Free Raging Sea by Terri Brisbin

excited, her name rang out.
    Ran Waterblood!
    Ours! Ours!
    The water swirled around her, moving up from the surface to cover her. Like a thing alive, it enclosed her and pulled her in deeper. She drew in a breath, and after several more halting steps, Ran leapt the rest of the way.
    As the first time, she felt welcomed and treasured by the water. How could that be? She could not survive here, not without breathing air.
    And yet, here she was, under the surface, surrounded, still breathing . . . something. The voices became like chattering children, fast and high and excited, saying her name. Laughter and joy all around. She smiled and turned to see thousands of shimmering lights there with her.
    Who are you?
she asked in her thoughts.
    We are the power that lives in the seas. We are you, Waterblood. You are ours!
    How is this possible?
    You are the waterblood,
they whispered back.
You have our power in you. Command us! Tell us!
    Ran let go of her fear and laughed then.
Take me. Show me the sea.
    Once more the excited whispers increased. Then the water took hold of her and pulled her away. Turning and moving, Ran tried to see what lay on the bottom of the sea or other creatures like fish. Several large fish moved away as she was pulled through the water. Glancing toward the light, she knew which direction was up but she looked down again.
    Never had she seen such a sight. Large rocks lay strewn along the bottom, covered in moss and other growths. Plants with long leaves that floated toward the surface, sea grass and seaweed grew amongst the rocks. The water took her to the bottom, many yards beneath the surface and she touched the plants. Ran put her feet on the sand and looked around in wonderment and awe.
    A noise caught her attention and she glanced toward the surface. A large vessel passed overhead and Ran noticed the way it sat in the water and moved through it. How far from shore was she to see such a large ship? The sea lifted her and soon she found herself just beneath the edge of the water. Ran pushed her head into the air and watched the ship sailing west and out of the bay.
    She was several miles from her father’s house in Orphir!
    Ran knew how to swim and had swum good distances from shore, but never had she traveled this far or this fast. When she looked down into the water, she could not see her body. Frightened, the voices eased her worries.
    You are with us, Ran Waterblood. You are safe.
    She lifted her hand from the water and it appeared as flesh and blood. When she let it drop, it became part of the sea. The euphoria and wonder racing through her prevented her fear. Ran let go once more and became part of the sea.
    This was miraculous. And awesome. Completely strange and inexplicable. As she spent an hour or so in the sea, traveling far from Orkney and back again, she had no idea of what this incredible change meant or how it had happened.
    We have always been part of you, Waterblood,
the sea answered.
Now you are one with us.
    I must go home now,
Ran thought.
    She was propelled through the sea then, faster and faster until they reached the bay around which lay several of the southernmost islands of Orkney, including the Mainland. Lifting her head from the water, she watched as they brought her back to the very spot from which she’d leapt, and placed her softly on the sand. Ran rolled from her belly and sat up, looking back in amazement.
    The water of the bay before her burst with waves that rose and crashed into one another, creating a huge spray of water filled the squeals and chatter of the voices. The sounds echoed softer and softer until she sat there in silence. Though she should be shivering from exposure to the cold air, the water in her shift and on her skin and hair remained warm.
    Standing, she gathered her clothes and shoes, planning to return to her chambers by the back way so she would remain unseen. But her mind was filled with the significant questions left unanswered by the