This story is dedicated to Katelyn Devaney!!! Just because she’s cool!

A Mermaid’s Shadow

Chapter 2: The Tale

Recap from chapter 1:

“Now Nana, about my questions.” Jocelyn takes a deep breath, ready to launch right back into her tirade on inquiries, but her Nana stops her with a raised hand.

            “I heard your questions before child. Why don’t I answer them with a story?”

            “Oh!” Jocelyn exclaims, thoroughly pleased with the idea.

            ‘Nana tells the best stories. I don’t care if others think it’s childish. Besides, there is nothing more interesting to do in this pit at the bottom of the sea.’ With that thought, Jocelyn sits down on the makeshift sofa of seaweed and sponges, closing her eyes in anticipation of her Nana Mayleen’s tale.

~*~

“Once, long ago, the ocean was not divided as it is now, into light and dark. It was unified, a place where every sea creature was welcome. A wise king ruled and trained his two sons in the ways of court and kingdom. The eldest son was trained for his future position as king. He was a kind-hearted boy with a genuine desire to fulfill the position well,” Nana Mayleen begins in her strong voice. Jocelyn is captivated from the first word and she lays down on the seaweed bed beside her Nana, staring intently at her, fins flapping idly as she hung onto every word.

Nana Mayleen frowns before taking a deep breath and glancing at her young, precocious, and carefree charge. The story was not a happy one. “This boy had a brother, a vicious and vindictive youngest son, filled to the brim with jealousy for his brother’s position in the family. He wanted the power and prestige that was inherent with wearing the royal crown and he was willing to do everything to get it.

“The king worried over the dissent between his two sons. Despite the fact that the eldest son wanted no conflict, the second never seemed to stop in his efforts to convince everyone that he would be a better leader. If the elder son could trust that his brother would do the position justice, he would have given over the crown in a heartbeat. But, the younger son’s jealousy tinted his judgment which made him an unlikely candidate to rule.”

“Oh, but Nana! How could the younger brother despise his older brother so?!” Jocelyn demands as Mayleen pauses to draw breath. The princess had heard the story many times before, but she is still fascinated by the cruelty of the younger son’s character. It was so alien to her. Oran loved her and made it evident. How could one hate a sibling?

“Dear child, some merfolk are born without a capacity to love. That young man was one of them. Now, stop interrupting me and let me continue,” Nana Mayleen says with a laugh that deepens the wrinkles etched into her face.

“Sorry,” Jocelyn murmurs meekly, but her shining blue eyes were already staring intently at her Nana’s face, waiting for the next part of the story.

With another smile and a slow shake of her head which sends tiny bubbles and her long, white hair, floating about her head, Nana Mayleen continues.

            “The jealousy and hate grew and festered in the younger brother until finally the unjustified wound burst free. After careful planning, the younger brother attempted to murder the older brother.”

            Jocelyn gasps, completely enraptured by the story, and covers her pretty pink lips with a dainty hand. Her fins excitedly flap and churn up a storm of bubbles. “What next?” she asks as though she’s never heard the story before.

            “He is discovered by a wary guard and hauled off to the dungeon. The boy was unpopular so the guard had no trouble doing so. Of course the king was devastated. Despite the trouble that his younger son gave him, he loved the young rascal just as much as his gallant oldest. The law of old stated that the king must put his son to death for such an atrocity, but the king could bring himself to kill his own flesh and blood.” Nana Mayleen pauses to take a bite of the food her charge had given her and Jocelyn waits impatiently for her to finish chewing.

            “The king sounds just like my papa, Nana. Are all kings like that?” she asks innocently as she props her chin up with the palm of her hand.

            “No,” comes the reply and the deep, black eyes glow with sadness. “No, they are not. But, since this one was, instead of putting his youngest son to death, he banished him to the dark part of the ocean.”

            “How horrible!” Jocelyn exclaims with a shudder, just picturing the eerie water and the even more questionable creatures that lived there, all ruled over by the terrifying Queen Phedre.

            “Yes, but the king felt that it was less horrible than death, now let me continue, dear,” Nana says and Jocelyn nods eagerly as her white hair floats about her face and she yanks it away with no small amount of annoyance.

“The king watched his youngest depart with the crown prince and never saw him again. Time passed, and the kingdom flourished. In due time, the old king passed away, leaving the throne to his well-trained and very capable oldest son, the crown prince. The young king took the reigns to the kingdom in firm hands and the kingdom prospered under his loving, but stern, attention. Unfortunately it didn’t last long. The younger brother attacked with a legion of rogue mermen and cruel sea creatures. Both brothers possessed the Power which made the battle so much more dangerous and menacing. As you know, the Power is very difficult to control and the younger brother had never bothered to learn. The energy it gives a merperson is tremendous, but nearly uncontrollable without proper training.”

“Yes, I know that, Nana,” Jocelyn whines, hearing the imbedded warning. “I won’t use it by myself until I’m trained. What happens?”
            Nana Mayleen chuckles at the impetuous youth and obliges her, her well-used voice crackling. “The battles were many and both sides fought long and hard. The young king tried to reason with his brother, but the young man would have nothing of it. He continued to attack until both sides were devastated by the long period of difficult battle. Finally, the younger brother retreated back into the dark part of the ocean to nurse his wounds and the young king was left with a ravaged kingdom to rebuild. It was long and hard work.

“Then, one day, as the young king worked alongside his people to rebuild a home, he was approached by an old beggar woman. He kindly asked her what he could do for her but she didn’t seem to hear him.”

Jocelyn jerks upright on her seaweed bed, anxious to hear what the old woman has to say.

“ ‘The war is just begun, the battle is not yet done. This struggle between dark and light is inevitable. Long ago one with the power prophesied that blood would turn against blood and tear the ocean apart. I tell you this my king, only with the creature of legend, a human, can this battle be won’, the old prophetess told the king before she died, crumbling into sea foam that drifted away.” Nana Mayleen pauses and bows her head, letting the prophesy sink into both their minds. Many merfolk do not believe that the prophesy is true because most believe that humans are not real. But Mayleen believes it with all her heart and it is for this reason that she now adds a new part to the end of her story.

“It is said that humans are mythical creatures who live on land and do not have gills. They breath the air that floats above the ocean and cannot survive in the water. But, it is also said that merfolk can learn to survive above the surface of the water.”
            “What?!” Jocelyn gasps as chills run down her spine. Her breathing quickens and her eyes begin to dart around as her thoughts come with fervor. All her life she had been fascinated by the surface and the creatures that dwelled above it. “Is there truly a way?”

Nana Mayleen studies the young merwoman with a deepening sadness that spreads throughout her body, and centers in her heart. The interest is a dangerous one for she does not know if the rumors are true. She feared for her charge. The princess was naïve and a romantic, sheltered from the cruelties of the ocean. The meaning of Oran’s intensive training and her father’s long absences did not strike her, perhaps because they took special care that it did not.

Letting her eyes flutter closed so that the dark orbs are hidden beneath parchment-like eyelids, Nana Mayleen struggles with the decision of whether or not to reveal this potentially dangerous bit of information.

‘She is so impetuous that I fear for what she might do with it. She wandered off just today, letting her mind’s curiosity run away with her, but such an interest cannot be coincidence. And she was born with the Power. Herula’s gift,’ Mayleen thinks as her heartbeat speeds up. Jocelyn is the light of their kingdom and dear to the old nanny’s heart.

“You must first promise me not to do anything with this information without talking to your father first, is this clear?” Nana finally demands, spitting Jocelyn with her coal black eyes and the princess could feel the stern gaze possessing her. She nods compliantly, unable to speak because both a wave of excitement and a wash of cold dread take hold of her.

“It is said that merfolk can breathe in air but many don’t believe it because we choke when breaching the surface. But even more, it’s said that we can become this mythical creatures of old if we stay long enough in the air. I do not know how this could happen because our gills cannot process air…” She trails off and the look on Jocelyn’s face does not make her happy. The girl is enraptured by the information and the glint in her eyes is the same as it was this morning, full of desire to explore, discover.

“You cannot go to the surface under any circumstance. This is just a story. It is not safe for the princess to be wandering about in this dangerous times,” Mayleen orders harshly, but her words do not seem to penetrate Jocelyn’s sense of adventure.

“I won’t, Nana. I know the rules,” she says absently, curling a long strand of pure white hair around her finger.

‘But you always manage to forget them,’ Mayleen thinks with distress.

A deep, rumbling gong sounds and Jocelyn’s head jerks upwards. “Oh! I have class now!” she exclaims, referring to the small sessions with a very able instructor on how to manage and control her Power. There are only a few others in the class. The Power is a rare gift. “Thanks Nana, for the story! I’ll be back soon!”

With a kiss on the cheek and a flimsy wave, Jocelyn takes off, disappearing quickly beyond the edge of the cave, leaving Mayleen to her thoughts.

‘Oh Herula help us. I have a horrible feeling she will not be safe.’

Hey guys. Wow it’s been a while. Over a year…I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Forgive the grammar mistakes and such because I just wanted to get this out. But I thank all of you who continued to review. I really appreciate it. ~Lisa~

Also, I’ve begun a new story “Where the Heart Is” that’s based on a one-shot I wrote. I also updated Blood Stained not too long ago. Peace everyone. Enjoy