The High Seas Queen

At the prow of my ship, I catch myself lost in the sorrowful swells of the waves that bring on a tenderness to my heart that travels to my eyes, creating tears. The purple of the sunset, the dark blue of the sky, and the emerald green of the sea make a combination that can not compare to anything in a normal human world. Don’t be confused, as this world, like any other, has the same creatures and humans. This world also has beings called Monarchs. They are similar to other world's royalty but not quite the same. These rulers are important to the environment that the universe has created here for us. However, they differ from the land and sea inhabitants. The way they differ is in the aura or power they exude and the ability to shift from one form to another depending on the environment and the people living in it. The multiple appearances that a ruler can take on are: a merfolk appearance, with the tale of a fish and the torso of a human, two land forms, and an animal form. For example, I, Ashera, have taken on my ocean land silhouette, a petite woman with deep purple hair and gray eyes. My skin is an iridescent green with shining silver scales that cascade over my body. Under the waves, the female Monarchs tend to appear in their merfolk forms, while male Monarchs prefer their animal form. The human form is like that of other worlds with differentiating heights, weights, and styles, a duller version of the ocean form without scales. One look at my appearance and the creatures of the sea know that they need to bow at my feet and be ready to help me with whatever task I ask of them. Every genus of the sea has a special ruler that watches over them. These higher-specialized merfolk help keep order within their society and help keep the ocean I love safe. As an example, the king of the Xiphiidae, my husband and second in command, takes on the appearance of a Black Marlin. On the other hand, in the Mermaid Kingdom, every ruler, male or female, must wear their mermaid silhouette. Under the waves in the Merfolk Kingdom, Monarchs live in the mermaid form around the Deep Sea merfolk, a type of underwater creature that resides here and can never leave. They are not able to join the Land or the Ocean world but are forced to reside in the confines of the Deep Ocean Cities, like Oki, the capital where they are safe and hidden from both worlds. Although the Deep Sea merfolk, named Sirens by the humans above, are not allowed to leave the safety of the cities, they are home to all the mer-people. That is where we are born and reside when we are under the waves. Firstly, the residents here are not Monarchs. They can be dangerous and unpredictable. They are sad and tend to lure humans to their deaths because they cannot walk on land themselves. Some are kind and have more wits about them, but even they can go mad being in the water for so long if they do not find a purpose. Secondly, humans can be a curious and selfish bunch. They like to study and tend to start wars when they start feeling disagreeable. The last thing to know is, the ocean creatures are fragile compared to these Sirens. Turtles, sharks, whales, and other underwater creatures have no power to protect themselves from the torrent nature of the angry merfolk. A simple song out of an angry Siren's mouth can penetrate the hardest shell and break the strongest psyche. It is the Monarch's privilege to watch over this planet and keep it safe. The ocean land form is important to every Monarch because it keeps them and the special ship crew safe from what lurks below the dark blues and grays of the sea. The land forms of a monarch help the rulers find crews. These special crews are made of humans that inhabit the overland world, but they are born able to sense higher merfolk from their Aura, which is a colored emanation of the Monarchs' inner power. This Aura alerts crew members and other merfolk as to what kind of creature or Monarch they are dealing with. Although there is still a lot in this world that needs explaining, I think it’s time to tell you my story by starting with a very dramatic event; my coronation as High Seas Queen of Nocea.