Once, during the great age of exploration, there was one voyager named Arthur Kirkland, who had been sent away from the London ports due to a plague. He lived in a town that was miles from any cobblestone road, or any ports. He did live near the ocean though, and that made him happy enough. Each day that passed Arthur heard only of the death tolls and bad politics and he found he did not want to hear any of it. Arthur was desperate to voyage again, and jointed a fleet of whalers, out hunting pilot whales.
The day the boat was caught in a bad storm, was the day that Arthur was not on board. He waited for the return, but the crew never did come back. Arthur wished to be out on the sea, the only thing that seemed to give him happiness. He stayed in the village for a long time, he lost interest in talking with others. He lost interest in seeing his family, or any other nation. He had held on to the secret of being a nation for a long time, and was not permitted to speak of it to anyone. He felt out-casted, and often returned to long walks on the shore when he had time away from any work.
One day when Arthur was walking the shoreline, he found a young fairy tangled in the weeds on the cliff-side. He freed her, and the fairy would often accompany him, and talk to him, but it would return to forest and he would be alone again. Often he found himself just walking and walking with no direction until he was tired. On a spring morning, Arthur found a few children poking at a beached whale. The teased at it, and the whale was young, only a child, flopped on its back and struggling to get back in the water.
"Stop it!" Arthur shouted, "Stop!" he ran over and tried to push the kids away. They just giggled and poked some more, but seeing the anger Arthur carried they quickly ran off, still holding twigs and branches. Arthur sighed to himself, looking over the animal, it would require some sort of magic, or a miracle to push it by himself. However he did not wish to call for help, so he simply began to work little by little, splashing water on the whale, and digging a trench so the water could surge in. At one point the whale began to turn onto its stomach, and thrashed as Arthur came close. Arthur tried to calm it but to no avail. As soon as he was about to give up, he started to hear a sudden ringing noise. A melodious noise, that sounded like music and song. The whale began to relax, and with one heave, rolled on its stomach. Arthur waited for the tide to surge, and within an hour, the whale wiggled its way back into the ocean, and swam off.
Arthur was again alone. He sighed to himself, but now, he had a different thought, as to where such beautiful music would come from. Something so calming, and mesmerising. Every day he rowed out on a small boat, just to be in the ocean, examining the water, and looking for the voice. Those days were busy and he often would fish or hang nets out for cod fish, trying to make some money. Every day was spent working, eating, sleeping and working again. And Arthur felt as if all the happiness had left him. On a long day of cod fishing, Arthur fell asleep, and drifting in the ocean with the boat. When he awoke he was disgruntled to find the village harbour was very far away, he could only see the mountain ranges.
"Arthur." came a soothing voice. "Are you Arthur?"
Arthur spun around and was greeted by a face of a man. He yelped and leaned back in his boat. Beside him a young man swam in the water, his head poking out in the surface. His ears were oddly elongated like a fishes fin, and coloured white with orange-black speckles. His skin was milk white and his eyes were dark like charcoal. His hair was the same darkness but each strand looked as if it was perfectly combed, he glistened in the sunlight and reached out to Arthur.
"Who are you? Have I met you before?" Arthur remembered one of many voyages to Asia where he had met another country named Japan, and an immortal man with similar features named Honda Kiku.
"I have seen you, but we have never met. I am from the oceans near Japan." the man replied. as he turned back Arthur caught a glimpse of a shimmering white tail, his lower body looked like that of a porpoise, but with bright shiny scales.
"Are you a mermaid?" Arthur asked.
"Merman. My name is Kiku" he corrected. "I wished to come and thank you, I have heard that you are kind to those who are magical and those who are simple marine-life. You were willing to save a whale despite your occupation as a whaler."
Arthur stared at him for a moment. "Are you the one who was singing?"
"Yes." Kiku hummed. "I wanted to calm the distressed whale..." He floated back and forth again. "I have been told you are... unhappy. Land-life must be strange. Would you come to my world with me?" He extended a slim hand, touching the side of Arthur's boat.
"Of course." Arthur huffed. "I would love to... but it's impossible."
"Surely it is not... just live with me." Kiku pressed to the boatside, and his eyes which were round and shined like a polished gem, began to break Arthur.
"Perhaps for some time, it would be nice." Arthur replied, and gently touched the mans hand, as if to see if it was real.
"That would make me so happy..." Kiku suddenly pulled his hand, and Arthur felt as light as air itself, the man was stronger than he looked, or was it magic? It must've been.
He drifted down, farther and farther into the green-blue ocean. Every part of his body was submerged in water, and Kiku held his arm, pulling him down as if they were two great friends. Arthur was lead to a large forest of green seaweed, and with a sweep of his hand, Kiku had the whole forest bend to his will, and made a path for them to swim on. As they did, Kiku began to talk with him more, and Arthur began to become curious.
"Are you like the Kiku that represents Japan?" Arthur asked. "You both have the same name."
"Yes, but I only rule the ocean... you are like the Arthur that rules the British seas?" Kiku replied. Arthur was not sure, but he nodded his head, assuming it must be true. Kiku swam circles around him in a happy manor, nodding his head.
"I knew it, you are like him, but you are much more handsome, and so much more interesting..." Arthur followed Kiku's gaze to his own boots, and over his legs, and realised he had done the same to the merman, staring and admiring his tail. He found himself smiling, the man holding his arm, pressing against the side of him. Despite the swirling thoughts and questions they shared a silent moment where Arthur admired the underwater forest, everything was cool, the sunlight pierced the surface of the water and created glowing rays of golden white. The seaweed curled around them, like a tunnel, the green forest dappled the sunlight creating shadows that protected them from any harsh sunlight.
Arthur was nearly blinded once they reached the end of the tunnel, they were exposed to the end of the forest of seaweed and he they saw a flat area of clean white sand. He leaned on Kiku's arm, in the distance was a great red palace, with golden features, and a large gate of pearls and coral. Kiku did not need to touch it, as soon as they got close the gates thrust open and two long rows of servants greeted them. Kiku ignored them, he was too busy watching Arthur, speaking to him.
Arthur had never been in a nicer place, Kiku led him to a little room with stone floor and red carpet with two large chairs ("For me and a friend." Kiku put it.) A dresser that had jewellery strewn all around, of pearls and gold and silver and bright red gems. There was a thin piece of glass above it that was held by a giant clam shell that would create a reflective mirror. Next to it was a door that seemed to lead to a bedroom, and on an adjacent wall was a shelf full of books, or something similar to it. They bore titles like The Naiads of Greece, or Shipwreck Mysteries, or Land Animals: Cat Edition or the biggest book Humans: Friend of Foe? Arthur eyed the books for a moment when Kiku swam in holding a glowing blue lantern and a vase full of sweet rose-red ambrosia. Floating with him was a platter carried by a small coral fish that carried an array of treats, bright rich colours of red and yellow and green.
"Don't mind that." Kiku said, turning Arthur's gaze away from the bookshelf. "That one on the end was for school." Kiku explained, pointing out the book about humans. "Drink and eat."
Each piece of food was a delicacy, sweet or spicy or salty and fresh. The ambrosia was stronger than any wine he had drank. Kiku just landed in the chair, flicking his tail up and down as he took a few sips of the ambrosia as well. Kiku eventually began to talk of his world, of the cool calmness of the deep sea, the joyful colours of the coral, and the seaweed forest, and all the young naiads and seahorses and needlefish that swim about. He talked of beautiful music that they played, and the dances the mermaids would do, and the songs they would sing. He talked of great travels and the kings and queens of the ocean, that ruled all the way to the shores of great continents. Kiku then swam to his bookshelf, and produced a golden harp. He talked of how he danced and sang for festivals and for the kings and queens, and swam around the large armchair Arthur sat in. He started to play a small tune, it filled Arthur with joy and sadness and emptiness and peace. As he sung his voice drifted into the abyss of the ocean, and seemed to lull the whole area to sleep. Arthur relaxed in his chair, his body felt numb, but weightless.
By the time Arthur awoke, night had come, and Kiku was curled up in the corner, crying. Arthur swam over, moonlight pierced the windows making the whole room glow with iridescent white light. Arthur reached out, gently patting the man's shoulder.
"Please don't cry." Arthur hummed. "You've been so kind, why are you crying?"
"Oh... I'm sorry..." Kiku wiped his face, it appeared sand was falling from his eyes. "I shouldn't have done this to you..."
"I've been so happy here, it's all right." Arthur gently wiped the man's face and sat beside him.
"No... I like you... you are nothing like a human in a book.." Kiku choked out a sob. "I like you... I can't like you. I have to bond with the merman for the royal family..."
"Well..." Arthur looked over him puzzled. "That doesn't mean you can't like me. I like you."
Kiku reached out and gripped his hands, pulling him close. "Will you stay? Will you stay here with me? And bond with me?" He swished his tail back and forth, gazing to Arthur. "I admire you so... please live with me. I hadn't known what a human were like before I met you. You are so kind to the fairies of the sky, and the animals of the sea, and the land. Will you never leave?"
"Of course." Arthur promised. "I want to live here, the ocean is so different... and beautiful. The land is wretched and the people are cruel and senseless."
"You must vow to me... but if you do not wish to carry on, I will not force you to stay here."
"I vow to you that I will stay." Arthur hummed. "Forever."
There was a sudden blue glow, upon him saying. It could have been the moonlight, or the glowing lantern, or the glittering sand. Although despite it, Arthur knew that this vow was sealed in magic.
Author Note: I hope all who read enjoyed. ^^ I feel the whole story gives a bit of a fairytale vibe, but I suppose I always envision mermaids in a fairytale story. Reviews are very much appreciated. :]