Legends of Belariath

Oriella

It is a bright spring day ... the sea surface is calm above. Small waves are the only movement the eye can see. It shows nothing, however, of the activity below. It is the time of the rains. The feast of the Merfolk has been in full swing for over a week now. The people come and go, praying at their temple, rejoicing in the time of water. But today .. there is another reason to be joyous and thankful. A daughter is born. Sir Grindal and Lady Claudia have just had their firstborn, a daughter. Many say that it's nearly a miracle, that she be born during the first week of the rains; whispers of her destiny ring through the undersea city and spread to distant lands. She will marry Prince Aragoth upon her 18th birthday. With the Goddess's help, she will give birth to a daughter and continue their reign. Though small, her agility, intelligence and strength is stunning to behold, even in her younger years. But this is the path set for her, and all the sea rejoices for the birth of the firstborn. She is a curious child. As a toddler, she seemed to constantly be on a quest for knowledge. Every oyster opened, every shell explored, and her parents just attribute it to childish curiosity and expect the outcome to be no more than she becomes a wise and great ruler. Soon, Sir Grindal and Lady Claudia give birth again, to a strong, healthy lad. Part of her duties being to help care for her younger brother, Oriella is more than happy to show Lothan the more curious aspects of undersea life. Loved by all for her beauty and grace, the merfolk prepare for her formal, public introduction. And that's when tragedy struck. And began a series of events that left Oriella a forever-changed being. On the eve of her introduction to the “adult” community, her mother's trials began again. She was giving birth once more .. to another girl. It became clear that something - somewhere - was not happening as naturally as before.As the entire household went into a frenzy, Oriella stayed by her mother's side, praying. As the girl-child, Brianna as Oriella would name her, slipped from her mother, the breath also left Lady Claudia. Oriella, Sir Grindal, and Lothan were left alone to care for Brianna. Still, as the underwater city mourned the return of Lady Claudia to the sea, Oriella's spine stiffened, and she set to her duties as surrogate mother with an ease and grace that baffled the merfolk. With sadness in her heart, the time had come for Oriella to travel from the North sea Eastward, to the home of her intended, Prince Aragoth. After saying goodbye to her father, brother and the child she had come to love as a daughter, Oriella set off on her journey to the prince's kingdom. She makes it there without incident, and they begin to prepare her for her marriage. During the festivities, a large sea serpent comes .. with no intent but to destroy the city. When there is nothing left but rubble, all merfolk either dead in the crumbling remains or eaten alive by the serpent, three emerge, relatively unharmed. Terrified, shaken, and thoroughly confused, they rise from the ashes. Oriella is one of the three. The Prince is another. The third, a young woman visiting the city for the festivities, gather above the remains. Ther serpent had seemed as though it had a mission ... not so much to kill the folk, but more to destroy the undersea empire. They agree to separate .. Oriella heading home, to the North to see if her family's city was spared the wrath of the creature, the Prince going West and the young woman, would stay, and try to rebuild the city. Making a pact to meet again in 3 years' time, they set out on each separate journey. The Prince found what he was looking for. The girl began to rebuild. Oriella, however, did not make it to her destination. Caught and enslaved by one of the followers of the dark one, she has no thought but of her family. The evil merfolk that held her prisoner had not taken her for sexual purposes however, more just to use as a seeming punching bag. She was there for no purpose other than to break her, and pull her into their web of evilness and deceit. It was apparent that the girl was stronger than she appeared, even for her small size. And her mind - her body could be broken - this was proven several times over - but her mind would not yield. Until they brought her Brianna. Out playing in the oyster beds, having heard of the serpent's intent, she had been taken as well. Captured, though treated far better than her older sister. It was then that Oriella found out the serpent had been sent by a priest of Giran gone mad. On a mission to take over the cities of the undersea world, the followers of Akakios and Carain were to be destroyed, until all worshipped Gilrain - that was his goal. And this priest was ruthless in his methods. Seeing no other way to break Oriella's mind and bend her to his will - her strength baffled him - he reunited Oriella and Brianna. But this happy reunion was not to last. Less than ten minutes after putting them together, the priest personally came and sliced her younger sister's throat. That's when Oriella's memory began to fade. Her beloved father lost to her. Her brother gone as well. Chances of finding them seemed hopeless. Escape seemed futile. It seemed that the only way to be free was to do as the priest wanted. Partially, she caved. Part of her mind finally bent to him and his will. Finally allowed a bit more freedom, as she was seeing things his way now, she escaped. But some of the evil teachings he drilled into her mind has stayed with her. Not all, but some. With only sparse memories, and a desperate urge to find her father .. her brother .. the prince .. anyone she knew before .. she sets out, heading North again. In her travels, she stops for rest in Nanthalion. Unfortunately, as with most diseases that affect the mind, especially trauma-induced amnesia, thoughts of her family .. her father, brother ..even her sister .. fade from memory. She has taken up residence in Nanthalion, agreed to become the slave of one of the gentlemen she meets here, for her protection. Her amazing strength seems to have disappeared, as well as her agility. Her intelligence remains, however, and that is obvious. Her memory returns in the form of nightmares and quick flashes. Thus far, she has remembered that she had a sister ... and remembers the serpent that destroyed her intended's kingdom. As her memory begins to return, from the care and help of friends and those she is growing rapidly to love, a decision will have to be made. Will Oriella stay in Nanthalion, or return to the ocean's depths to continue her quest to find her family and reuinite with Prince Aragoth? She doesn't know for certain herself. But the time is rapidly drawing near that she must chose.

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