A Twist of Fate: The Tale of a Mermaid

Chapter Three: Alaina

    Most Mer tribes preferred the deeper, darker parts of the ocean like caves or trenches. Our tribe was specifically drawn to the ocean floor because of our thick, impenetrable skin and eyes that could see in even the darkest of waters. We were the perfect predator - nothing more than shadows or ghosts wisping through the water. 

    There wasn't much to hunt near the bottom. No plants or animals could thrive in the deep crevasses of the ocean. All our hunting took place further toward the surface but never too close for fear of running into humans. Some were so afraid of the humans that they'd only hunt below the last line of distorted sunrays.

    Some days, I didn't know which I hated more - the humans and their violent nature, or our chief for forbidding us to hunt the humans in our waters. Of course, his laws didn't stop me - they never would. If he was too frightened, I would take matters into my own hands and rid humans from our seas myself. 

    I came upon a small opening in the narrow, rock wall I'd been swimming along for several miles. The opening was a winding tunnel that led to the large, underwater cavern - home. I wriggled through the tunnel catching my arm on a sharp rock as I swam through. 

    The cavern walls were decorated with seashells strung through long pieces of kelp. Bioluminescent algae coated the stalagmites casting a soft glow throughout the cavern. I scanned over the three Mermaids busily preparing for some event I'd obviously forgotten. 

    A pair of arms gripped me tightly from behind. "Thank goodness you're back," Magdalena gushed, hugging me even tighter. "I was sure the hurricane had carried you off, and I'd never see you again." 

    "It's going to take a lot more than a hurricane to get rid of me," I joked, squirming out of her tight hug. "What celebration is this?" I asked, gesturing to the decorations. 

    Magdalena c****d her head to the side. "It's the Moon Tide festival," she answered, clearly shocked that I'd forgotten. "You do remember, don't you? Caspian will be expecting you to attend." She leaned closer, whispering in my ear. "I think he's going to ask for your hand." 

    A knot formed in my stomach. Caspian was Chief Zael's son and my future husband should everyone get their way. 

    Each of us was born with a song - an oracle giving a vague prediction of our future. Caspian's said, "A twin of beauty and wonder shall lead you to your desires." And because Magdalena and I were the only set of twins in our tribe, everyone was sure it'd be one of us. As we grew older, it was clear that Caspian wanted me. But I didn't want him. 

    "Shall we prepare for the festival?"

    I gave a small nod allowing Magdalena to run her webbed fingers through my hair. She was always creating new ways for the women to wear their hair. I hadn't thought much of it until today. She probably learned these styles from the humans on one of her secret trips to the surface. 

    She twisted my long, black hair around itself, and when she was finished, she tied a piece of kelp around the ends. "What do you call this?" I asked, examining the strange hairstyle. 

    "I call it a braid," she beamed. "You look stunning." 

    "That, she does," a husky voice answered from behind us. Caspian flashed us a crooked grin before dipping into a bow. Magdalena and I bowed back. I couldn't help noticing how the water made his dark hair stand like the stalagmites on the cavern floor.

    "Did you just get back from a hunt?" I couldn't help asking. He smelled musky - the way most males smelled after a fresh hunt. 

    "Indeed. Maggie, do you mind if I have a moment alone with your sister before the festival? I promise you can have her right back." 

    She looked from Caspian to me, forcing a smile. "I'll go see if any of the others would like their hair done."  

    Caspian's eyes never left me as Magdalena swished away. There was no doubt that he was handsome with his dark gray tail, green eyes, and muscular torso. 

    "What did you want to talk about?" I asked, trying not to stutter. 

    "Us. Tonight's Moon Tide festival is more than what it normally is."

    "Caspian," I interrupted, but he put a finger to my lips before I could continue. 

    "I know marriage doesn't sound like your thing. Frankly, it's not something that I'm quite prepared for myself, but I know that it's you, Alaina. You're the one. You're my destiny." 

    The knot in my stomach intensified. "Are you sure that it's me?"

    His face changed, an emotion I didn't recognize flashing across his face. "I'm sure. Would you prefer to answer now, or wait for my proposal during the festival?" 

    I couldn't help looking up toward the surface, wishing my eyes could see through the thick layers of rock. Accepting Caspian's proposal meant I couldn't go to the surface. It meant I couldn't leave the sanctuary of the caverns. Mermen and women would hunt for me, catering to me as if I were an infant. 

    Merfolk mated for life - bound together in song. My song. It would no longer be my own. Caspian would own a piece of it. The thought of sharing something so intimate with him made more knots form in my stomach. 

    "I'll wait," I murmured. I knew his proposal would come after the feast but before the dance, giving me enough time to escape before I was forced to answer. 

    "During the festival, it is," he agreed. "I'll see you soon." Caspian disappeared into the crowd of Merfolk that began swirling around the open cavern. I joined the mingling attempting to locate my sister before the celebrations started. 

    All Moon Tide festivals were the same. It was nothing more than a ritualistic celebration for the full moon. We would feast on squid and other delicacies like jellyfish tentacles and pufferfish eggs once a month during the Moon Tide festival.  

    Our ancestors believed the festivals were necessary for the moon to complete its cycle, but now, it was nothing more than an excuse to party. Over the centuries, we learned that the moon would complete its cycle without the ritual. And soon, magic became obsolete. Our song was just a song, though I knew the truth. It was the very magic our tribe no longer believed in.   

    "Hey." Magdalena floated beside me, tossing little round eggs into the space between us. "I swiped us some pufferfish eggs before the feast." 

    I snatched one up and popped it into my mouth, shuddering. "Ugh, these things are awful." 

    Magdalena scrunched up her face. "I know. Why do we insist on eating these?"

    "For the effects," I reminded her before popping another egg into my mouth. I didn't enjoy the psychedelic effects of the pufferfish poison like most of the others. On occasion, I would indulge slightly, but never as strongly as some. It was the last Moon Tide festival when one group got so intoxicated that they ended up lassoing what they thought was a giant, purple squid. It turned out to be a large cluster of rocks. 

    "Hey, I wanted to thank you for saving those humans earlier. I know how much you hate their kind, and I just wanted you to know that it meant a lot to me that you didn't kill them." 

    "You're welcome," I muttered. 

    "To be honest, I was a little worried about leaving you alone with them. I thought after I left, you'd try to kill them." 

    The knots twisted tighter. "You made it clear that you wanted to save them. So that's what I did," I lied. 

    "I know. And I'm grateful. So, what did Caspian want?" she asked, switching subjects. 

    "To propose."

    "And did you accept?"

    I shook my head. "Not yet."

    "Will you?"

    I paused for a moment. Was I? If I wasn't, I needed to be out of the caverns in seconds. My window of escape was thinning. Finally, I said, "I don't want to be his one and only." 

    Magdalena sighed. "You don't want to stop going to the surface." 

    "Would you stop if he'd chose you?"

    Though our reasons for visiting the surface were very different, neither of us wanted to stop. There was a certain allure to the human world, one that called both of us in different directions. 

    "No, I suppose not," she admitted. 

    The sound of a conch shell filled the cavern, and all chatter came to a halt. Chief Zael swam down from one of the caves above - staff in hand - followed by Caspian. "My children," he spoke in his booming voice, "tonight's Moon Tide festival will have an extra celebration. My son, Caspian, has some news he'd like to share with all of you."

    I gulped. My window had vanished. 

    “I’d like—” before he could finish, a scrawny merman scurried to the middle of the floor huffing. 

    "Sir...there is...a disturbance on the surface," the scrawny merman panted. 

    "What do you mean?"

    "There was a shipwreck, and it seems that the humans aboard found sanctuary on dry land, only to be ambushed by one of our kind." 

    My body went rigid. Magdalena's eyes seared through my skin like the fire on the ship. "What makes you believe it was one of us?" Chief Zael demanded.

    "Well, their injuries were quite strange. I'd never seen such injuries inflicted by our kind before, but one of them survived blubbering about mermaids." 

    "How could you?" Magdalena snapped as Chief Zael shouted, "This is outrageous!" 

    All eyes were on me now. Chief Zael swam forward, looking me over. He grabbed my arm, examining the small I received from the rock wall. "Why hasn't this healed yet?"

    I wanted to lie. I tried to lie, but my words continued to get stuck in my throat. "What have I told you about going to the surface?" he shouted angrily. 

    "I can explain," I forced out.

    He raised his hand, cutting me off. "I don't want an explanation. I've told you over and over, Alaina. The surface is a dangerous place. You've put us all in danger! A human knows about us!" 

    "I can fix it. Please! Just let me fix it," I begged. 

    His face was dark as he rapped his fingers over the ball of his staff. "I'm afraid there's only one option left," he answered calmly. "You're hereby banished."  

    I gasped. 

    "Father," Caspian tried interjecting. The sudden distraction was the opening I needed. I turned and swam out of the caverns.

    "After her," I heard Chief Zael call, but I was faster. None of them would catch me in time. I swam through the narrow twists and turns until I burst into the open water away from the rocky catacombs. I didn't stop swimming until I heard their voices vanish in the distance. 

    I was alone, or so I thought. Magdalena swam in front of me, crossing her arms. "What are you doing?" I demanded. I swam to the left. Magdalena did the same. She followed my every move, quicker than I could've imagined. I could outswim the others, but never my sister. 

    Two large Mermen grabbed my arms, holding me steady as Chief Zael caught up. "You are hereby banished from our waters," he repeated. His face grew somber. "The ocean rebukes you." A yellow light burst from the end of the staff, and a searing pain spread across my body. 

    The pain began at my fins, crackling and popping like my tail was splitting in half. I couldn't see past the blinding light, couldn't feel anything but red, hot pain. And all I could do was scream.