The Mermans Mate

2

Not long later I found myself walking through the forest towards the pond. I jumped over a fallen tree and decided to observe my surroundings as I walked. Tall trees were everywhere, the birds sang and played, the bugs went about their daily business, the undergrowth lived like it awkward did. Everything had a life force. That I knew of for sure.

I could smell the change in the air as it got slightly more damp the closer I got to the pond. I hurried my steps and was soon at the foot of the pond. I quickly took off my top and shorts and dove in. I saw Melody swim into the pond from the hole I had found yesterday, only this time she brought someone with her that looked like her older sister and about my age. I swam to the surface and Melody squealed and flung herself on me causing us to spin. She held me tightly, so I wasn't afraid of sinking to my death.

A moment later she pulled back and said. "Pearl, I brought my older sister. She didn't believe me when I said I found you. So she wanted to meet you." I turned to the girl. She was beautiful. She smiled at me and said. "You really are her." I tilted my head and frowned. She grinned and said. "I have some things for you." I blinked utterly shocked at this. She held out her hand and in it was a pearl in the form of a tear drop. It was beautiful. I gaped at it me she said. "A royal must always wear her crown." Now I was confused. Melody looked excited about something that I wasn't told about. The girl swam closer to me and pressed the pearl to my forehead. She to moved her hand and I was shocked to feel something circling my head.

Melody a mouth was open and eyes were wide with awe. The girl just looked amused but proud. I touched my forehead and was surprised to feel the pearl dangling on my forehead and was also surprised to feel that soft metal circled my head as well turning the whole thing into a crown. I pulled it off my head and gaped at it. It was beautiful. The big teardrop pearl dangled from the center of the crown and three silver metal strands intertwined around with small diamonds on them to form the rest of the crown. The girl said. "It may look delicate but it's actually the strongest metal on earth. But please, keep it on, it's yours now and it will also keep you safe." Wordlessly but reluctantly I put it back on. I shouldn't be accepting something like that. Then the girl handed me a pouch. She gestured for me to look inside it. I did and gaped at what I found. I found a beautiful dagger.

The hilt was silver and the end of it was another teardrop shaped pearl. The girl said. "You'll be coming to our kingdom soon and mother wants you able to protect yourself for that day. We don't know when, but we are going to find a way for you to reunite with your mate so that you can get your tail. But look in the pouch again." I did and found diamonds, sand dollars, pearls, and also a charm bracelet that had all sorts of sea beings on a silver chain.

Melody excitedly said. "That's from me! I magically formed the bracelet and the charms, and my friends mom, she's one of the magic teachers at the net school, she infused it with some spells that she said you might find useful someday." I smiled at both of the girls and said. "Thank you." I noticed that they both had a pouch and a dagger on a belt that surrounded their hips where their tails started. I didn't see this yesterday. Melody held out a white belt that has some diamonds in it to me. She said. "I went shopping for a belt before we came here. I realized that you didn't have one so I got one. I hope you like it." I took it and hugged her and said. "Thank you." She grinned and held the pouch and dagger for me while I slid the belt around me. Then Melody slid the pouch onto one side of the belt and pulled out a sheath that I hadn't noticed was in the pouch and slid it onto the other side of the belt and put the dagger in the sheath. I buckled the belt and the weight of it felt natural on my hips. I the pulled the charm bracelet out of the pouch and put it on my left wrist. I chose that wrist since I didn't use it as much and I wouldn't fear for it to break so easily. Melody and I grinned at each other then we looked at the girl who was watching us silently. I realized I never got her name. So I said. "Thank you...?" Her eyes widened and said. "Tempest. Sorry for my rudeness." I smiled and said. "Don't worry about it. We are friends, yes?" She seemed to relax and she said with a smile. "Yes. We are. We're not only that, but we are sisters."

I grinned in agreement then watched as Melody swam to the ponds edge then pulled herself out of the water. Her wet tail shined in the sun then it disappeared. I gaped at her as she appeared in front of us standing calmly as if nothing happened in a silver bikini. Tempest said as she too swam to the ponds edge and pulled herself out. "When we are out of the water, our tail turns into clothes that will benefit us best. In this case it's warm enough out that we are in swimsuits." She too has a bikini on. It was weird seeing them with legs. They both giggled and Tempest said. "Our school is on an island, so we are used to being on land. You'll be going to the school too. All mer of all ages go there till they are either mature enough, have learned enough, or the school feels that they are no longer needed there." I nodded and Tempest asked. "Do you want to learn how to use the dagger?" I nodded and climber out of the water and they led me over to where a decaying tree stood a certain distance away.

Tempest said. "Alright, spread your legs shoulder width apart. Relax your shoulders-" She gave me a few more tips before she started to teach me how to hit the tree. Melody practiced with hers not so far away and I was in awe. She looked no older then a 6 year old and was throwing the knife with deadly speed and accuracy at the tree repeatedly. I wanted to be as good as her, maybe even better. So I tried as hard as I could. By the end of the day I had managed to cut many of my fingers and have my knife bounce off the tree. I grunted as yet again the knife clattered to the ground. Tempest said. "It's ok Pearl. You'll get it. It's only your first try. But Melody and I have to go back now. It's getting dark out. You'll be ok right?"

She held worry in her eyes, what for I wasn't sure about so I gave her a confused look as I said. "Yeah I'll be fine." She blinked and shook her head. The worry seemed to disappear as if it was never there. She smiled at me and pulled me into a hug. We had gotten closer as the day went on. By now I felt like she was a good friend that would become a best friend before no time. We pulled apart and Melody jumped into my arms. I hugged her and she said. "I'll miss you!" She felt like a little sister to me already. So I held her tightly to me and said. "I'll see you again tomorrow Mel." The name slipped for my lips and o paused thinking that she wouldn't like it. But she grinned and said. "I like Mel. You can call me that if you want." I smiled and nodded then hugged one more time and then she grabbed Tempests hand and the reluctantly dove into the pond and I watched amazed as their tails appeared and the swam into the hole.

I felt tears role down my cheeks. I realized that I had actually been happy when I was with them. I didn't feel all alone and abandoned. But now that I was by myself. I did feel that way again and it hit me like a giant punch to the face. I shook my head then looked as my fingers. I was surprised that they were healed. I blinked thinking they would reappear if I did so. But they were still gone. I thought of when Melody said that the bracelet had spells that would help me. Maybe healing was one of them. I shrugged and looked at the tree. I was determined to be the best when it came to the dagger. So I stayed there for hours practicing with the dagger. Eventually with each throw I got better until I was hitting my target each time it threw the knife.

When the moon was fully up I realized that I had to go home. So reluctantly I grabbed my stuff and made my way home. When I got there I hesitated hearing mother drunkenly laugh about absolutely nothing before I walked inside. She held the alcohol in one hand while dancing with a broom in the other and kissing the end of the broom handle like it was her life line. I grimaced and slid past her and went into my room. I showered and then hid my dagger, belt and pouch, and crown not wanting my mother to find it. I pulled on my pajamas and looked around the room. It looked like no one lived in the room.

All I had was a bag that held my clothes in it and that's it. I shook my head and went to turn off the light. But I got a shock as the door slammed open and there stood mother. She looked at me and screamed. "It's your fault!" Then before I could move the bottle in her hand came smashing down on my head then blackness filled my vision as my body collapsed on the floor and my eyes closed. I was unconscious.