The Big Boat on Stormy Water
I looked around the ocean. Schools of fish swam around me as if I was an ordinary occurrence. A shark floated by in the distance total unconcerned about my presence. I however was over whelmed. Not only was I still stuck in a fairy tale now I wasn't even human. I stretched my arms wide and turned in a circle feeling the water pressure against my skin and scales. I took a deep breath of water and pumped my tail propelling myself to the surface. As I broke from the water the sun had just hit the horizon. It was a large orange orb sinking into the deep blue expanse of water. To the suns right was a small bump on the opposite horizon that appeared to be a mountain. If I was Ariel I needed to swim and meet my prince as soon as possible. I ducked back under water and pointed myself just under the surface in the direction of the mountain. Then I pumped my tail in strong swift strokes.
Before I knew it I was flying through the water as fast as any speed boat. It wasn't long till I meet a school of dolphins. They seemed to think I was playing some sort games. They swam around me jumping above the surface and landing in the water making waves. As they did acrobatics around me I couldn't help but smile. I took a gulp of water and launched myself above the surface. For the few seconds I was airborne I took in my surroundings the sun had sunk until it was just barely visible along the horizon and the mountain was growing taller in front of me. The deep blue sky was alight with hundreds of stars and the water shimmered in the twilight. Right before I landed in the water I saw the boat off to my left. Then I landed with a large splash back in the middle of the dolphins.
"Sorry friends I can't play anymore. I'm off to investigate that ship." I said to the dolphins. They stopped their acrobatics and took off racing to the ship. "Wait!" I screamed after them as raced to catch up. The bottom of the boat came into view quickly. It was very big. Not aircraft carrier big but as wooden boats go this one must have been on the large side. I peeked above surface to get a better look. Sure enough the boat towered above me about two stories tall.
A cold wind blew some of my hair loose from its braids. I looked and saw storm clouds growing quickly on the horizon. I swam around the boat until I found its lowest point. It was an open deck with a decorative landing. It was still too high for me to see the people on the boat. I heard talking but I couldn't make out the words. I dipped my head underwater to take another breath of water. Then I made a decision, I dove down deep into the ocean and turned back up to the surface. I pumped as hard and fast as possible and shot myself out of the water. I sailed easily through the air and grabbed the railing. I pulled myself up until I could peak onto the ship.
"Prince Eric, the storm is growing we should head back to port." An older gentleman said to a younger looking man with dark black hair. "Prince Eric" laughed and turned out to look over the ocean.
"A little storm on my birthday won't hurt anyone. We sail onwards." Prince Eric remarked his dark eyes twinkling in anticipation.
"Prince William is due to arrive at the castle in a few days. If we get blown off course by this storm we may not make it back for his arrival." The gentlemen pleaded. Prince Eric laughed again.
"Prince William has lost his Fiancé again? What's this the third time? He needs to keep better tabs on his woman. You'd think after she ran away a second time he'd get the hint. She probably has a lover somewhere she's hiding with." Eric replied as he inspected his finger nails.
"William," I whispered. My Prince was out looking for me again and he would be close by. Now I had a reason to get legs. I was about to dive back into the ocean, almost out of breath when Eric looked down at me and lightening broke on the horizon.
"Who are you?" He exclaimed and looked over the rail. I quickly dropped down into the water. I resurfaced a few yards back in the shadow of the boat. I was determined to follow it back to port and then head straight for the sea witch. Where ever she was. But I seemed to have bigger problems.
"I saw it! A mermaid! Quick man the nets. We must catch her alive!" Prince Eric screamed to his crew as he scanned the ocean for me. Just then lightening hit the water not far from the ship. I felt the electricity go through my tail and make my hair frizz. "There she is!" Eric screamed, pointing right at me. I didn't waste a moment and dove back under the water and swam deep down into the water till I could just see the bottom of the boat. Lightening continued to light up the night way above me and I saw the men throw nets into the water. They were not deep enough to catch me. The Dolphins had swum away at the first lightening strike.
The storm began to pick up momentum and the water grew cold. The waves grew at the surface and I could feel the water around me begin to churn. It wasn't long until the rain started and lightening struck the boat. I could see the fire start at the lookout point on the tallest pillar and spread through the sails. The sailors hadn't prepared for the storm they had been too busy trying to catch me. It wasn't long until I saw the nets were abandoned in the water as the sailors tried to save themselves and their boat.
I swam back up to the surface careful not to get caught in the nets. Lightening struck again and the whole boat seemed to be on fire. The men began to throw themselves off the side of the ship in a last ditch effort to stay alive. It wasn't long till I saw Prince Eric stand on the side and look out over the water. He was just about to jump off when barrels on the boat exploded and sent him flying into the water. He landed in the midst of the nets. I dove back under the water and saw him and some of the other men try to untangle themselves from the nets. Some were bleeding into the water and the sharks were starting to follow the blood trail.
Prince Eric was struggle less and less as he lost consciousness. Blood seemed to be flowing out of a wound from this head. I quickly swam over and tried to untangle him. I used one of the oysters from my tail to cut him loose from the net. I thought he would swim to the surface but he went limp and started to sink. I quickly grabbed him under the arms and swam to the surface. He coughed up water but remained relatively lifeless. The boat was sinking beneath the surface of the water and creating a pulling force. I swam with the Prince away from the boat in order to prevent us from being pulled under. It wasn't long until the entire boat was underwater and there were only a few sailors left floating on wreckage at the surface.
I held Prince Eric above the surface and looked underwater. "Anyone out there?" I called into the water; just then three dolphins came swimming towards me from a distance. I knew dolphins were supposed to be smart but I was surprised to see them anyway. When they were close enough I asked them if they knew where Prince Eric's castle was. They nodded and started to swim towards the mountain I had been heading towards earlier. I resurfaced and pulled Prince Eric along after the dolphins. I ducked my head under water every once and awhile to take a breath of water.
It wasn't long until I was completely tired out. Even though Prince Eric was lighter to me in the water then he would have been on land it was still very trying to drag him along after the dolphins. After about a half hour of swimming I noticed that the shore was getting very close and that the water was getting shallower. I could see a castle built into the rock cliff in the distance.
"Is that his castle?" I asked the dolphins when I dove underwater to take another breath. They nodded their heads and made laughing sounds that I took to be a yes. I swam with renewed vigor as the shore got closer. After awhile my tail began to drag on the sand. I did the best I could and dragged the Prince all the way onto shore and out of the waves.
"Eric," I croaked trying to talk out of the water. I cleared my throat and tried to talk without sucking in air. "Eric wakeup you're on dry land." My voice sounded like it did when I talked underwater as a human. It had an eerie lyrical quality to it. Prince Eric began to stir and I wasn't able to hold my breath any longer. I pulled myself back down into the water and hid myself from Prince Eric. I'd learned from my previous experience and knew that Prince Eric wanted a Mermaid as a trophy so I thought it unwise to reveal myself at this time. Eric pulled himself up and his elbows and winced. He put his hand on the back of his head and when he looked at it again it was covered in blood. He pulled himself to his feet and began to walk towards the castle.
I followed him in the water until I saw some guards from the castle run down to meet him. As soon as I was sure he was safe I dove back under the waves and swam to the dolphins.
"Take me to the sea witch," I said. They looked at each other then at me. I gave them a quick nod and they turned in the water and started to race off into the distance. I followed close behind them. William would be coming soon and I needed to be human in order to meet him.