A Tail of Two Lovers
By: Elizabeth Backell and Joshua McDowell.
One day the mightiest prince of the Mere-people was out on his daily routine to check the perimeter of his Father's Kingdom. While he is on his routine with the normal amount of guards following on his father's orders, Sephyron Lyrcho is the only born and beloved prince in Aquatopia. Sephyron is 7 1/2 feet tall from the crown of his head to the tip of his tail, and he is built like a great white shark from the waist down. From the waist up, he'd be built more like a polar bear. Minus the fur. Well... most of it. However with the face of a human. But with slightly more angular features and slightly pointy ears. And with the cutest puppy-dog eyes and wolfish grin he would cause all of the mermaids to swoon, which is why he hardly smiled at all. However, at a very young age his mother, the fairest queen in Aquatopia, told him that his smile was a dangerous weapon and should be used on those who can resist the pure beauty and shine of it. Like herself and his father.
While he was out on the routine, he ventured up near the surface father than his dad would let him. Breaking the surface Sephyron saw the most beautiful land princess ever. Her name was Nephyria. Far more beautiful then the fairest mermaid. With hair that flowed like the water but looked like it was made of pure gold. From where Sephyron was, he could see how beautiful her eyes were. Blue as the Pacific Ocean during a hurricane and as radiant as the wind driven snow.
But Sephyron didn't know Nephyria was a princess, he just thought she was a peasant girl who just caught a salmon from over the edge of the Glacier. Looking up Nephyria saw Sephyron thinking he was a polar bear, until Sephyron smiled. Having the eyes of amber, that smiled startled Nephyria. Gasping she asked, "Who are you?" with a shaky voice from the sudden fear. Barely understanding what Nephyria said, but saw her lips move as if she was asking a question. "I am Sephyron Lyrcho. Prince of Aquatopia." Sephyron said with no fear and flashing his smile. Expecting Nephyria to swoon, all she did was flash her brilliant smile that shone brighter than the brightest pearl in the kingdom. But only after a few moments both faint from the sight of each other smiles.
After waking up in her room, Nephyria asks herself "What was that creature? How did I get back to the palace?" Saying the second out loud, Bilka, Nephyria's trusted friend and loyal handmaiden, replies, "I came to see if you needed help with bringing the fish back and say you were unconscious and rushed to bet you before you fell into the water.""Thank you my friend.: Nephyria says as she climbs out of bed. "Please help me get into better clothes. I still need to help the northern half of the town. As well as see my aunt." "Why your aunt?" Bilka asked. I just want to see her Bilka. I also have some questions only she could answer. I think." Nephyria explains. "Yes my lady." Bilka responds.
After Nephyria and Bilka were dressed in parkas, they left palace and went to the north side of the town. "It's the princess!" the blacksmith cried out when he say the girls. All who heard him ran out to them to greet the princess. "Your highness, thank you for coming to this side of town." The blacksmiths wife said. "I promised I would come didn't I? And I am sorry I cam so late. There was a mishap earlier." Nephyria explained. "That's fine. Things happen." The blacksmith's wife said. Nephyria smiled and went to each house and asked if that family needed anything. Many said no but were honored that she would ask and care about them. A few said yes and said it was mostly food they needed. Nephyria told them that she will take care of it. A couple families said that they needed medicine for a sick member. "I'll send the healer over here and I'll bring a gift for them as well." Nephyria said. "Thank you princess." Came the reply from so many.
After Nephyria finished her rounds she went to her aunt Reychna to look for some answers. "Auntie! Auntie Reychna? I have some questions that you might be able to answer." Nephyria called out when she got to her aunts home. "Yes child?" Reychna asked. Nephyria went over to her aunt and gave Reychna a hug. "First of all, I have missed you auntie. Second of all, may I read your scrolls about sea creatures?" Nephyria said. Reychna giving Nephyria a hug back said "Yes dear one. But why them?" Nephyria explained that while she was fishing for the Thatchers she must have dreamed she saw that she saw a unique sea creature. "That is why I want to research them auntie." "Alright my dear. Yngmar please bring the sea creature scrolls!" "Yes mother." Yngmar brings the scrolls and lays them at Nephyria's feet. "That's all of the scrolls cousin." Thank you cousin. Auntie. May I take these home with me, so I can do a deeper research?" Nephyria asked. "Yes my niece." Reychna said. Getting up, Nephyria gave Reychna one last hug before leaving. Sticking her head out of the door, Nephyria calls to Bilka. "Bilka! Please come help me so we can go home. I need help taking these scrolls with me." "Coming my lady." Bilka replies.
Meanwhile Sephyron woke to find himself back in bed. "Drek Come here please!" Sephyron calls. "Yes my lord?" "How did I get back here?" Sephyron asked. Drek was hesitant to tell his lord and friend what had happened. But he did anyway. "Well... I found you floating near the surface close by where the humans live and there was a human about to grab you and take you from us. So I swam up to you and pulled you deeper down in to the water and back here." "Drek, was the human female?" Sephyron asked to which Drek answered. "I believe so." "She was beautiful." Sephyron thought. "Your highness. You are daydreaming again." Drek said. "Sorry my friend. I just can't stop thinking about this one girl I met." Sephyron said. Just as soon as he said that, by some weird magic, his mother came in the room and said, "You met a girl and can't stop thinking about her?" Queen Aeverette exclaimed. "Mother. I told you no more listening at my door." Sephyron said. "Fine son. But your father and I do need to talk to you about that soon." The queen said as she left Sephyron's room. Time for my princely duties. "Sigh." Sephyron wasn't ready for the day when all he wanted was to think of his beauty.
"Drek, I have to see her again. This is driving me crazy. I can't get her out of my head! Please help me get her to meet me once again?" Sephyron said while he was going over the school work his tutor gave him. "What am I to do sire? I don't know how to get a human to follow me." Drek said and he did bring up a good point. "You're right. It's nearly impossible to get someone like her to follow a healthy fine specimen of your stature. But she would follow a hurt creature. Now, where can I find someone who is willing to do just that near her room at night and draw her out? Drek?" Sephyron schemed. "I can't think of any one who wou... You mean me Sephyron? Please Sephyron no. I remember the last time we did one of your schemes and I ended up with a broken fin!" Drek told the mighty prince. "Oh come on! Nothing will cause you any physical harm. Just swim close to the shore and splash around like you are stuck. But before so, find out where her room is." Sephyron begged his dear friend. "Fine. I'll go and find out where her room is. Just please don't tell any one. There is this really cute seal that I hope to talk to one day." "Don't worry. I won't say a thing Drek."
Later that night, Drek found the window to Nephyria's bedroom and started to make noises as if he was injured. Upon hearing those noises Nephyria ran out in her nightgown, for she was about to fall asleep from planning on talking to her parents tomorrow and give them a request for seeking out the strange creature she found yesterday. Rushing out of her room and down to the water front where the injured creature was. Reaching the water front, Nephyria found this hybrid creature to close to the shore for him to get home safely. Bending down to the little thing and speaking in a soft voice, "Shhhh. It's alright. I'll help you get home little one. It's alright." Slowly extending her hand to the creature to let it sniff her and know that she's ok. After sniffing her hand and relaxed a little, Nephyria got up slowly and left to get her kayak. Dragging it behind her and carefully placed Drek in her kayak and got in as well to take him to deeper waters all the while speaking softly. "It's ok. Everything is safe now. I'm bringing to deeper waters." Once Nephyria did reach deep waters she slowly reached for Drek and gently grabbed him and placed him back into the water. Drek called out once he got into the water, "She's here! Hurry she's about to leave!" Upon hearing that she will be leaving soon, Sephyron swam up to the to the surface of the water and popped up his head and made sure that his upper half torso is seen. Unintentionally showing off his massive pecs and let the on coming princess that he is strong and worthy of her.
After placing the hybrid Nephyria turned to head back home. Once hearing the sound of something breaking the surface of the water, she turns around looking for the source. Turning to her left, she sees Sephyron and jumps at the sight of a powerful creature such as he. With more confidence then the last time, Nephyria asks, "Who are you?" Sephyron tilting his head because he doesn't understand since the Eskimo language is something he doesn't know and none in his kingdom knows the language. So trying to know what she said he swims closer to her little kayak and sees what she is saying by reading her lips.
Over the years, many landpeople ships have crashed and sunken in Sephyron father's kingdom and Sephyron has learned to read the language of Eskimo but none in his kingdom knows how to speak it. Only read it, since Sephyron is a prince, the family's most trusted friend and keeper of the lore taught Sephyron how to write Eskimo as well but that was many many years ago when Sephyron was still a guppie. Upon seeing Nephyria ask who he was Sephyron swims over to a iceberg. Turning around and seeing that she isn't following him, Sephyron swims back to her points at her and him and then to the iceberg. Nephyria is confused at first but after Sephyron repeats his actions of pointing at her, him and lastly the iceberg Nephyria understand what he wishes for her to do. Nephyria paddles over to the iceberg sort of chasing after Sephyron.
Once reaching the iceberg, Sephyron hopped onto the iceberg and Nephyria carefully climbed out of her kayak and sat next to Sephyron. Sephyron wrote in the snow who he was and asked who she was. Finding that he could write Eskimo, Nephyria wrote who she was. When finding out that she was a princess, Sephyron fell in love even more. He had to refrain himself from asking her hand in marriage once finding out that she was a princess. It was some time of them talking like this, writing in the snow and and slightly flirting on the princess's behalf, it was hours before they realized how tired they were and she wrote "I must be heading back to my home now. I would like to see you again like this. In two nights from now perhaps?" Sephyron writes back, "Yes Princess. What ever you wish. Would it be to bod of I to ask for a kiss farewell?" Once reading it, Nephyria blushes bright pink. Pinker than her cheeks already are from the cold. Nephyria writes back saying that it would be wrong to kiss since they just started getting to understand and know the each other. "I would personally like it. But we mustn't. If we continue with a relationship, maybe so my dear prince. I shall see you in two nights." Standing up and walking over to her little kayak and paddles away turning back to look at the merman, she blows him a kiss and paddles her way home.
Once they both reach back home, it's about 2 in the morning. After what seems to be hours longer, the mighty merprince wakes up at the sound of hes best friend entering his room. "Well how did it go? Did she like you?" Drek asks once he finds out the prince has woken up. Going over last nights adventures and conversation with the land princess, Sephyron just can't wait to for one more night to talk with her. He desperately wants to be with her for the rest of his life and he merely presumes that she wishes the same. All though out the day, Sephyron could only think about was Nephyria and how beautiful she is. The whole day was moving so slow for Sephyron that the only way to make it seem to go by faster was just thinking of her. The king and queen noticed Sephyron's new behavior and wanted to talk to him about it and see what is the matter, but that day was just too busy for all three of them. Sephyron was busy in school, yes is a merpirnce but he still had a lot to learn about the kingdom he will inherit. The king was with his subjects dealing with issues that they have a hard time resolving on their own, the queen was with her husband and helping. Calling one of the guards over, the king asked if he could get Sephyron so he may sit in and learn about dealing with the merfolk in the kingdom and how to resolve issues.
Hey yall. I'm brand new to the story making stuff. And a second year college student. I'm apologizing now for the lack of updating, I'm collaborating this story with my boyfriend and it's taking some time to get all of the rough edges smoothed out as well as over coming writers block. I hope you enjoyed the story.
