The person on stage, whose name turned out to be named Daphne, sang until the bar closed, when she bought her last drink and bid us adieu. She left with a zap after grabbing her cloak and heading out the side entrance. Some people also left with her, most being sirens she had flirted with after her vocals and before the next song.
Vanessa was still in her box-room, but I could see a big group leaving. Seeing the person who was to take over my shift, I put down the rag I was cleaning the counters with and checked the register one last time before meeting up with him. He had clearly taken some kind of drug, but that was to be expected this early in the morning from where he was from.
I nodded in his direction as I left the bar for the locker room. I walked over to the self-serve station in the room and poured myself a small glass of champagne. It was the only thing I ever learned to handle alcohol-wise. After rinsing the glass I put it down and walked over to my locker on the wall while taking off my wig in the process. I opened the cubby up and stuffed the wig and apron in, exchanging it with my cloak.
After closing the locker's door, I left the room and went outside the pub and started walking in the direction of the alleyway. I grabbed the bag back from the trash can and stuffed the cape inside it. I hid the bag back behind the trash and left the alleyway, walking in a way through the town that was so familiar, but so unknown. After a while, I ended up coming to the bubble and left the dome, my tail reappearing.
I could swim for an eternity, thinking about things that could have happened, but then there would never be a chance of it coming to fruition. Instead, when I'm here I think of the General and the first time I saw her. I swam to the surface and sat on the rock that I saw her on as the sun started to rise over the horizon.
12 years prior
The water is so warm this time of year. It makes the brain relax and succumb to its waves. I swam to the shore of the mainland to end the peaceful moment. When I got there, I grabbed my towel and started patting down my skin, trying to get all the access water. I wish i didn't have to go here alone, but mom and dad were busy with the highnesses. I just needed to get out of there so I snuck out.
I was about to pack up and go after putting on my sundress over my bathing suit when I saw the most beautiful person sitting on the island a little way away from where I was. Well, not the most beautiful, but definitely up there.
I put my stuff back and dove into the water without taking off my dress and swam to the opposite side of the rocky island. I climbed onto the rocks and stood up. Walking over to her, she looked like she was at peace with Hubain. She then started getting up and stretching her arms, clearly taking her time.
I hid behind a tree to stay out of sight, but accidentally stepped on a fallen branch making it crack. The girl, no older than I, jumped and spun towards me, her hair falling over her shoulder. She caught sight of me and grabbed a dagger I didn't know she had and pointed it at me.
"Who are you!" the girl said, her voice faltering slightly, but still polished as if she was trained to say such a thing.
Gathering courage I didn't know I had, I said, "I should be the one asking that. I come here every afternoon for a swim and I only just saw you."
The girl looked startled by what I said, then she looked to the ground. My eyes followed her and they landed on a photo my family had taken the day we came to the kingdom. My mom and dad were smiling and I was making a funny face that humans call fish face, despite the fact that fish don't look anything like it.
"You're the visitor! The one that turns into a half-fish!" she yelled when her face snapped back to mine, "My name is Pariz! I'm a knight in training under my father! It would be my pleasure to escort you back home!"