The Beach

The following night Ariadne climbed out from the waves and flopped down onto the cold sand. The moon was bright and it lit a streak across the water. She ran her arms along the sand to make patterns as she waited for their meeting.

After some time she heard the distant approach of hooves. She sat up and shook the sand from her shoulders. Rodanthe trotted up, jumping down from the horse and tying him to a tree nearby.

“You came!” Ariadne said cheerfully.

“Of course, I said I would.” Rodanthe was in the same feathered cloak as yesterday, her arms still exposed underneath it despite the cold air, and Ariadne could see the glint of her sword at her hip. She held out her fist.

“Here, I have something for you.” Ariadne said. Rodanthe held out her hand and caught the small artifact that fell from Ariadne’s palm.

“What is it?” She said, holding the small pendant up to the light. It was a small silver cage which held a beautiful and imperfect pearl. It shone in the strong moonlight. “A necklace?”

“Not exactly, it’s a pearl, we use them to call out to one another across large distances. This one will call me.”

“How does it work?” Rodanthe asked and held the jewel closer to her face.

“You can drop it into the sea anywhere on the peninsula. When it hits the water I’ll hear it ring, and I’ll come see you. I can fetch it from the water and give it back so you can use it again. Then we can meet whenever you like, and I think we should.”

Rodanthe was taken aback, she had just met this strange nymph and was already gifted something so peculiar and precious. But she was glad. She was drawn to this person and didn’t want to leave their future meetings to chance. She tucked the pendant away in her shirt pocket.

“I will keep it safe then. There’s an inlet south of here, where the water tends to be calmer, I think it’d be a good spot to use it.”

Ariadne smiled brightly, “I’ll see you there then.”