Disclaimer:I don't own any fairytales, including any that I have drawn inspiration from in this story.
Under The Ice
Chapter 1: Awakening
Once upon a time, in a land made of ice and stone there lived a young King whose heart was colder than the icy frostbitten grounds surrounding his palace. Day in and day out he lived only for more and more greed to acquire for his own devious purposes – though only little of it was used in aiding his people.
He smuggled, bribed, demanded, threatened and bullied the Ruling Court, of which he was the Master, to do as he pleased. He was never satisfied, his hands always open to seize more and more from the cities on the mainland and tribes of the surrounding mountains.
The king's name was Tybalt.
He paid no heed to the fact his people suffered from famine and a disease call Malifluous, which killed thousands every year; instead he grew crueler as the years passed. His parents had both died young, succumbing to the terrible cold winds which covered all of the land. Tybalt, as their only heir had become King as the tender age of 17.
He cared naught for the fact that other neighboring countries despised his politics and stayed as far away from his land, called Irious - an island not far from the mainland - lest his deplorable methods of trading and money laundering robbed them of their wealth.
As the years passed Tybalt used methods which made some rethink his sense of humanity, forcing millions to become slaves and cultivate Irious's only export, ferlich. Ferlich was a type of rock which could be mined deep in the ice caves north of the capital, where Tybalt lived. It was a city named after his father - Ricolous.
And so for three long years Tybalt lived in this way, growing older, colder…smarter. He grew overconfident and began playing a dangerous game of provoking his enemies, namely, the mountain tribes who protested his actions, to turn against each other. This effectively caused all his opposition to cave in on themselves, leaving him to laugh chillingly at their primal gullibility.
(Tybalt's idea of fun.)
Flander flicked her long, silver tail impatiently as she waited outside of Korral's shell. The almost murky-black water, as usual, froze her fins to the point of numbness, and she automatically swum-paced around the shell to dispel the first tendrils of Aquabite. Despite her edginess, she found herself observing the way her fins followed her long body around, flicking effortlessly around her flesh in several, too quick flashes of silver.
Fins she would soon no longer posses.
Flander twitched her heard to dispel the disconcerting thought into the depths of her mind; one problem at a time. Again, she knocked on the silent, pale blue shell, and then resumed her pacing. Moodily, she used her fins to create a strong ripple of water towards an inquisitive seahorse creeping through the reeds near the glimmering shell, offending it so much that it gave a very loud, indignant squeak before hastily speeding away.
She hoped very much that Korral was home; she dreading thinking that he somehow blamed her for the Trident's choice, and was choosing to avoid her as a result. She tried to convince herself that she was overreacting - everyoneknew the rule: protect the waters first, from foe and folly. Everything else came second. With this knowledge, Flander managed to convince herself that it really wasn't her fault. Minutes passed, and she let out a scream of annoyance, completely losing her patience with the mute shell.
'Korral! I know you're inside! Please, don't embarrass me like this. Come out, talk to me. I shouldn't have to comfort you...you should be comforting me, silly.' She said, her voice betraying her amusement. She knew she was goading him – he was one person whose loyalty the Goddess of Sea she did not have to doubt.
'I'm quite alright, thanks.' His irritated voice came out muffled and distorted from the depths of the shell. Flander smiled sadly and perched on the top of the pearly white shell. 'Then stop moping and come out. I have to see you. I need you, and there isn't much time left, you know.'
In a movement too quick even for her, the clam-like shell flipped open and she toppled over into the soft sand with a squeal of surprise. Haughtily pulling herself up, she glared at the young merman in front of her, her hands firmly on her hips.
'You did that on purpose.' She accused, smoothing back her slightly rippling russet tresses.
He looked at her with some amusement, but his eyes were full of some emotion she couldn't name and without any warning; she felt an overpowering surge of affection for the almost merboy-like merman before her. As usual, she was unable to contain her emotions and with another effortless flick, Flander propelled herself into Korral's waiting arms. It was a long time before either one of them relinquished their hold on each other, but finally, Flander regretfully pulled away, gazing into his eyes. She didn't need to say anything…there was no need to speak – they understood each other perfectly.
Though Flander's older sister, Shani, thought the color of Korral's eyes resembled clumps of seaweed, Flander privately thought they glowed like emeralds from shipwrecks, especially when they saw her.
Right now, however, they were anguished and dark. 'I'll miss you.' He whispered, holding her close.
'It's a good thing I haven't become too attached.' She joked feebly, trying to cheer him up. It was hard to be truly depressed. The Wakening had chosen her, of all merpeople, to break free of the waters and venture to the world beyond. She liked to think that she liked Korral very much, but even the thought of leaving him and the black cold water which was her home behind didn't diminish her elation at being singled out for such an honor.
'So…you will become our Sole Ambassador, I trust?' He asked, his lips tightening. Flander thought she knew why – King Tybalt, whom she would be assisting in all matters of Mer, had quite a despicable reputation – and for the past 10 years, only one ambassador between the two worlds had been requested. She had recently Mated with a Human Man – Flander shuddered – and wanted to start a family. Thus, the King had requested (more like demanded) a new Ambassador to join his court.
'You know, I'm sure the Voltures are exaggerating, as usual,' she said brightly. She did not only say this to assuage his pain, but because she truly believed so. The Voltures, the solitary link to the humans, were large, overgrown birds, bred solely for this purpose. They were not well suited to the cold, harsh climates of the land, and as a result were resentful, bitter creatures, eternally fantasizing of warmer, drier lands.
They were employed by the King and his Court because of their reliability and intelligence, but were known to detest their merciless captors with a deeply ingrained grudge. However, with the merfolk, they were cordial – they told them much of the news above seas, especially the state of the land and its people. Of late, they had reported a definite worsening of conditions, if that was even possible; the people were more miserable, desperate than before, and lived in a state of bleak obedience to the king. It really didn't matter whether Flander was above the sea or under it; the situation was deplorable everywhere, and Korral knew it. It really wasn't surprising the merfolk and the Vultures got along so well, Flander mused – both creatures had a streak of wildness in their nature, both had a common enemy, and both hated the cruel, harsh, eternal winter oppressing the land.
Flander and Korral spent the remainder of the long night together, enjoying the togetherness for one last night. They did not worry too much about the future, about tomorrow…they knew it was their last night together, and simply enjoyed the moment, ignoring the streak of sadness underneath the smiles on each others faces.
Morning came many hours too soon – and what a fitting morning it was for a young mermaid to first break the surface of the ocean as a human! – all bright gold and pink streaks of light, gently lighting up the motes of sand in the water, dully at first, but then brighter and brighter until the entire land of Mer was alight in glowing light. Such a dawn hadn't touched the waters for quite a while, and the merpeople rejoiced.
Inside the pale blue shell, a pair of friends – perhaps, could've been lovers with time – said their goodbyes. Flander tried to say something, but he pressed a finger to her lips, and she finally smiled – he didn't need her to say a word….they simply knew what each other was feeling, what was unsaid, what could been. But he would survive, of that Flander was sure; merman were fickle by nature, and fell in love many time before finding their true mate, and Korral was no different. It was his friendship she would miss the most, but suspected that with time their love as friends might have blossomed into more. She forced herself not to focus on what might have been, content in the knowledge that she would always have one true friend here.
Gently ruffling his mahogany hair, she kissed his eyes, then forehead, and lastly, a light peck to his blue lips for the last time. His pale face shone with regret and sorrow, reflecting everything she had come to know and love – he was her comfort, her anchor. But every mermaid knew that the Awakening was not to be stopped just like the tide, and every three years when one was chosen, the entire underwater city supported their young ones as they embarked on a new kind of journey – above land, a place historically loved by merfolk almost as much as the sea.
Flander floated out of the shell and with one last glance back at Korral she slipped away to give herself up to the mercies of the world of Humans.
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