Love of Sea

The sea wasn’t emerald green nor was it sapphire blue. The sands weren’t sparkling white, as likened to the Bahamas. It wasn’t any of those exotic beaches that attracted thousands of visitors from around the world each year. The beach that attracted him was a humble stretch along the western coast of the country Malaysia, with course red sands and brownish green waters. But it was the calmness of the sea, the humble locals and the very calm and sheltered life of the locals was what brought him over and over to the practically unknown beach. His stays usually stretches between the two days of weekend to the entire week, and his stays at the villa earned him the owner’s trusts. Everyday the routine of his life includes morning jog and an hour or two of breakfast by the sea. His love for the sea was unending, real and pure until no girl had ever appeared before his eyes and captured his heart. Not even one.

It wasn’t, at all, until one fated night.

That night wasn’t any different compared to the other, except that the moon was unusually bright and the sea breeze was consistently strong. He was sitting by the shore, alone, sipping his flask of oolong tea that he brewed himself. It was the middle of the month, and it was only right for the moon to show off its finest luster, but even knowing that he couldn’t stop himself from drowning in the silver curtains of the moonlight. Exactly two hours of lounging by the waters, he found himself deeply intoxicated, the same way a man deeply submerged by love and the other loving feelings…

Until something caught his eyes.

As if struck by a freefalling coconut fruit, he regained foothold in reality when he jerked up from his lazy seating, his fingers furiously rubbing his eyes. Immediately his instinct and his logic were thrown into a state of war the moment his mind successfully interpreted and reinterpreted the scene absorbed by his eyes, because before him, behold, a lady, who had just emerged from the waters. He glanced over the moon shining above, and to the skies that was previously very clear but oddly had grown unusually dark and right back to his wrist watch. 2 a.m…what’s a lady doing here? Here by this humble sea site he had known for years, it wasn’t a secret that the town will automatically switch to deep night sleep once the sun stepped off its reign, and no human, not especially a lady, would ever thread the shores alone, what else going for a dip in the sea at such odd hours. The lady in question was standing in the waters, her dreamy what seemed to be blue-white robe let loose as it floats in the waters, and her hair…her unusually long hair was mercilessly caressed by the winds. She had her back to him, and to his alarm she was ascending deeper and further into the depths of the sea. What crossed his mind as of that moment was, of course, suicide! Without thinking further, he leaped off the gazebo he had been lounging at and dashed rapidly toward her, the girl that was about to commit suicide. The race truly tried his stamina, as the girl distanced further and further, her being slowly and slowly and surely being submerged by the waters of the sea. When what was left was her shoulders and upward, yet to disappear into the waters while he was still practically fifty meters away, he screamed on top of his lung and begged that she not commit suicide, but deep within he knew his hopes and attempts were in peril. She couldn’t possibly hear his voice from that far off, not without the wind interfering with the resonance. He had partially given up when she was almost completely submerged by the waters, but somehow, to his shock, delight, and surprise, she spun around and their eyes met. As if propelled by such an unknown forces, he lunged forward and started swimming toward her, his entire body now kissed by the warm waters of the night sea. The girl, however, stood straight, unmoving, her eyes widened at the sight of that human man swimming after her.

“Please don’t commit suicide,” he muttered as soon as he grabbed her arms with both of his hands. That surprised him. He was able to grasp her thin arms in a single hand, and her flowing white robe felt extremely soft against his coarsened skin, kissed by the sun and washed by the waters. Her extremely long hair cascaded down, onto her shoulder and into the sea. There was no telling how long it actually was, and her eyes! He thought he was imagining things, but her eyes shone the color of the most exquisite sapphire under the silver moonlight. It was an extremely unusual characteristic for a local to possess eyes of such colors and her facial build was no way that of a residence of the seaside. The girl stood there speechless, unmoving, and somewhat shocked by the sight of the man in front of her, with his hand firmly grasping her arms. Thinking what he saw in her face was fear, he scooped her up and hurriedly brought her to the shores, where he immediately let himself fell to the sands as he breathed hard, trying to catch as much air as possible and ease his hungry lung.

When he turns to look at the somewhat stupefied girl next to him, she was still looking at him curiously.

“Suicide won’t solve your problem, lady…” he muttered under his breath, still lying on the humble coarse sands of the beach. “Don’t waste your life ending it so soon when you're still young…” he added, as he perceived the remainder of details about the girl sitting before his eyes. Young, very young…perhaps in her early teens, with slender body build and surprisingly pretty long fingers. What a tantalizing beauty, he thought to himself. It was almost like she jumped out of a certain comic or science fiction. There was something very unearthly about her, but he could not explain what it was. He just simply…felt it....

“Do you love the sea that much?” she asked suddenly, her eyes still very round from surprise and disbelieving. She was looking at him straight into his eyes, unblinking and with unfettering attention. Her enquiry shocked him as well, which prompted him to look at her quizzically. Truly, he did not expect such thing would come out of her mouth, and when he failed to reply her, she took the liberty to break the silence. “Nobody was supposed to see me, unless you have such unfaltering love for the seas,” added the mysterious girl, eyes still curiously looking into his eyes as if she was trying to read some sort of signs in his window of soul.

“What do you mean, lady?” he asked, somewhat chocking on his own breath. She was saying ridiculous things, he thought, that wouldn’t make much sense. See her? He was not supposed to see her? Isn’t she as real as she could get…isn’t she a mortal human who nearly drowned herself in the sea just moments ago? When he caught a glimpse of her unusually clear sapphire blue eyes he saw two irises that looked somewhat odd, although he wasn’t really able to tell what it was. And her face, those red markings on her forehead. Her attire which reflected none of those the locals would wear. He had seen that style of clothing somewhere. Was it ancient Chinese or Japanese? And her face…“Who are you?” he asked, in his turn, curious of the actual identity of the girl he had just save from drowning. The girl did not answer him quickly but stared at his face and straight into his eyes, as if she was looking for some certainty. He found it to be odd, but she doesn’t really seem to mind with him staring back, peering into her glass-like eyes. In those eyes, he thought, he saw wisdom and maturity, as well as beauty he had never before perceived…

“Do you believe in the goddess of the sea, the caretaker of the waves, the rider of the tides, dear human? Have you heard of Nyi Roro Kidul, in Indonesian tales? Or the legend of the fairy who governed the seas of this world?” she asked, straight and certain, again her eyes peering deep into his. He found her stares to be so penetrative that it pierced his memory and emotion, reading his every movements and reactions. He found himself highly mesmerized by her beautiful eyes. With one simple gesture he nodded, and a smile blossomed on her lips. “I am her,” she said simply, which greatly shocked him. Nyi Roro Kidul? That famous sea goddess of Indonesian tale? Why would she be here on a Malaysian beach…and on one as humble as this place?

“Are you kidding with me?” he asked, obviously not taking in what she had told him. It was true that people do believe about the existence of Nyi Roro Kidul, but to have someone claiming herself to be her was somewhat absurd. Although he loved sea he wasn’t much of a believer that he would believe such tale and such personality to exist…

“That was merely one of those name I am known as and with,” she noted, as she straightened her dress and her posture. “In truth, humans know me by countless names, but I am what I told you, a keeper of the seas of this realm.”

Of course, he thought she was joking even further when she mentioned that she was indeed the keeper of the seas. When she said ‘realm’, it the things she spoke about suddenly grew out of hand and he found his logic cruelly denying her words and claims. He had heard that this world consists of multiple realms, but he had never believed the claim. To have someone saying things as such truly blew the logic away, completely.

When she smiled, however, his doubt somewhat lightened and his heart opened up in such a way that it let him take in some of her unnatural and unusual claims.

“It has been a long time ago that I’ve met anyone with such amount of love for the seas such as you. Thank you. It is a pleasure to meet you…” she said, the smile remaining as she stood up from her seating, to which her savior had followed in her steps. It was amazing to see how at ease she was, although he had totally doubted her in the first place. Immediately he felt like he had done her an injustice, that he felt guilty when he saw that very positive and forgiving face. In a spur of a moment his body moved by itself and his fingers grasped hers, which was well hidden behind layers of silk sleeves that hanged loose from the main bodies of her unusual costume. Feeling the unfamiliar tug, she spun around and their eyes met again. That was when, however, he instinctively let go of her hand. With her eyes, she asked him, ‘yes?’.

“Did I offend you?”

She smiled. “I am made to face such reaction,” she said, very softly and very sweetly.

“I’m sorry if I did, because I am not used to such claim. You see, I’m a skeptic, never a believer.”

“I understand. You are a man of science. In my long years I’ve met one such as you countless times that I lost count,” she replied, still with the same smile. They looked at each other, and eye to eye again. And then silence followed.

“Who are you…?” he asked again, after moments of silence have passed. The girl smiled, and again she ducked next to him, meeting his eyes with hers.

“I am the governess of the seas. I have too many names, but the given ones was Umi,” she paused, “Umi no Hime.”

To her reply, he chocked in surprise. A Japanese name? And to his reaction she smiled.

“Literally it means Princess of the Sea, and yes, it is in Japanese,” she added again, as if understanding his minds. He looked at her in awe. “Only humans who truly love the seas could see me with their naked eyes. I’ve seen you sitting by the shore, gazing at this humble sea since you first discovered this place…but I’ve never thought you’d be able to see me.”

“Really…”

“It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not, Daniel, because I am speaking only the truth to you. It is enough for me to know that I’ve not lie to you, or to anyone, and it will always be your choice whether to swallow my words or to totally deny it,” she added, pretty firm yet she maintained the soft nature of her words, the delicateness of her intonation and that unusually calm expression. Like the sea. Her unusually blue eyes and her very gentle expression reminded him of the sea itself during its kinder days, and that firm glimpses in those blue jewels manifest the strength this beautiful body of waters’ ability to unleash wrath and power whenever it was due. But the one thing that truly shocked him was when she muttered his name. His given name, to which he had not even mention, not even one syllable to her.

“You know my name.”

“I had known you since your younger days, when you first set foot on the sands of this humble beach,” she replied him. “For a human to fall in love in beautiful shores and sparkling blue waters are normal. But you loved this humble coarse-shored sea with a little opaque water so much you kept coming back here. Such love was rare, and such person only comes along one in a few years. I am contemplated to remember you, Daniel.”

He smiled. “Umi, huh?”

“Yes?”

“I guess there truly are supernatural elements out there…”

She smiled. What a sweet smile, he thought.

“A lot more, much, much more than you thought, Daniel…”

He smiled.

“But Miss Umi, to say I’ve totally believed you is an understatement. I still can’t.”

“I understand.”

“But I’ll try.”

She smiled, yet no words escaped her lips.

And then silence followed; for the second time. He spoke no words while she sat there, eyes tentatively looking into his.

“Thank you for your willingness to try,” she said, as she stood up from her seating, yet her eyes still fixed on the man sprawled on earth’s floor. With one slight bow, she took a step backward, and Daniel perfectly understood the meaning of such gesture. She will soon leave. “I must take my leave,” she said simply, that smile still blossoming on her lips. Although her eyes suggested that she was hoping for some kind of reply, his tongue felt stiff, and his mind refused to cooperate. With one very brilliant smile she bid him a quiet goodbye before she spun around and faced the ocean. She was about to return to where she came from – the sea.

Daniel found the feeling that flooded his senses and mind hard to describe. A myriad of feeling he wasn’t at all familiar with swirled around, in his mind, his head, his heart. His lips moved like he wanted to say something to her, say something before she disappear, yet no sound followed. His body refused to move, his fingers firmly grasping the sands of the shore. It felt cold and coarse, true to its nature. His legs didn’t listen to him, and only his eyes obediently listened to his plea that he should not miss a single second of what the remaining glimpse of her, even if it was only her back to him.

For once, for once in his life, he felt a sense of longing.

“Miss Umi!” he managed to scream, on top of his lung, his hopes high and his chances low for her to actually hear her amidst the winds and the sound of crashing waves. He spewed the scream half-heartedly anyways, not sure whether he should, or whether he shouldn’t. He’d felt both ways; disappointed if she did not hear his call, embarrassed should his voice reached her and the prospect of either possibility might actually have the same effect on him. Embarrassed and disappointed were almost alike…well, at least he thought it like that. He was half happy half disappointed when she continued walking into the sea, a step at a time, very gracefully and slowly as the wind send her hair and dress flying behind her. What a sight to behold. It felt like he was watching a movie with such finely made costume. The ends of her sleeves that flutter in the wind twinkled as the beads reflected the silvery light of the moon, and her mass of wavy deep black hair blending well with the very dark horizon. Like a sea princess returning to her lair, it seem.

But before he thought it all had ended, she spun around, and their eyes, of all the distance, met again. He felt his chest tighten, some sort of fiery confidence lighting up in his chest, his heart thumping with brilliant and unmistakable excitement. His head urged him while his mind analyzed all the possibility. When he failed to get a green light from his logical side, he gave all the control to his heart.

“Can I see you again?” he shouted, across the waters, his fingers crossed in hoping that she will hear his words. Moments passed, yet she replied not with a single note or gesture. In the end, she smiled, bowed her head a little, and disappeared into the waters. That was when disappointment and a touch of embarrassment flooded his senses, to which he responded with an abrupt drop of himself onto the coarse sand. For once, it felt like the stars were laughing at him, and the moon, unusually smiled that teasing smile, while the sea disapproved his attempt with violent wave-crashes. For once, he felt like he was mocked by nature itself, to which his logical side began blaming him for all of his attempts. By the time he slipped himself between the awfully warm comforters he decided to let it pass, and treat it as a mere dream’s play. When morning came, however, he realized that it will be quite impossible to forget her at all, that maiden with fair blue eyes that seemed to illuminate in the blackness of nights. That day he spend all of his hours by the sea again, half hoping she’d appear again, half knowing she never might. When afternoon came, he realized that his attempts were somewhat futile that when he hopped into his black Rush half of his logical self decidedly treat it as his mere illusion, his simple dream. That day, somehow, turn out to be his last day at the sea he loved the most.

Alexandria, Egypt

4 years later, present day

Alexandria is a city in Egypt, located along the Mediterranean Sea. It was a beautiful city with temperate climate, rich in history and culture. The Mediterranean Sea, as known by everyone, is among the world’s most beautiful sea, with unusually charming shores and brilliant waters. The buildings, the culture, the walkways and the alleys possessed its own charm, luring thousands of visitors each year. Without fail, without regard of how much one’s amount of love for the seas, the body of waters will charm these people, bewitching them with its illuminating beauty. But four years had passed; I still couldn’t forget that humble beach on the west shores of Malaysia, that very quiet and calm piece of stretch. My love for that humble beach had never weaned even when I was faced with the brilliance of the Mediterranean.

In the same way, I still couldn’t forget about that girl with black, wavy hair that cascade down her shoulder like falls of silk, and those glowing blue eyes…

The day after I first met her, I waited, for half a day, for her. It was a half-hearted wait. When she didn’t turn up, or appear out of water the way she did the night before, I was somewhat both glad and disappointed. That afternoon I head back to the capital, to Kuala Lumpur, and the next day, to work, as usual. In the following few days I couldn’t very well say that I’ve totally forgotten about her. Whenever I see girls with wavy long hair, black and free-willed, I will always be reminded of her, but my remembrance of that lady did not last long. A week later I received a transfer letter to Alexandria. Another week and I left the country, and be on my way to my new posting. I never really get the chance to say goodbye to that humble shore on the west coast of Malaysia.

My job as an architect attached to a global company had me traveling everywhere. I was born in Australia, to English-and-Malay heritage family, moved to Kent when I was ten, attended school in Ireland, and went to study architecture in Japan. After joining my current company I was immediately posted to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and then to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Now I find myself in another Arab country, almost always famous for their flat-and-red landscape of endless sands and skies. But again, the number one country I found myself truly fond of is none other, Malaysia, where that humble beach is located. I couldn’t very well explain what charmed me…perhaps it was my Malay blood, or simply, the beauty of the country itself, but Malaysia is a very pleasing country. The fact that that was where I had my first chance encounter of what she claimed as ‘supernatural being’ merely makes those memories irresistibly bold. It was October when I met her at that beach, so every time October comes I am prone to remember her. Like today. Especially today, because four years ago, on the same day, was when I met her.

I couldn’t very well say that I am truly smitten by her, just…fascinated, especially in the manner of how I first notice her and her claim of who and what she was, not even to mention how she disappeared soon after. It was as if she was completely being dissolved by the sea, not even a trace of her existence could be seen. If she’d committed suicide the locals will most probably find her body or maybe just her overflowing white robe during the aftermath, but her unusual blue eyes that glowed immensely in the sheer darkness of night somehow managed to convince me that she was what she claimed herself as.

Governess of the sea.

Thus the reason I am always reminded of her whenever I look at the sea. It is not often that she ever hopped over my thought, but almost always, when I have lesser things to think about each day whenever my eyes land on the mightily beautiful sea off Alexandria’s shore, I am always reminded of her and that humble beach back then. In any other days, I am pretty much pre-occupied by matters and things concerning work. When friends accused me of being a workaholic, I dare not say anything in my defense. My parents nagged me in regard of my lifestyle, my future. Most of the time they were nagging about the way I work, my unending commitment and the schedule which I must travel all over, but occasionally they wanted me to settle down. With my lifestyle and responsibility now, I doubt I will, anytime soon, although I am fast approaching the end of my thirties. In a weird sense however, finding the right one had never crossed my mind for the time being. Work does.

Today is no less different than the other day, only which it is a little bit windier. The surface of the sea somehow reminds me of rebellious young ones, who for once and all decided not to follow in his elder’s words and ways. Of all the previous days in the month of October, the sea had been very obedient and calm, if likened to it will be a good-natured, well-heeled child of an established family. It was beautiful, but quite on the boring side, but today, it surprises me with such intense character. For the sake of enjoying the rare chance of seeing such rebellious sea, I decided to take the trams instead of hopping on the chauffeur-driven company car. Instead of hopping out of my sea-side apartment around nine I am already pretty much on my way by seven. Alexandria is pretty much a tranquil city and life is at the most luxurious pace. Around this time of day more than half of its inhabitants are still asleep, while the others planned on a lazy breakfast. The streets ire still empty, except for some early cabs, and some workers scurrying about. The wind, like mentioned earlier, is unusually strong but for a man such as me such breeze is bliss. When I first stepped out of my humble apartment my heart was thumping with such excitement, a certain anxiety and a dash of anticipation whose source I won’t be able to figure. It is as if I’ll be faced with a certain surprise today.

The journey from the doorstep of my apartment to the first tram station takes less than five minutes. The first tram greeted me around fifteen minutes from the moment I first arrived, and the seats are relatively empty. I decided to sit at the back, on the left-most row of the seats so I could be in contact with the wind as much as I could get. As it is still quite early, I decided to take a tourist tour along the shore. For a little somber moment then I am reminded of the humble beach I am so in love with, and how I did not say goodbye to it back then…

The beautiful scenery, basking in the morning sun ray which lends everything such soft hue of blue somehow made me forget my surrounding, absorbing me almost completely into my world of fantasy. It is not until when the tram stopped at a station, and two people boarded the tram. What caught my attention so much about these people is that they sport extremely long hair. Both of them had black hair, with one blessed with such beautiful curving cascade that runs down from her scalp, onto her shoulder and all the way to her back in a single flow. I am pretty certain that the one with wavy hair is a girl following her dress, but the other, who’s decked in shirt and trousers, remained a mystery since their faces are hidden from me. It was an intriguing sight to behold due to their unusually long hair…and as always, I am reminded of the lady, who gave me her name as Umi no Hime. She has such long hair that cascades down in such elegant manner, the strands color of the darkest night, just like the girl standing at the other opposite end of the tram. Those black waves are like déjà vu…

Hear me say this;

I do not really believe in fate and destiny, nor do I subscribe to the idea of supernatural and extraterrestrial existences, or even elements, but as of this moment I find my faith, belief, and ideology abruptly and thoroughly challenged by this extraordinary event…

…to which, when that girl with those déjà vu curls actually turn around, I find myself completely frozen in my seat, cruelly immobilized by icicles of shock and surprise.

That girl, when our eyes met, smiled the sweetest smile as she paced toward me, her blue eyes glowing with the color of most brilliant blue like that of the Hope Diamond*.

“Four years ago you asked if we could meet again,” she muttered, as what seems like the start to our awkward conversation; “I did not answer you.”

A long silence followed. My eyes danced around without for me to direct it, when it fell in contact with the other…man or woman with those straight, jet-black hair with eyes the color of the most brilliant green similar to the Dresden Green*. His eyes penetrated mine without mercy, as if he is searching within my very soul and mind any for any attempt, or evil thought that might befall this lady that I once, and somehow, dearly missed. His stares somehow tell me that they are related by, perhaps, and most probably, blood. Showered by such attention and aimed by the lady’s deep eyes, I found myself deeply speechless.

“Daniel.”

Her saying my name is an unusually relieving sound to my ears. In that very instance I am immediately drawn to her and before I could anticipate what is going on, I am already looking into her eyes.

“Is this a chanced meeting?” I managed to ask after a moment of silence. The tram has started moving, but my grounds barely moved. The shock I felt was so great it leaves me feeling unusually numb and

She smiled. “When you asked me if we could meet again, I didn’t answer you,” she paused, “When I decided to give you my answer, I waited and waited but you never come to that shore again, ever.”

Of coarse, I replied and reacted to her words the worse way I could ever imagine; jaw dropped eyes rounded. I am indeed shocked and surprised to hear that.

“Thus I had my brother help me to locate you,” she said as she turns around toward that other person with an equally exquisite black hair. Brother huh? So he is indeed a guy (which is, of coarse, shocked me greatly because that he looked more like a young woman than a man). “Only this morning the winds managed to locate you here on this beautiful land of Alexandria…”

I could only swallow the lump in my voice. So my remembrance and…longing for her is for real, and I am not alone in this long journey of emotion play. She had been with me forever since. I could not describe my feeling when those words hit my ears, echoing inside my mind. The things she said, although it bears such supernatural elements, I no longer mind it, and surprisingly I find myself swallowing it whole, because one thing that I am certain of is that she is real…

At least, that…

“I wanted to see you…”

“Take a good care of my sister, Mr. Daniel,” echoed the brother, who had been standing at the same spot since I first saw them. There is a small smile on his lips…a small knowing smile that I manage to catch before he turn around, jumped off the slowly-moving tram and disappeared, surprisingly, with a gust of wind.

“I guess I have no other choice but to believe you, and your brother, to be such supernatural beings, creature of not my kind and my world…” I managed to mutter as I turn to look at her. I could feel a wave of blush spreading across my face, feeling embarrassed by the sudden turn of event, and of course, the fact that I could only voice myself when he, the brother, had left. But again I decided, if this is my chance, then I will say it, and I will admit, ascertain, and certify the feeling I’ve felt for the past four years to be real, that I did not just remember her that I actually felt for her, in a way or the other. Again, embarrassingly, I admit that I might have fallen in love at first gaze…

“When you didn’t show up the other morning, half of my conscience told me you did not exist, and that you are merely my fantasy, an embodiment of the sea that I truly love,” a pause; “The other half longed to see you again…”

She smiled. “I know.”

What a weird thing to say.

“The sea of that humble beach had been mourning their lost, when you did not return. I waited but you never show up and I concluded that something might’ve happen…I tried looking for you in extend of the seas, but failed. My jurisdiction does no extend beyond the borders of the sea and land, not even the waters beyond it…so I couldn’t look for you if you do not come in contact with any sea thus the reason I sought my brother’s assistance.”

I smiled. “Is your brother a governor as well?”

She shook her head.

“He is an emperor, and his influence extends to every wind and air that exists in this realm and the realms beyond it…”

Indeed, what a weird thing to say. I am going against my very ideal, my own principal of not believing in supernatural elements. I am very well going against my very judgment, my mind of science, my logic. I am forcing myself to look from an eye of a believer instead of a skeptic, but all that didn’t really matter because my feelings for her, from his point on, has grown so big and real that nothing else seem to matter. Not even the fact and feeling that I have somehow fallen for a creature of another kind.

“Daniel…”

I could only smile. What…beauty…

“Umi no Hime, Princess of the Sea…” I can only recite her name under my breath as I thank God for this encounter.

“Umi.”

“Yes?”

I grabbed her hand and kissed the mount of her fingers. I know how shocked she is at first, but then a serenade smile follows.

“Thank you for looking for me. Now my love of sea is fulfilled, my love of you, my love of this magnificent body of water. Thank you,” I declared out of nowhere, she smiles and nodded in gladness, her smile, to my delight, is as bright as the morning sun. That day Umi became my very own princess, my very own ‘sea’.

~

Author’s note:

1 - The ‘humble beach’ in question is that of Pengkalan Balak’s shores, Masjid Tanah, Melacca. True to how it was described above, the shores bear rough sands that did not sparkle at all like those of fairer stretch of beaches, and the water body is the color of murky green-grey. Yet the stretch of shore possessed certain charms that will forgive most probably forgive its lack of beauty.

2 – I have no idea if the phrase Umi no Hime is grammatically correct in Japanese. If it is wrong I will appreciate it greatly if anyone could point the error out for me.

3 – In actuality the piece is an excerpt from a bigger piece (planned but not written) in which an alternate realm existed dragons. Umi and her brother, described as governors of elements, in another word and context, exists as dragons (they have their alternate form LoL). The character Umi and her brother (Ten) originate from this fantasy fiction currently temporarily called Dragon Tales while Daniel, whose name was made up in a matter of seconds LoL thrown in out of nowhere. I tried not to mention anymore bizarre terms so it wouldn’t confuse anyone, so yeah, all you get is this @_@”. If I have the chance I will post the graphical portrayal of these two LoL so you’ll know how they looked like (Umi, Daniel and the brother)

3 – This is written in a hurry, with great pains and intense attempt since my muse left for vacation and may never come back for the longest of time. In such a way I’m stuck by both writer’s and artist’s block (yeah make it three; designer’s block) that I failed to produce any decent piece of writing or artwork or even design solution lately. Forgive me for all the cliché dialogue, moments, description etc etc and crappy and failing grammar…last but not least, thank you for even reading this.

*Hope Diamond – formerly known as the French Blue; a blue diamond of about 45.52 carat. Reference from books and wikipedia.org

*Dresden Green – another very rare diamond, like its name, the color is pale green. Reference from books and wikipedia.org

iasa

v(^_^)v