Ailbhe, daughter of Njord and a Gaelic queen, defies her mother and steals a ship, "The Leviathan," to chase her dream of freedom on the open sea. But the ship is cursed-Ailbhe is bound to it, unable to leave without weakening. With her life on the line, she strikes a dangerous deal with Eirik, a notorious explorer, to uncover the curse's origin. As the curse tightens, Ailbhe must decide: trust the man she fears, or let the sea claim her forever.
Chapter 1 Prologue: The call of the Leviathan.
The night air was heavy with salt and anticipation as the stars above twinkled like distant promises. On the shore of the Kingdom of Dúnmara, where the land kissed the sea, Ailbhe stood at the edge of destiny, her gaze fixed on the horizon. As the daughter of the Norse god Njord and the Gaelic queen Sorcha, she was about to make a choice that would change the course of her life forever.
The Leviathan, a mighty vessel of dark, polished wood and detailed carvings of mythical sea creatures, loomed in the moonlight. It was said to be the most powerful ship ever built, but it was also a vessel steeped in tragedy and mystery. For years, Dúnmara had been slowly affected by a creeping curse that began the moment the Leviathan anchored on the eastern shore after the death of its last captain, the first king. No one dared to sail her away, hidden from outsiders, fearing the darkness that shrouded both the ship and their land.
As she moved through the shadows toward the ship, Ailbhe's heart pounded with both fear and exhilaration. The weight of her decision pressed down on her-an escape from her mother's authoritarian grasp and the burdens of royalty, a journey toward the freedom she so desperately sought. But freedom came with its own price.
She paused at the edge of the deck, her breath forming white puffs in the cold air. The Leviathan was not just a ship; it was a monument to her ancestors, its legacy woven into the very fabric of Dúnmara's history. It had once been a symbol of power and authority, but now it lay dormant, a testament to a curse that had haunted their shores since its arrival. Yet, it was as if this majestic vessel called out to her, beckoning her to uncover the truth hidden beneath its surface.
Ailbhe had always heard tales of the Leviathan and of her father, Njord, whose spirit she's felt lingering in the waves. The legends spoke of a time before the curse, a time when the sea was a source of life and adventure. These stories had captivated her imagination since she was a child, igniting a restless desire within her. She knew little of the ship's darker history, but she felt an unexplainable pull toward the sea, as if it held answers she had long been searching for.
The sound of creaking wood and the whispers of the wind filled the silence as she boarded the ship. Her mother's warnings echoed in her mind: the ship was a relic meant to remain in its resting place. But Ailbhe could no longer bear the confines of her royal life, the stifling expectations that came with it. The sea promised adventure and discovery, a world far beyond the castle walls.
As she took the helm, the Leviathan's sails unfurled with a mighty whoosh, catching the wind and lifting the ship into motion. The stars seemed to shift, aligning themselves with her decision. With one final look at the receding shore, her heart surged with a mixture of dread and excitement. She was now bound to the Leviathan, and with it, the curse that had gripped her homeland.
The sea roared in response, as if recognizing the significance of her departure. It was a roar of both challenge and promise. The wind howled around her, carrying with it the whispers of ancient sea spirits and the weight of an old prophecy.
The Leviathan glided away from the shore, its journey beginning under the cover of night. The kingdom of Dúnmara had suffered too long under the curse; its lands were slowly fading, crops failing, and spirits dwindling. The elders had spoken of a cure hidden in the depths of the ocean, but no one had been brave enough to venture forth and seek it-until now.
Ailbhe knew that breaking free from her past would not be easy, but she was prepared to face whatever lay ahead. In the darkness of the sea, with only the stars and the endless horizon as witnesses, her adventure had finally begun. Her quest for freedom was bound to collide with the forces of fate, love, and the curse that had haunted her family for generations.
Determined to uncover the secrets of the Leviathan, Ailbhe was ready to lift the curse plaguing her kingdom and discover her own destiny along the way. The call of the sea was strong, and she was prepared to answer it.
Other books by Dera Omeje
More