Oliver really should have thought things over before he decided to leap into a revolting swamp. It was far too late before he realized that it was a very, very unintelligent idea. He panicked when he became aware of the fact that he had never actually learned how to swim. As he waited for his doom, something sharp and shiny suddenly swam past him, chafing his legs. The young man groaned in pain and wrapped his arms around the mysterious creature as it ascended to the surface.
Once his head was out of the murky water, he gasped for air. Oliver then looked down to see what he was holding onto. It was a shimmering-sapphire fish! The majestic, blue fish didn't look like it appreciated having an annoying human sticking to her.
"Let me go!" she screeched.
"You can talk?" he questioned, aghast. The fish gave him an displeased look as if to say 'yeah, duh. I just did. Stop asking stupid questions, you idiot'. "Sorry," he spoke. "but I can't let you go. I have to...kill you."
Her expression turned grim, and she began to deliver a portent:
"My species is close to becoming extinct. For all I know, I may be the last of my kind. My eggs need my protection in order for them to hatch. If you were to kill me, I would put a terrible curse on you and make you regret the day you ever considered harming a shimmering-sapphire fish." She glared murderously up at the witch's son.
"But-"
"Never start an argument with 'but'." she interrupted.
"I need one of your scales."
"How about I make you a deal?" The shiny fish suggested. "If I give you one, will you promise to pledge allegiance to me and visit me from time to time. It gets quite lonely here." Oliver nodded and released the creature.
"I promise." he declared. True to her word, the shimmering-sapphire fish, swam into the water and picked up an old, blue scale from behind a structure that looked like a rampart made out of rocks and fronds. The man kindly thanked the fish for her generosity and took a moment to bask in their new friendship. Waving goodbye to the angler and the fish, Oliver hurried off into the forest to continue his dangerous quest.
YOU ARE READING
The False Prince
Short StoryIn the kingdom of Briarthorne, news of the upcoming wedding of princess Avianna and prince Tabazan had been spreading throughout all the land. As the son of a witch, Oliver knows quite a bit about magic. The young man becomes bored with his life liv...
