The Little Mermaid's Name is Luna

1: Saving the Prince's Life

"I can't believe you're fifteen!" Grandma said enthusiastically, combing shells into Luna's hair. "We must pretty you up like your sisters."

"I don't want to be pretty," Luna said. "I want to go to the surface!" She'd heard her sisters' tales of their first visit to the surface. Claira said she'd played with human children her first time. She said they had two props to stand on instead of a fish's tail. Luna wanted to see the humans, too. They sounded so strange. But, alas, she had to wait till sunset to see them. She still had to suffer through a party in celebration of her biggest birthday.

"Well, too bad," Grandma said, leaning down to attach an oyster to Luna's tail. Luna winced as she felt the pin poke between her scales. Seven more of these, she thought, recalling the eight oysters that resided on each of her sisters' tails.

"Grandma, what was your first time like?" Luna asked.

"My first time to the surface? It was magical. The sunsets are so beautiful, and so full of colors. You will very much enjoy them. And the stars! They are so bright and twinkling. I watched them for hours, just connecting those beautiful dots. You shall love the human world, Luna, but be patient; you will see those things in time. Today, we shall celebrate your coming-of-age. You will get to drink urchin wine. Mighty tasty."

The fourth shell latched on to Luna's deep blue tail.

Grandma sighed whimsically. "It's been so long since I was up there."

Luna pursed her lips. She remembered how her sisters had quickly lost interest in the surface after a month or two. She knew it would never be that way for her. She hoped to see the same beauty her other sisters had witnessed - and discover new beauties they'd never seen. "Why haven't you been up there?"

"Suffice to say that after a while, the beauties of the surface become faded when you see them enough times." Grandma smiled ruefully.

The last shell was attached, and Luna turned for her grandmother. Her scales sparkled, and her black hair floated. She was wearing a dress that was the palest shade of orange, like Marine's coral roses. It hung only a few inches past the dividing line between her tail and the part of her that resembled a human creature, showing off all her ranking oysters, which curled around her tail in a spiral. Grandma smiled, grabbing a string of pearls.

Luna turned her back to Grandma, holding her thick black hair above her head. Grandma adorned her with the necklace, and then two more just like it. "There," Grandma said. "Just like your sisters."

Luna turned toward the mirror that sat above her vanity table. She really was beautiful, and she looked like a grown princess. She imagined her sister Claira's squeals of delight, Marine's maternal smile, her father's declaration to the kingdom that she was all grown up. It made Luna smile. I really am all grown up, she decided, letting her hair down. The shells Grandma had combed in held, and Luna was strangely glad for that.

Grandma smiled at Luna's reflection. "Are you ready, then, love?"

"More than so," Luna replied.

"Then come. The kingdom awaits."

--

"Princess!"

"Your Highness!"

"Happy Birthday, Majesty!"

The bows and wishes of the crowd unnerved her, but she returned each phrase with a polite nod. Really, all she wanted was to find her sister Claira, the second youngest, only a year older than Luna was.

She was over by the table with the urchin wine, alongside Marine, Pearl, and Ferana, her other sisters. Luna swam to her, quickly, ducking around arms trying to reach out.