The Witch's Daughter

Part Seventeen

 from The Life of a Half-Elf Witch,  "The Elf and the Boy"

The boy opened his eyes. All the world around him was pale-blue and silver, swarming into occasional patches of light-green. His feet itched at the gritty mixture of gray rock and deep-green algae he stood on. Ivory, vine-wrapped ruins glowed under faint gold glints of sunlight. Fish and mermaids swam past him, only to vanish into a depth he could not enter. Elf men and women walked or swam, laughing and chattering away the day. He gasped, whirling around this forgotten kingdom. Princess Ervina stood behind him, smiling a warm, maternal smile.

"Welcome to Conchia, dear child."

His mouth fell open. The elves all wore long, loose silver robes and twisted glossy shells into their flowing hair. Four slits divided their necks. Gills? He wondered, after ruling out a gruesome fate. His own neck felt lighter, airier. His fingers traveled along each section of his neck; air seeped in and out, cooling and warming him at intervals. He glanced back at Princess Ervina, who was now laughing and chattering with a few pretty lady-elves. Did she...cut my neck? Am I dead? Did she kill me? No, she's too little!

The elf princess rose from a canopy bed of deep-green algae and swam toward him.

"Are you happy now, my child?" she asked, her voice low and musical, like a lullaby.

The boy swallowed. I told her about the water, didn't I? And she listened too well...!

"We've struck you speechless," chuckled Princess Ervina, running her slender hand over his chin, "The gills happen naturally to you. When I took you here, it was as if the Great Goddess of Conchia knew exactly what to do!"

"B-But, Princess Ervina...."

"Yes?"

"Why did you take me here?"

Princess Ervina went silent. She ran a ruby-ringed finger over her face, over the high forehead, the rounded nose, the budding lips. The other twirled her hair nervously, snaring her silver hair within yet another ring.

"Well," she said slowly, "We are lacking in elf-children."

"Wh-What?"

"Touch your ears, boy." When he refused, the princess swam up and ran her own little fingers over the now stiff, pointed tips of his ears. "You are one of us now."

His heart raced, and tears stung his eyes.

"I-I never wanted to be an elf! What about my family? Why didn't you...?"

"The water is a cruel mother. She did devour much of our children, or her creatures did. They are small when born, too small, and the creatures in this day are worse than when I was a girl. I mean...more humans." She breathed deeply. "After all, I've always wanted a child. And since I've never married...."

"Princess...."

"Our people, the elves of the water, are worse off than the fire or earth elves. We are too delicate, too decadent. Your people have hunted us enough." Her brows arched and her voice hardened. "I pray you are as different as you seem!"

"B-But, Princess...!"

Ervina turned away.

"Papa!" she cried, "I've brought the boy!"

The boy turned. She blew into a conch shell, alerting a small crowd of water-elves, along with their leader. The king of Conchia, was light-skinned and somewhat muscular. He looked strangely young to be Ervina's father, with his longish, wavy brown hair and strong jaw. Almost human, the boy observed, also noting the king's dark eyes and bold brows. He wore a turquoise robe at his waist and a small, sandy crown speckled with tiny turtle-shells and tarnished coins. The boy inhaled deeply; the king did not look happy.