Dawn of Ancient Realms

    Once upon a time there was a beautiful young Queen from the sky kingdom of Nosaroc. The Queen was known for hr radiant golden hair that was like no others in the kingdom.  So without a doubt she had many suitors, but none quite as charming, and handsome as Prince Ulric.  At the beginning of their courtship the Prince was kind and caring, he showered the Queen with the sweetest of candies, and the most lavish gifts.  When the Prince asked for the Queens hand she accepted, but little did the Queen know that her Prince Charming was about to turn into a horrible beast.       The Queen endured many years of her husbands madness, she even bore him a son,  After all those years of pain and suffering, she could no longer stand this vile creature she had invited into he life, so she ran.  The Queen came to Earth for her sanctuary, and here she met a man.  She had never seen one quite like him, for she had never left her kingdom before. Despite the fact that their people were enemies she couldn't take her eyes off him.  At first the man didn't pay her much attention,  but she made her presence known, and he too began to watch her.  As he watched the Queen he saw that she was hiding from her own people, the Welkin's.  The man offered her help, she was reluctant at first, because no Welkin would ever dare trust a Merrow.  Having few options the Queen allowed him to help her.  Over time the man had kept her safe and hidden, he even found her a place to stay with some human friends of his.  The Welkin Queen and the Merrow soldier, fell in love.  Soon they were blessed with not one, but two beautiful babies.  Now the Queen and her lover were thrilled by the news, but they were also terrified, for they were unsure of the fate their children would have to endure, a cross between a Merrow and a Welkin was strictly forbidden.  The first child to be born was a baby boy, upon seeing his face the Queen and the soldier felt a wave of relief wash over them.  The baby boy looked like his father a full blooded Merrow child, he had little black hairs, deep blue eyes, sun kissed skin, and gills.  The Queen and the soldiers relief was short lived, when they saw the baby girl wept.  The baby girl looked both Welkin and Merrow, she has the Welkin's golden hair, and pointed ears, and the Merrow's gills, but the most stunning thing about the baby was that one eye shone gold like the son, while the other was a cold blue like the sea.  The Queen decided right then and there that she must return to he kingdom, for the sake of her daughter, for if the king ever found out about the child, or that the child belonged to the Queen he would have her killed.  She told her lover to take their son to the under water kingdom, and raise he boy there, but to never allow him to set foot on dry land.  The soldier did not want to leave his love or his daughter behind, but he did as the Queen asked.  Now the Queen was left with the baby girl, who she took to her lovers human friends, the only people she trusted with the care of her child.  The Queen left the baby on their door step and ran back to her kingdom, never to be seen again.       My mother told me the story of the Welkin Queen every night before bed.  When I was a child I thought it was just a made up story, something my mother told me to make me feel special.  I never understood why my mother never let me go outside, so she told me the story of a child that needed to be kept hidden.  For years I sat high up in my room looking down on the other children playing, longing to go out there with them.  Every time I came close to my escape Mother was there to stop me.       "Kalliope you listen to me," she cried, "you can never go outside, do you understand? Never it is not safe for you out there."  Watching her tears fall as she clung onto me, my hear ached.  I stroked my mothers hair with my child sized hand, trying to sooth her.       "I'm sorry, I wont go, I promise" I told her, she wrapped her arms around me, lifting me up and carrying me away from the door.     I watched my father and brother come and go as they pleased.  I watched Merrow children play in puddles after it rained, and Welkin children fly around.  I couldn't help it, the call of the ocean, and the wind pulled at my heart, I needed to go, I needed to be with them.  One day after my father and brother left to go hunting, and my mother was busy with the garden, I did it, I went outside.  As soon as I stepped over the threshold, my feet had minds of their own.  I ran as fast as I could down the dirt path leading to the back door, then I turned down the road that I knew led to the water.  This road, that I watched everyday from the hole in the wood of my upstairs bedroom, and how it connected to the bay not far from my home, was now leading me to my freedom.  My golden curly bounced as I ran, and the wind blew against my face, I felt so free in that moment.  As I approached the beach I spotted a group a children who looked to be arguing.  Half of the group was comprised of Merrow children, and the other of Welkin's.  The first to see me approaching was a Merrow boy, who looked to be a bit older than me.  He took in my features, his eyes grew wide, and his face pail, the other children noticed his sudden disinterest with their argument and looked in my direction as well.  The other children also paled upon seeing me, the fear was evident on their faces.  I smiled to show them I was nice, but that just made them run away.  I didn't understand what I had done wrong, they didn't even give me a chance.  Tears filled my eyes and I ran back home.       As I got closer to my house I saw my mother running through the empty street looking frantic.  When she saw me her feet took flight, I have never seen her move so fast, she grabbed my arm , dragged me inside, and slammed the door.  Before I could say anything she slapped me across the face.       "Kalliope what were you thinking?" she screamed, "I told you to never leave this house! What if someone saw you?  Did anyone see you?"      "No" I lied,      "Kalliope, you tell me the truth, did anyone see you?" she repeated.     "No" I cried holding my cheek.      "You listen, and you listen well child, you will never leave this house again, or so help me I will tie you to your bed, do you understand?"  she asked holding my chin tightly so I was forced to look her in the eyes.      "Yes mother" I said      "Go to your room" she said coldly, I did as I was told.  Once in my room I flopped down on my bed and cried myself to sleep.       The loud banging at the door woke me. I went down to the the main rooms to see what was going on.  As I entered I saw my father and brother sitting at the table.  My father held a disapproving look on his face, while my brother had a sympathetic one.  Treyton, my brother, although being nineteen while I was just ten, had always understood me better then our parents, they seemed to forget that I was a child, and I had a growing curious mind of the the world beyond these walls.  My mother stood from her chair and looked out the window.     "Who is it Yara?"  My father asked, my mothers face had gone white, and she began to shake.       "Welkin soldiers," she whispered, "Kalliope, what did you do?" they all looked at me, fear in their eyes.  Before I knew it my mother and father were on their feet, running here and there.     "Welkin soldiers open the door," one of the Welkin's banged on the door again.  My mother thrust a bag into my arms, while my father did the same to Treyton.       "Take your sister and run" my father said looking Treyton straight in the eye.     "Your mother and I will hold off the soldiers."  Treyton shook his head,     "I'm not leaving you behind" he said, tears in his eyes.     "Listen to me Treyton," my father gripped his shoulders, "you don't have a choice, if you don't go they will kill us all, so go, run."  Our parents pushed us out the back door, both of them had tears streaming down their faces.      "We love you both so much" they said hugging us for the last time.  The front door broke off its hinges right as my parents slammed the door in our faces.       "Come Kalliope, we have to go."  Treyton said pulling at my arm, I yanked my arm from his grasp,     "No" I cried      "Come Kalliope" he said more forcefully, the sound of breaking glass and screaming filled the air.  Treyton began to drag me away, I resisted as much as I could.     "No Trey, we can't leave them" I yelled      "I don't want to leave the either Kal, but we can't go back, and we can't let their sacrifice be in vain." Just then we heard the piercing cry of our mother, both of us turned back to look at our home, that was now in flames.  My body took a mind of its own as I tried to run back to our parents, but a force much greater than my own pulled me back.  Trey slung my tiny frame over his shoulder, and ran into the woods as fast as he could.  I screamed for my mother and father,      "Be quiet Kalliope," he hissed, I did as I was told, I shut my mouth and cried silently into my brothers shoulder.      The next morning Trey hid me under a fallen tree in the woods, while he went to see if there was anything left of our home.  Waiting was torture, every rustle, or snap of a twig made me jump.  When Trey returned his eyes were red, and face was wet, in his hand he help Mothers favorite dark green scarf.       "You need to wrap this around your head" he sniffed handing me the scarf.  I did as he said, once on he pulled the fabric here and there, so it covered all my hair, ears, gills, and my blue eye.      "That will have to do for now" he said      "Why do I have to be covered?" I asked, Trey sighed and looked to the ground.      "I guess it's time you knew, I always thought Mother or Father would be the ones to tell you."  He pulled out a letter from his pocket, it had my name written on the front.  The contents of the letter was the very story my mother had told me every night.  I gave Trey a confused look, and he gestured for me to keep reading     'My dearest Kalliope, I hope in reading this letter you understand why I had to give  you up.  I loved your father very much, but for all our safety we may never meet.  Your may live a free life, while you may not, and for that I am truly sorry.  Caine and Yara are the most trust worthy humans I know, I know they will care for you and love you like their own.  Although we may never know each other I pray you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and that you'll find happiness.                                                                                                                  Love Selene'     I looked at Trey who was watching me closely, I didn't know what to say, think, or do, so I just sat there.     "Kalliope, are you okay?" Trey asked taking my hand, I pulled my hand away from his.       "Why didn't anyone tell me?" I asked      "We thought you were too young, and our parents thought-"      "Your parents," I said, "I don't have parents, I was abandoned" Treyton looked angered by my words,     "You watch your mouth, our parents loved you, they cared for you, they died for you" he yelled.  He was right, and I was grateful, but I was still angry, maybe if they had told me, I never would have gone outside.  For the rest of the day, and days to follow, I wouldn't talk to him.  He kept trying to break me bu bribing me with food, and telling me stories of our parents, even cracking a few jokes.  Nothing worked, all I could think about was how Welkin's and Merrow's weren't allowed to be together.  The product of their union would be an abomination, I am an abomination.