Based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale this is just a very short chapter at the start. I will continue to write this over time and submit more parts if you want me to, assuming you like the style. Constructive feedback is appreciated, and I hope you enjoy it.
I had been waiting for this moment ever since Cordelia came back from her trip 5 years ago.
I had heard stories before from our dear father and our maids, of a spectacular world where strangers walked on two sticks. Of course I never believed them at first, they were just fairy-tales to entertain small children, but I was eleven when I finally changed my mind.
I remember the look of awe on her face when she swam back down to the palace. I remember the exact words that she said as she described to us what she had seen.
'The water just cut off, I was swimming up, and then it disappeared, and all I could sea was this orb of light, like from the candles we have, except it was orange and it stained across everything. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, even more beautiful than those tropical fish, which pop out from the corals once a year. It was amazing,' she paused, catching her breath, 'and I swear,' she lowered her voice, 'I saw one of them Rochelle, a human. The stories are true; they walked on this floating brown rock with white wings and they don't have tails, they walk on sticks, just like father said.'
On every 16th birthday for a mermaid who was born in royalty, they would be allowed one visit to the surface where they would sing out their souls, calling to the gods of the sea. It was ritual and our mother had done it before us, as well her mother, and her mother before that. The king had five beautiful daughters each born a year apart; of them, I was the youngest.
All of my sisters had sung to the gods and all of them came back with stories of the exceptional beauty, describing an alien world full of twinkling lights and flying creatures, but only Cordelia had mentioned them… the strangers. Everyone else, even Meredith the most honest mermaid ever born, said that the world above was empty.
Tonight I was going to prove them wrong. I had spent restless nights in preparation for today.
The king held the most wonderful party where everyone was invited, my friends, my family, all were there, laughing and dancing in beautiful patterns. The food was a banquet of tuna and seagrass and oysters wrapped in nori. There were even sea grapes and cockles stuffed with caviar. It was the best meal I had tasted in my entire lifetime, but I couldn't enjoy it. I was too nervous in anticipation. Tonight was my night.
Finally, after donning my mother's red coral necklace and having my long hair tied up in an array of silken knots threaded with pearls, I was ready to start. Everyone watched me as the high priestesses of the queen blessed me with he protection of Nymph.
She sang the deep warbling song, which my sisters had been blessed with years before me and the eyes of the entire city met my gaze. I trembled, I was suddenly very aware of my mouth. What was I supposed to do with my tongue? I was aware of every limb and suddenly I had the horrible feeling that I would have to give a speech. They were all looking expectantly at me, as if they wanted something from me; but I had nothing to give.
I glanced to the side. My sisters were all there smiling warmly at me. It was ok. I could do this, I told myself.
All of them had dressed for the occasion, all except Pearl, who wore her hair down. She was the most beautiful mermaid, with her peach tail and her blonde locks; there was no reason for her to dress up. She was the epitome of elegance. Next to her was Meredith whom was holding hands with Nerissa. She was almost as beautiful as Pearl with dark hair and deep blue scales. She was the second oldest and she had pale skin yet she never talked to people like Pearl did, instead she was humble and always acted older than her real age. Lastly stood Cordelia. She was my favourite sister, I did love the others but when I was sad or I couldn't sleep, it was always her whose bed I snuggled into. She always told me stories and she hugged me when I cried. Right now she smiled at me giving a tiny wave, giving me hope. I held my head up high. I would do this for her.
When the priest was done, the King gave a few words to the crowd; luckily I didn't have to say anything. I slumped in relief before remembering that everyone was watching me. I straightened up immediately before the King took Mother's hand. She kissed my brow and wished me good luck.
'Don't sing with your voice… sing with your soul and let it be a beacon that shines across the seven oceans,' she whispered in my ear before pulling back. Her eyes crinkled with contentment. 'Do us proud, my darling.'
As she and father retreated to the side I closed my eyes.
This was it.
Everyone's eyes watched me as the last daughter of the King began to swim upwards.
The water never stopped. I swam up until my tail couldn't push me any further; I felt the strain burn through my body, as my muscles grew ever tired. It was too much for me to bear. Somehow, the stories began to feel like dreams as my family got further and further away from me. I was all alone and nobody was there to push me on. Why was I doing this? Why did I ever dream of seeing the surface, now that I know it doesn't exist? The world is endless water as it always has been. Its all a cruel joke, they all lied to me.
Then it disappeared.
My world evaporated into nothing as I entered a fairy tale.
My first reaction was to shut my eyes. It was so bright. All I had ever known was black and blue and green but I had been thrown into something entirely different. I blinked as my eyes began to adjust.
They didn't lie to me, I thought, this is real. Cordelia had been right; the world was painted orange like Pearl's scales, dipped in pinks and yellows so rare back home.
I began to laugh. I didn't chuckle as permitted at home, I laughed… so hard, like I never laughed at home in fear of being scolded. I laughed until I became dizzy with breathlessness, until all I could feel was joy. It was so incredible, so new, so vibrant, I laughed until it hit me; there is more to life than just water.
I looked around for the thousandth time yet I still couldn't believe it. Why did the water just end? It just stopped but I couldn't figure out why.
I skimmed my fingers over the surface of the water in amazement. It rippled in tiny waves, one after the other. As I looked out into the horizon I admired how the surface shone a beautiful iridescent blue under the bright colours that hung above me. I wanted to live here. I wanted to live here forever.
Flooded with happiness I began to do as my mother said.
I let my voice echo across the water as I sang to the Gods.
I didn't stop singing. I poured out my soul even when the colours began to fade and the place grew dark. I didn't stop when the tiny lights popped out from the dark and shone like gems. I didn't stop, until the monster arrived.
A dark mass glided across the surface with white fins stretched on a mast. It was moving towards me. Fear poisoned my thoughts and I dived under the water for safety. It was the creatures; they were real. The humans and their two sticks ready to trap me and haul me up with a barbed net. What was I going to do? I had to sing but if I do they'll find me, what should I do? I stared up from under the water and watched as the black mass floated over my head. Were they going to kill me? Were they going to take my sisters too? I began to shake with terror as my body refused to move. My limbs became rigid and I forgot how to swim. I was going to die.
But then, nothing happened. The thing stopped above my head and became still. No nets or spears were hurled into the water like in the stories, instead it just stopped and something peculiar happened. Water fell from above and landed on the surface. How strange? I couldn't be sure from underneath but it looked like water. Form somewhere deep inside I summoned the courage to swim out from under the mass and stick my head above the surface before ducking back down again.
Yes, it was tiny droplets of water falling from where the twinkling lights used to be. Perhaps, was there any chance that possibly, quite possibly, those lights were made of water? Why were they falling? Did someone drop them?
Confused but growing evermore curious, I stayed and watched them fall. They started to fall more heavily and soon all I could hear was the echoing of water droplets. Maybe this was a bad idea… Maybe I should swim back? I bit my lip, before realising that the dark heavy mass had started to sway. I was far from it now and looking at it from a distance, still underneath the water but I knew that something wasn't right. The thing was going to tip over.
Suddenly a loud noise ripped through the air above me. My hands immediately flew to my ears as the sound reverberated through the water. This couldn't be happening, not to me. What was going on!
The thing rocked even faster. The water fell down harder. Flashes of blue light ripped through the strange world as more loud noises threatened to deafen me.
I wanted to go home. This was too much. What was happening to me?
I choked out sobbing sounds as the water above me churned into a frothy white mess and I couldn't see above me.
I needed to go! But I didn't. Instead I rose above the surface and watched with horror.
Instead I watched him fall.
A human with two legs, from the dark brown mass with white fins.
It took a lifetime for him to sail through the air before he hit the frothy waves beneath him.
I froze.
Time froze.
The human was going to die.