Palaimon and the Sailor (boyxboy) Short story by L.J Harding

Chapter 10

It had been two weeks since our victory. I relished in it. Although, I always seemed to be quite distracted with a certain human.

But that would all change now. The Relurs had called the entire pod for a meeting, to decide the faith of the relationship between Humans and Merfolk.

"You all understand why we have called this meeting today, this meeting will go down in history, just like our battle. This meeting will decided if we are finally safe enough to go out of hiding", declared King Poseidon.

The pod discussed to each other the sudden decision that would befall the Relur shoal. The Matriarch soon called for silence as they asked a representative from each shoal take a stand.

"From the Naidruag shoal, we have Sirena. Sirena, please tell us the fate of the pod according to the Naidruag shoal" requested King Poseidon.

"The Naidruag shoal have deemed the communications between the Humans and the Merfolk to remain as they are. We do not feel that we should repeat history and allow the humans to annihilate us. Yes, we may have a nice human among us, but who knows whether that is an act or not. We cannot trust the humans." Spoke the representative, Sirena.

King Poseidon then called on the next shoal. "From the Retnuh shoal, we have Nereus. Nereus, please tell us the fate of the pod according to the Retnuh shoal" requested the Patriarch once more.

"The Retnuh shoal urge the Relur family to please allow communications between Humans and Merfolk. We as a pod are going to die if we remain here much longer, we need to expand and thrive. Our hunting grounds is very limited. I also strongly believe that the pod should divide and set up in different areas of the world. It is time for the Merfolk to reappear in the world." Said the representative, Nereus.

It was then time for the Rerehtag shoal, and speaking was a mermaid named Coralia.

"The Rerehtag shoal agree with the Retnuh shoal completely. There is no more that needs to be said", said Coralia in very few words.

The Patriarch sighed as he continued to the last shoal. We will now have our representative, Palaimon, from the Rekcart shoal.

"The Rekcart shoal agree with the Retnuh family also, but I would like to expand on it. We as a pod should be communicating with humans, above land. We should be allowed to come and go between the sea and the land as we see fit. We should never have to choose one or the other."

"Unacceptable, if you want to live on land then you cannot be with the pod. That is law. That is not up for discussion. We are merfolk, not human", declared the King.

"Yet we accepted a human into our pod and they fit in almost instantly. Why could we not the same above land?", I debated back.

"Because that's the way we are, we are merfolk. This human is no longer accepted into our world along with any other humans regardless of the pod's decision." Finished the Patriarch.

My blood began to boil, but I bit my tongue. I had a plan, I wasn't going to say goodbye to my James. Regardless of what the Patriarch said.

"The Relurs have come to a decision", declared King Poseidon.

The pod waited in anticipation. "We have decided that we will go with the majority, we feel that it is now safe for the pod to divide and for Merfolk to increase their numbers across the world. We have hidden for too long, not just our people but our courage too. We demonstrated that we could defeat our enemies, we aren't gullible like we once were. The pod shall start the divide tomorrow", decreed the Patriarch of our soon to be many pods.

Then, I spoke up. "I renounce my merfolk responsibilities, identity and right to the pod. I choose the land. My lover does not swim in the ocean, he walks on the land. I shall walk with him. If he is denied here, then we will go where we are accepted. I no longer need the pod if it's too immature and stuck in its old traditions. I love a human, I love him more than the sea".

When I finished, I grabbed James' hand, ignoring the vibrations of the pod. Then, together, we swam away.

We swam miles and miles until we eventually reached the land, and then I felt a tingle.

It was light at first, then it grew throughout my legs. Once I looked down, I realised that I had legs in place of a tail. I laughed in surprise.

James had lost his tail too, giving me a cheeky grin. We walked out of the sea, hand in hand, onto a deserted beach.

"So how's walking on legs?" asked James. I smiled, "It'll take some getting used to".

James looked out onto the land, "We'll do it together."

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