Arlie and the Mermaid's Curse [#wattys2015]

Chapter 1: In Which We Meet Arlie, Terpsichore and Casimir

Arlie knew that Terp was lying about someone giving her to the troupe. Years ago, when Arlie was little, she believed her, but from the glares Larkan gave her, she knew she wasn't wanted. All that mattered was that Terp wanted her.

On Arlie's seventeenth birthday, the day she could finally be considered full grown, everyone expected her to perform. She would earn her place amongst the troupe and Larkan could never call her a waste of space again. She could earn enough money to buy her and Terp and Cass a real home.

If there were any homes left, that is. Since the war broke out, more and more people were heading towards the mountains. There were rumors that magic still lived there, contained in the trees and the rivers, but Arlie didn't believe any of that. The magic was gone.

Arlie remembered looking up as Terp played her flute, and the colorful vines and swirls, sea serpents skulls and arrows on her arms danced, told a story. She would stay up long after Terp had told her to go to bed and make up songs about Terp's tattoos. She knew they must have danced off Terp's skin at night, only to return in the morning. But as she grew, and more and more people lost their homes, and the troupe spent the night without dinner more and more often, and Arlie knew that resting all their hopes on magic wasn't the answer.

"Arlie!" Terp called from across the tent. "Help me with these poles."

Arlie put her notebook in her satchel and ran over to help. They had all come to this town only this morning, because Larkan said the people were desperate. The desperate ones always immediately believed their troupe was magic. She put her satchel down and grasped one of the poles, working the end into the dirt. "Do I really go on after you?"

"Yes, darlin'," Terp said, flashing her a big grin. "Have you picked your instrument yet?"

Arlie shook her head. "It's too hard."

Terp winked. "Have Cass help you."

"Terp!" Arlie smacked her arm, laughing. When Arlie was thirteen, she told Terp that she wanted to kiss Cass, and ever since then, Terp never missed an opportunity to tease her about it.

"Terpsichore!" Arlie cringed at Larkan's voice, which filled every inch of space in the tent. "I thought I said to secure those poles!"

Rolling her eyes over her shoulder at Arlie, Terp called back, "Right, boss!"

Arlie stayed where she was, hands grasping the pole, until Terp nodded to show that Larkan was gone. Cass entered the tent and waved to her.

"He giving you a hard time again?" He asked.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Arlie stepped aside to make room for him.

Cass was their tightrope walker. He clearly wasn't ready, only half of his face decorated with glitter and blue swirls. "I still have time." Cass helped her work the second pole into the ground. "Did you decide on a song yet?"

"Not yet. Will you help?"

"'Course." They walked outside the tent, towards the hodgepodge of vehicles lined up outside. The night air cooled the sweat on Arlie's skin, and her stomach churned thinking of her performance. She had to earn her place here. It was the only way she was going to make any money.

Arlie and Terp shared a small Burton wagon. Arlie climbed inside and carried out her panpipes, lute, and guitar.

"Try the pipes," Cass said.

Arlie began to play. She never felt nervous playing for Cass, and she always thought that was because she had always played music for him. When she was four, she and Terp found Cass wandering the beach all alone. He had more scales then, instead of the slight dusting of them along his cheekbones and neck (where Arlie suspected he hid his gills behind his hair), and hadn't spoken for a year after, only held onto Arlie's hand.