From the highest eastern tower, Eijirou Kirishima watched as streams of merfolk gathered for the choir performance before the debutante ball. His younger sister, the princess Ari, would be the soloist today. Merfolk from all parts of the sea had come to see her before the ball.
Eijirou leaned against the side of the narrow window, careful to stay out of sight. The last thing he needed was a guard recognizing and calling attention to him. He had plans for tonight, and the precious little time he had was dwindling by the minute. He'd already made an appearance, greeting his father's important guests as was befitting of the crown prince. He had stood there in full regalia as they talked, politely nodding along to boring chatter of economics and political going-ons. Eijirou was ready to go out.
He would have stayed through the performance had Ari requested it. But she was kind enough to send him off. "Go, enjoy yourself above the surface. Tomorrow you'll go with me to visit the old library." He would have gone with her anyway, of course. He enjoyed helping her research the magic and history of their kingdom just as she enjoyed listening to his impressions of the human life. They always got along so well.
The performance was in full swing by the time he managed to make his escape. Sneaking out was simple, he slipped away within the small army of servers rushing in and out of the palace kitchen. They were preparing for the ball that would begin soon after. The celebration was so lavish and grand that even his own attendant had been recruited to serve their many guests. His sister had apologized at the start, assuming he'd feel lonely or forgotten, but he didn't mind. Far from it, he was relieved. For the past few days everyone had been far too busy to keep their overly attentive eyes on him for more than a few minutes. It felt good not having someone push him from etiquette lessons to civic lectures, or constantly remind him of all the big important things he'd be doing in five years time.
He'd return before the final introduction, Ari's. He was glad to know she was so understanding, not minding Eijirou skipping the start of the ceremony. Ari wasn't all that interested in the ball herself. Her ideal evening would be spent alone in the palace's library, or shadowing the court wizard. A party had its appeal nonetheless. She wasn't immune to the charm of a new sparkling tiara or a night filled with music.
Finally, having made it to the gatehouse undetected, he watched as the last pair of late comers swam through the palace gates. With everyone at the party, he knew there were very few eyes present. So he took the chance, swimming far from the festivities. When he felt there was enough distance he rose hard and fast, right through to the surface.
Above, he shook his head roughly, ridding his hair of the water weighing it down. His spikes regained their shape. Long and sharp, they looked almost lethal, though they were not. Unlike his teeth which were clearly visible now. He was grinning so wide.
Eijirou swam over to his favorite rock by the shore. The sun would soon set, and he wanted to watch it from a safe spot. He was careful to stay behind the rock, though he couldn't see anyone near. Even the usual ships were missing. There was a sense of relief mixed with his disappointment. At least he could watch the twinkling lights of the castle unbothered.
The serenity fostered by the sound of waves and the cool spring evening was cut short when the sounds of very loud yelling ripped through air like a knife through a sail. He dipped back under the surface, his head only barely peeking out, searching for the source. Out on the sand, under a rock arch, a group of five masked men surrounded a young man with chained hands.
"You bastards!" The young man's voice was rough, filled with hot fury. It struck Eijirou like a jolt from an eel. The masked men only laughed.
Two of the men lunged forward, attempting to trap their victim between them, but they failed when the he ducked and surprised a third by snatching his sword out his hand.
Kirishima watched impressed as the young man swung forward, barely missing one of the masked men's side. The long chain around his arms were slowing his movements. Another took aim, only this time the young man dodged his swing and landed a cut on the attacker's arm. The man yelled, dropping his weapon in the sand. When another attempted to retrieve it, the young man cut him across the chest. Just as Eijirou began to believe the young man would win, another managed to strike his back, somehow not drawing much blood. Enraged, the young man swung again, two, three times, missing every one. The men laughed, their fear dissipating with every miss. Finally, the man whose sword he had taken struck the young man from behind with a large stone. He fell instantly into the sand.
He wanted to shout, command them to stop, but nothing would come out. A sense of helplessness paralyzed him to his spot by the rock.
There was a moment when none of the men moved, until an uneasy murmuring broke out amongst them. He couldn't hear them. This went on until one of them grabbed the young man's chains and wrapped the excess around his feet. The other men seemed to understand, and they all picked him up together.
Eijirou held his breath. With a heave-ho, the men threw the young man into the sea. His body made a large splash, and off the men went, into the rapidly approaching dark.
It had all happened within minutes, and finally, Eijirou broke from his paralysis.
He propelled himself forward, swimming as rapidly as his fins could take him. The man was sinking quickly due to the weight, it was fortunate that he was thrown so close to shore. He tried to carry him out, but the long chains snagged. Eijirou broke through the iron himself, biting the chains, cleaving the rings with ease.
He raced his body back to the sand, hoping that humans were more resilient than his father gave them credit for. He did his best to arrange him comfortably away from the tide. The young man still wasn't breathing, so he tried to press down on his chest, having seen a similar action taken on a sailor who had fallen overboard weeks ago. After a messy expulsion of sea water, the man began to move.
Eijirou grinned, he would be alright. Of course, he thought, he's too tough to let a little water kill him.
He wanted to stay, help with the cut on his back, bu he couldn't. Interacting with a human was forbidden, it was best he remained unseen. He gave the prince one last look, and dove into the cover of the black water.
Groggy and confused, Prince Katsuki finally awoke a few minutes after. He tried to sit up, still weak from the ordeal. All he knew was that something had dragged him out of the surf. He tried to conjure up the image of who or what that had been, but he could only remember a set of big, spiked teeth hovering over him.
—
In the sea, Eijirou dived deep in a flurry of bubbles. He'd not only seen a human up close, he'd saved his life. The debutante ceremony would soon be underway, but the adrenaline and elation wouldn't let him return just yet. Instead of the palace he dashed to his secret refuge, the hidden grotto. The place only he knew about, not even Ari knew where it was. He snuck inside through a clandestine entrance behind a boulder. Inside was a collection, odds and ends scavenged from sunken ships and secret spots connected to the human city.
Safe in his grotto Eijirou darted from place to place, unable to hold his excitement. The young man had been so courageous, handsome, and manly. Despite his obvious disadvantage he had been determined to fight. Unwilling to go quietly to his death. Eijirou wanted to know who he was, how he was. He wanted to know how one became so brave.
He's everything I'm not, he thought.
This single thought left him frozen. The happy feeling from before disappeared, replaced by a sickening feeling he usually tried to hide away. He swam to a sitting spot by a bronze statue of a knight holding a sword. Its surface was tinged green and slightly dented from its trip to the bottom of the sea. He traced the miniature bronze sword wondering, could he be that brave? Hadn't he hesitated when the men had struck the young man down?
Eijirou had been taught the basics of combat during his education. How to lead an army. The theory, the formations. He'd never been in any sort of conflict himself. And yet, he'd be expected to defend a whole kingdom. How could a monarch hope to do anything worthwhile when everything he knew came from books and boring lectures? His father, the king, even he had served as commander during the disaster, when the witch hag from the trench had attempted to usurp the throne. His father was strong. His grandfather who fought the war had been strong. And so had every king before them. Eijirou was nothing like them. He felt that inadequacy deep in his chest growing every time his father spoke of his inheritance.
He lifted the statue up to a light beam streaming from a window overhead. If he could become someone more like the young man on the shore, maybe he could be the man his father wanted him to be.
Eijirou placed the statue on a high shelf. He'd have time to think about this later. For now he needed to return to the palace and ready himself for the ball.
—
He was running late. His crown and other accessories had been found in the gatehouse and moved to his room. It had been a while before he tracked them down and gotten himself ready. Without a doubt his father had been informed. A stern glare from that grouchy face as he tried to sneak into the ballroom confirmed it.
The girls had already paraded into the center of the ballroom with their chosen partners. They glided beautifully in sync to the music of the octopus orchestra. He only caught a brief glimpse of his sister when his father placed an iron grip on his shoulder and guided him to a private room.
"You choose today to sneak away? On your sister's debut?" His father's voice boomed like the sound of a canon. Eijirou could hear the octopuses play louder as a result.
"I only meant to leave for a short breather. Time got away from me."
"That's not excuse. Don't think I don't know you went to look at the humans again."
"It's fine. I make sure they don't see me."
"Your infatuation with the surface world is bad enough. I expect you do at least that much." Eijirou drew back, his father was angry about more than just his being late.
"You were supposed to stay here," continued the king, "Tonight you were to meet the diplomats, charm their daughters. You have a responsibility."
"I know that. I only missed the ceremony. I can still do everything you want me to."
"You are missing the point, Eijirou. I haven't seen you once do anything without me having to tell you. When will measure up? How can I leave this kingdom to you when you obviously don't want to rise to the prestige of your lineage?"
Eijirou couldn't answer, he already knew he was a disappointment.
The silence served to only enrage his father further.
"Until you can prove to me that you are worthy my place on the throne, you are banished from this palace."
The situation was quickly becoming more than he could handle. "How? How can I prove something like that?"
"Bring me the trident, the one stolen from your grandfather years ago."
Eijirou looked incredulously at his father. "It's been missing a hundred years, how am I supposed to track something like that down?"
The king placed his hand on Eijirou's shoulder, and with a stern expression told him, "It's up to you to find your way."
—
At dawn, Eijirou left his palace home for a cavern somewhere beyond the shadowed seamounds. No one knew where the trident lay, not even the court wizard, but his sister shared rumors of a more powerful sorceress a day's swim away. Ari had wanted to gather more information, but their father insisted he leave at dawn. Eijirou was just happy he'd been given the night at home.
After a nearly a day, Eijirou had swum his way to the caverns beyond the seamounds, having learned the way from an old map Ari had given him. As the shadow of the caverned mounds loomed over him, he pulled a few stray sea urchins off of his hair, urging them back home.
He searched hours for any signs that a sorceress lived nearby. Night had already fallen when a young mermaid with messy buns suddenly swam up behind him.
"Are you looking for the sorceress?" Eijirou felt a cold spike run down his back. The girl's smile gave him a creeping feeling up and down his arms. He shook it off, it wouldn't due to judge others on their appearances.
"Well, yes? Is she here?"
She shook her head, "Gone. Off with the currents, looking for something in a faraway place."
This was bad timing. "Uh, well, do you know where? When she'll be back?"
The mermaid shook her head again. "She'll be gone a long while, that's all I can say."
Eijirou couldn't hide his disappointment. He had no way of retrieving the trident if he couldn't find a lead.
The girl floated closer, near enough for her mouth to hover close to his ear, "If you really need help, I can recommend someone else."
"Who?," asked Eijirou desperately, he was already so tired after a day of travel.
"The sea witch," she replied, "The one in the giant kelp forest beyond the reef."
"Oh," he said. A sea witch wasn't someone he wanted to meet. Sorcerers were a prestige class, witches were wicked.
"Oh, but why? She'll cast a charm, a tiny spell, and your problems are solved." The girl's smile widened to a grin, making Eijirou more apprehensive.
Still, he reasoned, there were few more powerful than witches. He'd only need to speak with her a short minute. She might only be misunderstood. After all, people spread false rumors all the time.
He made up his mind. "Alright, take me to her, um, please."
"Of course," said the mermaid, her eyes twinkling, "I like helping."
She quickly took him by the arm, eager to guide him.
The trip would have been confusing even if Eijirou had managed to convinced her to slow down. They took many turns and dives into hidden paths. He didn't think he could make his way back on his own. But they eventually reached a dark cavern covered in pale coral. He stalled at the entrance, his certainty wavering after noticing a scattering of unidentifiable bones decorating the exterior.
"Are you sure she's in?"
"Yes, she is for you, Prince."
"No, I'm not-"
She swam a circle around him, eerie smile still on her lips. "I know who you are. No need to be shy. I won't tell."
She rushed him forward, into the cavern entrance behind a cascade of luminescent seaweed.
Inside a woman's voice called out.
"Himiko, what did you drag in this time?"
Though he could swear the room felt slightly more tense, Himiko, kept an almost vacant smile on her face, betraying nothing. "Mistress Chitose, I brought someone special. A prince. "
Another mermaid appeared from behind a screen of assorted scales. She approached him, giving no consideration to his personal space. Her hair was long and pale, left to float loosely in the water, fluttering with her quick movements. While she examined him, he looked curiously back at her, at the unusual inverted coloring of her eyes.
Chitose finally backed away, pleased with her assessment. " My, a prince here . Please, sit down, I'm sure you have quite the story to tell."
Eijirou was ushered to a stone bench decorated with bits of glowing coral.
"Well, I'm on a quest. From the king."
"A quest. That's nostalgic. What are you doing on this quest?"
Himiko and Chitose were staring at him with full attention. He suddenly felt that this was a big mistake. But he couldn't leave now, they probably wouldn't let him. With the silence growing more awkward, he said the first thing that came to mind.
"I need to go to the surface...to live and learn amongst the humans."
Chitose touched a finger tip to her chin, eyes wide with excitement. "That is interesting. The king wants to send his only son, the crown prince, to walk among those 'savages.' And let me see, you want a bit of magic to help you blend in?"
Eijirou nodded.
"Lucky for you, I love a good story, and yours seems like it could be something big. Alright, Prince. I'll make a deal with you."
She took out a book, pages filled with writing Eijirou could not recognize.
"I can give you the appearance of a human. Legs, not so spiky hair, and of course human teeth ."
Eijirou nodded, not really listening, distracted by thoughts of outswimming Himiko.
Chitose could sense his disinterest. She sighed heavily. "Prince, I won't insist. I only want to offer my assistance." She raised her hands, as if to show she wasn't hiding anything. "I won't keep you. I have full confidence that you will find a way even without my help. I mean, if the future king can't fulfill one simple quest, there's no hope for us loyal subjects, isn't that so?"
Eijirou was stunned. The quest to visit the surface was a false one, but her statement was true. He was failing the kingdom just as he was failing to track the trident. His cowardice was holding him back. Maybe he could go somewhere new. Maybe learn from someone more admirable…
"Alright, I'll accept your help," he said, "But what do want in return? I haven't gold with me."
"That, my esteemed Prince, is not a problem. What I want, is your teeth."
"You want to remove my teeth ." Eijirou covered his mouth in horror. He couldn't imagine walking around with a collapsed jaw.
"Don't be so dramatic. You'll also be losing a tail, you know. My magic will give you human legs and a new set of human teeth. A freebie just for you. You wouldn't miss your old set at all."
"But why ?"
"I like interesting decor," replied Chitose, motioning towards a chandelier overhead made up of various shark teeth. "Don't you collect anything?"
"Well, yes. I guess so."
"Then you understand. What do you say? Will I be able to help you along with this quest?"
Eijirou thought back to the injured prince on the sand. He wanted to meet him, and make sure he was fine after the violent encounter on the shore.
"Yes, I'll accept your help."
"Fantastic!" Chitose clapped her hands. "Himiko, bring me the documents! We'll settle this now. Soon our Prince will be mingling with two-legged society."
Himiko brought out a scroll. He leaned in to read it, but Chitose snatched it away.
"Yes, let me see. I can't let you sign the wrong contract, of course. Himiko here is a little clumsy."
Himiko had already turned away, filling a quill with octopus ink.
"Okay, so this says you will be turned into a full human for a total of three days." She continued, "Fine with you?"
"Yes." A few days on land and hopefully he'd learn enough to return to his real quest.
"Now listen, this is important. After three days, during the sunset of your last day, you must walk back into the sea. Otherwise there might be some unpleasantness with your transformation, understood?"
Eijirou nodded, taking the quill from Himiko. He hesitated only a second before signing his name.
Chitose grinned slyly. "Now, you stay right there."
Chitose swam over to a stone pedestal, on top of which was a large crystal bowl. A bright green light swirled inside. She raised her arms over her head and began her chant, "Come winds of the Caspian Sea…"
Eijirou couldn't hear the rest, a crackling sound was drowning out her voice. He was soon engulfed in a swirl of purple and green light. Through it he could almost make out Himiko's unnerving smile before everything turned completely black.