Meara continued to watch Kiandra's strange behavior as it seemed that every day, she lost a piece of her humanity, and gained a fragment of her new Merrow personality.
She held serious doubt that Kiandra would ever be ready to be a Breeder...but with her metamorphosis into a woman, and into a Merrow...Kiandra was maturing right before her own eyes.
It pained her heart to watch the young seer carrying around a dead Egg as if there was still life in it. Yet, she understood just why Kiandra did this. Like a mourning mother, once they lose a precious child, they grieve for many days and even into many weeks.
It seemed that all mammals shared this trait.
A human, if she loved her child, will mourn until the day she dies. However, they discard the empty shell only days after the child's death to prevent disease. Whereas aquatic mammals will mourn for the rest of their lives...but will also carry their dead for weeks...just like orca's will place their dead baby on their back for many weeks...guiding them through the ocean.
As for Kiandra, she has been grieving for millions of unborn children since she could remember. Carrying them all inside her Soul. And now, she was carrying her child too!
Meara did not have the heart to tell Kiandra that the Egg that she was carrying, was actually born by her—almost 200 years ago! The modified marking on the Egg told her that the child inside was actually Saoirse.
***
"Do you still want to go on a walk?" Meara asked Kiandra as she nodded, carrying the Egg over to join her.
"Yes!" she nodded "Do you have a place in mind?!"
"I do." she answered "It is in the old kingdom...there is a beautiful cove there that simply sparkles in the sunlight. But it is somewhat of a hike to get there, are you sure that you are feeling up to it?"
"Of course!" as Kiandra just wanted to spend time with her.
***
About an hour into the hike, Kiandra was huffing and puffing as she hauled her body and the Egg through the temperate rainforest. She was exhausted as she leaned up against a tree, taking a breather.
"Are you okay?!" she asked, seeing Kiandra struggling to breathe.
"Just a little winded." she commented, looking flushed in the face.
"Well, let me know if your conditions change." As in the back of Meara's mind, she knew that it was quite possible that Kiandra possess the same condition as Niamh...and it frightened her.
They walked westward as occasionally Meara would stop and etch on a piece of brown cloth with a squid-ink pen. Kiandra walked over as she looked at what seemed to be a map.
"What's that?" she wondered.
"A project of mine." She answered "All maps of the old kingdom were lost. And many directions and locations are here inside my head. But it will not help any Merrow find their way if I am gone. So, I have dedicated my free time to etching out a map for navigation. Hopefully, one day, we might be able to reclaim our own capital."
"So, this is an expedition." Kiandra smirked, then looked winded again. "I guess I am not used to the hiking." She breathed deeply.
"Are you sure that you are well enough to go on hiking?" Meara worried, she noticed that the color in her face had gone flush.
"Yeah, I should be alright. I am just out of shape, that is all. And plus, I am carrying a large Egg around." she remarked.
"You do not have to carry that thing!" Meara told her "I mentioned that it is probably dead. You should dispose of it!"
YOU ARE READING
The Mermaid's Egg
Fantasy[Note -- Contains TF Elements, TG Elements, & Yuri] Kiandra O'Sullivan, a coldhearted apathetic young man from America, who has just turned 20 years old today. He receives many gifts from his parents: including a fully paid trip to Ireland, the prom...
