A new beginning

Under the surface

( A short note here. The Ariel I’m writing about is in fact my version of the Disney princess)

“We have to tell Duxia. You know that she wants to know about all raids. Even if we failed”

Your face was grim but you nodded. You knew that if you had gotten up earlier some sailors could’ve been saved. You didn’t look forward to the meeting with Duxia. You swallowed and swam to the secret hiding place of the Sirens.

The hideout wasn’t really so secret but it was located in a place where nobody would look. I was located in the middle of the crab hills. The water was really shallow there so the sun shone and lit up the area around the underwater meadow. The rock formations surrounded the meadow and no one cared to look in there. It was a beautiful but dangerous place. Sometimes a shark or two made its way in there but the real danger was the current. If the water was in a horrible mood the current could be so strong that you couldn’t swim in it. It would just grab a hold of you had smash you into the rocks. Many Sirens had lost their lives against those rocks since the founding of the rebel group. The sirens that lost their lives were buried in this very meadow, never to be forgotten. The special water butterflies flew between the graves. They didn’t fly, they flapped their wings and floated in the water. They seemed so content and calm. Their movements slow but beautiful.

You entered the cave and music hit your ears. You and Astra got less nervous and continued. In the middle of the hideout was the amphitheatre and right now on the stage some sirens played and sung together. The sirens music was widely famous around the oceans and in the early beginning this was how they gained information. They visited nobles and highborns and entertained them with their music. When the nobles got drunk the sirens could gain the information they needed. Duxia was the one who was singing. Her voice was quiet but still strong. When she sang you left this world behind and the only thing left was her voice.

She had silvery hair that curled itself in big curls over her shoulders. Her eyes were dark blue and nice. But they could turn darker in a second if she was offended or angry. Your eyes met hers and she made a gesture with her hand. The music stopped and she swam towards her office. She didn’t need to tell you. You knew that you should follow so you did. The music left a hole in you. You missed Duxias voice, your ears craved it. She was dangerous, you were lucky that she was on your side.

You closed the heavy rock door behind you. It fell in place with a soft sound. Duxia stood before you.

You and looked down and said “We’re sorry, we failed. We arrived too late and all the sailors were killed.”

“This is the third time you fail” Duxia was calm and her voice contained no anger. This made her so much scarier. Usually she screamed and shouted and you could feel her rage, but not this time. The only proof that she was angry was her eyes. They were cold and you felt her anger shine through them. The eyes are really the soul’s mirror.

“It was my fault. I didn’t wake up when Astra tried to wake me”

“It’s not entirely your fault. Astra should’ve left you and gone alone.” Duxia said and pierced Astra with her eyes. “I can’t trust you to carry out my simple tasks. Therefore I’ll give you new orders. Salvatoria you’ll be sent up on land to find the lake. We are growing weak in numbers and need the reinforcements from above”

You gasped, no you had heard wrong. She couldn’t send you away you were the princess and no one who had been sent up ever returned. “But…but you can’t” Astra said.

“I can and I will. Salvatoria have to choose. She can go up on land or don’t but then I’ll make sure that everyone knows about her connection with the sirens. She’ll be beheaded.”

Astra closed and opened her mouth. “It’s okay, I’ll do it” You said.

“I’ll come with you” Astra said and smiled

“No you won’t. I know that Lord Foedus has asked for your hand in marriage and we are in need of powerful allies. Therefore you’ll marry him and provide us with essential founds and information.”

“No I won’t do that. He’s disgusting and besides I’m waiting for my true love” Astra said and sighed when she thought about true love.

“What says that your fate will be different if you don’t obey me?” Duxia said. She looked tired. “So off with you now, Salvatoria you’ll leave tonight. Don’t say any goodbyes, just go. Astra we’ll get you married in the morning”

You both nodded and left. The swim back to Atlantis and the royal palace was quiet. The only thing disturbing the silence was one or two sobs from Astra. You understood her. If you could choose between going up on land and marrying Lord Foedus you would choose land every time. Foedus was an old and disgusting merman. He had barely any hair left and lived in the outskirts of Atlantis in an old palace like building. Sure he was rich but he didn’t spend any money on repairing the house. It looked like it would fall apart any day.

You packed a few things in a small bag. When you ascended on land you would have no clothes at all. And the humans always wore clothes. You wouldn’t really miss the life in the ocean. You didn’t have many friends and you had always wanted to see the land. Feel the sun warming your skin and let your hair blow in the wind. You smiled to yourself. Suddenly you couldn’t wait to leave this place.

As night grew closer and closer you got more and more nervous. You would finally leave this place.

You swam through a backdoor and stayed out of sight of the guards. The city was dark and quiet. Unlike the humans you had no illumination. When it was dark it was. This wasn’t the first time you had snuck out at night so you could easily find your way in the dark. When you were far away from the city you headed for the surface. Just a five minute swim away you saw a beach. You swam to it.

You braced yourself and swam as far in the bay as you could. Your body scraped against the wet sand bottom. When you couldn’t swim any longer you dragged yourself onshore. The moment the water didn’t touch you anymore you felt the change coming. Your fin turned into two separate things and evolved into legs. The sand wasn’t wet it was dry here. You laughed, this was truly amazing. “Salvatoria is that you?” A voice said from the dark parts of the beach, just feet away. Your joy turned into fear. “Who is it?” You said with a shaking voice.

“It’s me Astra, I disobeyed Duxia. I didn’t want to marry Foedus.”

You smiled this got better and better. “Don’t care about her. Now it’s you and me and we’ll find the lake and make Duxia proud.” You went over to Astra and you got dressed and started your search.

Everything turned black and when you regained your sight you were sitting on the floor in the glass pillar room again. You smiled. The two mermaid’s friendship was real but then you remembered what Glaciär folket (Part two reference) had said. The lake didn’t exist. At least the girls had each other. This time the god didn’t appear.

“Save us, he trapped us inside here. He’s going to ruin the world. He’s not the only one”

“Who is it?” you said and looked around you. You were scared. The voice you heard hadn’t spoken the words aloud. They had been inside your head. You pressed your hand against the closest pillar and embraced the memories.

You opened your eyes and looked at the woman beside you.

(So this concludes part four. Hope you liked it. I know I enjoyed writing it :D)