does, for she sounds like a fine woman." Jin nodded. Hope was shining in her eyes, and at that moment, something inside him decided that he would do all that he could to see that she never had to worry about anything again. "I don't know where that jewel came from, but I think that someone left it there for me." Morgaine reached out and took the hand of the boy from the sea. "I can't express in words how much this means to me, but I want this one to know that I shall forever be grateful to them, for helping me...and my mother. This one, he must have a kind and caring heart to do something like that." She squeezed his hand. It was warm and soft, just like her own hand. "Jin, do you know who the one who left the jewel might be?" Her heart was pounding, as she waited for his reply. The boy from the sea simply smiled. "There are many mysteries surrounding the sea, lass," he said, letting her fingertips rest in his palm. "Some of 'em, we may never find the answers to." * * * Credits: A, Mada, MAB, WillDupre, Luciferino, Malefic, the hankster, Content Paradise, DAZ. Thanks for visiting my gallery and enduring my cheesy attempts to tell a story! :)