Chapter 1: Seventh Birthday (Pearl POV)

Where I come from, the seventh year is a great year of many joys and celebrations. It is the year when we are first allowed to swim up to the surface, and finally get a glimpse of the forbidden land up above. It is indeed a blessed occasion for all-- one that I had been anticipating from the time that my sister, Ariel (three years my elder) had a chance to swim up upon her seventh year. She had been bragging ever since then, and now I would be able to brag to Jade (one year younger than I), for a while as well. It was a tradition-- it was a journey-- it was dangerous.

But that warning did not bother me in the least. I was unafraid of what lay in store for me; the evening before, I simply was unable to sleep. I had always dreamt of the big ball of fire which rested in the blue skies that Ariel had spoke of. I always had wondered about the world of above. It was strange though… I was the only mermaid alive in the whole of the ocean who had longed for such foolish things, and that's probably why everyone in the land referred to me as the "Unpractical Princess Pearl" behind my back-- even my own blood sisters.

My father is King Triton of the sea-- and that makes me a princess. I have never known my mother-- or who she was, for that matter, but I have been told by all that knew her that she was a wonderful and wise Queen who ruled the Kingdom alongside my father with a gentle hand… I do not even know her name, and as far as I know, my father has never mentioned her… I do not bother to ask, however; I know that it will only bring him grief.

All of my life, I have lived in the coral palace at the edge of the city, and have wondered bitterly, What if? All I ever longed for was freedom; something that extended far past the golden gates of the palace, and tomorrow, I would get my chance to see what lay in the world the mortals call home; I would be unescorted, and nobody would be able to tell me what I could and could not do-- for once; all of my life I have been overprotected, because of my status, and what can I say…? I despise it.

My sister, Ariel had never actually seen a man, but she had heard them. She had said that their voices were much more deep and cold than ours… I hoped that when I got up the next morning, and swam up to the surface, I would at least be able to catch a glimpse of at least one before sundown-- for that's when I was due home. The "world of above" as it was so aptly named was shrouded in much mystery to me. Not even my father knew much about it-- or maybe he chose not to tell me of all the wondrous things I would be able to soon discover.

At long last, one of our palace maids hurried into my room to awaken me; one of my dearest friends, Cordelia, was her only daughter. She told me to put on my best coral necklace, and wash. As soon as this was complete; I hurried out of the palace in search of my father and sisters who would be waiting for me just at the palace gates.
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"Be extremely careful on your journey up to the surface," my father warned; pale, blue tears in his eyes, as he handed me a knife in case I found use of it up there.

Everyone was acting emotional; my father who had never cried before today was weeping as if I were being sent off to an almost sure doom.

"Do not cry, my father," I whispered, gently, wiping the tears from his twinkling blue eyes, "I shall not be hurt. I promise."

"Have a good time, Pearl," Ariel and Jade whispered in unison, as I looked up towards the surface; this was it… the day I had been waiting for nearly all my life…

"I will," I whispered; confident of it, and with a single flip of my green tail, I had begun the swim up to what lay above me.