Dancing in the Legendary Sea - Chapter 3

Looking back, that day was different from the other days since the beginning. Lokira, who got up at dawn, was surprised when she approached the window. Her only garden was a mess. Even the gaps in the iron lattice had a lamentable appearance. It seemed that the wind was very strong last night; even all the grass was matted flat. Witnessing the chaotic scene, she wanted to clean it up right away. However, even this was a difficult task for her who was being confined, so she needed permission to go to the backyard. There was no choice but to beg the priest who brought her breakfast.

“Is it okay to go to the backyard when I finish eating?”

After knowing this, the high priest decided to whip the two of them as punishment for changing her routine. However, they were also allowed morning cleaning. This was a very mild and lenient punishment, so Lokira was pleased and held out her hands. While rubbing her hands with open whip marks, she still hummed with joy.

It was time to sweep the scattered debris on the floor to the edge of the cliff; she looked down as it rolled down. There was something she couldn’t see clearly on the shore below the cliff. Lokira blinked without even knowing. The room where she was confined was on the back of the island. The beach below was an empty land with no docks. It was so narrow that it was not easy for a large ship to dock. Usually, the only thing she could see was a ship or two passing by. But not today. There was a small sailboat stuck in the sandbar.

“Did the fishing boat get here by mistake?”

Lokira, who was curious, felt her throat tighten. To see it up close, she sat down and used a staff to uncover what was hidden under a colony of seaweed and branches.

“It’s a man! He’s unconscious.”

Lokira covered her mouth in surprise. Other than her twin brother, she didn’t know much about men, but she could tell that he was a man even from a distance. Here in the Temple of Artemis in Delos, the priests and ministers were mostly women. None of them had such a build. The man seemed to be very tall. He was face down and didn’t move.

“Did the boat over turn last night? Did he lose strength after being pushed by the waves?”

Lokira, who was guessing the reasons for the incident alone, became excited. This was the first time she had encountered such an abnormality in her isolated life. Besides, her place was in the back side of the island, so there seemed to be no one who could see the man’s existence except her. While Lokira was wondering what she should do with the man, she heard a strict voice behind her.

“Lokira, what are you looking at?”

“Oh, yes..”

She stood up in a fit of surprise. The watchman was watching her from the side door. He had a strong frame and was armed with a bow and arrowheads. It was to shoot her with if she tried to run away. Lokira hesitated for a moment. Should she say there’s a man down on the shore? But it didn’t seem like a good idea if he was discovered.

Sanctuary Delos had strict access regulations. Outsiders could only enter the island with permission. Criminals wouldn’t be granted entry, and the king’s rules were to be abided without questioning. The ones who disobeyed the rules would be thrown out to sea or get killed under the name of God.

How about the unconscious man? He might have accidentally reached here by the waves, but he was on the shore without permission nonetheless. And that violated the rules. He would be told to leave or be thrown back into the sea. Either way, it would be a harsh treatment for an injured person like him.

‘It would be useless to talk to Rox. He made this rule after all.’

Lokira remembered her brother, the future ruler of this place. Roxias was very affectionate, and his worries for Lokira’s safety were undeniable. And that’s how the rule was made.

‘The permission criteria to enter this place will be two times harder for men. Who knows if there’s a bastard who wants to be a hero and hurt Kira? It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Lokira was always grateful for Rox’s kindness. However, it didn’t seem to be helpful in the current situation. Nevertheless, she made up her mind and ignored the man.

“It looks like there will be a new seagull nest on the cliff.”

“But you shouldn’t stick your body out too much. If someone sees you, there will be a problem.” The watchman replied bluntly. “You will be punished by the high priest…”

Lokira was conscious of the horns on her head and felt embarrassed. Then she went back to do her job of planting herbs. Suddenly, she looked down at her hands, and there were swollen blisters that had developed. Underneath the skin, the hot sensation pulsated. However, even after planting the herbs for a while, the heat didn’t seem to dissipate, and in the meantime, Lokira went back into the house. Later in the afternoon, when she went out for a walk, she couldn’t help but look at the shore.

‘Is he dead?’

Curiosity arose. But what if he is not dead? What if the tides sweep him away? Should she inform someone? Should she not? All kinds of questions went through her mind. Lokira observed the man closely for a while. Last night’s wind seemed to have caused waves to move the boat a bit, but the man was still there.

Who would have thought that something like that would come in her small world and turn into a spectacle?

While having dinner alone, her nerves were all focused on the man on the shore. Men were really as interesting as shiny oyster shells that Rox once brought her as gifts from the outside world. Lokira started to debate whether or not to check on the injured stranger. If he was dead then she could get rid of his body by pretending to find him too late. However, if he wasn’t dead, Lokira couldn’t imagine what to do. In order to find resolution, she wanted to check it out herself. The evil beast in her seemed to be eager for an adventure. And the high priest’s morning whips seemed to be too inconsequential of a punishment.

‘Just once. That’ll be enough.’

Lokira’s heart seemed to burst with excitement and anxiety. After a while, the night had finally arrived, and everyone was asleep. She got up and carefully opened the window. Of course, it was locked from the outside. However, when she gently shook the window frame from the inside, the old fastener lost its strength and released the bolt. It was a secret she had learned many years ago. She carefully opened the window slightly, making sure not to make any noise. After passing through it, Lokira wrapped up her horns with some cloth, this way, people would mistake her for a priest if they spotted her in the dark.

With a little lamp in her hand, Lokira ran down the stone steps. While stopping to catch her breath, Lokira rubbed her chest, and raised her head, thinking,

‘You aren’t watching, are you?’

Roxias lived in the temple of Apollo, on the other side of the mountain. However, with his power, he could see thousands of miles away. Lokira hurried her steps. Even if her concerns about Roxias’s clairvoyance were put aside, the priest who did the curfew check every night might notice her bed stuffed full with cushions.

It was her first time being down this much. The sound of the waves that she heard only from afar was so close that it was unfamiliar. She stepped onto the narrow beach. Sand and pebbles were stinging her feet through her thin leather shoes. Amazed at the unfamiliar sensation, she looked down at them. After a moment of hesitation, Lokira regained her attention and moved forward. The man was in the same position that she saw during the day. He was lying down with his limbs outstretched. The wet cape was strangely turned upside down, and his wet hair was mixed with sand. Lokira swallowed with her dry throat. She was afraid now that the man was right in front of her eyes. But he still hasn’t moved, so she summoned up some courage to approach him.

‘If there’s anything strange, I’ll run away immediately.’

Lokira muttered and slowly bent over. She held the lamp and shined it at the man’s face. Startled, she jumped back. However, there was still no movement from the man, she then realized that she was surprised by his unfamiliar face. She felt embarrassed and approached the man again. This time, she looked at him more closely.

‘…Oh my gosh….’

Her words came out unknowingly. She had never encountered a man other than Roxias. However, her instinct told her that this was a beautiful man even just by looking at him once.

‘Is this what a handsome man looks like? Or, do all men look like this?’

It didn’t seem like that. Neither the Apollon Priest nor the temple guests that she had ever glanced at from a distance were like this. Most of them had large beards, little hair, or were featureless. On the other hand, this man who seemed to be exquisitely sculpted by clay, was infinitely polished by the finest sandpaper to perfection.

The man had a completely different build from Roxias. First of all, his hair and eyebrows were dark. His nose and chin were sharp like it had been meticulously sculpted, and exuded youthfulness. His body was large. His arms and shoulders were two or three times the size of hers. It was amazing how there was such a thick and large person. Lokira was amazed and observed the man in very great detail.

How did such a fine person come to this remote coast of the sanctuary? But as soon as she finished her thoughts, she came to her senses that the man was obviously hurt. The sand under his head was black. It had the color of blood that had soaked in. There was a cut on his forehead that passed from his right eye to his cheek. And blood seemed to be oozing out from the wound.

“Did he get cut with a knife?”

Lokira didn’t think the wound was caused by hitting a rock or something else based on her experience of lifelong punishment from the high priest, her observation was most likely correct. Suddenly, Lokira felt nervous thinking the man was dead. Then, she put a finger under his nose to check, hoping it wouldn’t be an unpleasant result.

“Ah, he’s still alive!”

His shallow breathing was detected. It was a very unfamiliar sensation no matter how many times she shook her finger to get rid of it. However, a serious question arose. What should she do now?

“He’s wounded.”

Lokira didn’t hear from Rox that there were any battles happening. So how did he get injured like this? Whatever the case was, his bloody wound indicated some fighting was involved. Strange palpitations and compassion arose. She didn’t know what his story was, but he came across the sea by himself. He must have suffered terrible things alone. Lokira herself didn’t grow up happily like others, so it didn’t take her long to make a decision. She decided to help the injured man.

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