A Merfolk's Tale

Prologue

Mermaids.

Often described as mythical creatures that are human from head to waist and have fishtail instead of legs. These creatures live in the oceans and are often seen, helping humans make water voyages easier-- often helping lost sailors and even saving them from shipwrecks.

Aside from their odd appearance, mermaids also have amazing healing abilities that can heal even the most fatal sickness-- rumors even state that a mermaid's blood can even save a man from a near-death situation. They can also change into a human at will and are often seen interacting with humans, some even finding the romance they have been looking for on land.

But greed had been on the world just as old as love was and with such incredible abilities-- it was not a surprise to make mermaids the target of greedy humans. Wanting power and everlasting youth, they have started to capture and slaughter mermaids for their blood, forcing the remaining merfolk to hide in the deepest parts of the oceans and disappear from human's greedy kind.

***

In a time where kingdoms exist, people lived in harmony on one kingdom and in the hands of their trusted ruler who had ruled the kingdom just by the age of eighteen after his father had seen him fit to rule. He was married to the daughter of the neighboring kingdom so as to strengthened their bonds-- thus the creation of the kingdom of Yuei.

However, arranged marriages aren't all that harmonic as the couple had different beliefs-- one being their belief towards mermaids. The queen-- Rei-- was a very lovable and kind person and believed that enslaving and killing merfolk was wrong to which the king-- Enji-- disagreed strongly after having lost his own mother at a young age due to a shipwreck that had been caused by a mermaid attack.

However, their duties were top priority than their own feelings that the royal couple produced four children, most of them harboring their mother's features of having snow shite hair. However, during her pregnancy with their 4th child the queen fell incredibly ill-- too ill to bear the child alive and live herself.

But the king's pride was as high as the towers of his castle and hard as the castle walls that he sent a massive amount of search parties to try and find the greatest doctors of the time to try and heal the queen-- offering a huge amount to whoever cures her.

But the queen's beliefs were strong, and she set out to find a mermaid on her own to beg them to save her baby's life. Possessing a strand of mermaid hair given to her by the village witch, she set out a basket of offering at a secluded part of the sea and waited for a response-- praying to the gods that a mermaid would hear her cry.

Almost instantly, a creature of the sea appeared and cautiously approached the queen-- eyes full of wonder and curiosity. In desperation, the queen pleaded for the mermaid's help despite the uncertainty that the creature would understand her.

But the mermaid understood the mother's despair and had reached for the queen's womb in wonder. The mermaid smiled at the queen before holding her hand out to silently ask for the knife the queen had been hiding inside the basket she brought.

A mermaid's blood was enough to save her and her child, but she didn't have the guts to kill such a fascinating creature. However, the mermaid had different plans and had cut her palm and handed it to the queen for her to drink.

A bit reluctant, the queen reached down and took a small taste of blood. However, the effect was instant as the queen immediately felt better-- overjoyed, the queen thanked the mermaid with tears in her eyes for saving her and her child.

However, not understanding a word the queen was saying, the mermaid was happy to see her smile. Once they parted ways, the queen made sure she'd do her best to unite both worlds like it was in the early years... clueless of the fact that she was being followed by people who successfully capture the innocent creature.

She bore her youngest child the next night-- a healthy baby boy-- who had an equal division of red hair and white hair. The kingdom rejoiced at the birth of their new prince who has been saved from death-- unlike the kingdom of merpeople who were greaving for the loss of their family member and orphaned her newborn son.