The Little Mermaid: My Side of the Story
Author's Note: I wrote this story for English class. This is very much based off of the fairy tale written by Hans Christian Anderson with a few twists. Some things I wrote are not mentioned in the original story. It is AU.
How was I supposed to know what she truly was? In my defense, I found her on the beach without a voice. How was I supposed to know about the trade? I'm a prince for God's sake, not a mind reader! How was I supposed to know how much she loved me? I loved her so much and I was a fool for what I did to her, but it wasn't my fault, I swear. I would trade my soul for hers if I could. An immortal soul and her one true love, is that so much to ask for?
It was nearly impossible to not love her. She was beyond beautiful. She was so beautiful that I could hardly believe that a creature such as herself could even be allowed to walk the earth. Her skin was as soft and tender as a rose petal and her eyes were as blue as the deep sea. I remember looking into those eyes every night and though she couldn't speak, I could tell she was kind and generous. They were full of love and happiness, even though it always looked like she was hiding some sort of pain.
Her actions spoke louder than words. She would always sit by the palace garden and tend to the flowers. Her petite hands brought life back to welted flowers and the lively flowers were spoiled by her touch. I remember her favorite flowers were the red lilies. She used to pluck a lily or two every so often and she would adorn the lilies in her hair. The flowers were so adventurous and curious, just like her.
Even the smallest of creatures loved her. Birds and fish would come up to her and would eat out of the palm of her hand. It was a remarkable sight to watch. When we'd visit the forest, all the deer, rabbits, and squirrels would rush to her side and compete for her undivided attention; although, she loved all the woodland creatures the same and gave each animal the same amount of love and attention.
I'm getting ahead of myself here. You don't even know what happened or who I'm talking about. If you do this is my side of the story. For the most part, the tale that has been told many times is true. However, there are few things that have "mysteriously" forgotten to be mentioned. This is the story of how I found a beautiful, young maiden on the beach. This is the story of how I found and fell in love with my little mermaid.
It all started on my sixteenth birthday. My parents had thrown a huge party in honor of the milestone. We took the ship my parents had given to me out to sea along with a couple hundred of our closest friends. The night was spent singing and dancing. We even set off colorful fireworks that dazed the clear, midnight sky. The atmosphere of sea was calming and it balanced the rowdiness that we were creating. It was in good fun, though. Everything was perfect and it seemed that it was going to be the best birthday bash of the century. My assumption couldn't have been any worse.
The night had rolled on and it was getting to be rather late, however we paid no heed. All of a sudden, the sea began to rumble. The waves rose high up into the air and nearly touched the sky. Lightning crashed in the distance, thunder boomed loudly, and great storm clouds gathered. We set sail, but it was too late. The storm was terrible. It gave us no mercy. All of us were in mortal peril.
An angry wave towered against us like a black mountain and plunged into the ship. Then another wave came and another and another. There seemed no end in sight. Every man was out for himself. Darkness overcame the ship and the only time where you could see any of the other frantic passengers was when the lightening struck. After tumbling through the storm, the great ship broke into two and the waves brought me down into the sea.
I kicked and paddled as hard as I could, but the current was too strong. Every time my head rose above the water, a wave would furiously push it down again. I was trapped and I began to tire. It was hard and at that point I welcomed death. I let the waves take me and I shut my eyes. All I remember after that was having a floating sensation. My head seemed to stay above the water and my body seemed to roll with the waves. I thought I was dead.
While I was asleep, I began to dream. As the waves died down and soon lulled my limp body, I felt a pair of lips touch my forehead. They were soft and warm. The kiss was tender and sweet. The owner of the lips then began to stroke my hair. It was a gentle touch and was anything but romantic. It felt as if that person was trying to coax me to the land of the living. The lips once again graced my forehead and soon my body washed away from the sea. I finally saw a beautiful women singing softly to me, though I could not understand her. It all went black after that.
I soon awoke to the sound of church bells ringing near me. When I opened my eyes, I realized I was on a beach. My body was sprawled across the white sand and the sun became a cushioning pillow for my face. A girl from the church was sitting beside me and she soon called over some of the other girls. I gave them a smile and they gently led me to the church.
The building was beautiful. It was made of white marble and the garden surrounding it contained the most wonderful trees full of oranges and lemons. From the distance the whole village seemed marvelous. There was mountain topped with snow, there were large cliffs dangling over the sea, and the people in the streets laughed as if they had no care in the world. At the time I barely noticed. All I cared about was that I was alive and from that point on, I declared that I was going to marry the girl who had saved my life.
I had no major injuries which were a blessing in itself, but when I left the small village to return home, I felt empty. I didn't why though. Maybe it was because I hadn't found or remembered the girl who had saved me. Maybe it was because I just had the worst birthday of my life. Maybe it was because my ship was destroyed. I didn't know.
When I returned home, there was a huge celebration. For weeks, no one had known where I was or if I was alive. Most assumed that I had been taken by the sea and was never going to be returned again. There were few that had believed that I had lived. It seemed unlikely though since most figured that I would have appeared within the first couple of days.
I had found out that only fifty of my party guests had survived, my sister was not part of that group. To say I was shocked was an understatement. I didn't know how I was going to make it. I was only sixteen years old and I had lost one of the most important people in my life. She always knew how to cheer me up when I was sad and her beauty always kept the palace a warm and inviting place to live. For weeks, my poor parents had to grieve for the death of his daughter and the uncertain outcome of his only son. I couldn't imagine what they were going through.
In order to get away from the chaos of the world, I began to sit alone in the darkness of the night and just think. Memories of my sister would flood my head and I would cry to myself every once in a while. Soon, I began taking a small ship out to the sea. I would have my sister's favorite music playing and while I was out there I would think about how my sister was looking up at me from the sea. To know such a gorgeous creature as the sea had taken my mother made me angry and peaceful at the same time. She had always told me that when she moved on into another life that she hoped the sea would take her. I never thought it would happen as soon as it did or as violently as it did.
A year had passed since my sister's death. I decided to get up early that morning and honor her memory. I was going to set sail and give my sister the flowers that would have lain on her grave. The sun had just risen when I saw her lying on the beach. She was completely nude and she used her long, flowing hair to cover herself.
"Who are you?" I asked the fair maiden. "Where do you come from?"
But she gave no answer. The maiden looked at me with sad eyes and I knew in that moment she could not speak. My chest began to swell as I realized that there was something familiar about her. She resembled the lovely maiden who had saved me. But it couldn't be possible. That girl had the most beautiful voice, while this girl had none. The feeling of hope soon faded and left me with disappointment.
What was I to do with the girl? I couldn't leave her there. She was alone and helpless. Who knows what horrors she could have faced? I had gone through the same thing she had only a year ago. It was only right that I do to her what others had done to me.
I helped the maiden rise to her feet and we began walking back to the palace. Her grace and gliding walk astounded me. She moved as lightly as a bubble as she walked beside me. I couldn't believe that someone who had just washed ashore could have as much grace and poise as her. Villagers stared at her in awe and marveled at her ability.
When we arrived at the palace, the slaves provided her with clothing made of rich silk and muslin garments. The maiden was the loveliest person in the palace, not even our most beautiful slave did not compare. There was something about her. It was her eyes, her form, and her grace made her something special. She was also the most wonderful dancer that I have ever laid my eyes one. Each movement set off her set off her beauty and her eyes spoke more directly to my heart than any voice could.
She charmed everyone, including me. I began calling her my dear little foundling. She seemed very fond of the name. I told her that I would always keep her with me and she would have a velvet pillow to sleep on the outside of my door. She was absolutely thrilled when I told her that. The fair maiden loved me just as much as I loved her.
We began to spend more time together. The two of us would ride horses in the sweet scented woods where the birds would sing for us in the leaves. We would climb mountains so high that the clouds were beneath us. She was always so much fun. We would play silly, childish games that I haven't played in years. My little foundling was almost identical to my sister, except something was different about her. I had fallen in love with her, despite what the story says.
They said I loved her as a child, which would be gross since I would think about her night and day. Besides, we were about the same age. I also did think about making her my Queen, there was only one problem. I was still looking for the girl who had saved me that day. I thought it couldn't have been her. After all, the girl who saved me had the most beautiful singing voice and my little foundling had none.
Each day her eyes seemed to ask if I loved her and each day I told her I did. I told her she was the kindest person I had ever met and she looked similar to one of the church girls on the beach that day. I saw her twice, but I knew she had saved. She must have. When I told my little foundling about how I planned to marry that girl, a look of distress came into her eyes and I started to question whether or not I was doing the right thing.
As time went by, the girl who saved me never appeared. It seemed like she was a guardian angel who would never once again show her face. I also began to fall deeper and deeper in love with my little foundling. Everything about her I found cute; the way she sneezed, the way her hair frizzed in the morning, and I even found her morning breath appealing.
I began to realize, maybe I didn't need to marry that girl. Maybe I could marry my little foundling. My little foundling did look like the girl who had saved me. She would have made an excellent queen too. Her beauty alone could have stopped any future wars. I knew that she would be great with children and would want to bring a few royal heirs into the throne. We'd be the perfect family. It sounded great inside my heart, but my head told me something different.
How could I marry a girl who couldn't even talk? She couldn't read or write. For all I know, she didn't even have a name. If I married her and died, she would be the one to take the throne. You need to be able to talk in order to communicate to the entire kingdom. Plus, she knew nothing about how to be a royal or I thought she didn't anyway. There wouldn't be enough time to teach how to walk, talk, and act like a royal before the wedding.
I made the mistake of telling my parents about my feelings. They said they understood my position and wanted to help. Their version of helping was forcing me to visit another kingdom where a beautiful princess was waiting for a prince to wed. My parents said that it would do well for both kingdoms if I married this girl. They told me that my feeling for my little foundling would fade and I would love this princess from the moment I saw her. However, if I didn't love this girl, my parents said I did not need to bring her home with me. I knew that they wanted me to though. I really did not want to go on this trip.
On the drive there, my little foundling and I were sitting in the back of the carriage talking. I told her not worry. I was only visiting the princess on my parents' wishes and that I could never love her. I then looked into my little foundling's eyes and told her I would rather marry her than the princess.
It all happened so quickly. I leaned over and kissed her on the lips. There was so much passion into that kiss. Her lips were soft and warm. It felt right kissing her and it also familiar. I felt like I had touched those lips before, but it seemed impossible. We broke apart and I laid my head upon her chest and I began to play with her hair. She seemed at peace and I knew by choosing to marry my little foundling was the right one.
After we exited the carriage, we were going to take a large ship to the kingdom. After finding her washed ashore, I thought that she would have been terrified of the sea. I was wrong. She loved it more than life itself. The splash of waves and the sounds of the sea creature exhilarated her. I've never seen her so alive and happy. I soon started telling about some of the stories of the cruel storms the sea had mustered. She just smiled at them, as if knowing all about them.
The night on the ship came and passed. We were now on the shore of the unknown kingdom. The city in which the king lived was beautiful. All the church bells chimed and the trumpets sounded from all the high towers. Soldiers lined the streets holding beautiful banners made of silk and gold. Every member of the kingdom seemed to be out that day, except the princess. She was at a sacred temple learning all the ways of royalty, but at last she came.
She was beautiful. Her figure was exquisite and her skin was light and fair. Her hair was long and dark. Despite her beauty, something wasn't right about her. She felt wrong. Something felt different about her, like she wasn't human. It felt like she was from another world, a bad world. But that all changed when I looked into her eyes. The gaze of her blue eyes did something strange. It felt as if my mind had been taken over by another force and I no longer had any control.
"It is you!" I cried. "You are the one who saved me on the beach." I clutched the princess in my arms. "My dream has come true, my little foundling. I have found the one."
The church bells rang to announce the wedding. All had been set up, as if expecting me to choose her. I stood at the alter and watched my bride walked down the aisle. My little foundling carried the bride's train though I did not notice. It seemed like I could focus on was her. I didn't really have any choice on the matter. In fact, I had nothing inside my head but her. It was like all my memories had been washed away.
Soon we were wed, and set aboard a ship that her father had crafted for us. On the deck, royal pavilion of purple and gold was set up, and furnished with luxurious cushions. That was where we were going to sleep that clear, calm night. The ship glided out of the dock and soon we were floating gently on the water. Everyone on the ship danced and cheered for our joy, well her joy. The only one who was not enjoying herself was my little foundling. Her face was saddened all night long, though she never cried. It was almost as if she couldn't cry.
Early in the morn as I lay asleep in bed, I heard a creak in the room. Due to my little sleep, I did not open my eyes. I soon felt a kiss upon my forehead from the soft and warm lips I had loved. Then, it seemed it that kiss I regained all the control my mind had lost. I began to panic and fret. What had I done? I didn't love this girl. I didn't want to marry this girl, yet I was. I wanted to marry my little foundling, yet I couldn't. If I could just talk to my little foundling, I could change everything. We would run away together and….
But it was too late. Just as I opened my eyes, I saw the love of my life threw herself over the bulwarks into the sea. I ran to the edge of the deck, hoping that I could save her in time, but I found no sign of her. All that was visible was sea foam. It wasn't possible. She couldn't be dead. As I jumped from the ship, I saw my bride watching me from the boat. She had a smile the devil would be proud of and a look that could kill.
The current took me under and I fell into the sea. I sunk further and further into the water, until I reached a wonderful kingdom. It was the kingdom of the merpeople. There I was met by an elderly woman, five bald sisters, and the king. The seven of them had a look of grieving upon their faces. The king held a bloodless knife. The white hair of the old woman was falling out. The sisters were in total distraught.
I wanted to help the family, but I couldn't move. I no longer had any control of my limbs. I couldn't move my hands, open my lips, or close my eyes. All my functions had been lost in the sea. All I could do was laid in the sand and watch the poor family suffer with their loss. I wished I had known what they were sad about and as if they read my mind they started to speak.
They began to tell me a story of a young mermaid only wanting an immortal soul of a human and the love of her life. The mermaid had saved a prince one night and fell in love with him the moment she laid eyes on him. They could not be together though. His soul was immortal and her soul wasn't. In order to gain her immortal soul, she had to marry a human who loved her more than his father and her mother. But in order to get a human to love her, she had to become a human.
She decided to make a trade with the sea witch. The young mermaid would give the witch her voice in exchange for legs. She would be the most graceful human, but it was going to feel like she was walking on glass. She didn't mind and was willing to take the deal. However, there was a problem. If the man she loved did not marry her, then the day after he wed she would turn into sea foam. Also, after turning into a human, she could never return to her true form.
The mermaid got her wish to be human and even met up with her true love. Both seemed rather content and in love, however the plans went astray. The prince had decided to marry another girl. The day of the wedding, the sisters had gone to the sea witch. In exchange for their beautiful hair, the sea witch gave them a knife. If the mermaid plunged the knife into the prince and let his blood soak her feet, then she would turn into a mermaid and live the rest of her days as such. The sisters gave the knife to the mermaid, but she realized she couldn't kill the man that she loved. She threw the knife into the sea and soon turned to foam.
I knew immediately who they were talking about and I regretted what I had done. Though I was in no control at the time, I felt responsible for their loss and mine. My heart cracked in two as I heard the struggles my little foundling had gone through for me. After all that trouble, she only got her heart broken and her true love taken away. Life seemed cruel to her. I longed to see her now, but it was too late. My soul began to rise out of my body, out of the sea, and high up into the heavens. I never saw her family or my little mermaid again.
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