My Jolly Sailor Bold
This idea just came to me randomly so hope you like it.
She watched Philip and Syrena with jealousy. He looked so much like him. She was the Leader of the Hunters. She should not be feeling an emotion as petty as jealousy. She contented herself by singing her favourite song and remembering her life as a simple human.
Tamara was a wealthy child of a merchant, his only daughter. She would inherit all his gold, if only she didn't spend so much time with that sailor.
See Tamara was in love with a sailor, one named James. He was a fisherman and had windswept blond hair and eyes the colour of the sky. He always had the fresh smell of the sea. The town that they lived in was the closest to Whitecap Bay. They had all been warned about the stories of the mermaids dragging people to their deaths, but she and James had never believed in them.
One day they were walking by the shore. She was singing the song that she had written especially for him.
My heart's been pierced by Cupid,
I disdain all glittering gold,
There is nothing that can console me,
But My Jolly Sailor Bold
He loved the song and she loved singing it to him. They were happy. On the day that James had proposed, it was the happiest day of her life. It all went to pieces when they told her father.
'No! Absolutely not! I will not have my only daughter marrying that scoundrel! Get out of my sight!' he had shouted.
So they made a plan. She would steal her mother's wedding dress and some jewels and they would elope. Nothing, not even her father would stop them. They were in love and they didn't care what her father said after.
Later that night, she got ready and went down to the beach. He was brining his boat and they would sail away, away from the small town next to Whitecap Bay.
She waited, and waited, and waited. She was losing hope, but then he showed up. Dressed in a plain white shirt and black pants he looked more handsome than anyone she had ever seen.
They boarded the boat and he told her to take off her jewels, so that they wouldn't way her down if she falls out. She obliged. Then he embraced her saying the words, 'I'm sorry.'
Before she could register the meaning he pushed her into the water. She couldn't get enough air into her lungs. She surfaced but before she had time to breathe in he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her under. Her dress was getting heavy and weighed her down. She was starting to black out. He held her under for awhile longer and then he rose to the surface watching her sink down. He turned and didn't look back.
She couldn't believe she had been so stupid. Just before she blacked out completely she thought she felt someone grasp her arm and a burning sensation in her legs.
She slowly woke up. Her first thought was that she wasn't dead. Then she took a look at her surroundings. It seemed that she was underwater. The cave walls were made out of coral and her hair was stuck to her chest, which was bare.
She looked down with a gasp. She wasn't wearing her dress anymore. Her body was covered with golden scales, and her legs...her legs! They were gone! In their place was a long shimmering tail. She couldn't help but admire herself. She was beautiful.
'I see you're adapting.' a musical voice said. She jerked her head up and saw another mermaid. This one had a blue-green scales and dark ebony hair. Her eyes were purple and were as cold as ice. She smiled revealing pointed teeth.
'We found you floating in the water after that man had left. We were going to just eat you and be done with it, but you were so beautiful. You would be a great addition because you would be able to lure men in.' she said.
'Thank you. Where am I? Who are you?' Tamara asked.
'You are under the waters in Whitecap Bay. I am Cassidy. We are very anxious to see how you do in a hunt.' Cassidy said.
'My legs? Are they gone forever?' she asked. 'What happened to my dress?'
'You can change into your human form if you leave the water. As for your dress, we have kept it. It has been a long time since most of us have seen such an item. There are not many born mermaids.' she explained. 'Now let us go. I have much to teach you.'
The next few months were an adventure. She had learned how to live undetected and the different songs that they could sing. She had showed them the one that she had created and they were happy to learn a new one. Eventually she went to accompany them on her first hunt. She was not anxious to kill anyone, but she thought she saw someone that had the same eyes and hair as James so she killed him for that.
She also learned that there were mermen, they just hunted bigger prey and they only came back every so often. One day while she watched a merman interact with Yelena, one of her new sisters, that looked like James, she was struck with an idea.
'Cassidy, is it alright if I can have my dress back? I also need a couple of jewels.' she said.
It had been almost a year since he had murdered Tamara. It had pained him, but he needed the gold, to appease the father of his fiance Charlotte. He felt little regret. He had told the villagers that she had died by drowning because there was a storm. He had tried to save her but he couldn't. Her father had left everything to him because he remembered how much his daughter had loved him. He was now a wealthy merchant. He hadn't told Charlotte about his part in it.
He brought his new fiancé to the beach where they sat down in the sand. Then he heard it.
My heart is pierced by Cupid
I disdain all glittering gold
There is nothing that can console me
But My Jolly Sailor Bold
It wasn't possible. She was dead. He had made sure of that. His wife looked at him in concern.
'Do you hear it?' he asked.
'I do and it's lovely. I wonder where it's coming from. Are you alright dear?' she answered. He wanted to run, but he was frozen in fear.
Come all you pretty fair maids
Whoever you may be
That love a Jolly Sailor Bold
That ploughs the raging sea
It was drawing closer. He could see ripples on the still surface.
My heart is pierced by Cupid
I disdain all glittering gold
There is nothing that can console me
But My Jolly Sailor Bold
There she was. A head walked out. It was her, in all her glory. Her wedding dress soaked and stuck to her skin. Her eyes still bright, but cold as ice. Her long blond hair dripping water. She seemed to emit this glow. One that made him what to stay.
'W...who are you?' Charlotte asked.
'I am Tamara.' she answered. Her voice was melodic. She was exactly how he remembered her.
'You are the merchant's daughter that died at sea!' Charlotte exclaimed.
She was looking straight at him. 'Yes, it was a tragic story. Would you like to hear? I'm sure you will find it fascinating. For I know the real events.'
'Alright.' Charlotte agreed. She smiled and I saw that her teeth were slightly pointed, but he thought it was just a trick of the light.
'I loved someone, and I thought he had loved me. We were going to elope after my father had refused us. So I met him and we sailed off. As soon as we were in deep waters he told me to take off my jewelery, lest it weigh me down if I fall. He embraced me and apologized. Then he pushed me overboard.'
Charlotte's eyes were wide. 'How horrible.'
'Indeed. I drowned, so now I am stuck roaming the sea until I get my revenge. But you knew this was coming didn't you James?' she said.
He froze. 'James? How do you know him?' Charlotte asked.
Tamara laughed, a cold humourless laugh. 'Haven't you guessed? Where do you think he got all his wealth? He was my "jolly sailor bold."
'That's not true!' Charlotte exclaimed. Backing away, while he was frozen in fear.
'Ask him! You can see the fear in his eyes!' she said.
Charlotte started to back away. 'You murdered her. You murdered her! How could you do that?'
'I needed the money! I wanted to marry you!' he said.
'But toyed with someone else's heart at the same time! And then you murdered her and stole her wealth! Get away from me you murderer! Charlotte screamed.
'I hope you don't mind, if I do something about him. I have some unfinished business.' Tamara said. Her eyes sparkling maliciously.
She didn't wait for an answer and started to approach him.
My heart is pierced by Cupid!
She sang aggressively. Her teeth bared as she approached.
I disdain all glittering gold!
She grabbed him by the shoulders and started backing into the ocean. Charlotte was watching with horror.
There is nothing that can console me!
She stepped into the surf, until they were waist deep.
But My Jolly Sailor Bold!
She finished and then pushed him in. Swimming deeper and deeper, faster than humanly possible. He looked at her and say instead of legs a mermaid's tail. He saw a bunch of mermaids surrounding them, their faces anxiously waiting for the kill.
He looked at Tamara. She smiled evilly and lunged