Mermista tumbled over the rotten wooden stairs, giggles fitted in her throat. Her nanny would never find her down by the shorelines. Mermista was always the best at hide and seek, she always won.
Her slippers hit the deck with a soft plomp. She skittered past the wood and onto the sand. Vast ocean glittering before her eyes. It was beautiful. Like someone had poured golden glitter atop the water's surface. Mermista halted in her getaway from the nanny to marvel at the water. How glad she felt to be connected to its life. Its way.
Willing her feet to move, she took off onto the beach. Sand was already filling her the soles of her slippers, her parents would be mad at her, for soiling yet another pair, but Mermista didn't have the mind to care. She had to find a good hiding place from her nanny, who was getting a better knack for finding her, no matter where Mermista hid. Albeit Mermista always won, but that didn't mean she didn't have to try.
She was grateful for the dark mass of rocky cliffs to block the sun out for her. She was riding up to her favorite hiding spot. A cove with a shallow cave. She hadn't hid in the cave before, her nanny would ponder for a little, while Mermista would sneak back to the palace and win.
Mermista stopped dead in her tracks. Near her cove was a boy.
Standing in a breakaway stream from the ocean. He was a nasty scrap of a thing. Clothes muddied from the sand. Spots of green algae painted his white puffed shirt like snotty stars. Waves licked at his ankles, wetting his black beeches farther.
"Who are you!?" exasperated Mermista. The boy turned, thick mauve hair tossing around his face with the sharp movements. He held a grumpy looking frog in his hands.
"And what are you doing?" She said. The boy didn't reply, just looked on like Mermista was a stuffed and posed bird at a museum.
"Y-your the princess!" jabbered the boy. Mermista rolled her eyes. He couldn't have been much older than her five, but he was acting like a toddler in a candy shop.
"Yes, I'm the all mighty princess, now what are you doing to that poor frog?" The unsightly creature was drying out in the salt soaked air.
"Erm, I was catching it?"
"Clearly, but why?"
"I was going to sell it for money."
Mermista wrinkled her nose. "Who would want to buy a frog?"
He hopped out of the shallow stream, "The ally kids who told me to get them."
"Them?" Mermista asked.
The boy's shoulders graced his ears. He glanced at the frog, then to a path leading off somewhere hidden, and back to Mermista. "C'mon, follow me." She raised a brow. But followed.
The route the frog thief was leading her on was familiar in a way. Only when he showed her to the cave did it click. This boy was a hideout thief as well. He had led her to the place where she was going to take hold away from her nanny.
The croaks were quite loud. The boy shuffled over to a wooden crate, stuffed full with slippery frogs. Light glinted off the mucus sheen on their backs. The poor warty little creatures looked so pitiful. He placed the frog in his hands with the others, the croaking filled the air. Heating it with a scrappy headache inducing melody. Mermista plugged her ears, while the bullfrogs kept singing their song. But the noise piercing through her fingers to her eardrums.
"We need to let them go!" She raised her voice to the boy.
"But I just caught them! " he protested. Mermista stomped over to him and poked him in the chest. "Listen here, I'm telling you as the princess to let these poor frogs go."
"But I can't, I'm not gonna eat tonight if I do."
Mermista's finger fell from his chest. "You what?"
"I'm not gonna eat tonight, " the boy repeated. "that's why I was catching those frogs, Jepper said he'd give me some of his supper if I went to the royal beaches and caught some of them."
"Who's Jepper?" Sparks were raising in Mermista's chest. Who ever this Jepper was, she was going to have some words with him. Willing sending somebody to the palace beaches, when it's against the law to go there uninvited.
"He's like a boss for us kids without a home." The fire was lit. A figure of authority set up this snotrag to break the law. Mermista reached for the boy's hand and pulled him over to the crate.
"Help me get these frogs back to the water, and I'll help you with Jepper."
He looked at their hands, as if trying to mull out what Mermista had said.
"Quick!" she didn't want her nanny stopping her from helping this boy by sending her back to the palace.
He snapped out of it, eyes refocusing. He pulled away from her and reached for a frog. "Okay."
,-,-,
Whereas the upper marketplace near the place was all cool tones. Pale blues and pinks, wave monograms and clean streets. All things to help people think of the ocean. The common peoples marketplace was quite a mess.
Stands with homely flowers dotted the road. Rugs so dust covered they may as well have been woven with it, painted the stones like blotches of deep reds and yellows, once vibrant purples and blues. The air was filled with the scent of mixed meats and spices, wafting into it like a pungent cloud. The smell of half rotten blossoms melded into the mix, giving it a sour tint.
The people at the stands shouted at the passing crowd, trying to rack in another purchase. The crowd shouted back, trying to theft another bargain.
This stretch of land was so outside the aesthetics of Salineas, it could be a different place entirely.
Mermista reached for the boys hand, just to not get lost in the mess. She stepped on a tomato. It's glistening juices soaked into her silk slippers, turning the color from blue to purple. The stand owner was about to yell at her, but stopped short when they saw it was the princess. Mermista scampered faster, following the boy to wherever he was taking her.
Rotten piles of wood that were called homes breeded out past the shopfronts and onto the moors. The boy was taking Mermista away from all that and into a surprisingly even more shabby scab of the market. Sun bleached linens laced above Mermista's head, shielding her from the beating sun. Dust floated through the air, only visible for the beams of sunlight shining through the fabrics overtop. A cat's stark eyes glared at Mermista, like yellow ovals filled with distrust.
Even the flea-bitten fauna knew she wasn't supposed to be here.
Finally the boy stopped, pulling her into a slim, slick alleyway. Stones sporting rubbish piles like it was their job. Rotten food was smeared all throughout the alley. The scent of throw up filled the place, so strong any Mermista wouldn't have been surprised if the stones they walked on were made of it.
Mermista and the boy stopped near a pile of barrels and crates arranged like throne. "Hey!" He called, "Jep, I'm back!"
A rather skinny bit walked out from the shadows. Dressed in what Mermista could only assume to be ally rat grab. He had pasty skin, marred by pink bubbly scars all over his arm and half his face. He dressed in bags, the clothes hanging off him piles. Mermista guessed it was to make him seem bigger, but it made him look like a witless fool in over his head.
Stooping behind him were equally snotty lackeys. A thin, willow-like girl who had pale green skin and red freckles, had emerged from the purple shadows. Seaweed hair framing her sharp face like a mop.
A shivering boy was standing next to her. Despite the cowardice that spilled from his demure, he moved to protect the seaweed mop.
"So," Jepper said, snivel deep-rooted in his baritone. "Get me those frogs Hawky?"
"No, I-"
Mermista didn't let the boy finish. She pushed past him and faced Jepper. He stumbled back into a mess of dirty muslins. She looked down at him, braid swinging over her shoulder.
The lackeys just stood there, not taking a stand for their leader.
"How dare you send this boy to the palace beaches! Don't you know that's against the law?" Mermista brought her face closer to Jepper's. His button nose scrunched with fright, bringing his thin lips with it. "If I hadn't caught him and someone else did, he'd be halfway to Beast Island!" She backed away, staring down at Jep. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
"And you!" she turned to the other kids, "Find some better friends."
But Jepper wouldn't back down so easy. He raised from the fabrics, shrugging his clothes back into place. "And who are you to say such things to me?"
"You don't recognize her?" The not-so-cowardly boy mumbled by his green companion.
"No." Jepper ran a palm over his nose. "Should I?" He must have meant it in a patronizing way, but it came out more like a meek question.
"You should," Mermista said, walking back over to the rat. "because I'm Princess Mermista." She stamped a foot on Jepper's toes, grabbed the boy's hand -still stick with frog slime- and ran out of the ally and into the bustling marketplace.
The heat of human bodies hit Mermista like opening a furnace. It was a mile different from the sodden, cold, alleyway she'd just been in. She stepped in another watery mess. This time being a muddy puddle, ruining her other slipper. Mermista glanced down at her attire.
Her blue dress, adorned with puffy sleeves, glazed with rhinestones and gold trim was covered in muck from the frogs. Her puffed bottoms that cinched at the ankles were soaked through. She saw a bare glimpse of her blue shock of braided hair in the puddle's reflection, it was thoroughly fuzzed up and almost falling out of the tie.
The boy was pulling along. Mermista didn't know any of the marketplace routes, so she followed. The scent of garam masala wefted into the spaces between bodies. Her mouth watered at the thought of the orange spiced sauce slopped all over buttered rice. Gleaming from white porcelain bowls. Her stomach growled for food.
The boy was picking up his pace. Moving with a haste through the crowds, like he was running away. Mermista heard shouting. The alley rats were chasing them, trying to hunt down a little dignity.
But the dignity was pacing ahead of the rats, trying their best to make a break for it.
The boy abruptly shoved her into another alleyway. Blessedly dry and sunny. He climbed on some poles and gained purchase on a wooden awning. He scrambled up to the flat roof of a house from the wood.
Mermista looked back at the market, the alley kids had stopped, unable to pass a horde of people trying for the ripest apples in the stands. But the masses would get their food, and if she stayed where she was, the rats would get their dignity. She looked award at the roof, the boy had disappeared behind the lip of the it.
She tore a sizely hole her pants, and puffy sleeve as she scampered up the pole and onto the terracotta roof. She wheeled on the boy. In his hand was a golden roll of bread. Gleaming, and looking ever so tasty. How had he managed to nick a loaf whilst they ran away?
"First a frog thief, now a real thief." But he was far too busy shoving bits of bread in his mouth. Ripping the fluffy middle first, leaving the crust. Mermista wasn't all too happy about being ignored. "You could listen to your friend when she's talking to you."
He lifted his head. "Friend?"
Mermista walked over to him. Plopping next to him, and snatching the bit of bread housed in his palm. "Yes, friend." She stuffed the food into her mouth. She didn't have to wonder at why the boy would risk thievery anymore. The baked loaf was heavenly. Each luscious bite enticed another. It no time at all, the bread made its home in both their gullets.
"You could have just asked." said Mermista.
"For what?" asked the boy.
"For the food dummy. I'm the princess and your friend, I can get you anything." She quizzled him. "What's your name anyway?"
"Sea Hawk. Picked it out myself." He puffed his chest out proudly. "Pretty handsome name if I do say so myself."
Mermista rolled her eyes. "Alright, Sea Hawk, no more stealing" He nodded. "And whenever you want something, just ask me." He nodded again.
"Okay," said Mermista, satisfied with Sea Hawk's answers. "Wanna come to my sixth birthday party?"
,-,-,
It had been two awfully boring days since Sea Hawk met Mermista.
The tailor pricked a pin in his arm. He winced, and the tailor scoffed as if it was his fault. Sea Hawk made to be more still.
He gazed at the mirror sitting in front of him, a pained version of himself looked back at him. Pinned up in a clean black suit. Unruly curled hair slicked back into something that wasn't Sea Hawk.
He just about hated it.
He would much prefer the flashy colors Mermista got to wear, but he didn't want to over exhaust the palace's hospitality by demanding attire that fit his personality best. So he sucked in a breath as yet another pin met and broke skin. If the tailor continued her pinning the way she was, he would get a flashy colored shirt, blotted with bright red polka dots.
Since meeting the princess, Sea Hawk had been moved to an aristocrat's home, the woman was more a schooler, but she still liked to brandish the money she had. She was impossibly nice to Sea Hawk, planned to turn him into a schooler too, one day. A quaint little story about a quaint little boy who was born in rags and raised in riches. But Sea Hawk wasn't complaining that much, he gotta eat as much bread was he wanted.
The tailor pinned some more and drew some more blood from Sea Hawk before she raised a hand, signaling for a stop. He gratefully shrugged off the muslin cloth and slipped on his clean linen shirt and pants. He pulled on his brown boots and the real him came back. Staring at him in the mirror with a satisfied grin. He quickly tucked in his shirt as he escaped the round room.
His heels clacked on the polished marble. The halls of the palace far too vast and stern for Sea Hawk's liking. The stones glared down at him with disgust. So unwelcoming to a street urchin like him. The portraits of the royal family all looked at him, their gaze unyielding and unkind. Sea Hawk shifted his walk into a trot.
Finally he ran into the wooden door that led to Mermista's dressing room. He gave three quicks raps to single it was him and opened the door. Back facing to her.
"Tell me if I'm going to bump into anything." He said, walking backwards as to not see the princess half undressed, eyes closed for extra measure.
"Your not," Mermista replied. "And you can sit down now.
Sea Hawk's bottom met a cushioned chair with a thump. He heard another tailor shuffling about with Mermista's party gown. Her sixth birthday was just three sunrises away. And Sea Hawk for one, was thrilled to be going as her plus one. He heard more shifting, then Mermista said, "Look!"
She was wearing a blue tutu and a slim-fitted, dark green tank top to match. She slipped on fingerless gloves and waved her hands around. "Isn't amazing?"
"It is. I wish I could wear something like it." He marveled at the flouse of the gauzy skirt. It was such a wonderfully fun color, his plain black tux paled next to it.
"Can't you?" asked Memrista.
Sea Hawk shook his head. "I didn't want to ask the tailor for a fun color, didn't want to be a bother." In Sea Hawk's experience, whenever he was a bother, he got left behind. And if there was one thing he hated more than Jepper or the alleys and streets, it was being abandoned.
"But Sea Hawk, this party was supposed to be fun, we can't have you wearing a formal tux to it." Without waiting for him to reply Mermista turned to the tailor. "Make sure Sea Hawk's party outfit is the color he wants."
The tailor nodded and whisked to Sea Hawk's side. "What color do you want it?" She droned.
"Uh, purple, with sparkles?" He stammered.
"Very well." And the tailor turned her heel and left without another word.
Sea Hawk dared a glance at Mermista. A rather toothy grin had formed and set in her mouth. Bubbly giggles followed, he couldn't help but join in and smile and laugh right along with her.
Seeing her glittering smile reminded Sea Hawk of another glittering thing. He unclutched his sides, and stood. "C'mon, I wanna show you something."
,-,-,
It was just past the shallow cave where Mermista had integrated Sea Hawk about the frogs. He'd found it just after that. Exploring, mind filled with relief at no more Jepper, or alleyways, or stealing, or dirty clothes, or any of it.
The sand rushed in around his bare toes. The waves of the sea just a breath away from crashing all over his and Mermista's feet. The sun was laying down, getting ready for sleep. Setting the world ablaze with honeyed colors of reds, oranges, pinks and purples. The sea reflected those colors like a mirror, giving the already beautiful sight an almost painterly feel.
Sea Hawk helped Mermista over a large slick rock. They were almost there. Rocky cliffs enclosed them on all sides save for their backs, which faced the setting sun. One more hurdle over a pile of stones and they were there.
Sea Hawk led Mermista into the cave. It was tall, dark and echoey. Luminescent plants hung from the ceiling, setting the cave aglow in fuzzy blue light.
In its center lay a pond. The glowing plants reflected on pool's surface, making it look as though a First One souped up a pitcher of stars and poured into the deep basin. The cave's music was that of dripping water, and splashing waves. It smelled of moss and growth, but it wasn't unpleasant.
"Wow," breathed Mermista. She turned around, spinning. Looking at everything the cave had to offer. She shuffled up to the pool in amazement.
She placed a hand just open the water, not quite touching it. The water pulled from the pool into a steam, and formed a ball. It bounced from Mermista's palm to the back of her hand, and up her arm. It glided like glass over her shoulders, making its way down her other arm and popping back into the pond.
Sea Hawk stared in wonder. "How'd you do that?" He kept his tone quiet, it seemed appropriate.
"I just can- I mean I've always been connected to the ocean. It justs feel right whenever I do magic." Mermista shivered. Her hands snapped up to warm her arms. "I'm scarred."
Sea Hawk started towards her. "Of what?"
"Of growing up, I'm gonna be six years old in three days. I'm not sure I'm ready for it." She took a breath. "I mean, I've always been more mature than most kids my age, but that doesn't mean I want to grow up."
"Everyone grows up Mermista, look at me I'm gonna be eight in a little." She let out a watery laugh. Outlined with blue, eyes sparkling with worry, she looked like a portrait of herself.
"Do you think whatever water spirit that lives in this pond would get mad if I jumped in?" asked Sea Hawk, eager to take Mermista's mind off her troubling thoughts.
A real laugh escaped from her. "There is no water spirit." He earned an eyeroll, and he smiled. "Dummy." Mermista said, shaking her head.
"So what you're saying is, if I were to jump in, I'd be fine."
"Yeah," she looked him over.
"Good." And he jumped in, clothes and all.
"Sea Hawk!" Mermista's face scrunched up in worry.
"I'm fine! C'mon jump in, its warm!"
She looked at him, but as no water spirit came out to snatch Sea Hawk away, she must have deemed it safe. Because Mermista jumped in. Clothes and all.
,-,-,
Her birthday party was much more fun than Mermista thought it was going to be.
All the other princesses had attended. Glimmer and her best friend Bow were trying to show each other dance moves. They had locked their fingers, looking down at their feet trying to coordinate. Their toes seemed rather eager to meet another, as it happened almost time Glimmer or Bow tried to move.
Bow yelped.
Glimmer cringed. "Sorry."
The pair tried for the last step in the dance, a spin. Which ended quite miserably, with them in a heap on the floor, Glimmer's chin stuck into Bow's shoulder.
King Micah leaped to her side and lifted her up, than Bow. His wife, who had volunteered to watch the toddlers, was quite occupied by her two year old son, who was busy pulling on Frosta's hair. Curls of it fisted in his little palms.
Scorpia yelped from the far side of ball room. A potted cactus's flowers were blooming. Spreading out onto the marble, and after Scorpia. Perfuma was crumbling into apologies for making it follow her. She wasn't able to make it stop, it seemed.
"I hate cactuses!" She exclaimed.
"It's cacti." Entrapta informed her. She was by far the oldest of the group, almost a full adult, save for a few years. She, who was apparently too old to participate in the games the court had setup, was observing the party goings. Entrapta spoke to a gray box and slinked around on the thick tendrils of her ashen purple hair.
Near the middle of the ball room, was Catra and Adora. Catra wriggled under the weight of Adora's arm, trying her best to escape. But her best friend adjusted, reinstating her hold on Catra's neck. She seemed to stop moving, going limp.
Adora immediately let go of her, crouching down to her side. She shook Catra's shoulders violently.
"Are you alright?!" Catra peeped one eye open, and grinned. She flipped up and knocked Adora over on her stomach.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She let out a snarky giggle . Adora hopped into a crouching position, spun around and hooked Catra's shins with her foot and brought her down.
She stood and stuck her tongue out at her friend. "Catch me if you can!" She picked her feet up into a run, thefted a cupcake from the table and stuffed it in her mouth whole. Catra promptly ran after her.
The whole party was a bleeding mess and Mermista couldn't have loved it more. Being six was going to be amazing. She was almost sure of it.
Sea Hawk was doused in all his sparkled purple glory. He was trying to get Entrapta's voice recorder box from her. Using his expertise in thievery.
His expertise, as it turns out, were quite horrific. Entrapta shrugged and slunk away to the upper balcony. Turning on the box again, she began talking into it once more.
Sea Hawk, feet dragging, trailed over to Mermista. He looked dejected, once slick back hair flopping over his forehead.
"I thought I said no more being a thief." said Mermista.
"I know, but it was so shiny." Sea Hawk pouted. "I was just having fun."
Mermista smiled, clutching the cupcake hidden behind her back tighter. "I know something that's fun."
"Really?" he lifted his head to look around, trying to find it. "Where?"
"Here!" And she smashed the cupcake into his nose. Frosting splattering his face like paint.
Sea Hawk looked perfectly shocked, but as soon as Mermista was racing to snacks table recognition filled his gaze. His legs were longer, he reached the spread first. He lifted a chunk of one of the cakes and tossed it at Mermista.
The chunk of cake hit her. Frosting ran down her top, onto her fluffy shift and plopped onto the floor.
"Food fight!" Catra screeched from behind her. Chaotic drive seeped into every kid. They raced for the nearest snack table and chucked food at whoever was closest.
The adults were trying in vain to stop the balls of energy, but they prevailed and covered each other in frosting and sauce and salad and sandwiches and punch. Whatever was available, they used as weapons.
Catra smashed three cupcakes into Adora's blond locks. She grabbed one more and pressed it into her face. Adora fell into laugher, "You caught me! You caught me! " She ran her tongue over her mouth. Trying to pine some cake from her face. Catra's pitchy laughs filled the air.
Scorpia had taken the top of the cake and stuffed it onto the overgrown cactus. Perfuma was sneaking up behind her, two cupcakes in each hand. But Scorpia wheeled and saw what was to happen, and ran before it could. Perfuma legged after her. Smile set deep in her mouth.
Glimmer had set something of an army base up, overturned table a shield. Bow chucked cakes and sandwiches into the air at random, willing them to hit whoever they hit. Glimmer was trying at aiming a little more, but missing just as much.
Screams of delight and infectious laughter permeated the air. Everyone's gowns were getting a new, sweet coat of paint. The floor was becoming such a slippery mess, they could have gone food sledding.
The chaotic ballroom floor had fitted itself some teams. Glimmer, Bow, Adora in one. While the other housed Scorpia, Catra and Perfuma. Entrapta was frantically trying to record every giggle and slat of food.
Mermista coined another cake and chucked it at Glimmer. The princess turned and pointed, leading her small, but potent army to attack. The other members followed with war cries fitted in their throats.
Mermista stole two more cakes and reached out to capture for Sea Hawk's palm in her own. "Quick! Before they kill us!"
She pulled Sea Hawk out of the Ballroom. Cold marble sending shivers up her spin as she ran bare-footed along the castle corridors.
"Where are we going?" Sea Hawk puffed between breaths.
"Somewhere." replied Mermista.
Three right turns, one left and they were in the castle gardens.
The scent of fresh foliage swam into her nose. The inky sky made the white stoned fountain in the center of garden glow like the pool Sea Hawk shown Mermista. She led him to a patch of grass. The wet blades sent tingles up Mermista. She tumbled down the rough stone path, guiding Sea Hawk to the oldest part of the garden of Salineas, To the Elder Willow.
If a tree could look grumpy, the Elder Willow managed it perfectly. It's root tumbled from its trunk like gnarled clay. The leaves hung from the branches as green braids. The body of the tree had a massive score carved out of it. Certainly big enough to be a home to a princess and her friend.
Mermista led Sea Hawk to the hole in the tree and slipped down into a crossed legged sit. The inside was nice, the oak sanded down to a smooth pale finish. Rather bright lanterns hung from three sides of the trunk, casting a happy yellow glow on the inside.
Sea Hawk took the cake Mermista offered him, shoving it in his face with gusto. Frosting clung to his upper lip. Mermista snorted, shifting closer she rubbed away at it with a clean part of her dress, which was hard to find since it was sporting almost a whole cakes worth of cream and frosting.
Sea Hawk eyed her. "I think I like you ," He said, honesty dripped from his voice in earnest. He looked at her some more. "Yes, I do. You're my best friend."
Mermista shifted away, not expecting that to spill from his lips.
She thought as much of him, but couldn't quite put it into words. She looked at him. A little frosting still dotted his face, already natural tousled hair a birds nest. Purple sparked suit a mess of cake, sponges soaked in honey and crustless sandwiches. He was her best friend, she wasn't sure, she knew it.
Telling him he was her friend was nothing, she made friends all the time. Like nights ago, before she even met Sea Hawk, she had made with an entire school of fish whilst out on a swim her parents made her do.
Or when she made friends with the dolphins, or the sharks, or the stingrays. Come to think of it, Sea Hawk was the first human friend she had.
Was that what made saying the words "best friend" so hard? Or was it because the term was so final. So there. Whatever it was, it made the words of affirmation crawl away and die before they ever reached her throat
"You too, or whatever." It was the best Mermista could do.
Sea Hawk smiled softly, he seemed to like her best.