S. Welles - To Ocean's End

Dyne reached the chair on Amphitrite’s right, took off his coat, and draped it over the chair back. He waved Jessie over and pulled out the chair on the goddess’s left.

Jessie regarded the monsters with one more fearful gaze, then did her best to ignore them as she sat in her chair and let Dyne help her scoot closer to the table, which felt like glass. Her feet couldn’t quite touch the faux ground but her chair held her up at just the right height for eating. Dyne seated Mido beside Jessie, and then Jacobi. He seated Ed and Ted on the other side, then helped Amphitrite into her chair without any apparent difficulty, even though the chair was taller than him. He awaited further instruction by his own, looking at her with a mix of humiliation and rage. Clutching his chair, he doubled over with a grunt.

“You will look upon me with more respect,” Amphitrite said with a serious gaze, then her features softened and the captain regained his composure. “Now bring us wine and food. We are famished. And serve the wine with a flourish.”

Jessie caught a glimpse of a pleading gaze before Dyne bowed his head.

“Yes, madam.”

Several monsters behind Amphitrite broke the surface, bearing trays of wine, glasses, and bowls that looked like they were made out of seaweed. Using his powers, Dyne used ropes of water to set a glass in front of each of them. The deft control impressed Jessie. She had a passing thought about how it must be fun to be able to do that all the time, but the peril of their situation, along with the captain’s humiliation, cut the enjoyment short. She kept covertly glancing at their swimming company just a few feet below, and going on for dozens of feet until the water grew too dark see into.

Dyne took the jug of wine from a creature that looked like a hybrid of crocodile and frog, then he cradled the jug in one arm and sent its contents into the air over the table. He molded the fluctuating golden fluid into an octopus, stretched its arms into their glasses and filled them halfway, then redirected the extra wine back into the jug and set it on the table. He accepted a golden tray with eight golden plates and served everyone their steaming meal. He avoided eye contact with all of them as he set their plates on the chest-high table.

“Now you may join us, Dyne Lavere,” Amphitrite said.

Dyne handed over the tray to two monsters and took his seat, his gaze downcast.

Amphitrite helped herself to some wine and the rest of them began pecking at their food. They had some sort of seafood soup with hearty clam chunks, and some diced vegetables Jessie couldn’t identify. Normally she couldn’t stand just the thought of eating seafood, since she could commune with everything that swam, but she and the rest of the crew mopped their bowls with a soft brown bread with flaky crust. Soon Dyne had to fill their glasses again. He sent golden dolphins leaping out of the jug and into their glasses, one at a time.

“You’re very creative,” Amphitrite said with open admiration. “You could almost say I’ve given you a gift, instead of a curse.”

Dyne pointedly stared at his plate, his flaring nostrils betraying his neutral gaze.

The goddess sat there and lapped up his misery. “You’ve worked so hard to tap into your powers as little as possible, even though we both know they give you a certain thrill. Even the power of the ketos.”

Dyne clenched his jaws and strangled his spoon in a fist, then shoved his food in his mouth.

“Such a pity,” she said, still smiling, then faced Jessie. “My sweet avatar, you’ve been through quite a bit, yet you’ve grown stronger than your tribulations. I’d expect nothing less from any of my avatars.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she said in a small voice.

“Fear me not, child,” she said, caressing Jessie’s cheek with a slender hand bigger than her head. Jessie tensed but remained still. “I cherish you like one of my children. You’re precious to me.”

She bowed her head. “Thank you.” What else could she say? She didn’t know whether or not to believe her. Amphitrite most certainly cared about what happened to her, but Jessie didn’t feel one drop of daughterly love towards her. Mido slipped a hand in hers under the table. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. However, his eyes were glazed over with a dreamy look that didn’t feel intended for her.

“Those who wronged you so now rest in eternal sleep at the bottom of my sea and in the bellies of my creatures. They have reaped the rewards for their actions.”

Jessie nodded, intimidated by the satisfaction in the goddess’s voice. As glad as she was to know Tethys and the others would never rape another woman, so much death overwhelmed her. It wasn’t how she would’ve gone about resolving things.

“This news doesn’t please you?”

“It does and it doesn’t.” Jessie met Amphitrite’s searching gaze. She felt like a child in the goddess’s eyes, and inferior to her beauty. “I’m really thankful they can’t harm anyone else. It’s just… the…”

“The means to the ends, my child? The price is always high for testing my wrath. But the reward for respecting me is just as great.” She turned to Mido. “You, Mido Robustelli,” Amphitrite said in a sensual voice, “he who loves my avatar. Rise for me.”

Mido’s hold on Jessie’s hand went slack. He slid off his chair and approached Amphitrite’s outstretched hand. She flashed him a winsome smile that worried Jessie. Dyne had mentioned that crew members had been seduced by the goddess before. Distant cackling drifted up from the water.

“You are pleasing in more ways than one.”

Mido kissed her hand, then respectfully stepped back.

“You have loved and protected my avatar unconditionally. I thank you for your chivalry.” She tilted her head, making her waist-length hair frame her voluptuous breasts. Mido’s blue eyes were fixated on them. Jessie almost hopped off her chair to smack him, but decided against it. “You’re quite pleasing to the eye.” The goddess cast a sidelong glance at Jessie. “And the body.” She leaned closer to Mido and delicately held his face in both perfect hands, examining him. He just stood there, transfixed. “How I would enjoy experiencing you for myself.”

Jessie’s jaw dropped as she watched Amphitrite put a finger under Mido’s chin. She rose from her chair and lifted his chin. His body swelled and expanded, clothes and all, until he stood taller than Amphitrite. She let go and he ran a hand through her curly hair. His arms were huge, thicker than Jessie’s body, and his chest was too broad to fit in a normal doorway. He looked upon the goddess as he always had with Jessie.

Amphitrite pressed her body to his and traced his physique with a finger, gradually working her way along his arms and chest. Jessie turned to Dyne for guidance but he and the others watched the seduction in abject horror. The captain gave her the slightest shake of his head, warning her to not interfere, but when Amphitrite slipped a finger under Mido’s belt— “He’s mine!” Jessie hopped off her chair and pushed at one of Mido’s legs, which were as big as her. She stood between the giants and pressed her back to Mido. She’d rather die fighting for him than live her whole life with the memory of having given him up so quietly.

Amphitrite backed off a little, not enough for Jessie’s liking, but at least the goddess looked at her with wide-eyed shock. For a moment Jessie wondered if she really was about to die for this, but then the goddess softened into a bemused smile. She let go of his belt. “Of course, child. I shall let it be so.”

Mido blinked a few times, looked at Amphitrite as if for the first time, then went wide-eyed when he noticed Jessie leaning against his leg. His gaze shot back to Amphitrite. “Is this reversible? I—I don’t mean to be rude but…”