Marina

Part One

The sight in front of her was one of the most intimidating things Marina had ever seen.

She was floating before the open remains of a large clamshell, one perched atop a stone pillar in the middle of an underwater cavern. Around her, luminescent algae glowed and faded like the stars of the night sky. Cold currents swept in and out of the crevices in the walls, bringing with them the haunting sounds of the watery deep.

She would have swum out of the cavern already if not for her desire to talk to the sorceress.

Said sorceress lounged in the clamshell, eel-like tail curled tightly. The algae's faint light illuminated her dark hair and knowing gaze. "I've seen that look in your eyes before, child."

"So, you know why I'm here?" Marina asked, her voice quavering. The sorceress' calm demeanor didn't lessen the trepidation she felt.

Her anxiety must have shown, because the woman began to smile. There was a curve to the sorceress' lips that did not bring Marina any comfort. If she were more timid, the teal and blue scales on her tail would have already lost their color from fear.

"I'm not the most accomplished sorceress across the deep, blue sea for nothing," the woman replied. Her tail uncurled, allowing a bottle of glowing blue liquid to float from her grasp and towards Marina. "Here."

Marina took it in her shaking hands.

"Is this the potion?" she asked, eyeing the liquid inside. Whatever it was, it didn't look palatable at all.

"Yes," the sorceress answered. "An elixir to mask the mermaid's magic essence lying dormant in your blood. One sip, and you will have what you desire. On one condition."

The other merfolk had cautioned her about the sorcerers and their conditions. In truth, Marina had nearly decided not to come here because of those warnings. Only the fact that nothing was left of her old home pushed her to stick to her decision.

"What is it?" Marina asked.

The woman before her tilted her head. That smile stayed just as controlled as before. "After stepping foot upon the human world, you will have to wed the first unmarried man you meet. If he does not marry you or he discards you later on, your life will belong to me forever."

Marina gulped. She already knew about that stipulation from the stories being passed around. The task felt more daunting coming from the sorceress herself.

"I understand."

The woman raised one eyebrow. "Are you not frightened?"

"If it means that I can have what I've always wanted, I will do anything," Marina said, her determination overshadowing any misgivings she felt.

A volcanic quake had destroyed her coral home and buried her parents and siblings in mere seconds. The ashes it scattered killed off what was left of the reef. Her shoal had been forced to disband and seek refuge in other mer kingdoms.

As one of the unlucky few who didn't get accepted into a new home, Marina had no choice but to go where only the most desperate merfolk went.

Luckily for her, the sorceress had no objections to the idea.

"Very well then," the woman said, ready to gamble with another life. "May fate be with you."

She could not stand the sorceress' excited gaze any longer. Marina twisted around and swam out of the cave as quickly as she could. Her shimmering blue tail and translucent fins propelled her through the water, leaving bubbles in her wake.

Marina changed direction at one point and headed towards the surface. She broke through the waves and sucked in some desperately needed air to calm her pounding heart. The gills on her neck closed, allowing her lungs to work alone as she looked around for a good place to ground herself.