A Tail of Two Mermaids

Chapter Three: LORELEI

From the bottom of her heart, Princess Lorelei yearned to court, and possibly even marry, Crown Prince Delmore of Atlantis. She had re-read his eloquent letters far more times than she could ever count, and felt such a profound connection to him, in spite of the three hundred or so nautical miles between them. The Atlantean royal palace boasted both the biggest library and largest art gallery in the entire merfolk world, which Delmore was eager to show Lorelei. She so looked forward to having lengthy, intellectually stimulating conversations about merfolk literature and great works of undersea art with him.

The night before leaving for Atlantis, Lorelei tossed and turned on her soft kelp mattress and yellow sea sponge pillow like a flimsy piece of driftwood caught in a strong rip tide. It would certainly be easier for her if Crown Prince Delmore could come and live with her in Baltica, instead of the other way around. Lorelei had never been away from her beloved family and peaceful homesea.

You will be alright, little one, a telepathic message suddenly appeared in Lorelei's restless mind. Remember, I'll be with you every tail flip of the way, pulling your Sea-Carriage!

Felipe was a copper-colored, giant Sea-Stallion who had been the princess's bonded seahorse since she was only three years old. Many, though not all, merfolk had a bonded giant seahorse who they could telepathically communicate with. Felipe's brave and bold personality complemented Lorelei's timidity. Her faithful companion's reassuring telepathic message helped soothe her apprehension, and she finally drifted off to sleep.

At low tide, Princess Lorelei woke up to see her mother, Queen Alda of Baltica, floating beside her bed. "Good morning, my little pearl" she murmured gently. "Are you feeling nervous about the long journey ahead of you?". It took roughly three days to travel from Baltica to Atlantis by giant seahorse-drawn Sea-Carriage.

Lorelei fidgeted with her kelp quilt, a shy smile gracing her lips. "A little, Mama..." she admitted. "What if...I don't like Atlantis...? What if...Crown Prince Delmore doesn't like me in person...?". She generally felt comfortable sharing her innermost thoughts and feelings with her wise mother.

Queen Alda sat down on the edge of the kelp mattress, and ran her left hand through her daughter's blonde tresses. She let out a warm chuckle. "There's no need for you to worry about such things, my little Lorelei. You'll love Atlantis! It is very different from Baltica, but it's a dazzling city full of wonders you've only read about in books. And as for Crown Prince Delmore, well, his letters have been quite effusive, haven't they...?"

Princess Lorelei blushed, her fingers unconsciously twisting a strand of her golden hair. "Yes, they have..." she agreed.

"Now," continued Queen Alda. "I have some things for you". She reached into a green pouch that hung at her slim waist and began pulling out various goodies. There was a travel-sized seashell filled with a special Baltican seaweed lotion known for its moisturizing properties, perfect for adapting to the slightly different water chemistry of Atlantis. A small, intricately carved wooden box held a set of seabird feather quills for writing letters home.

"Last but not least..." the Queen of Baltica said, as she reached in and pulled out a unique bracelet unlike anything Lorelei had ever seen. "This is a very, very special bracelet, woven from a lock of my own hair. There's an ancient merfolk legend that says if a mermaid wears a bracelet woven out of her mother's hair, she will be completely safe from any kind of danger".

Lorelei's clear blue eyes widened in awe. "A magical bracelet, Mama? It's so beautiful!". The princess's ivory-skinned arms were so small and thin that the bracelet was a tad loose on her narrow wrist.

"I personally believe that there is no magic anywhere in the seven seas that's more powerful than a mother's love. That bracelet shall be a constant reminder that I'm always with you in spirit, no matter how far apart we are".

A wave of gratitude washed over Lorelei. Salty tears welled up in her eyes as she hugged her mother.

"Lorelei!" Princess Aldine exclaimed. "You're not leaving without hugging your favorite big sister goodbye, are you?". The royal family of Baltica had gathered in front of the palace to see Lorelei, Nixie, and Felipe off properly.

"Of course not, Aldine" said Lorelei with a smile. "I wouldn't dream of it". Aldine squeezed her younger sister in a tight embrace, her scales brushing against Lorelei's turquoise fish tail. "Write to me about everything you see and do in Atlantis, alright?"

"Little sis, don't forget about your trusty big brother either!" Crown Prince Aalto uttered, winking playfully. The three siblings then shared a warm group hug, a silent promise of their unwavering bond. As Lorelei pulled away, she looked towards Felipe. It was at last time to depart for Atlantis.

Princess Lorelei waved goodbye to her family, and her and Nixie glided into the Sea-Carriage. The simple yet elegant Sea-Carriage was crafted entirely from driftwood. The vehicle's cozy interior was lined with soft seaweed mats, and two porthole-like windows, fashioned from polished abalone shells, allowed travelers to admire the underwater scenery along the way. Bioluminescent algae woven into the walls provided illumination.

Felipe nudged the Sea-Carriage forward with his snout. Baltica's familiar stone and driftwood buildings, with rustic thatched roofs made of seaweed, were growing smaller and smaller. A shiver ran down Lorelei's spine as they rode into the untamed Wilderness outside of her kingdom. She was deeply afraid of the Wild sea creatures who lived in the Wilderness, who, unlike the Civilized marine animals who resided in well-established merfolk kingdoms, could not speak their language. Even though there were relatively few large, predatory species in this part of the Northeastern Ocean and her new, special bracelet was supposed to protect her from danger, Princess Lorelei understood that not all Wild creatures were friendly to merfolk. A spiny dogfish, which was as long as she was, swam by one of the Sea-Carriage's round windows.

"Your Highness...you're not scared of spiny dogfish, are you?" Nixie questioned. A condescending smirk had formed on the Tailmaiden's gorgeous face. "My father's a Merbiology professor, remember? He told me before that spiny dogfish are scavengers and bottom feeders, who prey on small fish, crustaceans, and slimy little worms. That means that they're not dangerous to mermaids, especially not when we're inside the Sea-Carriage!"

"That's right..." Lorelei sighed. "I think I read that in a book".

"A book, huh?" echoed Nixie. "Then again, spiny dogfish do like to eat worms. For all we know, they might think mermaid bookworms are pretty tasty too!"

Nixie constantly teased Lorelei about how much she loved to read. It did truthfully grate against the princess's scales at times, but she always took it in stride.