The Young Warrior Merman

Swirling gushes of water shove and pull.

Bodies slam, scales brush, arms grasp tightly to keep spears from impaling

one another.

A storm in the Air Above is a fortunate sign on a merman’s ceremonial day.

Pearls flash on the generals’ necks,

Deep, penetrating music bellows from shells touching the front swimmers’

lips,

Sweet whispers of singing--words unexplainable--

Echo from a line of maids wearing  over their heads thin drapes much

longer than their tails.

Then,

In the center of the progression rides the great, though young, warrior, Ansgar,

Known for the destruction of Grathmon, the Black Shark,

The slaughter of Lanthaspar, the Ancient Sea Serpent,

As well as the end of many monsters which threatened peace in the

waters.

Ansgar!

So blessed by the gods, now to be taken in honorable ritual to the Sea

Witch.

Surely he would fulfill the prophecy the Breath Warrior:

“A merman, handsome and strong, and of a cunning mind,

Undefeated in all his battles,

Will rise to the Air Above,

And kill the Human Maiden with the Knife of Pearl,

Then,

The Warrior will have the power of the gods.”

At the mouth of the Sea Witch’s cave, Ansgar departs from the crowd.

He swims slowly into darkness, feeling along the slimy walls,

A light appears above,

Ansgar swims up and reaches air,

The tunnel opened to a cavern above the water,

A voice scratches from the edge of the entrance,

“Welcome.”

There,

On a construction of dark boulders and fish bones,

Sat the Sea Witch wearing silvery purple drapes and a crown of whale

teeth,

A green glow resided in the space.

“Have you come for the Knife of Pearl, Great Warrior?”

“Yes, indeed.” He answered,

For Ansgar knew to use few words.

“Perfect. I do not care for peace in the waters, but less creatures will

come to complain to me if the Breath Warrior exists.”

Ansgar nodded.

“What is your plan to kill the Human Maiden?”

“Whatever you instruct.” he said bowing.

She smiled in an unpleasant way,

Reaching behind her she lifted a small object out of the mud.

“This is the Knife of Pearl. Hang it around your neck. Next, I must have

your voice.”

“Sorry?”

“Your voice, fool. If you want to creep along with those disgusting

creatures in the Air Above, you will have to obtain what they call legs. I can give you legs, if you give me your voice.”

Ansgar is silent.

Breath Warrior.

“I will give you my voice” he said.

“Wonderful” the Sea Witch whispered.

Then,

Humming a low, guttural song,

The Witch began to grow larger and the light changed to a yellow.

Flashes and sparks flew about the cavern,

Ansgar felt the water rise above his head,

He was unable to stay afloat.

He heard a drowning scream,

His own voice.

“Welcome to the Human World, Breath Warrior.”

Sun beams.

Shadows and glistens of light danced atop eyelids.

The sweet whisperings of mermaid song.

A small breeze.

Shivers.

It is no mermaid song.

Ansgar awakens,

His eyes unlock to bright green orbs,

Human eyes.

Sitting up suddenly,

He takes in all around him.

A rocky shoreline,

A dry cloth laid across his waist and legs-

Legs!

How marvelous that the Witch had not tricked him.

And,

Two human maidens,

Now sitting a bit further from him than before,

One,

A bustier, dark lady with her ebony hair twisted around her head,

The other,

Ansgar froze,

The shining eyes he had awoken to,

Long wavy hair--the incarnation of sunrays of the rolling sea,

And a face,

Was it the sunrise?

Was it the Song of Rejoicing?

Ansgar was too overpowered by this,

Then,

He lost consciousness.

The Breath Warrior awoke again,

This time in something white and soft,

A human bed,

Under a pink roof.

The room was covered in flowers.

A man,

Tall and as slender as a seaweed leaf,

Stood near the bed frowning deeply,

Making notes,

He looked up to see Ansgar awake.

“Oh, feeling better now? The princess will certainly be glad to hear that.”

Ansgar’s face of surprise stopped the doctor.

“Yes, her highness was the one that saved ye,

Bless her good heart,

She would not leave you on the shore,

Thought you had some important destiny or the such.

There is not one person in this world she would not mourn if he perished.

Yes, she will come soon to see you,

Then,

You can ask her why she saved a man,

Probably a pirate thrown over board,

And thank her for her grace in letting you stay in her royal castle.”

The man turned,

Then stopped,

“Oh, and they found this a few feet away from you.”

He picked up the Pearl Knife,

“Is it yours?”

Ansgar nodded.

The man, turning it in his hand,

“Such a pretty little thing.”

Then,

The man slipped out of the room.

While he waited,

Angar grasped the knife,

He was ready for the maiden to come.

But,

That face,

Those eyes,

Spilled through his mind.

How could he destroy that beauty?

No,

He could not,

It must be the other one.

“Hello”

The beauty!

She now stood in the room, smiling!

Ansgar hid the knife.

“How are you feeling?”

He smiled.

Fluttering over to the bed and lightly landing at his side,

The maiden said,

“I am Princess Shaina. What is your name and where are you from?”

The warrior,

Trying to speak,

Found it impossible;

He could make no more than a sigh.

“You are mute!” said the princess standing up.

She met his eyes,

Then,

Taking his hand,

“I am so very sorry. It surprised me!”

She smiled again,

Brighter this time,

And,

Invited him to dinner and a walk if he felt well enough.

Ansgar,

Not one moment out of her enchantment,

Readily nodded.

That evening,

The Great Warrior of the sea,

Sat stiffly in human clothing,

At a human table.

He was inthralled to see fish on his plate,

But,

In taking a bite by way of a shiny instrument--very inefficient indeed--

He was disgusted to find these creatures had somehow ruined the meat.

What savages!

Is this what comes of the humans’ red, burning cloud?

But,

Ansgar could not be unhappy,

For before him was the Princess Shaina,

Chattering away about her garden,

Her kingdom,

Her life.

She tried to guess his origin and name for some time, but gave up.

While on their walk under the trees,

Ansgar thanked the gods the princess walked slowly,

For he was very unused to his legs,

And each step took much strength.

As he listened,

The princess came across a maiden’s name.

He looked at her puzzled.

“You remember the woman with the black hair who was there on the beach,

yes?

She is my helper and companion,

But she is so dear to me!

How happy my days are spent with her.”

The princess then began describing the adventures they had enjoyed

together.

Ansgar was lost.

He could not take any happiness from Shaina.

Not for all the waters in the world!

He felt the knife,

Now around his neck again, under a shirt.

The two reached the entrance into the castle.

In the hall,

Princess Shaina gave her hand to Ansgar,

And,

He kissed it.

She danced to the staircase and disappeared.

The next morning,

Ansgar was greeted in his room by a servant.

“Her majesty sent proper clothes for the ceremony, sir.”

He looked at the fine set,

Not sure of their purpose,

But happy to see Shaina.

He combed through his hair,

Donned the dark blue robe and black trousers,

And wandered into the hall and down the stairs.

“I’m so happy you will be there!”

Looking around he saw the princess,

In the most elegant gown he had ever seen,

Ansgar smiled and stepped towards her.

“Can you believe I’m really marrying Duke Barosma in just a few hours?”

Then,

She seemed to be swept away by the wind,

As her companion called her name,

Leaving Ansgar,

Unable to move.

Such emotion he had never felt,

Such rage,

Such pain.

After a long while,

Ansgar,

Sitting in the garden where they had sat before,

Remembered the many tales of humans he had grown up hearing.

Cruel,

Cowards,

Yes,

Perhaps they are such creatures.

Perhaps it was time to accomplish what he came for,

A maiden’s life.

He felt the dagger under the robe.

He saw a servant girl carrying flowers to the window.

He stood and-

No!

He could not!

For, just as he could not force his arm to strike Shaina,

He could not harm any dear to her,

Yes,

All were dear to her.

He could not be the Breath Warrior.

Ansgar saw this now.

The ceremony was lovely.

Flowers adorned everything,

Strange music was played, though Ansgar thought it beautiful in its own

way.

Shaina was glowing.

Ansgar watched,

He smiled,

And,

After a goodbye to the princess,

A servant helped him to one of the small royal boats.

Yes, this was the way.

With the Shaina fully believing he was to follow his destiny,

He set to sea,

Then,

When far enough away,

He took the Pearl Knife,

And,

Ended the Breath Warrior’s life.

In the last moments,

He heard the groan of the ocean,

The song of mourning rose from the mouths of mermen and maidens.

He saw the face of the princess.

And,

His voice now released from the Sea Witch,

Ansgar cried,

And sang the song of goodbye.