The Lilly and the Mariner
Once upon a time, in a tiny seaside town named Marihaven, lived an audacious and sprightly young girl named Lilly. Lilly was an orphan who had been adopted by the frail yet kindly old widow, Mrs. Nell.
Marihaven was known far and wide for its unpredictable and treacherous sea. It whispered tales to those who dared to venture too deep, its mercurial moods intriguing and terrifying the boldest of mariners. Lilly was fascinated by these tales of the sea. She'd sit by the shore, feet touching the cold water as she listened to the hum of the waves, engrossed in their cryptic sonnets.
1,000 leagues away, beyond the realm of the known, under the depths of the very sea that Lilly admired, was the ancient city of Atlantis. It had been submerged for several millennia, hidden from the mortal world. Its king, King Poseidon, had a handsome and valiant son, Prince Dylan.
Prince Dylan was natured much like the human world's sea, unpredictable, and brimming with mysteries. He had heard tales of the mortal world and had often desired to explore it. The wish grew so intense that he begged his father to allow him a journey to witness the mortal realm.
Finally acknowledging his son's persisting curiosity, King Poseidon granted him the chance but on the condition that he would return before the next new moon, failing which; a tremendous calamity would befall Atlantis.
Riding his trusted sea-horse, Prince Dylan ascended to the world above. He witnessed the mortal world, its beauty, its vices, and its virtues. Eventually, he found himself in Marihaven and was drawn to the melodious voice narrating tales to waves. That voice belonged to Lilly.
Intrigued, he sought to meet her, unknowingly stirring the powers that controlled their world. His encounter with Lilly was initially rocky, with her being scared by his appearance. However, as they got to know each other, she was fascinated by his tales of ancient Atlantis and he by her courage and spirit. They spent days exploring their worlds, their bond deepening.
With the new moon day drawing near, Prince Dylan had to return. As he bade Lilly goodbye, they realized they had fallen for each other. Lilly pleaded with him to take her to Atlantis, to explore the extraordinary world he often described. Yet, knowing the consequences, Dylan gracefully declined, promising to return.
Back in Atlantis, Dylan confessed his feelings and the experience he shared with Lilly to his father. Having witnessed the human world’s torment due to transgressions between the mortal and immortal worlds, King Poseidon forbade his son from seeing Lilly. Heartbroken, Dylan obeyed, but he could not erase Lilly from his heart.
Alone and desolate, Lilly waited long for Dylan's return. Her heart ached, and her spirit dimmed. Little did she know that, back in Atlantis, Dylan was facing the same plight.
Their silent yearnings resonated with the old magic of their worlds, causing a ripple in the very fabric of their existence. In an act of benevolence, the Grand Sea Goddess, ruler of all seas, decided to intervene.
On the night of the celestial conjunction, the Sea Goddess appeared to them in their respective realms. She offered them a choice - a single day to be spent together but would cost them their memories of each other after that day. Both, yearning to see each other, accepted readily.
A day arrived when Lilly met Dylan on the Marihaven shore. They laughed, loved, and made memories together. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they said their goodbyes, tears in their eyes, love in their hearts. As they parted, their memories of the moments spent together started to fade away, as promised by the Sea Goddess.
From then onwards, Lilly would still listen to the sea's tales and Dylan would share his adventures of the mortal world with his kingdom. Though they didn't remember one another, their hearts held a strange longing, inexplicable yet profound.
Marihaven still whispers the tale of the Lilly and the Mariner to those who sit by its shore, the tale of a bond that altered the fate of realms, a tale of love that even the gods couldn't ignore.