Chapter Thirty Nine

Saleen stared at the child in front of her. The Elemental tried to think if she had seen the young girl before, when she had first arrived. Nothing came to mind, but a quick glance over at Ariel and her mate showed the resemblance. This must be the minnow Morgana had told her about. A child born of land and sea.

Ariel had been land, even though she had been born a mermaid; the king had been sea, even though he had been born of land. Saleen could not deny the smell of water that came off her. The same smell all the merpeople gave off. Truth be told, this child had a scent that was stronger than most. But the minnow also had the disgusting stench of the common dirt. And there was a third smell around the child: a smell of light and magic. It was a familiar smell, but Saleen could not remember what it meant.

The eyes of the crowd watched the Elemental, waiting for her to guess and finish the game. Saleen kept a calm exterior, but she felt the frustration in her begin to boil. If Saleen said "sea", she would be admitting that common humans could love the sea just as strongly as the merpeople. Perhaps even stronger given how Ariel had abandoned her home. But if Saleen said "land", with the strong smell of the water coming off the child, the sorceress knew she would lose.

And Saleen did not like to lose.

"You are of the land and sea. You are both," Saleen declared.

The shell remained only having two lines. Saleen had won twice over.

"I win." Saleen smiled and clapped her hands, trying to stay her cheerful self. "This was fun. Later, losers. Enjoy those legs."

"A moment, sister."

Saleen had to look up to see who had spoken. It was a blue light that had the same strange scent as the minnow, only ten times stronger. Now Saleen remembered where she had smelt that before.

"Oh. You. It's been a long time."

Her sister, the Elemental of Air, descended and took the form of a beautiful woman with wings. Her blue dress sparkled in the sunlight and Saleen grimaced as the crowd looked at her with adoring eyes. Saleen, in turn, started to walk towards the ocean, creating the waves to noisily part so all eyes would turn to her.

"Saleen, leaving so soon?"

"My business here is complete."

"Then I won't keep you." Reul Ghorm turned to address the assembly on the shore. Saleen continued to walk into the water, but she slowed her pace down, curious to hear what her sister would say.

"Citizens of Atlantica. I am called Reul Ghorm. I am ruler over the realm of Air. I have watched your banishment from your home. You have not been welcomed to this realm, so I am here to welcome you with open arms into mine. Swear allegiance to the Realm of Air and I shall welcome you as my new subjects."

"What!" Saleen screeched. "You can't do that!"

"Why ever not?"

"Be…because they're mine!"

"How can they be yours if they no longer belong to the sea?"

Reul Ghorm had a point. Saleen had never thought one of her sisters would show up. She had just figured the traitors would remain on land, miserable for the rest of their pathetic lives staring at the sea and longing to return to it. But now, they had an option of belonging elsewhere. Or worse, a new thought popped into Saleen's mind: they might start enjoying living on land.

"Fine." Saleen waved her hand. There was a quick flash of light that pulsed over the ocean's surface. If one had blinked, they would have missed it. "Whoever had a tail and wishes to return, just walk in the water and you'll be restored to your proper form. I just wanted to teach you all a lesson."

To Saleen's delight, the Atlanticans rushed forward into the ocean. As promised, their legs returned to fins and the merpeople rejoiced. They laughed as they swam further out into the waves and disappeared beneath the surface to return home to Atlantica.

"Here, father. This belongs to you." Attina held out the trident for Triton, now with a tail, to take.

"Ah, ah." Saleen wagged her finger. "You are now the proper wielder of the trident. You did pass the tests after all. I insist that you remain the keeper of the trident."

"But…" Attina tried to protest.

"I have spoken." Saleen, after all, had to show her power somehow. The special minnow, the one of land and sea, entered the water to place a consoling hand on Triton's shoulder.

But the minnow was standing on two legs.

"Why don't you have a tail?"

The child looked over. "I don't have one."

"The trident has the power to give you one."

"Well, yes, and he offered, but I just wanted the wall to come down."

Saleen rolled her eyes. "Let me get this straight: you were willing to give your own daughter legs, but aren't willing to give your granddaughter a fin?"

Saleen looked around. As it should be, all the remaining eyes were on her. Saleen had proven her power by taking away the Atlanticans tails. She had shown benevolence by giving them back, but the merfolk could argue that was only because of her sister. Saleen had to make sure the Atlanticans would remember her and not Reul Ghorm.

"As ruler of the realm of Water, and as you are connected to both, I bestow on you the gift of fins when you're in the water." Saleen pointed to Melody's right foot and a shot of magic burst from her finger. The girl lifted her skirt. She still had feet, but there was a small, darkened circle with curved lines that looked resembled a wave inside near her ankle.

"No need to thank me," Saleen said. Yet, she stood there as if waiting for one.

Melody dropped a polite curtsey. "Thank you, Saleen. This is a wonderful gift." When Melody came up, there was a grin on her face from ear to ear.

Saleen surveyed the scene before her. The minnow seemed to be elated by her gift. Most of the Atlanticans had left the land and received their fins to return home. Reul Ghorm was forgotten in a corner.

Saleen smiled, satisfied that her people would forget all about her sister. She returned to the water and swam further and deeper out. It didn't take long for the sense of melancholy Saleen had felt before this encounter to the return. The Elemental sighed as the sense of boredom began to grow.

Perhaps, Saleen thought to herself, I shouldn't just wait around for something to happen.

A smile began to form. After all, things had only gotten interesting when she had begun to act. And there was so much for her to do. Saleen had a new pet to train. And her sister's little trick had given her an idea. Saleen laughed at the thought of trying to convince some of Reul Ghorm's inhabitants to swear allegiance to the water realm instead of air. And how dare those desert people be so vain as to think merpeople were nothing more than myth? What would they do if every drop of water suddenly disappeared? Maybe a new worthy opponent would show up.

There were still games to be played. And Saleen was going to make some waves.