A Scaly Tale

How to prove yourself worthy

My breathing grew faster by the minute. I had six days to earn Simon's trust. What would happen to me if I didn't earn his trust? The question lingered on my mind as I swam away from the large cliff where they held the meeting. 

On my way back to the Beautiful Mermaid clam the rocks and shells on the sand seemed familar for the first few minutes of my swimming, but as I continued on everything I saw was something brand new. I stopped swimming and twirled around in a circle. Not even one thing I saw seemed familiar. 

Not knowing what to do, I slowly made my way to the surface of the water. My tail flapped to and fro with ease now, boosting me through the salty water. I swam up, closer and closer to the surface of this abnormal world. As I broke the surface of the water, my face stung as the air touched it. I clutched onto the skin on my face as it burnt in the crisp air. I circled around once more, this time I only saw the slightly wavy ocean surface and a small bed of rocks in the distance. Deciding to give my new tail a break, I swam over to the rock to rest. 

My face had gotten used to the air, but every so often I would splash it with some salty ocean water. The large moon was floating high in the sky, making its way through the sea of stars. I wondered how people centuries ago, traveled the world with a map of stars.

 Different sized bubbles started surfacing all around me.

For a moment I wondered if there were sharks swimming below but then I wondered if sharks even prayed on mermaids. I ducked my head under the salty water and had a look. About twenty or so mermaids were swimming down below. I guessed the meeting was over. Ianthe's bright orange and yellow tail caught my eye. I swam down towards her dodging all the other mermaids swimming in the opposite direction.

"Ianthe!" I exclaimed.
"Megan, what are doing here? Are you alright?" Ianthe replied.
"I'm fine, I just have some things I need to to ask you, could we go somewhere private?"
"Follow me," Ianthe said, pulling me along.

We made it back to the Beautiful Mermaid area and I opened up the clam shell, granting us access to the shelly room. I found a small empty store room through a door from the common area.
"I heard what Simon said," I blurted out as soon as the door had closed. 

Ianthe looked pitiful and sorry. We both stared down at hands, there was a queer silence in the dim room. 

"But I also saw some ugly mermaids, really ugly mermaids" I continued on, "They werent like generally ugly, they were all the same kind of ugly as if that is how they are supposed to look,"

 Ianthe was about to talk when a gruff voice from outside bet her to it.

"Where were these mermaids?" The deep voice asked. 

Ianthe jerked the cupboard door open and behind it was a merman with a very long tail. His face was soft but showed wrinkles in the corners of his eyes from smiling so hard. His eyes had dim shades of brown and green that complemented his messy dark brown hair. 

I looked over at Ianthe, she was chewing her annoyance out on her lip.

"Why were you eavesdropping on us?" She spat out at him, clearly showing her dislike for the man.
"Simon's orders," He replied.
"Simon's orders, to stalk us?"
"No, Simon sent people to guard this dormitory and watch the girl," His eyes flicked over to me briefly. I was annoyed by his presence and I wanted him to get out of my sight.
"I'd like to leave now," I said. I dodged the bubble couches and stepped into the clam exit. Before the clam closed I saw Ianthe's cute face with an annoyed expression.

I had been swimming not long when someone saw me. They glared, recognising me and then swam over to me.
"Hi," I said hesitantly, "Do you know where I could find Simon?"

"You shouldn't be here, it isn't safe, especially not for you," the man said.

"What do you mean, it isn't safe?"

The merman reached out and grabbed my arm with a strong grip. The muscels in his arm flexed slightly. I could tell by the blue and violet colours of the scales on his tale that he was a beautiful mermaid and beautiful he was.

He looked left and right quickly and pulled me closer to himself with his strong arms.

"This area," he looked around, "it doesnt belong to the Beautiful Mermaids, we are tresspassing on forgein land. This area doesnt belong ot any species but it should be avoided. The big drop off is only about one hundred metres away...I should not be telling you this," His eyes filled witha little bit of fear.

"Come on, I'll escort you back to the clam," He said.

As we were swimming side by side, I couldn't seem to take my eyes of this glorious piece of merman heavan. His hair was brown and parts of it fell down into his eyes as we were swimming along. His tail was long and swept gracefully behind him, swinging back and forth with great power. 

"I don't know what you were thinking," He said.

I didn't reply, I kept looking at him as he pulled me quickly through the water. I didn't know someone, let alone a merman could be so beautiful. He looked back at me briefly and I struggled to hide my stare. My cheeks burned pink.

"You don't even know how dangerous it is at the moment, for you to be swimming outside of you border alone? Don't you have any common sense? Anyway, go inside, and saty aout of trouble, Megan,"

He let go of me by the clam. and waited for me to go inside.

"I'll try..." I said, wondering what his name was.

"Ethan," He said and swam away.