The Siren and The Sun

1) 16th Birthday Present

"Daddy, please! It's my birthday!" 16-year-old Atlantis pleaded. "I've been asking to go to Olympus with you forever!"

"No. I've told you before it's too dangerous." Poseidon said from the throne in his palace.

Atlantis turned to the goddess next to him. "Mom, can you-"

"Lanti," Amphitrite said tiredly. "this is between you and him. I'm not getting involved, nor am I going to sit here and listen to you argue." With that, she got up and left the throne room.

"Besides," the sea god continued. "you can't breathe up there."

"Don't play that game. You know perfectly well that is not an issue. Just make a bubble of water. You're just making excuses. I know the real reason you won't let me go."

"And what would that be?" Poseidon asked, intrigued.

"If I were just a normal mermaid you would let me go. But you're not because the Olympians can't know your daughter is a monster!" She turned and swam away to her room, slamming the door.

Now alone, the sea god sighed. If he brought his daughter with him, the Olympians would see it as an act of war. But maybe he could hide her identity.

Poseidon flashed into Atlantis' room without knocking. "Hey!" she exclaimed in alarm. "I could have been naked!"

"Well you're halfway there." he noted, indicating her lower half. Pale green scales covered her fish tail. Atlantis didn't find this funny and turned, facing away from him. "Don't you have some big important stuff to do on Olympus?"

Poseidon came over and sat next to her on her bed. He brushed a long strand of black hair behind her ear.

Atlantis was truly beautiful. Long, black hair hung down to her mid-back, defying gravity. It complimented her light green eyes, which matched her tail. The only thing that differentiated her from mermaids was her ears. They had three points at the top, like bat wings. That, and of course, her voice.

"Go away." She said, pushing him away. There were tears in her eyes, which didn't mix with the surrounding salt water until they dribbled off her chin.

Poseidon frowned. "You're not a monster. You're beautiful and your voice is beautiful."

"Beautiful enough to make people kill themselves, Dad. Kill themselves over something that's not even real!" She cried. "Call me what I am: a siren. And by definition, a siren is a monster." Atlantis broke down and sobbed. Poseidon put his arms around her and they stayed like that for a long time.

After what seemed like hours, Atlantis let go of her father. "Do you feel better?" he asked.

She nodded and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Do you want to come with me to Olympus?"

Atlantis stared. "Really?"

"I figured it would be an appropriate 16th birthday present. But, to be on the safe side, promise me you won't sing."

The siren nodded vigorously. "Oh, I wouldn't talk at all if it meant I could go with you."

"I appreciate it, but you don't have to do that."

Beaming, the siren sped through the palace yelling, "I'M GOING TO OLYMPUS!!!" Poseidon laughed as her daughter zipped back and forth, determined to tell the whole ocean where she was going. He was pretty sure she was breaking her personal best speed of 97 mph, almost 20 miles faster than the fastest fish.

"I'm leaving in 10 minutes, Lanti."

"Ten minutes?!" She repeated, changing course for her room to get ready. In her room, she changed to a plain black crop top. "Princess Atlantis, are you sure you don't want to wear this?" Said a small voice. Atlantis whirled around in surprise. A 10-year-old mermaid stared up at her with big brown eyes, holding a forest green shirt. "Oh, sorry Lily. I forgot I have servants. Actually, I like that color. Can you find that color crop top?"

Lily frowned, her orangey golden tail flicking back and forth. "What is that, Princess Atlantis?"

"It's like a small t-shirt. And I've told you before, you can just call me Atlantis."

The servant disappeared into a sea of clothes, 90% of which Atlantis had never worn, but her parents insited she keep.

"Matilda!" Another mermaid appeared, her crimson tail contrasting her blonde with one streak of blue hair. She was Lily's older sister, and Atlantis' hair and makeup specialist.

"What'll be?"

"Hair plain as it always is and no makeup."

Matilda grabbed a comb and started pulling at knots. "I heard you screamin' you were going to Olympus. And you plan on doin' so with no makeup? Aphrodite'll have your head."

"Ow, ow, ow! Be gentle!"

"This wouldn't hurt so much if you put up your hair every once in a while."

"I don't like it up, Matilda!"

"At least let me put something on your face." Matilda turned Atlantis around and inspected her face. "So the Olympians are going be looking at you...we better give 'em somethin' to look at."

"Matlida! Don't make me some doll! Keep it simple."

"You'll see it when I'm done, now hush up."

After the mermaid finished, Atlantis glanced in a mirror. Her light green eyes looked even lighter with the thick eyeliner and mascara. Atlantis' lips were maraschino cherry red and her cheeks a rosy pink. "Holy mother of sea urchins! I look like a- like a-"

"The Olympians will love you!" Matilda insisted.

Before Atlantis could reply, Lily came back. "Prin- I mean, Atlantis, would you like to wear your crown? I thought, maybe, you would because you're going to Olympus. And it looks nice. On you."

Atlantis decided, for once to wear her crown. It had two silver bands twisted together and dotted with three different gem: black diamonds, peridots, and regular diamonds. It was a gift for her first birthday, and the crown magically expanded as she grew.

"Atlantis! Come on, I'm leaving!" Poseidon called. She set the crown on her head and quickly swam out to meet him. Atlantis grabbed her father's hand and they flashed straight to Olympus.