The Dolphin Princess

By Sylva Kelegian

2016 Book Excellence Finalist Award - Children's Fiction
2015 Global Ebook Award Wi1nner - Children's Literature Fiction
2015 Beverly Hills Book Award Winner - Children's Fiction
2015 Cipa Evvy Merit Award - Children's Story books

When eight-year-old Saroya loses her mother, her usually absent father takes her on a cruise for her birthday, which he forgets to celebrate. Devastated and very seasick, the little girl falls off the ship, trying to catch a locket that belonged to her beloved mother. Saroya is then rescued by a dolphin who takes her to the magical Animia Island, where she meets Josephine, a stuffed puppet; her son, Little Joe; Calista the conch; Jonbl the baseball glove; and the adorable Spoon. They, among others, were all unwanted and are now animate-alive. Through her new friends, the birthday girl learns she is not alone and that where there is life, there is love.

Illustrations by: Lynnda Rakos>

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493143887

Sylva Kelegian

Actress Sylva Kelegian has rescued over five hundred dogs. She has appeared Off-Broadway and guest starred on television dramas such as CSI, NCIS: Los Angeles, Southland, Rizzoli & Isles, ER, Cold Case, Desperate Housewives, Big Love, Prison Break, Bones, Without a Trace, and many more. She has starred in independent films and Stephen King’s movie of the week, Desperation, and appeared in movies such as Spiderman, Crash, Atlas Shrugged, and Return to Zero. She also created and co-wrote a one-hour drama for TV about the rescue world that is being shopped around and recently completed The Dolphin Princess, a middle-grade book. Sylva lives in Los Angeles with her husband, actor Jude Ciccolella and their dogs, Mazie, Nate, and Shadow.

Book preview

THE FALL

S AROYA HUNG ON to the guardrail for dear life. " Help ! Help me ! she screamed at the top of her lungs. But with the guests far off in the dining room and the ship bouncing around in the rough water, there was nobody on deck to hear her. Oh, Mama, don’t let this happen! the little girl cried as she felt her perspiring hands slipping from the railing. Please help me, Mama, don’t let me fall! Please!"

Saroya looked below. The ocean was a deep-blue color with the moon’s light cascading over the water. If I could just wipe my hands one at a time, I could get a better grip and hold on until someone finds me—Do it! Do it now! one part of her mind said. Wait! the other side argued. If only this were a dream, she thought, like the one I had this morning.

But this was not a dream.

Saroya’s heart was beating so hard it felt as if it were being thrown against her chest. There wasn’t much time. "Help me! Somebody, help me! she yelled as the wind whipped her golden locks into a frenzy. I’m so scared, Mama, she pleaded. Please help me!"

Saroya felt her left hand slide off, and before she could wipe it on her emerald velvet dress and grab the bar again, her right hand had slipped off too.

Don’t be afraid. No matter what happens, don’t be afraid. The words from the little girl’s dream were spinning in her head as she plunged toward the deep dark sea.

THE SHIP

E ARLIER THAT MORNING, Saroya had awoken quite suddenly from a dream. What does that mean ? she wondered, replaying it over and over again as she lay in her cabin’s bed. The little girl and her father had embarked on a voyage from New York to England the night before. Saroya’s father had a business trip he had to take and, since it was her birthday month, he thought it would be exciting for his daughter to accompany him. The year was 1967, and it would be one of the last journeys the Queen Mary would ever take across the Atlantic as a passenger ship. Mary was still the queen of the ocean, and sailing on her was a magical event for any little girl. However, at this point, Saroya had no idea how magical her trip would turn out to be.

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In Saroya’s dream, her mother was running in a field of yellow daisies, her strawberry blonde hair flowing behind, while her honey-colored dress billowed in the breeze. Wait for me, Mama! Saroya shouted over the wind as she tried to catch up to her. I’m coming! Wait for me!

Her mother stopped and turned. I’m fine, my princess, she said gently. Now you have to be fine too. She smiled her joyful, encouraging smile—the one Saroya always imagined when she thought of her mother. Don’t be afraid. No matter what happens, don’t be afraid, her mother assured her.

Saroya wanted to run into her arms. She longed for her mother to smooth her golden curls away from her lightly freckled face, like she used to do at night to help her daughter sleep. But Saroya couldn’t make her body move. Her mouth opened, and she wanted to say, "I will never be okay without you!" But the words wouldn’t come. She watched herself stand there, frozen, as she saw her mother turn and suddenly disappear.

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The dream had jolted Saroya upright in her cabin’s bed. Her heart ached, and she clutched the covers so tightly her small fingers felt as if they would break. Oh, Mama, she sighed as she quickly grasped the locket around her neck, visualizing the pictures inside. One image was taken the day Saroya was born and placed into her mother’s arms, the other image was of the two of them as well, shortly before her mother died. They were like two peas in a pod, as her father used to say. Even their slight overbites, which gave their smiles character and lit up a room, were exactly alike. And their freckles seemed to have been identically painted on their faces.

This was the first picture taken of us together, Saroya remembered her mother saying as she held the open locket. The little blonde girl had always wondered if her father had picked out the piece himself or if he had his secretary do it. Saroya knew that was the way most of her father’s gifts were bought, as she had been shopping with his secretary on a few occasions. However, she liked to imagine her father wandering around Tiffany’s, one of the world’s finest jewelry stores, on Fifth Avenue, searching for the perfect locket to hold the picture of his newborn daughter and wife.

Saroya had forgotten to ask her mother if she knew who had picked out the locket, and now she might never know. Asking her father was not something the little girl felt comfortable doing. And even if she did, he probably would have ignored the question. He didn’t seem to like talking to his daughter much to begin with, but especially not anything having to do with her mother. The widower’s body gave the impression of caving in on itself in pain, and his brow furrowed in heavy thought at the mention of his wife, who was no longer with them.

Saroya closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around herself, and pretended she was in her mother’s arms. Why do you always run away in my dreams, Mama? she wondered. The porthole allowed the morning sun to stream into the cabin and it warmed her face. It was a lovely room, with blue-and-yellow carpet and light-blue curtains made of satin. The walls were covered in polished wood panels with built-in bookshelves and yellow wallpaper. A wooden vanity with beveled mirrors stood in the corner, and the outside light bounced off its glass. Though it had been a year, it always surprised Saroya when she woke up to another day without her mother. Oh, Mama, why did you have to die? Saroya whispered. I miss you so. Why can’t I die, too, Mama? Then we can be together. That’s what Abalena told me. She said that one day we will be together again. Abalena was the little girl’s nanny and had tried to fill the void Saroya’s mother had left.

There was a knock on the door. Saroya, are you up yet? the familiar voice asked.

Scrambling out of bed, she answered, Yes, Father.

The widower was a tall, dark-haired man with strong features and piercing brown eyes. His demeanor was that of someone with money—someone who had always had it, had grown up around it, and had never had to worry about it. That was because his family had been part of the early real estate boom in New York City, and they owned a large part of Manhattan. I have unfortunate news, her father said, once she opened the door. Something has come up at the office, and I will have to spend the day in my cabin on the telephone to the mainland.

Saroya had been surprised when she realized she would have her own room down the hall from her father’s suite. She had wondered if she should tell him that her mother would never have allowed her to sleep in her own cabin, but decided against it. Now she heard a very quiet Oh come out of her mouth. Then what shall I do? she asked.

I have arranged for an employee of the ship to keep you amused today. He has been instructed to allow you to do anything you would like, as long as no harm comes to you or anyone else.

But why would I cause harm to anyone? Saroya looked up at her father, but he was not looking down at her. Since her mother’s death, he found it hard to look at his daughter. She reminded him too much of the wife he had lost.

It wasn’t a literal comment, young lady.

What is a —

Her father interrupted her. The ship has many amenities that you may want to take advantage of, so I’m sure you’ll have a full day. I will come and get you at six o’clock, and we shall have dinner together at the captain’s table.

Amenities? What is that? Saroya wondered, but was afraid to ask as her father leaned down toward her, and she felt the blood rushing to her face. Oh, he’s going to kiss the top of my head, she thought. But she was mistaken. He had only kissed the top of her head once. It was the day her mother died.

These dark suits pick up so much lint, the widower complained as he brushed off his pants leg.

Saroya looked up just as he turned to walk away, and her heart sank as the cabin door clicked shut.

Ever so quietly she whispered, But it’s my birthday today, Daddy.

THE DINNER

I ’M SURE FATHER will remember at dinner , Saroya tried to reassure herself after she had some time to think about it. He probably has a great big surprise planned for me. Maybe the dining room will be decorated with party decorations, the way Mama used to decorate the house, and I’ll get lots of presents. And then Father will ask the band to play Happy Birthday, and everyone in the dining room will sing to me. And then I will stand on his feet, and he will dance me around the room like Elizabeth’s father does with her. I’m sure of it. He couldn’t have forgotten.

Elizabeth was a little girl who lived in Saroya’s apartment building in New York City. However, she wasn’t interested in being Saroya’s friend, only in showing off. Saroya didn’t like running into her in the elevator or on the street, as she always had to listen to how wonderful Elizabeth’s life was. I’ve just gotten back from spending the day with my father at his office, she would say. It was as if Elizabeth knew Saroya’s father never spent any time with her. "And I’ve